Sookie Takes Charge, Ch. 29

**A/N:  See?  Toldja a couple posts back that I’d been working on this!  Get ready for a surprise…**

○

Eric opened the door…then froze for a long moment before falling to his knees in utter shock.

“Godric.”

Astounded, his dazed vision marred with red tears, Eric beheld what most surely was a specter standing before him wearing that customarily benign smile.  The ancient being’s solitary outline framed by the darkened sky, his Maker nodded.

“Rise, my child.”

Eric heard the softly voiced encouragement from the living embodiment of his past but still couldn’t believe his eyes.  His Maker’s scent, though…  His scent, the tone of his voice, even the tilt of his head…

His arms lifted of their own volition, and he was instantly gathered into his Maker’s strong, firm, and very real embrace.

Home.

Home was in his Maker’s hold, home and safety.  Memories flooded his mind, springing to instant life while death…death receded back to the nothingness where it belonged.

With no chance to stop them, great sobs wracked his large body while his beloved father, son…brother held him together, held him and kept him from breaking apart as time stood still.

The Maker’s own tears flowed freely as well, tears of sorrow, of self-recrimination, of regret and shame.

Finally a delicate sniff from within the room brought both heads up, and time suddenly snapped into focus.

“How…how are you here?”  Eric rose on legs not quite steady, his hands never leaving his Maker’s arm, shoulder, back as he lead him into the main room of the magical bubble provided by Niall.

“It…is a long story,” the ancient boy replied with a wry quirk of his brow.  He turned in time to see Pam blurring from the room.

“Have you fed?”

“Ah, you always worry, my son.  Yes, I am stuffed, as the mortals would say.  I drank well before shifting through the realms.  And to answer your question, magic.  Now, are you well?”

Godric’s voice promised retribution toward the relevant party if his progeny was in less than perfect health.

Eric cocked his head to the side as he simultaneously considered hundreds…thousands of questions.

Finally he settled on one. “Can’t you tell?”

“I am sorry, Eric, but no, I cannot.  That which enabled me to return to Fairy upon my death voided our tie.  In my soul I can tell that I have no further blood connection to you, but you will ever remain mine.  Do not doubt that.”

The fear and sorrow that had flashed in Eric’s eyes upon hearing of their severed connection tore at Godric’s ancient heart and so he had sought to reassure the boy that regardless of any bonds they may no longer share, he would always be his.

“Well of course he’ll always be your brat,” Pam chimed in as she reentered the room carrying warm damp cloths and dry towels.   As she passed them to her menfolk so they could clean their red-streaked faces, she continued.  It was devastating to see and feel Eric brought to his emotional knees in such a fashion.  She had to do something…

“You chose him, didn’t you?  It’s not like you could un-choose him, and why would you ever want to?  Nope, sorry Eric, but you’re stuck with Godric as your Maker for the rest of time.”

She couldn’t resist giving Godric a hug of her own and was glad she had managed to wash away her own red streaks before speaking with him.  Her second thought after how nice his arms felt about her was that he smelled positively divine.

“I have missed you, old man.  It is good to see you again.”

With relief and a subtle smile, Godric gladly embraced his bratty grandprogeny. Trust Pamela to ease Eric’s mind in such an…unusual way.

“And I you, Pamela.  I have missed you as well.”

Once Pam considered the hugging portion of the reunion over no matter how luscious her grandMaker smelled, she arranged herself back into her former seat.

“Now, how long can you stay?  How did you get here?  Are you ok in this realm?  Have you fed?”

Godric’s burst of laughter was free and open, and brought two pairs of astonished eyes his way.   Pam had never seen him laugh openly, not once, and it had been centuries since Eric had been blessed with the sight.

Ignoring their shocked gazes, he replied, “Yes, Pamela, thank you for asking.  I will gladly answer your other questions, but it would be best to wait for Sookie as she, too, will want to hear this.  For now, however, I have been told that I may remain for as long as I wish but unfortunately not for an indefinite period of time.”  The natural joy in his face dimmed a little.  “At this point I am planning on a few weeks, the sun willing.”

