Chapter 52 – The Beginning and The End

A/N: I want to take a moment to thank the following people for their support:

Sassyvampmama, my BETA and bestie, Kjwrit my content Editor and incredible friend, to Vikinglover Elle thank you for giving me the courage to post "Please Remember Me" the beginning of the journey and to Suki59 who had encouraged me to become a better writer even though this just a hobby of mine.

To my baby minions: gnrclln, ljhjelm99, hathor321, VAlady, TheladyKT, AlphaSprout, Siberian Shewolf, desireecarbenell, Teacuphuman, ncmiss12, emb1, Eric's #1 Lover, chipndalegal, Northwoman, sluggysmom, Eric lover75, afalcone10, mybonded, duckbutt, and Wolfeagle. You all have reviewed from the very beginning and most every single chapter. I adore you and appreciate ever word of encouragement and even the times you were mad at me. Ha-ha! & hooper66 thanks for being my 1000th review! IF I LEFT SOMEONE OFF the list I am SOOO SORRY I am doing this by memory as I have no internet access at this time! (I am on the island today!)

I AM TAKING A SHORT BREAK BUT WILL BE BACK IN THE FALL.

LAST TIME: (Eric and Sookie are having a nice family moment when Alcide shows up and tells them that Sandra Pelt is not only gunning for them, but the children in the family. Eric and Sookie have a sweet loving moment and their bond 'sings' to them. Sookie is worried about how to handle and find Sandra, Plan for the wedding and find Dermot…)

And then…

SPOV

There was only one problem with that plan, Sandra never got off the plane.

Alcide called to let us know she never got off the plane. He had a security officer go in and look for her but there was no sign of her. She was shown as a passenger on the plane, but she was nowhere to be found. There was talk of a wolf running from the plane down the tarmac into the woods to the south of the airport, but no one could confirm that for us. How she knew we were on to her we did not know. I could only hope that Alcide had not turned against us and warned her. He had a bad track record of helping women who tried to kill me.

We were on high alert for weeks, but Sandra simply disappeared off the map. I would barely let Eric out of my sight. I was sick over it. I was worried about Sandra and stressed out getting ready for the wedding to the point that I could barely keep anything down. Laurell and Lillianna where true to their word and kept popping in and out to help me plan, but I knew that Laurell also wanted to watch over Hunter and Maggie, she loved little Elizabeth too even though she was not a blood relative Laurell said that did not matter.

"Love is love, Sookie, some say nothing counts more that blood, but I say nothing counts more than love." My Gammy gave the best advice and always seemed to know what to say. She was a lot like Gran when it came to that. I started dreaming about Gran as the wedding drew closer. I kept hoping I would dream about or see the babies, but I sadly did not. I hoped that we would not have to deal with Sandra or Dermot at all before the wedding. Just for once I wanted a nice quiet family get together, who knows we might be able to pull one off? Damn it I needed a brownie!

SPOV

I awoke awash in fear and sweat unable to breathe. There was shouting and I could hear Hunter, Elizabeth and Maggie screaming for help. I was fighting to get to them but something had me; I was encased in something. I wondered how this had happened since we were home; the magic should have protected us. I was fighting with everything I had, but my hands would not light up to allow me to free myself from my invisible bonds. I was gasping for air trying to breathe and reach for Eric when I heard his voice as soft as silk speaking in my ear.

"My wife, awaken and come back to me, my Lover." I was still struggling but then he cooed, "I have you my mate, awake now." I sat up in his arms and when I realized I was only dreaming I cried. I cried, wept and wailed to the point that Pam and Belinda who were spending the night tonight came running in to check on me. I had become an emotional basket case these past few weeks and I was unable to control myself lately; one minute I was laughing, the next I was crying, I had been having horrible nightmares and Eric said I had something that he explained was a like a cocoon wrapped around myself and part of the bond.

Laurell and Marcus said it was due to all the stress I was under. The wedding was less than 2 nights away and Eric and I were getting closer to finding Dermot, but no one knew where Sandra was. We contacted her parents through Alcide to throw down the gauntlet, basically saying 'if anything happens to our family and we find out you helped her… we'll kill you too.' But they offered up no information on her whereabouts.

Bill had refused our offer to stay here with Sarah and Elizabeth, so in addition to the Faery guards that I had procured for our family, Bill also hired bodyguards from some other realm to watch over 'his girls'. He had even gone so far as to hire one for Jessica who had turned into some type of a daughter to him as well. We even put guards on Jason, and because Pam and Belinda normally stayed at the Bon Temps house with Maggie and Mary Jo we had extra guards to watch over Mary Jo and Maggie whenever they spent the night there alone as they had tonight. I was running all this through my head as I felt the bed give and Pam pulled me into her arms. Eric growled at her a little which snapped me from my misery,

"Really? I am a mess and someone is trying to comfort me and you growl at them? For God's sake Eric it's Pam, not some random stranger!" Was that really the first damn thing I should've said to the man who just so lovingly woke me from my nightmare? God I was a hot mess.

