Oh, how I've missed the fanfiction community lol….One Shot…..im rusty don't crucify me.
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Merlotte's wasn't full, but the customers had doubled in the last few weeks. For the most part the customers had stayed the same. But there was one who was noticeably out of place amongst the rustics.
"Looking right cute tonight aren't we vampire Barbie," Lafayette leaned on the bar parallel to his undead patron. "I adore the ponytail," he pinched the air gracing Pam with a smile she concluded was genuine and extremely annoying. He knew why she was there.
"Thank you," the words were a struggle escaping through gritted teeth.
He slid back on the counter holding himself with his left arm while the right held his cup. He sipped his contents enjoying the heat warming his insides despite the bitter taste. Though, he'd had a few too many to care about the taste.
"I had to see it to believe it." Pam narrowed cool eyes on the dark skinned man playing with the collar of her black button up. He smiled in explanation, "working on playing nice."
"What?" Pam growled.
"That's what I hear."
"You shouldn't believe everything you hear," she turned to him with cold eyes in warning.
Lafayette's eyebrows rose slightly as he pursed his lips raising his free hand emphasizing his surrender with a physical step backward. "Put away the claws….though," he dropped his hip and bounced back up with a shit eating grin, "I have it on good authority."
Pam narrowed her eyes knowing he meant he had it on Tara's authority. She straightened a wrinkle in her skirt crossing her legs wondering if there her wife kept anything to herself when it came to her flamboyant cousin. Lafayette leaned closer and a part of her longed for the days when a steel gaze could make him cower. Nowadays he braved snarky comments obviously under the impression she wouldn't do anything about it. She wasn't feared. She didn't like that. She didn't like that at all.
"Where is she?"
"In the back with Sam," he gestured with his head to the back office.
Blue eyes followed the imaginary line and she forced her body to relax. She was by nature the jealous type. She hated it when Eric sniffed himself dumb on the pixie dust floating from Sookie's fairy vagina. Tara meeting with an ex lover in the back room of his private office didn't sit well with her especially when she knew her first instincts would be admonished by the younger vampire. Pam had promised to be on her best behavior whenever she was around Merlotte's. And despite how much she would have liked to bend the rules she was certain that also meant leaving the daydreams about ripping Sam's head off as a daydream. She pursed her lips trying to dispel the realization that she had gone soft in the trivial action.
"So how's the married life?"
Cool eyes slowly drew up remembering she had an audience.
"Tara hasn't filled you in?" she drawled drumming her fingers impatiently on her wrist.
"She has," he confessed. He looked over to a thin redneck wearing dirty suspenders seat himself at the end of the bar returning his gaze to her casually. "She's shared a few things."
"Dare I hope that Tara Thornton was vague?"
"She hasn't given me intimate details," he admitted, "not for my lack of trying to get it out of her in every method available to my person."
Pam glared at him blankly. With a slow turn she perused the rednecks girlfriend who claimed the seat beside him pulling it away from her. "Don't you have customers to tend to?"
"I don't, but whoevers working drinks does," he stated pouring himself another double shot.
Pam heard the woman murmuring about the new karaoke machine in the back that her older sister told her about. The blond glared at the silver unimpressive Walmart special sitting on a table near the pool tables in the back. The vampire wasn't one to eavesdrop on incredibly mundane conversations, but to drown Lafayette's inquiries out she entertained all of a two minutes before she growled under her breath fiddling with her touch screen until she saw the time. She'd been there for only ten minutes. She had lived for a hundred years and these ten minutes surrounded by smelly locals, cheap beer, and awful music felt like an eternity.
"It would be nice if we could get some service!" the woman shouldered her cheap discolored purse that may have been pink in another life. She placed it on her lap. "Our money is as good as any vampires," she threw out leaning closer to her companion who lacked the image of someone less than willing to defend her or protect her. She excused herself to the bathroom clenching her purse to her chest practically jogging to the ladies room.
Pam curved an eyebrow angling her body towards the reluctant boyfriend, but before she could respond Lafayette was a bit more indelicate, "leases ain't on the menu but your bitch needs one."
