A/N:Obviously, these aren't my characters, I'm just playing. I'd also like to note that I'm taking a bit of a different approach with this. I had a near death experience recently (nothing as extreme as Sookie, but not very pleasant) so I'm using the story to work out some of my own feelings about coming close to death.

I sat quietly on Remy's couch, sipping a glass of sweet tea. My eyes were closed and Hunter's mind practically danced in my brain. Please, please, please… This conversation was not going the way I wanted it to.

"Look, Sookie, it wouldn't be permanent. I need to do some work out of town for a few weeks, so Hunter would have to stay with his grandparents if not you. Plus, if he stays with you, you can help him with…" Remy trailed off. He didn't like discussing the specifics of the 'disability' Hunter and I shared.

I knew Hunter needed my help. I wanted to help him. Having him with me for a few weeks would be much preferable to making the long drive to Red Ditch whenever I was up to it. At this point I was pretty much healed. I'd been at home for just over a week now. I wasn't back at work yet, but I'd actually talked to Sam about taking a month off. My money from Rhodes was in the bank, so I had some breathing room. That was exactly what I wanted to do, breathe, maybe go lay on a beach. I sighed. I guess what convinced me was that Hunter really didn't like his grandparents.

"Alright, Remy, he can stay with me." Hunter actually squealed with joy. Relief washed through Remy, and his thoughts showed more of the same. I would have shut him out, but I knew that Hunter wasn't and I didn't want him to have questions I couldn't understand. "If you get his stuff together, he can come with me now."

Remy thanked me profusely before he practically sprinted out to pack a bag for his son. I turned to Hunter. "Are you okay with all this, kiddo?"

"Sure, Aunt Sookie." His thoughts were conflicting. He was happy to come stay with me, but sad that he upset his dad. I sighed.

"Hunter, you know your Daddy loves you, right?" He nodded emphatically. "This gift we both have, it can be hard for other people to understand it. Your dad just wants you to be able to control it before you start school. Trust me, it'll be better that way." Hunter nodded and leaned in to hug my legs tightly.

Forty minutes later, Hunter was buckled into his booster seat in the back of my Malibu and we were on our way back to Bon Temps. He was playing a game on my cell phone when it rang. "Can I pick up?" Hunter was inordinately excited.

"Sure thing, kiddo." I smiled at him.

"Hello, this is Aunt Sookie's phone." I smiled. Remy was raising this kid to be polite. I appreciated that, seeing as he'd be my house guest for the foreseeable future. "Aunt Sookie, he says his name is Eric." I stiffened, and I guess I wasn't being as rigorous keeping my thoughts to my self as I should have been, because Hunter relayed my unspoken thoughts. "She says she can't deal with you right now. Should I have her call you back when we get to her house? I'm staying with her."

I sighed. We really needed to work on his ability to recognize thoughts from words. We'd have that talk when Eric wasn't on the line. I pulled over. "Pass me the phone for a sec kiddo. You can have it back when I'm done." He put the phone into my hand. "Hey Eric."

"Hello lover. What an interesting tiny human you have acquired. I was unaware that your brother has sired any progeny. Perhaps you were as well until recently?"

I managed to smile slightly. "Hadly had a son before she was turned. He's staying with me while his dad is away on business."

There was silence on the other end as Eric considered what he wanted to ask. "You and this child seem to have several things in common." So I guess he'd picked up on the fact that I actually hadn't said anything to Hunter. I so did not need this.

"His name is Hunter. We'll be home in about an hour if you want to meet him. I'd prefer it if you kept any similarities you think the two of us share to yourself. He's five." I'd told Remy this was exactly why Hunter should keep the hell away from Sookie Stackhouse. He didn't think it was 'that big of a deal'.

"I'm almost five!" Hunter yelled from the back seat.

I could practically feel his smirk. "Of course, lover. I will see you shortly."

