Finding My Own Way: Epilogue
Title: Finding My Own Way
Summary: Sookie's world gets turned upside down by her handsome, yet very mysterious, new neighbor. Will she be able to help him face the demons of his past, and maybe help herself in the process?
Pairing(s): Eric/Sookie
Genre(s): Drama/Romance
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: None of the characters belong to me.
Epilogue
Two years later, Eric and Sookie were currently living in Georgia. After he got a job opportunity there, they couldn't resist moving. Bon Temps held a lot of bad memories for both of them, and leaving wasn't too hard after that.
It was Christmas Eve, and Sookie was sitting by the fireplace, their decorated tree sparkling in the living room. She would sit and watch it for hours, pondering over the news she still had yet to tell Eric. Sookie knew he would be happy, but she dreaded it all the same. Right now, she was missing his presence more than anything else. His job caused him to work late hours, and she didn't even know if he would be home for Christmas. In fact, she hadn't seen much of him lately. He'd been distant, and she really worried that he was starting to regret being with her, but that was a completely insane thought.
The front door opened, pulling Sookie out of her reverie.
“Hey, what are you still doing up?”
She shrugged. “I couldn't sleep. What are you doing home already?”
Eric took his coat off, placing it on the rack as he made his way over to her. “They let me leave early. You know, Santa won't come if certain little girls don't get to bed.”
Sookie rolled her eyes. “I'm not a child; you know that won't work on me. Besides, I have too much on my mind to think about sleeping.”
He sat down beside her. “Care to enlighten me?”
“It's not important, you should turn in. You've probably had a long night. I just want to watch the tree a little bit longer.”
“Sweetheart, what's troubling you?” Eric wondered with concern. “Something has bothered you for weeks now, don't think I haven't noticed. I know I've been working a lot, but I'm still as perceptive as I've always been.”
She felt tears in her eyes, quickly wiping them away. “Do you want to be here with me? I know it's probably a stupid thing to ask, but I feel like I haven't seen you in forever. Even when we last made love; it didn't feel like you were really here with me. You've been distracted, and I don't know if it's something I've done or what. The thought of you having any regrets about us leaves me with a hole in my heart.”
Eric couldn't believe she could think such a thing, but supposed she had every right. He took her in his arms, kissing her forehead tenderly. “I have no regrets, dear one; you know how much I love you. I'm sorry if I hadn't shown you lately, but I had no idea you were feeling this way. I'll work less hours, it pains me to think that you've been feeling neglected.”
Sookie shook her head. “You don't need to spend all of your time with me. I'm not one of those women who needs her man to be there every second of the day. I know how much you love your job.”
“Compared to you, it means nothing to me. Now, why don't we both turn in? The faster we get to sleep, the sooner Christmas will be here.”
She gave a sad smile, standing up. “It's after midnight, Christmas is already here.”
Eric watched her head to the bedroom with a heavy heart. He had to make this right.
* * * * *
Sookie awoke to the aroma of bacon and pancakes. Eric's side was still made, which led her to believe that he never came to bed. She put her robe on and walked downstairs, seeing her boyfriend in the kitchen wearing nothing but a Santa hat and jeans. She smiled at the sight.
“Aren't you cold?”
He turned at her voice, gracing her with a smile of his own. “Hardly, this weather is nothing. Take a seat, breakfast is almost ready.”
She did just that. “Why didn't you come to bed last night? Are you mad at me because of what I said?”
Eric shook his head, setting two plates down at the table before sitting himself. “Of course not, but you have given me a lot to think about. Before anything more is said, I want you to open one of your gifts now. This is why I have been so distracted lately, I just didn't realize how much until you told me. I never want you to feel that I regret being here. Being with you is the best decision I have ever made.”
She took the box from him that he put in front of her, opening it to reveal an elegant diamond ring. Sookie gasped, a hand covering her mouth at the implication. Without waiting for a response, Eric was kneeling beside her, grasping her other hand in his.
“Sookie Stackhouse, I love you more than anything. Would you do me the honor of being my wife?”
She nodded, tears streaming down her face. “God, yes, you don't even have to ask.”
Eric laughed, placing the ring on her finger where it rightfully belonged.
“Why would this have you so distracted? Did you actually think I would say no?”
He shrugged. “I had my doubts; it was mostly just me being nervous. I kept busy at work to take my mind off of proposing. I was going to wait until New Year's to ask you, but this seemed more appropriate. My nerves would have driven me crazy if I waited any longer.”
Sookie smiled, kissing his lips sweetly. “I love you so much, and this now makes what I have to say even more perfect. You're not the only one who's been really nervous recently, I've been dreading telling you this for a while.” She took in a deep breath to calm herself, deciding to just get it over with. “I'm pregnant, Eric.”
His eyes widened. “You're pregnant? We're having a baby?”
She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “I know we've never really talked about kids before, and for all I know, you don't want any after what happened with Emily. I know the pain of losing your daughter will always be with you, but I just hope you can be happy. I've already accepted this child and I've been so worried about telling you, but I'm not giving this baby up.”
Eric raised his hand, effectively cutting her off. “Sookie, did you honestly believe I wouldn't be ecstatic about you having my child? I didn't think anything could top you accepting my proposal, but you've just made me the happiest man in the world. Having a baby with you would be a blessing, there's nothing I want more.”
Sookie sighed in relief, letting him take her in his arms and smother kisses all along her face.
“I'm going to do right by the both of you, no matter what. Nothing will ever take you away from me, I'll see to that.”
She smiled through her tears. “I have no doubts. Merry Christmas, Eric.”
He rested his forehead against hers, feeling entirely blissful. “Merry Christmas, my love.”
