An: I hated Sookie's reaction to Gran's death in True Blood. So I had to redo it. I may try to work on
Nobody But You next. So it may a little longer until my next update.
*Flashback*
It was Friday night in early September. Sookie was beyond tired and she was waiting for Eric in his office. She had decided to drop out of school. At least until next semester.
The start to her senior year in college had been awful. All of her classes that she had wanted to take had filled up so her schedule was pieced together and almost impossible to make work. She had to be on campus by 7:30 am Monday-Thursday one of those classes ended at 9:30 am just in time for her to make it to the video store by 10 if she got a close parking spot on campus. The other class lasted until 10:30 which meant Ginger had to open, which made Pam ill as a hornet. Everything always had to be redone when Ginger opened and Pam hated it because she never charged anyone late fees. But that wasn't the worst of Sookie's luck. She couldn't find an apartment, there was nothing available. So she was having to drive to Bon Temps every night and the straw that broke the camels back was the night time classes. Her last class that she needed to graduate had been at night it started at 6:00 and went to 8:50. All of this would have been doable if she wasn't driving three hours a day bath and forth to Bon Temps. She had maybe seen Eric a total of five minutes the last two weeks and she missed him fiercely. Her vagina missed him. She had woken up that morning from dreaming about Eric to her hand in her panties.
Eric smiled at her as he came in the office and sat beside her on the couch. She sighed with relief as he pulled her in his arms and laid her head on his shoulder. His arms felt like coming home.
"You needed to talk to me?" He ran his hand down her waist.
She looked up at him and nodded.
"Yeah, I guess I'm going to withdraw from school. At least for now. So I guess I can start back full time." Eric looked at her like he was about to give her an ear full. That was not the reaction she had expected.
"Why are you thinking of dropping out of school?" He asked taking her hand in his. She told him all her reasons.
"And I miss you." Eric laughed and bent down to kiss her.
"You're not dropping out of school. I promised your Gran." Sookie huffed.
"You're 1000 years old and you're worried about my Gran?" Eric laughed.
"Not exactly, but she's right. You're not dropping out of school. Part of the problem is you're working for me to much. How about you stop working here. I need a new day person. You'd have to run some errands for me. Pick up some dry cleaning. But it can be done between your classes. You can handle payroll? If not I'll show you. It will be a lot less work but something you're more suited for." Sookie looked at him and didn't know what to say.
"What about Pam? She's going crazy with Ginger." Eric laughed.
"I'll hire someone else. You're to smart for this job. And how would you feel about moving in with me?" Sookie's jaw dropped open. They had only been seeing each other a few months.
"Eric, I don't know what to say. Are you sure?" Eric got up and knelt in front of her on the floor and took both of her hands in his.
"Sookie I've missed you like crazy these past couple of weeks. I've fallen in love with you, Sookie Stackhouse." Eric reached up and wiped the tears that she couldn't help but crying.
"I'll move in with you." She touched his cheek with her hand and tilted his head to make sure he was looking at her.
"Eric, I love you too." Eric kissed her and they spent the rest of the night making love.
The next day……
Sookie groaned when she pulled into the rehabilitation center where Gran was staying. She saw Jason's truck and almost turned around. It was going to be hard enough telling Gran but she was afraid Jason would try to be some kind of badass and do something stupid. She climbed out of her old yellow Honda Civic. She would soon have enough money saved up from working for Eric to buy a new one.
She walked around to the backseat and picked up the big piece of chocolate and peanut butter cake she had brought Gran. She went up to the fourth floor and gently knocked on Grans door and walked in.
"Oh darling it's so good to see you." Gran beamed with happiness. Jason was just getting up. He walked over to Sookie and gave her a quick kiss on the temple.
" I got to run Sook, I've got a date with Dawn." Sookie laughed and waved bye. She took Jason's seat and began telling Gran all about her week.
"Gran, I gotta tell you something. You may not approve of." Sookie felt herself get hot.
"What is it honey?" Sookie gulped.
"Well I was having a real hard time making my classes work and working and driving home back and forth. Gran, Eric asked me to move in with him. I said yes." Gran looked at her and smiled.
"Oh baby, I knew this day would come. Do you love him?" Sookie smiled and shook her head yes.
"I really do Gran." Gran smiled at her warmly and all of the nervousness Sookie had felt was gone.
"Does he love you?" Sookie nodded.
"He says he does, I believe him." Gran took hold of Sookie hand and squeezed.
"That's all that matters baby." Gran smiled.
They spent the rest of the afternoon talking and catching up. At 4:00 Sookie kissed Gran bye and left for home.
