Chapter Forty-Eight:

She could feel Eric's glare on her from across the aisle. Mackenzie tried to ignore him, keeping her gaze trained out the airplane window, but his stare was boring through her the entire time. He knew. She knew that he had to. The moment she had stepped into the lobby Eric had known, and was only proved after Godric had finally joined them. When Eric had commanded Pam to take her to the awaiting car, remaining behind with Godric, she could only imagine what the two had said to one another.

What was worse, however, was that she was alone to deal with Eric's silent fury.

"Why can't you come? You promised that you would."

"It will only take a few days."

"If she fired you then why do you have to stay?"

"I need to brief Isabel if she is to take over as Sheriff. It will only take a few days and then I will join you in Shreveport."

"But a few days…"

"Just remember when we spoke about. Tell him."

Mackenzie wanted to despise Godric for remaining behind, but a part of her was glad. Godric's presence would only anger Eric further. And it gave her more time. She knew she had to tell Eric, but without Godric's lecturing, she could have more time. Once they were all settled back at home, and hopefully after Eric's anger had faded, she could sit down with her father and explain to him that she was still sick. God knows what he would do if she blurted it out now.

Eric was furious as he glared at the fidgeting teen. His hands were curled into tight fists around the armrests of the chair, his nails digging into the leather. It was taking every ounce of strength not to return to Dallas and rip his maker apart.

They had had sex.

After all of his demands and his pleading, his maker had gone behind his back and had sex with his daughter.

Eric wanted to kill him.

"Do you think me a fool? Did you believe I wouldn't notice?"

"Eric…"

"She was not to be touched."

"She is an adult who can make her own choices."

"She is my daughter!"

If it wouldn't destroy Mackenzie, Eric would have done everything in his power to ensure Godric wouldn't be joining them in Shreveport. The thought of the two even remotely close, it disgusted him. But the pain it would cause Mackenzie had stopped him from demanding Godric to never contact her again. She had gone through too much in her young life; he couldn't cause her any more agony.

Staring between Eric and Mackenzie, Sookie raised an eyebrow at the tension. Not a single word had been spoken once the plane had taken off, and Sookie tried not to pry into the young girl's thoughts. She pitied Mackenzie, though. Godric was still in Dallas, and after everything that had happened, she knew this was difficult for Mackenzie. Sookie had learned in only a few days how important the ancient vampire was to the teen.

Pushing herself to her feet, Sookie crossed the aisle and placed herself beside Mackenzie, offering a small smile. "Everything okay?"

Mackenzie nodded, barely sending her a second glance. Sookie sighed as she shot Eric a pointed look, the vampire immediately grumbling under his breath before turning his glare away. Taking the opportunity, Sookie tired her best to console Mackenzie, laying a hand on her arm in comfort. The moment she touched her, however, Mackenzie's thoughts came tumbling forward.

I wish he was here.

How am I supposed to tell Eric's I'm still sick without him?

But if he was here, Eric would kill him.

Why the hell did I let myself have sex with him?

Eric is going to kill us both.

Sookie had to bite down hard on her bottom lip to keep from gasping out loud. Mackenzie knew immediately what Sookie had heard, her eyes growing wide as she shot Sookie a worried glance.

Please god, don't tell him. She pleaded with Sookie, hoping her thoughts would reach the telepath.

They had, Sookie looking torn as she slowly nodded. Her head was spinning with these new details.

Thank you.

Mackenzie looked relieved as she glanced back out the window, wanting more than anything to be on the ground already.

Mackenzie took her time getting out of the car, watching as Eric stormed up the porch stairs to the front door. She couldn't believe how worse the evening had gotten. She would have almost rather his glares instead of him ignoring her entire existence. How the hell was she supposed to admit she was still sick to him when he wouldn't even look at her?

Sighing, she climbed from the car and began towards the house. The longer she took, the angrier he would be. The last thing she needed was for his fury to grow.

"I'll be in my office for the remainder of the evening," the door was closed abruptly behind her as she stepped into the house she never thought she would see again. What she thought would have been a profound moment was ruined by Eric's already retreating back. "I am not to be disturbed."

Mackenzie jumped the moment she heard his office door slam shut, her shoulders slumping in defeat. This wasn't how this was supposed to go. She never thought she would ever step foot back into this home, into her sanctuary. And there she was, home at last. It couldn't have been a worse homecoming, however. Everything was supposed to be different. Everything was supposed to be better. But it was as if the last week hadn't happened at all. Eric was once again furious over some idiotic thing she had done and there didn't seem to be an end in sight.

