A/N: The end has come *sniffles* I really liked writing this story I hope you enjoyed reading it. I have to say THANK YOU so much to everyone who read it. All the people that faved, alerted, and took the time to review it. Sorry towards the last couple of chapters I did not respond to the reviews, but I was trying to get the chapters out, but I really do appreciate them all.

Disclaimer: Charlaine Harris and Allan Ball own it all not me.

So here you go enjoy...

She

Chapter 8

SPOV

The Ball was always a fun event, but this time I was nervous. I was very nervous. I was so nervous that I could not even get my fangs to pull up. The family rallied around me trying to calm me. Pappa asked me if he needed to issue a command. That is one thing I loved about him he always asked. Sometimes it was more of a scolding, but still it was always a question. He did the same thing the first time Jason and my family came over just to make sure it was safe, but we learned it was unnecessary. I couldn't calm down so I nodded at him and he issued his command to calm down and to retract my fangs for the next four hours. He figured that was enough time to get me calm on my own.

When the time came for us to be presented I was more than happy for his command. We all stood in the corridor waiting to be announced. First were the different Lords. Each time the door opened I tried to peek and see if he was there. If he was attending I didn't think he would be rude and show up late. The problem was Nora refused to tell me where she sat him and there were over one hundred tables in the ballroom. Ha ha laugh at baby as my eyes dart from table to table. Sometimes my siblings drove me crazy. Right before we were announced I saw him. Looking bored and talking to a flirty blonde bimbo sitting beside him.

Ok calm gone and jealously over took me. Pappa glanced back at me and shook his head just as they announced him. I put my crazy smile on and prepared to enter the ballroom.

EPOV

I arrived at the Ball Just in time for the Lords and royal family to be announced. I figured I would stay long enough to mingle a bit and meet Stellan's newest child. I did not feel like dealing with a yappy baby all night so a quick chat then I would be gone again.

I was seated next to a busty blonde that would not stop trying to garner my attention. I finally decided that maybe if I used sarcasm with her she would shut up. She was too dumb to get it. The lights dimmed and the spotlight came on. The announcer began to speak again. I knew it was time for the royal family.

Presenting His Majesty King Stellan Falk

Princes Johan and Walter Stefansson

Princesses Nora Hansson and Susannah Falk

At first I was still busy trying to derail the talkative blonde when they came through the doors, but then I felt as though somebody was staring holes through the back of my head. I turned to see the royal family just as they passed us. The blonde walking and waving next to Nora must be the "baby Falk" they had all been talking about. Her size and the sway of their hips looked so familiar. Just as they were about to turn so I could see their faces I felt a hand rub against my dick.

I snapped my attention back to the blood bag next to me who was continuing to rub and sucking on a cherry with a sexy smile on her lips. I really did not want to make a scene in the middle of a royal ball so I grabbed her wrist with a slight squeeze, not enough to break it even though I wanted to, and bent over and whispered in her ear.

"If you are going to fuck vampires you should learn the first rule is; do not touch unless told to." I placed her sure to be bruised wrist on the table and rose to join the introduction procession line, leaving the stupid blonde behind.

The problem with being in Sweden is that I was no longer the tallest and seeing the royal family before you approached was impossible. Oh and lucky for me I am the last in line thanks to that stupid bitch. When it was my time to see them I still could not see the youngest around all the people ahead of me. I stopped at the King first of course.

"Ahh…Northman so glad that you agreed to show." He said with a tense smile.

"And with such a lovely date" Johan snapped at me and Walter glared angrily at me. I don't know what the hostility was for. We were fine last night when I left them.

"Trust me when I say that is no date of mine. Blame your sister for sitting me next to that idiot." Instantly the tension faded between us.

It was odd until I got to the girls.

I froze.

My mind was definitely playing tricks on me.

No. It couldn't be, right?

For the last month I had seen her in my head and now here she stood.

I was going crazy for sure.

She stood there fidgeting with her hands and swaying from one foot to the other. The way she did so long ago. Her new "family" started to crowd around her so I did the only thing I could think of…I stormed out.

So much for not making a scene.

I made my way back to my room and paced the floor. How was it possible? Why did they all wait so long to tell me? She told me that she did not want to be turned. What changed? Stellan said they were not lovers, but almost every maker fucks their children. Did he just blatantly lie to me? Questions just kept running through my head. Until the door to my room busted open.

What the fuck?

Walter stood there with the same angry glare he had earlier. He could be quite menacing when he wanted to.

"Northman, you asshole why the fuck did you run? I've known you all my undead life. I never figured you for a coward." He bellowed at me.

I just stood there staring at him. My voice had left me.

"Min lilla syster does not deserve what just happen to her. So if you are going to be a prick then just get your shit and go. Otherwise grab your balls and go talk to her. Do you know how hard this was for her to do? In case you have forgotten you're the one that left her for another woman not the other way around. Did you really expect a beautiful, intelligent, magnificent creature like her to be your mistress? If you did then you are dumber than we all thought and don't deserve her. In my opinion once you failed to fight for her you ceased to deserve her, but she has a loving heart and somehow never stopped loving you." He continued to yell. "You are lucky it is me and not Pappa or Johan that came to search you out because they would have surely found a reason to end your disrespectful ass, even if vår barn would have been mad."

