BACKSTORY: It has been one month since Eric Northman returned from the past and disrupted the new life Tara Compton had tried to build with Alcide Herveaux. And in that month, much has happened.

Tara decided there was no point in pretending she had anything with the King of Louisiana, Bill Compton. The couple got a 'vampire divorce', which was actually much different than a human divorce, with regards to time and money. It was much shorter and much cheaper.

Alcide was thrilled but didn't hope for much more than having the twins and Tara, live with him in his house in Shreveport. Vampire laws did not honor incest, and apparently, that was what Tara and Alcide were practicing when they got together. It wasn't that it was unheard of, for vampire siblings to have sex, but to become a real couple, was just not done in that part of society.

But that wasn't the worst problem...

Eric had been calm. Eerily so. Tara had tried living with him but couldn't stand it! She suspected he was still using that drug that Dr. Ludwig had given him to travel back in time, to STILL see that earlier version of herself! And it was driving her crazy! She couldn't prove it but she also couldn't live with Eric, feeling that way!

Alcide had no idea that that was the real reason they were back together. And Tara never wanted him to know. He was a good man and just as hot as Eric, in many ways. Alcide Herveaux should have been able to make her forget about Eric Northman. But there were some nights, when they were together, that Tara would pretend Alcide was Eric. Not all the time, but a few.

What Tara did tell Alcide, and others, was something quite different and true. The reason she had taken her twin babies, Alexander and Ilsa, from their father's home, was because of something Eric brought up to her. Something HE wanted to do and SHE did not.

Eric wanted to turn their children into vampires! He wanted Tara to decide what age they should do this at and blah...blah...blah...

She had human children and she would not turn them into monsters! And she didn't want to hear Eric's fucked up reasons for wanting to do what he was proposing! Tara talked to Bill and Sookie, who were now planning their own wedding. It was Bill that told her that in a case like this, Eric would be legally forbidden to perform such an act on his own children, if Tara went to vampire court and got full custody. Eric could have arranged time with the twins, but if he did anything out of line, like turning them into vamps, he would meet the true death.

And that is where we are in this story: Eric's sister, Nora Gainsborough, is his lawyer, while Tara is being defended by none other than Portia Bellefleur. Tara is all nerves. And not because she is nervous about being in court.

Eric is calm. Too calm. And he smiles at her whenever he sees her. And it is not a friendly smile, so much as it is a knowing smile...

Sookie and Sam were sitting in a local park, while Alexander and Ilsa slept in their strollers. Sam had promoted Arlene to Assistant Manager, and she was looking out for Merlotte's, while he and Sookie helped with the twins.

Sam was listening to Sookie tell him about what was currently going on in Tara's life...

"So there is a meeting with the lawyers tonight?" Sam asked.

"A meeting with the lawyers, Eric and Tara. Portia will be the only human in the room. She could end up getting killed." Sookie sighed.

Sam shook his head.

"I don't know what Northman is thinking! I mean it's crazy to want to turn the babies!"

Sookie smiled as Alexander awoke, then looked at her, smiling some. He recognized her by now.

"Is it? I think Eric is just coming from a place, where he doesn't want to outlive his children. You see how he took Pam's death."

Sam swallowed, then nodded. Sookie rested a hand on his arm.

"I'm sorry."

"No, don't be. I miss Pam but I have to move on. And death is a part of life. It isn't natural to stall it. I think that's where Tara is coming from. How is Alcide taking all of this?"

"In stride," Sookie said, "but he told me he thought he saw a man that the Pelts used, watching the house."

"Are those fucks still trying to kidnap the babies?"

"Alcide recognized the guy as someone the Pelts have used when they needed some kind of killing done. I'm surprised they didn't just use Debbie." she said sarcastically.

A man walked up to them.

"Are you Sookie Stackhouse and Sam Merlotte?"

Sam frowned. Uh oh...

"Yes," Sookie answered, "who are you?"

The process server handed them both envelopes.

"You've both been served." he said and walked off. Sam tore open the envelope. The noise seemed to awaken baby Ilsa.

"Holy shit, Sook! Northman is calling me as a witness for HIM! I don't have a fucking decent thing to say about him!"

Sookie opened hers and saw the same thing.

"Yeah, Eric is calling me as a witness as well. Sam, he's planning something dirty. Maybe we should talk Tara into cooperating."

"You mean allowing Eric to bite these babies and turn them, whenever he pleases?" Sam asked sarcastically.

