EPOV

When I rise this morning I realize before I even open my eyes that I'm in a coffin, that's when I remember that we've traveled back to Louisiana during the day. If all went as planned we should be in The Remington. Although I've had to sell a lot of my properties in the area, I didn't have to get rid of all of them. That's because they all weren't under my legal name so they did not come up when I had to hand over the list of all my assets. The Remington is one such business that I still have a stake in, I'm not a majority owner or anything but I hold enough sway that it's no issue when I need a few suites on short notice, though Pam isn't planning on staying here to the best of my knowledge she'll go home once she rises this evening.

I hold in a sigh, I'm still not sure if I'm finding pleasure or pain in the fact that it will be Sookie and I living here together for the foreseeable future. It matters not how I feel, I suppose, it's happening either way. Before I died for the day this morning and after Sookie was already asleep I took the time to think over everything that had happened over the last weeks. I've decided the problem I'm having the most trouble with is the lack of control in the whole situation, I'm a being who needs to be in control, when I'm not, I fight until I am but that's not really an option for all that has happened to me recently. So I've decided to see how things play out and now that things are more stable, take everything with Sookie slow and see how it goes.

With that last thought, I open my coffin and look to see where I am. I'm in a bedroom in one of the suites of the hotel so at least nothing went wrong with our travel plans. I notice my things and Sookie's things are all in this room together so I assume she's planning on sharing a room. I'm not sure how I feel about that, yes we shared a room in Oklahoma but that was out of necessity, this is not, we have a whole suite to ourselves, or at least we will when everyone returns to their homes when they rise.

Sookie is not in the room but I hear music softly playing in the living area and smell food so she is probably eating right now. I get up and then make my way over to the bathroom for a shower, I hate how I feel after traveling while I'm at rest. Most of the time the coffins are stuffed in the back of the plane and we're shipped like luggage, this type of trip isn't as bad as others because we hadn't changed time zones but being a species that survives in the night and always knows where the sun is, it's staggering going to rest in one time zone and waking up in another.

The shower is quick and when I get out I'm thankful that Pam thought ahead because there are some of my clothes that I left behind when leaving Louisiana already in the room. I'll have to buy more because most of my things are in Oklahoma and truthfully, I want no reminders of my time there if possible. I just don't have the time to do it tonight, I'll also need to get a new day man, which is an annoying process but a necessity. First on the list will be calling my realtor and figuring out who's casing Sookie's property. The rest will come in time and I wouldn't be surprised if Pam is already on it.

Just as I button my jeans the bedroom door opens, She squeaks and covers her eyes even though I'm fully clothed and it's not as if she hasn't seen every inch of my body before, I can't help but chuckle. "Oh, you're up!"

"Yes, have you been waiting for us long?"

"No, we got here and settled in pretty quickly, I took a nap once we were here and only have had time to eat since I woke up."

"Hmm." Pam will be waking up soon so it's time to get prepared. I look around the room hoping to find a new cell phone or something, I cannot use the one I had any more, I'm sure Freyda had it bugged and constantly monitored, I'm sure she'll be even more vigilant about it now. In fact, I can use this to my advantage, I just have to figure out how to best do that.

"What are you looking for?" She asks as she walks up behind me and puts her hand on my shoulder, I stiffen for a second before calming down.

"I was thinking that Pam might have had phones sent here since I don't have one I can use freely."

"Oh yeah, there was a delivery outside the door when I woke up today, it's out here. Oh, and the phone you already have has been ringing constantly today."

Hmm, that is odd but something I'll check on in a bit, I don't have anyone contacting me on that phone that I'd want to talk to right now. I follow her out of the room and into the main area of the suite. There is a phone, along with some papers that look like legal documents, keys to some sort of vehicle, and a new wallet with new copies of my banking card and identification. Damn, she is proficient, I'm proud of her. I was too caught up in my own shit to get this done. I stuff the wallet in my back pocket, open the phone and turn it on to find she'd already programmed important numbers in the phone for me, and look over the documents. She's trying to give me back my portion of Fangtasia along with moving all my other holdings into my name. I sigh all of them other than Fangtasia, she earned that one and has worked harder to keep it profitable than I ever have. I start looking over my phone when I get the feeling that I'm being watched so I look up and see Sookie sheepishly standing in the corner looking at me.

"Are you well?" I ask.

"Well, there's some things we have to talk about that I think are better being done sooner rather than later." She ventures tentatively.