At his descendant’s curious expressions, he sat with ancient grace.

“Sookie is in her own bubble nearby…” Eric began only to halt when Godric began nodding.

“I know.  Her cousin currently visits with her.”

Eric had heard the woman’s name before and knew she and Sookie were close but wondered about the woman’s presence all the same.  When he felt a burst of mild curiosity from Pam – Pam who had never actually been curious about Sookie or anything having to do with her – he hid a smile.

“Sit, and we shall talk.  I will tell you my tale, and then I will want to know what has been going on in this realm.”

At his Maker’s mild command, Eric tossed his cloth and towel over to where Godric had placed his own then sat on the sofa near his Maker.

My Maker…  I must be in shock to be handling the reappearance of my dead Maker so calmly, he mentally concluded.  I am sitting near my Maker…  My Maker is here…in this bubble created by Niall…  He is…here!

As he gazed over his creator’s beloved form from the top of his head with its longer hair to his eyes brighter and more animated than they had been in eons, past strong forearms and hands neither clenched nor clawed, he realized that his Maker seemed almost…new.

The respite in Fairy had done the elder an indescribable amount of good.  The ancient being was so vastly different from the last time Eric had seen him that he almost…almost didn’t begrudge the loss.

Godric spent the next half hour discussing what he had figured out about the differences between the suns in the realms, how the one on Earth could not provide the things that his Fairy side needed while vampire as he had not been able to bask in it.  In Fairy he was not denied the sun’s benefits and so it’s healing warmth and light could and did heal him.

With frank honesty he explained what had happened to his mental and emotional states before ending his own existence, explained how and why he had kept everything from his beloved Eric so as not to burden his child with his pain, and how upon his death he had awakened in the home of his ancestors.

While he spoke in his usual calm, even manner, inwardly Godric seethed.

As he monitored his descendants’ expressions during his tale, he struggled to keep his anger and need for retribution under control.

Of the small number of beings held dear to his heart, someone had dared ambush two of them, and they had barely escaped with their lives.  Had Niall not interceded in such a timely manner, he strongly doubted his child would yet exist.

That Eric appeared hale and hearty stayed his hand, but only for the moment.

He had yet to visit Sookie.

Claudia knew in the ways of the Fae that her cousin was recovering, albeit slowly and with apparent impatience, but he would only be reassured when convinced with his own eyes.

His colorful little Faeling…  Claudia had been in large part the cause of Sookie’s continued existence. His little Claudia was a far braver and more powerful fairy than she tended to believe.

Along with Niall and Eanah’nae, she was also why he could even visit this realm.

As of yet he felt no negative effects from the Earth’s non-Fey sun, but now that he knew the difference, he would know what to be aware of, and would certainly return to the Fairy realm at the first sign of any deleterious effects.

Impatience with the situation galled.

There were so many things he wanted and needed to do, so many courses of action he needed to explore… so much time he desperately needed and wanted to spend with his child…but the constraints beamed down upon him and the land’s cruel and wrong sun were as fetters around his being.

Regardless, those who had unwisely chosen to attack both his child and the child he would have chosen, had times and lives been different, would pay in blood before his return.

Many things could be accomplished during future visits, but some things…some things needed doing now.

The Earth called to him as it craved the absorption of his enemies’ remains.

A slow inhale and exhale served to slightly cool his timeless blood.

He turned a clearer eye toward the child he could so easily have lost.

As he took in Eric’s appearance, he noted the exceptionally subtle changes in his features.  While it was true that vampires didn’t appear to age to the naked eye and certainly not to mortal vision, time and grief did leave their faint marks.

His heart ached with the knowledge that his actions had caused his child such misery and the need to atone swelled.

“Eric, I know you would have done everything in your power to save me, but this wasn’t something you could have eased.  As your Maker it was my responsibility and my right to protect you from the… things I endured.  As I myself knew neither the cause nor the cure, there was certainly no way that you could have, either.  This is not your proverbial cross to bear; you have others to choose from so let this one go, my child.”