*Flashback ends*
Jason managed to catch Sookie before she hit her head. Eric had been right it was bad. He couldn't bring himself to look at Gran's body. He'd never be able to handle this if he did. He picked the phone up off the floor.
"You still there?" He carried Sookie out of the kitchen into the living room to lay her on the couch.
"I'm here." Eric was relieved.
"Alright I've got to call 911, Sookie will be fine until you can get here." Jason hung up the phone and dialed 911.
Three hours later, every cop and rescue personnel were at the farm house.
Sookie was sitting on the porch in to much shock to say a word. She couldn't even bring herself to cry. Bud Dearborn and Andy Belleflure had attempted to question her but they gave up when she refused to talk.
Eric would be there soon. The sun was setting just beyond the trees. It would be dark enough now for him to get out. She needed him. He'd been sending her strength through the bond since earlier. Nothing was ever going to be the same. Her Gran was gone. And she had been the intended target. Sookie would of traded places with her. The door to the house opened and Jason came out. He sat beside her on the steps and put his head in his hands and began to cry. Sookie reached out for his hand but regretted it the moment his hand touched hers. She saw everything. She saw the cops talking to Jason. She saw them moving Gran. Then she saw the things Jason didn't want her to see. Bud Dearborn had told him that whoever did this had made her suffer. Sookie gasped and jerked away from him.
"Geez Sook I'm sorry." Sookie didn't say anything. It felt like the flood gates in her brain had opened.
'Mrs. Stackhouse might still be alive if Sookie wasn't with that fanger.'
'This is awful. She's got stab wounds all over her, it looks like some of them went to the bone.'
'They almost cut her head off.'
The thoughts went on. Sookie felt like she was drowning. The worst part was she could see what they were saying, physically. She jerked away from Jason and jumped off the porch directly into the arms of a very pissed off Eric Northman.
"Sook, I'm sorry!" Jason started to getup and run after her but he saw Eric land Sookie collapsed against him once she saw him. He pulled her to his chest. Jason made his way over.
"Shit, Sook I'm sorry. She got in my head. She hasn't said a word in three hours." Eric nodded at him and kissed the top of her head.
"I'm sorry my Love." He whispered quietly in her ear.
"It was supposed to be me." Sookie told him quietly through her tears. She still wouldn't make eye contact.
"Come on, let's get you cleaned up." Before he could get her inside Mike Spencer opened the door and came rolling outside with a gurney carrying Gran's body. Sookie watched as she was placed in the back of ambulance. Sookie eyes swelled up with tears. She realized that would be the last time Gran ever went out of the front door of the old farm house. It had been Gran's home since she had turned 17 and gotten married. She had rocked her babies to sleep on that old porch swing. First her own kids then her grandchildren. She took pride in her house and wanted it clean. She always had a home cooked meal and a big glass of sweet iced tea ready for anyone who needed it. Sookie would never drink a glass of her tea again. She clutched Eric's shirt as her tears began to fall. Eric held her tightly as the ambulance drove away. Bud Dearborn and Andy Bellefleur walked out of the house. Sheriff Dearborn looked like he was going to lose his lunch at any moment and Andy had gone behind the house to throw up.
'That is the worst crime scene I've ever been to. So much violence toward one old lady.' Bud Dearborn thought. Sookie held Eric's shirt tighter. It was getting difficult for her to breathe again. Bud walked over to Sookie, Jason, and Eric.
"Sookie, we're going to need you to come to the police station for your report. Eric stepped protectively in front of Sookie and reached into his pocket and grabbed his business card. He handed it to Bud.
"Call me in a couple of days." Bud looked terrified but looked directly at Sookie.
"It's standard procedure, she's the one who found the body. We need her statement." Eric dropped fangs and hissed at Bud Dearborn, before Bud could look away, Eric caught his eyes.
"You can talk to her in a couple of days." Bud looked up at Eric, terrified, with tears starting to fall down his face. He was trembling.
"I'll call after the funeral." Bud said turning around and running back to the police car. Eric put his fangs away and turned back to Sookie and Jason. Sookie was staring past them, like she was lost in her thoughts. Eric wrapped his arm around her shoulder , cupped her head, and forced her to look up at him. She looked lost and the feelings he was catching through the bond were starting to scare him. He looked away and sighed.
"Jason, you should consider coming back with us to Shreveport tonight, until we figure this out." Eric offered. "Nah man, it's alright I think I'm safe. Who ever did this is targeting girls with vampires. A few days ago it was Maudette Pickens, then Dawn Greene, night before last, and there's no doubt Sookie was supposed to be next." Eric pulled Sookie closer. "We'll talk about this later. I want to get Sookie home." Eric bent down and kissed the top of her head.
