A/N: WARNING! WARNING! WARNING! The following chapter comes with 3 warnings!
Warning #1: There is a two year time jump between Ch. 15 and this chapter, which puts this chapter, beginning between DAAD and DD. The date is approximately the second week of Feb. 2005. I've got a time line worked up and I'll post it to my profile page eventually. I have a poll there also to see how interested you guys would be at seeing a few one-shots of the time in between.
Warning #2: This chapter will involve discussion of sensitive topics. To reduce spoilage I will not say what exactly however if you are sensitive to violent crimes or have been victim to one please proceed with caution. Remember I'm trying to stay as close to the events in the books as possible but with my own spin so it won't be any worse than what CH has come up with. Consider yourself warned.
Warning #3: This chapter ends with and evil cliffy. I was feeling a bit nasty when I wrote this. If you want to wait a week to read this with the next chapter I'll understand. If you're familiar with the books though it should be obvious what's going on. Italics denotes thoughts or shared memories.
Disclaimer: I own none of the characters or anything else here. I'm writing purely for shits and giggle purposes. Please don't sue.
One last thing, big shout out too my totally awesome Beta, slcurwin, for putting up with me. She laughs and all the right places and makes me feel so smart. Thanks!
Chapter 16
Sookie was fairly certain she was going to die. Her skin felt like it would burst into flame at any moment. It was agonizing and she knew she'd never felt this kind of pain before, slow and torturous. She was lying mostly naked on a soft surface waiting for even the smallest bit of relief to be given to her by her evil tormentors. One said harasser was sitting across the room in a chair watching T.V. and munching on something that smelled just heavenly to her as her belly growled with the intensity of someone who hasn't eaten in weeks. Sookie's irritation grew as her tormentor turner a wicked smirking eye in the direction of the noise.
"Hungry?" She said teasingly.
Sookie could do nothing more than moan in pain as a snicker erupted from her tormentor's mouth as she hopped out of her seat and skipped over to Sookie's prone form. She moved to lift one of the scrapes of cloth covering her modesty and Sookie used the last of her strength to swat her hand away as she moaned painfully, "Don't touch me!" The evil little witch waved the sweet confection she was eating in front of her and taunted, "I'd give you a bite but you not allowed to eat it!" She sang out the words in a high pitched sing-song tone that made Sookie want to rip her tongue out of her head.
Finally, her rescue came as the door opened and Gran walked through carrying a tray laden down with goodies. The first she noticed on the tray was a small bowl of milky green stuff that smelled heavily of lavender. Next to that was a larger bowl of ice water with several strips of cloth on the side ready for dipping. Last on the tray was a plate of food that consisted of a ham sandwich with all the fixings, several wedges of pickles, a bag of baked chips with a large glass of ice water to help wash it all down.
Gran narrowed her eyes at Sarah, "Quit pestering your Aunt, child. Can't you see she's been fried like a fritter?" Her eyes nearly popped out of her head as she took in the full sight of Sookie's sunburned body.
"Thanks, Gran," Sookie meant it sarcastically but it came out so weak, nobody noticed the disparagement. She began to eat her lunch as quickly as her sore skin would allow her to move.
"Good Lord, girl! We need to call Amy; this is more than a simple burn. How long were you outside?"
"No more than an hour I swear! It's only February! I took advantage of the unusually warm day to get a little sun. I've never gotten burned before!" She whined, "I came in when I began to feel nauseous."
Gran began applying the aloe and lavender concoction to Sookie's sore skin while she tsked and mumbled about the evils of sunbathing, when Sookie suddenly jumped off the couch and took off toward the bathroom. As Sookie heaved up what little bit of her lunch she was able to choke down, Adele was on the phone, trying to reach Dr. Ludwig.
It's important to note that because of the research project sponsored by Eric, the doctor had stopped taking new patients when she began the enormous task of finding suitable participants for her 'study', which did take them international like she predicted. As it began the testing phase she even stopped seeing any patients that weren't part of the study. Sookie and her family was the one exception. Not only was she the bonded mate of the man/vampire funding the whole thing but Adele and Amy had formed a close friendship over the last two years.
