***UPDATE: As of 11/01/2015, I went back and edited the entire story. Fixed sentences, wording, tenses, and other grammatical issues, though I can't promise I caught everything. I also tightened up the plot a bit and tried to write everyone more in character. This story has always bothered me for a lot of reasons; the way I wrote the characters was one of them. I couldn't execute very well what I had in my head and this was written in my early years of high school, so my writing wasn't the best, nor my knowledge of what I know now. So, hopefully it's a better read through and I can eventually finish the plot I had set up three years ago.***

Just a few, hopefully short, things. Number one, let's pretend that season 4 ended off with episode 11 rather than 12. So that means that Sookie still chose neither Bill or Eric, Tara never got her head blown off, Lafayette never stabbed Jesus, Terry's friend from the army never visited him, Jason never got the visit from Newlin, Sam and Alcide never killed Marcus, Russell was never released, and Nan Flanagan was never sent to kill Bill and Eric. Marnie is very much dead and gone. So, basically life has gone on and as you've read from the summary, it continues from there. Not to say it'll stay so peachy keen *figurative wink...oh wait, no, literal wink as well*. Number two, this is the first time I've ever written a Sookie story. I love the girl to bits, but honestly, the way she is portrayed in True Blood, bothers the hell out of me. She appears to be very clingy, whiny, and so much in the dark about everything, almost losing common sense as well as a surviving instinct. So, I'm going to attempt to write her a little bit more like she is in the books (which I love), but also add in my own twist on her while using the TB story line. I'm not a pro when it comes to exact characterizations, so please excuse me if she's a tad OOC. And Eric is as well...but I've read some truly out of this world characterizations of him, and those stories ended up being some of the most popular ones. Thirdly, I kind of had Sookie pull a Tara. She has a pretty good reason why she left, and I don't think I have to explain it in depth what with all the BS that entered her life, but I will if you're still confused. I did have her set up her own life and I'm not going to reveal what it consisted of right away, but she is a different person as a result. More apt to deal, I think. Anywho, I've rambled on long enough. Please enjoy this strange concoction and know that I do not own this or profit from it!

Chapter 1 - Five Years Gone

"Oh my lord! Sookie Stackhouse, is that you?"

The bar slowed to a halt as soon as the high pitched voice made the observation, forcing nearly every occupant of Merlotte's to flick their gazes my way. The jukebox still kept on churning out Stevie Ray Vaughn's 'Double Trouble', a favorite of mine when I was a waitress here.

But otherwise, folks drinking at the bar as well as families nestled in booths, all turned to risk a peek.

And here I thought I could enter the bar incognito. Certainly did the cognito part. Missing the in.

I whipped up a quick smile and immediately, the wave patterns from the human brains, relaxed.

The waitresses, who I'd noticed were mostly fresh faces, returned to their scurrying, confused about why such a reaction was necessary at my presence.

One waitress already even labeled me a dumb blonde. And let me tell ya there's nothing like being judged prematurely as a welcome back to your old hometown.

Yep, definitely in the right place.

"Hey, Arlene," I replied, relieved to see the woman. She and I had had our days with each other in the past, and I did endure constant disapproval from her regarding my first boyfriend, Bill, who also happened to be a vampire. Then there was the whole her husband trying to kill me thing too.

But, I had long ago forgiven her for actions that really were taken out of her hands, and after being gone for so long, well...even the soda machine outside the back of the bar garnered an appreciative glance from me.

"Girl, you've been gone for five years," the redhead announced, maneuvering her way from a table she had been in the middle of taking the orders for. "Where'd ya go?"

I had already made the decision beforehand to shorten the details and only say what was necessary. The life I had begun for myself after I left was not going to interfere with this quick visit back to Bon Temps.

I refuse to allow that to happen. Not after I have worked so hard to establish a sense of normalcy. I can't return to the mess my life was after getting involved with the supernatural world.

Lord, what a mess it had been.

Still, I wasn't high and mighty enough to deny my former co-worker a sound explanation either.

"Stayed with a close friend out west. The weather for tanning was to die for," I beamed.

A bit too perky of a display, perhaps.

Then again, I suppose old waitressing habits die hard.

Arlene, not always perceptive enough to catch a person when they weren't being upfront with her, returned my excitement with one of her own red lipped smiles.

Gradually, the men and women who'd taken to staring at me, some faces I briefly recalled, others completely foreign, turned back to their affairs. And ole Stevie made way for Tim McGraw's 'Real Good Man'.

To my back, a few more customers filed in from the descending darkness, and ever so casually, the chatter sprang back up around me.

I have to admit I was a bit touched at the response I'd ushered from folks who previously had simply labeled me 'Crazy Sookie'. Or maybe they were cheering on my return as a form of entertainment.

