Chapter Six:

It was late evening when Godric settled into his living room, the nest emptied of everyone. He had been alone since his return from the Fellowship, only speaking to Isabel occasionally should she require anything from the Sheriff. His underlings understood he needed space, that he needed to be alone. And while they all worried for him, they never questioned his actions.

He was lost in thought that night, the worry for his child consuming him. The sudden desires from him the previous evening caused him unrest during the day. He had been forced to feed from the handful of bagged blood he had refused when he first arrived back at the nest. But the hunger he stole from his child had become his own, and it took every ounce of strength not to search out a live feed.

Closing his eyes, Godric sought out the frail link between he and Eric. He was surprised when he found his child so close, his eyes quickly snapping back open when the front door of the house slammed open.

"Godric!" Eric's voice roared throughout the house.

The ancient was before him in the hallway in an instant. His gaze was immediately drawn to the brunette his Viking held. It was a sight he thought he would never witness again, one that he had often found himself daydreaming of.

"I'm sorry. I failed you," Eric dropped his head in shame as he cradled the Goddess. She had been true to her word, and had only lasted half of the flight before Eric was begging for her to wake once more. How could she have been so calm when she slipped away? She had only promised that she would see him soon before that was it.

Godric searched for a heartbeat, any indication that Celena was alive and well. But he found none. Sighing, he motioned to his child to follow him. The two darted through the house before arriving at Godric's room, the Goddess being laid carefully in the middle of the bed.

"Is it true?" Eric shot Godric a hopeful glance. "Will she actually wake?"

"I told you she was immortal, did I not?" he assured him, tucking the girl underneath the sheets. "She will wake soon. I don't remember this lasting more than a few hours – half a day at most."

Eric considered his promise before nodding. He could feel the certainty through their bond, and was forced to believe his maker. "Speaking of which, we have much to discuss. It seems you've left a lot out."

Godric chuckled softly as he gently swept the strands of hair out of the Goddess's face. She was just as he last remembered, not even a single hair different than when they last were together. "I'm sure she has told you plenty already."

"Not nearly enough. Care to fill me in?"

"I'm sure she would enjoy the pleasure of doing so," Godric shook his head. "Now tell me what occurred, Eric. How did this happen?"

"I think you already know," Eric assumed before hesitating. "Thank you for your aid, father."

Godric sent him a quick glance before gazing back down at the Goddess. "It's rare that she loses control of her abilities. I've only witnessed it a few times, and it isn't a pleasant occurrence."

The Viking frowned as he rubbed his chest, remembering the sensation far too well. "She is interesting, this one. And you've never had her, she was quick to inform me. Really, father? That treasure, and not even a single touch?"

The ancient ushered the younger vampire out of the room, closing the door until only a small gap remained. "We were never like that. It was different between us."

Eric eyes his maker closely as he remained by the bedroom door. Godric didn't seem to want to stray too far from the Goddess, and from the glances he sent the closed door every so often, Eric could tell he wanted nothing more than to be at her side. It was curious, to the vampire, how the two had parted all those years ago when it was obvious they had been close.

"Go," Eric rolled his eyes. "Its nearly dawn anyways, and I need to feed. Let me know when she wakes? I would like to kill her myself for letting herself die when I explicitly told her not to."

"She has a habit of not listening, I'm afraid," Godric mused with a small smile. "Thank you, my son, for bringing her to me. I know it must not have been easy."

"Both of you certainly owe me," Eric twisted and sought out the kitchen. He was going to need several bags of blood if he was going to keep his hands to himself. The desire to mount the girl was still there, even if she was lying in that room dead.

Godric watched silently as Eric turned a closer before he slipped back into the bedroom. He settled in the chair across the room, his gaze never leaving Celena. He knew what awaited him when she woke, and while he wasn't looking forward to their discussion, seeing those striking blue eyes that could look deep within anyone's soul, would make it worth it.

There was no warning when Celena woke. One moment, her body was completely still, completely dead to the world. And the next, she was awake.

Her eyes were wide as she lifted herself up into a siting position. Her hand was held over her heart as the rhythmic beat lulled her into a sense of calm. She gasped in several breaths before her blurry eyes began to clear. It was always so disorienting when she woke from death. Several moments passed as she remembered the events leading up to the painful death, a frown settled on her lips. By the feel of where she was, she had been laid on a bed.

She was in Dallas.

Which meant…

Celena cursed herself for not realizing she was joined by another sooner. Her senses were slow to return to her as she quickly slid off the bed and to her feet. But her legs were still heavy and shaky, and she would have fallen to the floor if a pair of arms hadn't caught her.

But she knew those arms.

She knew those arms far too well. Not even a thousand years would take the memory of them away from her.

"Careful," Godric warned. "You've only just awakened."