"What you say to me faggot?" the scruffy faced man glared in warning. He had grown brave in the minutes it took for him to realize the one, who called his girlfriend a bitch, was indeed human. "Watch your mouth."
Lafayette curved his head to the side not at the least dumbfounded. From the look of him he might have half expected the comment since his hand had been on the neck of a bottle for the last few minutes. Pam could have sat back watched humans do what they do best and go at each other like wild dogs. Though, she spared a look in the direction of the back office, Tara had been nagging her about playing nice with her friends and her cousin.
"Lafayette," she stopped him when she heard a bar stool scratch against the wooden floor when it was pushed back. The thin man's head turned when he heard her speak suddenly worried.
The flamboyant cook acknowledged her with a scowl. He couldn't decipher her look. Though she didn't give him time to, in seconds she stood in front of the reluctant boyfriend sliding her hand to her waist. Fearful eyes were drawn in until any trace of fear was gone. All he heard were her words and the will to refuse was somewhere in the back of his head screaming quietly.
"Quack like a duck."
The redneck immediately began to quack. Pam turned cool eyes on Lafayette, "your turn."
Lafayette looked between the dislikable thin man and his cousin's wife. Leaning his elbow on the counter he turned his head to the crowd.
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Sam liked the simplicity of owning a bar. The patrons come in for one thing and if you provide that one thing then they want more. And that means more money. He would describe himself as a simple man who understood his clientele even though he didn't always agree with them. For instance, he didn't run for the hills when Tara grew fangs like some of the other locals who either cowered or blatantly glared. Being undead hadn't changed her, but he noticed being with Pam had. He couldn't remember her having a romantic bone in her body after all the time he knew her and now she had called him up and asked if she could borrow a cabin on some property he owned outside of Shreveport. It was a small place he went to go fishing. She had never taken him up on the offer, but she had heard the place was nice and quiet and she wanted time away from the city and the town and Eric and Sookie and Lafayette, to name a few distractions. She just wanted time with her wife. He chuckled when he heard the frustration in her voice assuming that Tara had been suffering in the physical sense. How could he refuse?
"I appreciate this Sam," she held up the key in thanks pocketing it in her jeans.
He waved the thanks away, "no problem, you know you can ask for just about anything from me."
She nodded. He held the door open and followed her out when he locked his desk back where he held other personal items along with the key he had just given Tara to the cabin.
"You know I've got fishing poles out there in case you guys want to go—"
Tara interrupted him with a disbelieving look, "you obviously haven't met my wife."
He laughed at the thought of Pam in high heels and in one of her extravagant costumes throwing a fishing line. He scratched the back of his neck lowering it a little, "naw, I have and I take it all back."
They shared a laugh that was cut short when the power went off. Tara's fangs shot out and Sam tensed ready for a fight. Tara sought out Pam with her bond and the blond seemed calm. She was grateful for that, now all she needed were some damn lights.
"What the…" Sam trailed off.
Music began. And an inordinately deep voice began effeminately:
"My milkshake brings all the boys to the yard
And they're like, it's better than yours
Damn right, it's better than yours
I could teach you but I have to charge…."
The power returned and everyone immediately went to the source of the music. The redneck made use of a wooden pillar moving his body suggestively against it, popping his hip from one side to another surprising on beat. Using the room with his wireless microphone he threw himself into his performance startling his girlfriend who stood red faced and shell shocked as everyone else who forgot their meals.
"Is he twerking on a pastor?" Tara asked Sam when they entered the room further to see that he had began serenading a particular patron sitting in a booth with to the left.
Lafayette had moved his body to the music holding up his cup while Pam in a more reserved way enjoyed the show swing her right foot to the beat.
"He moves well for a white boy," she threw out.
"He on beat, I'll give him that," Lafayette agreed.
"You should join him," Pam stated to the thin man's girlfriend whose attention to took full advantage of. And in minutes the larger woman bent over and began shaking her body alternating the bend of her knees a little less off beat than her boyfriend. She shook her neck waving her curly dirty blond hair in the process.