Rolling back a shoulder, I forced these cutting thoughts out of my head, willing myself not to turn something as simple as ignorant minded prejudices, into a matter to be sullen over. By far, most of the residents of Merlotte's weren't people whose opinions I cared to take to heart.

Wouldn't. They didn't know me. And their fear of finding out who I really am, is their loss.

Just as easily, my content smile returned as Arlene began talking my ear off about how her kids were coming along and that Terry had surprised them with the most adorable golden retriever on this side of the Mississippi. Unfortunately, the former pup had never been potty trained and their house was quickly coming to smell like a mix between a sewer and milk that had long ago turned bad.

I nodded emphatically as Arlene rambled on, very much curious about how her life had transitioned over the past five years. And I found myself mentally patting myself on the back for stopping at Merlotte's as soon as I got into town. It was neutral territory, if one wanted to stop by and see old friends. Although that wasn't the major reason I had returned, it was still interesting to see the exciting ways in which friends of mine had begun their lives, or were in the process of doing so. For once, I actually felt like I wasn't the odd duckling out. Just like them, I too had done my own leaping forward.

"I'm so proud of you, Arlene," I congratulated, offering the woman a hug after she informed me of the way she had managed to pester Sam into giving her more responsibilities with the bar. Which meant a higher pay check. "Where is Sam, by the way?"

Releasing me, Arlene scanned the bar area quickly.

"Was here at opening. Probably in Shreveport. Been down there a lot."

I could tell she didn't know how to feel about this, and that Sam being in Shreveport had been a common occurrence as of late.

But, I stopped myself before diving into any more. Just because a person is tempted with dessert, doesn't mean they have to accept it.

"Any drastic changes in Bon Temps?" I asked instead, stifling a yawn with the back of my hand.

This was mostly out of the weariness finally entering me from the long drive here. But, another part urged me to keep on babbling. At the moment, I wasn't feeling all that hurried to leave the safety of the bar.

"Not really. About three months ago, Maxine Fortenberry had a heart attack. If it wasn't for your brother's quick response, she'd probably have died right on the floor of the new diner just up the road," Arlene revealed.

She then leaned in for a moment, eyes scurrying around to make sure no one would hear.

"Personally, I heard their cooks spit in the customer's food," she whispered with a disapproving shake of the head.

"Thanks for the heads up." I grimaced, crinkling my own nose at such a thought.

Retreating, Arlene straightened herself.

"Lafayette is off tonight. Holly's off tonight. But if you're stickin' around, I'll give 'em a call and let them know you're back."

I didn't know how to respond. If Bon Temps had a mouth, gossip would be spilling from it 24/7. And even though I had hoped to make my excursion short, I felt down right nasty about keeping my friends in the dark about my return.

If I did that that to Gran when she was still alive, she'd have scalded my hide into next Thursday.

Everyone'll probably know by the end of the night anyway. Guess it couldn't hurt.

"I'll be here for at least a week," I answered, unsure of the actual time slot. "Try to keep the news to a minimum, though, okay?"

Arlene gave off two contradicting answers at the same time. While she nodded enthusiastically, the red curls of her bangs bouncing dramatically, her brain immediately went to wondering why I wanted to keep things so hushed up.

First person she was ready to tell, in fact, was my brother.

Containing a sigh, I blocked out her thoughts for good.

"Catch ya around," I offered, taking a few steps back.

"I hope so," she insisted, reminiscent of a stern teacher. "If not, Sam'll be real sore about not seein' ya. Misses you more than you know. A lot of folks do."

And there was a meaningfulness in the way Arlene distributed the words, further heightened by the long look she shared with me. One longer than perhaps any other one we'd ever had when I still lived in the town.

"I'll make sure to stop in again," I promised.

Seconds later and I was strolling out of Merlotte's, fighting back a yawn. Since the fourteen hour road trip and catching up with Arlene, had all but drained me, the only activity I was looking forward to was taking a quick, hot shower, and slipping into a comfy bed. Dorothy had it right, there was no place like home, and I'd be a liar if I didn't say it was probably one of the more difficult aspects of my old life I had to leave behind.

But, as I opened the glossy, maroon door to my Jeep, I couldn't shake off the unease I carried about making my way home. Or more importantly, who I'd see once I got there.

I'm a grown, thirty-two year old woman, damn it! Telepathic one, at that. If anything, my presence should unnerve them.

Then again, to my knowledge at least, it took great effort to rattle up a vampire.

Maybe they don't know I'm back.

Immediately, I scolded myself for such an naive thought. As soon as I had returned from Fairy world, they knew. Why should this time be any different?

