Anne Shirley: You just think that you love me.
Gilbert Blythe: Anne, I've loved you as long as I can remember. I need you.
- Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel

Chapter 10: My Baby Daddy

"We're home, baby," I cooed, holding her carefully in the car seat. Eric held the door open as I walked through the entrance of our home the next day. It was so weird to finally here with a baby, my daughter. I looked up at Eric and back at our daughter. He spent a good hour last night convincing me.

"You know how I know?" he whispered softly. Somehow he squished onto the narrow bed with me, Alina between us. She had briefly opened her eyes and they were Eric's – the same bright, vivid sapphire eyes. I had cried when I connected the two. Now, hours later we were basking in her sweet sleep. I was too wired to shut my eyes and Eric seemed to be in the same boat. Needless to say, we still had a paternity test. I wanted to make sure and the results would be mailed to us in five more days or so.

"How?" I laughed slightly, feeling completely over the moon. I stroked her soft cheek and I noticed Eric was very careful not to touch her. I watched him, his eyes fixated on his daughter. As much as I believed he was the father now, I would not get my hopes too high. I touched his cheek and he looked up at me.

"I feel that she's mine. Like, when I saw you – I knew you were mine," his lips touched mine briefly and I couldn't help but smile.

"Technically I'm still a Stackhouse," I said, shrugging.

"You could be a Northman, along with your daughter." I watched him, his eyes still on mine as he leaned down and kissed the top of our daughter's head. My heart fluttered. He never looked sexier and I was never less in the mood. I laughed slightly.

"Maybe," I said. "My name goes well with my last name. It sounds weird with Northman."

"Just repeat it a lot, it'll sound good," he pushed his nose to mine and soon I had fallen asleep.

Eric let out a sigh of relief when he closed the door and we were away from the hospital sounds and noises. We stood at the entry taking off our jackets. We'd only been settled here for four months but it already felt like home. Much more than his apartment had. This was our place. Him and me and Alina.

"Now what?" he asked me. I really had no idea.

"We could take her to the nursery," I suggested. Eric nodded enthusiastically. He picked up the capsule carefully, worried about his daughter settled in and held it close to his face as we went upstairs. I felt a bit nervous, not knowing what to expect now that it was just us three.

"I can't tell – is she sleeping?"

Once we were in the nursery, we looked around unsure of what to do next. "I kind wished she would cry," I found myself saying. Eric scrunched up his nose.

"Get the pillow, we'll watch TV," he pointed to the breast-feeding pillow, I took it and we went back downstairs.

So we sat on the couch with her nestled close to my breast and watched a movie until I had to feed her.

"Is this all we do now? Sit and wait for her to cry?" Eric asked, eyeing me.

I shrugged. "I don't know any more than you do. I think babies are easy. When they start moving, there are no boring moments."

He nodded thoughtfully. I watched him trying to gear up and ask me something. "Can I hold her?" Eric finally said.

I smiled. "You don't have to ask Eric."

He raised his brows. "You want me to just snatch her?"

"Shut up," I said, lifting her carefully, placing her in Eric's large hands. I sat back watching him carefully bring her close to his body. It was nice seeing him with our daughter in our living room. I grinned as the careful moments passed. He revelled in her, looking truly shocked by the small person in his hand, a slow smile reaching across his lips. Until she started to cry.

"Okay, you can take her back now," Eric said, panic in his voice.

"Why?" I flummoxed at his urgency to get her away from him as he tried to pass her over.

"I think this means I'm not her daddy," he said quickly, his eyes widening.

"What?" I burst. "Eric you're being ridiculous! Hold her, comfort her."

"But she's crying," he said, looking completely shaken.

"She's cried before."

"But she only cried when I held her."

"Be her father, make it better," I snapped. I watched him try rocking her back and forth as her little arms moved in agitation, her face red, her mouth open and wide as cries escaped her. "I thought you had a reputation of being good with women," I found myself teasing him despite his current trauma.

He shot me a look and he bounced her in the slightest of ways. "This isn't working. Is she hungry? Do we have to change her?" We did both and she was still fussy. I excused myself to the bathroom and in the distance I heard her settle. When I came back in, Eric was sprawled as much as he could be across the couch and she was resting flat on his chest, falling asleep. Eric looked relieved and gave me a pleased look. It was just too cute. I went to make some tea and toast and when I came back Eric was asleep too. I think I took about a thousand pictures and then sat in the armchair until they both woke up.

