Chapter Nineteen

Jessica arrived at Bill's place feeling anxious and nervous. She had taken a cab into BonTemps after sneaking out her bedroom window. This was by far the craziest thing she had ever done in her life. When Bill answered he looked at her with confusion. She looked familiar but he couldn't place where he had seen her before.

She stumbled over her words and explained that her car had broken down and she needed to use his phone. Bill was initially hesitant to let her in, as he was getting ready for his date with Sookie.

"Please, I just need to call someone to pick me up. My phone is dead."

"Ok. We just need to make this fast I am expecting someone." He pulled his phone out of his pocket and handed it to her.

"Thank you so much. My name is, um. Taylor." She smiled awkwardly at him.

"Nice to meet you, Taylor I'm Bill Compton." He shook her hand and she smiled big. This guy was old enough to be her dad, but she tried not to think of that.

"You have a beautiful home, Bill."

"Thank you. I will leave you to your call." He stepped out of the room to finish getting ready. He was already nervous about seeing Sookie and professing his love to her. He had no idea how she would react.

Jessica moved into his living room and walked around. Her heart was racing as she stood by the window. She opened the curtains and then went to sit on the side of the couch but the second he came back in the room, she slipped off onto the floor. She scrambled to her feet as he walked over to help her.

"Are you ok?" He reached down and she took his hand and smiled nervously.

"Yes, sorry. I was just admiring your place."

"Did your call go, ok?"

"I left a voice mail." She handed him the phone back and her hand lingered on him as he pulled it back.

"You can wait while your ride comes." He stepped back from her.

"You wouldn't happen to have anything to drink. I am parched."

"Um. I uh only have alcohol."

"That's fine. I will take whatever you have." She swallowed hard.

"How old are you?"

"Twenty-two." She lied.

"Listen it's probably not a good idea." He ran his hand through his hair.

She could see this was definitely harder than she had thought. She decided to go another route with him, one she learned by watching countless soap operas.

"Ok, that's fine." She turned from him and forced out tears.

"Hey. Hey, don't cry." He walked over to her.

"I'm sorry it's just my boyfriend just broke up with me and I had gotten all dressed up for him." She continued to cry. "I can't do anything right." She covered her face as she sobbed.

"It's ok. Please don't cry." He closed in the distance, and she surprisingly turned and hugged him as he stood there stoic. She cried into his chest.

"Oh my gosh. I am so sorry. Look at me crying all over you. I am ruining your shirt." She pulled back as she wiped her tears.

"It's fine." He quickly cleared his throat. "Just so you know, no guy is worth losing tears over." He forced an awkward smile.

"You're just trying to be nice. I feel like such a fool." She began to cry again.

"Let me um, get you that drink." He quickly left the room. He did not do well with crying females.

Meanwhile, across town, Eric was getting ready to do some surveillance at Bill's place. He was nervous about sending a naive human to do his dirty work but all he needed was to capture one kiss. That would be enough to send Sookie running from Bill. He had contemplated just killing him and being done with it but watching Bill squirm and lose everything was more fun.

As he got ready to leave Fangtasia a familiar feeling washed over him and when he got to his office door, he saw Godric standing there.

"We need to talk, Eric." He walked in.

Jessica sipped on the scotch and coughed as it burned going down. She had never had alcohol before. She tried to play it off.

"It's good." She coughed some more. "Strong, just the way I like it."

"Do you want to call your ride again? I really do have plans tonight."

"My ride will be here soon." She smiled and walked over to him. "You have been so kind to me. I don't know how to repay you."

"I am always happy to help. No repayment necessary." He stepped back as she continued to saunter over to him. She nearly fell when her ankle rolled slightly. "Maybe you should sit." He gestured to the couch.

"I'm not used to heels." She swallowed hard. "I was trying to dress sexy for my boyfriend, but I am no good at this." Tears welled in her eyes again.