Hand on the ignition, I fixed my eyes on the steering wheel, willing myself to counteract my fears.

Because I've been gone for so long, they had to have interpreted this as a sign. Don't take an awful lot of brain cells to understand I wanted my distance.

"Bill might come," I murmured.

I couldn't be sure if this amped up my anxiety or made me feel relieved. If he did stop by, he'd do so only out of the gentleman in him. Just to make sure I was still doing okay. Hopefully, no other reason.

Please, just not tonight.

I turned the ignition, unable to stop from grinning wildly at the soft purr,. A moment later and I left Merlotte's in a swirl of dust.

RYRYRYRYRYRYR

I counted my stars at how lucky I had been to drive down Hummingbird Road without randomly having a vampire fly from the skies and slam their hand into the roof of my vehicle. Or maybe that was just a phobia I had developed from personal experience.

The ride home was pleasant. The Louisiana night, a bit cooler than usual, blew into my face from the open window on my side, flicking loose blonde hairs not caught in my ponytail, around, tickling my neck. An old Shania Twain CD was successfully masking my sad attempt at singing along.

Minus the overwhelming need to sleep, I truly was in good spirits. Everything seemed just as it had been when I left. And even though I'd have to personally inquire about the fate of certain people – most notably, my best friend Tara – the prospect suddenly didn't make me reconsider coming back.

When my house appeared, I hit the brakes prematurely.

The place I had been born and raised, sat sheltered in the darkness, the same as it had been since I'd left; standing proudly and in defiance of the modern world.

That short moment of observation, made the desire to get inside suddenly all the more important. The only way I can describe the feeling is like reintroducing yourself to a relic once close to your heart. Only over time, it becomes more of a living organism as opposed to an inanimate object. In its own way, my house lived and breathed over a century of prosperity and life, and an unprecedented joy entered me at the thought of it still thriving in the 21st century.

I parked about twenty feet away, and when I turned off the vehicle, it finally sank into me that I was home. Granted, there were a fair number of unpleasant memories awaiting me in the home as well. Such a hiatus would surely stir up some of those regretful occurrences.

But, those were entirely insignificant when compared to how much the haven really meant to me growing up.

Almost as if I was in a dream, one hand grappled for a black duffel bag in the back seat containing a week's worth of clothes (I had extra dresses, shirts, and jeans still inside the house just in case), while the other grappled for the door handle.

A breeze flew into me as soon as I stepped out, but I accepted it with a content smile, shutting the door.

And just when a total Baywatch moment was set to occur – me running in slow motion toward my destination – I sensed rather than saw, a presence. Not in my home, but from somewhere behind me.

Well, I knew my first night back wouldn't be perfect.

Pausing, I strained my ears to detect any foot steps, but whoever it was, glided across my grass with an inhuman speed.

Which definitely narrowed my list of candidates to just one species.

Inhaling calmly and offering myself a figurative kick in the butt to get moving, I began a sluggish trail toward my house. Running certainly wouldn't help me any, and to be honest, I'm not sure if I had the energy to even carry out such a task anymore with the level of tiredness I was experiencing.

A few seconds passed by of crickets chirping their tunes, and naively, I attempted to convince myself that the presence I thought I'd detected, was just my sleep deprived imagination.

Until-

"Sookie."

Simply the way he said my name, a smooth, low growl, caused all of the hairs on my neck to rise.

I suppose some things never change.

A moment later and my fears were confirmed as a blonde vampire zoomed their way in front of me, effectively severing the sentiment I had when taking in my house.

"Eric," I greeted patiently, glancing behind him at my door.

My first night back just had to be interrupted by a vampire Sheriff. Yipee!

"You were gone for five years," he commented coolly, eyes roving up and down my form.

"Yes," I replied slowly. "That's what happens when someone wants to get away from all the bullshit they've been put through."

"Am I a part of this?" he probed, taking a step forward.

Only because my Gran raised a strong woman did I fight off the nerve to back away. Plus, he couldn't push me around anymore. I'd conquered my strange ability well enough where no one could touch me without my say-so.

Not that he knew this, of course. And I very much intended to keep it that way.

"Playing dumb doesn't suit you, Eric," I answered.

"How unfortunate," he responded, moving toward me again. "I'd had hoped this would be easier."

Alarms began chiming in my head and they all blared the same warning.

Sookie, run!

"I just want to go inside my house and sleep. I'm exhausted enough already."

He ceased in his movements forward for a second, and I released a thankful sigh. Until I heard his next words.

"Do not think five years has changed anything between us. You are still mine, Sookie Stackhouse. And I plan on collecting what is mine very soon."

Without thinking, I discarded the bag on the ground and threw both hands on my hips.

