(This message is the same on all three stories The Gift from Sookie to Save Eric, The Living Painting, and The True Ending Becomes the True Beginning).

Thank you all dear readers for your comments, favorites, and followers. I apologize for the late update. Having my new job and tiring hours has left me exhausted. Plus I 'm writing not only these three stories but I'm also writing another story that I'm willing to have publish.

Plus I was in mourning...for my beloved cat has died unexpectedly. She was my baby. While I'm still visiting my mother, my father was watching over my cat back at home. This was such a shock, I cried my heart out. My cat was only three years old and there was nothing wrong with her (or so I thought). She died from a heart disease that's very common in cats. Vets to this day, don't know what causes this and it's undetectable until it's too late. The Vet has told my dad that I took very good care of her. There was nothing I could have done any better. Cats with this heart disease has a 1-8 year lifespan. For those who are reading this and has a cat...the disease is called Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. The only way to find this thing is through a sonogram. An X-ray would not pick this up. Just so you know, there's no cure. For the cat to live longer is for him/her to eat specific cat food that has the ingredient to help the heart. So that's my sob story. I still cry to this very day.

By the way, to my beloved readers...do any of you work as a literary agent or work in a publishing company? If any of you are and love my work please contact me through private messaging and tell me what you represent. If you are professional in this area, then please excuse my mistakes with spelling and grammar. Many times these stories were rushed to being published for several reasons. Thank You.

Don't worry readers, no matter how late I update. I won't leave a story hanging. Anyway on with the story! Thank You for your patience.

Characters belong to Charlaine Harris and Alan Ball.

Chapter 8

Eric went through the Stackhouse Book of Shadows and went to the page that Sookie was talking about. There was a spell to switch paintings. This gave Eric hope. For he thought if there was a spell to switch paintings, then there should be a spell for getting out of the paintings permanently. So far there was nothing close to the ultimate goal, but at least he can change Godric's current state of living.

The one thing that was haunting him was one of Russell's men tried to escape and almost succeeded. He's got to figure out how to get rid of him and his coven. They can't stay in a painting forever. Can they? Sookie made an excellent point about the Mona Lisa. What if they can just stay in there forever?

"You look like your mind is ready to explode." Godric came in from the outside. They had an hour left before they both go back into the paintings.

"It's going to be if I don't find the answer to our situation." Eric said in frustration. "However I did find...or I should say Sookie found a way to change your painting in the mean time. So at least you can somewhat enjoy your prison instead of trying to survive it."

"Eric." Eric looked up at Godric with tired eyes. "You're not going to find the spell overnight. It's going to take a while. We're lucky that we have Miss Stackhouse to bring us out every night. We're going to take this one step at a time."

Eric didn't want to reveal to Godric about Russell tonight, but right now he has to. "There's one more thing."

"Which is?"

"Adele had kept the paintings of Russell and his coven in one of the rooms."

Godric had a mild shock to his face. "You mean, they are still here?"

"Yes. Locked away in paintings themselves with a magical spell barrier for extra protection."

A chill went through Godric's being, "Show Me."

Eric lead Godric to the locked room and brought down the barrier. As he unlocked it, Godric stepped in the room and looked at the many paintings covering every wall and most of the floor. Godric couldn't believe how close their enemies were. They were all living under one roof. Which this makes this place dangerous despite the fact that they are in paintings. Then Godric saw the painting that was part ripped with a dead hand sticking out. Godric now really felt a cold chill through his spine. "Eric...that isn't what I think it is?"

"Yes. One of his men tried to escape by using an athame. He died trying."

Godric looked at Russell's painting as well as the others. They all had anger on their faces for now they see not only Eric walking around but now Godric too. "Let's get out of here Eric." he said nervously. To Eric, seeing Godric being nervous was never a good sign. Eric locked the door and but the spell barrier back on again.

They went back into the living room and sat on the couches. Godric was the first to speak. "Eric...Sookie hasn't gotten into that room, has she?"

"No. I made sure of that."

"Good. Keep it that way. I do not want Russell and his coven to know about Sookie's existence." Eric nodded for that was his way of keeping her safe. "Don't you know we pretty much have a ticking time bomb in that room."

"I understand that, but honestly they haven't figured it out of trying to get out."

"They almost did Eric."

"You sound terrified."

"I am. What if they do figure it out and we can't be there to save Sookie because we're inside of our own paintings? Have you even thought about that?"

"Every moment. Ever since I first checked on the room."

"So not only we have to figure out how to get out of the paintings, but now we have to figure out how to get rid of Russell." Godric can feel the stress and pressure.

"Can't we just burn the paintings?" Eric felt like it was a dumb question and it was too simple to get rid of a problem.

"I seriously doubt it, besides if that were possible...it's inhumane. Being burned alive is extreme torturous death."

"I still think we should try it. What other choice do we have?"

"We'll figure it out."

Eric starting writing a note for Sookie for when she wakes up. Sunrise was approaching and both Eric and Godric felt the pull of the paintings calling out to them. Just as Eric finished the note, his body went back into a fairy dust substance and went back into the bar painting. Same thing happened to Godric, except Godric braced himself for facing the demons again as he went back into the painting.

Sookie got up very sleepy. She looked at the clock and through her blurred vision she saw it was almost noon. "Oh my lord, it's so late! Even though there was nothing important for her to get to, she still felt a little guilty by sleeping that late. Eric was right as to doing magic drains the energy out of you.