When the doctor arrived an hour later, Sookie was back on the couch, covered in aloe and cooling cloths. She did not like what she saw. "Little girl, what the Hell happened to you?"
"I got burned," Sookie said weakly. "But I don't know why, I never have in the past! What's different now?!" Again with the whining.
"Do I really need to answer that?" Ludwig stated as she looked at Sarah standing by the door. "In or out, child, don't linger in doorways. Where's your brother?" Sarah had taken to little Hunter right away and they'd been practically joined at the hip ever since.
"He's sleepin'. Gwan made him take a nap afta lunch." Sarah's speech had gotten better since Ludwig suggested a therapist that specialized in supernatural children's disorders. The therapist was not just working with her speech but also helping Sarah cope with the current absence of Eric. The past six weeks had been rough for the family.
She nodded at the child. "Sit and be quiet then. As for you missy," she directed toward Sookie, "what time was it you decided it to go out and bake yourself in the sun?"
"Umm, well I guess it was about ten this morning. I've been sleeping so much at night these past few weeks that I'm awake earlier in the day than I have been in years! It was warm today for this time of year…"
"And you thought it would be a good idea to get sun poisoning?"
"Sun poisoning? I thought that it was impossible for me to get more than a nice tan because Niall said that as part of the Sky Fae we crave the sun and in my condition I should be outside as much as possible."
"When did he tell you this? That ever reliable and trust worthy Fairy that has the gall to call you kin but then sends that… that… creature to …." Gran said heatedly, her words laced with bitter sarcasm, as she entered the room from putting Hunter down.
"Gran I'm not talking about that!" Sookie snapped at Gran's interruption of their conversation.
Gran looked at Sarah for a moment before the child quietly nodded and left the room. When they all heard the back screen door slam and Sarah's voice as she began playing with Bull, Adele turned her eyes back to Sookie and knelt down beside her. "You need to talk about it baby girl. It's eating you up inside and causing everybody pain. The children wake up from nightmares crying out for Eric. They need him back and frankly so do you, especially now. When will you stop being so damn stubborn and admit it?!"
"Adele is correct, girl. You have more to think about now than just yourself. Stop behaving so selfishly. Does he know?"
Sookie shook her head weakly as the tears ran down her face. "I can't tell him. He'll hate me even more than he does now. How could he ever look at me let alone touch me again? I feel so dirty and ashamed even though I know it wasn't my fault, Gran! I know that, I do., but I-I-I," she began sobbing and gulping in huge breaths the way one does when they're trying not to drown. That's exactly what it felt like Sookie was doing, drowning in her pain, misery, shame, and fear.
"When was the last time you exchanged with the vampire?" Ludwig quietly asked.
"Not since the day before…the…the…attack," Sookie moaned weakly while being rocked gently by Gran as her weeping calmed to silent tears. Adele gave Ludwig a quiet nod. Amy left a few minutes later after giving the poor girl something to help her sleep. She needed more healing than what Amy could provide for her. The girl needed her mate.
An hour before dusk at Fangtasia…..
Eric awoke to the familiar sensation of Sookie's pain. It seemed a bit more intense tonight than usual. Eric sighed when he thought about her pain as normal. He hated it. He hated being apart from his family ever since Sookie took the children back to Bon Temp the day after her attack. She couldn't think of the house in Shreveport as home anymore since she was assaulted there. He also refused to go back to it since she left, staying instead at his bar that he was beginning to hate even more now than before.
He made his way into his office to attempt some work before the tedious night of entertaining the vermin commenced, when there was a knock at the back door. He ignored it until he heard a familiar voice say, "I know you're in there vampire, I can smell your agitation. We need to talk, it's about your bonded."
"Sookie? What's wrong?" Eric said in a rush, as he zipped the door open the moment 'bonded' slipped out of her mouth, then immediately retreated back into the shadows to avoid the weak sunlight streaming inside. He would brutally end those few that remained protecting her if anything had harmed her...again.