"Home sweet home my ass," she mumbled to herself. She tried to cheer herself up, taking everything in. She was supposed to be happy to be back here, to be able to die in peace. It was why she had come home after school, after all. But just as it had been then, nothing was simple. In fact, it was even more complicated.

Not knowing what else to do, Mackenzie slinked into the living room, curling her legs beneath her on the couch. She tried to watch some mindless television, but nothing would distract her from the moody vampire just down the hall. She understood he was angry, but did he have to ignore her? Did he have to act like she didn't even exist? After last night, had nothing changed after all?

Only they had. Things had changed. She was the one to mess it all up. She went and slept with his maker and ruined everything.

"God damn hormones," she turned the TV back off, tossing the remote onto the coffee table with a pout. She had been so stupid to just let herself get lost with Godric, to let her desires take over. They both knew it had been wrong and they hadn't cared. Now it was biting them in the ass and Mackenzie didn't know how to fix it.

But there had to be something Mackenzie could do, and she was determined to do whatever she could. She needed to. Or else she would never find the right time to tell Eric that she was sick. She needed her father, not a furious vampire that wouldn't utter a single word to her. She needed this to smooth over so she could die peacefully with her entire family at her side. She needed it.

Pushing herself off the couch, she mustered every ounce of courage that she could and started towards Eric's office. She hesitated just outside, her hand poised ready to knock. Doubts started to cross her thoughts, but she forced herself to knock anyways. This wasn't the time to be scared.

"I said I didn't want to be interrupted," Eric grunted from inside the office.

"I know, I…" her mouth felt dry as she searched for the right words. "I just wanted to talk."

"I don't have time to 'talk'."

"Yeah well I think we need to…"

"I've been away from my duties, Mackenzie. I have things to take care of," his hiss sent a pang to her heart.

"Well I'm sorry getting kidnapped put you behind," she mumbled with a frown. "Next time I'll make sure it's more convenient for you."

Mackenzie was surprised when the door was suddenly torn open, jumping as the Viking stood fuming before her. She risked a glance up at him, and was shocked to find he still wasn't staring at her. What could she do to make him just look at her?

"Don't give me attitude, Mackenzie," he growled in a low tone. "I don't have time for it. I don't have time for this."

She didn't know whether to feel hurt at his words, or angry. Had she really screwed the small bond they had only began to form? Had she ruined things that badly?

"I'm sorry I…"

"I don't want to talk about it," Eric twisted around, returning to his desk without another word.

"Yeah we kind of do need to talk about it," she took a hesitant step forward, but as Eric's shoulders stiffened, she froze. "Eric, I'm sorry. I didn't mean for it to happen. It just…did."

"I don't want to talk about this," his snarled through clenched teeth. "Enough."

"I'm sorry, Eric. I'm really sorry," when he still wouldn't look at her, she couldn't help the quiver of her lip. "Will you just look at me for fucks sakes!"

But he wouldn't. He instead sat behind his desk and continued his paperwork. She felt invisible as she just stood there, waiting for a reaction from the vampire. Her entire life when she put one little toe out of line, he would let her know. He would scream and yell, ground her or be a jerk. But never had he just ignored her.

"I screwed up and I'm sorry. Godric and I…we shouldn't have done anything. Especially not behind your back. I'm so sorry, Eric."

Every moment that Eric refused to look at her caused Mackenzie to feel more and more hopeless.

"We were all supposed to be happy coming home," her shoulders slumped forward. "Things were supposed to be different."

She silently pleaded with Eric to even yell at her.

"We were supposed to be a family. After the interview last night I thought…I thought we were going to be a family finally," her gaze dropped to the ground. It was a hopeless cause. "But I guess I was wrong. I guess we can't be a family after all."

Mackenzie didn't know what else to do as she turned and moved out of the doorway. She paused before slipping away, risking a glance one last time into the office.

"Just please don't hate me Eric. Please."

She went to hurry back into the living room, but decided on a different route and wrapped her arms around herself a she slipped through the back door and into the backyard.

Eric signed as he dropped his pen and sat back, his eyes closing as the back door slammed closed. He listened closely, ensuring Mackenzie remained on property. When he heard the squeak of the old swing set, he was able to relax.

