A/N: I would like to thank anyone who favorited/followed/reviewed the last chapter, it motivates me to know that people are reading and especially if I know they are enjoying my writing. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter!

A Fool's Folly

He's a fool. There's nothing he's been more sure of in his entire existence, the proof should have been simply the fact that he'd allowed himself to be placed in a position where Lilith could so easily strike and take everything he had ever been from him. That should have been what alluded him to his status as a fool, but it's not. No it's seven year old Sookie Stackhouse running across the field in record speed, running away from him. Backpack straps clutched tightly in her hand as to not lose her books and blonde hair whipping in the air in a frenzy.

It hurt, slightly, that she was so afraid of him but he couldn't help the sense of pride that bubbled up in him, his girl was smart enough to not trust easily. Still he couldn't let this chance escape him, he waited for weeks until he knew for sure it was safe and his luck had finally come when Jason came down with the chicken pox. Not only was Sookie removed from her home and placed into her Grandmother's house for the time being but she had also been entrusted in walking by herself to-and-fro the farm house and the school bus stop which was located half a mile away.

Though he bristled with aggravation that her family was so careless with her safety he couldn't deny that it had offered him the best opportunity to approach her. The plan had been simple: swipe a book and approach her by saying he had thought she had dropped it. Then once she relaxed in front of him he would probe her mind and see how she responded, see how advanced her fae powers were. He had not counted on her taking one look at him and her lonely surroundings and make a run for it.

He grinned he could have caught her easily, but he needed her to come to him. So he began to slow once they reached the midpoint between the bus stop and her grandmother's house, and began gasping for unnecessary air.

"I'm sorry… I didn't mean to frighten you…. I just thought this was yours." His voice is croaky and his speech is staggered as he waves the book once in the air before exaggeratedly bending down forward to grab onto his knees. Though he pretends to stare onto the ground out of the corner of his eye he can see her clearly.

She slows down before stopping and turning slowly to face him, they're easily at least fifteen feet apart so he assumes she feels safe enough to evaluate him. He reaches out to her mentally, it's easy enough she has no shields, he doesn't dive deep just skims her thoughts.

"He's going to collapse." The worry is evident even in her thoughts and it warms him that even if she is smart enough to be scared she is still worried about him.

"You alright mister?" She doesn't take a step closer but she's not moving away either.

"I'm fine… just…. out of breath." He keeps up the act, just for a few more moments he needs to know more, and he can't deny the thrill that comes with actually talking to her and not just listening in on her conversations. He probes more deeply, intent on finding out something simple like a favorite color, he doubts she'll feel him novices rarely do, they hardly can control their own shields much less realize that it's not a thought in their mind but a search. He begins to recite all the primary colors knowing he'll find the right one when she responds positively and unconsciously brings up a memory.

He knows something's wrong when she scrunches up her face as he hits yellow.

"What are you doing?" She asks though thankfully without fear in her voice.

"I… what do you mean?" He straightens up as he realizes that she felt him.

"You…" She squirms pulling on her backpack straps, he knows this is hard for her, how can it not be? Every thought she's heard from her parents and others has been full of nothing but negativity for her powers. She can't admit it, because she's not supposed to ever acknowledge it, even her well meaning grandmother shushes her when she brings up things she shouldn't know.

"Can you hear me?" Pain mars her face and for a moment he's sure she will bolt so he makes a rash decision, "Are you like me?" That stops her squirming, and though she hesitates she answers him.

"I don't know." He takes a tentative step forward and when she doesn't bolt he's bold enough to narrow it down to seven feet of space between them.

"I think you are." He made sure she was looking him in the eye before he bended down to her level.

"What are you?" Her voice was small and innocent and full of wonder but lined with fear, he couldn't help but want to shield her from all the disparaging remarks that had been said about her gift.

"Special." He assured her, he would always make sure she knew that she was nothing short of gifted in his eyes.

Hello my name is Warlow in 1702 your ancestor signed a contract promising you to me in marriage. You are part fae as am I, I am also part vampire and when you are old enough I will turn you into a vampire too and we will be together forever. Yeah right, he knew better than to come off that strong, the girl was a child who at the moment simply needed him to see how she was anything but a freak. Still it didn't mean he didn't wish he could just tell her the truth, instead of having to twist everything.

