Chapter Thirteen:
"Smile, Mackenzie, or your face will stay like that."
Mackenzie glared across the booth at Eric, her lips pursed, her arms crossed over chest.
"I'm not going to apologize." Eric rolled his eyes. "You were behaving like a child."
"And you're behaving like an asshole." She shot back, her eyes narrowed into slits.
Eric's frown deepened. "I'm not liking you're attitude tonight, Mackenzie."
"Then maybe you should have left me at home." She countered.
"Alright you two, enough." Pam sent them both pointed looks. "Lets just get through this quickly and painlessly, alright?"
"I don't even want to be here." Mackenzie shook her head. "I'm not hungry. I just want to go home."
"Well we're here, so just sit there and shut up." Eric hissed, his fangs threatening to expose as he leaned forward, glaring across the table at the teen. "I'll take your car away if you keep behaving like a spoiled little brat."
"I never asked for the car in the first place." She pointed out. "Actually, I never ask for anything. You just keep giving me stuff I don't want. Like a stupid boarding school across the country."
"Lets not get into that tonight." Pam sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose as she watched the two bicker like little children. The last few days with Mackenzie being around had gone better than any of them could have expected, minus Eric's increasing concern and paranoia. The two had been civil and polite, and even friendly. But tonight, it was like someone had just flicked the switch and Mackenzie was a complete little monster. And Eric wasn't behaving much better.
"I sent you to the best damn school in the country, Mackenzie, a school you graduated from with honours." Eric reminded her.
"I'm surprised you even know that, considering you've pretty much ignored me for the past 4 years."
Eric was struggling to contain his anger. He was on edge enough as it was, worrying over what was wrong with her and what Sookie would discover tonight. He didn't need her attitude, an attitude he hadn't been expecting at all. She had been a complete angel, albeit a mysterious angel, since returning from school. And now, out of the blue, she was a terror. And he couldn't handle the sudden personality switch.
"Utter another word tonight and it might be your last." He growled lowly, his gums aching as his fangs urged to release.
Mackenzie grit her teeth but didn't retort, instead just sitting there as silently as could be. The two glared at one another for the longest time until, to Pam's relief, the bouncing telepath bounded over to their table.
"Well hello there!" Pam almost rolled her eyes at the fake grin plastered across Sookie's face. She could read the apprehension in the waitress's eyes. This was the last thing she wanted to deal with today. But Pam doubted Eric would let them leave anytime soon, and Sookie must have realized as she finally wandered over after nearly twenty minutes of stalling. "What can I get y'all tonight?"
"Two true blood." Pam answered for Eric before sending Mackenzie a look. "Mackenzie?"
Sookie's gaze settled on the third blonde at the table. She was surprised to find the girl so young. Was this who Eric was talking about? The one he wanted her to discover all of her secrets? She barely looked like she was even out of high school. So what was she doing around Eric and Pam? Oh she would kill the two if they were feeding off of her or using her in any way. She was just a poor little kid!
"Mackenzie." Eric grunted, his eyes narrowing.
She just remained silent, barely even blinking as she looked Eric dead in the eye. Whoever she was, Sookie was impressed by her tenacity. Not even she dared to get on Eric's bad side, and here this girl was, challenging him.
"Order." He ordered, his hands curling into fists in his lap. "Now."
Pam rolled her eyes. "You told her not to say anything, Eric."
"Well now I'm changing my mind. Order."
"No."
"Would you like a minute?" Sookie was starting to feel uncomfortable. The tension was thick and nearly suffocating. She tried to get a good read on the girl, but the anger littering the air was overwhelming. She could barely even get her own thoughts straight.
"No." Eric didn't even blink. "Mackenzie. Order. Now."
"I don't want to."
"Eric…" Pam warned. She could feel a headache coming on, and she wasn't even sure as a vampire, if she could even get a headache. Tonight wasn't going how they had planned at all. They were supposed to be finding out what was wrong with Mackenzie, not to argue. All Eric was doing was wedging distance between he and Mackenzie, and that was the last thing Pam knew they needed.
"If you don't order, Mackenzie, I swear I'll…"
"You'll what." She challenged, not afraid one bit. Eric wouldn't dare hurt her; she knew that better than anyone. He may raise his voice, he may threaten her, but he would never lay a hand on her; that she knew for certain.
Sookie on the other hand, wasn't so sure. Her heart was racing as she eyed the two, worried about what would come of their arguing. She glanced nervously around them but was relieved to find the bar was hopping with business and no one was paying attention to the table at all. That however, didn't mean they wouldn't be the minute Eric lost all control and snapped.
"Maybe I'll just give y'all a few minutes." Sookie took a hesitant step back.