He was surprised at the guilt that was worming its way to his conscious. He was treating Mackenzie like dirt, and had been since he had smelt his maker all over her. Eric knew it was wrong. He knew he was destroying the progress they had made. But he hadn't been able to control the fury that he felt. Knowing that Godric had been with his daughter, it infuriated him. She was still a child in his eyes, a child that his maker had once helped to raise. It wasn't right. None of it was right.

Eric was thankful when his phone began to ring, welcoming the distraction from his own thoughts.

"How's Fangtasia," he didn't even bother to greet his progeny.

"Chow hasn't ran it into the ground, so it's swell," Pam mused. "Why do you sound so cranky?"

"I'm not."

Pam snorted. "Right, and Ginger has an IQ level higher than both of us combined. What did you do now?"

He frowned at her accusation. "And why must it be my fault?"

"It usually is. What did you do? You're not still pissed about Gonzie, are you?"

Eric nearly dropped the phone. "Excuse me?"

"Oh they're the new Brangelina."

"Never utter that…word ever again," a chill ran up his spine at the disgusting thought.

"Relax, Eric. It was inevitable. Have you seen the way they looked at each other?"

"We are not discussing this," he hissed. "Was there a reason you called?"

"Just checking in. And I have good reason to. You're pushing her away, aren't you?" Eric silently cursed Pam for knowing him so well. "You can't do this, Eric. You can't just continue to push her away when something doesn't go your way. Not now. Not after everything that's happened."

"I said I…"

"You don't want to talk about your feelings, I get it," Pam sighed. "But you're destroying what little of a relationship you have with her. I for one am not going to let you do that. Again."

His eyes narrowed in annoyance. "Careful Pam, you almost sound like you care."

"I only care about one breather, and that's her. Don't fuck this up, Eric. Be pissed with Godric, I don't give a shit. But don't screw this up with Mackenzie. She's our family, Eric. We're a family."

He would never admit that she was right.

"She's a kid. She's a teenager. This is what they do. Don't punish her for it. Hate Godric, but don't push her away."

She didn't give him a chance to retort as she hung up, leaving him back with his thoughts.

"Damn it," he grumbled to himself, slamming his phone down onto his desk. He knew she was right and he hated it. He couldn't continue to push Mackenzie away, not when they had gotten this far. He could be furious with Godric, but not with her. Not like this, anyways.

He couldn't let her think he hated her.

Swallowing his pride, Eric stood and made his way to the backyard before he could talk himself back into a frenzy. He paused in the doorway, watching as Mackenzie swayed on the swing set. He was reminded of a little girl that had once scared him half to the true death because of that very swing set. If only he had known then what he did now. Eric couldn't help but wonder if everything could have been different, if he could have better protected her, if she wouldn't have become sick in the first place if he had just been a better guardian.

But he hadn't been. He could be now. He could be a father to her now. He had to be. Pam was right. Now was not the time to push her away. He was furious at her and Godric. All he saw was red at the mere thought of it. But he couldn't let it destroy the fragile bond with Mackenzie. He realized now more than ever that he needed her.

"I'm surprised that's still standing," Eric broke the silence as he began across the yard.

Mackenzie eyed Eric as he approached before quickly gazing down at the grass grazing her bare toes.

"You used to drive me insane with your obsession with this ridiculous thing," it was Mackenzie's turn to give him the cold shoulder, refusing to look at him. Eric sighed as he rubbed the bridge of his nose. It was going to take more than a simple apology to mend this. "So I see you're the one not talking to me now."

"Well you're being an asshole so…" she mumbled under her breath.

He raised an eyebrow as he fought a chuckle. How he was ever able to deny her as his daughter was a mystery. "And I am attempting to apologize."

Mackenzie rolled her eyes, kicking at the ground moodily as the swing swayed. "Right, because Eric Northman apologizes."

"Hey," he caught the chain of the swing, holding it still. "This is me apologizing, Mackenzie. I'm sorry."

"You're just sorry because you don't want a moody teenager around the house again."

"No, I'm apologizing because you're right; I was an ass," he caught her chin, forcing her gaze to meet his. "Now I won't say it again. I'm sorry."

Her eyebrows furrowed together as she tried to find a hint of sarcasm or dishonesty in his words. Eric rarely ever apologized, even if something was his fault. It just wasn't in his nature. Mackenzie could find nothing but sincerity, however.

