Authors Note: I don't know about you guys but I love bad boy Eric and I feel like there was so much more to be explored between him and Sookie. I would have loved to see him get all jealous and protective of Sookie and fight for her in the obsessive way he would. So yeah, that's where I am going with this! Enjoy!

Chapter Three

Hours later, she was fast asleep in the bed as he got his jeans back on. He took one final look at her before leaving the room. His phone began to ring again.

"God damn it, Pam. I said I am on my way!"

"Yeah, well now we have a bigger problem."

"What else could possibly be wrong now?"

"One second he was freaking out like I told you and then when I checked on him again, he was gone."

"Gone? What do you mean, gone? He was silvered!"

"I know that smartass. I'm the one who helped you! Now where the fuck are you!"

"I got held up, but I am on my way. You need to find him, Pam."

"You know he is probably going to go straight for her."

Eric looked down the hallway at his bedroom door. "Sookie is safe."

"What the hell does that mean? Are you with her right now?"

"I'm heading back into town. I will see you in a few hours."

"A few hours?! Where the fuck are you, Eric!" Pam yelled as he hung up the phone and shoved it back in his pocket. Now he needed to take care of this little problem once and for all. His phone buzzed with a text message. He got outside and looked at it. Pam had sent him a video.

He clicked the play button.

"What the fuck did you do to me? Why am I chained up here!" Bill yelled as he moved slightly and the silver sizzled his skin.

"I don't know Bill, why don't you explain to me how you were able to crawl out of that casket when your body was emulsified!" Pam began to pace anxiously.

"The last thing I remember is…" His voice trailed. "Sookie. Where is she?"

"You're supposed to be dead. Like no coming back from the dead kind of dead."

Realization began to cross his features. "How am I still alive?" His voice was calmer now.

"I don't know but you're freaking me out."

"I need to see Sookie." His eyes were pleading.

"You need to just lay there until Eric gets here."

"Did he do this to me? Where is he? Where is Sookie!" He began to yell and thrash once more.

The phone camera panned over to Pam who was holding the phone. "You need to get here, Eric. Shit is about to hit the fan!"

He shoved his phone in his pocket and looked up at the sky. Seconds later he was shooting off into the night. He hadn't made a long flight like this before but if he broke the sound barrier then he would be there in no time at all.

Twenty-four hours prior…

He never allowed himself to get wrapped up in human affairs or humans for that matter. He had done wonderfully for the last thousand years or so without getting attached but Sookie was different. From the moment he had seen her in Fangtasia for the first time he had to have her. It was an unhealthy obsession that almost got them both killed a few times. He knew the best thing would be to walk away and never look back. Hell, he had spent the last year trying to do just that and it got him nowhere.

He did the one thing he vowed to never do. He fell in love with a human and not just anyone, Sookie.

When Bill told him about his plan to die, he could have tried to talk him out of it or even prevent it if he really wanted to. Bill died and for a moment he had a bit of guilt wash over him, but it was short-lived. He had seen Sookie shortly after the funeral. She was devastated and it killed him to see her that way, especially over someone who literally chose death over her. He never understood Bill. You claim to love someone with all your heart and then chose to die. He was a stupid man, that was never cut out for the life they lived.

Eric gave Sookie the space she needed. He had all the time in the world, well until the previous day when he was woken up from slumber by screaming and pounding on the front door of his club. He never liked being harshly woken up and he was going to make sure that whoever was responsible would pay. He looked at the security footage outside. The sun was blazing in the sky and there was currently someone being barbequed on the front steps.

"Fuck. Are you kidding me!" He huffed as he grabbed a blanket and covered himself. He opened the door and immediately his skin began to burn. He grabbed the legs of the poor burnt-up sap and yanked him inside. The man was nearly charred beyond recognition.

His eyes opened and blinked slowly. "Thank you, Eric."

"What the fuck, Bill?" Eric stood in shock as he watched the body slowly heal. "How the fuck are you here?"

Bill had passed out from exhaustion and his wounds. Eric woke up a pissed-off Pam and they did the only thing he could think of. They chained him up in the basement and silvered him. They had no idea what had caused him to come back but there he was, lying on the cold hard floor.

"Do you think a witch did it?" Pam asked with shock.

"I don't know but he isn't going anywhere until we find out." Eric walked to the stairs.

"Where are you going? We need to figure this out."

"I have something I need to take care of. Watch him." He continued to walk.

"I am not a goddamn babysitter, Eric!"

He immediately went to see Sookie. Maybe she had an idea why her ex-boyfriend was currently healing in his basement. He planned on telling her everything but then he saw her packing her car.

