*A/N I know Eric and Pam are highly OOC here, but they're different characters and this is another universe ya know? Also, I've kind of given Pam a combination of Lana and Grace's stories (mostly Lana's with a smidge of Grace). I didn't think that Grace's story was really necessary for the one that I intend to tell, so I didn't make a character for her and just integrated the parts I needed into Lana's story. This chapter still follows the story fairly closely, but things will divulge in later chapters. I have a BIG plan for a twist ending. Anyway, I digress. As always, mucho thanks for reading. Hope you enjoy it!

Eric looked at her skeptically. "I don't know if I should trust a woman who broke into an asylum, but I guess I can't turn down a beautiful woman in need. Tell me what you need me to do." He said taking her hand. He could see tears welling in her eyes and how she was trying not to shed them. He couldn't understand why, but he felt a bond to this woman and seeing her upset made his heart ache. "I'm sorry for what they did to your boyfriend."

"Thank you. I loved him more than I've ever loved anyone." She whispered, wiping away her tears. "I need a friend in here... and something tells me that you are that friend. There was a lot of evidence against you, and I had condemned you as guilty, but now I don't believe that you killed your wife and those other women. I feel like I was framed too; I didn't kill Alcide. I don't know who did, but I'm going to find out and find a way out of here, and I can't do it alone. I'm a good judge of character, and something tells me that you are a good person, Eric. I need your help."

"So what do we do?" He asked looking around anxiously. Dr. Edgington had walked in and had a sick look in his eyes, as usual. He had been on the wrong end of one of the sick doctors experiments and didn't want to be in that position ever again.

"Be wary of the doctor, or it could end very badly." He warned Pam.

He watched Jessica Hamby try to flirt with the doctor and sighed. A small part of him felt sorry for the girl, but doing what she was doing wasn't going to help her with anything except to be on the receiving end of Sister Reynolds' most vicious cane. That sadistic bitch lived to cane people bloody. Jessica waved at him and he gave her a small nod of hello.

"Who's that?" Pam asked, sizing up the intimidating doctor. "He looks terrifying."

"That is Dr. Edgington. He tried opening my head and looking at my brain my first night here. If not for some big commotion, who knows what would have happened. When patients go missing, Sister Reynolds blames him. I hate to say it, but I agree with her."

"I think I was the commotion that cut your operation short." Pam said with a smirk.

"Well thank G-"

Their conversation was cut short when Jessica sat on his lap and glared at Pam; screaming that Eric was hers. Eric rolled his eyes and shoved Jessica off of him.

Pam surprised herself with a pang of jealousy. Maybe this place was really having an effect on her, but she felt strangely possessive of this stranger named Eric Northman. He could quite possibly be a serial killer for all she knew, but she honestly felt like she could trust him. He was the only glimmer of light in the God forsaken hell hole in which she was imprisoned, and she would be damned if she suffered completely in the dark.

"Eric." she whispered after contemplating everything that had just happened in the day room. "I know a way out of here… it was kind of the way I got in here in the first place, but we're going to have to play it cool and wait for the right time to make a run for it. I have bakery duty soon, but I'll try and see you again before lights out."

"We're going to get out of here, Pam… one way or the other. I have to meet with the psychiatrist who holds my fate in his hands in awhile. You go on to the bakery and try to keep calm. I'm not going to let anything happen to you. I promise."

Pam gazed lovingly into Eric's eyes and felt a smidge of guilt in her gut. She had just lost Alcide; how could she possibly be falling for someone else so quickly? Pam patted his hand and stood, straightening the denim dress she was wearing. "Meet me later." She whispered as she passed him to exit the day room.

Eric watched her walk away and smiled. She was flawless, breathtakingly beautiful, and kind; to put it mildly, she knocked his socks off. He wasn't sure that it was love that he felt for her because they had barely met, but he had instantly cared for her and her well-being. He was determined to free her from this house of misery and woe; he may not have much of a chance of ever being free, but she deserved her freedom and everything that life had to offer.

He sat and processed everything that had happened, and lit a cigarette. He certainly needed one to calm his nerves; things in the day room were never calm and relaxing between the annoying record that Sister Reynolds insisted on playing constantly and the various idiosyncrasies of the other patients. Finally, one of the guards informed him that the psychiatrist responsible for his evaluation was there and waiting for him and he got up with no objections. He certainly hoped that whoever this guy was, that he'd listen to his side of the story.

Eric entered the doctor's office and the short, dark-haired man stood up to greet him and spoke up with a Southern accent. "Mr. Northman. I'm glad they've finally brought you to me. I'm Dr. Bill Compton, and the court has decided that I'll be the one to evaluate your sanity. Please, have a seat."

"Dr. Compton, I didn't kill those women." Eric stated, looking Dr. Compton straight in the eye.

"Now, Mr. Northman… may I call you Eric?" Compton asked him.

"Sure, that's fine with me. I hate formalities." Eric replied.

"Eric… I've read up on your case, and I know you THINK that you didn't kill those women, but you don't have solid alibis for the nights that Sookie Stackhouse and Debbie Pelt were murdered, and you claim to have blacked out the night that your wife, Nora, disappeared. That's not going to do you any favors in a court of law. I want you to tell me everything that you remember." The doctor told him earnestly.

"Honestly, doc, I don't remember a thing. I know I came home from work the night that Nora was murdered. I had a beer, like I did most every night, but just one. Then I woke up on the floor, and that's all that I remember. Before I knew what was happening, I was being arrested and hauled in shackles into this place…. You gotta help me, doc. I don't want to get the chair." Eric confessed.