Her eyes squeezed shut as Godric righted her back on her feet, his arms securely around her waist to keep her upright. He didn't move otherwise, never forcing her to open her eyes to face him. She wasn't sure she was ready just yet.

"How long?" Celena managed out, and was surprised at how hoarse her voice sounded.

Godric hesitated as he eyed her closely. Her eyes were still shut tightly, her head turned to the side. Her arms were held to her chest, as if trying to put distance between them even in this position. He knew after a thousand years, they couldn't go back to how things used to be, especially not after how they parted. But she looked as if he was the very last person she would ever want to be in the presence of, and that saddened him.

Sighing, Godric released her once she was steadied. Celena gladly placed distance between them, backing up until a bedside table stopped her. Her hand flew backwards until connecting with a lamp, a dim light now filling the room. Only then did her eyes slowly open.

"Hello Celena," his voice was even as her blue orbs met his for the first time in a millennia.

Celena had never been very nervous in her lifetime. She didn't ever have much of a reason to be. She was confident in her fighting, confident in her abilities. There was never a time she needed to doubt herself. Only when it ever came to this particular vampire did she question everything. He was her one true weakness, even after all this time.

"Godric," it felt familiar – too familiar – to say his name. It was difficult not for her to smile and throw her arms around him. But they were no longer the friends or allies they once were. They were nothing but old memories of one another. She still didn't even understand why Godric had sent his progeny for her after so long.

As the silence rang between them, the Goddess had to look away. His stare was always so intense, so hypnotizing. When they travelled together, she had grown used to it. She could stare right on back at him with the same intensity even. But it was unnerving now.

"How long was I…" she took in the room. Eric had done as he promised, taking her to Godric's nest after they had landed. She guessed there had been no troubles, or at least she hoped so. The demigods would have an idea of where she was going, since they had followed Eric to her. But either they were slow to follow, or they were content to leave her alone.

It was the latter that concerned her.

"It's night, I suppose," she moved around the vampire, doing anything she could to evade that stare. Her orbs darted around the room in search of her sword. It was her lifeline, her one slice of comfort she could always rely on. Finding it leaning in the corner, cleaned and sparkling, she couldn't help but smile in relief. It had been a gift from her father when she was only 15 in human years. He had sent it with Poseidon during one of his trips, making it clear that he wanted me to train with it. It had never left her side since. "A few hours then?"

Godric followed her movements, almost amused at her avoidance. "Three days."

Celena froze in place. "What?"

"You were gone for three days," he watched her reaction, watched as the confusion radiated off of her. He too was confused. He had never known her to take longer than a few hours, than half a day at the most, to regenerate. It was nearly unheard of for it to take days.

She slowly pivoted around, her eyes wide as she stared at him. "That can't be."

"It's never taken you this long before," he agreed.

She stared at the bed she had woken up on, as if it would feed her all the answers she was searching for. It wasn't possible. It shouldn't be possible. It had never taken this long before. It wasn't supposed to. "It took a day once, centuries ago. But…"

"Three days is not right," he finished for her.

Her gaze rose to meet his, and for the first time he had known her, Godric saw true fear in her orbs.

"Eric told me of the poison," Godric's eyes flickered to her side. "Perhaps it affected you more than any of us thought."

"No," Celena shook her head. "It shouldn't matter. I've had my chest ripped out and I still woke in a mere three hours. Three days isn't possible."

Unless…

Celena needed to call upon her allies, to question those in Olympus she was rarely ever allowed to communicate with. Kyros had poisoned her for a reason. He wanted to scare her. He wanted to cause her panic. And that's exactly what she was doing.

She needed to ensure the most dangerous weapon of all time was still safely out of her enemy's reach.

But another problem stood between her and those answers. Godric watched her, his stare causing her to look away once again. She had even more questions for Godric, more answers that she sought from the ancient boy.

Godric could see her distress, and it was starting to cause his façade to crumble. "You should get washed up," he motioned towards the bathroom. "I will have a change of clothing brought to you."

The Goddess narrowed her eyes as the vampire began moving quickly. Any mortal never would have been able to catch him in the act, but she wasn't just a mere human. Celena stepped in his path before he could reach the door, her arms crossed over her chest.

"Not so fast," she pursed her lips. "We have plenty to talk about, Godric."

"Soon," he moved around her at a human pace. "You just woke up, Lena. Rest."

There was warmth that spread through her at that nickname. It was enough to distract her, of course, the vampire slipping from the room before she even noticed. Cursing, Celena glared at the closed door before shaking her head and heading into the adjoined bathroom. While either Eric or Godric had cleaned the blood from her body while she had been dead, she still felt like death. It lingered on her skin; it always did.

Her thoughts consumed her as she peeled her bloodies clothes off and moved towards the shower. She felt as if she were on autopilot as the warm water cascading over her form, the heavy stream loosening the tension in her shoulders. As she was cleaning herself, her eyes closed, her fingers slid across her side.

