Author's note: Thanks so much for all the likes, follows and comments! I love reading them and every time I get an alert it makes my day. Some of the comments from the last chapter also suggested it was giving them (traumatising) flashbacks to the books. Don't worry! I promise they will improve at communicating, but it can't happen overnight. Hope you enjoy this chapter.

I spent the next few days in a whirlwind of preparation and by Friday night I was exhausted. I'd done a final shop that morning, worked a double shift, and still needed to bake Gran's peach pie before Quinn got here tomorrow. But by the time I'd gotten home from work, showered and changed I'd just collapsed on the sofa.

I still hadn't been sleeping too well. Amelia's spellwork had stopped me waking up screaming —which was still an improvement in my books — but it hadn't stopped the nightmares. And I had found I was waking up after shorter and shorter periods of sleep. I was sure having Quinn to sleep next to would help.

Amelia had left for New Orleans this morning. The house felt strangely empty without her. I was gathering the energy to make that pie when a soft knock on the door roused me. I sat up with a start. I made myself stand up and trudge to the door. It was a vampire. Probably Bill, I figured, I hadn't seen him since the Rhodes.

I hesitated before I opened the door, wondering if I should check from the window to be sure.

Then I heard a familiar voice, muffled by the wood, "It is me." Not Bill, Eric.

A rush of warmth went through me upon seeing him. He was wearing jeans and a pale blue sweater that brought out his eyes.

"Eric, what are you doing here?"

"I came to update you, there are some things you should be aware of."

"It's really not a good time," I sighed.

"It cannot wait."

I fiddled with the door handle, before stepping back and opening the door fully. Eric gazed at me as he took a step into the house.

We made our way to the sitting room. "Would you like anything to drink?" I offered half-heartedly.

"That is not necessary."

Eric sat down on the worn sofa, he was looking around the room with a strange expression on his face. I rubbed my eyes and sat down on the other end of the couch. Gran's afghan rug was draped over the back of the chair between us, I had the strange urge to pluck it up and hide it away. I'd have to do that later.

"So, what's so urgent it couldn't wait until tomorrow?" I was too tired to mince words.

Eric ignored my question. "I expected Quinn to be here."

"He arrives tomorrow afternoon," I said primly. "And I still need to bake a pie before he arrives so I'd appreciate it if we kept this short."

"Why not buy a pie?"

There were a handful of reasons, but I said the one I hoped would end this line of questioning. "I want to make it for him, it's nice bein' able to make food for someone I care about. But I'm sure you didn't come over here to ask me about my baking duties."

"No," Eric adjusted in his chair, settling back into the couch. He always had a way of looking at home in a place. "The Queen has announced her impending marriage to Andre. The ceremony will be sometime in the next few weeks. It will coincide with a formal announcement of Andre's appointment as regent."

"Well, I wish them all the best in their union."

"She will expect you to be in attendance."

I groaned. "Again? When will y'all leave me alone?"

"You consented to forming part of her retinue when you accompanied her to Rhodes. If you recall, I was against that course."

I frowned. He was right of course. Eric had asked me to come with him to Rhodes and before I'd given a formal answer Sophie-Anne had asked me, via Quinn. I'd accepted. I'd felt smug about that at that time but now I was wondering whether it was a good idea.

"But I didn't agree to be part of her retinue, I was getting paid. It was a job."

"That may be so, but your attendance with her was a statement. And you continued to draw attention throughout the event."

"I did not."

"Sookie," he almost sighed. "Over the course of the conference you were responsible for alerting the building over not one but two separate bomb threats, you sounded an alarm evacuating the building, you intervened during a trial ruled over by the Ancient Pythoness and apparently garnered her approval, you saved numerous vampires and humans from the rubble after the explosion. You also proved yourself to be an insightful and intelligent human when you counseled the kingdom on multiple occasions."

"I didn't counsel the kingdom."

"You advised that another kingdom may have had a meteorologist on staff which proved to be correct, you suggested the Queen marry Andre — advice that she is now taking," Eric said calmly. "This is not to criticise you, but it is to say that you proved your worth to the Queen in Rhodes. You publicly allied yourself with her throughout this process and that is not something she will let go of easily."

