'Cause I am barely breathing

And I can't find the air

I don't know who I'm kidding

Imagining you care – Duncan Sheik

Numb.

I was horribly numb.

I had gone to that space in my head I hadn't needed to go to for years. The same place I went to, too many times in the past, to…escape.

What else could I be? What else was there for me to feel? How else could do my best to ignore what was going on around me?

I have never been claustrophobic. I had a feeling I wouldn't be saying that again for a while. I also haven't been afraid of the dark even though I know more than most of what can be found in the dark. Yet another fear I would probably end up developing. Something about being trapped in a dark car trunk for hours would probably do that to some people.

Being trapped inside a dark car trunk with your dead to the day, physically tortured boyfriend who you risked your life to save, who when conscious used you to fulfill his vampire needs? I had a feeling anyone would come out of the situation being claustrophobic and afraid of the dark. Hey if those were my only two issues coming out of this situation – I'd consider that a good thing.

I had long since stopped struggling. My hits to Bill's back certainly weren't doing anything so what exactly was the point. I had been staring up into the darkness for some time now. Suddenly, my vision is shocked with light. Someone had torn off the hood of the trunk. I was free, well I could get out of the trunk. I doubt I would be free for a while.

I feel the weight of Bill, the vampire boyfriend, being pulled off of me. Problem was, his fangs were still firmly attached to my neck. So much so that a piece of my neck went with him. Surprisingly, it didn't hurt. I had gone into a small corner of my mind long before now.

No, the only reason I even realized it was because I heard the voice of the person who had pulled Bill of me say something. It didn't sound like English but it did sound like something bad had happened. I moved my hand to my neck and instead of there being two small holes, there is one much more larger hole that's bleeding. Badly.

The good news about me feeling the hole in my neck with my hands – I discovered I can move. I hadn't done much since I realized struggling was making things worse. I confused myself even more however, when instead of moving towards to open, gaping hole that once was the car trunk, I am moving further back into the trunk.

Suddenly the hole is made a lot bigger and there is an arm reaching into the trunk. I still can't see who it is through the light but I can tell it's male. Without even thinking about it I scream, my voice hoarse from all the screaming I have done already. The arm quickly jerks back, away from me.

I hear someone say, "I will fucking kill Compton for this," as the hand comes back into the car. Before I can scream it's already back out having covered my lower body with a jacket. My pants were shredded when Bill had one of his needs met.

"No, please no," I whisper, my voice rasping. Part of me knows Bill had no control. Part of me understands that fully. A bigger part of me doesn't understand how you could do that to anyone you claimed to love and protect no matter what the circumstances.

And it had happened to me yet again.

"He deserves it," the voice says again.

"Please," I say again. I may or may not ever be going near Bill Compton ever again, but I did not want to see him die.

"Do you have any silver," the voice again asks. It's starting to sound familiar and I know I should recognize it.

"I'll go get it," says a second voice that had been quiet till now.

"Sookie," the first voice says very hesitantly. "Can you hear me?"

I don't answer. I want to and I try to but nothings working. The thought that I must be in shock floats through my mind.

The arm slowly comes back into the trunk and I am proud when I manage not to scream. I do however, shake my head and further cower into the corner. Seeing me cower away, the arm stops but doesn't back out.

"Sookie, it's Eric," I hear. "Can you hear me?"

Eric. Eric Northman. A vampire I was starting to trust. However, I had fully trusted Bill and look where that trust got me. Not a mistake I wanted to make again.

"I am going to try and lift you from the trunk," he says. He must take my silence as an okay because he sticks his other arm and both are now moving towards me. I manage to hold off until both his arms make it to me before I start screaming causing him to jerk back suddenly.

I don't even know why I am screaming. I want out of the trunk. I know that for sure. It's the touching I don't know about and as I don't appear to have much control over my movement at the moment, it looks like I'll be staying in the trunk a little longer.

Well at least it's open now.

I hear noises outside. Not really a struggle, more like lifting a heavy load. Eric asked for silver for Bill. I don't want him dead but the thought of him wrapped in silver for a bit doesn't bother me as much.