"Stay." Eric hissed, finally laying his orbs on the telepath. Sookie sucked in her breath at the dark glare in his eyes, her heart skipping a beat at the look. "Mackenzie, order."
"No."
"I said order!" He could no longer control himself. The fury had boiled over, his fangs extending with a loud click that sent the entire bar into a collective silence. A single gasp could be heard, emitting from Mackenzie's lips as her back straightened, her eyes growing as wide as saucers. Sookie too was wide eyed, worried for the girl who had sent Eric over the edge. She knew first hand Eric's anger.
"Oh fantastic." Pam muttered sarcastically. "What a fucking fantastic night this is turning out to be."
"Be quiet Pamela." Eric ordered before baring his fangs at Mackenzie. "Do as your told."
Mackenzie's voice was caught in her throat, her entire body stiffening. She couldn't look away from those razor sharp fangs. She knew in her heart Eric would never intentionally hurt her, but she knew his anger, his temper. When he lost control, very little was left in one piece. A small part of her could envision those fangs sinking into her neck and draining her dry. And while she knew her life was already coming to an end, and the thought of it ending quicker, a lot less painful than her fate was as it is, was appealing, dying at the hands on her father like guardian wasn't exactly the death she wished for.
"I said order." Eric's voice had lowered an octave and she knew better than to try and continue her attitude towards him.
Silently, she nodded obediently and bowed her head. Her hands were shaking as they grasped onto the menu. She tried to search for something suitable to order that the mere sight wouldn't send her running into the bathroom, but the tears blurred her vision. She bit down hard on her bottom lip, desperately trying not to let her tears fall.
"Our cheeseburgers are really good." Sookie offered, helping the girl out. She pitied the poor little thing. She looked frightened half to dead, noting the tears that had formed in her eyes. Sookie was impressed, though, that she was fighting not to cry. She didn't want to cry in front of Eric, and Sookie wanted to cheer her on. Eric was an ass, and she wanted nothing more than to slap that man for being a jerk.
Mackenzie still couldn't speak as she shakily nodded her head, letting the menu fall onto the table. Her hands fell into her lap and she started gripping her hands together in an attempt to keep from breaking down. She could feel her stomach beginning to churn as the stress of the evening took a toll on her body. She remembered her doctor's warning, that any stress, any at all, would only make things worse. Her body was exhausted enough as it was, her bones fragile and weak. She didn't need to make it any worse just because Eric had yelled at her like he had done a million times before.
Only this time felt different.
They had been so happy. They had actually been a family, for a little while anyways. She had expected the worse when she first came home. She expected to be thrown to the curb, to be unwanted, to be hated. But she hadn't been. Eric had welcomed her with open arms, and had even gone to the length of buying her a car. They had talked; they had just sat in the library together reading. Hell, they had even had a good laugh last night when he had come home to find her watching some ridiculous reality show.
But it had all come crashing down tonight. She didn't know why she was in such a rotten mood. Maybe it was her medication. Maybe it her exhaustion setting in. Maybe it was just all too much for her. When she was away at school, she had studying to focus on, and Cassie to distract her the rest of the time. She never had to just sit there and think about the cancer that was destroying her body. She never had to think about her impending fate. But now that was all there was to do. Every time she threw up, every morning she woke with new aches and pains, every night she lay away unable to sleep, that was all she could think about. And she was just tired of it all.
She wanted to fight so badly. She was willing to do anything not to die. But she just needed a minute to let her think that it's all just too hard. Because it was. She was eighteen and fighting for her life. It just wasn't fair. It wasn't right.
And the last thing she needed was to go to some ridiculous diner that she knew at an ulterior motive. When had Eric ever suggested a family dinner? And in public! Something was up, and she was petrified that he knew her secret, that he knew about the cancer. And that thought scared her.
"Oh put your fangs away already." Pam sighed. "She ordered, are you happy?"
Eric sent Pam a glare but let his fangs click back into place, leaning back in his seat and glaring dark down at the table. Sookie watched them all with a close eye before letting her gaze fall back on Mackenzie. The girl barely looked like she was holding it together.
"Are you alright?" Sookie asked softly.
Mackenzie was surprised at the question, raising her gaze to meet Sookie's. It was like she had just realized she was there at all.
"Fine." She murmured, blinking a few times before bowing her head again. "I need to go to the bathroom."
Sookie almost was run down as Mackenzie darted out of the booth. The telepath nodded towards the bathrooms and watched the small girl maneuver around the tables and escape into the back. The moment she was out of sight, Sookie's expression hardened, her hands planting firmly on her hips as she glared disapprovingly down at Eric.
"What the hell is your problem?"
"Don't start." Eric warned. "I'm not in the mood."
