17. Collide

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I’m open, you’re closed

Where I follow, you’ll go

I worry I won’t see your face

Light up again

Even the best fall down sometimes

Even the wrong words seem to rhyme

Out of the doubt that fills my mind

I somehow find

You and I collide – Howie Day

I groaned while the vision of a once calming shower and my comfortable bed disappeared from my head at the sight of my brother’s truck in the driveway. I had almost hoped the guard would come and throw him out of the house. Almost. Something told me she could have done some real damage to my brother if she did that. Needless to say, she had appeared at my window to give me fair warning before disappearing into the tree line. “Your brother and the shifter are inside. I will come if needed.”

Then the night only continued to improve! Not only would I have to deal with my brother, but apparently I would also have to deal with Sam. I came so close to starting the car up again and just driving away, but then naïvely thought maybe I would be pleasantly surprised.

And I still wanted that shower.

I entered the house and was not immediately bombarded by either of them at the door. To me, that was a good start. Of course, as I moved further into my house and entered the kitchen, I saw that was only because they were drinking at my table. I could not foresee our conversation having anything resembling a pleasant outcome if the two of them had been drinking.

“Make yourselves at home,” I said when I walked in. Sam was intelligent enough to have heard the sarcasm and anger in my tone. My brother, on the other hand, had not. He muttered a thanks while he cracked open another beer. After neither of them said anything else, I asked, “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“I was worried,” Jason answered. “My clothes ain’t been returned.”

Of course that was his reason for having been there! He was used to having his laundry returned the next day. There it had been sitting for nearly a week, without a thing having been done to it. “Were you worried about me or your laundry?” I asked. His response was to rise up from where he had been seated and he took a step toward me, but Sam was between us before he could take his second step.

Speaking of my brother’s dirty laundry, the literal type, I wondered if he had even noticed that Sam was wearing clothes he had picked out of his dirty laundry! With only one truck in the yard, Sam must have come over on four paws, or perhaps wings? Wouldn’t do to show up on my porch, in front of Jason, naked, so he had to have fished some of my brother’s clothes out of the laundry pile laying there!

“We been concerned for you, Sook,” Sam said while he tried keeping the peace. “That’s why we both came here. We hadn’t heard nothin’ from you in a few days,” he said as he gave Jason a pointed look. I wasn’t quite sure what exactly was said during that look, but Jason sat back down. Sam continued to stand and I noticed how tense he still was. I had no idea if that was because he felt my brother might really hurt me or if it was because our last meeting had been less than kind.

“Jason come into the bar tonight,” Sam started. I supposed this might lead to the reason they had both shown up in my kitchen. “He said he ain’t seen you in a few days.” My brother scoffed at that. I bet he had been more concerned that he hadn’t seen his clean laundry in a few days! “I let him know that you’d went away for a few days, but from what I’d heard you shoulda been home tonight.” Right. If Sam had heard through the Supernatural grapevine that the summit was over, he had also probably heard of Sophie-Anne’s great announcement of my abilities.

Fantastic.

“Well, here I am, safe and sound, so there’s no need to be worried. Thanks for stopping by though. Jason, don’t forget to take your dirty laundry with you on the way out,” I made sure to tell them. Neither of them moved and that caused me to sink into a chair. I just knew that I was about to have one of those tiring conversations. I wondered if that was something my guard could have offered me protection against. I thought it was at least worth it to ask.

“You still pregnant?” Jason asked.

I looked at him incredulously, with the feeling that the look Sam gave him mirrored my own. “Yes, I’m still pregnant!” I answered him. I saw no reason to inform either of them I was, in fact, pregnant with twins, so I kept that little nugget to myself. “Where did you think I was, Jason?” I asked him. Things hadn’t gone well the last time we had spoken, but I had hoped that he hadn’t thought I was off ending my pregnancy.

“No, Sook,” he answered me, and he actually looked sorry. “I was just…I know these things sometimes end themselves ‘n all.” Color me confused! Jason had been so angry about the pregnancy and now he looked concerned that I might have miscarried?

“I’m fine, Jase. The baby is fine,” I told him, careful with the terminology I used.

“I just wouldn’t want you hurt,” he said.

“Aww, Jase. I didn’t know you cared,” I said to him as I rubbed his hair, curious to how he would react. Part of what I said was the truth, especially based on our last conversations.

“I care if you’re alive,” he said. I took that as a starting point. I wanted a relationship with my brother, but he had to accept the life I chose, the life I wanted; otherwise, it would never work. “I’m glad you’re home.”

“To do your laundry?” I asked.

“That would be nice,” Jason said, smiling the first genuine smile I’d seen from him since he had found out I was pregnant. “I really am happy that you are home safe,” he added. I couldn’t be sure just what had caused my brother’s change of attitude, but I was worried that Sam might have had something to do with it. There was some information that my brother just shouldn’t know.

“You’re more than welcome to come back to work,” Sam said, and he actually had the decency to look sheepish. “I never hired a replacement. You’ll always have a job if you need one,” he said.