"What's your name?" It was the first thing she had actually said since realizing he could read her mind.

"Ben Flynn, nice to meet you …?" He paused allowing her to answer him.

"Sookie, Sookie Stackhouse." She put her hand out for a handshake and he took it with a smile.

"It's nice to meet you Sookie."

"You too Mr. Flynn."

"Well you should probably run along now you're parents are probably worried."

"Actually it's my Gran whose probably worried… but…" He suppressed a smile the girl was curious and that was the best thing he could hope for, her need for answers would be the best thing for him, for them. "I…"

"Don't worry Sookie I'll see you again sometime, it's not everyday you find someone like us." She gives him a curious look before running off again, but not without turning around and waving with a toothy grin. He smiled and waved back, pleased to see her smiling at him for the first time.

"You're back!" He's glad she doesn't run off. He's made sure to approach her not only after the bus has dropped her off but that she has also walked further into the woods. It wouldn't do for nosey neighbors to see him so interested in her. So he makes sure she is alone before coming out into the pathway.

"I wouldn't leave, not after I found you." Her cheeks redden and for once he can sense that she feels special in a good way.

"Do you… are there a lot more people like us?" No, he wants to say, there is no one who will ever exist that is like us. It's true as far as he is concern but he knows she's referring strictly to her gift and he won't lie to her even if she is too young to know the whole truth.

"Not a lot, but there are others who have the gift. It's not the easiest to find someone like us."

"But you found me, I must be really lucky." She grinned up at him, even as they continued walking side by side down the narrow path, he made sure to keep as much distance as possible as to not frighten her. Her words pulled at his heart and he was glad that she had been comforted by his mere existence, he didn't want her to feel lonely because of her heritage, he wanted her to feel powerful.

"I think we are both really lucky." She looked at him oddly but just smiled.

"How…" She starts to ask but trails off as she nervously pulled on her straps.

"It's okay you can ask me anything, trust me it helps to talk about it, there's no silly questions." He never thought she would exhibit powers so early or that her family would be so ill mannered about it, or he would have come sooner. She just has so many questions and worries about her powers how could anyone expect a little girl to deal with this on her own?

"How long have you known?"

"Since… forever my parents were special too." Then I grew up and killed them. Yeah it was probably best to not be completely honest with her.

"Does it hurt you too?" This one perplexed him, for the most part telepathy was a nuisance but it didn't cause any pain.

"Hurt?"

"When I'm at school it's hard because there's too many people it's hard to focus. They all think different things, all the time, everyone, no one really pays attention to the teacher. They say they might move me to a smaller class but I don't want to leave Tara." She talks so fast he probably wouldn't understand if he was human. He looks at her and wonders if the pain is due to her small age, either way the resolution is simple he has to teach her how to build shields and it has to be soon.

"It doesn't have to be like that."

"What do you mean?"

"I can control who I listen to."

"You can?" The wonder he hears in her voice is palpable and she stops in her tracks to look up at him, he stops beside her and he knows he has to be careful in what and how he says next.

"Yes in fact tell me have you heard anything from me these past few minutes." She takes a moment to think before answering.

"No… it's been silent."

"I put shields up so that not only can I not hear you but no one can hear me. I can teach you how to do that."

"Yes! Please, please!" She looks at him with pleading eyes as if she worried he was just toying with her.

"It's okay Sookie, I would be glad to teach you." He looks around and realizes they've reached the end of the woods, this is the last few moments he'll have with her today before he has to watch from afar. "Just… maybe lets keep this between us." It wouldn't do for her parents to realize she was talking to him, who knows what crazy thing they'd do.

"My parents wouldn't like it, I'm no 'sposed to talk about it to anyone." She looks torn and he worries that fear of upsetting her parents will make her walk away from him.

"Well don't worry because now you know me and you can talk to me. I know how it is, how it feels." It's a simple look, but he knows he's got her hooked, this lonely child who has felt different all her life has finally found someone to relate to. How can she resist?

"Will I see you tomorrow?" Her tone is hopeful, and he hides a grin, because from now on, he knows that she won't ever run from him again.

"If you want to?" She grins up him and as quick as she can she hugs him before running off out of the woods and to her gran's house. Yes he was a fool, but as long as he made her happy he wouldn't mind.

A/N: I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, please review and tell me what you think!