"I am sorry my mate, but when you are fragile it seems to bring the beast out in me." He gave me an apologetic smile and one to Pam as well as she cuddled closer to me.

"I'm sorry Eric, these nightmares are horrible." I gasped out as I pulled him to us. Belinda climbed into bed with us too and sighed,

"It's just the stress Sookie. Hunter has not foreseen anything bad happening, so it's just stress."

I knew that to be true. I had asked Hunter about his dreams for weeks now and the only thing he dreamed about was a happy wedding and the babies. He kept dreaming about the babies and how happy we all were although he did have a random dream about a beautiful woman in a clearing near a spring that was singing a song. He had said that in the dream Eric and I were there and very happy so that dream. We could not figure out anything about that one but we let it go as just a little boy's imagination and wrote it off as a regular dream.

The next day I awoke ready to tackle the last minute details of the wedding. I was busy with the unity candle, one that Gran would have probably not smiled upon simply because it looked like a pentagram but in fact it was a Faery unity candle that combined the five elements into the ceremony. Working around the star clockwise it went: spirit candle, water candle, fire candle, earth candle and air candle with a single candle in the center. The bride and groom would light all of the element candles together at the beginning of the ceremony and then toward the end the lone candle in the center is lit while the other lights are extinguished, symbolizing the unity of all of the elements between the bride and groom.

Lillianna came into the den to see me and smiled her bright loving smile just as Claudine popped onto the back porch. Lillianna reached over and let her into the house, as I nodded to give consent and we talked about the wedding at first but the conversation soon turned to my nightmares.

"I remember when I was pregnant with Christean I had horrible nightmares. I had been missing Alexander so much and my heart ached for him every night while I could feel how hurt he was by my absence. I was so stressed out." Lillianna admitted.

"That is what Belinda keeps saying; that I am stressed." I explained, but then Claudine asked me a very important question,

"Sookie, could you be pregnant?" Lillianna and Claudine shared a look as I answered.

"No, it isn't time yet. Hunter said I have the babies in May so we should be getting pregnant some time next month on our honeymoon." I answered just as Hadley wandered in to the den.

"Hunter said what?"

"Remember Hadley, Hunter said that he dreamed I'll have the babies in May." She gave me an 'oh shit' look and began to speak.

"Okay, Sookie, now I don't want you to freak out or anything, but you know that last year was Hunter's first year in school."

"Yes." I said, wondering where this was going.

"Well, he learned the months of the year, but he had a little problem with them."

"What little problem?"

"He reverses March and May, as in he says January, February, May, April, March…"

"So when he said I would have the babies in May… he actually meant… March?"

"I'm not sure, but it is possible." As I tried to take in the fact that I could already be pregnant Lillianna chimed in,

"It would explain you being sick, tired, irritable and the nightmares. Faery's are prone to nightmares when we are pregnant." Well that would have been good information to have had some weeks ago I thought as my brain went into overdrive.

"I don't want to tell Eric until I am sure. He will be so disappointed if we are wrong. Who can go get me a pregnancy test?"

"I can." Lillianna offered as she popped away immediately. 15 minutes later I stood in the bathroom off the upstairs bedroom that Eric called mine, taking a pregnancy test. Well I took 3 actually, one that would come back with a plus sign if positive, one that would show double lines and one that would just read pregnant if I was indeed with child. I peed in one of the little disposable Dixie cups that we keep by the sink and then dipped each stick into it. I quickly set the timer for the required time before opening the door and sitting on the bed with the girls. Lillianna had held one hand and Hadley the other while Claudine simply paced and when the timer went off it was Lilli, who said,

"Good luck, Sookie." I walked into the bathroom and was immediately greeted with three very clear results; a plus sign, a double line and one that simply read the word I had waited on all my life to see, 'Pregnant' I sat down on the floor and wept with joy.

EPOV

I awoke earlier than normal; it was only around noon and normally I awoke mid afternoon, but I felt an overwhelming pull to be with Sookie. She was crying; my vampire hearing let me know that, but our bond told me she was happy, overjoyed really. I did not want to intrude if it was wedding planning or other 'women-only' secrets on that level. She had had a tight clamp on part of our bond for weeks and I had attributed it to her wanting to surprise me with something at the wedding, but now I knew that was not the case. This felt like something was protecting Sookie I could feel the hum that I had grown increasingly fond of these past couple of weeks and it felt strong; it also felt as if it was calling to me. So with some trepidation I rose and began to search out my beloved.