"You're a beautiful girl Taylor. You shouldn't have to try so hard." He wanted to prevent her from crying again.

"You think I'm beautiful?" She smiled.

"Anyone can see that and if your boyfriend doesn't realize that then he is crazy."

"That's the nicest thing that anyone has ever said to me." She began to cry again.

"Hey, listen. Don't waste tears over some jerk." He added quickly and she walked over to him, but her ankle rolled once more. She fell forward but he caught her arm before she landed on the ground. She gasped as she looked up at him. She lunged herself at him and seconds later her lips were on his. The move caught him off guard and then he was quickly pulled back.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that." Her eyes got wide. "Oh my god, I am so stupid!" She turned from him and sobbed.

"No, it's not that. I am… I am spoken for." He added as she continued to fake cry.

"I am just a fool. I am so so sorry."

"Taylor, please."

She turned and faced him. "I just thought that maybe I could for once just forget about him and you are just so handsome and kind." She walked over to the window and looked out. She tried to look for Eric. Maybe he was hiding in the bushes.

As Godric entered Eric's office, he closed the door behind him. Eric stepped back and watched as Godric took in the room.

"You have done well for yourself with this club," Godric remarked, looking around the room.

"I always hoped you would come by," Eric replied, watching him.

"I should have come sooner," Godric said, picking up some papers on the table and mindlessly flipping through them.

"I'm sorry about the other day. I just…" Eric began to explain, but Godric interrupted him.

"I don't want to know any more details about that," Godric said firmly, putting the papers down and looking at Eric. "I've been doing a lot of thinking."

"I know it's hard to understand, but if you would just let me explain," Eric tried again.

"Eric," Godric interrupted him once more. "I've been staying in a small village in Romania. I have learned so much about their culture and their people. It's like a real family. I want you to come with me. I want to show you a different side of the world without all these complications."

Eric was in shock. For years he had been trying to see Godric, and before the world went to shit, he would have done anything to be around him again. The bond between a maker and their kin was something, unlike any other connection.

"I don't know what to say," Eric replied, still in shock.

"Say you will come with me. It has been too long," Godric walked up to him and smiled softly. "It's time for you to come home."

"I can't just up and leave here. I have a business and a life as Sheriff."

"None of that matters."

"I have to fix things," Eric spoke seriously.

Godric sighed heavily. "Things are the way they are for a reason. Trust me, just leave things be regardless of what you think."

"You don't understand, this is bigger than me and you." Eric walked up to him. "You believe me, right?"

"That is exactly why you need to leave. Who knows the damage that has already been caused? No one has the right to change the future."

"Even if that future is about to be extinct? No. I won't let it happen."

"I can force your hand." Godric looked deadly serious.

"Don't," Eric warned.

"As your maker." Godric began.

"Please. Just. Give me two days, that's all I need." Eric stopped him.

"Just you interfering right now can have grave results."

"Two days. That's all I need. I will go with you. I promise." Eric pleaded. He knew that the second that Godric forced him then everything would be destroyed.

"Fine. Two days Eric and then we're leaving for good. Wrap up your affairs." Godric walked to the door but as he went to open it, Pam stood there. She had a devastated look on her face as she had overheard everything. "Pam." Godric nodded at her and then left.

"What the hell have you gotten yourself into Eric." She walked into his office.

"It's nothing." Eric took a seat as Pam rolled her eyes.

"I know what I heard."

"Then I advise you to unhear it." He pretended to look through files.

"If you are in trouble." Pam's voice softened.

He looked up. "The bar is not going to tend itself."

"You know you can really be an asshole!" She huffed as she stormed out of his office.

Meanwhile, Jessica was still looking out of Bill's window. She was getting anxious now, Eric was nowhere to be seen.

"You should try your ride again." Bill looked at his watch. Sookie would be over any minute now.

"You're right." Jessica sucked in a deep breath and as she reached for his cell phone, she caught him off guard as her lips landed on his.

