Hello, sorry I've taken so long. I got complete writer's block with this chapter as it's a lot more descriptive writing than speech, but here you are. I'll try and update soon. Chuck.

Chapter 29

Arya smiled as she lowered her arms to her side, her anger dissolving as the light that flared from her hands dissolved into nothingness.

"What did you just do?" Pam asked confounded by what had just happened. Standing beside her child, Pam finally registered her own unconscious movement; she had been two metres away from Arya before. "How did you do that?" Pam stared at Arya with great focus, her eyes wide with a disturbed feeling of confusion. 'She was calm I…' Pam told herself, "how..?" Pam's words eluded her, the unexpected strength and use of power making her virtually mute.

Arya stood unmoved her face no longer bearing the smile of satisfaction, but a look of unhappiness in its place, her eyes fixed on Eric's still ground level form.

…

Eric couldn't remember the last time he just stopped and looked at the stars, 'a long time ago' he told himself, gazing up to the heavens as he lay in the spot he'd landed. After the vampire population had, 'come out of the coffin' it seemed that the stars had become a forgotten beauty to the metropolitan lifestyle of work and play. Planting his feet flat on the warm, magically charged ground, Eric dragged them into himself resting his heels against the edge of his butt cheeks. 'Powerful…very white...' Eric said repeatedly within his own rattled mind, the shock of the force he crashed to the floor with making every muscle vibrate.

Moving slowly, Eric sat up, shaking his head from side to side in an attempt to regain brain function. Looking up and out from his sitting position, he saw a wide eyed, confusion filled Pam who flick her apologetic, worried eyes between her maker and her child.

'I'm alright Pam...' Eric whispered through their bond, Pam's eyes flicking to him instantly as he jumped to his feet to prove his point. Dusting off his tuxedo jacket, Eric straightening his posture feeling each and every bone in his spine click, "I deserved that." Eric admitted, looking his grandchild in the eye taking his white handkerchief out of his lapel pocket, waving it cautiously asking for peace. "I know what I've done. I understand how much I've hurt her." Eric stole a glimpse at Pam who smiled briefly, "and I know that by hurting her I've been hurting you."

Arya looked away to her left, she could feel remorse seeping out of Eric, everything bar her injustice hating nature wanting to forgive him instantly. Sure he understood the words that had left Pam's mouth but Eric didn't know everything he'd done to Pam. He didn't have a clue and it was up to her to show him, 'so we can all stand united, strong, as a family', Arya told herself.

"What is she feeling?" Eric asked Pam wordlessly, catching his concerned child's eye as she broke her stare on her bowed head progeny. Pam shook her head, "nothing?"

"I can't home into anything, she's thinking too fast…" Pam's eyes widened, blinking erratically as a mountain of Arya's uninterruptable thoughts passed through Pam's own brain. Sliding her hand under Arya's, Pam locked fingers with her child, caressing the inside of Arya's mind with the words, "Calm down…"

"I am calm…" Arya squeezed Pam's hand.

Looking up from Arya, Pam gazed at Eric as he approached them slowly. "Calm Pam…" Eric smiled, trying to infuse a sense of ease into his child as he came within hands touching distance of Arya. Reaching out a hand Eric cupped Pam's face giving it a reassuring squeeze before clasping her hand and turning his attention to his favourite brunette, who was completely unmoved by Eric's closeness. She remained still as a polished ivory statue staring at her feet, appearing to be lost in her own mind.

"I don't know what's wrong with her…" Eric met Pam's eyes, "Eric…" Pam's voice almost whispered, her tone filled with an uncommon concerned quiver, "I don't know what to do…" Pam admitted, dropping her eyes to the floor in shame, although she hated the idea of needing advice as a maker, she needed Eric to show her what to do.

Pam had warned Arya that she would struggle being a maker, that caring about anyone but herself was foreign nature; and they had run into troubles and mishaps. After all they'd both hit the ground running. Having not been completely prepared to be a maker, Pam had forgotten to tell Arya about some of the fundamentals of being a vampire, crying blood tears had been a nasty shock, the bleeds had been an interesting thing to explain and that most importantly glamouring didn't work on your maker. Pam praised herself on not being overly sentimental but being near her progeny brought out a caring nature Pam didn't think she had, she loved her child as much as she loved her maker and herself. Pam felt lost, she had no idea how to pre-empt or comfort her clearly distressed progeny and she needed her maker to help her.