"I was pushing you away and I shouldn't have. You were right. This was supposed to be a happy homecoming."

"You usually never apologize when you're wrong," she pointed out softly.

"I know," a smile threatened to spread. "So I expect you to appreciate this moment and never expect it again."

She still wasn't sure if she believed him. She had screwed everything up when she slept with Godric. She might not regret the act itself, but hurting Eric was never part of the plan. The last thing she had ever wanted was for him to be furious with her.

"Does this mean you don't hate me for sleeping with…"

"Don't," what was nearly a smile was wiped from his face. "Don't ever mention that."

"But we do need to talk about it."

"Oh no," Eric shook his head. The last thing he ever needed was to talk about that. "We will never speak of that. Do I make myself clear?"

"So you don't hate me?"

Eric sighed as she gave him those sad eyes of her Pam had taught her when she was only a child. "I could never hate you, Mackenzie."

"But I…"

"Never," he assured.

She pursed her lips together, Eric deciding she looked far too much like Pam when she did, before a smile broke out across her face. "Does this mean we get to have a homecoming redo?"

He snickered. "Is that really necessary?"

"Very necessary."

"Then fine," he rolled his eyes as he motioned her off the swing. "I have a few more pieces of business to finish, but I suppose we can spend the rest of the evening together. Just clean yourself up."

Her cheeks grew bright red when she realized what he was talking about. She was going to need a hundred showers if she smelt like she supposedly did.

"And none of that Disney crap," he sent her a pointed look as she shoved her shoes on and jumped to her feet.

"But it's not Disney crap!"

Mackenzie was hurriedly brushing the knots out of her damp hair when her closet caught her eye. She was trying to rush to the living room before Eric so he couldn't object to her movie choice for the evening. But when an idea crossed her thoughts, a grin spread across her lips and she couldn't help herself.

Minutes later her beloved movie was in the DVD player, a bowl of popcorn strategically placed directly in front of her on the coffee table, joined by an overflowing shoebox.

She hadn't been lying to the reporter the previous night.

"I said not that Disney crap," Eric mumbled with narrow eyes as he entered the room. He shot a glare at the TV, as if his mere stare would destroy the opening credits.

"It's Anastasia. It's not that Disney crap. Which isn't crap by the way. Disney movies are the absolute best cinematic masterpieces in film history. And that's just a fact."

Eric rolled his eyes as he moved towards the couch. When his gaze caught the shoebox on the table, his eyebrows shot up in surprise. "What's this?"

"This," she pulled the box onto her lap and motioned for her guardian to join her. "Well this is what I sort of hid from you for most of my childhood."

As he hesitantly took his place beside her, Mackenzie couldn't help but chuckle at his growing confusion.

"I wasn't lying when I said I had them hidden at the back of my closet," she couldn't wipe the smile from her face, a feat she thought would be impossible only a few weeks ago. "Happy belated father's day."

The look that swept over his face was enough to nearly make her burst into tears. He just stared at the box she was offering him as if it was some disease. She should have been insulted, but she knew Eric better than most. He didn't react like a normal father would, because he wasn't a normal father. But that was just fine. Because when Eric suddenly sprang to his feet, grumbling that he had some unfinished paperwork he needed to sign and darted from the room, Mackenzie knew without a doubt that he was computing his emotions in the only way that he could.

Setting the shoebox beside her on the couch, Mackenzie grabbed the bowl of popcorn and slipped her phone from her pocket.

"Code red."

"Code red?" she was met with Pam's confusion.

Mackenzie snickered as she curled her legs underneath her, putting the call on speakerphone as she settled in for her movie. "That's what I've decided to call this. I have a problem."

"What happened now?" Pam groaned. "We just got back from a catastrophe. I'm not properly dressed for another."

"Well it's Eric…"

Pam suddenly grew serious. "What happened?"

"Well the thing is, I'm pretty sure I made him feel emotions and broke him."

A/N: The patience you guys have with me and this fic is amazing and I bow down to you all. Procrastination is a disease, I swear. But with school officially over forever and ever (thank god) and my journey into Netflix I have been utterly useless with writing much of anything. But here we are! This fic is quickly starting to come to a close and it really saddens me because I absolutely LOVE writing it. It will be a sad day when I post the very last chapter (though the way I'm going, that might not be for awhile. Procrastination is the devil!)