I did not call out for her as I followed the hum of the bond to find her in 'her' room with Hadley, Claudine and Lillianna. The girls were squealing and hugging her so I assumed it was wedding related and I was about to slip undetected back to my lair when I felt the pull again. Sookie's hand went to her stomach as Lillianna asked,

"So how far along do you think you are?"

"The last one I remember for sure was a couple of weeks before the council meeting Marcus and Alexander had, so that was what?" she giggled out to her cousins as her happiness had made her oblivious to my presence. I was also intrigued now and clamped down the bond to remain undetected.

"The meeting was May 12th so if it was a couple of weeks before… then you ovulated around… so you would be 12 weeks or maybe 13 weeks… oh my Lord Sookie! Why is Eric not hearing the heartbeats?" the moment her cousin said heartbeats I knew and I walked into the room, holding out my trembling hand to her stomach and asked,

"Is it true?" She smiled and nodded as she pointed into the bathroom at what looked like sticks to me, but she quickly explained they were pregnancy test and that according to them we were with child. Suddenly everything made sense; the hum in the bond was the little ones. Whenever Sookie and I were together there was the hum, the part of her that remained hidden from me was the little ones protecting/cloaking themselves as if to not be found out. They were protecting their mother; 'good little ones' I thought with a smile.

I took her in my arms as she began to explain her day and how she found out, but that mattered not to me. All that mattered was my mate and my children that she carried inside of her. I growled at Claudine, Hadley and Lillianna,

"Leave us…"

"And so it begins…" Lillianna giggled as she took a very shocked Claudine's hand and started for the door with Hadley in tow as well. "Call Laurell tonight, if she hears about this secondhand it will be your ass Viking." The faeries popped away as Hadley headed for the guesthouse, leaving me and my mate.

"Come, lay with me." I cooed to her and she followed me without question or even a comment as to how rude I had just been to her cousins. Once in our resting chamber I lay my head on her stomach and began to talk,

"Hello my children, Far is here and I will protect you and your Mor. I am here." We lay like that for the longest time until I realized we should probably consult with Dr. Ludwig. She is a pain in my eternal ass but there was no debating that she was a damn good doctor.

"We should call Dr. Ludwig, she can be trusted and she will need to see to you." My mind was in overdrive, I wanted Marcus, Laurell and Alexander to rise soon so I could talk to them about what needed to be done now. We had to start planning for protection of Sookie for when she started showing which I guessed would be around the time when we returned from our honeymoon. Surely that would be enough time to…. Sookie broke me from my thoughts with her soft voice,

"Husband, come back to us. Stay here with me and the babies. Don't worry yet, don't plan anything yet; let's just enjoy our miracle for a little while." She placed my hand on her stomach and the bond began to hum more intensely and I could feel a contentment that was not ours join the bond. It was our children; they felt protected and happy. I closed my eyes and damn near wept as I saw my beloved wife's eyes fill with her silver tears of joy.

"Sookie, I can feel their happiness. My mate let down your guard, you have put up a natural barrier around them and they have put one around you. They are letting theirs down because they know they are safe with us right now. Let go of the bond…" She relaxed in my arms and I heard the sweetest sound of my entire life; two strong heartbeats.

"Oh Eric, I can hear them. I hear their little hearts beating. How could I have not known I was pregnant? How did I put up this shield around them and not know?"

"I am not sure Lover as we are new to this, but I think it is the way a faery cloaks itself from a predator. The babies had no way of knowing what vampire or faery to reveal themselves to so I would guess that they cloaked themselves and when your womb felt that your body's natural instinct to protect your young did the rest. Stranger things have happened Sookie." I smiled.

"Eric I don't think I have ever been happier." She cuddled into me and we lay there in silence except for the beating of our children's hearts. Finally she asked,

"Eric, how do you say father and mother in your language, or in what used to be your language? I know it has changed over the years."

"Far och Mor is what I called my parents, unless I wanted something, and then I called my mother, Mamma." I replied.

"So that is what you said before. Okay so how do you say daddy and mommy?"

"Pappa and Mamma" I smiled and she said,

"I like both. What do you think they will call us, Pappa and Mamma or Far and Mor?"

"I believe that I have become partial to Dada and Mama, but whatever they call us will be wonderful." I smiled and she knew I was talking about liking the way Elizabeth and Maggie talked to their parents.

"Mommy and daddy, we are going to be a Mommy and a Daddy… wow…" she giggled and laid back down on my chest to rest.