"This will be okay Pam…" Eric smiled briefly, winking at Pam in an attempt of comforting confidence.

Drip. Drip. Drip.

Eric took a deep internal breath as he reached out a hand to clasp Arya's which hung loosely by her side, not the slightest spark of tension filling any of her muscles. Eric configured his hand, sliding it into her small grasp.

Drip. Drip. Drip.

"Arya?" Pam asked her eyes looking at the ground.

Drip. Drip.

Following Pam's look, Eric found himself starring at the moon's reflection glistening in a small puddle of liquid rubies on the floor beneath Arya's sobbing head. Looking at one another Eric and Pam felt a wave of emotion flood them, filling them with an colossal ache. Never in both their lifetimes had they heard such sobs, although Arya stood as the solitary crying being, the sobs echoed more than one voice. A shiver travelling down Eric's spine as he realised the phantom sobs were Pam's. Looking up into the mutually wide eyed red rimmed blue ravines, Eric and Pam felt the thud as Arya's walls fell, the emotions of the last three years taking no mercy on them.

"I'm…." Eric muttered, "I…huuhhh…" Eric's voice broke of as he felt the small hand within his clutch with a vice like grip. The touch of cool skin to cool skin sending an electrical memory surge coursing through the trio of minds, bodies and souls; between them the bond flickered and flitted like the small lights that surrounded them, all the energy in the woodland heightening with intensity.

Behind all their eyes images of time not so long gone by played, the three finally sharing in the knowledge of the other two-thirds experience.

….

For the first time Eric saw Pam's struggle; watching her get Sookie's initial phone call at Fangtasia, followed quickly by speeding through the darkness to Sookie's old house, he watch himself cast her through a door way with a shove of his hand. He saw her in the basement scaring Lafyette senseless, the meeting with Marnie and co in the woods, he watched as Marnie's spell rotted Pam's face and the hours of frustrated, upset crying in her room alone. The images, emotions and sounds flicked past like fast, educational slides; Eric watched Pam run Fangtasia as her life slowly fell apart. He heard the crashing of glass as it broke against the walls of the office in anger and winced at the pain he felt subconsciously watching Pam get the shots in the temples, the skin peel and the days of silvering. He saw how his child ran into his arms at Bill's heart filled with short lived joy to have her maker back, he watched as she gave Sookie the eyebrow of contempt as he walked away from her, her blonde haired head thinking and fretting. Eric's eyes leaked the red liquid the three Northman's hated, as he saw his child's heart ache with passion as she shot the missile at the moon goddess emporium, finally reliving the look of helpless, lonely hurt that filled her eyes as he told her 'get out of my sight, before I kill you.' The images of the hurt he'd caused ever unfolding before him…

Drip.

A Pam tear hit the floor as the infamous Ruby flood broke the eyelid barrier; with her eyes fixed shut, Pam saw her maker torn between forgiveness within his office in Fangtasia, she could feel the mixed emotions of love and rage radiated from the image into her physical being. She saw him worry on numerous occasions, she saw his deep seated guilt and level of self loathing for his actions. She watched him break things in frustration as he agonised over telling her about Arya, sitting on the top of the stairs listening to her cry in the parlour, regret filling his saddened blue eyes. She saw tears roll.

Drip.

Arya present in all the memories now shuddered under the pressure of being the vessel that made them discover and resolve their issues. Being who she was, a magical being of multiple origin, Arya had a unique ability which enabled her to dig into the souls of others searching for every bit of useful information. Arya's eyelids quivered with over activity, red tears falling down her porcelain cheeks. She loved her makers more than anything and she would never want to cause them unnecessary pain, but Arya knew that after everything had been experienced and dealt with they would stand stronger than they ever had before. This was a mission of forgiveness. Watching Eric and Pam's memories begin to fade out, Arya took an internal breathe as she felt her walls come crashing completely down.