I could have only imagined what might have caused Sam’s change of heart. I had no doubt that to him what he had really posed, was a choice for me to make between him and Eric. Again. Sam was going to be disappointed once again and I feared that would put an end to the brief understanding Jason and I had just come to.

“Thanks. I appreciate that,” I said, and I really did. I just also wouldn’t believe he’d be so willing to honor his words once he heard mine.

“Of course,” Sam said, and his face broke out in a smile.

“Still, I would have to continue with taking time off,” I told him, and his smile disappeared just as quickly as it had appeared. “It wouldn’t fair to you or the other waitresses.”

“You don’t need to continue to take time off, Sook,” he said, anger clearly there in his tone.

“I do.”

“He can’t force you,” Sam started to say, but I couldn’t allow him to go any further. We had to be careful of what was said in front of Jason and I could only hope Sam remembered that.

“He would not force me into anything,” I told him honestly. I wasn’t about to say anything else. I had a free pass due to the knowledge of the vampire system because of my ability. I doubted Jason would have had received the same pass.

“You won’t even see it,” Sam said, shaking his head sadly.

“It ain’t good enough that you’re unmarried and pregnant, but now you’re choosin’ to work for vamps?” Jason asked and my concern for him grew. Just how much had Sam told him? How badly had he endangered my brother’s life? With Jason’s harsh words, I assumed it meant that however Sam had gotten through to him before, he no longer agreed with it. I supposed that our short-lived truce was sadly over.

“They have not fired me. They have not judged me. “

“No but they endanger your life every night.”

“Not all of them. Some are doing all that they are able to protect me.” That was the truth. I just hoped that Eric and I would come to a new agreement in how to do it. Our earlier conversation had me thinking it just might happen.

“Will it be enough to keep you out of the ground?” Sam asked, a bite to his words.

“It’s more than anyone else could do. I’ve become a target. I don’t like it, but due to what I can do, I’m now a target. You might not like it and I sure as hell don’t, but I have people, vampires, fighting to make sure I stay protected. I trust them over those who have been attacking me any day!” I firmly answered both of them while I rose out of my chair. “Now, I don’t have the energy to repeat this same thing again tonight. If neither of you have anything else to say, then I will ask that you allow me to go to bed,” I added, faking a yawn. Neither men liked it, but I was shocked when they both stood and headed out of the house.

“And take your laundry!” I called out, receiving a groan in response. I hoped when I awoke it wouldn’t be there. After I locked the door behind them, I finally was on my way upstairs to take a shower, but, once again, my plan was foiled when the phone rang a minute after Sam and Jason left. I thought about just letting it ring, but figured I was so tired that the shower was already out of the question. Why not pick up the ringing phone?

“Hello,” I answered.

“You had visitors tonight,” was what I heard in response. We were so definitely working on his phone manners!

“Hello, Eric. Nice to hear from you. That, or something similar, is how you would greet people on the telephone,” I scolded him while I took a seat on my couch.

He chuckled, telling me, “I’ll remember that for next time.” I took it as a victory that he had said there would be a next time. Apparently, phone calls were acceptable and, despite what I just told him, that would not be something I complained about. His voice grew more serious as he asked, “Your guard said that they left. You were uneasy while they were there. Are you all right?”

Though it might not have been exactly the way I wanted things, I had to take what he would willingly give me and take it for what it was. He was concerned enough for me that he was aware of my feelings through the bond. He cared enough to call to make sure I was all right.

“I’m fine, Eric. I appreciate your call.”

“You do not sound fine.”

I sighed. “It was a hard conversation, but I will be okay.”

“If they cannot accept your life, they do not deserve to be in it.”

“What if I don’t accept my life?”

He hesitated and I could practically hear him while he tried to decipher the meaning of my words. “You do not like being employed to the Queen,” he said. He must have thought that was what I had been referring to. He was right.

“I understand that it is something I have to do. I understand that the situation I find myself in and how it could be much worse under others.”

“Yet that does not mean working for Sophie-Anne is something that you want.”

“I never thought it was something that I’d be able to do at all if I hadn’t had someone standing in my corner, someone willing to fight for me.”

“I would never say that I was happy about it either, though I was pleasantly surprised at Sophie-Anne’s preparations. She has done much to ensure that you stay in Louisiana. Even without all that she has done, I will always be in your corner, as long as I was wanted there.”

“That’s what gets me through the day, and night as the case may be.”

“I am glad I could be of service,” he said and I heard the smile in his voice. I imagined it on his face, but then needed to stop. I had to get to sleep at some point and that train of thought was not the way to go about getting to sleep.

“Thank you for calling, Eric,” I said.

“I did not like sensing your unease.”

“I did not like feeling uneasy, but hearing your voice helped.”

“Then you may hear it as often as it is safe for us.”

“Goodnight, Eric.”

“Goodnight, Sookie.”

The shower lost the battle seeing that I could hardly manage to keep my eyes open while I made it upstairs. I undressed and threw on a t-shirt before I collapsed into bed, careful of my stomach. I smiled to myself. The middle of my evening may have not been much fun, but the start and end to it were perfect.

