Sookie Takes Charge, Ch. 7

 

Sookie woke up at dawn the next morning, had a small breakfast, took her shower…then went straight back to bed to simply relax for a while. Yesterday, and especially last night, had been exhausting. There was nothing on her agenda for that day except for shopping, and even that wasn’t a must. So, a jammy day it is, then, she decided as she snuggled back under the fluffy covers.

She allowed her mind to wander as she drifted somewhere near the wakeful side of sleeping, and found her thoughts going back to whether or not to tell Eric about Godric. Just because Eric had hurt her and had been an uncaring, high-handed, manipulative ass didn’t make it necessarily right to keep knowledge of his beloved Maker from him. Two wrongs never made a right, and just because he had hurt her on purpose didn’t mean she should stoop to his disgusting level. Plus, Godric had been awfully angry at him and, bluntly, she’d enjoy seeing Godric kick his ass.

Only, for the life of her she couldn’t remember if Godric had ever said if he even wanted her to tell Eric that he still lived. And in the end, maybe it was more his decision to make than her own.

Godric was very happy in Fairy, she knew that much for certain. Memories floated behind her closed eyes of his bare toes wiggling in the oddly green grasses of the realm, of him savoring the delicious wines and brandies that were available only there, of the joy on his face when he watched a beautiful sunset or sunrise, of the simple pleasures even hearing birdsong or seeing day-blooming flowers gave him. Then there were the memories of him eating, and of him eating peas of all things, and loving them!

They didn’t share too many meals – Niall jealously guarded her time, and she suspected that her elderly relative thought spending time with a vampire, even a faepire, was beneath her, but she was able to be with her friend more often than Niall would have liked…if he’d known. She wondered if it would have made a difference to Niall if Godric had re-developed the ability to produce children…the proud old goat certainly did enjoy surrounding her with fertile males.

She sighed. She missed the ancient vampire with the twinkling blue eyes and oddly boyish sense of humor. He was so smart, and had so many stories to tell. She could see in his eyes the results of having lived well over 2,000 years. Plus his strong arms gave the best hugs.

He was beautiful in his anger, too – like a dark angel rising from the depths to incinerate all in his path. The enormity of his anger, disgust, and disappointment toward Eric had been very surprising.

Yes, he was indeed furious with his Child’s actions, but he still loved the man, as he always would.   There was always a certain look, a certain soft light, that would shine in his eyes whenever he talked about Eric. Well, when he wasn’t angry with him at any rate.

Perhaps he only needed a reason to go back? A viable excuse? Of course, it might not even be possible anyway. But…what if it were?

What if it were possible for him to come and go as she could now?

If nothing else, maybe she could take him to and from whenever he wanted to travel between the realms? Why wouldn’t it be possible? After all, they were of the Sky Fae…

Well, finding out if he wanted her to tell Eric about him was as good an excuse as any to pop back home for a bit, she plotted with an impish smile. That, and she wanted to bring back some of her favorite hand and body lotions. And some lip balm, too. The earthly realm was a bit drying to her skin no matter how humid it was.

So, with her plans made and her immediate future sorted, Sookie napped.

•0~*~*~*~*~*~•0•~*~*~*~*~*~0•

Several hours later Sookie was en route to the old house in Bon Temps. The day was a little cooler, so she rolled her windows down and enjoyed the nice cross breezes as she drove, and tried to ignore that sense of nostalgia she kept feeling whenever she thought about going back to that old house.

Just because it had been her grandmother’s house, and just because she was raised there, didn’t make the place special or anything. To this day she was still angry, and hurt, that her grandmother was such a fucking hypocrite. She couldn’t imagine how much easier, even simpler, her life could have been if the old biddy had just coughed up the truth for once.

But no – her reputation with her church friends meant more to her than her own granddaughter did. Hell, they meant more to her than her own daughter did, which was the real reason she never called the police on Uncle Bartlett even though he’d “messed with” Linda, Hadley, and herself by then. Guess the old bitch forgot sometimes that Sookie could read her mind.

And during all that time, never once did she tell Sookie about Fintan – her own grandfather. What did she think she going to say, “Oh yeah, Maxine, guess what? My granny cheated on her husband and grandfather was really a fairy!”?

Please.

First of all the old hypocrite would have popped her mouth for daring to call that old gossip-monger by her first name.

