Melanie:

Neither of them responded and I started running after Alcide. I watched as something swooped past me, knocking Alcide down before running into the house with Sookie.

It had to be Bill.

Alcide growled and I helped him up, running with him into the house.

"Sookie, I'm sorry. I should never have let you come…" Bill sighed, brushing her hair back.

"Then why did you?" Asked Alcide.

"Sook?" I asked, running my hand down her cheek. "Sook stay with me." I pleaded. "Bill, do something for fuck's sake."

He dropped his fangs, biting into this wrist before placing it into her mouth, letting the blood drip.

"Come on Sookie." I sighed, feeling my eyes start to burn with tears. "Please, come back."

I felt strong arms grab me, but they weren't Eric's. Where was he? Alcide tucked me into his chest, stroking my hair as he tried to shield me from watching Sookie but I couldn't bring myself to take my eyes off of her. Why wasn't it working? Was she too far gone? Was that even a possibility?

"Why isn't she opening her eyes, Bill?"

He lifted his head to look at me, something like sadness lurked behind them. "The more damage is inflicted, the longer it takes to heal. Give it time."

I bit my lip, stepping out of Alcide's embrace and walking into the kitchen. Leaning my hands on the counter, I let my head hang as my heart beat rapidly in my chest. I felt nauseous. Dizzy. Fucking sick to my stomach. It was all so much. Droplets of tears started to fall down my cheeks, dropping onto the granite between my hands. Why couldn't things just be fucking normal?

"She'll pull through." Alcide's voice sounded behind me. "She's a tough one."

"I can't even feel her." I replied, wiping the tears from my face before walking over to the liquor cabinet, grabbing a bottle of whiskey. "We've always been connected. Some telekinesis type shit."

I didn't know how much he knew about us being fae, but he wasn't going to hear it from me.

I lifted the bottle, taking a long slow sip to feel the liquid burning down my chest.

"Woah, woah." He crossed the floor, grabbing the bottle from me. "Take it easy. Sookie needs you right now. She's going to be okay. I know it."

I yanked the bottle from his hands. "Do you? How the fuck do you know? When is anything ever okay? She got shot, Alcide. She wasn't attacked by some vampire. A fucking human did that! Who are we even supposed to trust when monsters are all around us?" I yelled, taking another sip before feeling myself burst into tears. "It's my fault she was in this. I let my anger take over me. Without a fucking thought – I was ready for war to back at them for what they did to my husband. Now look where we are? Sookie's practically dead. Eric's nowhere to be found. It's all my fault." I broke down.

Alcide wrapped his arms around me again, taking the bottle and setting it on the counter behind me as he hugged me. I couldn't help but cry into the comfort of his embrace.

"It's not your fault. We both know she would've done this for Bill anyway. I'll tell you one thing, you Stackhouse women fight for what you believe in. It's admirable. Even if it don't always work out."

"Everything's gone to shit." I cried. "This was all my idea and look where it got us? Y'know what Eric said before we went to Bill's? He said the war wasn't our business. He wanted us to run away. Leave all of this behind."

"You should've listened." He replied quietly. "Neither you or her ever do."

"I should've fucking listened." I sighed before feeling a hint of something in my chest. "Alcide." I stepped back. "She's coming to."

He let me go, both of us running back into the living room to see Bill still hovering over her. She opened her eyes, looking up at him, then us.

"Sook." I dropped to my knees on the couch beside her.

"Hey." She smiled weakly. "Wha -"

"You – you got shot Sook. I'm so sorry." I whispered.

"Did did we win?" She asked, looking between us. "Where's Eric?"

"I – i don't know." I hung my head, wondering what they could be doing to him right now. He was so vulnerable, especially in the state he was in.

"I already have my men out looking for him. Now that I know you're alright," Bill turned his eyes to me and he paused for a moment, his eyes narrowing in confusion as he looked me over before continuing.. "I'll go and join them and I will search for him myself …"

"I have to go with you." I cut him off.

"Am I the only one who thinks this is batshit crazy?!" Alcide stood abruptly, his nostrils flaring in anger as he looked between us. "Why don't you women ever learn your lessons? Sookie, you almost camethis close to dying. Because of fangers. Again! Because of their war. Because of their problems. You said it yourself Mel. You should've listened. Eric would want you safe."

"Alcide, every minute we spend here…" Sookie spoke.

"Who knows what they're doing to him." I replied.

Bill was still looking at me, a solemn but still confused look on his face.

He looked between us, sighing. "I'm done here. You two are hopeless."

"Alcide." I followed him out the door.

He turned around, eyes shooting daggers at the ground, not being able to look at me.

"You know why I have to do this. You would do ANYTHING for Debby. To make sure she's safe. To make sure she's home. Just like Sookie would do for Bill. Just like Eric would stop at nothing for me." I walked down a few steps. "I know you care about us. I know what you feel for Sookie…. but please understand why I need to do this."

He growled under his breath hanging his head before disappearing down the dark path between the trees.

The door opened and closed behind me and I turned to see Bill walking down the stairs.

