I want to thank you all for reading my story. I do hope you enjoyed it. A big thank you to all those who left reviews, I loved the feedback. Perhaps my muse will stir up a short story with Matthew and his new family as well as Eric and Sookie.

Fatherless Child part II

Sookie had finally managed to get up off the couch after days of crying over everybody she had lost; the list was long, far too long. She had tried to call Beth, but got no answer so she marched herself out the front door in an effort to follow up on the one thing Matt had asked of her. She opened the front door and nearly walked right into the girl.

"Beth, I was just coming to see you."

"Where's Matt, I need to see him. I went to the other house he had been staying at but he's not there. He hasn't been to school and I really need to talk to him," she cried.

Sookie didn't know what to tell her. How could she even begin? She felt so responsible; Matt should have just let her die.

"Well honey, things are kind of complicated right now," she began. But she didn't get far before Eric came bursting through the door.

"Matthew!" He cried out. "Where is he Sookie, where is my son?"

"Russell was here," she began again. But Eric was quickly distracted.

"I hear another heartbeat, Matthew," he cried out again. "He's here," Eric said.

"No, he's not Eric, Russell took him."

"Then whose heart is beating besides yours and hers," he said looking at Beth. He cocked his head and raced over to Beth. He put his hand on her stomach and then bent down for a closer listen.

Sookie looked confused as Eric looked over at her.

"It's true," she admitted.

"But your pregnancy tests were negative, both of them I might add," Sookie said.

"I know, but I kept feeling sick and just plain weird so I went to the doctor and the first thing he asked me was if I was pregnant. I told him about the tests, and he asked which brand I used. I guess that brand had a history of false positives so he said maybe there could be false negatives too. He said the store should have pulled them all from the shelves but apparently they hadn't. He did a urine test, a blood test and I also have this," she said pulling a sonogram picture from her bag. "He's small, but he's there."

"He?" Sookie asked.

"A mother knows," she answered. "So please tell me where Matthew is."

"Oh I wish I could sweetie, I wish I could.

Russell finished his coughing fit and looked back over to where Matt had just been to see empty space.

Eric looked outside. "I'll be back," he said as he disappeared.

"Does he know where Matthew is?" Beth asked.

"I don't know, maybe, or maybe he is just looking for him."

"What will this baby be like Sookie?"

"I don't know that either, but you just take a look at its daddy and know it will be okay."

"I want to; I want to look at him. I just want him here, please find him Eric," she sobbed into the air.

Suddenly there was a banging sound at the door. "Sookie, open the door."

She ran to the door and opened it to find Alcide holding Matthew in his arms, the boy unconscious, arms and legs dangling from Alcide's embrace. "Matt," she and Beth screamed.

"Is he alive?" Beth shrieked.

"I think so," Alcide said. "He was lying outside the house, near the driveway."

"Bring him to my bed," Sookie ordered. Once he was laid down on the bed Sookie bent down and listened for his breath. "He's breathing, but barely."

Beth came over and sat down on the bed. She looked horrified as she saw the bite marks on both sides of his neck.

"He has them all over him I think," Alcide said. "I saw some on his stomach when I picked him up."

"Oh Matthew," Sookie cried.

"Where's Eric?" Alcide asked.

"Looking for Matt, looking for Russell? I don't know." Sookie cried out as she sat down on the bed next to Matt. "Beth is here," she said gently.

"I'm here, you'll be okay, you have to be okay," she cried.

"What do we do?" Alcide asked.

"I need Eric," Sookie said. "He might know what to do."

"I don't think he can have much blood left in him, Edgington practically drained him." Alcide said. He had been looking for Matthew himself after Sookie had told him what happened.

"Blood, I'll give him some of my blood," Sookie said. "That will help, I'm sure it will."

She scurried off find something to cut herself with, on her way back Eric appeared. "Oh Eric, he's here, but it's bad."

Eric rushed to the bedroom and instantly was at his son's bedside. He pulled up Matt's shirt and then tugged his pants down, revealing bite marks decorating his body as if they were some kind of horrific tattoos.

"My God," Sookie said her hand flying to her mouth. "Russell practically devoured him."

"He's dead," Eric whispered.

"No, he's still breathing," Beth stated, her eyes fierce.

"No, Russell is dead. I found him, he was lying in a pool of blood, it was as if he had drowned in it. Matthew's blood," he finished quietly.

"Did Matt know that would happen?" Sookie asked.

"I suspect so," Eric said.

"He went on a trip," Beth interjected.

Both Eric and Sookie turned to look at her. "He left messages on my phone," she began, tears welling up. "I was having issues with my phone, and I didn't get the messages until I got a new battery."

She pulled out her phone, the screensaver holding a smiling image of Matt. She pushed a few buttons and Matt's voice came through. "Beth, it's me, I wish you would answer. I want to see you, but I'm afraid you're scared of me now so I don't want to come to you without your permission. I have to go away for a day or two, but I'll be back. I have…"

The message cut off leaving everybody's eyes huge.

"He called back and continued it," Beth said pushing more buttons.

"I have to do something and I'm not sure how it will turn out so I really would like to see you before then. But if you can't, I understand…just know…just know that I would never hurt you and neither would Eric. Please, if you have any problems, you go to Sookie, she can find my father for you, he would never hurt you, I promise."

Eric's blue eyes were moist as he looked over at the lifeless form of his son.

"Where did he go?" Sookie asked nobody in particular.

"He never said those were the only messages. I wasn't ducking his calls, it's just my phone…" she drifted off as her words turned to sobs.

Eric pulled out his phone and hit buttons of his own. "Was Matt with you?" he barked into the phone.

"When? Are you sure? Anything else? Everything's fine, bye."