I passed the phone back to Hunter after putting it back to his game and pulled back onto the road. "Hunter, you need to pay more attention to what someone says and what someone thinks. Even if I said to you that I couldn't 'deal with Eric right now', it's not a nice thing to say to someone. It's even more important not to repeat things that people think. People think things that they wouldn't say. Eventually, we'll get you to the point that you can keep a lot out, but for now, let's practice telling the difference between thoughts and words, okay?"

For the rest of the drive, we played a game I made up, allowing Hunter to practice listening to my words and my thoughts. He was getting pretty decent at telling the two apart by the time we pulled into the driveway. I pulled round back and was totally not surprised to see Eric's corvette parked and the Viking himself lounging on the porch. I got out of the car, giving him a wave, then helped Hunter out of the car and grabbed his bags from the back. We walked up to the back porch, Hunter clinging to my leg.

I figured I may as well bite the bullet. "Hunter, this is my friend, Eric. Eric, this is Hunter."

Hunter peaked around my thigh with wide eyes. Aunt Sookie, I can't hear him.

I know, kiddo. That's why I hang out with him. He's a vampire.

Eric was watching our silent exchange with a smirk. "Say hello, please, Hunter," I prompted.

"Hello Mr. Eric."

"Hello tiny human." I sighed. This was interesting.

"Hunter, let's get inside and get you unpacked and we'll see about getting dinner ready. Eric, please come in, make yourself at home. I'll get you a True Blood in a minute." I led the two inside, leaving Eric on the couch and Hunter to the room across the hall from mine.

"Here's where you'll be staying, kiddo. I'm right across the hall. Let's get some of your things unpacked and we'll get something to eat." He kept looking back towards the living room. "Do you want to go sit with Eric while I put your stuff away?" He bounced up and was out the door without a backward glance. Great. I knew exactly why he wanted to sit with Eric. The peace I first felt when I sat down with Bill was almost intoxicating. As a child you're almost never alone, and as a telepathic child that means you never feel peace. People's thoughts are always there. Being around a vampire is like rain on parched ground. I'd deal with it once Hunter's clothing was away.

Ten minutes later, Hunter and Eric were sitting at the kitchen table, Eric with True Blood in hand, Hunter with apple juice. I was fixing dinner for Hunter and myself. It felt almost… normal.

Eric broke the comfortable quiet. "Where is your witch, Sookie?"

Another thing I didn't want to think about. "She's in New Orleans." I didn't elaborate. She'd left the day before, one of the major reasons I'd gone to Red Ditch in the first place. She was trying not to blame me for Trey's death, and she hadn't really, but she was hurting and she needed to be alone. I got it. I didn't even really want to be around me.

"Aunt Sookie doesn't want to talk about it."

"Hunter, what did we talk about?" I didn't really mean to snap at him, but I couldn't help it. My shields were a mess, I was still recovering from being tortured nearly to death, and people were dying around me all the time. What was I thinking, bringing a kid into all this? "Sorry, kiddo, I didn't mean to snap. We've both done a lot today."

I finished making him a sandwich, cut up some fruit and topped his apple juice before I settled down with an apple and a glass of wine. Sue me, I'd had a long week. I also couldn't be bothered to actually make myself dinner. I'd get around to it eventually. "So, Eric," I said, taking a long sip of my crisp white wine, "I was a bit surprised to hear from you." Since you haven't spoken to me since I was in the hospital. I made sure my shields were firmly in place before I said that last part in my head.

I'm sure he could feel how irritated I was through the bond, but I kept my face still "I've been checking in with the witch every day. I couldn't get an answer on the house phone today, so I called your cell phone."

"It's not nice to call someone a witch." Hunter frowned at Eric. Eric laughed, that full laugh he only used when he really meant it. I smiled into my wine.

"He doesn't mean it like that, kiddo. Amelia, she was living here until recently, she really is a witch. She does magic." Hunter looked slightly frightened. "Don't worry, she's a good witch. She even left special magic here to protect us." He went back to eating his food.