With that last statement he stormed out, slamming the already cracked door behind him.

He was right. I had waited and hoped for 50 years that she would come back so I could at least apologize for the many mistakes I had made. I knew that if she did come back there was no way in hell she would be my mistress, not that I would lower her to that station, and she would probably an old lady anyways, not to say that really mattered to me. I just wanted the chance to be by her side until she left this world. Now here she was and what do I do…

I panic…

I choke…

I ran.

What the fuck was wrong with me?

I took a deep breath and left the room. I started making my way back to the ballroom. I was stopped in the foyer by Johan. When they said they were protective of her they were not kidding.

"I have been instructed to wait for you in case you decided to stop hiding like a rädd spädbarn." It was kind of funny that they switched back and forth between English and Swedish when it came to insults or referring to their sister. "The way you're acting I don't blame her for running from you. You are not worthy." He huffed at me as he led me to one of the libraries. At least his statement made me sure he was not leading me to my death, yet.

As I entered the room I saw her. She was being comforted in the arms of Walter. He was rubbing her hair and shushing her. The door opening caused him to look up at me and stiffen. His petting never stopped.

"Johan did he leave? I don't know what I was thinking. I knew he would not want to see me after all this time." She sobbed never looking up from her brothers chest.

"No little sister the idiot is right here" Johan told her in Swedish. For some reason it surprised me that she understood.

Her head shot up and Walter followed with "and we will be right outside" in a whisper, like I couldn't hear him. Johan nodded in agreement with his brother as they left the room.

We just stood there staring at each other for what seemed like forever.

"Fight, fuck, or do something because the silent suspense is killing us out here." Walter yelled through the door causing her to giggle. It was a sound I never thought I would hear again.

I said the only thing that would seem to come out "I'm so sorry Sookie." It had been almost a hundred years since I had actually spoken her name and not referred to her as her or she. It almost sounded foreign coming out of my mouth.

Those four words seemed to relax her. She gave me a weak smile and gestured for me to sit down in one of the chairs and took a seat across from me.

As soon as we sat it was like a dam had bust and I apologized for all the wrong I had did to her. I explained about the resentment I had begun feeling when my maker died and all the rest to her. I didn't know if I would ever be allowed to see her again so I had to get it all out. If she would take me back I would make sure there would never be any unspoken words between us. She sat silently while I told her everything. I told her about what I learned by watching Jason. At the mention of his name her eyes rimmed red a bit, but no tears fell.

After I finished I sat quietly waiting for her reaction. She seemed to be thinking really hard. Her eyebrows still scrunched up and she still bit her lip when she did. It was nice to see she maintained many of her human traits.

"I don't know what you expected of me Eric and I think that is what bothers me the most. I made a lot of mistakes too and expected a lot of things that may not have been fair to you. The problem I have is that you apologized for your mistakes, but what were you expecting me to do. I don't understand what I was supposed to be to you. Maybe we had run our course." She told me. She was right that I did not make it clear what she would be to me when the marriage took place. I didn't even really know for sure myself. I thought about it for a minute.

"I honestly don't know what I expected from you. What I do know that at the time I was too selfish to let you go. I wanted it all; her power and you. What I failed to see was that you were more important than any power that could be offered. I don't know if I would have been forced into the marriage or if I could have found a way out of it. I can honestly say that I was so blinded by misplaced anger, resentment, and jealousy that I didn't even try to fight it. I gave up on us long before you did. I shut down and stopped fighting for what we had. It was the biggest mistake in all my lifetimes and I know if given the chance I will not make those mistakes again. If you are willing to give me another chance I will never, not fight for us again. I don't care if it is now, a year, a decade, a millennium from now that I have to wait for your heart I will and this time I will guard it as the precious thing it is; not break it." I told her. I hoped she would accept it.

She sat in silence again. Searching my eyes for truth. I took in her beauty for the first time tonight. She looked glorious as a vampire. I had so many questions for her, but knew now was not the time to ask. I could only hope we would have some time in the future to learn about the vampiress she had become.

"I have to think of everything you said and get back to you. Will you be around for a while?" she nervously asked

I rose from my seat, took her hand in mine, and kissed it. "Forever" I answered. I straightened and exited the room.

Her brothers entered the room as I left, rushing to her side. I was glad to see she had such a caring family. She had the perfect maker and siblings. Even if she did not let me back into her life I was happy that she had such a wonderful family. I made my way to my room and began unpacking. I had not planned on staying beyond tonight before, but now as long as the King would allow me I would be here for a while.

I was exiting the bathroom after changing and showering when there was a light knock at my door. I sped to open it praying it was not someone to remove me from the palace. She was standing there her eyes racking over my towel clad body. A small shudder went over her right before her eyes reached mine.

"Forever?" she asked with a smile

"Forever" I answered her with a smirk

"You know it might take me that long to forgive you" she said

"And I will work every day to earn it from you" she giggled and walked away.

The End ...Maybe

A/N: So there you have it. What did you think? I had an idea for an epilogue or maybe a sequel but not too sure. Is there anything you would like to know about them in the future? Let me know and maybe I will be inspired to write it.