"Of course this is about Sookie, unless you've gotten another bonded in your time apart." When he snarled at the suggestion, she snorted, "I didn't think so. Come on your needed. I've brought light tight transportation to get you there ASAP." When he turned and went back to his office and sat down at his desk, it was her turn to snarl. "Didn't you hear me, bloodsucker? She needs you, now!"
"Did she send you, because she told me to stay away from her, until or if she calls for me, and she hasn't called."
"You both are more stubborn than an entire heard of mules! She is injured, you pigheaded idiot! She needs your blood to heal or she will die. Which will it be your pride or her life?" Like he needed to choose, he was at the back door to the club holding a heavy coat over his exposed skin waiting for her before she even finished the sentence.
Dr. Ludwig drove a beautifully restored 1956 Studebaker, the kind with the full bench style front and back seats. Before opening the back door to the club and exposing Eric to the sun light, she told him she had the back modified to accommodate a light tight compartment under the seat's bench that extended into the trunk so it would be large enough to contain someone of his stature. Her driver and sometimes bodyguard, a Were named Alex, already had it open, all he needed to do was hop in and pull the handle to close. Eric opened the door and was in the car safely before the sun had a chance to singe him.
The drive to Bon Temp gave Ludwig a chance to update Eric on Sookie's condition, though she kept one fact confidential for the moment so that Sookie would have a chance to explain.
"She needs your blood immediately Vampire. She's suffered a very bad sun burn to the majority of the front of her body but somehow managed sun poisoning around her abdomen. It's swollen and patchy in appearance. The usual remedies are not working fast enough. Typical burns take up to 48 hours to fully redden. A combination of topical ointments and oral pain killers usually provides relief that is simply not working in this case. I believe it might have something to do with the amount of your blood she has consumed over the years. There is another factor but I'll wait for her to tell you."
Eric was about to demand he be told everything when the driver announced their arrival at the Stackhouse residence. "Adele and I will wait for you both in the kitchen and Lafayette has taken the children into town for ice cream until called. She's lying on the couch in the living room and Alex has pulled up to the porch. Good Luck, Northman." Nothing more was said as Eric released the hatch and made his way inside the house as quickly as possible. The dense foliage of the tree canopy surrounding the house kept the already dimming sky from doing any real damage and once inside heavy curtains had been drawn over every window to protect Sookie from further light exposure.
The only light in the room came from a fire lit to ward off the chill of the late February afternoon and a lamp illuminating the side table it sat upon, next to the couch where Sookie lay lightly dozing with a thin sheet drawn over her quivering figure. It wasn't trembling from cold though as Eric discovered when he pulled the cover back. Her body was almost purple in color, radiating waves of heat from her blistered form. Her stomach was the worst off area afflicted as it looked swollen and patchy in color, just as Ludwig explained.
His eyes widened in shock as his fangs dropped in anger, questions and guilt filled his mind. 'Did she do this to herself on purpose or was this the result of too much of his blood over the years as the little troll suggested. If it was indeed the latter, why now, what changed? If this had anything to do with that two-faced fairy as he suspected it might, he was going to triple the bounty he already had on his head. He may even call in a debt he had with an elf that would be able to track him in the Fae realm. Needless to say if Preston was still in this dominion he'd already be enjoying Fangtasia's hospitality.'
"Quit thinking so loud and don't even think his name in my presence. Why are you here, Eric? Better yet, how are you here? The sun is barely setting now." Sookie didn't move or open her eyes when she spoke and her voice came out barely above a whisper.
Aware that Ludwig was most likely listening from the other room and attempting to add some levity to Sookie's dour mood Eric deadpanned, "Amy has switched professions, from Doctor to Vampire smuggler. I don't see a bright future for this livelihood. She may want to rethink it."
"Ba-da-dum-bum, Ha-Ha Vampire. Comedy hour is over, heal your mate so I can get on with my life," she snarked from the kitchen in an almost dead-on imitation of Pam.
Sookie not hearing Ludwig's response didn't even smile. "Eric, please. I don't have the energy to banter tonight. I asked you to give me time, I need more. Just go…please." The last plea ended with a hitch in her breath that indicated to Eric she was barely keeping her tears at bay. He hated when she cried, he felt so helpless, but after what Ludwig told him in the car he decided to brave the torrent sure to come.
