The Moon, Ch. 1

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Head bowed with his forehead resting on the wood, Eric paused before opening the door to leave his office. Another night wasted sitting on that damn throne staring out at that same damn crowd of vermin..  Another night…alone.

Tired.  He was so damn tired.

As the minutes ticked by he knew that even now, almost 4 and a half years…later, his wealth was increasing exponentially with the new blood, but he couldn’t care less.

It just didn’t matter anymore.

Nothing did.

Impulsively deciding to turn left instead of right, he quickly exited the bar reeking of desperation and despair, much of it his own, and once outside he flew up to the top of Fangtasia. No one, not even Pam, knew of the ‘oasis of solitude’ he had created up there out of a lawn chair and nothing else.

He’d thought the irony of glamouring and releasing the Newlin woman on Thanksgiving night would have made him feel…something, but other than having a vague sense that Godric would have approved, there was…nothing.

Pam was livid, of course, but that was her problem.  She’d kept trying to talk him in to letting her truly pimp out Sarah, but he felt that letting vampires feed on her for the cure to the disease she’d helped create was punishment enough.  She’d served her sentence and it was time for her and her annoying voice to go.

Reclining in the chair aligned for the best view of the risen moon, he sighed as he focused on the glowing light. As he lost himself in the memories from several years back, he crossed his arms and let the pale, lonely orb above him blur into a softer, sweeter pain.

On this night he was thankful for the moon. It wasn’t his chosen company, but as it was, it was the only company he could choose.

•~•0•~•

Several miles and a few light-years away, Sookie made the rounds with her pitcher, making sure that everyone had what they wanted to drink. Even almost nine months’ pregnant she still found herself playing the waitress, serving others no matter that her back and feet ached and she already had to pee again.

Keeping her fake smile up for the sake of all her guests, she finally made it to her seat and gratefully plopped down. She aimed that same fake smile at Steve sitting at the head of the table as if he had done anything to deserve the honor. He was ok, she guessed. Even less considerate than Alcide and Bill, still, he tried…just, not very hard. She rubbed her stomach as she felt the baby kick, and realized that she wasn’t actually thankful for all that much.  The baby was healthy and strong, but that was about it.

A twinkling in the sky drew her attention and her eyes immediately caught sight of the moon. While she had always loved the sun’s warmth and light and always would, lately she’d been more and more drawn to the moon and all it represented. Somehow here lately the moon felt more comforting, more understanding.

She sighed. She had no idea how much longer she could continue on with the way things were. As she listened to the conversations going on around her, she realized that none of them were really directed toward her.

Sure, all these people had come over to her place to celebrate Thanksgiving in the company of friends, but really all they did was come to eat her food, drink her New Blood, and talk to each other.

Surrounded as she was by family and friends, she’d never felt so alone.

Giving up on picking at the food on her plate, she once again returned her gaze to the moon looking gently down upon her, and felt the tears prickling at her eyes.

Again.

Sookie quickly excused herself from the table and hauled her gravid body back into the house. Knowing that everyone automatically expected her to be going to the bathroom, she went on in and locked the door behind herself. The second the lock snicked, the tears she’d been holding back for the past several years came pouring out.

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