…

Arya's reality flooded them all, her last three years not all that indifferent to that of the older two vampires. All the years she'd been alone she'd been able to feel her elder's feelings whilst, they lived in the peaceful bliss of under activity from her end. Eric and Pam watched as Arya got skull splitting visions from their lives, they watched her enchant Eric with a clocking spell out in the sunlight. Multiple images of her trying to break the hex she'd placed upon herself, her body taking flight and landing hard in several outdoor and indoor locations. They observed her nights and days studying her craft and herbal medicine trying to create a cure for Pam's facial ailment. They saw her slaving away at work, the bleeds running from most orifices as a statement to her tiredness, their draining effect on her energy. Pam winced at the presence of her voice, 'Aryaaa…!' Watching her pride and joy get thrown around as she met the magical force fields of her purgatory, her body being thrown backward over and over again, buckling lower to the floor with emotion, crying until daylight forced her into silence. Arya fought against her magical restraints with animalistic passion, feeling the force and heat of the explosions caused by her counter magic as she cursed Eric's name. They felt her heartache, her recent sobs echoing from past occasions in their eyes and she broke down, crippling into a crumpled ball of pain from the sadness, betrayal, and frustration and hurt she was enduring.

The light in the clearing flickered empathically, lessening in activity as the memories began to dwindle in the last few moments of the show and tell. The light energy disappearing with a sudden, vivid bright burst as the trio gasped at the night air, the images releasing them dramatically back into the calm, silent wood. Standing connected in their triangular formation, still holding hands.

"Now we are even in our understanding." Arya whispered into the air, lifting her closed eyed head toward the sky, her body shaking wearily under the pressure of being the vessel of all knowledge.

Opening their eyes Pam and Eric met each other's gaze, each taking in the blood stained faces of the other. For the first time since everything had come about, Eric and Pam felt a general calm, a complete ease in the water of their eyes, both unanimous in the agreement Arya's intervention had been a good thing because now they felt strong again. Turning their heads to the young vampire who'd shown them the light, "Arya?" they called in unison.

Lowering her head to its normal place, Arya flicked her lighter green-blue eyes wearily between the two people who had made her life worth living, her glances almost apologetic in nature. "It was the only way I could make you see…" She said tipping her head toward the floor, knowing that her intervention was a drastic one.

Letting go of Arya's hand, Eric lifted her head with a single finger smiling as her eyes fell upon his own. For someone with such power her face held so much innocence, her face as fragile as the red tears balancing on her bottom lid. "No more tears." Eric said softly, his tone enforcing enough authority that Arya fort them back into her being, making Eric smile she might be annoyed with him but she respected him. Peering at Pam quickly Eric smiled squeezing her hand gently. Cupping Arya's face within his grasp, Eric lowered his head down to her eye level. For a moment Eric watched her eyes trying to read deeper than the feelings he could feel through the bond, they were a truly magnificent colour one Eric had seen only a few times in his existence, a sparkling green-blue aquatic ravine of emotion and personality. Eric smiled as she crossed her eyes to her nose, Arya not as keen of the eyeballing session as Eric, squeezing her face gently Eric said, "Thank you…"

Pam smiled, as her maker spoke the words she thought, watching her child look down toward the floor bashfully before smirking to herself with pride.

Standing up tall Eric dropped Pam's hand free, pulling down his tuxedo jacket, wiping his face with the back of his hand. "From this moment," Eric spoke clearly, "we are no longer slaves to our emotions." Eric's eyebrow raised as he gazed at his two tear stained girls, 'this might be harder than usual…" Pam smirked at Arya who shook her head, "We have no feelings and we're cold hearted and ruthless…" The two girls threw a hand on one hip simultaneously, in anticipation for the point of his speech. "We are the Northman's." Eric said walking in toward both the women.

" The Swynford de Beaufort's…" Pam said her statement eyebrow of displeasure in its place, she hated Eric's male superiority trait. 'So old fashion…' She drawled within her mind, why did women have to take a man's name?

Arya rolled her eyes, "The Northman-Swynford de Beaufort's"

Pam and Eric smirked, Arya ever the diplomat.

"We are the Northman-Swynford de Beaufort's," The trio smiled, "We are the best of the best and with our new found knowledge and understanding, we are healed, we have survived and we are stronger than ever."

"And no waitress called Sookie Stackhouse will ever change that…" Arya said, twirling her hair around her finger playfully, pursing her lips with attitude.