After that everything seemed to get out of control and then he was in Italy with her. They finally had a real chance to make this work. He would be damned if Bill was going to mess that up for him again.

Eric got to Fangtasia in record time and nearly got fried for it. The sun was on his tail the entire time. He rushed into the basement where a very annoyed Pam greeted him. Bill was back on the table.

"You're lucky I found him before anyone else did!" She huffed. "Ruined my favorite pair of heels in the process." She looked down at the muddy shoes.

"What is going on?" Bill groaned as Eric walked up to him.

"Why don't you tell me? You shouldn't be here."

"Just take the silver off." He writhed in pain.

"No way. Nothing good ever comes from this. I remember the last time you came back from the dead. Is this the same thing?" Eric looked at him wearily.

"I…I don't know. I don't feel any different."

"What are we going to do? We can't just leave him silvered. He is the king now." Pam paced with worry.

"No, he's not. That was before. I don't know what he is now but he isn't leaving."

"Eric. Look at me. You can't keep me locked up. I need to see Sookie."

"That's the last person you need to see." Eric laughed bitterly. "I need sleep." He walked over to a large chest that was on the ground. He picked up another pile of silver as it burned his hands. "Consider this reassurance that you won't do anything stupid." He placed it onto Bill's chest as he yelled out in pain. "Come on Pam, we will deal with this tonight."

"You can't do this! You can't leave me like this!"

Meanwhile, in Italy, Sookie woke up with Eric on her mind and the night they had shared. She touched her neck where he had bit her. The skin there tingled deliciously. He had left her a note on the pillow. He said he would be back as soon as possible though right now she was happy to be alone. She had a lot of things to think about. Being in a relationship with Eric, this Eric would be different than before, and she knew this. Part of her was worried about what that would mean. He was no longer the overly sweet and caring vampire that she had fallen in love with, but truth be told as she had told him previously, she did love his dark side too. She just wasn't sure how dark he could be though she had an idea. He was powerful and feared by most. She hated that she didn't have anyone to talk to about this. Tara was gone and she knew that if she was alive, she would never approve. Jason on the other hand would have reservations about it and Jessica straight up hated Eric. She blamed him for not stopping Bill from death. Was she really ready to be in a full-fledged relationship with him?

She spent the day touring the city and visiting the many shops around. She ate a bunch of great food and when it began to get dark, she headed to the villa. She knew it wouldn't be safe for her to roam the streets at night. She knew nothing of the Italian vampires and as Eric had warned her, they could smell her if she was close enough.

Eric had slept like shit. Bill wailed for the majority of it. He made his way to the bar. Pam was already there.

"I can't listen to him anymore. I barely slept. I have the bleeds, Eric!" She wiped the blood coming from her ears.

"I know. Just let me think." He ran his hand through his hair.

"There's nothing to think about. Just let him go. Maybe he will be merciful and not kill us."

"He's not killing anyone and he's not the goddamn king anymore!" He stormed past her and headed into the basement. She followed him. Bill was still groaning as his body fought to heal but the silver was preventing it. "Can you just stop your fucking whining, Bill!"

"Please. Help me." He pleaded weakly.

"I need to know why you are here. Now tell me or!" Eric yelled as he neared Bill. His fangs descended.

"I don't know. I promise. I woke up and tore myself out of the casket and then…" His voice trailed. "Where's Sookie? I need to see her."

"He's clearly lost his mind. Let's just let him go." Pam paced nervously.

"No. He is hiding something and I am going to find out what it is." Eric quickly got over to the stairs.

"Wait! Where are you going now!" Pam yelled out. "Don't leave me here with him!"

"I'm going to find a witch."

"A what? Are you kidding me? No! You remember what they did last time!" She yelled but it was too late. He was gone.

"Sookie. I need Sookie." Bill groaned repeatedly.

It had been a while since Eric had been to New Orleans but he knew if there was a witch to be found, it would be there. The French Quarter had always been a supernatural mecca and it still was even after the vampires made themselves known. Now a lot of them used it to their advantage whether it was scamming the tourist for quick cash or draining them. Either way, it really had not changed at all.

Witches weren't hard to find there. They all had the same ammo. Either they ran bookstores or tarot shops, but he wasn't looking for just any witch. He had one in particular. One that had come into his powers more recently. One he knew a bit more personal.

"Oh, hell naw! You are not invited here." Lafayette backed up as Eric walked through the bookstore.

"I heard you did well for yourself. Good for you." Eric grinned as he picked up a book and flipped through it.