"What have you heard so far?" I asked, arms crossed over my chest.

"Nothing yet. I'm going to get a briefing then head out to join the search." He replied, clearing his throat.

"Okay." I nodded. "Let's go."

"No." He stopped me. "There's no point in you going out tonight. Watch after Sookie. She's still going to be weak for a short while. She needs you right now."

I looked back at the house, then at him. "I don't trust you. How do I know you'll actually try to bring him back?…. Alive."

"I'm all you have right now. I want this to end just as much as you do. I'll let you know if I find anything." He returned.

I nodded, wrapping my arms around myself. The thought of Bill being the only one I had was unsettling. It was true. Sookie almost died. This wasn't Alcide's fight. Who knew where Jason was. Mom, dad, and gran were all gone. I was alone in this. I couldn't trust Bill as far as I could throw him and yet I was forced to. Just until I was reunited with Eric.

I felt sick to my stomach again.

What would I do if we never found him? He was my best friend. I couldn't live without him.

I walked back up the stairs to the house, feeling Bill's eyes on me the whole way. He'd been looking at me funny the entire time we'd been here. I couldn't read his look, but it was freaking me out.

Shutting the door behind me, I could hear the shower running upstairs. I walked around slowly dead bolting all of the doors, securing and triple checking all of the windows to make sure everything was locked. I'd never felt as unsafe.

I made my way down to Eric's cubby. His bed was still unmade. The smell of him still lingering. The smell of sunshine and the sea. Sliding myself beneath the blankets, I lifted them to my nose, taking in the smell of him to relish in whatever comfort it would provide, letting them soak in the tears that I couldn't control.

We had to find him. We just had to.

ooo

I stared at the empty shot glasses in front of me. The noise of the bustling bar behind me sounded so far. Everyone went on about their days as if nothing was wrong.

"Look lady, you gon' grab me a beer or am I gon' have to come over there and grab it myself?"

I turned around, looking at the disgusting hillbilly behind me before snapping out of my self-misery. I had to stop spacing out. It didn't do me any good.

Grabbing a beer from the fridge below, I placed it in front of him. "Anything else I can get you?"

"That'll be $8."

"$8 for a goddamn beer?!"

"$4 for the beer. $4 for the hollering at the staff."

"You expect not to get hollered at takin' 20 minutes for a goddamn bottle?!"

"Yup, we's a real classy place over here." I mocked in my thickest southern accent.

"Fine" He placed down some bills. "Don't expect a tip in that either." he grumbled.

I nodded, grabbing the cash and walking over to the register, putting in the four bills and keeping the other four for myself.

I needed to get out of this place. Eric always said I didn't have to work anymore if I didn't want to, but Sam needed the help and I needed to have some sort of contribution into the marriage.

How was I stupid enough to turn that down?

"Melanie – Sookie's on the phone for you." Arlene yelled over the noise.

"Thanks." I replied, walking over to the hallway to answer. "Hey, what's going on? How're you feeling?"

"Mel – Get your ass to the Festival of Tolerance. Marnie's got Eric and they're heading there now. She's going to use him to kill people and show the world that vampire's can't be trusted."

"Wait, what? Sook how do you know this? Where are you? Did he look okay?"

"He was under a spell – there's no time. Hurry!"

She hung up the phone and I did too, quickly taking off my apron before running out to my car, heading for the festival.

"First she erases his memory. Now she's got him under a spell. Oh, I can't wait to get my hands on her." I seethed. "Finish what I fucking started in that graveyard."

It wasn't long before I got there. I could see people running outside in a panic and slammed the brakes, pulling my car into park and running for the entrance.

"RUN!" I heard Sookie scream and shoved my way against the crowd.

There were more screams and I could see people being thrown left and right until I spotted him. He charged for the stage and started fighting Bill. Mercilessly throwing him into the ground repeatedly. I could see Sookie running towards the stage.

"Eric!" I screamed, trying my best to run through the crowd to get to him.

He didn't hear me. Shit.

He threw Bill across the floor and put him in a chokehold. Sookie jumped on his back but he tossed her off. Bill began shooting, catching Eric in the shoulder with a silver bullet before taking down the rest of them.

He went to shoot him again but I jumped in front. "Bill," I cried. "Please don't!"

I turned to face my husband who yanked the silver from his shoulder before running past me back to Bill, chanting "Kill the king."

"Bill!" Sookie yelled as he was thrown once more. She threw her body over his as Eric picked up a stake. Everything was moving so goddamn fast, I couldn't catch a breath.

"NO MORE!" I screamed and light came from all around me hitting Eric just as he was about to kill him.

The energy drained me, causing me to drop to my knees when everything went quiet around me.

I felt like I was going to throw up. It'd never taken that much out of me before. I lifted my eyes to see Eric.

His eyes met mine.

He was back.

My Eric was back.

"Melanie." He said, crossing the floor to me, dropping down to his knees to cup his hands over my face his eyes searching every inch of me before he pulled me into his embrace.

Holy fuck. He was back.