Eric, who had been alternating between staring at Godric and the floor before him as he contemplated all he could have done yet hadn’t, cut his eyes sharply back toward the ancient boy whose ending words and tone hinted of extremely gentle censure.

He then watched as Godric rose to stand before him, and ignored the new tears that sprang into his eyes when the ancient placed his hand on his shoulder and spoke.

“I am sorry, Eric.  I am very sorry for the pain that I have caused you and therefore your child.  That was never my intention.”

Grieving anew from the memories, Eric resolved to put it all behind him as Godric now stood before him.

He sighed and felt the burden of having failed his parent ease from his soul.

“I know.  I know it wasn’t.  You’re right – I would have done anything, anything at all, to have helped you, but if even you didn’t know the cause…”  he paused as his voice broke, but resumed in a stronger tone.  “But you are also wrong.  Had I been around you more, had I not been so selfish and arrogant with my time and my life, I would at least have known that you were suffering.  No one should have to suffer alone, and that, as you say, is one of the crosses that I must bear.  But for what it’s worth, I do forgive you.”

Then his expression changed from that of the grieving, repentant son to one of a thousand year old brother who was rather irritated with his sibling.

“Just don’t do it again.”

Godric blinked in surprise, then suddenly laughed in the way of the happiest of youth.

The sound was contagious – suddenly relieved of weights he hadn’t even realized he carried, Eric joined him.  Even Pam, who had been content to sit on the sidelines while Maker and Child had their reunion of sorts, chuckled.  She knew the two would require more time together to truly put the past behind them and wondered how she would make herself scarce.  It wasn’t as though there were many options considering the current threat.

Eric rose and once again took joy in sharing an embrace with his Maker.  Normally he wasn’t quite as demonstrative, but this was by far not a normal situation.

After exchanging several pats on the back the duo separated.

Eric retook his seat.  Godric began pacing as he thought about the recent events.

Finally the elder could stand the wait no longer and abruptly demanded as his eagle-eyed gaze narrowed on Eric, “Now tell me of the threat.”

Fangs automatically descending, the Viking proceeded to tell Godric all he knew and suspected.  The more Godric heard, the more he stilled, until he strongly resembled an unearthly statue.

Eric recognized the signs of his Maker’s harshly repressed rage and bluntly agreed.  The entire situation pissed him off to no end.  As his concise report of the situation ended, he also couldn’t help but wonder how much longer it would be until he could see his Sookie again.

He gave the older vampire a few moments of silence to calm down as he thought about Sookie and the threat at hand.  As much as he detested the thought, she really would be far safer in Fairy.  He would ask her about it after he’d given her his blood.

Memory of Niall’s tacit approval resurfaced and somewhat stunned the Viking.   The old Fairy himself had suggested that Eric give Sookie his blood!  That he would do, he knew, at the first possible chance.

It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Niall’s assurance that Sookie would heal; it was that he wanted her healed now.

Full dark had fallen moments after Godric’s arrival, so…

Eric stood.  Godric had regained control over his temper; it was time to go.

“Come, let’s go check on Sookie.  I know you wish to see her as well, and she may have more information about those behind the attack to share with you.  Plus I’m curious as to how it’s possible that you’re actually here.”

He strode to the door and opened it, then turned to face the room when he noticed that Pam wasn’t following behind Godric.

“Pam?”

The vampire in question shook her blonde head.

“As divine as he smells,” she nodded toward the ancient vampire who had a proud expression on his face, “I don’t dare go play with the Fae.  I doubt it would end well.”  She inhaled deeply and her expression turned blissful as her fangs snicked down.  “See?  I think it best if I stay here and file my nails or something.  You two go have fun with the Fairies.”

“A remarkably wise decision.  Within half an hour fresh blood will be brought to your door.”

Niall’s voice came from several feet past the opened door.  He inclined his head briefly to Pam in acknowledgement of her consideration then turned to the two males.

“Come.  Sookie has been asking for you both.  She is still magically exhausted, of course, but her health is improving.  I will caution you – she is…painfully bored.”

○

○

○

**A/N: Hi Godric!  So…were you surprise?  What did you think?**

○

○

○

○

○

○

○