"That shits a hot mess," Lafayette's face folded.
Sam agreed when he appeared from the hall with Tara alongside him equally dumbfounded.
"Maybe that karaoke machine was too good of an idea," Sam winced none the wiser to the real reason for this impromptu entertainment.
Tara shook her head ready to get the hell out of there. This place was only getting more fucked up she thought when she sought Pam out. "Ready?"
The older vampire stood. She straightened out the wrinkles to her skirt and started toward the door with Tara on her heel. She stopped suddenly. Tara barely missed her but she side stepped her wife before she ran her over. She frowned for an explanation.
"Dinner, tomorrow night Lafayette, I won't take no for an answer," she didn't wait for an answer when she left.
Tar confused looked at her cousin and then the spot where her wife once stood. Speeding outside she caught up with Pam to beat her to the door of her car. She opened the passenger side for her. The blond quirked her brow before she got in. This was their game. Tara was making an effort to be more chivalrous whether Pam liked it or not. She wasn't keen on having doors opened for her, even though she came from a time where gestures such as that were expected from one's significant lover. She would never try to push the ideals of her time on the young vampire, but far be it for her to deny her the pleasure.
"You feeling ok?" Tara asked when she started the car and headed out of the parking lot.
"Fine," replied Pam.
"You sure?"
"If you want to ask me something Tara, please get it over with."
"You asked my cousin to dinner." Pam angled her head toward the driver and Tara took her eyes off the road to examine the look briefly. She continued, "you asked Lafayette to dinner."
"I did," she confirmed needlessly. "I thought you wanted me to get along with family."
"I do," Tara stated excitedly, "but I didn't expect…."
"Me to listen?"
"Yea," Tara's brown arched when she corrected with a dip of her head, "no."
"Ye, of little faith," Pam murmured as she watched the trees while they sped by them.
"No, I just know how you can be."
"Really?"
"Stubborn."
Pam chuckled.
"Determined."
The blond ran a finger over her lower lip.
"Sexy," she tried to earn a smile.
The vampire shook her head, "stay on topic Tara."
The younger vampire claimed Pam's free hand with the hand that wasn't holding the wheel. She pulled it to her lap and let it rest there. She liked that Pam let her get away with something as cheesy as hand holding.
"I guess," she began amused and dually pleased by the turn of events, "what I'm failing to say is thank you."
Pam ran her thumb along Tara's cool soft skin. Hand holding was a new and interesting concept she never would have pegged Tara to be guilty of, but she was entirely displeased by the habit. Her wife's phone began to ring. The younger vampire pulled her hand away apologetically kissing Pam's pale hand before she let go completely.
"Hello?" The voice on the other end was quiet. Tara didn't hang up because she heard breathing. "Hello?" she repeated.
"It's wonderful to hear your voice," Naomi spoke finally.
Tara stopped herself from looking at the phone and stared ahead. "Hey."
"I'm in your neck of the woods."
"You are?"
"I want to see you."
"Well…." She trialed off uncertain of seeing Naomi was wise.
"Let me rephrase that I need to see you," Tara heard the desperation in her voice and it worried her. Without thinking she agreed and by the end of the conversation she had already made an excuse to drop her wife off at the club.
It took her forty five minutes to get to the motel on the outskirts of Shreveport. The stench of dirty humans, cigarettes, and debauchery stung her nostrils. Naomi didn't know better of that Tara was certain, if she were she would have found a better place to stay the night. Her boots clapped against the pavement. She slid to a stop when she almost passed room fourteen. She had come without a second thought because an old friend needed help. That was the thought she consoled herself with when she knocked on the door.
She heard shuffling and then Naomi opened the door a crack. When she realized who it was she opened it wider suddenly self conscious Tara took a long stride inside and stood there waiting—for what she didn't know. They greeted each other awkwardly until they resigned to a stiff hug that they eventually melted into before Tara ended it. Rubbing her palms on her jeans with nothing better to do the dark skinned woman paced the room aware curious eyes were trailing her every move.
"Are you in trouble or something?"
"Or something…." Naomi admitted. "I met some people. I'm part of a group and as soon as I joined I thought of you."