"Amelia didn't tell me you were checking up on me." I felt a flash of irritation from him. "We can talk later, Eric." I reached across the table and took his hand, relaxing into the comfort of the bond. I was almost glad for the distraction of Hunter being there. Eric and I had a lot to talk about, between whatever we were to each other, the fact that we were apparently married and… everything with the fairies. I certainly didn't want to talk about that last one. The only way I was holding things together was by not talking about that. "So, kiddo, what do you want to do tonight? You've still got about an hour before bedtime. Want to bring your drink to the living room and watch some TV before bed?"

He stuffed the last bite of sandwich in his mouth and dashed into the living room. I went to pick up his plate and glass, but Eric pulled me to him and hugged me tightly. I stiffened, then relaxed into him. A few tears slipped out of my clenched eyes. "Sookie, I'm sorry. I assumed that she let you know I was calling. She told me you were not accepting visitors, or phone calls."

"Well, I wasn't, but I probably would have talked to you. She has her own grief to deal with. Let's not worry about it. Let's see what hellish children's programming we're being subjected to, okay?" I pulled myself away from him, but didn't relinquish his hand, and led him into the living room.

Hunter was lying on his stomach in front of the TV, singing along with some guy with a crazy mustache and way too much spandex about not being lazy, or something. "Kiddo, not so close, you'll wreck your eyes." I grabbed both his legs and gently pulled him back a few feet, before I gave him his juice and fruit, then settled down on the couch with Eric and a freshly filled wine glass. He wrapped his arm around me and I snuggled into his chest. I hadn't felt this safe since before… well, in over a week. It felt good.

Hunter was singing along with some of the songs, so I had to assume he'd seen it before. It was weird, but I actually liked one bit about being a pirate. I obviously need to get out more. Hunter turned around at one point and looked at us curiously. I could tell he was having trouble reading us without hearing our thoughts. I smiled. "What is it, Hunter?"

"Is Mr. Eric your boyfriend?"

I glanced at Eric. How do you describe us to a kid who wasn't even five? Well, we had a fling when he was cursed and lost his memory and when the curse was lifted he forgot all about that, then he entered into a blood bond with me so I didn't have to bond with an even creepier vamp, then he got his memories back when out of state vamps nearly killed us all, then he sneak married me in a vampire ceremony, then I while I was kidnapped and tortured he didn't come rescue me and still hasn't told me why, so I really have no idea what we are. "You can just call him Eric, kiddo. And yes, he's my boyfriend." Simple is best with kids, right?

Eric beamed. I sighed, but he pulled me even closer and kissed my hair. I snuggled into his side after Hunter turned back to the TV, bobbing along as another song started. Eric stroked my arm soothingly and kissed my hair again. It was easy to relax into this domestic scene, something so normal and typical, something I'd never expected to enjoy with Eric.

Soon enough, the show was ending, and I could tell Hunter was fighting sleep. I walked over to him and lifted him into my arms. He snuggled into my neck and wrapped his arms tightly around me. I got him into his pj's then into the bathroom before tucking him in. I kissed him on the forehead and said goodnight, getting up to turn out the light and head back to the living room.

"Aunt Sookie?"

I paused with my hand on the light switch. "Yeah, kiddo?"

"Is Eric going to be here tomorrow?"

"Not during the day. He might be around at night, I haven't asked him yet. He might have work to do."

"Where does he work?"

"In Sherveport."

"Can we go there?"

"No kiddo, Sorry, but it's a bar. You have to be twenty one to get in. I'll let him know you say goodnight, okay?" I certainly wasn't bringing an 'almost five'-year-old telepath with no shields around fangbangers. No way.

"Okay, goodnight Aunt Sookie."

I turned off the light and closed the door. I paused there for a second, leaning my head against the door, listening to his mental signature until I felt it shift to the familiar patterns of a sleeping human.