She snorted. If she hadn’t spilled the family bean pot about the pedo-uncle, it wasn’t like she was going to tell about the fairy-grandfather.

For someone who bleated on and on about “going to church” and “doing the right thing” and “respecting your elders”, she sure had some strange ideas…and some really strange friends.

Ahh, Maxine…what a bitch!

She did miss her gran’s pecan pies, though. And her fried chicken. She was a good cook even though she was pretty switch- and swat-happy with her and Jason. Mostly Jason, though, since she tried not to talk to the old gal all that much. Every time she or her brother turned around the old bat was haranguing them about their language or their thoughts or their all-important manners, even though her own manners left much to be desired…but at least she was a good cook.

And she did take them in when their parents died, but then, she had to after all her big talk about the importance of family. Her precious church gossip club would have looked down on her if she hadn’t. Sookie had read that one straight from Gran’s mind a few times when she had first moved in with her.

Gran did love her and Jason, she knew she did, but it was in her own very faulty, somewhat self-serving way, and it just wasn’t enough. Not to a granddaughter who could read her mind, at least.

As she finally drove down the old driveway to park at the back of the house, she refused to miss the old bat.

Earlier she had thought about simply popping from her hotel room to the portal, but since she didn’t know if anyone would be near the doorway, she didn’t want to risk it. There was no telling how many ancient psycho vamps were still running around desperate for fairy blood, and Sookie was nobody’s tasty morsel.

Without even looking at the old house, she secured her vehicle, and entered the portal.

Luckily, one of the first people she encountered was her favorite cousin Claudia.

After squealing a long, happy greeting to each other and hugging as if they’d been parted for years, the two lovely blonde ladies retreated to Claudia’s preferred flower garden for more private conversation.

Although Sookie wasn’t exactly tired or weak from spending her energy happily blasting Bill’s bits, she could already feel the healing powers of the fae realm seeping into her core and restoring any small depletions there might have been. It truly did feel good to be home.

They shared a small meal in the fragrant garden as they discussed generic Palace gossip like the good fairies they were before Claudia focused the conversation.

“So, what are you doing back here so soon? I feared it would be ages before I would see you again. Niall is doing some sort of business in one of the other realms if you’re looking for him.” Claudia had truly missed her favorite cousin. She loved all her family dearly, even the ones she didn’t like, but had become especially close to the hybrid.

Sookie swallowed her small sip of brandy and replied, “Well, I missed you, and I needed to talk to Godric about something, and Claudia, I need some lotions and lip balm to take back with me. See how dry my hands are? See?”

She held out her perfectly fine hand and her cousin obligatorily looked. “Oh, yes, withered to bits you are,” she joked.

The fairy highly suspected that Sookie just wanted to take the comforts of home back with her and would gladly oblige. Aine only knew what kinds of loathsome things humans befouled their products with, and she would not have her cousin suffering from exposure to such! While they talked, she mentally compiled a list of things that her lovely cousin might want.

“What did you want to talk to Godric about?” She never understood the relationship Sookie shared with the faepire. He was certainly nice enough and his appearance was definitely appealing, but having been raised with a fundamentally ingrained fear and suspicion of all things Vampire, she simply couldn’t be relaxed in his presence, more’s the pity.

“I have a decision to make, Claudy, and I’m not sure what to do. You know that one of the reasons I came here in the first place was because of Eric, Godric’s Child, right? Well, even though he did what he did,” she shivered at the memories, “I feel like I should tell him about Godric being alive here, but I don’t know if I want to open that wound since it’s not like he could come here and see him, you know? But…I feel like he should be told. I just don’t know if knowing would be in his best interest or not.”

“Wow,” said her cousin slowly. “You would consider telling him after all he did to you?” She regarded Sookie as if the hybrid had lost her mind.

To Claudia’s surprise, Sookie burst out laughing. “It’s not like I’m going to be getting back together with him or anything, d’uh! I’d just write him a letter or something.” After she calmed down from laughing, she took another sip of her brandy. She’d really missed it in the very short amount of time she’d been away. Maybe she should take some of it back with her, too.