"Yes?" I ask, waiting for more information. When she doesn't say anything and stays exactly where she is I sigh before walking over to the couch, sitting down, and patting the spot next to me invitingly. After a few seconds, she walks over and sits next to me. Without thinking about it I put my hand on her knee. "What do you wish to talk about Sookie?"

After a deep breath, she speaks, "Well, the whole way we got you out of there was by saying we didn't divorce, but it wasn't that simple because she and a bunch of other people saw us both sign the papers so I said we were married in the fae way as well…" She says and I just nod my head because I already know all this. "And well we had to backdate it to make it look more real." Another nod from me. "…But we're not actually bound by the light or whatever crazy thing faires call getting hitched."

I smirk slightly and hold back a chuckle because she's indignant about the pomp and circumstance that comes with being a fairy. "Yes, I know all this already Sookie."

"Well the thing is, being bound by the light is visible, to fairies anyhow. So we have to actually do it by the time we go to this council meeting because Niall doesn't think he'll be the only fairy in attendance."

Ahh, I see what all her hesitation was about now, and I suppose in the back of my mind I realized this would have to happen but I really don't want it to. Part of me rather go back to the queen than wed her in that way. I get up and walk over to the windows, they're shades just opened a moment ago because the sun is now fully set. We've bonded under distress and wed that way too already, I cannot do it again, go through our lives where she throws it in my face every time something happens that she is not fond of, and I won't do it. Truthfully, I don't think I'll ever choose to wed someone again but if I do it will be because we both want to, not because we're forced to, to keep either of us safe. I mentally shake my head, I'm mixing the Sookie's up again, the Sookie right in front of me didn't do those things to me, and from the way she talks, she never will but that's only if I believe her, which I'm not sure I do. I want to laugh, this is the first comparison I've had between her and the other Sookie that doesn't leave me missing her. I blink, this is also the first time I've not called the Sookie in the other dimension my Sookie, without thinking about it I've subconsciously thought of her as the other Sookie. I'm not quite sure what that means and I don't truthfully want to think about it right now.

I turn back to Sookie. "Sookie…"

I'm not even sure what I want to say. For once I get what I want, which right now is a distraction, because Pam takes this moment to walk out of her room. "Good evening, all."

"Hey, Pam," Sookie says and I can hear the disappointment in her voice, I'm sure Pam can too and she proves me right by quirking her eyebrow at her. Sookie smiles at her to cover up her faux pas. "Did you sleep well?"

Pam smirks at the inane question, vampires don't sleep well or badly, they don't sleep at all but she accepts the conversation change. "Yes, I'm just glad to be home."

"Yeah, I know what you mean. Hey, I know we can't stay at the farmhouse but can we at least go over there and get some things I'll need?"

I answer before Pam can, "Why don't you make a list of things you'll need, Pam and I have to go there tonight anyway, we're going to hunt for the intruders. There's no need to bring their target right to them."

She looks at me with the fire in her eyes that I adore before she takes a deep breath and her shoulders slump in submission. "Okay, fine. But I want to go there after you capture whoever you have to capture."

I stare at her thinking over her request before eventually nodding. "That can be arranged. For now, stay here and relax, I'm going to call my realtor on the way and have her fax over pictures of all the houses in the area that fit our needs and my specifications. You can look them over and pick which one you like best."

She keeps her face blank at my suggestion and for the first time since meeting this Sookie I wish I had my blood in her so I'd know how she is actually feeling. Eventually, she nods her head. "Okay."

"Good." I look to Pam, "Are you ready?"

"Yes."

"Where is Karin?"

"She had her coffin sent straight to her house but I've texted her to meet us there. She's probably already on her way." Hmm, I thought I made things better with Karin when we talked on the balcony but maybe not. She seemed like she understood why I could not be with her that way for the foreseeable future but then why did she leave?

"Okay then, let's go." I take a step toward Sookie and realize I am going to kiss her but stop myself in time, instead, I just put my hand on her shoulder and squeeze it once in farewell. It's okay, I tell myself, That was just a force of habit from when we were last together.

We walk out into the parking garage of the hotel and I hold my car FOB up and press the unlock button. I'm surprised to see she's gotten me a BMW 7 series instead of my classic Corvette. She must feel my surprise.

"Oh, come on, it was time for an upgrade, I've forcibly brought you out of the 80s."

"My Corvette is not an 80s car!" I say almost indignant.