The body I now know is Eric, hasn't left my field of vision since he broke through the car. I find that oddly comforting. I don't want to be touched yet, but I don't seem to want to be left alone either. He seems to be muttering to himself and I don't think it's English. If it is, I've lost more blood than I thought.

"Pam. Sookie will you let Pam help you? I don't – there's no one else I know and trust here Sookie."

He's tripping over words. I've never seen him be anything but confident. Again, he must take my silence as a yes because I hear him on the phone with the female vampire.

The thought of her doesn't send me screaming but time will tell. That and the touching I guess.

Suddenly, Eric vanishes from my line of sight and I start to panic. I don't want him touching me but I don't want to be alone either. Where did he go?

Just as quickly as he vanished, I start to hear humming. He didn't leave. He's sitting just outside the car. I can actually still see the back of his head. How does he know that although I don't want him physically near me, I also need him to be here? The thought of being alone right now is terrifying.

Eric continues to simply make noise to let me know he's still there. From the humming songs he goes to singing them in, now that I am calmer, I can assume his native tongue. At some point he stops singing and just starts talking in the foreign language. I find it oddly comforting. The consistency of his voice is almost like a lullaby.

It is so soothing, I haven't even noticed I moved towards him until my hand touches his hair and I start twirling my fingers through it. Being a vampire, I am sure he heard me move but as I move through his hair he never once stops or even hesitates. He just continues saying whatever it is he is talking about.

At some point, without even missing a beat, he takes out his phone and makes another call. He continues the conversation in the language and then goes right on talking to me. It would usually upset me not knowing what he is saying but I'm surprised it doesn't.

Suddenly, he says something that I recognize – my name. "Sookie, Pam is here. She is walking up to the car." Pam slowly appears where I can see her.

She kneels down and I find it actually comforting for her to be at face level instead of looming over me.

"Her neck is bleeding," I hear Pam say quietly.

"I know," Eric responds. "I didn't want to further upset her. The bleeding has slowed since she has calmed down. If it was life threatening I would have done something sooner to stop it."

Pam looks to where my hand is tangled in Eric's hair. I found holding onto something helped to keep me grounded. Helped to keep me focused. She looks back to my eyes and says, "Why don't we work on getting you out of the trunk?"

She moves towards me and Eric says, "Slowly."

Pam looks like she's going to say something bitingly to Eric but stops when she sees the look on Eric face. She looks at him for a few seconds before turning her focus back to me. She moves slowly and gently touches my arm. That feels okay. I think that touching Eric's hair has helped.

"Do you think you can walk," Pam asks.

I take inventory and realize I can't be covered if I walk. There is no way to keep the jacket on and my pants are no longer wearable. I slowly shake my head no. Look, I managed a response. I'm proud.

"I am going to carry you then," she says. "We are going to take your hand from Eric's hair first so it doesn't come with us." She very gently untangles my fingers from the mess I have made from Eric's hair.

She stops moving and says, "I am going to wrap my arms around you now but I will not lift you up yet. Once you're okay with that I will continue."

She does what she says. She gives me a minute to adjust and says, "Okay I am going to lift you now." She does so ever so carefully and I find I'm okay with it. She maneuvers my head so I don't get hurt as she lifts me out. Once out, I notice a puddle of blood under where Eric is sitting and his shirt is spotted too. I'll have to make sure he's okay later.

Right now, well right now I am just so very happy to be out of the damn trunk.

So this is going to be a different take on what occurred in the trunk and any repercussions. I figured if Sookie had a bit of a stronger reaction, Eric given his background just might have a stronger one as well. I will be changing a few minor things to this point but they should be self-explanatory - like Bubba is ok. He was never captured and will be making some appearances.

I had been hoping to start posting months ago but ER visits, Hurricane Sandy, and buying a condo have delayed this a bit.

As for the content in this story, if you could read the books with no issue you should be fine too.

As of right now, this is planned to be a trilogy of sorts. Not sure if I'll keep it one story with three parts or make it three stories at this point. I have to see how it all flows. Updates should be at least weekly for now, probably over the weekend.

Thanks for taking this story for a spin. Hopefully, you enjoy the ride.