I could see the truth of what he was saying, and the pickle I'd put myself in by accepting the Queen's invitation. "I wish I never went to Rhodes," I muttered, fiddling with a loose bit of thread coming off the afghan rug.

Eric was quiet for a moment. "That may have been better for you," he said. "Pam and I may not have survived the explosion, but it may have secured your freedom from our kind."

Shame filled me. "Oh, Eric," I said. "That's not what I meant. I wouldn't want you and Pam to get hurt. I just wish…things had gone different." What exactly I wish had gone differently, I wasn't quite sure. All of it, I guess.

Eric waved his hand, dismissing my apology. "There is little value in considering what might have happened. We need to consider what to do next."

I smiled, "Well, on that we can agree." I thought absently again of the lost opportunity we'd had to kill Andre. I bet none of this would be happening if Quinn had staked him, but I didn't truly know. And it wasn't worth considering now.

"I would like you to attend the wedding with me."

"Like, as a date?" I asked. "You know I'm seeing Quinn."

"If it is under the guise of affection it will be easier for me to protect you," I looked up at Eric. His eyes were a bright clear blue but his skin was pale.

"Are you sure you don't want a Tru-Blood? You look hungry." I offered.

He smiled at me. "Sit, I feel you are tired. I will get it."

I started to protest, but he had already left the room, and I found I was very tired. I gazed over at the empty fireplace, thinking about Rhodes and all the paths that had led here. All the little decisions I had made along the way. Maybe it was fatigue, but I found I didn't mind all of them. There were certainly some memories I wouldn't trade even if I could do it all again. I tucked my legs up onto the couch the way I did when I was reading or watching a movie.

A few minutes later Eric returned with a bottle of Tru-Blood. He placed a mug in front of me, yellow with blue polka dots on it. I leaned over and saw it was a hot chocolate, it looked pretty good, despite the absence of marshmallows. I took a big sip. Eric watched me expectantly.

"It's good," I smiled. "I didn't know you could make hot chocolate."

He settled back in the couch, taking a sip of his blood. "I have not made it before," he admitted. "I had to read the instructions." I smiled at that, thinking of Eric doing something as mundane as checking the instructions on a can of drinking cocoa.

"Thank you. It's just what I needed." I noticed that when Eric returned he had sat slightly closer to me. I thought about moving to another chair but decided that would be rude. And there was no harm in sitting next to each other, after all.

I sat up a little straighter. "So, we go to the wedding together. You won't leave me alone with Andre, right?"

Eric nodded. "It will likely be a small affair. The Queen is vulnerable and will not want many in attendance. We will be required for a few days at most."

"And if I didn't go?"

"The Queen may take insult. It is possible Andre would attempt to force your attendance."

I rubbed my face. "And what if Quinn attended with me instead?"

"Quinn will not be invited. He has worked for the Queen but does not form part of her retinue, although his company may be asked to assist in the event planning," Eric paused. "If you were to invite Quinn as your date, it may cause Andre to question the bond."

I searched his face for some hint of smugness or satisfaction, but I didn't find it. And I realised I'd never really expected to. In a way, Eric was stuck with me as much as I was with him.

"Okay, I'll go with you," I said. A wave of exhaustion washed over me. I looked over at the clock and saw with a start it was almost one in the morning.

"You are tired," Eric said. "I can feel it as though it is my own."

"Did you have more you wanted to talk about?" I asked, stifling a yawn.

"Yes," he said simply. He picked up the afghan blanket from the back of the couch and draped it over me. "We need to talk about the bond. I know you do not want to, but it's important for you to understand it before we go."

"Okay," I nodded. I rested my head on the side of the couch and gazed up at Eric. "We can talk about it now."

"You do not want to sleep?" He tilted his head.

"Not really," I whispered. "I've been having nightmares. About Rhodes."

"I could stay," Eric reached up and smoothed down my hair. "It might help you sleep if I am near." This must have been the first time Eric Northman offered to share a bed with a woman without the promise of sex.

"Naw, I wouldn't ask that of you. Besides, I don't think Quinn would like smelling you in my bedroom." I gave a weak smile. "I wouldn't want him to get the wrong idea tomorrow."