"I'll do what I can to make sure that doesn't happen, Eric." Doctor Compton told him.

"You will?" A stunned Eric asked.

"I will." Doctor Compton reassured. "You can go now. I really just wanted to meet you today. We'll talk more tomorrow. I've got to go myself; Sister Jude needs my assistance with another patient."

"I thought you were just here to see me?" Eric asked.

"I am, but she insists that I help with this one. I can't divulge what it is, but it's pretty bizarre." Compton answered. "Have a good evening, Eric."

"You too, Doc." Eric said as he stood up to leave.

Eric was grateful to have a doctor who seemed to be decent and kind and on his side. Other than meeting Pam, it was the only good thing to happen to him since he was thrown in this hell hole. Pam… he could think about Pam all day. He hoped she was holding herself together as she worked in the bakery. If she showed a sign of weakness, the nuns and other patients would pounce on her instantly. He had his own problems and really shouldn't be worrying about Pam's issues, but he couldn't help but think that now, her problems were his problems.

Meanwhile downstairs in the bakery, Pam kneaded a loaf of bread and found that it was surprisingly therapeutic and relaxing. She wondered how Eric's appointment with his psychiatrist had gone; he deserved a break and for someone other than her to be on his side. She hoped that they would get a chance to try and escape soon; she didn't know how long she could last in this place. As long as she had Eric's support and friendship, she could bear it. If she were to lose him, she'd crack up for sure.

When the nuns finally announced that it was time to count the knives for the day and call it quits, she was relieved. She could go see Eric again. Hurrying up the stairs, she walked into the day room and sat at a table, waiting for him. Startled at the feeling of someone tapping her on the shoulder, Pam quickly spun around and was relieved to see Eric behind her. She resisted the urge to jump up and throw her arms around him; a combination of guilt over Alcide and knowing that affection was frowned upon in the asylum and would only earn them a trip up Sister Reynolds' stairway to heaven and sore asses from a good caning were the largest factors in her restraint. She looked up his tall frame and smiled. "So how'd it go?"

"Not too bad, actually." Eric answered with a smile as he sat down to join her. "Doctor Compton said he doesn't want me to get the chair and will do what he can to help me."

"Thank God for small miracles." Pam answered. "But if we can get a chance to get away, maybe none of that will matter."

"Our best shot is to get away during one of the many ruckuses that go on here every day… but it will need to be a big one when EVERY one is distracted." Eric said letting his hand rest on hers.

Pam felt butterflies dancing in her tummy as Eric laid his hand on hers. She was thrilled that he was on board with trying to escape, and even more elated that he wanted to escape with her. "We just need to wait it out then." She whispered softly.

They wouldn't need to wait long. Rumor had it, that that very night, Sister Reynolds and the rest of the staff were going to perform an exorcism on a patient that had been brought in that day. The problem was that Sister Ginger had been instructed to lock all the patients in their rooms at seven o'clock, and her blind loyalty to Sister Reynolds made her proceed with the lockdown without hesitation.

Pam had sadly bid Eric adieu and gone to lay down in her cell when Sister Ginger had insisted that it was time for lights out. Sleep didn't find her, though; she was too caught up with mourning Alcide, contemplating her budding relationship with Eric, her unfair imprisonment, and getting the hell out of this place. If only they weren't locked away.

Just as Pam was certain that this night could not get any more depressing, the lights in the asylum began to flicker and suddenly her cell door flew open. She tiptoed to the doorway and called for Eric.

"Eric." She whispered loudly. "ERIC." He was nowhere to be found, though. The other patients including that nymphomaniac, Jessica, had begun to congregate in the hallway and Pam briefly considered making a run for it alone. The tunnel she had entered the asylum through was at the end of the hall; it was the best chance she would have.

Just as she was about to make her way towards the exit she felt a presence behind her. She turned around and was relieved to see Eric.

Grasping his hand, she whispered quietly "NOW. We have to go now. This way."

Eric didn't say a word; he kept a tight grasp on Pam's hand and all but dragged her down the hallway. As they neared the exit, they heard Jessica scream from behind them.

"HELP. HELP ME. BLOODY FACE IS ESCAPING."

Eric and Pam's eyes met once again. They were busted.

The next morning, they were both brought to Sister Reynolds' office along with Jessica. Sister Reynolds had them pull down their underwear and lean on her desk and wait for their impending caning as she admonished and talked down to them like naughty school children. Since Jessica had been the one to rat them out, Sister Reynolds gave her the privilege of choosing the canes they would be whipped with.

She chose a small one for Pam and a large one for Eric and said "Sorry" with a shrug. Pam glared at her sideways. "Screw you."

Just as Sister Reynolds was about to lay into Pam, Eric interjected. "Wait. Don't punish Pam. This was all my idea; I was just taking her with me."

"Isn't that chivalrous?" Sister Reynolds asked maliciously. "Stand up, Pam. Eric, you can take her punishment for her. It was twenty lashes apiece; now you'll get forty."

Pam stood up with a look on her face that was a combination of relief and horror.

Eric gave her a smile. "It's okay, Pam." He said just as Sister Reynolds swung the cane at his backside. He winced but didn't cry out. Pam took care of that, yelping as she looked on.

"Sorry, Eric." She whispered as tears filled her eyes. What had she done?

"