When I awoke, it was already afternoon. The afternoon had become my standard wakeup time and it would have been a difficult adjustment if my life was still the conventional work during the day type. I had a feeling that I would soon be considering the afternoon early. I would have to ask Dr. Ludwig if it was all right for the babies, but I assumed as long as I got enough sleep, the hours that I slept wouldn’t make much of a difference.

I finally took the shower I had wanted since last night! I felt refreshed as I got out and got dressed. I went over the things from yesterday. My first conversation with Eric the previous evening had gone even better than I thought it would. The much more difficult one was the conversation with Sam and Jason. I hadn’t expected even more animosity from them. From everyone else, sure. I had been accustomed to that for years, my telepathy having made me talk of the small town of Bon Temps, but Jason and Sam had stood by me always.

Until I found myself unmarried and pregnant by a vampire. Apparently, that was all it took to lose my brother and someone I’d thought was my friend.

I wasn’t sure what I would do with all this free time on my hands. It wouldn’t be something I complained about, no yet anyway, but I was so used to being busy. This would take some getting used to.

I called Dr. Ludwig to make another appointment. The tiny doctor must not have been too busy today either since she offered to come over right then to check on the babies and me. “I will be needing night appointments from now on if that is all right?” I asked her.

“Yes, fine,” she said, although her voice made it sound like it was anything but fine. Perhaps that was just how the little doctor talked? “I know where the Northman’s safehouse is. I will meet you there an hour after sunset.”

“Um, it’s good that you know where it is, but I haven’t a clue,” I told her honestly.

She sounded shocked when she asked, “Where are you staying then?” Apparently, the good doctor didn’t know quite everything in the Supernatural world. I shocked myself that I had included me in that world for the first time.

“At my house in Bon Temps. Where you saw me last,” I told her.

She hummed at that, but left me guessing at her thoughts. “Okay, then. I will meet you and the Northman at your house an hour after sunset,” she said before she hung up. It seemed that Eric was not the only one who needed lessons on phone etiquette.

Now I just had to let Eric know about the appointment. If I used the distance to Fangtasia, he would have to leave right after the sunset to make it to the appointment. I did not have his number. I had no idea how to contact him directly.

That would be something that had to change and I would see that it did, however; I could do nothing about it right then, or so I thought.

My guard had to have had a way to communicate with Eric! He knew that it was Jason and Sam who had been at my house last night. She had to have told him. The only problem was I had no idea how to contact that guard. I didn’t even know her name! So I did the only thing that came to mind. I went out to my porch and looked out at the tree line around the house. That had to be where she spent her days. I thought I would have had to invite her to stay in the house. I called out, “I have an appointment later that your employer would appreciate knowing about.”

All I heard was the chirp of a bird. I had no idea if that meant she had heard me. I called Fangtasia and left a vague message there, too. I hoped Eric would make it to the appointment. He wanted to be there and I wanted him to be there. I could have been stubborn, but something told me that Dr. Ludwig would not appreciate that and though the doctor was tiny, I had a feeling that I should stay on her good side.

As it turned out, I had nothing to be concerned with Eric making the appointment. About a half hour after sunset there was a knock on my door. I felt him through the bond and I trusted the guard, but I still looked out the window before I opened the door. Once I confirmed it was, indeed, Eric, I threw open the door and told him, “You don’t have to knock, you know.”

He smiled at me and it was a genuine one, but it appeared as though his thoughts were heavy. “What’s wrong?” I asked. I was certain it wasn’t just stereotypical father worries.

“Nothing you need to concern yourself with at the moment,” he said as he walked into my house. “We should only concern ourselves with the strength of our children.” He paused before he said, “It is still peculiar to think of that.”

“No more peculiar than thinking of vampires and fairies,” I told him.

“It is for me. When I was human, we believed in the gods and, therefore, we believed in their opposites, evil spirits and demons. Then I became a vampire and the truth of what walked at night was revealed to me…but one of them fathering a child, that is different for me.”

“Well, then that is something we have in common,” I said, and he looked to me, confused. “Being a mother to children, that’s new to me, too. Usually I get to give them back to their parents at some point.”

“Something we will have to determine how to do together,” he said.

I nodded in agreement. “Well, that starts with you telling me what’s bothering you. If it’s something I can know, let’s discuss it now so that when the doctor comes we can focus on the children.”

“You and the children,” he said. He sighed, sat down on my couch, and told me, “Sophie-Anne has accepted a marriage proposal.” By the look on his face, I took it to mean he thought that it was a bad thing, a very bad thing.

Next

Hello all. I do wish my fellow constituents in the US are enjoying the Independence Day Weekend. And those that aren’t hopefully you are having a pleasant weekend as well. Hopefully this chapter helped with that.

Many thanks to MsBuffy and all her help with this one. She is on a well earned vacation this week so the next chapter might be delayed a day or two, depending when she is able to get it back to me but will be up as soon as I have it.