As she went downstairs, she looked at Eric's portrait. He was...sleeping or at least she think he was. She turn around and gave the painting a couple of seconds for it to change. When she looked back at the portrait, Eric was still in the same position with his eyes closed. "Yep, he's asleep. Must have been a long night for him." She looked at the table that had the Book of Shadows and paper notes all around. Sookie could tell that he was researching to find a spell for his release from the painting permanently. There also on the table was a note from him.

Dear Sookie,

As you can see, I had a rough night doing research. Please don't clean up the papers or anything. Just leave it the way it is. I did look up the spell that you suggested. It just might work. Today try to find a painting that looks so beautiful to live in. If you can't find one, please use my credit card and go out and find one. That card has no limit, so if you need anything else, go right ahead and purchase. by the way, don't be surprised if you see me sleeping. I don't want you to think I'm dead or anything like that.

By the way...check out the plants in the green house.

Eric

Sookie smiled instantly went to the green house and gave a good look to the plants that she worked on last night. There on the plants were new leaves. Not full of leaves but it was starting to look healthy again. "I did it! Wow, it's almost truly alive again!"' Sookie had put a little bit of more water into the pots and gave a little more of the magic that Eric had shown her. As she did that, she had gotten sleepy again. "Oh I should not have done that." she yawned.

Then Sookie heard a knock at the front door. Luckily for her, she was wearing a bathrobe. She ran from the green house to the door and opened the door. There stood an officer who looked like a southern gentleman. "Good afternoon miss. My name is officer Bill Compton, I'm part of officer Johnson's team." Mr. Compton showed his badge. "I was sent here just to check if everything is okay."

Sookie stared at him in a daze. For not only she was still tired, but also confused. "Officer Johnson hasn't spoke to me about another visitation."

"This is just a check procedure, after all you have a sneaky intruder." he smiled giving her his southern charm.

Sookie totally forgot about her call to the cops. Now she knows what's going on in the house. She totally felt ridiculous and she has to figure out how to make the police report disappear. "Sir, everything has been fine since you and your team has searched the house. I believe the intruder is gone."

"Do you know that stalking is a rising crime? He may not be doing anything right now, but he might later. It's also a possibility that he has been doing things without your knowledge."

Sookie didn't know what to say except "Oh." She was hoping that he would just go away.

"May I enter the house Miss? So I can check to make sure everything is okay?"

Sookie had let him in. She figured once he realizes there's nothing wrong, then he'll leave. Bill looked around and whistled a Peter and the Wolf tune. Despite his southern charm and somewhat handsome appeal, Mr. Bill Compton gave Sookie the creeps. She noticed he was staring at Eric's portrait. Eric was awake and gave a no emotion face but staring straight at Mr. Compton.

Bill looked at Sookie "Doesn't this portrait scare you a little?" he asked. "It's creepy to me."

"No actually. He's my favorite part of the house. He gives me comfort like he watches over me. Making sure I'm safe." she smiled as she looked at Eric's painting.

"Your making it sound like he's your long lost lover." Bill looked over the painting in suspicion and looked at the incantation below. "So this is the famous Eric Northman painting. Legend says that the painting is alive and he comes to life by saying this incantation."

Sookie shrugged her shoulders "That's the famous legend!"

"Have you tried it?" Bill smiled at her.

"Yes I have, but nothing happened." she tried to put on her best lying smile ever.

Bill checked the out the table that was filled with spells and papers that Eric went over last night. Bill looked at Sookie in question "Spells?"

"I'm doing a research project on witches and witchcraft."

Bill dropped the subject and went to the hallways that had the painting's of Eric's coven. "You must really love painting's Miss Stackhouse."

"Actually they came with the house." Bill nodded and tried to open one of the forbidden doors.

"You can't go in there."

"Any reason why not Miss Stackhouse? The intruder might be in there."

"First of all, I don't have a key. That room has been locked even before I came here."

"Why not change the locks?"

Sookie decide to use her Gran's explanation "This is an old house and I don't want to ruin history of how it's made." Bill left it alone, but he had a weird feeling of what's behind the door. "Now Mr. Compton..."

"Please, call me Bill." he smiled at her.

"Okay Bill, I know it's a little bit in the afternoon, but I just got up. There hasn't been any trouble since your team has checked out the house..."

"It's only been a two days Miss Stackhouse. I'll come by and check again. Here's my card with the police station number and my personal number." Sookie looked at him flabbergasted. "I would love to take you out to dinner one night. Or how about something simple like coffee?"

Sookie looked at Eric's portrait not sure what to do. "Um, look you're a nice guy and everything, but I just moved in and I hadn't settled in totally yet."

"It's okay...I'll wait." he smiled. Before he left he saw Eric's painting again. The painting was the same except there was a scowl on his face. "Was that there before?"

Sookie looked at the painting again a little wide eyed. "Yes...yes it was. These paintings can give off vibrations like they're alive."

Bill wasn't totally convinced, but he left knowing it was time to go and let Sookie attend to her business. "Good day, Miss Stackhouse. I hope you'll call soon." he smiled and went into his police car and drove away.

As Sookie shut the door, she took a deep breath and relaxed. She's filled with relief as let herself sit on the couch. She looked at Eric's portrait and there was still a disgusted look on his face. "What? Eric I tried to make sure that he didn't know anything? I thought I did pretty good." She looked away for a couple of seconds for the painting to change. As she looked again, there was sadness in his eyes. "What did I do wrong Eric?" She knew she wasn't going to get an answer through the painting. Sookie was going to have to wait. "We'll talk about this after you get out tonight." she went to her bedroom to get dressed.

In the painting, Eric was filled with jealousy and rage for this Compton guy to ask his Sookie out. He was torn between being her mentor and the temptation of wanting to be her lover. He made a silent promise to Adele that he would look after her. Now he doesn't know what to do.