But Sookie folded up the summons. This was not JUST about Eric's plans for his children. And no one knew that better than Tara herself.

Tara padded into the kitchen to find Sookie feeding Alexander. Ilsa was asleep. Alcide was in the shower upstairs.

She made her way over to the refrigerator, opened a bottle of True Blood and took a long swig. She then stopped mid-sip. She could feel Sookie's eyes on her. Tara set down the bottle and looked at her.

"Okay, Sook, what's wrong? Did something happen with the babies today?"

Sookie wiped Alexander's little mouth, then answered.

"Sam and I were sitting in the park, when were served with subpoenas. From Eric's lawyer!"

"Oh. Well it's no big deal, Sookie. You just tell them how awful Eric is..."

"No," Sookie interrupted, "see Nora isn't going to ask me all that. She's trying to make you look bad and unfit."

"Why are you acting as if you suddenly don't know what to say?" Tara asked tiredly. "I mean you know what Eric's like. Just say that in court."

"I haven't seen any evidence that he's a bad father, Tara. And that is what this is all about, right?"

Tara wasn't in the mood for any of Sookie's preachy crap!

"Okay, look, I don't know what you're getting at, but I don't have the time for it. I'll feed Alexander."

"Tara, Portia and you are meeting with Eric and Nora tonight, right? It's a meeting to see if you can't work things out so that this doesn't have to go to court. Just cooperate with him. Vampire court could be very different than human court!"

Alcide came downstairs in a robe, peering at Sookie and Tara suspiciously.

"What's going on down here?" he asked gruffly.

Sookie sighed.

"Alcide, I think you need to talk to Tara about just giving Eric what he wants. Sam and I got served to testify by his lawyer. I think he plans to humiliate Tara. Before it gets that far..."

"Whoa!" Alcide interrupted. "What are you saying, Sookie? That we ought to give in to Northman? Because what Northman wants, isn't just the children. He can't seem to grasp a clue in hell, that Tara and I are together now. So hell no, no one is giving in. He abandoned her and that's what Sam and you say."

Tara said nothing during this. It was hard to wake up to this shit. Sookie was doubting that she could get full custody of her children. Maybe she should listen to her. What was Nora planning on asking Sookie and Sam about her?

"Look, I'll see what Eric says at the meeting. I think you should go."

Sookie looked from Tara to Alcide, then picked up her purse.

"I'll be back tomorrow."

"LaFayette will be here tomorrow. Why don't you take the day off?" Tara smiled wanly. Sookie said nothing for a long moment, then nodded. She touched Alexander's head and walked to the front door. The sound of it opening and closing could be heard.

"I didn't realize LaFayette was coming over?" Alcide asked, rubbing his face.

"He's not. I'll find someone else to look after Alex and Ilsa tomorrow. I don't trust Sookie."

"Okay, now I don't think Sookie meant anything by that, Tara. She's just scared for you is all." Alcide advised her. He walked over to the fridge to get a True Blood.

"So scared that she's now sure I'll lose? Why? Maybe because Eric said something to Bill and Bill told Sookie something. And if she was any kind of real friend, instead of saying all of that cryptic shit, she would've told me why exactly she thinks I ought to give in to Eric."

Alcide took out his bottle, closed the door, then broached an unpleasant subject to Tara.

"I've got something to tell you. And I just want you to hear me out before you say anything."

Tara peered at him. Uh oh...

"Okay." she answered. Alcide took a deep breath, then went into what he had to say.

"I got a call the other day from another FBi Agent. An Agent Williams. I've been to see him."

Tara's mouth dropped open!

"You met with a fed? Why?"

Alcide walked over to her.

"Tara, they haven't forgotten what happened to those agents Eric killed. They want to make a deal."

Tara backed away a bit. Federal agents Sara Weiss and Tom Latteste had asked for both LaFayette's and her help in bringing Eric down. They had proof he was selling some drug called Morphia, that allowed people to morph into other people. It had dangerous side effects and in short, some rich person had died, which is why the authorities suddenly cared about it in the first place.

At some point, Eric found out she had been talking to the feds, and Kibwe and Alcide were recruited to help Eric murder the agents. But there had been something else Eric had asked her and Alcide to do, that they hadn't. Something concerning murdering little Emma Garza, an act that Eric is convinced actually took place, when it did not.

"A deal? What kind of deal?"

Alcide rested his hands on her shoulders.

"Tara, if Northman goes to prison, we can be done with him. I want to help the feds catch him. Then we don't have to worry about his coming between us or his trying to turn the babies. I know you don't like cops. I hate them too. But I think we should consider this."