She froze.

The shower was immediately turned off as she scurried out, her eyes wide as she glanced down at her side. It was supposed to be smooth. It was supposed to be as if nothing had ever occurred. That was what happened when she died and woke up. That was what happened with the regeneration. Her body was supposed to reset.

It wasn't supposed to how the evidence of her latest defeat.

"How…" Celena was mystified at the scar. The wound was completely closed, not even a hint of redness around the skin. But it was still there, the jagged scar that reminded her of her run in with Kyros, of the poison that had taken her life so violently.

This wasn't supposed to happen.

The Goddess needed answers now more than ever

Tugging on the bra and panties she was relieved to find were clean enough to do, she slipped back out into the bedroom to dress so she could call on an old ancient friend.

She wasn't surprised at all to find she was no longer alone.

Eric Northman sat on the edge of the bed, a wide smirk on his lips as his gaze raked across her form. She was only glad that her arms hanging at her side hid the mark from view. The Viking licked his lips in appreciation for the curves she wore. The women of this day and age were too bony for his liking. She was slender, but was most definitely a woman of another time.

"Well hello there, Princess."

Celena raised an eyebrow as she just stood there, staring at him. She didn't try to hide herself; she wasn't ashamed of her body. It was difficult to find anything to be ashamed of after 3,500 years. All she cared about, however, was ensuring the scar was not in his sight. He would only ask more questions, and there were no answers she could offer.

"Do you see that, Viking?" she nodded at the door. "I'm sure even in your time, you were taught to knock before entering."

"I'm a Viking," he merely shrugged. "We pillaged."

"You would have failed if you tried to pillage me," she shot back, a smirk of her own gracing her lips. It was amusing to spar with him. She wondered what it would be like to go sword to sword with the Viking. Maybe one day.

"Is that a challenge?"

"Just a fact," she snickered before crossing the room and reached around him for the loose sweat pants that had been left for her. "Is there something I can do for you?"

The smirk was soon wiped from his lips as the blonde's concerned gaze swept over her as she tugged the pants on. "What the hell is that?"

Celena cursed herself for not being more careful. "It's nothing, Eric."

He ignored her as he pulled her by the hips until she stood between his legs, his fingertips tracing the length of the scar. "You told me what would happen on the plane before you died. You assured me that you would wake completely healed, without a single mark on your body. Did you lie to me, Princess?"

"I didn't lie," she sighed heavily, not bothering to pull out of his reach. He would only stubbornly pull her back until he was satisfied she was fine. It was almost sweet that the vampire cared after only knowing her for a few days. She had a feeling it wasn't the norm for him.

"Then what the hell is this?" his glare bore through her. "Why are you scarred?"

"I don't know," Celena was really getting tired of having to say that. For being alive millenniums, she sounded nothing better than some teenaged twit. Another sigh sounded from her lips when Eric sent her a look of disbelief. She raised a hand to cup his cheek, offering him a small smile. "I really don't know, Eric. But I'm fine. I feel perfectly fine. Now away with those feelings of yours; you're supposed to be a heartless vampire, are you not?"

But Eric didn't look amused at all. "Does Godric know about this?"

Celena did move out of his grasp this time, grabbing the plain t-shirt and pulling it over her head. "No, and he won't. Not yet, anyways."

"Don't you think this is supposed he should know?" Eric argued, standing from the bed in an attempt to intimidate her to get his way.

"You know that doesn't work on me, Viking," she turned towards the door. "I'll tell him, but I have too many questions that need to be answered before I start caring about some scar."

"We aren't finished," he appeared before her, blocking her path. "You know something, don't you?"

She shook her head. "I honestly don't. That's why you need to move, so I can have a very long discussion with your maker before seeking guidance from some old friends."

"Don't think for a moment that you're leaving the nest," he growled.

"Wouldn't dream of it. This is more of a house visit sort of emergency," she assured, patting his chest before the vampire began to feel the energy seeping from his chest and straight into her hand. Eric was amazed at the slight glow around her fingers as his body sagged and stumbled.

Damn her.

"I'll deal with this later," Celena promised, skirting around the annoyed vampire before he could regain his strength. "One problem at a time."

Eric only grunted when she opened the door, the Goddess pausing in the doorway to shoot him one last glance. "Is it always like this with you?"

"Like what?"

"One thing after another?"

Her smile was strained. "Oh I have a feeling we're just getting started."

A/N: Ah, finally, Godric returns! The two are going to have a lovely conversation in the next chapter (poor vampire is going to get a good earful for his silly little adventure at the Fellowship, I believe). You all still rock. Like majorly rock.

Keep your fingers crossed for me guys, I may may may get some news on a job prospect early next week!