"You did?" Tara asked cautiously.
"Yea, I'm a hunter."
"Of what?"
The woman grabbed a cigarette and lit it, "vampires," she informed.
"Vam….vampires. Hunter?"
"It's an organization that hunts vampires. We get them before they get us right?" She plopped on the edge of the bed. It hadn't looked like it had been slept in yet.
Tara studied the woman beginning to notice oddities she hadn't noticed before. There was a bag near the open bathroom door. She could see the lethal glint of a blade shinning from the inside. She heard a baby begin to cry. Naomi stood up quickly heading to the bathroom where the sound came from throwing her cigarette in the sink before she knelt in the tub. In a car seat in the tub a pale baby sat red faced and upset.
"What the hell is that?" Tara demanded glaring over the dark haired woman's shoulder.
Naomi turned her head eying the wall before she turned back to the baby she tried to calm. "Never seen a baby before?"
"Whose is it?"
She answered Tara with silence.
"Naomi?"
"It's nobodys," she strained she turned biting her thumb nail when the child had calmed, "I killed it's mother."
"Back the hell up," she stepped back stopping the dark haired woman before she could explain to ignore Pam's phone call. She'd make it up to her later she promised herself. "Alright go head."
On the cool bathroom floor they sat. Naomi took the baby in her arms wincing when she felt it's teeth bite into her wrist. Naomi told her how the child came to be in her possession and Tara listening fight the urge to interrupt and ask more questions.
"They already killed the mom, and the kid," she shook her head, "the kid is just a kid no matter what it is."
"So let me get this shit straight," Tara held her hands up to her face as if she were praying clenching her eyes closed to focus. "The mother was a vampire, but the dad was human and by some miracle they had a kid."
Naomi nodded, "they wanted to kill it. I volunteered to do it," she stared down at the baby, "I came pretty damn close until I…." she didn't know what stopped her. She knew what it would grow up to be if it did grow and yet she couldn't separate it's species from the innocence of it's age.
"What are you going to do?"
Naomi didn't answer and continued to stare down at the baby.
"You can't keep it," Tara stated.
"Will you kill it?"
The dark skinned vampire was taken aback, "what?"
"I can't," she wasn't ashamed to admit it, "can you?"
"I'm not killing a kid. I'm not killing anything. Are you listening to yourself?"
"Tara…." Naomi pleaded.
The vampire stood pushing off the frame of the door she was leaning against, "hell no Naomi."
"Fine." She returned the baby the car seat. "Can you stay at least?" she pressed into Tara seeking out warmth she strangely didn't feel.
"No," Tara shook her head. She loved her wife. She fought her body's reaction to the brunette.
"I mean until I get the kid some diapers," she pulled away grabbing her keys. Tara wide eyed shook her head. "How do I know you're not going to leave that thing here with me by myself?" Tara's overactive imagination amused some people. Though, there was nothing about this situation that should have been amusing and Naomi pats her on the cheek saying, "trust me."
She closed the door behind her and beyond Tara heard her car pull away to find diapers. Tara's nose turned up when she sniffed and wondered how something that small could emit such a lethal smell.
Tara's phone went off again. Sighing heavily she answered, "hey babe."
"Do you know what time it is?"
Tara didn't have to check for the time instinctively aware that she had a few hours until the sun rose.
"Yea."
"Are you somewhere safe?" Pam asked dryly, but Tara knew her long enough to denote concern from her tone.
"Yea."
Pam wanted to ask where she was. Tara knew she wanted to ask, but she cut her off volunteering that she would be home later knowing she wouldn't make it home that night. Pam stayed on the phone a moment longer unsatisfied with Tara's vague answers. Though, the dark skinned woman could offer nothing else or be suspected of something she didn't do. Clearly coming here with no questions asked was a mistake especially if her wife found out who she was meeting. She opened her mouth to tell her she loved her. Before she could Pam hung up.