"No." He stated calmly and sat gently on the coffee table in front of the couch.
This caused her to finally open her weary, bloodshot eyes and finally look at him. "Eric…," she began.
In a voice so soft and gentle he sounded like he was trying to coax a frightened rabbit out of its den, he said as sincerely as he could, "I will not let you leave me again. You need my blood to heal and not just your damaged skin. I need you to forgive me, Sookie, for not being there. Forgive me for not seeing the danger he posed and leaving you alone with him. Please, my love, I…." he took an unnecessary breath and swallowed the knot in his throat, "I need you to let me come home. You and the children are my home." He moved slowly but with determined purpose, as he placed his cool hand over her heart on her scorched flesh, the natural low temperature of his body acting as a welcomed balm that felt like it reached straight to her soul.
"You…I…Eric I'm…you'll….." she couldn't form a coherent sentence with the emotions welling up from a place deep inside she thought that she'd closed off. So she let go allowing him to see her thoughts for the first time in more than a month.
It had been nearly six weeks since a man they had both trusted to protect her and their family, had suddenly (to their perception), betrayed that trust by raping Sookie when she'd been alone with him one January afternoon. It had been just after the witch war and Eric had gone to New Orleans to report on the events and warn the queen about Hallow and her evasion of justice. He'd awoken early from his rest during the second day of his stay in great pain but was unable to do more than reach for the phone and text Bull before the day took him again. It was simple in context, Sookie 911, but the fact that it had come from Eric's phone had alerted the half daemon shifter to check on Sookie, the help had come but not before she'd been violated.
When Eric fully rose that night he came home immediately only to find Sookie in an almost catatonic state. The children clung to him that night because they couldn't block the chaos coming from Sookie's mind. He had tried everything he could think of to comfort her and reassure her that she'd be okay but he could not hide the rage he felt. And in her anguish she mistook the anger he felt at himself, for not being there, his ire at the incompetent guards for not preventing her pain, and the pure murderous rage towards Pardlow in particular, as being directed toward her for allowing it to occur.
She had left him that next evening saying she needed to get away from the reminders and away from all 'the supernatural bullshit' so she could heal. She left thinking he hated her for circumstances beyond her control. He let her leave hating himself for not being there to prevent circumstances beyond his control. For six weeks neither could heal without their other half all because of a misunderstanding of feelings due to each person's failed attempt at protecting the other from those same emotions. Sookie was locked in a constant state of anxiety due to resurfacing memories of Bartlett caused by her attack and Eric was holding his own heart hostage fearing the very real possibility of another lost family.
All of these thoughts and memories swirled between their combined awareness, as his hand continued to rest above her breast. 'I'm scared, Eric.' He heard and felt from her in the silence of the room.
'Of me?! Why? I can feel your confusion Sookie. Don't you realize that to hurt you is to hurt myself? I would not…could not…'
'I'm pregnant.' She was terrified he'd truly leave, abandon her, because she carried another man's child. This petrifying idea had been the root of her pain. Even before Ludwig confirmed it the week before, she knew. Not because of some internal knowing of a life growing inside her, but because she was told. The monster who stole her trust, after handing her the drink that made her compliant and unable to concentrate, a magical GHB of sorts as she found out later from Ludwig, had smiled at her and told her he'd been sent to give her a gift, the gift of a child. One she could never have with her chosen mate, so one was chosen for her.
Shocking them both, Eric did not react with anger, nor with betrayal, jealousy, grief, pain or any number of emotions Sookie expected him to feel. Instead he immediately felt love followed by apprehension. 'Do you no longer wish to raise your children with me, Sookie?'