"Let's get cleaned up." Eric led her in the front door and straight upstairs to the bathroom. He got her undressed and threw her clothes in the trash. He ran her bath water then helped her in the tub.
"Just lay back and rest. I've got you." He whispered softly. She did and Eric quickly had all the blood washed away. He helped her from the tub and took her in her old bedroom. He quickly found an old T-shirt of hers and a pair of jean shorts.
"Let's go home." He said taking her hand. Sookie's eyes finally focused and she squeezed his hand.
"I can't leave her house like this. She keeps…..kept…. it so clean." Eric pulled her tightly against him.
"There you are," he kissed her temple. "Will you let Pam take care of it? She's downstairs. I swear it'll be just like Adele cleaned it." Sookie looked at him and began to sob but shook her head yes. Er sat her down on the bed and held her while she cried.
"It's okay. Just cry." Eric hated her tears but it was better than nothing and that was what he had felt from her earlier. He played with a strand of her hair and placed soft kisses on her head. She cried herself to sleep in just a few minutes. She was completely exhausted. Eric lifted her in his arms and carried her downstairs. He saw Pam come out of the kitchen.
"It's bad Eric." Pam told him.
"Call the company we use to clean the bar, have them come immediately no matter the cost. Have it billed to me. Did you pick up anything out of place." Pam shook her head.
"Just Compton's stench from a few days ago. Everything else is human. Maybe if we'd gotten here before the human authorities, we could of at least narrowed down the humans." Eric looked at Pam.
"Good job Pam, touch base with me on the clean up before you go to ground tomorrow." Eric turned to leave. Jason was sitting on the porch talking to Thalia.
"Any change with her?" He asked Eric.
"She'll be ok. She just needs a little bit of time. I'm going to take her home. I'm assuming there will be a funeral?" Jason nodded.
"Gran took care of it after her accident a few years ago. She didn't want us to have to plan her funeral." Eric placed Sookie in the passenger's seat of the car.
"I'll contact you tomorrow and we'll go from there." Eric signaled to Thalia to come to the door.
"Follow him home. Make sure he gets there ok. Did you notice anything out of place last night" Thalia glared at him. "She was up making coffeebefore I went to ground. Whatever happened was after that." Eric nodded as he got in the car. He slid the seat back and cranked it up and took Sookie home. She slept the rest of the night. Eric was afraid to leave her to go to sleep but figured the bond would wake him up if she woke up.
Sookie slept all night and all day the next day. She tried to keep sleeping but she just couldn't. She opened her eyes and saw two big huge blue pools looking down at her. His concern was written all over his beautiful face. He bent down and kissed her softly.
"You were starting to scare me Lover, I was about to call Ludwig." She touched his cheek and realization hit her. Tears filled her eyes.
"Gran's gone?" She asked. Eric nodded. Eric held her while she cried.
"The funeral will be tomorrow night. Jason requested that time so I could go with you." Sookie smiled at him through her tears.
"Jason planned her funeral by himself?" Sookie couldn't help but be surprised and extremely proud of her brother.
"No Lover, apparently Adele already had everything arranged and paid for. Jason picked the time." Sookie looked down sadly.
"I still can't believe she's gone." Eric leaned down and kissed her.
Twenty-four hours later, Sookie clung to Eric, with a tear stained face. He hadn't left her side once. They had just sat down on the front row. The preacher had started the service and one of Gran's friends was singing her favorite hymn. Jason was sitting on one side of her and Eric was holding her to his side on the other. Sookie happened to glance behind her as an older woman wheeled in an old man in a wheelchair. He stayed at the back of the church. But just the sight of him made the hair on the back of Sookie's neck stand up. She didn't want to cause a scene so she didn't say anything to Eric. He must of picked up on the shift of her emotions because he pulled her closer against him. Sookie held on to his hand and cried against his shoulder for the entire service. When they asked her if she wanted to speak. She adamantly shook her head no.
After the service, Sookie let Eric led her out of the church to their car. She kept her head down until she was in the car. Eric got in the driver's seat.
"Do you want to see Jason and have dinner with the entire town before we go home?" Sookie looked at Eric and couldn't help but laugh through her tears.
Eric hated the idea of being around all of those people. They both knew it and he didn't try to hide it. But the thought that he would stay with her if she wanted to meant more than he would ever know. Sookie leaned over and kissed him.
"No, I want you to take me home and make love to me." Eric pulled her against him and kissed her then he started the car and drove her home and did exactly what she asked.