"Five years hasn't changed anything between us? Bullshit! You're just as full of yourself and just as selfish as you've ever been."

By the time the second sentence came out, I had a fuming Viking within inches of my face. A face I had to stare up at, but a face nonetheless.

"You left me," he reminded, the three words coming out sharp and harsh. "I felt things for you I thought were extinct completely. And you left me. I will not make the same mistake by allowing you to leave again."

And before I could argue, his strong arms wrapped around my back and crushed me into him.

Somethings never changed? You bet your ass they didn't.

The vampire could still kiss like a man possessed. His tongue was just as experienced and just as fluid as ever, plowing through and tasting everything until I felt like a virgin again, unsure of how to properly kiss a man. His mouth was a wild heat in contrast to his cold body and the way he maneuvered his tongue around mine, could make even the holiest woman praise God.

Only when I realized he wasn't letting me up for air, did I begin to struggle - something I should have done in the first place.

Yes, Eric once held a special place in my heart, but that was the past. I'd only come back to Bon Temps to patch things up, not tear them back open.

So, with a renewed vigor, my fingers began pressing diligently into the Viking's hard muscles.

But the vampire didn't budge. He only pulled me closer, his hot tongue everywhere at once, refusing to relent even though my mouth had virtually shut down.

When my continued pushing led to a deprivation of oxygen, I settled for womanly common sense to take over. With a swing forward, my knee connected firmly with his manhood, which I grossly noted, was hard as a rock.

Not even a vampire could properly cover this region and within seconds, Eric stumbled back from me, his blue eyes feral. The look alone nearly made me apologize, but I briefly went over everything he'd ever done to me in the time I had known him.

Tricked me into sucking a bullet out of him. Tricked me into trusting him. Forcibly fed off of me. Used me as bait. Allowed another, much more vicious vampire to do the same, potentially ending my life in the process. Remodeled my home without permission. Yep, it would do well to stay clear from Eric Northman.

With one final glance at him, I picked up my duffel bag and weaved my way around him, ignoring the tingling on my lips.

Home sweet home!

Of course I should have known Eric wasn't the kind of vampire to let women nail him in the groin and get away with it.

Once again, my path was intercepted by a tall, blonde, vampire.

"Sookie."

There was a warning in his voice.

"Eric."

There was a pissed off southern girl with a lack of sleep in mine.

We glared each other down for a good minute, but ultimately, I won the contest. Mostly because his eyes strayed behind me. A second later and three angry words fell from Eric's lips.

"Fuck off, Compton."

Seriously, was I a red dot on every vampire's radar so they'd always know where I was at? Can you hear me now? How about now? Good.

Of course I couldn't ignore my ex hubby forever, especially if I planned on patching things up with him as well.

Slowly, I turned to observe the second vampire.

Holy Moses, he looks good!

This thought puzzled me, especially once I started considering everything Bill put me through.

Nearly allowed me to bleed to death just so I could drink his blood. Used said blood to form a false feeling of love. Only dated me just to figure out my ability. Planned to sell me off to the Queen. Yep. It'd do well to keep distance from Bill Compton also.

Regardless, Bill did exonerate the same handsomeness I'd first fallen in love with. Or false love with?

Honestly, I'm not even sure anymore what to call it.

My doom and gloom former boyfriend ignored Eric's rude words. He caught my weary gaze.

"Sookie."

The 'eh' toward the end of my name was just as prominent.

"Bill," I acknowledged, making sure my voice was unreadable.

I'd nearly forgotten about the angry vampire at my front, at least until he came to stand right beside me.

Just in the way their postures were set toward one another, slightly angled forward in hostility, made me realize I was about to witness some macho WWE styled exchange. And I was really NOT in the mood for that.

"You two go sort out whatever problems you're having, but kindly leave me out of it. For the remainder of my stay, please," I begged.

Both men fixed their gazes on me, but again, I was ready to forgo a shower and drop into bed from exhaustion. I had no time to engage in intense staring contests in the middle of the night with two undead creatures.

When neither said a word, I sighed and began a brisk walk back to my house.

Luckily, both of them sensed that anything they said that night, wouldn't be processed due to my weariness. Which was exactly fine by me.

Yawning, I pulled out the house key from my blue jean pocket and gently unlocked the front door, leaving the two vampires to sort out their disagreements on my lawn.

I had a much needed sleep to catch up on.

If this caught your interest, just drop a story alert. If not, feel free to stroll on by and thanks for reading. Also, I can't say the "relationship" between Eric and Sookie will be normal in this story, which I only plan to be very short, but that means squat sometimes to me if I really get writing. And I do plan on Sookie exploring her options, much to the chagrin of Eric. But that's spoilers, m'dears. Anyway, let me know your thoughts in a review :)