Eric was still on the couch when I came back, but he'd thankfully switched the station to something different. I plopped down next to him and he put his arm back around my shoulder. "That program was insipid. It was telling children to go out and play, but presumably they want them to watch the show. It doesn't make sense."

"Yeah, well, he appeared to like it."

"Sookie, I have to say this. What were you thinking? Things haven't settled since the Fae War, Niall hasn't sealed all the portals yet, we don't know where Dermott is. It's not the best time for this."

I leaned forward and put my head in my hands. "Eric, I know. I told his dad no, and I told him as much as I could about why it was a terrible idea to have Hunter stay with me. He kept asking, and Hunter really didn't want to stay with his grandparents. They're terrible to him. They're scared of him, and they hate him for that." A few tears slipped through my eyes. I knew exactly what Hunter was going through. I'd had the same issues myself for decades. "It's hard having this… disability growing up, especially having no control over it and having people hate you for it. You're not going to tell any other vampires about him are you? I'm hoping to help him learn a bit, enjoy his company and send him back to his dad ready to start school and just be… normal."

Eric sighed, even though he didn't actually need to breathe. He stroked my back slowly. "I don't know if anyone related to you can be 'normal', Sookie. Besides, normal is so boring."

I laughed. "Normal sounds pretty nice right about now. I wish I'd been better at keeping people out when I was in school. It was hard to learn, trying to keep everything straight, the teacher's words, the teacher's thoughts, and the thoughts of about twenty five bored kids. My grades were okay, but college just wasn't an option. I don't want him to be as limited as I've been. I mean, I like my job, but I probably would have liked going to college, getting paid better. I'm blonde and I've got big boobs, but I'm not stupid. It's not Hunter's fault he's got this to deal with. If I can help with this, I want to. He's a sweet kid. He deserves a chance."

Eric didn't say anything for a long minute, he just kept stroking my back. "I didn't know you felt this way, Sookie. I know that you've said you're used to being treated poorly and that you don't think highly of yourself, but I didn't know it went that far back."

I shrugged. "It really isn't that big a deal, Eric. I'm over it. I just don't want Hunter to suffer the way I did if I can prevent it. It sucks to grow up without any friends." I looked at Eric and was surprised at the emotions I was feeling through the bond. He was angry, upset, but there was something odd there. If he was human, I would have called it compassion or empathy, but he isn't, so I didn't know. "Anyway, I'm glad to see you."

"I am glad to see you as well, lover. You seem to be nearly healed." He traced a faint scar on my arm.

"Thanks to you."

"I would like to give you more of my blood. It has been enough time since I last gave you some. It will be safe. You will not need more than a few mouthfuls to heal completely."

I sighed. Normally I would have fought him on this, but I just didn't have the energy. The idea of not having to carry the scars of my ordeal with the fairies was also immensely appealing. I also had Hunter to worry about. I needed to be at my best to protect him. I nodded. Eric looked downright shocked, but quickly bit into his wrist and put it to my mouth, not giving me a chance to argue. I grimaced slightly, took a few quick sips and let him pull his arm away.

"Thanks, Eric. I really do appreciate you taking care of me." I felt the familiar rush as his blood permeated my system.

"I'm just glad you let me, Sookie. Thank you for letting me meet Hunter."

"For the sake of being honest, I hadn't really planned for you to meet him. I was hoping he'd be back with his dad before vamps were back in my life. I mean, I probably would have told you about him, though I would have kept the whole telepathy thing from you, if he hadn't spilled the beans. That was why I was thinking that I didn't want to deal with you, by the way. It's not my secret, and I don't want him getting drawn into all your crazy vampire shit, or for that matter, my crazy fairy shit, if I can help it. Niall doesn't even know about him."

Eric raised his eyebrows. "That, my lover, is certainly for the best. There are only a couple of entry points to the Fae realm open still, while those who wish to go back there settle their affairs. In a month or two, at the most, they will be gone for good."