Eric looked momentarily surprised before his expression rearranged into a more neutral one. I wondered what he was thinking for once. "Of course." My eyes were starting to grow heavy and I blinked a few times, trying to clear them. "I have your cheque from Sophie-Anne."

"Could you put it where you left the other one?" I asked, closing my eyes. I hoped vaguely he'd know what I was talking about. The couch shifted as he rose, and I took a deep breath. I just wanted to rest my eyes for a moment.

I woke up to the sound of a knock on the door. I rolled over onto the carpet. "Coming!" I yelled groggily, trying to get my bearings. I was on the floor in the living room, on a nest of blankets and cushions. I stood up, a blanket that had been draped over me pooled at my feet. The curtains were drawn but I could see light spilling in around the edges of the windows and from down the hallway. I was still wearing my clothes from last night.

I made my way to the door, fumbling with the lock and opening it before I thought to check who was there. It was a delivery man with a large white cardboard box in his hand.

"Sookie Stackhouse?" He asked.

I nodded but he was already handing me the box. 'Sadie's Patisserie' was printed on the side in fancy cursive. "What do I owe you?" I asked.

"Nothing, it's all paid for, even the tip." I heard from his mind it had been very generous since he'd come out from Monroe at short notice. "Have a nice day," he gave me a big smile.

"Thanks," I said and closed the door. I took the box to the kitchen and set it down on the table.

I eased the box open. Inside was a peach pie. It was still slightly warm from the oven. It must have been freshly baked this morning just before being driven over. The crust was a golden brown and peeking through between the pastry was the telltale gold of peaches. It smelt wonderful.

There was no note, but I didn't need one. I knew it was from Eric. I sighed and looked over at the clock. I was surprised to find it was almost midday. Quinn would be here in a couple of hours. I had lots to do before he arrived, but first I needed coffee. I found my mug from last had been washed and put in the draining rack, alongside the rinsed out bottle of Tru-Blood.

Once I had a steaming cup in my hand I made my way to the living room. I flung the curtains open, filling the room with light.

I sat and drank my coffee and took in the scene before me. A pallet of sorts had been made up in front of the fire. Blankets had been pulled out of the camphor chest in the corner and laid out on the floor. The afghan blanket lay in a bundle from where it had fallen off me. Looking at the makeshift bed gave me a funny feeling in my chest. It wasn't much of a bed, really, and though I felt a little stiff, it had been the best sleep I'd had in weeks. I was sure Eric had stayed with me while I slept. For how long, I had no clue. I wondered whether I should feel guilty, or annoyed, but I felt neither. Since Eric's scent wouldn't be in my bedroom, Quinn have no reason to think anything had happened. And nothing had, I reminded myself. Truth be told, I had desperately needed a good sleep and I had finally gotten one. I wasn't one to look a gift horse in the mouth.

I finished my coffee and bundled up the blankets. After a moment's thought I took a big whiff. They didn't smell like anything to me, and they'd barely been used. Still, I thought it was probably best to give them a wash. They had been on the floor after all. I hesitated as I picked up the afghan blanket. It was old and worn. I was reluctant to wash it. It might not survive it. I decided to tuck it away in the camphor chest for now.

It wasn't until the blankets were drying on the line and the pillows were packed away that I noticed an envelope on the kitchen table. I pulled it out and fished out the cheque from Sophie-Anne. It was a tidy sum and exactly what we'd agreed upon. I checked the envelope, half expecting some sly note to fall out from Eric which referred to me as his lover or hinted at sleeping next to me. It was empty. I put the cheque back in the envelope and took it up to my bedroom. I wouldn't have time to go to the bank today but I would go first thing Monday. I opened my bedside drawer. I was about to tuck it in the back of the drawer when I saw there was writing on the other side of the envelope. Here we go. The note written in Eric's slanted script simply read, 'Talk soon, E'.

The strange feeling in my chest pulsed and I rubbed at it idly, as if I could rub it away.

Author's note: I am traveling overseas in the next couple of weeks and will have limited access to computers, so I may not be able to update this story for a few months. I'll still write while I'm away (by hand which will be new) and will definitely continue posting once I'm back home. Hopefully with a fresh burst of inspiration from my travels. If I don't post again before I leave I hope you all have a great few months!