SPOV

Two days later and many, many hugs and squeals later, it was my wedding day. The entire family was here and it was almost time. Laurell was doing my hair, Pam my make-up and Belinda was an overall basket case trying to wrangle Elizabeth, Maggie and Hunter; my flower girls and ring bearer, respectively. Since it was a Viking tradition for the groom and bride to walk down the aisle together and I wanted to respect Eric's traditions too we decided that I would walk out of the house, down the deck to Eric and we would walk the rest of the way together. I would finally get to walk to my groom. In less than one hour I was walking to my groom; after that he would be mine forever in the eyes of my God and the state of Louisiana.

Creepy John Quinn kept trying to say he could do the ceremony but much to my surprise and happiness my childhood minister had had a change of heart and agreed to marry us. He said that he had come to realize that love was love, no matter what. I had an overwhelming feeling that Laurell had glamoured him as that was her standing comment but I didn't care; I was just happy he was there. He was the one who had baptized both me and Jason when we were little, he did both our parents funerals and Gran's so it felt right that he was here. Not to mention that I did love the old coot.

I was fidgety and Pam was getting more and more put out with me as she said,

"Sookie, damn it, hold still!" Just as she fussed at me a small zap came from within my abdomen and popped her. I held up my hands and said,

"Don't blame me. They don't like the way you are talking to me." The babies had recently taken to zapping loud noises. Not to be outdone Pam got eye level with my belly and said,

"You two listen up, this is your Aunt Pam and I am trying to do your mother's make-up so she will look pretty for your daddy. You want her to look pretty for daddy right? Well hold still or I will tell Far that you were naughty."

"Pam, don't threaten my babies."

"It wasn't a threat… if those little boogers zap me again, I am telling Eric." Just when she said zap Maggie did not help the situation by zapping Pam on the ass, while she clapped her hands and giggled,

"Zap Momma Pam… zap!" and there was more giggling with Elizabeth clapping and giggling out,

"Again! Again!"

"Alright, that is enough!" Laurell said in her authoritative voice before smiling and winking at Maggie and Elizabeth. "I want all the children to go out and wait in the den. Adele and CJ there will be no more zapping anyone and Pam, you need to calm down. I know you want everything to be perfect for them and it will be." That was that, everyone obeyed and I felt a calming presence through the bond. Eric was close. I went to move but Laurell stopped me.

"No, you cannot go to him yet. He is paying your bride's price to Felipe and Niall. Trust me it is needed and will be fine. You are not being purchased so don't take it that way. Take what he is doing as a great honor." She smiled as I tried to relax. "We will finish dressing you, you will walk out as we practiced, you will watch the exchange without saying a word about it, and then you will go to him and then the two of you will walk down the aisle together." She reminded me. I patted my stomach and whispered,

"We will be with daddy soon." When I did walk out the door my breath was taken away by how beautiful he was tonight. The creamy white linen tunic and pants that he had on, matched my gown and he had worn his hair down for me. I was so happy and I felt the babies' excitement grow as I neared their father.

EPOV

I could feel my beloved and I knew that she wanted to come to me, but she was waiting as she was supposed to. I walked with my two greatest possessions my father's broadsword and my mother's broach, to Niall and Felipe. As per my ancient custom they would not acknowledge me until my bride was here with us so I closed my eyes and waited. I felt her before I heard Felipe say,

"My precious one." And Niall sighed as he commented to Laurell, "She is even more beautiful than you and I did not think that possible." Laurell walked to me and hugged me as she whispered,

"Open your eyes and see your bride." I opened my eyes and could not believe that which I saw. She was beautiful beyond my wildest imagination. My eyes swept over her from head to toe. She wore a gossamer gown with pearls that seemed to be sewn into several different layers of material. The gown was long and flowing but full with a shimmer to it, I think from the pearls catching the light from the candlelight that was everywhere. She was barefoot and it seemed to fit with the gown that she would be. The crown she wore I knew was her own, but the veil that was weaved through it I did not recognize, though something told me it was from Laurell or her Faery family ancestry. She was a vision and truly a Faery princess more that a vampire Queen in this moment. Perhaps that was more fitting that she be a princess on her wedding day. Isn't that what all little girls want to be a princess on their special day? Her smile and Niall's voice broke me from my thoughts,

"If you wish to wed this woman you must pay the bride's price."

"I bring to you the sword of my father's father, the weapon I have fought and won many battles with and the wedding broach of my mother, the gift my father gave to her on their wedding night. These are my most prized possessions." I handed the sword to Niall and the broach to Felipe. Sookie was about to protest me giving these things away but I stopped her by saying,

"As much as these possessions mean to me, they pale in comparison to what my bride means to me." She smiled as Felipe spoke.

"I accept this token and give it to my child for safe keeping." He turned and put the broach on Sookie's gown. I swear by the Odin it looked like it was part of the gown and had always been there. Then Niall spoke to me,

"I accept this token and I give it to the man who will be charged with keeping my great-granddaughter safe." He handed my sword back to me and I sheathed it onto my back. I realized as she came toward me how the colors of her gown seemed to match the color of linen that I had wore. My bride's price was paid and my bride was smiling brightly at me as she began walking down the stairs to meet me where I waited on the second landing for this special moment with my loving bride.