Tara pushed the door of the bathroom door wider staring at the pale baby. She looked at the front door with an idea nagging at the back of her mind. It had begun when she first came and heard what Naomi had gotten herself mixed up in. It grew louder when the dark haired woman left to go for pampers at midnight and it was now it couldn't be ignored by denial. Naomi wasn't coming back.
She stepped into the tub sitting across from the child staring at the wide innocent eyes.
"Get out of the tub, get in the car, and drive the hell away Tara," she murmured against her arm as she leaned on it with her knees up frowning at the child.
An hour later she still hadn't followed her own advice. She thought of what her sad excuse for a mother would have done. She never wanted to be like that towards her kids. Though, she had never thought of having kids as a serious option for her. She didn't know what it was like to be stable and now, she was married and Pam wasn't exactly the mothering type.
"Leave the kid," she began talking to herself again uncrossing her arms as if she were about to follow through.
The baby gurgled happily on her its own volition Tara's mouth curved upward warmed by the innocence sitting across from her. She could no more leave this baby than Naomi could kill it. She stood preparing for the sunrise. They would have to hole up there until the sun went down and hopefully by then Tara would have some idea of what to do with the baby.
She took the car seat out of the tub placing it on the floor near the bed. She took the pampers off the baby and started the shower checking the temperature. Then she held the holding it securely and so that gentle spray cleaned the kid's backside.
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Pam didn't like waking up alone. The crypt had been turned into a love nest for the weekdays and on the weekends they found somewhere more secluded to spend together. She had grown spoiled waking up to the familiar soft and wet kisses from her wife. She anticipated waking up and drawing the younger vampire near to consummate over and over again and again their love. Pam slid forward and forced herself out of bed. She looked at her phone. She looked at the time, but she was more concerned if there were any message she missed. Pam had none.
Tara hadn't come home last night after a cryptic phone call she didn't elaborate on which was her habit in most cases. Climbing the stairs she it wasn't odd to see Ginger hanging sitting on a bar stool flipping through a magazine. Though, her recent distraction was a bit much for the vampire.
"What the fuck is that?" she growled at the car seat having some idea what she might found when she rounded the corner.
Ginger jumped with a short and strangled sound that didn't do her usual ear curdling screams justice.
"It's a baby," she said weakly getting off the stool looking about nervously.
"Please tell me some idiot didn't leave that thing at the door," she pinched the bridge of her nose.
"Not exactly," Ginger squeaked.
"What the hell is it doing in my bar?" Pam placed a hand on her hip impatiently waiting an explanation Ginger didn't seem too eager to give.
"I…." she trailed off as the baby in question began to wail.
Cool eyes slowly turned the death glare to the child and Ginger's eyes popped wide begging the baby, in her mind, to stop crying. Fortunately, the screams couldn't be ignored for too long by Tara who had been in the office making a call to Lafayette to arrange someone to take the kid.
"Ginger, what the hell are you doing to the kid?" Tara hurried out until she saw her wife tilting her head strangely at her, "hey babe," she greeted her weakly. Glaring at Ginger for not warning her she pulled her wife to her by the waist grazing full lips on taut cheeks.
"Tara," greeted shortly.
The dark skinned vampire knew she was in trouble.
"Let me explain," Tara began. The screams grew louder from the miniature vampire. Looking from her wife then to the baby she grabbed the baby and held it to her chest rocking it back and forth.
The scene didn't endear Pam. Frankly it pissed her off because she was no closer to an answer as to the origins of the child or why the hell is was on top of her bar.
"Get it out," Pam warned when it calmed down finally after Tara's persistent coaxing. She started downstairs they still had two hours before opening.
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"What the fuck am I supposed to do with a baby?"
"Watch it," Tara stated putting the baby safely in the back seat of the car. She didn't know many things, but she did know that. Now, attaching the child inside was a whole different matter. I took both she and her cousin to fifteen minutes before they successfully maneuvered the seat belt through the hole in the back of the car seat and secure the baby.
"Does it have a name?"
Tara glared.
"What have you been calling it?"
"Baby."
"Well, shit Tara what the hell kind of plans you got for baby cause you flying blind from my point of view."
"Fuck off Lafayette."