"What, who was it?" Sookie asked.

"Bonnie, she heard a noise the other night, but when she got up to find out what happened, it appeared as if nothing was touched but she couldn't be sure."

"Matt went to Scotland didn't he? What for?" Sookie asked.

"I don't know," Eric replied, deep in thought.

"How did he get to Scotland?" Alcide asked from his spot in the corner.

He had been so quiet everybody had forgotten he was there. "Private jet," Eric said. "Holden, he went to see Holden. He can only seem to access him from Scotland."

"Holden?" Sookie asked.

"He is like what modern folk think of as Merlin. Matthew went to him to see what he needed to do to kill Russell. He told me he wanted in on the fight, I guess he was serious."

"So what did he do?" Beth asked.

"I don't know." Eric answered.

"I'm sorry," Matt croaked out in a whisper.

"Matthew," Eric said getting closer to his son. "It's okay, did you see Holden?"

The boy barely nodded. "The only way, the only way," he whispered.

"What did you do?" Eric asked sternly.

"Magic, my destiny," Matt said his eyes remaining closed.

Suddenly Eric perked up. "My blood, my blood will heal him," he said taking a bite from his wrist and placing it over Matt's mouth.

"No more," Matt hissed turning his head.

"Yes, I am your father and you will do as I say," Eric stated emphatically.

"Mother," Matt whispered and suddenly they felt another presence.

"Is she here?" Beth asked. "His mother?"

"Yes," Eric nodded, his blue eyes huge.

Suddenly they could all see her sitting at the end of the bed, looking at her son lovingly. She looked over at Eric, sadness in her eyes, she smiled gently. She then looked over at Beth and cocked her head as if she knew.

"Life finds a way," Beth said to her.

Ava made her way to Matthew's head and whispered something into his ear. He apparently didn't like what he heard as he began to say no over and over again.

"No, no…no," he cried.

Eric stood up, "don't tell your mother no!" he snarled.

Sookie shook her head, once again marveling at her bizarre life.

"What can we do?" Eric asked Ava gently. She turned and looked at Beth. "Her blood? Of course, his child," Eric said, moving over towards Beth who suddenly looked terrified.

"Eric wait!" Sookie yelled. "Tell her what's going on first."

"You…you and the child are Matthew's connection to life; if he is to live then you must give him some of your blood. I will bite your wrist; it will hurt, but only for a moment. Then we will let you bleed into Matthew's mouth, it shouldn't have to be much, just enough for him to start healing. Then I'll give you some of my blood and you will heal."

"Will it work?" she asked, her voice shaking in fright.

"I honestly don't know," Eric admitted.

"It's his only chance," Sookie added.

"Okay then, but remember the baby," she said holding her wrist out to Eric.

Eric looked to Ava and mouthed the words, thank you, before watching her disappear.

Beth relieved that her mother had come to visit and was equally relieved that she had left. She looked down at her little blond haired, blue eyed wonder. He was the spitting image of his father and grandfather. Her mother, unhappy, but grudgingly supportive of her daughter was still trying to accept the fact that her grandchild was a quarter vampire. Beth had decided she simply couldn't keep it a secret nor should she. But it was quite apparent it was going to take some getting used to.

She had moved into one of Sookie's spare bedrooms, just finding it easier to be there than in a home where her soon-to-be child wasn't completely accepted yet. Eric had been more than supportive, his blue eyes lighting up more with each month of her growing belly. He had pleasantly surprised her with his efforts. Perhaps he was reliving the miracle of Matthew's coming all those years ago.

As the sun set, she expected him to come and he didn't disappoint her, appearing instantly in her room.

"Took you long enough," she teased.

"Oh, he's beautiful," Eric cooed. It took him back so many years to when he first laid eyes on his son. "He looks just like Matthew."

"Oh how I wish he was here," Beth lamented looking down at the newborn. "He was so brave. Did he know what he was doing?"

Eric paused, not wanting to take his eyes off his grandson. "He did, he was aware of the risk and accepted them anyway. The potion he got from a very old friend turned his blood into a toxic substance that ended one greedy vampires rein."

"And it made all the difference," Beth said sighing.

"That it did. Sookie will be here as soon as she gets off work. Have you thought of names?"

"I have. Holden Matthew," she announced. "Matthew for obvious reasons and Holden for the wizard of long ago, who had the foresight to protect the boy I loved despite his reckless and sacrificial behavior."

"Well, it's about time," Eric said as Matt walked in.

"I had to vacate for a while, I still freak her mother out," Matt said smiling at his son.

"Well it didn't help that you aged ten years overnight," she reminded.

"Yeah how was I to know that I had only imbibed half of the equation after my European trip. I had to go back, I had to try and stop Edgington, I had no idea that a true sacrifice was the key to maturity."

"Adult actions rewarded you with your greatest desire son," Eric said his blue eyes beaming down at the baby.

"I'm just so thankful that you are here, with me and little Holden. I'll catch up to you in years and then surpass you," she smiled. "But in the meantime I have myself an older man."

Matthew picked up his son and knew how Eric must have felt all those years ago. "Hey little man," he crooned. He had gotten his wish; all of his actions had finally come together giving him the years he had sought for so long. After his ordeal with Russell, valiantly prepared to die to save others he felt his life slipping away, he had even seen his mother waiting for him, but she refused him, telling him it wasn't yet his time; then the blood, only drops, but drops of those that loved him deeply. It was that love that pulled him from his deathbed. That and the fact that Holden knew that he wouldn't hesitate in his efforts to stop a three thousand year old power. The old wizard unwilling to lose his friend put a little extra kick in the potion that he had handed over. With all that Matt found he just wasn't quite ready yet to let this life and those he loved go.

The End

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