SPOV

We stood alone now on the second level of the outside deck as Laurell, Niall, Felipe, and the others went to join the rest of the wedding party. I could hear music and saw Hunter tug on Eric's pant leg as he went by saying,

"Hurry Uncle Erwic and you look pwetty Aunt Sookie." But neither of us looked away from each other as the world melted away and love sang to only us. I was also vaguely aware that the rest of the wedding party was beginning to make their way to the lakeside ceremony. The girls were in the little white dress with deep orange bows and Hunter with his little Sunday suit of fine linen.

The family would be seated first, fairy, vampire and human alike and since most of my blood relatives were people that Eric considered family we did not have a bride's side or a groom's side. Instead there were several rows of chairs in a semi-circle around the gazebo. As we were left alone for a moment or two before we were to walk down Eric leaned over and kissed my cheek as he spoke,

"You are more beautiful than any sight I have ever seen."

"Well, I bet you say that to all the girls." I smiled unable to contain my joy and the babies were practically singing out loud to us with their joined happiness. I knew it was too soon to feel them moving but I would have sworn on a stack of Bibles that I felt them move. We clung to each other as we looked at the 'Faerytale' wedding Pam, Claudine, Laurell and I had created. The billowing white tents that flowed with the extra material seemed to take on a life of their own as they danced in the wind. The soft flickering candlelight filled the night air as did the twinkle lights that Pam had insisted on were just perfect. The path way was lit with honest to God torches that would be used later when we were "led to bed"; it was a Viking ritual that I had thought Eric would like. It was a surprise I had dreamed up for him.

From our vantage point we could see our family and friends. Jason led Jessica to her little perch where she was positioned to help with the flower girls before going and sitting in between Niall and Laurell who of course had Marcus, her eternal companion on her other side. Jessica, Belinda, Mary Jo, and Sarah were worried with the ceremony being so late that the little ones might have a mini-meltdown so it was decided that Jessica; their favorite playmate would stay near them. Claudine sat with Lillianna and Christean, who was of course with his vampire Thalia. I smiled at the fact Thalia had found love at 1200 years old. Eric pointed out that Sven was here with Livy, Bobby and Evelyn. Belinda and Pam stood at the front with the minister as did Alexander. Sam was sitting with Bill and Sarah near the front on the outside of the aisle, they too were strategically placing themselves so they could get to Elizabeth if she decided she no longer wanted to be a flower girl.

It was almost time for us to walk forward as the girls and Hunter were almost in place. Marcus' seat was positioned so that he could get up and down as he was officiating part of the Vampire rituals we had included. Laurell was going to help with the unity candle and some Faery parts of the wedding. Then I had Alexander, Lillianna, Pam, Belinda, Marcus and Laurell who would be the ones who led us to the house with the torches after the reception. All the hired help waiting was on the other side of the house away from the ceremony as I did not want the servers to be witnesses to our wedding. I had some major trust issues and just as I was getting anxious Eric brought me back to the present with a sweet kiss on my cheek while saying,

"It is time for you to become Mrs. Eric Northman. Are you ready?"

"Yes, I've been ready for a long, long time!" I said happily as we descended the last set of stairs and headed toward the gazebo by the lake. I had been Mrs. Northman in Eric's world for some time now, but I was looking forward to changing my name on my driver's license, something about that made it 'real' for me. As we approached the gazebo, my breath was taken away as I saw all these little miniature long boats with candles in them floating all over the lake. I looked up at Eric and he smiled. It would seem that I was not the only one with some surprises lined up for tonight. The gazebo itself was lit with tiny twinkle lights and candles alike; it was truly a wonderland. Hunter stood in front of Alexander and I could tell he was trying not to fidget with his little suit while balancing the rings on the pillow. He was taking his responsibilities very seriously.

Elizabeth was pulling at her deep orange ribbon while Maggie tried to hold her hand. She then lifted a handful of rose petals toward Eric and I and giggled loudly as she proclaimed,

"petty…owers." Which I think was Elizabeth speak for 'pretty flowers' but who knows. Sarah and Jessica reached to get her just as Eric picked her up and agreed with her that they were indeed pretty flowers. He then handed the exuberant little girl to her blushing mother. Maggie however was playing the part of a big girl and stood her ground with a smile toward her mother. Belinda was beaming with pride and smiling at Eric and I. Mary Jo was also smiling at her daughter with pride. I was trying to take it all in we had worked so hard and I wanted to see every detail and make sure Eric saw as well.