"So, from what you said before I guess Dermott hasn't turned up yet?" Eric shook his head. "Great, just what I need. Psychotic fairy out to get me."

Eric laughed, but there wasn't much humor in it. "So when do you go back to work for the shifter?"

"I don't." That startled Eric. "Not for a while at least. I need some time. I'm taking a month off, but I really don't know if I want to go back. I've got Hunter for two or three weeks, so that'll keep me busy for the time being. I'm hoping to get him to a point where he doesn't have to hear everyone's thoughts all the time. It's hard on a kid. He needs some kind of shielding ability before he starts school. He's still at the point where it's hard for him to tell the difference between what people are saying and what they are thinking. It also give me some incentive to actually maintain my shields. Ever since… well, I've had trouble with them. Trey's funeral was really hard. Amelia was clinging to me the whole time, and she's a really loud broadcaster even when she's not touching me, so having her practically on top of me was pretty tough. I was glad she let me be there for her though."

"Why did she leave you then, if you had the courtesy to be there for her?" Eric was pissed. I could feel it through the bond, even though his voice remained even.

"She's having a pretty rough time, Eric. He boyfriend was murdered by fairies, and I was tortured. He died because of my crazy relatives. She doesn't blame me, but every time I would hobble out of my room, it would remind her of him. She might come back eventually, or she might stay down in New Orleans. She tried to stay, for me, but the funeral was a bit too much for her. She's never had anyone die, really. Her mom died a while ago, but losing Trey really hit her hard. Anyway, I'm fine." He could probably tell through the bond that I was lying. Her leaving had been another factor convincing me to take Hunter. I didn't want to be alone. "So, do you have any ideas on how to keep Hunter out of the crap that seems to so frequently run straight into me?"

"I'll increase security." He smiled slightly.

"Security? Eric, what are you talking about? Who do you have watching me?"

"A couple of Weres. Pam has been around at night, or Thalia. Did you think I would leave you unguarded?"

Pre-torture Sookie would have been pissed. Now I was just relieved. "I'm glad you didn't. Thank you Eric. How is Bill healing?" I knew where this conversation had to end up, I figured I might as well give it a kick in the right direction.

"He's healing. He will be sick for several more months, but Dr. Ludwig thinks he will make a complete recovery."

I smiled. "Oh, I'm so glad. Do you think I could see him at some point?"

"Probably not for another few weeks. He is only waking to feed at this point. When he is well enough for visitors, I will let you know." Eric was trying to be courteous for my sake. He would prefer me as far from Bill as possible.

Crap, was I reading the bond or his mind? The first few times I'd gotten flashes of vampire minds it had been glaringly obvious, especially Eric's mind. It was getting harder and harder to tell. I pushed the conversation onwards. "I really appreciate that, Eric. I need to thank him, and see how he's doing. Was there a lot of fall out from Clancy's death?"

"The king is not best pleased, but since you were under his protection when Clancy was killed, it is his responsibility to pay Clancy's maker. Negotiations are still under way. I wouldn't be surprised to have a request from the king to use your services after a decision is reached by the arbitrator. He will want something for his investment."

"If I have to go somewhere, will you come with me? I don't want to go without you."

"Of course."

"Eric, I hate to ask you this, but, do you think you could tell me what happened when I was kidnapped? Where were you?" I tried to be as gentle as I could. I knew he had to have a good reason for not being there, and he had sent Bill. I still needed to know.

Eric flinched. "I will tell you, but I need you to promise you won't run, or rescind my invitation, or, I don't know, something else you typically do when you don't want to have a discussion. Stake me or something."

I actually smiled. "I can't promise I won't be angry with you, but I'll hear you out, and as long as you weren't sleeping with your maker at the time, I won't rescind your invitation, and I'll try to get through a discussion. Is that good enough? I have my limitations."

"It will have to do, my lover."