Never Say Never (True Blood Fanfic - Tara/Eric)

Chapter 16 - Race Against Time

CHAPTER 16 – RACING AGAINST TIME

Tara glanced at the clock on the wall. Alcide should have been back hours ago. The sun would set soon. She groaned, pressing a hand to her lower back as the pain intensified, spreading to her thighs and across her abdomen. Her contractions were now less than seven minutes apart. Little Alexander was coming whether or not she liked it.

Stubborn just like his damn father, she thought.

Her voice shook as she called out. "Henry! Where are you? I-I need your help."

A few seconds later, Henry appeared in the kitchen's doorway. As soon as he saw Tara's pained expression, he quickly came to put his arm around her shoulders and led her into the living room.

"Take it easy there, young lady," he cautioned as he helped lower her to the plastic-covered couch.

Tara took a deep breath to calm herself. "I-I think I'm in labor."

Henry eyed her cautiously and nodded. "It looks that way. I'll go fetch Eric and Pam."

"No, you can't. You won't be able to wake them. They're heavy sleepers."

"My wife was a heavy sleeper, too. Charlotte could sleep through a tornado. A douse of cold water might do the trick."

She reached for his sleeve as he turned to leave. "No, you don't understand. They can't wake until the sun goes down."

Confusion flashed in the old man's eyes. "Sweety, I know you said they were both dead tired after driving all night, but you're about to have a baby. There's no way we can let them sleep through this. I think Eric would be mighty upset if he missed the birth of his son."

"Jesus, you don't get it, do you? Eric and Pam are... vampires. It's almost physically impossible for them to wake up before sunset."

"What? You tellin' me I got two vamps sleeping under my roof?"

Tara swallowed nervously. "Y-yes."

Henry frowned, causing the wrinkles on his forehead to deepen. "Well, I guess that explains a lot. What 'bout the other fella, the big, dark-haired one? He normal?"

"Alcide? He's a werewolf and a friend. He should've been back a long time ago. I'm worried something happened to him."

Henry narrowed his eyes and rubbed the gray whiskers on his chin. "So I reckon you folks ain't kin to me, are ya?"

Tara wasn't sure if it was guilt or the baby that made her stomach tighten. She glanced down at her belly before looking up to meet his watery blue eyes again. "No. We were being chased by the Vampire Authority and needed a place to hideout. Eric glamoured you so we could stay here."

She saw the hurt look in the old man's eyes and immediately wished she could take back her confession.

"I'm so sorry, Henry. We were running out of options and..." A contraction hit her. She bent forward, moaning in pain.

"It makes no difference now," Henry said, placing his scrawny hand on the back of her shoulder. "Besides, ya'll feel more like family than my kin ever did. C'mon, we need to get you to the hospital." He looked towards the front door as though death was standing on the other side. "I got me an old Lincoln outback, but I'm not sure if it still works. I haven't left this house in years."

"Maybe if you can help me to the car... I can drive... myself." Tara panted, attempting to push herself up. The effort quickly spent the last of her energy, forcing her to fall back against the couch.

"You can't drive in your condition. I'll just have to stomach up the courage and drive you myself."

Tara saw the nervous tick in his eye right before he turned towards the door. His shoulders visibly tensed. "I..I can do this...I can do this," he chanted under his breath, edging closer to the door. His hands shook as he reached for the knob.