He smiled chuckled, "better yet," he wiggled his fingers, "how did your wife take it when she saw baby's day out on the bar?"
Tara's chewed the inside of her lips as her cousin continued.
"It look like a little gerbil baby," he eyed with narrowed eyes.
"It's Gerber baby bitch," Tara shook her head at her cousin.
"You would know," he teased. "Now, what's the compensation?"
"For what?"
"This shit is called babysitting. If my memory serves correct. Bitches getting paid for watching babies."
Tara looked at her cousin dumbly pulling out her a bill placing it in his palm. Under hooded eye lashes he examined the green holding out his hand for me. "You including the dirty diapers and my blood donation in that there twenty?"
"Here bitch," she added another that he popped and held to the light.
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When Tara returned to the loud music and the dimly lit club Pam was letting nimble finger of one of the dancers trace her collarbone. She wore a corset and leather skirt with stiletto heels that made her legs look like they could go on for days. The dark skinned vampire took her spot behind the bar watching. Pam wasn't encouraging the advances, the dancer was taking liberties. Jealousy ran in her family. It was in Tara's nature to dislike people that touched what belonged to her. That possessive instinct only worsened when she turned.
For forty five minutes she watched. "So," Tara clapped her hands together when she found her wife standing in front of the inventory. "Is that my punishment?"
Pam barely acknowledged her glancing at her then her eyes returned to her clipboard.
"Along with the silent treatment, I had no idea you felt this strongly about not having kids."
The clipboard dropped to her side, "what the fuck Tara."
"I got a call last night, an old friend was in trouble, and before I knew I got left with a baby."
Pam scoffed, "great, now what? You're going to take care of it now?"
"I haven't gotten that for."
"For fucks sake Tara you brought here, to our home, the business," she shook her head, " you got something going on in that head of yours."
"If I could have dropped the kid off somewhere I would. But I don't see many people taking a baby vampire, hell I don't think I've ever heard of one."
"You haven't because they don't exist. Whatever that child is it's not…" Pam trailed off before she could finish her hypocritical defense. "You should kill it."
"It's a baby."
"It's trouble is what it is," Pam growled. She hated that Tara was so damn stubborn. She wasn't in the mood for it now. They had been doing so well, hell she had invited her annoying cousin to dinner. She had planned on ordering Chinese or pizza for the man.
"Honey," Tara tried, but Pam cut her off.
"No," she put her foot down. "Haven't we been through enough," the blond closed in on her. A soft hand caressed the dark cheek. "I don't want it with us, around us, I don't want it. I want you and me and lots and lots of sex."
"Kill the kid," Tara repeated Pam's suggestion.
The blond blinked then nodded.
Tara pulled Pam's hand away, "it's just a fucking baby."
The club owner watched at the despondent woman turned and left. She never thought of her wife as maternal. Though, she wouldn't have expected to get attached so quickly. When she was done hiding out in the storage room/ office she returned to her throne. Tara was behind the bar less energetic than she would be on a good night and she knew she was the reason why. A baby, she thought, frowning at the image of the innocent cheeks. She ignored and physically detached herself from the dancer she allowed to take liberties earlier. Her eyes fixed on Tara. What was so special about a baby anyway? What did they do except make life more complicated. Then a baby vampire and abomination in its own right under her roof, Eric wouldn't like it.
But, her wife was from a terrible home. Perhaps this was her way of wanting to make sure someone else didn't live the way she did. The baby would have a hard life for certain considering what it is. She didn't even know if it would age.
She stood up and headed to the bar never taking her off Tara. Brown eyes found blue and Tara found herself drifting in the direction where Pam stood.
"You feel that strongly about it?" she asked.
Tara narrowed her eyes at the vague question, "I don't want to abandon it."
Pam considered her wife's point. Then a familiar redhead came in to clock in for her shift. "I suppose Jessica won't be as useless if she's any good at….baby stuff."
Tara turned to follow her gaze toward their new employee who smiled widely at the duo.
"I tell you I love you lately?"
Pam promised, "You'll be spending eternity making this up to me you know."
"I know," Tara replied and she didn't mind.