Inspired by the brilliant quote at the end of Grey's Anatomy 9x02, but changed (slightly) to fit the scenario. Tara's dialogue (voicemail) is the middle italics, I hope that's not confusing.
Tara's fingers brushed against the button keys of her phone as a lingering sigh escaped her lips. She entered in the first three digits of Pam's cell, released a gruff exhale, erased each number, and went back to sweeping her thumbs against the keys.
It was easy, really. Pick up the phone, dial in Pam's number, apologise (she had learned to apologise to the blonde even if she wasn't at fault), and things would be okay.
But, after much debate, she decided that this time was different.
A puffy cloud of smoke hovered overhead and her lips curled around the cigarette to draw in another inhale. Her courage came in the form of nicotine. She captured the top of the cigarette between her middle and index finger and pulled it from her lips so she could exhale yet another cloud of smoke.
As she watched the way the intricate cloud danced in the cool night air she rolled her eyes at herself. "Fuck it," she murmured and tossed the cigarette where it met its messy demise in a puddle outside of Merlotte's Bar & Grill.
Tara dialled in the all too familiar phone number and pressed her phone to her ear as the ringing tone began.
You've reached Pam, the voice message drawled from the other end of the line, are you Bill Compton? If so, please hang up now, I don't know how you got this number. If not, feel free to leave a message. Oh, and make it quick.
The dial tone signalled as a twinkle of amusement glistened in Tara's eyes. She was surprised she had never heard her maker's voicemail before but she wasn't all too surprised that it was what it was.
Then, with yet another exhale, she began.
Hey, so I haven't called because…well, neither have you, so… You were right. About all of it.
You were right.
"Why are you so intent on stayin' in this bumfuck town?" Pam drawled bitterly with fingers curling around the door handle of her Volvo.
They stood outside Merlotte's and save for the faint sound of chattering coming from inside the establishment, it was fairly quiet.
Tara sighed openly, tired of the question Pam had been repeating for the entire week. "It's my home, Pam," she told her maker simply.
Pam's lips formed a thin line as her eyebrow raised slightly. "Mm," she murmured, "and here I thought Fangtasia was your home."
"It ain't like that," Tara replied evenly. Fangtasia had been her home for a period of time but Bon Temps was where she grew up, as twisted as the town was, and as fucked up as it had made her.
"Then tell me," Pam began, "what is it?" She wanted to know why her progeny was insisting they stay in Bon Temps rather than Shreveport.
"I don't know how to explain it," Tara admitted with a sheepish nod, "it's just…home."
"And Fangtasia is my home," Pam countered in response.
This elicited a response from Tara who gained a sassy posture and kinked an eyebrow. "Oh, so you're willin' to let me leave my home behind, but not you?"
Pam sighed, she had little patience. "Tara, just get in the car, we can talk about this on the way back."
"Nah, I think I'm gonna spend the day here," came Tara's almost immediate reply.
This is a place where horrible things happen. You were right to go.
You're probably escaping disaster.
"You can't be fuckin' serious," the blonde all but growled in response. "You said yourself about how this town isn't good for you. I didn't take you for a masochist." She pulled open the door of the car, hoping that Tara would let it go and slide in beside her.
"Fuck you," Tara barked out.
Pam growled at her in response. She sat into the car and started the engine. As the car roared to life, she glared at her progeny and sped out of Merlotte's parking lot.
Look at me, I practically grew up here.
"Hey Miss Thornton!"
The cheery voice of eleven year old Sookie Stackhouse flooded in through the Thornton household.
Lettie Mae, who was half-awake, groaned at the blonde girl from her position on the couch. As per usual, she sported a deadly hangover.
Sookie ignored the awful smell that her best friend's mom emitted. She was used to it by now, sadly.
It was noon on a Saturday and Gran had offered to bring Tara to Monroe for the day with the Stackhouse siblings.
"Is Tara here?" Sookie asked through the broken swing door.
Why is she always smilin', she got nothin' to smile 'bout, damn girl rubbin' her nose where it don't belong, Lettie Mae's thoughts spoke for her and Sookie straightened, her smile growing and paining her cheeks as it did so.
"She probably out back," Lettie Mae all but slurred. "Tell that girl she owes me a Captain Morgan!" She was able to find her voice for that sentence, however.
Sookie gave a curt nod and skipped around the house to where Tara was sitting on the back porch, her head buried in her hands.
"Hey Tara!" Sookie sung out. When Tara didn't respond, the little girl's eyebrows furrowed. "Tara?" she approached her tentatively and sat next to her on the back porch.
Tara yawned as she sat up. "Sorry Sook," she murmured, "momma was up all night, I barely got no sleep."
Sookie nodded in understanding. "That's okay," she reassured her. "Hey!" as she if she suddenly remembered, she grinned, "Gran is taking me an' Jason to Monroe to this bakery an' she told me to come get you to come with us!"
Tara's face lit up. "Really?"
"Of course!" If Sookie was smiling anymore her cheeks would have probably fallen off. She pulled Tara to her feet, her hand clasped with her best friend's.
They both giggled as they hurried off to the Stackhouse residence.
And you're right, it's hurt me. In ways I'll probably never get over.
The empty bottle of rum came before the smack and Tara ducked as her drunk momma did her best to attack her.
"Where you been, huh?" Lettie Mae slurred, shoving her daughter in the back as she came in through the door.
Sixteen year old Tara cried out as her momma's hand came in direct contact with her skin.
"Jus' out, momma, you said be back by eight, it's only seven-thirty!" Tara strung out the words quickly, heaving a sob just as her momma's hands came to a stop.
"I did?" Lettie Mae asked. She sounded suspicious and her eyes glowered at the teenager in front of her. "You lyin' girl! You dirty, rotten, lyin' girl!"