"You have no right to talk to people like that!" Sookie exclaimed in Mackenzie's defense. "You can't always get your way."
"I can." Eric's orbs caught Sookie's glaring gaze. "I would be careful what you say next, Miss Stackhouse. You wouldn't like me angry."
"I don't like you any sort of way." She grit her teeth before twisting on her heel. "You're an ass, I hope you know that."
Eric growled and Sookie didn't even hesitate. She stormed away from the table, but instead of putting the order in, she made her way towards the bathroom in search of the teen.
"Good job, Eric. Wonderful idea." Pam shook her head at her maker.
"Pamela…" he hissed.
"You are an ass." Pam pursed her lips together. "Don't you even think about giving me that attitude, Eric. It might work on Mackenzie and Sookie, but it will not work on me."
Slamming his fist down onto the table, those around them jumped and moved ever so slightly away. Eric ignored them all as he abruptly stood from the table and stalked out of Merlotte's, not even glancing behind him as he exited into the humid night. Pam was left alone at the table shaking her head, wandering when her maker would get it through his thick head. He was never going to get Mackenzie to trust him if he kept down this road. At this rate, if they ever did find out what was wrong with her, there was a good chance she would want nothing to do with them.
And it would be entirely his fault.
"Stop it. Stop crying." Mackenzie ordered herself.
She stood at the sink in the bathroom, staring at her dishevel appearance in the mirror. She rubbed at her eyes, trying to will the tears away. She hated this. She hated crying. That's all she seemed to be doing whenever she was here, in this place. Not even when she discovered the cancer had she cried. Part of that reason being that she was just too numb to cry, but still. She rarely would cry, at least not around anyone else. She would always be alone in her room, locked away from the world and all that around her. But she was far away from her bedroom, far away from her the sanctuary of her bed.
"Hey, are you alright?" Sookie popped her head into the bathroom, her eyes immediately zeroing in on the puffy eyed girl still trying so desperately not to cry. "Don't let Eric get to you. He's an ass."
Mackenzie sighed, her shoulders slumping forward. "I'm fine."
"I don't really know y'all's…situation, but he's an ass to everyone, so don't take it personally." Sookie slipped into the room, closing the door behind her. She walked over to the paper towel dispenser and ripped off a few sheets before handing them to the teen with a small smile. "I don't think Eric learned manners."
"Manners aren't even a part of his vocabulary." Mackenzie snorted, accepting the paper towels.
"It really isn't." Sookie rolled her eyes. "He's too used to getting his own way."
"It's his way or the high way." Mackenzie agreed. "He's always been like that though."
"How long have you known him, if you don't mind me asking?" Sookie asked curiously. She still couldn't get over how young Mackenzie was. She was only a kid, a child. She couldn't have been much older than 18, maybe 20 at the oldest. Why was she hanging around Eric?
A look of uncertainty crossed Mackenzie's face as she glanced towards the door as if expecting Eric to burst right through it.
"He left." Sookie assured her. "Probably to go terrorize small children or something."
Mackenzie nodded, though she had to stifle a laugh. She wasn't sure who this Sookie was or how she knew Eric and Pam, but she certainly knew them to a T.
"I've known Eric and Pam for fourteen years now." Mackenzie wrapped her arms around herself as her stomach flopped around. She eyed the bathroom stalls through the reflection of the mirror, wondering if she was going to be needing one or not. Not that she had much left in her stomach anyways.
Sookie's eyes grew wide. "Fourteen years? But how old are you?"
"Eighteen."
"Eighteen!" the waitress gaped. What had Eric and Pam been doing with a…five-year-old girl! What the hell were those two up to? It would explain, however, why he was so interested in her finding out Mackenzie's secrets. "But you're so young! What are you doing around vampires?"
Mackenzie was feeling uncomfortable. Sookie was the first person outside of her dysfunctional family to know her relationship with Eric and Pam. They were an odd little family that Eric had tried so hard to keep a secret. She may not have completely understood in the past why, but she somewhat understood now. With vampires out in the open, there were enemies coming out of the woodwork left and right. Eric was just trying to protect them all. She could understand that. She could even understand why Eric had sent her away to school to protect her, at least to a degree.
What she couldn't understand, however, was why Eric had brought them here tonight.
"Are you alright?" Sookie's eyebrows furrowed.
Mackenzie blinked a handful of times before realizing she was swaying on the spot. She reached out and grasped onto the edge of the sink to steady herself, but she could still feel her legs turning into jelly.
"Mackenzie?" Sookie reached out to her, but before she could offer support, Mackenzie was dashing into the nearest bathroom stall and slamming the door shut. Sookie didn't even need to ask as the smell of vomit littered the small room.
