Happily Never After by PersianFreak

Sequel to Surprise

Disclaimer: Everything belongs to Charlaine Harris. Please don't sue.

Rating: T, possibly M for later chapters

A/N: Apparently I just can't let go of this story, but I don't anticipate that this sequel will be that long; maybe a few chapters? You never know. Regardless, reviews are welcome. Or no, scratch that. Please review so I know you want me to continue.

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"What's going on?" My eyes shot back and forth between my husband and the other vampires standing in his office. There were three of them, a man and two women, all dressed in black. The man had impossibly glossy black hair that fell into his eyes and set off his brilliant green eyes, his tall figure nearly as imposing as Eric's. His black suit and shirt were crisp and his loafers were entirely free of dust or scuff marks. The two women flanking him were identical; their matching dresses a single stitch away from being indecent for public. They both had deep red hair that reached their waist and identical glacial eyes that regarded me with open distaste.

"Eric?"

"This is Lucius," Eric informed me curtly, "He has been sent by the Council." There was no need to explain what the Council was: the supreme vampire court reserved for only the worst crimes, and he felt no need to introduce the two women and, in return, they glared at him. I raised my eyebrows curiously.

"Mr. Northman has been charged with the murder of Felipe de Castro and his highest-ranking officers," The Lucius intoned in a bored voice, shooting me a disapproving look. I kept my face blank, but my heart did a free fall, leaving me colder than ever.

"What?" I frowned, the picture of disdain, "Felipe de Castro disappeared over two hundred years ago. His remains were never found."

"Yes, well, we have other proof," Lucius sneered at me.

"How do you know it was Eric?"

'Sookie,' Eric warned me mentally, but I ignored him.

"It could have been anyone!" I continued.

'Don't!' Eric sent, picking up on my thoughts.

'Eric, I'm not going to let you take all the blame! I was just as involved!'

'I don't care; do not say a word.'

'Dammit, Eric, I can't just-'

'Don't you fucking dare, Sookie Northman!' Eric's mindvoice blared in my head, sending shockwaves down my spine with its force; I winced.

"We have sufficient evidence," Lucius responded, unaware of the mental conversation between Eric and I, "You need to come with us, Northman." He turned and faced Eric who still showed no signs of the anger he was feeling.

"I am going to need a moment to say good-bye to my wife," Eric's eyes were trained on me.

"Go ahead," He nodded towards us and Eric's head snapped away to glare at Lucius.

"Alone," My husband hissed, making the twins bare their fangs in response. Lucius shot us an amused look and nodded, strutting out the door in a show of dominance.

"Eric," I stepped forward.

"They are right outside the door," He warned quietly, taking me into his arms.

'Please don't do this,' I begged, my fingers digging into his arms as if I could stop him if I held on tightly enough.

'I killed a king; I knew there would be consequences if I should be caught, but I still did it.'

'You did it for me! It's my fault, not yours!'

'I would have done it regardless of whether or not you wanted me to,' Eric kissed my forehead lightly, 'Besides, I am not about to let you take the fall for me; what good am I if I can't protect you?'

'Eric, please don't...' I leaned my head against his chest and bit my lip in an attempt to stop the tears threatening to spill. 'Why now? It's been two hundred years; why arrest you now?'

'I suppose it took them that long to take action; they aren't exactly bound by mortal constraints.'

'They're taking you away?' Even my mindvoice sounded miserable.

'To await trial.'

'How long?' A month? Two months? I wondered if it would take as long for the trial as it had for the investigation, and shuddered.

"Northman!" Came Lucius' voice from outside the door, causing me to lift my head and look towards the office door.

"I'm coming!" Eric snapped back angrily, but continued to not respond. 'Eric?' I turned back to him and met his conflicted gaze, feeling my heart drop even further, "How long?"

"A few years," His voice was soft, apologetic.

"How many years?" I pressed, though I felt numb; frozen.

"Around ten," My legs decided at that moment to stop cooperating and I fell, Eric quickly catching me and settling me down on the couch while he himself kneeled, his hands resting on my knees.

'I can't,' I shook my head, 'I can't not see you for ten years, I just can't.'

'Sweetheart-'

'No,' I stroked the side of his face with a finger, 'I'll come after you, I'll help you escape!'

'You can't do that, Sookie,' He shook his head sadly, his own hand cupping my face, 'These people are too powerful; they are older than you can imagine. You can't fight them, Sookie.'

'I can't just sit around and wait!' My voice would have been a high wail, had I been speaking.

'Yes, you can, and you must,' Eric lowered his face to mine until our noses were nearly touching, 'You need to stay safe, dear one. Promise me that you won't do anything stupid.'

'Eric-'

'Promise me!' I looked away as the tears finally began rolling down my face, 'Sookie, I can't order you to do anything; even if I did, you would go against my wishes without a second thought, but I need to know that while I am away, you are safe. I need you to be alright.' His blue eyes dominated my vision with their beseeching gaze.

"I promise," I whispered as more tears flowed down my face. Eric pulled me into his arms and I opened my knees to bring him closer to me.

"My Sookie," He murmured into my hair, "My darling." My body shook with the force of my grief now, and his arms tightened around me.

'There's a chance that I won't ever see you again, isn't there?' I finally managed to quell the sobbing, 'Isn't there?' I pressed urgently, hating that he was looking away from me, hating that I was right and he knew it.

"Yes," He sighed, "There is."

"That won't happen," I stated confidently, "It can't." I desperately wanted him to agree with me, to tell me that I was right and that nothing could keep him away from me so permanently, but instead he looked at me with eyes that betrayed his age; eyes that made me feel young and small and insignificant as I stubbornly held on to the belief that my husband would not, could not be taken from me.

'I have always loved you, Sookie,' Eric tenderly pushed a piece of my hair behind my ear, a single crimson tear escaping unnoticed from his eye, 'And I always will.'

'Don't,' I shook my head miserably, quickly wiping his tear away before I became undone, 'Don't act like this is the last time.'

'Because it's not,' He smiled and I found myself vehemently memorizing every line of his face as he did.

'Right, it's not,' I agreed, though tears were blurring my vision of him. I wiped them away angrily, annoyed that I couldn't see him clearly when this would be the last time in a long time that I could see him so closely, the last time I would be able to feel him in my arms. 'I love you.'

'I love you, too, dear one.'

"Northman!" Lucius snapped, "Anytime this century would be phenomenal."

"Fuck you," Eric muttered.

"I heard that!" A disgruntled Lucius called back and I found myself smiling.

"I have to go," Eric murmured against my lips.

"I know," His lips crashed down on mine, his hands clutching my waist while mine clung to his shoulders.

'EricEricEricEricEricEric,' I chanted in my mind, though the urgency in his lips terrified me.

"Alright, time to go." Lucius opened the door and burst in looking downright annoyed. His lackeys looked disgusted. We broke apart, Eric leaning his forehead against mine before he got up, clutching my hand.

'Good-bye, darling.' He smiled at me and I bit back the grief.

'I love you.'

'Always.'

'Bye.' My smile was a ghost of his. He kissed me one last time and turned away, walking out of his office as Lucius and his women trailed behind him. I followed them to the door, from where I watched them continue on down the hallway towards the employee entrance of Fangtasia, stopping when Pam burst out of her office.

"Eric," She frowned at the other three, "What's going on?"

"Sookie will explain," He nodded towards me, "Good-bye, Pamela." He leaned forward and kissed her on the forehead, leaving her perplexed and looking at me in search of an explanation.

"Good-bye, Eric," I said quietly and he turned back to give me the most heartbreaking look imaginable.

"Good-bye, Sookie," He said softly.

And just like that, my life ended.