'No! I mean yes, I mean I do want you to be my children's father Eric, you already are. But I thought you…because of what happened…'
'They are part of you my lover, no matter the origin. How could I not love them,' he thought as he placed his other cool hand lightly atop her abdomen. When she inhaled slightly from the pain, he removed that hand and bit his wrist offering it to her, afraid she would reject it, and him. There was no need for his trepidation, since she latched onto his wrist like she was dying from thirst, and in a way she had been. As she took in the restorative elixir of his blood, she felt a tingling, like an internal tickle, race all over her body. She offered her own wrist to him to complete the loop. He bit with great care and delicacy handling her almost like spun sugar and then only took a mouthful. He reopened his wrist twice before having her stop, not wanting her to take too much and risk a turning.
"May I have some water, please?" Sookie asked feeling very dry, like she hadn't just half drained a giant ass Viking Vampire.
"Yes, here," Eric handed her what was left in the glass on the table by the couch. "I will get you more with plenty of ice and let the good doctor and Adele know that 'the coast is clear', so to speak. I'm sure Ludwig has more medical wisdom to regale us with."
"Of course I do. It's what I live for! To amuse you is my life's ambition, blood-sucker," Ludwig half snarled half chuckled as she waddled into the room followed by Gran carrying a tray with more ice water for Sookie, tea for her and Ludwig and for Eric, a glass of her most recent batch of blood infused cocktail that Pam had begun calling 'moonshine for vampires'.
"Not to worry, Eric dear," Gran cooed, "this is not my 'high-octane' blend." She winked as she handed him the glass.
He took a small sip warily remembering the last time he'd proceeded without caution. This time it was not spiked with Fae blood, thankfully. He still owed Pam a punishment for that little prank. Recent circumstances had distracted him from taking his revenge on her Christmas Eve stunt. Spiking his drink with elf blood one of the few nights in the year they could get the children to voluntarily go to bed early, thus making Eric listless and lethargic most of the night and effectively ending his romantic night with Sookie before it began, had put Pam on Santa's naughty list indefinitely.
Sookie shifted to a sitting position on the couch pulling Eric from his musings. He sat beside her as she adjusted the sheet for modesty and eased into Eric's cool side. Her burn was visibly lighter after Eric's donation and though they still needed to talk out their mutual insecurities, it looked like a promising and positive turn in their relationship.
"Well now that we have your domestic issues on the mend, let's work on the tiny quandary growing inside you, dear." Ludwig stated with her usual frankness. "Have you given any thought to my suggestion? You still have time to act but the longer you wait….."
Sookie shook her head with absolute certainty, "No, I don't care how it was conceived, the baby was not at fault and I will not get rid of it. I told you this before."
"Yes, but I thought you might want to confer with your mate….," Ludwig tried again.
It was Eric that shook his head this time, "No, there will be no discussion because the decision has been made. We will raise this child as we have raised our other children." Eric stated, fully aware of Sookie's personal feelings toward the subject of abortion. She didn't begrudge others the right to choose but for her, it wasn't an option. She entwined her hand with his in an unspoken gesture of solidarity.
Ludwig nodded her acquiescence, "It is my job to make sure you are aware of alternatives, since that doesn't seem to be necessary, let's move on. I'm going to need to do some blood work to confirm my thoughts about your condition. Needless to say you should stay out of direct sunlight until I have a change to finish my tests. If you must go out during the day, wear sunscreen, long sleeves, a wide brim hat, and sunglasses that would make people mistake you as a celebrity in hiding. Better yet, keep your Vampire's hours, you will most likely find yourself getting nauseous more often as morning sickness kicks in. I'm sure Adele can help you navigate the trials of pregnancy, but this is an unusual pregnancy; trust your instincts and your body. If you're hungry, eat. If you're tired, sleep. If you experience anything…unusual, call me immediately."
"How will I know what's unusual? I've never been pregnant or even around anyone that has been. Should I keep taking Eric's blood? Is it safe, what about….." she trailed off with a blush that wasn't noticeable under her still reddened skin.
Amy chuckled, "Like I said, trust your body's cravings, if you feel you need something, let yourself have it. This includes carnal pleasures." She winked saucily at the two on the couch as Eric grinned and Sookie buried her face between Eric's shoulder and the cushions of the couch.