Instead of saying anything she starts humming the Prince song as we're walking to the car. Granted, that song did come out in the 80s so I can't really counter. I take my loss with pride and sit down in the driver's seat to get a feel of my new car. As I start driving I pull out my phone and quickly call my realtor who, thanks to Pam, is already saved in my phone. It doesn't take long to tell her what location I'm looking at, how many rooms I'm looking for, and what security measures I need. She promises she has at least a few that could fit my specifications and promises to fax them over to the suite. The phone call doesn't take longer than five minutes.

I'm not surprised that Pam is talking before I even end my phone call. "What happened with Karin?"

"What do you mean?" I play dumb though I know there's no need to.

Pam looks at me incredulously, "Come on, Eric. She's been acting weird ever since that night that I went to my room to feed and you two stayed out. So tell me, gimme the gossip." She almost begs and I can't stop a smirk from coming onto my face. Oh, how I've missed Pam.

"She was not fond of her perceived rejection from me."

"Perceived rejection?" I just shrug my shoulders, I'm not sure what else to say to that. She figures it out though and she gets upset. "Wait, she wanted to fuck? She'd do that to Sookie?…"

I interrupt her because I can tell she's gaining steam for a tangent, "She didn't do anything to Sookie. It is not as if I'm her property. Fuck Pam, imagine you were talking about any other human than Sookie, you'd find those claims ridiculous. The humans are ours, not the other way around."

It looks like my words get through to her because she scrunches her nose up in disgust before she shakes her head. "No, but Sookie isn't any other human, she's your pledged, your blood bonded, and she's about to give you her light or whatever the fuck weird stuff fairies do. She's Sookie, our friend, we like her, you more than like her."

"That's not the Sookie I fell in lo— She's not the woman I cared deeply for," I say getting angry.

"Oh cut the shit, Eric!" I growl at her with my fangs down for her tone and lack of respect. "No! You don't get to do that, you have to stop living in denial and open your eyes already because you're hurting everyone around you with what you're doing. Jesus Christ, Eric, I never thought you'd be the type of coward that would choose to live with his head in the sand because it's easier and less scary than seeing the truth." She ends with a scoff.

She's lucky I'm driving right now because if I weren't I'd have struck her for her audacity and for speaking to me in such a way with such disrespect. Truthfully, I'm also happy I'm driving because I promised myself long ago never to raise my hand to my progeny in anger like Ocella had done so many times, I've only used force with Pam to teach her control, this would have been out of anger. Though she should know better than to disrespect me in such a way.

"Pam… watch yourself, child." It comes out as a growl and I see her stiffen because she knows she's gone too far. I also see the moment she decides not to back down and to in fact double down.

"No, you know what, I'm not going to watch myself. You need someone to tell you that you're making a mistake. You might not notice the damage you're doing but I do, Sookie is trying so hard to be there for you and go at your speed and she loves you so much but you keep dismissing her and that hurts her. Not to mention what you've done to Karin, she might have always been my sister by blood but I never knew her before this last year and now she's my sister by choice too but look what happened. You ignored the problems and she got hurt so now she's keeping her distance, it's not fair, I don't want to lose her for another century."

I'm getting angrier, I haven't been this furious in a long time but I realize that most of my anger comes from me knowing she's right. She must feel my acceptance because when she speaks again it's a lot softer. "Eric, I know I don't get what you're going through, I'm sure it's a lot easier for me to accept this Sookie into my life than it is for you. She's always been my friend, never more so I don't have those types of emotions to work through like you do. Plus, let's just cut the bullshit here, the other Sookie didn't dick me around anywhere near what she did to you."

I let out a self-hating laugh, dicking me around is an understatement but Pam keeps speaking before I can reply. "That's why, I don't think it's your love for the other Sookie that's making it hard for you to accept Sookie, she is just Sookie by the way, not other Sookie, she's our Sookie. So yeah, I don't think it's your love for Lucky Sookie keeping you from accepting Sookie, I think it's your anger towards Lucky Sookie." She puts her hand on her knee as if she was resting her case.