The End
Summary: Sookie's world gets turned upside down by her handsome, yet very mysterious, new neighbor. Will she be able to help him face the demons of his past, and maybe help herself in the process?
Pairing(s): Eric/Sookie
Genre(s): Drama/Romance
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: None of the characters belong to me.
Epilogue
Two years later, Eric and Sookie were currently living in Georgia. After he got a job opportunity there, they couldn't resist moving. Bon Temps held a lot of bad memories for both of them, and leaving wasn't too hard after that.
It was Christmas Eve, and Sookie was sitting by the fireplace, their decorated tree sparkling in the living room. She would sit and watch it for hours, pondering over the news she still had yet to tell Eric. Sookie knew he would be happy, but she dreaded it all the same. Right now, she was missing his presence more than anything else. His job caused him to work late hours, and she didn't even know if he would be home for Christmas. In fact, she hadn't seen much of him lately. He'd been distant, and she really worried that he was starting to regret being with her, but that was a completely insane thought.
The front door opened, pulling Sookie out of her reverie.
“Hey, what are you still doing up?”
She shrugged. “I couldn't sleep. What are you doing home already?”
Eric took his coat off, placing it on the rack as he made his way over to her. “They let me leave early. You know, Santa won't come if certain little girls don't get to bed.”
Sookie rolled her eyes. “I'm not a child; you know that won't work on me. Besides, I have too much on my mind to think about sleeping.”
He sat down beside her. “Care to enlighten me?”
“It's not important, you should turn in. You've probably had a long night. I just want to watch the tree a little bit longer.”
“Sweetheart, what's troubling you?” Eric wondered with concern. “Something has bothered you for weeks now, don't think I haven't noticed. I know I've been working a lot, but I'm still as perceptive as I've always been.”
She felt tears in her eyes, quickly wiping them away. “Do you want to be here with me? I know it's probably a stupid thing to ask, but I feel like I haven't seen you in forever. Even when we last made love; it didn't feel like you were really here with me. You've been distracted, and I don't know if it's something I've done or what. The thought of you having any regrets about us leaves me with a hole in my heart.”
Eric couldn't believe she could think such a thing, but supposed she had every right. He took her in his arms, kissing her forehead tenderly. “I have no regrets, dear one; you know how much I love you. I'm sorry if I hadn't shown you lately, but I had no idea you were feeling this way. I'll work less hours, it pains me to think that you've been feeling neglected.”
Sookie shook her head. “You don't need to spend all of your time with me. I'm not one of those women who needs her man to be there every second of the day. I know how much you love your job.”
“Compared to you, it means nothing to me. Now, why don't we both turn in? The faster we get to sleep, the sooner Christmas will be here.”
She gave a sad smile, standing up. “It's after midnight, Christmas is already here.”
Eric watched her head to the bedroom with a heavy heart. He had to make this right.
* * * * *
Sookie awoke to the aroma of bacon and pancakes. Eric's side was still made, which led her to believe that he never came to bed. She put her robe on and walked downstairs, seeing her boyfriend in the kitchen wearing nothing but a Santa hat and jeans. She smiled at the sight.
“Aren't you cold?”
He turned at her voice, gracing her with a smile of his own. “Hardly, this weather is nothing. Take a seat, breakfast is almost ready.”
She did just that. “Why didn't you come to bed last night? Are you mad at me because of what I said?”
Eric shook his head, setting two plates down at the table before sitting himself. “Of course not, but you have given me a lot to think about. Before anything more is said, I want you to open one of your gifts now. This is why I have been so distracted lately, I just didn't realize how much until you told me. I never want you to feel that I regret being here. Being with you is the best decision I have ever made.”
She took the box from him that he put in front of her, opening it to reveal an elegant diamond ring. Sookie gasped, a hand covering her mouth at the implication. Without waiting for a response, Eric was kneeling beside her, grasping her other hand in his.
“Sookie Stackhouse, I love you more than anything. Would you do me the honor of being my wife?”
She nodded, tears streaming down her face. “God, yes, you don't even have to ask.”
Eric laughed, placing the ring on her finger where it rightfully belonged.
“Why would this have you so distracted? Did you actually think I would say no?”
He shrugged. “I had my doubts; it was mostly just me being nervous. I kept busy at work to take my mind off of proposing. I was going to wait until New Year's to ask you, but this seemed more appropriate. My nerves would have driven me crazy if I waited any longer.”
Sookie smiled, kissing his lips sweetly. “I love you so much, and this now makes what I have to say even more perfect. You're not the only one who's been really nervous recently, I've been dreading telling you this for a while.” She took in a deep breath to calm herself, deciding to just get it over with. “I'm pregnant, Eric.”
His eyes widened. “You're pregnant? We're having a baby?”
She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “I know we've never really talked about kids before, and for all I know, you don't want any after what happened with Emily. I know the pain of losing your daughter will always be with you, but I just hope you can be happy. I've already accepted this child and I've been so worried about telling you, but I'm not giving this baby up.”
Eric raised his hand, effectively cutting her off. “Sookie, did you honestly believe I wouldn't be ecstatic about you having my child? I didn't think anything could top you accepting my proposal, but you've just made me the happiest man in the world. Having a baby with you would be a blessing, there's nothing I want more.”
Sookie sighed in relief, letting him take her in his arms and smother kisses all along her face.
“I'm going to do right by the both of you, no matter what. Nothing will ever take you away from me, I'll see to that.”
She smiled through her tears. “I have no doubts. Merry Christmas, Eric.”
He rested his forehead against hers, feeling entirely blissful. “Merry Christmas, my love.”
The End