"No she won't…" Eric confirmed smiling at Pam, reaching out his arms; Eric wrapped one around each of their shoulders pulling Pam and Arya into his chest. "This is our stronghold. We are one." Eric felt two arms slide around his back, fingers locking at the base of his spine. A sense of complete calm filling each of the vampire's as they fell into each other's forms; each of them completely helpless to withstand the familiarity of the scents and closeness of their loved ones.

Arya buried her head deep into Eric's chest leaning her forehead against Pam's. Having been alone for thirty years Arya felt a sense of betrayal within herself, for a huge portion of her dead life she'd prided herself upon not needing anyone but now here in the grasp of her matriarch and patriarch she felt pure joy. She felt at home and she now realised that truthfully for thirty years, she'd avoided thinking of this closeness because it was all she really wanted. Snuggling deeper into Eric's chest, Arya told herself, 'and giving in feels so damn good.'

Placing a hand on top of the heads of golden and chocolate hair, Eric held his girls too him tightly absorbing their happiness. Eric felt a smile grace his face, he could feel that Pam was completely happy and at ease, her heart was light, her head was happy and her soul no longer ached with absence of any kind. Also, Arya was warming to him slowly though Eric wasn't completely convinced that she was happy with hip.

"Yeah, this isn't completely soppy at all is it?" Pam asked sarcastically her words almost whimsical with stifled laughter, "there's no emotion in this at all." Arya chortled to herself, squeezing Pam's hands, "not that I'm complaining…" Pam added merrily.

"It's completely cold hearted…" Arya smirked, "in a kind of warm and fuzzy manner…'

"Ok let go of me." Eric pouted releasing his arms, from around them.

"Eric…" His girls laughed.

"No, no, you've done it now, let me go." Eric taunted playfully.

"I suppose we'd better be getting back before people get suspicious…" Arya spoke into Eric's chest.

"Why would anyone be missing us?" Eric asked pulling back from the embrace. As they unravelled themselves from each other, Pam and Eric gazed curiously at Eric, "Should someone be missing you?"

"I know people." Arya said smiling wickedly.

"Who?"

Pam and Eric looked at each other curiously, both thinking the same thing, Arya had only been in Shreveport just over an hour.

"I may not have been here long but I have the Valentine-Northman-Swynford de Beaufort charm. I also needed help getting here, so I made a friend."

"Who would you want to be friends with around here?" Eric and Pam asked in unison, they'd lived here for years and they didn't particularly like anyone.

"You'll find out…" Arya smiled, "She's in Fangtasia, waiting."

"Human?" Eric asked curiously, the girl was bound to be hot if Arya chose her. 'I hope it's not a shifter.'

Pam looked at her watch, '11.28…', "Eric, we have it go, now, it's 11.28 and I don't even need to look in a mirror to know that I look less than perfect right now. I'll need at least h…"

"You look perfect to me…" Arya drawled flirtatiously, winking at her maker who basked in the praise.

"And that's why I've missed you…" Pam said with a grin, "but seriously, there's work to be done on this…" Pam waved a hand over her face before bundling the skirt of her dress over her arm once more, walking toward her child she laid a hand on her back, "You need you do your face too…" Pam smiled as Arya rolled her eyes, "I only say it because I care…" Pam laid a kiss on Arya's forehead, "come on lets go celebrate your death day." With a smile Pam disappeared into the wooded darkness.

The wood fell silent as the youngest and oldest of the line stood looking after Pam, "Arya," Eric said her eyes looking up into his instantly, "are we all right?" Eric asked hopefully humble.

Arya eyes flickered quickly as she processed Eric's question whilst simultaneously removing her shoes from her feet, clutching them by the toes. Smiling sweetly Arya leant in toward Eric's personal space whispering, "Not nearly old man…" Her eyes teased Eric, her eyebrows rising with the firm knowledge she still had Eric on the hook as his face dropped a little. Tapping his arm, Arya caressed it gently, "but play your cards right and it won't take long…" Like her maker Arya liked flirting with authority. Smiling mischievously Arya disappeared after Pam into the darkness, leaving Eric alone in the wood with the thought that she was holding him by the proverbial nuts.