He was holding my hand and stroking my thumb very gently in an effort to calm me. I was not in a state of panic or having any anxiety issues, I was just so excited and happy that my emotions must have seemed all over the place to him. Him sending calm though the bond prompted the babies to do the same and I took a huge breath as it washed over me I felt the calm coming from within me and from Eric's side of the bond, and it was just what I need to center myself. I looked to Eric and he then looked to the Reverend, who began,

"Dearly beloved we are gathered here this day to join Sookie Marie Stackhouse and Eric Northman in holy matrimony. Who gives this woman to this man?" Jason, Niall, Felipe and Laurell stood and in a joint voice said,

"We do." They sat back down and Eric and I turned to look at each other, both of us slightly surprised by their simultaneous answer. We had not had a wedding rehearsal of this part of the ceremony as the Reverend was unable to be here last night. We did go over the lighting of the unity candle and some other aspects of the vampire rituals that Marcus would be overseeing. I was overjoyed as Eric held my hand and we listen to what the pastor was beginning to say.

EPOV

My mate was listening intently to the Reverend as he spoke, but I was listening to her heartbeat and the heartbeats of our unborn children. I responded when spoken to thanks to my vampire way of thinking, but I was lost in the love coming from our bond. Not to mention the hazy feeling of contentment coming from the little ones. The little man was speaking again and expecting a response from me so to please my mate I turned my attention to him and repeated his words.

"I Eric, Ulrichson nee Northman, son of Ulrich and Leonora, do so solemnly swear to love, honor and cherish my mate and wife, Sookie Marie Stackhouse all the days of my life." We smiled at each other and she actually giggled at the wording. It was what the Reverend was used to a bride and groom who only had one lifetime to give each other, but we had eternity so I added., "You are my sun, my moon and my eternity. I will never leave or forsake you and I will put you above all others, I am yours, this I swear." She then spoke her vows to me,

"I, Sookie Marie Stackhouse, do so solemnly swear to love, honor and cherish my husband, Eric Northman all the days of my life." She too added a little more to her vow, "You are my breath, my heartbeat and my Eternal Love, I will never run or put another before you, I will honor our covenant for all eternity, I am yours, this I swear." We were then directed to light the unity candle as it would burn as Marcus took over the ceremony and we swapped blood. It had been decided that we would do it discretely since the children were here. We would not use the knife we would draw from each other's necks and make it so it looked more like a kiss. Marcus rose and he began to speak as we lit each candle and he explained the significance to the crowd,

"Please light your unity candle, the spirit candle signifies the soul within and how your wish is to make your two souls one. The water candle helps us see the depths of which you love can go. The fire candle shows us all how brightly the love within you can shine. The earth candle is proof of how grounded and solid your love truly is and the air candle is the catalyst that makes the world see how your love for each other encompasses all that which you do. Your love is who you are and what you do." We finished lighting the candles and my beloved Sookie looked up to me and mouthed 'I love you' before Marcus began finishing his part of the ceremony.

"Every millennium there is given to the world a great love, a love that old men will tell stories of and young men will write their love stories about and it is my belief that this is that great love. Eric is a brave and fine warrior and Sookie is a loving and great leader, together they will do great things." He paused, "You have come here this night to join your lives not just in the eyes of the law of this great state, but in an eternal commitment that will know no end. I will ask you to now, in front of your family and friends on this most precious night to refresh your bond and drink. If this is your wish then signify by saying 'I will' and bare your neck to your mate." I believe I took Sookie by surprise as I answered first.

"I will." I bared my neck to her as I lifted her up in my arms so she could reach my neck. I heard that sweet little click to let me know her little fangs had indeed popped out and she bit me very gently and drank more deeply than I had expected. She sent me a mental note as to that, 'Sorry baby, I was hungrier than I realized, I forgot to eat lunch.' She smiled her embarrassed smile and blushed as I sat her down. She then said,

"I will." Baring her neck to me in total trust and I kissed her pulse point tenderly and took a very small nip before Marcus began to speak again.

"Now the couple will light the center candle together and extinguish the five elemental candles in the reverse order of the way they were lighted. This will signify the joining of all the elements together within them and thereby making them one." Sookie put her hand in mine and lit a small fire in her palm and we lit the center candle together, then I pinched each of the smaller candles to put them out. It was then that the human minister stood back up and resumed control of the ceremony.

"Do you have the rings?" In a very strong voice Hunter said,

"I have the rings." Sookie reached to the pillow he held and took the ring for me off it and turned it in the candle light so I could see the inscription, 'My Eternal Love', making me smile like a loon. The minister began, "Repeat after me" and Sookie did,

"I, Sookie Marie Stackhouse, take you Eric, to be my lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold from this night forward, for as long as we both shall be. With this ring, I thee wed." She slipped the ring on my finger and it was just like her; a perfect fit. Then it was my turn,

"I, Eric Northman, take you Sookie, to be my lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold from this night forward, for as long as we both shall be. With this ring, I thee wed." I turned the ring before slipping it on her finger so she could see I too had had hers engraved. It simply read, 'My Heart's Desire'. A single silver tear escaped her eye and rolled down her beautiful face.