***

I felt a swift kick in the back. Oh for crying out loud. I turned my head to see my daughter sprawled out across the bed. When she had crawled in she had been nice and compact, but for the past hour she had slowly been turning around like clock hands. I wasn't going to get any sleep tonight if she kept this up. I'd put her back in her bed. She shouldn't be in here anyway. She started snoring. I swear it was not right for a kid to have such breathing problems at age two. She was just like her father.

"Ali," I snapped. "Shh." I put the pillow over my head and she snored away. I glanced at the clock. When Eric got home, he was putting her back to bed. I couldn't handle this anymore. I did not want to be awake until three in the morning each day because she was convinced there was monsters under the bed after Pam read her that stupid bed-time story last month. She'd been crawling into our bed every night since, especially when Eric worked late.

Her knee was digging into my back. I turned around, knowing it was dangerous to be within her limbs reach with my face. I picked her up slightly, too exhausted to do it properly and put her further away from me on the king sized bed. I settled back at my side of the bed. I was just about to fall back into sleep when, somehow, she had made her way to my side again.

I heard the front door open at three-thirty. Eric came up the stairs exhausted. He shuffled about the room for a moment before he approached the bed.

"Get her out," I said into the dark, not even saying hello.

"No," he said. I heard him crawl on the other side and I looked over. I watched him gather her in his arms and snuggle her close to his chest, falling asleep instantly. I glared at him, knowing she'd stay put now that she was in daddy's arms.

Also, I was a little jealous.

When I woke up the next morning, Eric and Alina were in the exact same position as when I had fallen asleep at three. They really were adorable. As annoying as it was, it made my heart inflate. Sighing, I got out of bed and trudged downstairs to get some coffee.

I started to make some Sunday morning breakfast and just like I thought, Eric came down with Alina still half asleep on his shoulder as I made the bacon and started the pancakes.

"Eric, she can barely walk down the stairs because you carry her everywhere, put her down," I said. He was such a marshmallow with her.

"But she's sleepy," he pouted. I glared at him and he set her down in her seat. He went over to grab some coffee and settled next to her.

"Hi momma," she yawned, rubbing her eyes.

I put a hand on top of her blond hair, pushing it back so I could kiss her forehead. She gave me the cutest smile. Alright, I could be just as bad as Eric. "You have to start sleeping in your own bed, baby. Mommy can't take it anymore. That goes for you too," I poked his shoulder and went back to finishing up the breakfast.

We sat down with our food and immediately Eric swiped bacon off Alina's plate. "Hey," I said slapping his hand, he dropped it and Alina giggled.

"She doesn't want it. Right, kanin? Give Daddy your bacon," Eric winked at Alina who just smiled.

"Here," she used her hands and picked up all the bacon, throwing it on Eric's plate. I didn't think her hands were particularly sanitary but Eric ate away at the bacon anyway. I rolled my eyes, but couldn't help but smile at the exchange.

Eric went to take a shower and I had laundry to fold. Alina stayed in our room playing with her dolls while I sorted out the clothes on our made bed. When she heard the shower turn off, she dropped her toys and began jumping up and down outside the bathroom door.

"Daddy! Come out!" she shouted, laughing and banging on the door.

"Ali, stop," I said. "You're dad will be out soon." She began making up a nonsensical song, bouncing and jumping while Eric shaved and did who knows what in that room. Honestly, he was like a woman. He finally opened the door, in his towel, trying to get past his daughter to get fresh clothes. Alina barely reached his knees, him looking down at her jumping figure was endearing.

"What is it?" he asked her, bending down giving him an Eskimo kiss. She leaned against the door frame. Eric smiled and closed the bathroom door.

And then the scream of all screams broke through our house and probably the entire neighbourhood.

Eric opened the bathroom door again quickly and I saw my daughter's tiny hand drenched in blood. She had her hand in the doorjamb near the hinges and Eric shut the door without realizing.