At her cousin’s continued look, she elaborated, “Eric might be an asshole, ok, he is an asshole, but he really did care very deeply for Godric. Imagine your father, your brother, your entire family all rolled into one person, and that’s what Godric was to Eric. I like to think that it would bring him peace to find out that Godric is alive and well here. But, I also know he’d do literally anything to be able to be back with him, and that wouldn’t be possible. Thing is, I don’t know if Godric would be interested in returning to the human realm even if he could do that.”

“I don’t know about that, but I do know that Godric has missed you,” Claudia said after a few moments of silence had passed. “I’ve heard the gossip, of course, and I also saw him last night, and he looked so sad. He might or might not return for this Eric, but I believe he might to be with you.”

Sookie looked up in shock. She knew that Godric held her in high esteem, and they both enjoyed the times they’d spent together, but she didn’t think he cared more for her than his on progeny. That just wouldn’t be possible.

“I might consider it if such a thing were possible,” came his deep, soothing voice to the shock of both ladies.

Quick to both give them their privacy and to make her own escape, Claudia rose. “I’ll see to your lotions, dear cousin. Don’t leave without seeing me again!” With a nod of respect to the ancient faepire, she popped away.

Godric held his arms open for Sookie as she ran to him and clutched him close for a long minute.

“And this brings you back,” he asked, referring to the conversation he’d overheard and interrupted. Palace gossip being as it was, he’d naturally heard of her return an hour ago.

She stepped back from his cool embrace enough to look into his face. “Yeah. I wanted to ask you what you would have me tell Eric, or if you even wanted me to tell him anything at all. And what might you consider, anyway?”

He bowed his head until his forehead met hers as he thought for a long minute, then said, “I might consider returning to the human realm for a small time, that is, if such a thing is even possible and if I could return.”

At her look of pleased surprise, he elaborated, “I do miss my errant Child, and it appears I still have much to teach him. Also, I do not feel it is possible for you to remain out of trouble for very long,” he teased. He knew of her plans to write what she called a “tell-all” book about the truth concerning vampires, and knew that would be a dangerous undertaking. She would need guards. Lots and lots of guards…

With a fake gasp of indignation, Sookie shot Godric with the burst of light she knew would tickle him, then popped out of the Palace, knowing full well that the ancient faepire would follow her.

•0~*~*~*~*~*~•0•~*~*~*~*~*~0•

Hours later the faepire and the hybrid rested atop one of the smaller hills a bit away from the Palace grounds, Godric grinning happily while Sookie was still trying to catch her breath. Their games of tag could go on for hours upon hours as Sookie honed her teleportation skills and Godric kept his tracking abilities in good form.

“So, you expect to be in regular contact with my Son, then?” He had to question what Sookie’s true thoughts about Eric were in reality. In past discussions, her feelings of hurt and betrayal bespoke a deeper emotion than perhaps she was aware, and he had wondered if her return to that human realm would bring about any sort of reconciliation. He couldn’t decide if that was what he wanted…or not.

“No!” Sookie’s shocked outrage was highly evident.

“No,” she began again, much more calmly this time, “I’ve only seen him once and that was plenty enough for me,” she said with a giggle.

Godric turned on his side to gaze down at the still-flushed telepath, and quirked his brow for elaboration.

For the next half hour, Sookie regaled him with the tale of how she had “blessed out”, her words, Eric for how he had treated her. Godric was glad that Sookie had been able to get some of her anger and hurt out of her system. Then when she went on to tell of her encounter with Compton, his roaring laughter echoed through the hills and valleys. He was so proud of the girl no longer beaten down and betrayed by his kind, and truly wished he could have seen the episode with Compton.

Perhaps if he did return to that realm, he could have a word with the cretin. And by “have a word” he meant “torture, maim, and kill”…and in that order. Compton didn’t deserve the air he couldn’t breathe.

Eric, on the other hand, needed to feel the firm call of his Maker’s tone, if not his actual command. His beloved Son still had much to learn, apparently. That same Son also deserved his most heartfelt apology for having left him in the first place. Eric had done nothing to deserve to feel such pain and loss. Nothing.

“Tell him I yet live, in a manner of speaking, and let him know that I will find a way to return if it is even possible. If it is, then I will be back for him. Tell him I said, “In ainm an Athar, agus an Mhic, agus an Deartháir.”

Sookie dutifully repeated the unknown words until she was able to mimic them exactly. Whatever the words were, they obviously meant something between the Maker and the Child.