"You may kiss your bride." Like he needed to tell me that, I thought as I smiled and kissed what was mine. While we were kissing he began to speak again,

"I now pronounce you husband and wife. Everyone, may I present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Eric Northman." was what he said; what I heard was Sookie's heart sing to me, "You're mine and I'm yours, forever."

SPOV

There was a thunderous round of applause for us as we turned away from the gazebo and walked to the embrace of our family and friends. Eric picked me up and I knew that there was no talking him out of carrying me so I did not even try. There were a few transitional moments while Lillianna informed Quinn that the wedding was over and he was needed to set up the rest of the reception area. He had kept his word by keeping all of the staff in a big white tent in the front of the house. I made sure he knew that the wedding was strictly off limits to anyone but our friends and family. Eric carried me over the pebble stone path and up to where the tables where set up for the dinner and I was happy to see Constance arriving as we did not think she was going to be able to attend at all since she was preparing for a summit that would be held in her state in a couple of months. We all would be attending that together.

"Constance! I am so happy you made it. When did you get here?" I asked from Eric's arms.

"I got here just in time for the unity candle. I have not seen one like that in many years. It almost made me have an emotion." She smiled her wicked smile and looked for Felipe. I was happy that Felipe had somebody and that he loved her and she loved him, but I will be honest, sometimes the Queen of Alabama scared the crap out of me.

"Eric, dance with me while they set the tables and the band gets in place… please…"

"Of course, but there is no music."

"Then sing to me, sing me our song…" I smiled into the crook of his neck and he danced around the floor with me still in his arms and sang to me. I was lost in our love and looking across the lake when something caught my eye. There was a reflection, at first I thought it was the candles from one of the longboats that were all over the lake, but then I realized it was the candlelight glinting off of something on shore on the opposite side of the lake. I was out of Eric's arms and on the bank of our side of the lake before he could question me. The form looked like Jason, but Jason was standing less than six feet away from me with Jessica.

He raised his hand and waived a friendly wave with a sweet sort of sad smile and then he was gone. It was Dermot, he came to my wedding. What did that mean?

"Sookie, what is wrong?"

"Eric, I saw Uncle Dermot, he smiled and waved at me from the woods there."

"Are you sure?" He knew how much stress I was under but I assured him.

"Yes, I'm positive that was him. He looked just like Jason, only a little taller and broader shoulders."

"We should tell Laurell." He whispered to me, but as I turned to look for her she was standing beside me smiling.

"He wants to come home. I can feel it, but there is something clouding him and holding him back from us. We have to find a way to bring him safely home to us."

"We will Gammy… we will" I promised. The rest of the evening was a blur. There was Eric dancing with me, Pam, Belinda, Laurell, Elizabeth and Maggie. He was a hit with all the ladies, but then again I knew that before I married him. The food was incredible and the band was perfect. I was very pleased with how well everything had turned out. It did not take Pam long to start picking at me as she asked,

"So Sookie, what is on the agenda for the next couple of months?"

"Well, I still have to find my crazy uncle, there's the whole 'Sandra Pelt is going to try to kill me' thing, we have the honeymoon and when we get back we have to start planning for the babies. Then let's not forget to mention my new business venture, the nursery and garden center Alcide is currently building." I said to Pam while wrapped up in my husband's arms.

"Sookie, you are so much fun. You have added such entertainment into our existence."

"Yeah, but you only think that I'm fun 'cause I'm always in trouble." I snarked.

"Of course you are in trouble… it is Tuesday after all." Eric laughed out in that full throaty laugh that always makes me happy and just then I felt the same amusement from the babies. Why did I suddenly know this was going to be the theme of my life; Eric and the children teasing me for their amusement, but what did I care; I was loved. Eric remembered me and he had remembered our love, what more could a faery/vampire/telepath/human hybrid ask for after all? So I laughed along with them and then it was time for the last surprise for Eric, and when the torch bearers took their places he looked at me with a look I will never forget.

"You honor me…" was all he could get out and not breakdown. No one else heard it but I knew that his voice cracked. We took our place behind Marcus who led the way, Pam and Belinda were next and in front of us by about three feet, we were followed by Lillianna and Alexander who were about three feet behind us, and in the very back was Laurell. Laurell only followed to the lower deck, then it was Lillianna and Alexander who stayed on the upper deck, Pam and Belinda went all the way to the back door, but it was Marcus with the smaller handheld torch that took us to the elevator. Once inside Eric was overcome with emotion,

"I will never deserve you, but I will always need you. I am so glad you are mine and that I belong to you." I held him close to me as we descended to our resting chamber and reveled in the love only we share. No other love had ever been this pure and perfect, none. He was right we not only belonged together; we belonged to each other.