"Oh my God!" I screamed, feeling faint at the sight. Alina was screaming and crying and jumping and Eric dropped to his knees. "Eric! Oh my God!" was all I could gasp out. He held Alina still and grabbed her arm. He picked her up and put it under cold water in the bathroom. I shakily walked in. "Oh my God," I said again. Eric glared at me and shut the bathroom door in my face. That was probably for the best. I sat down on the bed with my head in my hands, the image of my daughters bleeding hand imprinted in my head. She was still screaming and crying and I heard Eric's low rumble as he tried to ease her. He emerged and Alina was holding onto him, her hand wrapped in a towel.

"Watch your hand, kanin. We're going to the hospital," he said. He set her on the ground and she didn't move a muscle as he got rid of the towel around his waist and began throwing on clothes. I went over to her and picked her up, she buried her face in my neck, crying 'mommy' over and over. I started to cry too. He came back to me, his hair still wet, his expression frazzled and he took her back into his arms. He left the room and I followed them feeling dizzy.

"You're staying here," Eric said to me, as he went down the stairs.

"What, why?" I snapped.

"You're hysterical. We don't need two crying at the hospital," Eric said pointedly.

"I am not!"

"Can you get her information?" he asked above Alina's noise, sitting her down on the couch and putting her shoes on. I ran into the kitchen and opened the drawer where I kept all the important documents for the three of us.

I watched him leave, the pain on my daughter's face, breaking my heart.

So what? He wanted me to tend house while he acted hero? I grumbled and soon found myself vigourously cleaning out the fridge. Yuck. Time seemed to slow down for the rest of the afternoon and Eric didn't return home with Alina until almost five. I rushed to the front door and took her in my arms before Eric could put her down.

"Oh, baby, are you alright?" I pulled back.

"Look," she held out her finger and it was in a cast, wrapped past her wrist. "It broke!" she grinned, looking absolutely pleased as punch with her injury.

"It's broken?" I asked weakly.

"Just her pinky," Eric said, he gave me a guilty smile and I glared at him turning into the living room and plopping on the couch with Alina.

"Look at what you're daddy did," I said kissing her finger while she was nestled on my lap.

"Daddy singed," she said. She looked up at Eric and their identical blue eyes met and he sat beside me. "He sorry."

"I'm sure," I said. She let out a big yawn and Eric pulled out a prescription from behind his back.

"Sleepy," his eyes lit up and his eyebrows waggled suggestively. Yeah, like I would fuck him after that. I ignored him.

"Do you want some food?" I asked her. She nodded weakly and I carried her into the kitchen, setting her in her seat. I made chicken fingers and when I looked over she was sleeping in her highchair. "Can you wake her? She needs food."

Eric nudged her belly and soon he was talking to her, trying to keep her awake, even though her head kept drooping down.

She ate her dinner lazily and soon Eric was carrying her up to her bed, nestling her tight. I was downstairs cleaning up when he attacked me from behind. I let out a shout when he whirled me around and kissed me hard. I shoved at his chest, which was bare. He had stripped before his sneak attack. What a freak.

"You have to be more careful," I said, and he brought his lips to my neck. I felt his erection pressing into my stomach.

"I know," he said and sucked my skin. I moved my head to the side. "I feel bad."

"You're not showing it," I said as his hand moved to undo my jeans. He pulled away for an instant, his hand still busy.

"I went on my knees and begged for her forgiveness. I'd do it every day for her if I had to. But she's a kid, those things don't set in," he shrugged, smiling slightly before kissing me again. He pulled my pants down to my ankles in one fluid motion. "I think we can be loud. She's out cold." I lifted myself onto the counter and he pulled my pants clean off. "Bye, bye shirt," he said tossing it on the floor. He had my breasts free in record time and he latched onto my hardening nipple. I moaned. It had been five days since we last had sex. Fuck.

"Let's have sex outside," he said, lifting me up. My legs instinctively wrapped around his waist.

"What?" I asked as he walked us to the door and opened it into our back yard. I felt a chill. I held onto him.

"You'll warm soon," he said. "We should make another baby too."

"Why? Because you broke the first one?"

"Ha ha, you're so funny," he said kneeling down and laying me on the cool grass.

"This is disgusting."

"It's fucking sexy," he said. He sat on his knees and looked down at me, obviously finding me in the dirt to be a turn-on. I, on the other hand, imagined all the bugs that I was lying on. I pushed at his chest.

"If you want to have sex out here, you're the one on your back," I said. He smiled and fell down. I straddled him, still more than a little grossed out.

