This is my very first story. I have been an avid reader for over a year now. I haven't written since high school and let me tell you that was a long time ago. So please be kind. I am such a fan of so many authors and stories that I just had to join the ranks. Enjoy the adventure.
Sadly Eric and Sookie do not belong to me(only in my dreams..and boy are they good). Ms. Harris is the one with that privilege.

Prologue:

Sookie and Eric have been friends since childhood, best friends, playing in the backyard to girlfriend/boyfriend all through high school. As a matter of fact, Sookie had always dreamed of marrying Eric. Their relationship continued on into college. They were the perfect couple. Everyone thought so, but while in college, something happened to change everything. Eric got a phone call from his step mother in Sweden. His father had a stroke.

Eric left for Stockholm to be at his father's side, leaving Sookie to think that he would be back to finish school, get married and start their life together. But weeks just kept passing. His Dad's recovery wasn't going to be easy or short. Eric took it upon himself to step in and take over the family businesses. In a phone call that ended in nothing but tears from both Sookie and Eric, Eric told Sookie that he would not be returning to America. He told her to go on with her life. He had too many responsibilities now. His life wa there in Sweden now. Sookie was devestated. Her heart was broken. Eric was no better; he was confused as to what to do. Sookie tried to let Eric know that she would wait for him. He begged her not to. Eric knew that she had so much of her life ahead of her, and he had so much to worry about now. Sookie didn't have the money or willpower to just go after Eric, so she just let him go. He had already made up his mind and he didn't want to make it work. So Eric had his sister, Pam, pack up all of his belongings and ship them to Sweden. Just like that Eric and Sookie were no more.

Four years passed and Sookie finished college; she casually dated, when her friends set her up. But she never had another relationship until she met Alcide. Sookie was working for an interior design firm in Shreveport, and Alcide was a contractor on a mutual job. They met on the job site. They flirted with each other for weeks. When she finally agreed to go out on a date with him, they just clicked. Sookie felt she could finally move forward with someone who wasn't Eric. He would never be what Eric was to her, Eric was her first everything, but Alcide loved her and she cared for him a lot. The big plus for Alcide was that her was here and not in another country.

After almost a year together, Alcide asked Sookie to marry him. She said yes. This was Sookie's life without Eric, this is what he wanted, he wanted her to go on with her life. Wedding plans were being made by Sookie and her friends and Alcide was busy with his family's contracting business and remodeling a home for him and Sookie in Shreveport.

Meanwhile in Sweden, Eric's father had been handicapped by the stroke. He needed a lot of therapy and around the clock care. A live-in nurse was brought in to help Eric and his step mother care for him. Eric was doing his best to do anything for the father, who had never spent a lot of time with his son while he was growing up. Eric wanted to stand tall, be the man and do the right thing. He had done what he thought was right by leaving Sookie behind in America. He knew that the quick break up would be the best, but he could never get her off of his mind or out of his heart. He couldn't stop thinking about how much Sookie would have loved Stockholm. This city was a designers dream. But he also knew how much Sookie loved Bon Temps and she would never be this far from her Gran, Jason and her friends.

When Eric wasn't thinking about what he lost in Louisiana, his job here in Sweden was just so stressful for him. Eric had always wanted to own his own business, but he thought he'd start out small and work to build it. With the help of some very good friends and partners of his father's, Eric found himself finally settling into his role as the head of Northman, Inc. Eric made some friends of his own and went out when he could. He spent a lot of his time getting to know his father; helping him with his speech therapy brought them closer together.

Eric had even dated a little bit here and there. He was never without a beautiful woman on his arm for the many events he was expected to attend because of his position. But no one was his Sookie. No one held his heart the way Sookie still did. Then one holiday, a year ago, his father's home nurse introduced him to her daughter, Nora, who had been in Paris studying and had just returned home. Nora was beautiful, funny, talented, but most of all she was not Sookie. Eric needed someone in his life and Nora was there. The two quickly become an item. Nora was an artist and spent a lot time at Eric's apartment that he kept near the offices. She had been there so much that for her birthday Eric had the sunroom converted into a studio and asked her to move in with him. He was happy and content, as much as he could be.

So this is my first attempt to put words to paper and hope that someone feels for the characters the way that I do.
I want to thank a very special and talented person, MissyDee has been my Beta, my new friend and cheerleader through this process. She is just plain Ole AMAZING! If you haven't read any of her stories, you are missing a lot of juicy fun!
I hope that each of you will review and give me words of encouragement. Like MissyDee said to me today, "This is the hardest part." This is my baby, so be kind.