He very reverently removed my wedding dress, leaving me dressed in only my little white slip, bra and panties. He looked at me with a smile as he sat me on the bed and said,

"You are so tiny. I seem to forget sometimes, but every time I set you on this bed I am reminded not only of how tiny you are, but the first time I placed you in it. You were fragile and broken that night. I was unsure if you would ever be the same, but yet here you are, my strong, fierce wife." He was speaking to me but somehow I knew he was talking more to himself than to me.

"Do you know what I remember the most about that night?" I asked.

"No Lover, what do you remember most?"

"Your scent; I thought it was so odd that I could smell you so intensely. I knew before I opened my eyes I was in your arms, your bed… because of your scent. Must be a faery thing… I don't know…" I was rambling and he knew it. I reached and began undressing him taking my time and just enjoying how good it felt to touch him. Of course it was always quick to undress Eric, he never wears underwear these days, which made me think about the tiny red underwear he wore that faithful night I found him running down Hummingbird Lane. I was soon laughing and he smiled as he leered at me,

"Not the reaction I was hoping for…"

"I thought about the red underwear. You never wear underwear, why did you have it on that night?"

"I was going to change into my "thrall wear" at the club that night. I wore the red underwear because Pam had bought me a new pair of leather pants… it takes a while to break in leather pants when you have a gracious plenty." He smirked as he took a step forward and kissed me senseless.

"Lover, I think you think too much… Now let me love you." He finished undressing me and lay down with me on the bed. I couldn't have stopped rubbing myself against him if he had asked me to so I was really glad he liked it and was responding to it. Our bond was humming and I had cocooned the babies early in the evening so no staff at the wedding reception would know I was pregnant. Eric said Supe's can smell breeding females and I was glad I did. I wanted the babies to know that daddy loved mommy, but I did not what them exposed to 'some' of daddy's emotions just yet. All the babies knew was that daddy was very happy, safe and loved and that mommy felt the same way, so they were happy and humming.

"Oh Sookie that feels so good… please…" His moan spurred me on and I crawled down the bed and began kissing my way up his long lean legs. I kissed from his ankles to the back of his knee and when I reached his inner thigh it drew a hiss out of him that made me wet between my legs. His eyes snapped open and his nostrils flared at my arousal.

"Are you wet for me little faery? Who are you tonight, my naughty little faery or my sweet little vampire?" There was only one answer that would do.

"No, I'm your wife." I continued to kiss him and lick him everywhere but where he wanted at first. I wanted him to feel the love not the lust. In the moment before I took him in my mouth I looked up into his eyes and saw them clouded with happy red tears; I knew I had achieved my goal.

"Sookie… yes… turn this way so I can kiss you too… please LOVER…"He halfway sat up so he could reach my hips and turned me around on him with the ease of how I can pick up a book. He sat my core onto his lips and began to give as good, if not better than, he was getting. I was so slick, so wet and I needed him deep inside me. Just when I couldn't take it anymore he gave in and brought me hard. I was panting when he very gently laid me down on the bed. He looked at me smiling at me in my haze and whispered,

"Now, I get to take you as my wife, in our bed, for the first time. I love you Sookie Northman, I love you." He spread my legs apart and pressed each glorious inch inside me very, very slowly. It was such a luscious feeling and I couldn't take my eyes from between our legs. It always amazed me not only how wonderful it felt to be part of him but to have him as part of me. I suddenly had to cling to him; much as I had the first night he brought me here. I clung to him and whispered,

"Tell me again…" and he knew exactly what I need to him to say,

"I will never leave or abandon you… I love you…"He pulled me up onto his lap and I wrapped my legs around him with him still inside me. I pressed my forehead to him and told him the first promise I ever made to him again,

"I'll never run… I AM YOURS…" I was weeping but I was the happiest I had ever been in my entire life. I had Eric, I had our babies… I had… every promise he had ever made me. He cried with me but this time it wasn't for time we had lost or bad things that had happened; it wasn't even out of fear of the future. It was out of sheer unadulterated happiness and love. A love that was worth remembering; a love that would never end and as we both found our end together we looked in each other's eyes knowing we would never be lost and alone again. I fell asleep that night in my vampires, no in my husband's arms; there were no nightmares or screams in the night only sweet uninterrupted sleep.

COMPLETE - THE END - (Until next time…. Mmmmaaaaawwwww…)

A/N: I don't know what to say except, Thank you and I love you.