"Bill?" Sookie's voice was shocked as she looked at Bill being lip locked with some young redhead who barely looked legal.

"Sookie. It's not what it looks like." Bill backed up with wide shocked eyes.

"Wow, he's a good kisser." Jessica smiled and then walked past Sookie. "See you later, Bill."

"Listen before you say anything, I don't know her." He walked over to her, and she backed.

"Wow. I feel stupid." She couldn't believe this was happening.

"It's silly, I know. I mean she just showed up here."

"That's not what I meant. God. Fucking vampires!" She turned to leave but he got right in front of her. She put her hands on her hips.

"Sookie. Please just hear me out."

"You know I told myself that it was too good to be true." She huffed.

"It didn't mean anything. Seriously, she just showed up here."

"Oh, so you're just kissing random strangers then. Yeah, out of my way." She pushed past him and stormed to her car. This was exactly why she avoided men.

"No, you have it all wrong." He ran up to her as she got to the driver's side door.

"Save it, Bill. I understand loud and clear." She opened her car door, and he closed it.

"No, you don't. I love you." He blurted out as she rolled her eyes.

"You are over two hundred years old and if that is the best you got." She opened the car door again. He put his hand on it.

"Please…Sookie."

"I should thank you actually for allowing me to see you for who you really are." She narrowed her eyes at him. "Oh, and I resent any invitation to my home. Get the fuck out of my way."

He backed up. He was mixed with shock and confusion. How had this all gone wrong? It seemed almost like the storyline of a bad book. His mind began to think back to the redhead and then his eyes got wide. He knew where he saw her last, Fangtasia.

"Fucking Eric!" He yelled and then he took off. He had a score to settle!

Sookie was fuming pissed as she drove. She fought back tears as she began to drive faster.

"Fucking vampires!" She yelled as she wiped her eyes.

Sookie drove, tears streaming down her face, as she tried to process what she had just witnessed. The image of Bill kissing that young girl was burned into her mind. She couldn't believe it. She thought Bill was different than other guys, and now she felt foolish for ever believing that. What had she expected from a two-hundred-year-old vampire?

Memories of their first date filled her mind.

Bill and Sookie sit on a blanket spread out on the grass, surrounded by the warm glow of candlelight. They both took a sip of wine from their glasses.

"I never thought I could feel this way again," Bill looked into Sookie's eyes.

"What way is that?" She smiled.

"Happy," He touched her hand. "I've been alive for over a century, and I can honestly say that I've never been as content as I am now."

"I feel the same way. You make me feel like I'm the only person in the world that matters."

"You are," He leaned in for a kiss.

They broke away from their embrace, and Sookie giggled. "I can't believe we're having a picnic in the middle of the night."

Bill chuckled. "That's what makes it special. We don't need the sun to have a good time."

As she cried, she didn't notice a car approaching in the distance. She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't even see the headlights until they were blinding her. She quickly tried to swerve out of the way, but it was too late. Her car slammed into a nearby tree, and she was knocked unconscious.

Eric was conflicted as he sat in his office. His mind was consumed with getting Lilith's blood and destroying it and then there was Sookie. He felt like he didn't have enough time to fix everything but then he remembered Jessica. "Shit." He stood up. He was supposed to get pictures. "Fuck." He looked at his watch. He quickly got to the door. Maybe he could still capture something on camera. The second he opened his door, Bill literally slammed into him. He got knocked back into his desk.

"You are going to pay for this you fucking asshole!" Bill barred his fangs.

Eric straightened up and smoothed out his shirt. "Give me one reason why I shouldn't remove your fangs right now."

"Seriously, what the hell are you two doing? We have a full club!" Pam stormed into the room and looked at them.

Before either of them could answer a feeling shot through them both and in unison they said. "Sookie." Seconds later they were gone as Pam stood there.

"What the fuck is it with that chick!" Pam huffed with annoyance.