The worst part is that I know she's right. Obviously, I loved Sookie, and I still do, I don't think that will ever change but more than that I feel overwhelming anger toward the Sookie who kept running away from me for our whole relationship until somehow she ran right into the arms of another version of me. I think I'm justified in my anger and since they're the same person, at least that's what everyone has told me time and time again, how could I think starting anything with this Sookie would be any different? On the other hand, I've seen the differences between the two myself, it's hard to accept but if I take what she's said and how she's been at face value, she seems like she's here for the long run like she has no intentions of leaving me. It's just harder to accept than Pam is making it out to be but she's right, I have to try, not just for Sookie and people like Karin who are getting brought into our drama but for myself too. Maybe we finally have a chance— no, I won't let myself think that way, not yet.

Eventually, I only have one reply for her, "Lucky Sookie?"

Pam barks a laugh, "Oh yeah, that's what Sookie calls the one that left. She got to go back and live four years of her life over again with all the knowledge of who to trust, how things change, and the mistakes she's made. Plus she had a version of you that was already in love with her, she didn't have to fight for him, he was already in her bed waiting for her.. Sookie has lost four years of her life, lost one of her best friends, had to break up with someone who she thought was a lifelong friend but ended up being a jerk, had to take a crown she didn't want, and had to fight for a version of you that didn't want her."

"Hmm." That is all I say for a long while because I don't know what else to do. I can't deny the rush or relief and pleasure I feel knowing she ended things with the shifter as soon as she found out they were together. "Okay, I can admit you're right, for most of it anyway but be sure to watch your tone with me, Pamela," I warn.

"You know I don't normally speak to you in such a way but you needed a slap in the face to wake up, metaphorically speaking… Actually, for a while I was worried you were going to need a physical one too." She stays quiet for a few moments before speaking in a tone that sounds like I'm forcing the information out of her. "Okay, okay, so maybe a small part of me was hoping that slap would have to be physical too but only a small part."

I chuckle, "Well lucky for both of us, mostly you, it wasn't necessary."

She laughs lightly too and we spend the rest of the ride in a comfortable silence. We park the car in the Merlotte's parking lot, it's better to go the rest of the way on foot so that we do not let ourselves be known by the enemies before we're upon them. I lock the car door with the FOB, and I have to admit, if only to myself, that I really enjoy that car. It's comfortable, spacious for a smaller car, fast, and sexy. I'm going to like taking it out to see how fast it can go.

My phone vibrates before we leave the parking lot and I'm confused as I haven't given anyone my phone number yet. I pull it out to see it's a text from Sookie. 'Hey, Pam gave me your number, just keep me updated, please? You know I worry.'

I have a strange feeling in my chest at her words and her worry for me, it's not an altogether bad feeling, quite the opposite, though I don't understand it. It's not as if the other Sookie didn't worry about my safety, she did. I reply with a quick 'I'll call when they're apprehended.' Not really sure why I bother, put my phone away, and force myself to stop overthinking her text until the mission is complete. We're about to vamp into the woods when this time it's Pam's phone that rings. She takes it out to answer.

"Yes, we're here… you have eyes on them?… do you know who they work for?… okay, we'll come from opposite directions and corner them in… Okay start closing in in five…Okay."

"Karin?"

"Yes, she has eyes on them but isn't sure who they're working for, she's never seen most of them before. But she does know one vampire, he's a mercenary and will work for whoever is the highest bidder. Apparently, he's the one we should watch out for and he's who's most likely to get away but he's also the one least likely to give us the information we're looking for."

"Good, let's go."

She nods and vamps away, I vamp too but in a direction slightly west of hers, if my calculations are correct, and they always are, we'll each be at a different end of Sookies property and be able to close in on the people trying to capture my lover. Once I get into my position I send a positive feeling through my bonds with them signaling it's time to attack. Though I released Karin and went through further measures to break our connection so that Appius did not know she was still living, we can feel each other very slightly so she's able to feel my approval.

It works perfectly, almost as if it's a maneuver we've all done together hundreds of times, though I have done things like this with each of them, this is the first time we're all working together. There's a shot fired somewhere in the woods, I suspect one of the enemies is trying to escape but I don't feel any pain coming from either of my progeny so I think the shot missed. The first enemy I come across is a vampire and he's younger than me so it doesn't take much to subdue him. I call to Pam because she has the silver shackles in her bag. I give her a look of proud approval when she comes to me with a vampire of her own already handcuffed.

I listen to my senses wondering where Karin is and if there are any more enemies on the land. It doesn't really matter if there are, I'm sure we'll be able to get information out of one of the two we've already apprehended. I start to become a little worried when I realize I don't feel anyone in the nearby area, where did Karin go?