"You're beautiful."

"You already have me on top of you. Don't need to seduce me," I mumbled, putting my hands on his chest, pinching his nipples. He smirked. "You're taking a hot hot shower after this."

"Will you join me?"

"Maybe." His hand slipped between us to rub my clit, I moaned, arching my back. His other went over my breast squeezing it and paying special attention to my nipple. I felt one of his long fingers enter me and I began to move against him. I tried not to be loud. I didn't want the neighbours to know.

When we were both well spent, I stood up quickly, remembering we were outside after that orgasm took my mind, to head back inside when I looked over at the house next to us to see the teenage boy living there staring. I screeched and jumped behind Eric who gave him a polite wave. The boy waved back enthusiastically, looking as if he had no intention of leaving.

"I always wanted someone to watch me fuck and take note," Eric said. I pinched his ass, and ran inside, mortified. Eric followed me inside, much slower and more relaxed.

"You're a pervert," I said, running up the stairs. I heard him race after me and I was lurched with an excited fear before he snapped his arms around my waist when I was only halfway up the stairs. I screamed and he locked a hand over my mouth carrying me up to our bedroom while I struggled. He closed the door and I bit into his hand. He cursed and let me go.

"That wasn't baby making sex that was dirty fucking. Let's go for round two," he said, his gaze darkening as he advanced. I sat on the bed shaking my head.

"No babies," I said stubbornly. At twenty-five, I still had a lot of time to have more children. What was the rush?

"I want five," he informed me. I stretched out on the bed as he crawled over my body.

"Find four other women who will carry these children," I stuck my tongue out at him and he took the opportunity to suck on it. I wrapped my arms around his neck to deepen the kiss.

"You're my baby momma," he said huskily, and I heard his accent that would go in and out, depending on his mood. It especially got thick when he talked to me through foreplay and sex.

"Shut up. Let's take a shower," I said, remembering where we had just been. He grinned lifting me off the bed, my legs wrapped around his waist while he took me to get cleaned up.

***

"I'm nervous."

We were taking Alina to her first day of preschool, bright and early Monday morning in September. She skipped down the hall ahead of us unable to contain her excitement.

"I think she's too young."

"Don't worry."

"What if other kids tease her?"

"No one will tease her."

"Kids are mean."

"Eric. Shut up," I said. I grabbed his arm. "Look, she's happy." Alina was dancing around asking us where the classroom was. She was speaking half in English and half in Swedish. Hopefully school would help her with that problem.

"I'll beat up who's ever raised their kids to be mean to her," Eric said crossing his arms, settled on the matter.

"You're so clingy," I revelled, rolling my eyes, leaving him behind while I followed my daughter to her class. I remembered our time this morning.

I felt Eric get out of bed at around five. I groaned a complaint at him, he'd probably only been home for an hour and a half. Obviously he hadn't slept at all. I snuggled closer to the blankets when I heard the door open. I looked over to see him carrying Alina, sleeping in his arms.

"You're such a baby," I told him. He crawled into bed and put her between us.

"Face us, Sookie," he whispered. I rolled over and stared at him. "I love you," he reached out and touched my face. "I just had to have both of you here."

"Mmm. Go back to sleep."

"You nervous about her starting school?" he asked across.

"Yes, but we need sleep," I muttered. "Don't wake her either."

Of course, she only slept for about another hour before I was awoken by her and Eric talking in Swedish. It was their private conversation. I could pick out half of what they were saying, but toddlers were already confusing, never mind the other language. I reached out and grabbed her pulling her into my chest and kissing her face, her giggles loud and high, nearly breaking my ear drums.

"Are you nervous?" I asked in her ear.

"No," she laughed and squirmed out of my hold. I looked over at Eric who was grinning from ear to ear at us.

"If anyone makes you sad, daddy will kill them," Eric stated, still smiling.

"Eric!" I said, putting my hand over her ears. "She doesn't need to know her father is a psycho." Eric straightened his face.

"If a boy kisses you, he has to meet me first," Eric said. Alina giggled and put her hands over her face, wiggling around. Her next priority was to get us out of bed.

We met with the teacher who shook both our hands. She looked startled by Eric. She blushed when he would ask her about snack time and nap time. We already asked these things when we signed her up for school. He was such a worrier. I refrained from rolling my eyes.