Mackenzie groaned as the last of whatever was left in her stomach found its way into the toilet bowl. Once she knew she was finished for the time being, she sat with her back against the stall wall, her legs curled up to her chest as she squeezed her eyes shut. The world was starting to spin around her. She could feel it without even having her eyes open.
Sookie took that moment to try and listen in on the girl. Knowing now that Eric had known this girl for nearly her entire life, she could understand why Eric was so worried about Mackenzie's appearance. She looked dreadful. Her skin was deathly pale, nearly translucent. She was thin to the bone, in the unhealthiest way possible. Sookie was surprised Mackenzie had even been able to stand on her own two feet for as long as she had. Something was definitely wrong with her, and Sookie had a sinking feeling what that was.
For the first time since meeting Eric, she actually felt sorry for him.
I hate this.
God just let me die already.
Get it over with.
I can't do this anymore.
Sookie stumbled as Mackenzie's thoughts were screamed loudly in her head. Her eyes grew as wide as saucers and she tried to make sense of what she had just heard.
I tried so hard.
Fighting isn't doing a damn thing.
I can't do this anymore.
He doesn't even care.
Sookie knew immediately Mackenzie meant Eric, and she pitied the girl for ever thinking Eric could care about anything other than himself. Then again, the look on Eric's face when he had asked for her help, there had been a twinge of sadness, of worry. Maybe there was a whole different side of Eric she didn't realize even existed. There must be if he had kept this girl around for the past fourteen years.
Why did it have to be cancer?
Why couldn't it have just been the flu?
Why did it have to be this?
Why do I have to die?
Sookie couldn't stop the gasp from sounding from her lips in shock. She had cancer. Mackenzie had cancer. Sookie knew the teen must have been sick, but cancer? And she was dying? She was only just a kid. She was so young. She still had so much of her life ahead of her, and it was being stripped away far too soon.
Hearing a groan and the flush of the toilet, Sookie had to force back her surprise. She couldn't let Mackenzie know what she had just listened to. She didn't seem like the kind of girl that liked her secrets being revealed. That was obvious in the fact that Eric had no clue what was wrong with her.
Eric.
Sookie didn't like him, not really. He was an egotistical asshole who only cared about himself, and maybe Pam. He didn't care who he hurt along the way, as long as he got exactly what he wanted. He would use anyone that he could, anyone that could give him the advantage, and that included herself. But Sookie would be lying to herself if she said she didn't feel sorry for Eric. There had to be a reason Eric was going to such lengths to learn Mackenzie's secret. If it was anyone else, he would have just glamoured her. But he was refusing to do so. That must have meant he cared, more than Mackenzie thought he did.
And if that was the case, he was going to be destroyed to hear the reason Mackenzie has been so secretive.
She was pulled out of her thoughts, however, as the stall door slowly creaked open. "How are you feeling?"
Mackenzie just stared at her as if she had two heads. She didn't want to be rude, but she really wanted to just tell the blonde haired waitress to mind her own business. She was kind enough, but she was starting to get suspicious. She was asking too many questions. Was this why Eric had brought them here? So a nosy waitress could learn her life story? Well that wasn't about to happen. She just wanted to go home and curl up in bed, not make small talk.
"I'm fine." Mackenzie murmured, letting her thin blonde hair fall into her face as she clutched onto the door of the stall and attempted to step out. Her legs were shaky, however, and her lungs felt on fire with every step she took. She leaned heavily on the door, her eyes closing as she tried to keep herself upright. She was feeling tired all of a sudden, so very very tired.
"Mackenzie?" Sookie knew something wasn't right. She looked even paler since dashing into the stall, if that was at all possible. There was no colour in her face, and her eyes looked glassed over before she had closed them. "Maybe I should go get Eric or Pam…"
"No!" Mackenzie's eyes snapped open, a look of horror on her face. "Please don't."
"But you're…" Sookie had to stop herself before she slipped up. "You don't look fine to me."
"Well I am." Mackenzie insisted, clenching her jaw as she mustered all the strength that she could to try and step out of the stall on her own. She only made it a single step before the world started to spin around her. Mackenzie lost her balance, black dots beginning to invade her vision as the floor came up to meet her falling form without even realizing it. She tried so hard to brace herself, to pull herself back up, but she couldn't even move. She was frozen to the spot as darkness consumed her.
The last thing she remembered before falling unconscious was hearing Sookie scream from above her.
"Eric!"
A/N: well hello there! I'm not dead or lying in the ditch drunk (yet anyways). I actually wrote this chapter a few days ago but school has been so hectic that I completely forgot about it until now. I have the next coming hopefully in the next few days. I don't have too too much going on leading into the weekend, so we'll see. thanks to everyone who is still on board and reading this! you are all amazing, have I said that lately? well you are.