"Alcide, we both helped with that. We'd go to prison as well." Tara hedged.

"No. We've been promised total immunity. But this Agent Williams wants to talk to both of us." Alcide said, his eyes searching hers.

"I'll...I'll think about it after my meeting tonight." Tara said. Alcide pulled her into an embrace and Tara leaned into him. She had thought this whole thing died with those two agents. But she had been stupid to think they wouldn't have tried to find out what had happened to their own. If the meeting with Eric and Nora didn't go well tonight, Tara would consider the 'putting Eric in prison option'.

Tara met with Portia before they went into the meeting room. They were all meeting at Portia's law firm.

"I want to try and work things out with Eric."

Portia raised a brow.

"That is why we are here, Tara."

"No, I mean REALLY work things out. I found out something and if I have to go with this option, it could affect my children's lives forever."

"What are you talking about?" Portia asked.

"I'll tell you after this is over." Tara said and Portia gave her a long, level look, before walking to the meeting room door, opening it and stepping inside to face Eric and Nora.

Portia and Tara sat down across from them. Portia opened the discussion.

"My client has informed me that she wants to make every effort to cooperate, for the sake of their children."

"My client feels the same way." Nora said in a clipped, snotty, British accent.

Tara looked at Eric. He was staring at her. And smiling. Tara looked away but she could still feel his eyes on her.

"If your client truly feels that way," Portia said, pulling out a document, "then he will sign this legal document, giving Ms. Thornton full custody of their children. And he will not try in anyway, to ever turn them into vampires."

"Done." Nora said.

Portia's eyes widened and she looked at Tara, who was stunned! She now looked at Eric.

"Really, Eric? No BS here? You won't fight me?"

"I'll even leave Alcide alone." Eric said coolly. "Where do I sign?"

Portia smelled trouble! This had been too easy! She stared hard at Nora, who glanced over the document and handed it to Eric, who signed it without reading it. He then pushed it across the table at Tara. There was a section for her to sign. Portia felt she HAD to say something!

"What is this? You gave us trouble about everything concerning this case and now you're suddenly willing to give in?"

Eric spoke.

"I love my children. All I want is their happiness. The same for their mother." Eric said, smiling at Tara. Tara smiled back, reached over and touched his hand.

"We will make this work, Eric. You can see the twins whenever you want."

Eric nodded and Tara pulled her hand away and stood up. Portia looked over the agreement. It didn't look as if it had been signed in disappearing ink or anything...

"We'll be in touch with the final details. I'm glad you came to your senses, Mr. Northman." Portia said, then walked out of the room with Tara. Once the door closed, Eric shook his head, smirked and stood up. Nora tapped her fingers on the table.

"Eric," Nora began, "I think what we just did was a mistake. And I don't mean legally. If you want this woman to love you..."

"She does love me. She just can't get past her wounded pride about the two of us." Eric told her.

"Well whatever the problem is between you two, it's only going to get worse once Tara and her lawyer there, realize we tricked them."

Eric looked down at his sister. He supposed she was right. For with a little help from a very reluctant, Chancellor Kibwe and some old voodoo he used to practice, once Eric signed Tara's little document, that piece of paper ceased to be a custody agreement.

It then turned into a marriage contract! One in which binded him and Tara together as husband and wife. Forever. And because they were now 'married', there would be no custody agreement. If she took him to vampire court, other things would now have to be proven.

Basically, it was now more a mess than it had been before. But as Tara's husband, he had the right to decide his children's future for himself. And he did not want to lose them to the frailties that went with being human.

"Eric? Did you hear me? How long did Chancellor Kibwe say it would be, before that document appears as it really is, to Portia Bellefleur and Tara?"

"Two days. So I need you to file it right now with the night court." Eric instructed her. Nora stood up and closed her briefcase.

"I hope you know what you're doing." Nora told her brother.

"What I'm 'doing', is ending all of the drama. In two days, Tara will realize that she is my wife now. I will make Alcide Herveaux disappear from our lives, as his maker and my children will have my name and be under my roof. Yes, Nora, I know what I'm doing." Eric said calmly. He was just sorry he hadn't done it a lot sooner. Preferably the moment he crushed those reality rings in front of Tara, keeping her from returning to 'Prince Eric'. Well HE was Prince Eric now, whether Tara liked it or not!

Eric looked at Nora again, smiling.

"I hope you'll be up to giving Tara and myself a nice reception, after all is revealed."