After her pronunciation was perfected, Godric thanked her.

Surprised at the intensity of his gratitude, Sookie asked, “What for?”

“For giving me the choice. For letting it be up to me whether or not to even tell Eric of my continued existence. Even if I don’t find a safe way to return, at least he will know in his heart that I am safe. Also, if nothing else, we can pass letters to each other,” he finished mischievously.

Sookie laughed heartily at the notion of her passing notes between Godric and Eric in a classroom.

“In fact, if you will delay your return for a bit, I will write one to him now, yes?”

Loving the light of excitement shining in the ancient’s eyes, she happily nodded, then popped them both back to the Palace. She located her dear cousin who was happily filling one of the biggest baskets she’d ever seen with all manner of skin and hair care products.

“Claudia, will you look into ways that Godric could safely return to the human realm, and preferably be able to return here, too, when he wants? If he can leave, then he needs to be able to return, too.”

“I’ve been thinking about that, cousin-dear. There’s a very old fairy, Eanah’nae, who’s one of Niall’s great-aunts. She never wanted to rule and lives in seclusion, and I’ve already sent a missive to her requesting her help.”

Sookie enthusiastically hugged her cousin in gratitude, then stepped back. “Will you let me know as soon as possible if she’s able to do anything?”

“No, Sook, I’m going to keep it a secret for the next hundred years,” she deadpanned, then giggled at the look on the telepath’s face. “Of course I’ll let you know, you dolt! But I wouldn’t be surprised if the way you find out is by Godric tapping you on your shoulder!”

At that moment there was a tapping at the door to Claudia’s rooms, and when she opened them, she involuntarily stepped back rather hastily.

Shaking his head sadly, Godric stayed on the other side of the door. In Fairy the normal vampire entry rules did not apply, but both habit and respect kept him from ever entering a room without an invitation. He understood the realm’s fairies automatic distrust of anything vampire, but that didn’t mean he had to like it.

“Whose shoulder will I be tapping,” he asked as he leaned against the doorframe.

“Mine if things go well,” Sookie quipped. “Claudy has already contacted someone who might know how to let you pass safely between the realms!”

Pleased surprise passed over Godric’s face as he regarded the skittish Claudia. “Really? Thank you,” he said with a respectful bow. “This could bring excellent news!”

Claudia returned his nod from across the room. “You’re welcome,” she replied faintly. “I will let you know the moment I hear anything.” Everyone present knew that the kind but skittish fairy was being very brave in actually speaking directly to the faepire.

Deciding to give the girl a break before she expired from a nervous breakdown, Godric turned to Sookie.

“I have the letter ready, and will wait for you down the hall.” With a nod, he left the doorway.

Seeing that the basket couldn’t possibly hold another item, Claudia decided that she was done. “So, I have you a basket ready to take with you. How soon do you think you might be back?” The progression of time was so different between the realms that it was almost impossible to provide an exact number of days, or even months, but she would miss her cousin.

“I honestly don’t know,” Sookie replied as she gathered her beloved cousin in her arms. Without Claudia, she surely would have gone insane during her first few weeks there, but her cousin’s steadying influence had truly saved the day…all the days. “But you know I can’t stay away for long at a time. You know I’ll be back soon, and you also know that you’re more than welcome to come to my house as soon as Mr. C says it’s finished, too, right?’

Armed with both hope and an invitation, Claudia hugged her cousin one last time, then bid her a safe journey.

Sookie popped herself and her over-laden basket to where Godric paced, and immediately found herself in his strong arms. Without saying a word, Godric kissed her forehead,  presented her with a heavy envelope addressed to his Son, then sped away.

Sniffling slightly…oh, how she was going to miss them…Sookie popped herself to the other side of the portal near her…the Bon Temps house.

It had gone full dark already, and within two paces she found herself grabbed up in another pair of strong vampire arms.

“Sookie,” the deep voice rasped in a verbal caress as the tall vampire buried his nose in her hair and then into the crook of her neck. “You smell of sunlight and fairies and grass and…”

Eric suddenly leaned back to glare down at the fairy hybrid now held firmly in his hard grasp. He demanded, “Why the hell do you smell of Godric?”

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 **A/N:  Ohhh Sookie…you better start talkin’ fast!  So, what did you think of this chapter?**

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