I start walking in the direction I feel that she should be in, I have to kick my captive because he's trying to fight against following us but I get him to cooperate. I'm both relieved and upset when I find Karin because she's on the ground, For some reason she's unconscious, and there are bullet holes in her chest that aren't healing, they must be wooden or silver bullets. I shove my captive over to Pam who takes him handles the two and pick Karin up bridal style.

"Let's go into Sookie's, we'll get the bullets out there."

"It's not safe there."

"It won't take long to get the bullets out, plus I have to get the things Sookie asked for, we'll be done in ten minutes."

Pam just nods and doesn't fight but I can tell she feels uncomfortable like something is wrong, her unease makes me worry but if there's an attack we're strong enough to hold off until we can get out of there, even if we lose one of the captives we'll be okay. When we make it inside the house I carefully lay Karin down on the couch and have to rip her shirt open to get a better look at her wounds.

"Pam, gloves." She hands me the gloves she used to shackle the vampires and I use them to feel around one of Karin's wounds, the one furthest from her heart in case it's actually metal bullets. It only takes me a few moments to find it and pull it out, thankfully Karin is still unconscious so all that comes from her is a grunt of pain. Though her unconsciousness is a bit worrying, I'm not sure why she's not awake right now. I look at the bullet and realize it's silver, that makes me feel a little better about the one close to her heart. I quickly but safely use my vampire speed to get the rest of the bullets out of her chest and become officially worried when she hasn't woken up since I've started working. I look at Pam when I hear a gasp from her, she doesn't say anything, instead, she sits forward and moves Karin's hair away from her neck and I see another entry wound from a bullet. Fuck, vampires can heal from a lot but decapitation isn't on that list even though her head is still fully on her shoulders, if this bullet separates the bones in her neck she's as good as dead. I have to be a fucking lot more careful with this one.

"Tweezers?" I ask, not hopeful but am pleasantly surprised when Pam pulls a pair out of her bag so I get to work. It takes much longer than all the other bullets combined but I finally feel myself relax when I hear the clang of the silver bullet again in the bowl Pam grabbed me to put them in.

I stand up and bend down enough to brush the hair out of Karin's eyes before deciding to let her rest, I know she'll awake soon enough, hopefully before I finish packing things for Sookie. I nod at Pam knowing she'll be able to keep an eye on things while I'm upstairs. I pull out my phone as soon as I enter Sookie's room and call her, I'm not surprised that she answers the phone on the first ring.

"Oh cheese and rice, thank god you finally called, I was at the point of trying to convince myself what a bad idea it'd be to come down there and check on you."

I smile slightly at her worry. "It's good that you did not. It's okay, we're all safe, there were just a few… complications."

"Complications?"

"Karin was injured, but she'll survive."

"Oh no! Is she okay? What happened?"

"She was shot a few times."

"A few times?! How many!"

"Six, which is why I'm glad we convinced you to stay back and you didn't decide to follow, vampires can recover from six bullets after a few meals, humans are different."

"Okay, yeah, yeah, I get it. It's good I didn't come" She somehow sounds a mix of annoyance, petulance, and sheepishness. I'm not sure how she pulled it off but she did.

"Good, I'm packing your clothes now then we'll be coming back, did the faxes come in?"

"Yeah they did, we'll look through them together when you get home."

"Okay, is there anything else you remembered that you wanted that isn't on the list?"

"Uh, no, I'm fine." She says and it's clear she's lying but I have no idea why.

I'm about to push her when I hear Karin waking up downstairs. "Are you sure? I hear Karin is conscious again, I want to check on her then we'll be on our way."

"No, it's okay, just hurry up and get home safely."

"L—okay, you too Sookie," I say as I hang up and shake my head at my ridiculousness and almost slip of the tongue, I don't love her, I care about her, yes and I've made some strides in my realization of her, the other Sookie, and the differences and similarities between the two but love someone I just met? No, even if she has all the memories of… I trail off my thoughts, shake my head, and head downstairs. I don't have time to get lost in this spiral again.

I look Karin over when I make it down and though it's clear she needs blood, she's up and okay. I cup her cheek with my hand I look her over and see that she's a little uncomfortable with my gesture after what has happened between us a few nights ago but eventually leans her head into my hand. I use my thumb to rub her cheek softly before pulling her in and kissing her forehead. "I am glad you are well."

She simply nods her head so I pull back, grab the bag I packed, and one captive before making my way to the door. It isn't long until we're on our way back to the car and back to the hotel.