Tara did her best to shield each of Lettie Mae's thumps and even though her momma was a trembling mess, she landed at least some of the smacks. When she was finished, and Tara's lip was bleeding, her body bruised, Lettie Mae fell onto the couch looking exhausted.
"Now," her momma spoke breathlessly, "get your momma a drink."
With a slow nod, Tara did exactly that.
I have a lot of memories of people.
People I've lost forever.
"Why, don't you look beautiful," Adele Stackhouse commented as Tara and Sookie walked into the living room sporting faces full of (badly put on) make-up.
The twelve year old girls giggled and dived onto the couch beside the old woman. Adele wrapped an arm around each girl and gave a soft squeeze.
"I reckon I have never come across such beautiful young ladies," Adele commented, her heart melting with the smiles her sentence earned.
But I have a lot of other memories, too.
This is the place where I fell in love.
"I love you," Eggs spoke suddenly one night, just as Tara was about to drift off to sleep in his arms.
"What?" Tara murmured. She tried to play it off as cool but in reality she was terrified, and perhaps maybe he could feel her heart thumping with the way her chest was against his.
Eggs smiled knowingly. He placed his fingers under Tara's chin and raised her head to look at him.
"I love you," he repeatedly lovingly.
Smiling, Tara leaned up to brush her lips against his. "I love you too."
Then, together, they showed each other just how much they loved one another.
The place where I found my family.
"Where's Tara?" Terry asked nervously one evening at Merlotte's.
"Uh, 'round back, I think," Sam replied with a grunt as he lowered a box of Tru Blood onto the counter.
Following Sam's answer, Terry walked around the back to where he found Tara smoking a cigarette.
"Those things'll kill ya," Terry spoke while approaching her, his hands in his pockets nervously.
Tara turned her head to look at the Bellefleur. She snorted, "Want one?"
Terry gave a nod and Tara offered him a cigarette. She lit the end of his with hers and he nodded as he inhaled the first puff.
"You like 'em strong," he noted and Tara laughed at the way he coughed.
"Yeah," she agreed, "so you want somethin', or…"
"Oh!" Terry mentally kicked himself for forgetting so easily. "Yeah, my cousin, not Andy, a different one, he uh has all these books and he wanted to give 'em to good will but then I remembered that you like books so I, uh…" he strayed, he was never good at conversing, "you um…want 'em?"
Tara looked at him pointedly. "Oh, so I'm good will to you?"
Startled, Terry quickly shook his head. "No, I, didn't mean, no, Tara…you ain't good will, I would nev-"
Tara laughed, "Just messin' with ya, Terry."
"That ain't funny," Terry muttered. He drew in a puff from the cigarette and then tossed it, brushing his hands against his apron.
"I know, I'm sorry," Tara agreed. "But yeah, sure, I'll take a look at the books, thanks for the offer."
Terry grinned, a real, full grin. "No need to thank me, Tara, you're like family, to all of us 'round here, and I'm awfully happy that you're workin' at Merlotte's."
Terry bid an awkward goodbye and almost tripped over a box on his way back into the establishment.
But Tara smiled, that had been the best moment out of her entire week.
This is where I learned to be a friend.
"What's wrong, Sook?" Tara asked her best friend as she sat alone on the bleachers.
"No one will let me play," Sookie answered with teary eyes, "everyone thinks I'm a freak."
Fourteen year old Tara wrapped her arm around the blonde's shoulder. "You ain't a freak, Sook, you're just special. And bein' special is great."
Sookie smiled through her tears. "Ya think so?"
"I know so," Tara replied immediately. She brushed her thumb under Sookie's eyes and wiped her tears. "Now c'mon, let's play."
Tara pulled Sookie to her feet and both grinned as they joined the other kids in a game of tag. No one disallowed Sookie to play, not when she had Tara at her side.
And, it's the place I met you.
It was a normal night at Merlotte's, until they walked in. Eric, Pam, Chow, and Bill. Pam looked like a typical stuck-up vampire bitch in Tara's eyes, but somehow, the beautiful blonde compelled her.
Pam spoke to one of the male customers, her usual smirk on her full lips. "Bring a date," the southern beauty drawled, "that is…if you can get one."
Tara wouldn't admit it, but she was among the first in the crowd to laugh.
So, I figure this place has given me as much as it's taken from me.
I've lived here as much as I've survived here, it just depends on how I look at it.
Tara smiled very softly, leaning against a tree trunk at the side of Merlotte's. "I'm gonna choose to look at it that way, and remember it that way," she explained into the phone, moving a spare hand to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Hope you're good. Bye." She finished the message and slipped the phone into her pocket feeling satisfied
xxx
Pam showed up outside Merlotte's a little over an hour later, much to Tara's surprise and happiness.
The blonde feigned annoyance as she stepped out of the Volvo, her heels crunching against the gravel.
Tara zoomed to her maker's side, her eyes lighting up like a Christmas tree. She wrapped her arms around Pam's waist, smiling at her affectionately.
Pam sighed, mimicking Tara's actions. With her arms around her progeny, a light smile danced across her pink lips.
Pam's eyes gazed into Tara's. "We're gonna have to find a light-tight place," she drawled slowly.
Grinning, Tara captured Pam's lips with her own and kissed her until she couldn't any longer. "I'm sure we'll figure somethin' out," she replied with a breath, bringing a hand down and removing Pam's from her body so she could intertwine their fingers.
"Come on," Tara tugged her maker in the direction of Merlotte's, "let me introduce you to everybody."
Being that she would be the newest resident of Bon Temps, Pam didn't refuse. She was met with warmth and acceptance and decided that Bon Temps wasn't the bumfuck town she once thought it to be.
It was home.
END.