"Baby, I think you should stop," I said, putting my hand on his arm. I looked over at Alina who had already settled herself at a life-size for toddler's dollhouse, playing outside, by herself. Eric and I were looking at her while the teacher explained that everything would be alright. Eric snorted in disbelief and I wondered when he would ever mature.

"Look, Eric," I said nudging him. "She's got a friend." I smiled holding his arm and leaning into him.

The little girl's voice travelled across the room. With what I knew about Swedish she had just asked Alina if she wanted to be her friend. Alina glanced at the girl, and to my absolute horror, she punched the girl in the nose. I gasped and gripped Eric's arm tight. The teacher ran over where the girl started crying, having fallen on her bottom. Alina turned back to her task.

"Alina!" I snapped, my shock wearing off I went over and grabbed her arm. "Apologize," I said, turning her to face the girl on the floor.

She reluctantly held her ground, refusing to speak. I shook her slightly. "Alina. Now." She mumbled an apology and the teacher settled the hysterical girl while I brought my well mannered daughter to her father. "You're in big trouble when we get home." Eric didn't say anything. What a help. I was the disciplinarian of the house.

Eventually we had to leave. Eric tried to hug her and she pushed him away for the first time ever. I hoped she didn't become that weird loner kid who hates others interfering on their playtime. I was very nervous about this and when the teacher closed the door on our faces, it felt awful.

I wouldn't cry. I looked tried to talk through the pain. "Did you see what she did?" I asked him. "I think we should have integrated her with more kids."

Eric crossed his arms, his jaw set, his brows furrowed. He was trying to be very manly about the fact that his daughter was at school. "I'm glad."

I was too distraught to be angry. "You're glad she hit the girl?" I asked in disbelief. I looped my arm through his and we slowly started to move away from the classroom.

"It means she will choose her friends right. She won't be so trusting, like her mother."

"Hey," I said. "What does that mean?"

"It means you let a random stranger follow you around Europe. If Alina ever does that, I will stop it." I tugged at his arm and he looked down at me.

"Um, listen here buddy. You wouldn't have Alina if I wasn't so trusting," I said.

He stopped and put his hands on my waist, firmly holding me in place. "Sookie, I am so glad that you are easily convinced."

"Shut up. Now I feel like I should never have let you follow me."

"Promise you won't let no other men follow you. I am here now. I will kill them."

"You're too liberal with your death threats," I muttered. "You should be thankful," I said poking him in the chest. He nodded and kissed my lips slowly, in the middle of the hall of a school. I was well aware of this, where Eric was interested in pushing me against the wall. I moaned my protest and pushed his face away from mine. I added, "I hope she's not like me either. But also, if she's a clingy, hand-killing obnoxious asshole like her father, I'd have a problem with that too."

"Psh," he breathed. "You love it."

I smiled at him and I tried to move us out of the school so he didn't get anymore sexy ideas. "We should do it again," he continued, once we stepped outside into the early morning sun.

"Do what?"

"Go through Europe."

"That sounds desperate," I frowned. "Like, we need the spark back so let's retrace our steps."

His mouth hung open in shock. "Nu-uh. We can bring Alina. Next summer."

I grabbed his hand and he smiled at me. "I thought you wanted more kids. Now you want to wait a summer?"

"Well obviously we'll have to go while you're pregnant if we are retracing," he smirked.

"What if I was pregnant now?" I asked slowly. He squeezed my hand and whirled me around. I scrunched up my nose. "You set your mind on something – nothing can stop that super sperm," I said pointing to his crotch.

He let out a shout and then picked me up whirling me around, his mouth at my neck, kissing. "We're going home so I can fuck you," he decided.

"I have work," I wheezed in his iron clad hold.

"Too fucking bad." I laughed as he practically carried me all the way home.

I was in his arms for the rest of the day – he wouldn't let me go.

AN: THE END.

Thanks to my beta: beatlechickstep who helped me for this entire story. YOU ROCK.

Thanks to all of you who followed Euro!Eric and Sookie through their crazy adventures. I'm going to miss him so much.

Some of you might be upset about the lack of Bill -- but I'll be posting a spoof of Maury, the European version pretty soon and Bill's reaction will be there. I just wanted this last chapter to be light and fluffy after a much darker sequel.

Thank you, thank you, thank you -- and review! :D