It was about that moment when Sookie's cell phone interrupted their conversation ringing loudly from upstairs, where she'd left it that morning when she went out for her deep fry. Before she could ask Eric to get it for her, the phone in the kitchen began demanding attention. Gran rose to answer it but before she was able take a step, Ludwig's phone beeped once signaling a text. As she reached into her pocket to check the message, Eric's phone began ringing. This was getting absurd.
"Northman," Eric answered in his usual cool tone as he zipped up stairs and retrieved Sookie's phone that had now gone to voice-mail.
As she checked her messages Eric heard Bear's voice. It sounded weak and pained, "The bar … under attack…unknown gunman…opened fire…the children are here…Sarah says ... shooter's still outside…..Lafayette's down…taking cover…hurry…." The line went dead just as Gran ran in the room saying Bull just reported in that he and the children were under fire at the bar and to call Shreveport police because apparently the entire Bon Temp police force (Andy, Kevin, Kenya, and Bud) had been in the bar eating dinner when all hell broke loose.
Ludwig reported she'd just received an urgent 911 from one of the Were's participating in her 'study' as one of the supernatural blood donors. He reported being shot while playing pool with members of his pack at the 'Billabong'. He couldn't get out for help since the shooter was still taking pot shots at anyone who moved.
Sookie's message was from Lafayette. Unfortunately most of it was unintelligible due to screaming and the sound of gunshots…..he had called to check in, just as the attack began.
Before anyone could process what was happening, Eric barked out orders to do as Bull said and stay put, before vanishing out the door and into the sky.
Meanwhile at Billabong (formally known as Merlotte's)…
Bear was cleaning glasses behind the bar, keeping a keen eye on the bar at large, while also watching Lafayette and his two young charges in the corner booth. He knew that Northman and his woman were going through a rough period since the New Year. First all that shit with the psycho were-witch with the obsession for the tall Viking Vampire, then the discovery of the viper in their midst. Bear couldn't blame him for firing the entire security detail he had in place, with the exception of Bubba and Bull, the other half dozen wolves he'd hired in the past two years were dismissed before the sun rose on the night of the attack. Bear himself had taken on the task of manager of the bar about eight months before, at his family's request (mainly his wife's), when his eldest had been nearly killed protecting the Stackhouse women, by a local serial killer that had a personal vendetta against women who took up with vampires. When Eric offered the position of manager/business partner to the aging were, he decided it would be a good time to make a career change. His eldest, once she recovered from being raped and nearly strangled by the now very dead, vampire hating bigot, had joined him at the bar working as a waitress while also acting as the bookkeeper, finally putting her education to some use.
Bear was surprised when Sookie had left as abruptly as she did and returned with the children to Bon Temp. He had not been surprised when he heard from Adele that she refused to come out of her room let alone the house on most days. His own daughter had suffered a depression and needed counseling after her own trials and had begun visiting Sookie almost daily to offer support and a 'shoulder to cry on'. Sookie had never had a close female friend during her adult life, unless one counted that ditz Tara as a 'friend' and Bear certainly never did, so having one now was slowly showing an effect for both women.
Bear watched the busy dinner crowd with a smile on his face as he watched the spunky little Sarah and her partner in crime, Hunter, harass Laf until he pulled money out of his pocket and handed it to the devious devils. They squealed in glee as they both ran for the jute box, with Bull playing the part of the shadow, as they pulled up a chair so they could peer at the selections. Laffy shook his head in defeat and pulled out his phone, no doubt calling in to the farmhouse when the power suddenly cut off and the shots began.
A/N: Hehehehehehehe...please don't hate me. I did warn you! 3 times! Gosh, I wonder who's shooting up the bar. I wonder where Eric's going. Hmmmm.
So for those of you not familiar with the term, Billabong, means watering hole (well basically) and originates in 'the land down under'. I got the chance to visit Australia 6 years ago and I loved it so much I want to go back! As always, let me know what you think. Not sure when I'll be able to update next, but I'll aim for next Sunday. Y'all got a bonus this week with the outtake which if you haven't read is now being displayed as a one shot and this chapter has taken it's place. Hopefully the two-fer will tied you over few a week or so.