"Listen I don't mess with you mother fuckers anymore. That's why I moved here."

"And you have made quite the name for yourself. They call you the Vampire Whisperer?" Eric raised an eyebrow.

"I didn't make up that name myself. People just like to talk, that's all."

Eric put the book down and smiled. "Tell me what I am thinking right now?" Seconds later he was in front of him.

"I'm not into illegal shit anymore. I cleaned my life up, ok."

"Instead of selling V, you sell futures and stories. I don't really see the difference."

"What do you want from me?"

"Relax." Eric patted him on the back, and he visibly shuddered. "Can't I just visit an old friend?"

"We ain't friends."

"Well, now that hurts my feelings." Eric grabbed his arm and pulled him close. "Are you still messing around with necromancy?" His voice held a warning.

"I was never into that. It was all Marnie and her crazy shit."

"But you did help?"

"Man, that was like two years ago and that bitch is dead now."

"But you know how it all works and something tells me that you would know all the right people to go to." Eric grinned and then let go of him. "Relax, sweetheart. Let's just sit down and have a talk like old times."

Sookie found herself back by the pool by the end of the day. She still had wonderful memories of what took place there just the night before. The sound of her phone ringing snapped her out of her thoughts. It was Lafayette. It had been months since she heard from him. The last thing he had texted her was how his business was doing in New Orleans. She was happy for him. He had finally gotten himself out of Bon Temps and was making a real life for himself.

She smiled as she answered the phone. "Hey, stranger!"

"Tell your mother fucking vampires to leave me the fuck alone!"

"Woah, hold up. What happened?"

"Eric happened."

"What?"

"Listen you can do whatever you want with your life Sook, but tell your friends to leave me the hell alone! I don't fuck with them no more and then he just shows up here demanding shit from me!"

"Wait. Back up. Eric was there? When?" She sat up in the lounge chair as confusion filled her head.

"He just left. I don't want him to bring that bullshit here. I left Bon Temps to start over. These mother fuckers!"

"Listen I don't really have any say in how they live their lives. What did he want?"

"I don't know. He was being his usual cryptic self. He kept asking me about the shit that Marnie did. He wanted to know if it was possible to bring someone back from the dead." Lafayette sighed dramatically.

"I mean he must have had a good reason." She had no idea why Eric would be asking about witchcraft unless it had something to do with his emergency back at Fangtasia.

"And there you go, defending them like always. You are gonna end up just like Tara or worse if you keep fucking around with them."

"Let's not bring Tara into this."

"You know what, I'm going to go off the grid. Fuck this. Fuck them. I'm out." He hung up.

"What the hell." She spoke out loud and then she called Eric's cell phone. It went straight to voicemail. "What are you up to Eric?" She quickly dialed her phone again but this time she called Jessica. She answered on the second ring.

"Oh my god Sook! Hey Hoyt, it's Sookie!"

"Hey Sook!" Hoyt called out in the background.

"Hey, how's the honeymoon going?"

"Great! We're in Alaska. We get like twenty hours of nighttime. It's so cool."

"Help me, Sook. I'm barely sleeping with this night owl!" Hoyt yelled out.

"Oh, stop it, you love it!" Jessica laughed and then her tone got somber. "Are you doing, ok?"

"Yeah, I'm ok. I was actually just calling to see if you heard of anything crazy going on in Shreveport?"

"No. Why what's up? You're not talking to Eric again, are you?"

"What? No." Sookie lied.

"Damn it, Sook! You know he is only going to hurt you right and then I'm going to have to kick his ass."

"Listen I'm not doing anything with him, ok." She hated that she was forced to keep Eric a secret. No one would understand the connection she had with him. Hell, sometimes she didn't get it.

"What did he do this time? Don't tell me that they made him King?"

"No. He doesn't even want that title."

"So, you have been talking to him?"

"Like maybe in passing. That's all. He drops in every once in a while, to see how things are."

"More like he is stalking you in hopes that you will give in and be his little fairy blood bag."

Sookie sighed. "I shouldn't have called."

"I'm sorry Sook. I mean I am really sorry about everything. I know this has been hard on you with Bill gone but don't let being lonely get you messed up with Eric."

"Don't worry. I'm not. Listen, don't mind me. Enjoy your vacation. You both deserve it."

"I'm going to be back in a few weeks. Why don't we do a girl's night?"

"Sounds great."

They hung up and Sookie stared at her phone. Eric was up to something, and she was worried about him. The last time witches came into the picture things went from bad to worse really fast. She sighed as she stood up. Her vacation was officially over, she was heading back home.