"Sadie Belleflour, you get your hind end over here and give me a hug!"
Startled out of my internal musings as I step into the front door of the precinct where my cousin, Andy, works, I force my gaze upward just in time to see Bud Dearborne rounding the corner; his eyes blown wide as he takes in my appearance. It's obvious to me, in that moment, that I'm the very last person he expects to see—but the simple familiarity of his appearance is enough to have me moving across the hall towards him; the surprising comfort of his embrace bringing a smile to my lips as he speaks once again.
"You back here on break, sweetheart?"
"No" I begin; pulling back gently from the older man's embrace and taking in the curious expression that took over his features before continuing "No, I decided not to go to New York, after all."
"You find yourself a fella down here, then?"
"God, no!" I exclaim; laughing at the mischievous glint to the Sherriff's eyes as he laughs along with me "I just decided I'd fit better in the clinic at home than in some fancy hospital in upstate New York."
"Too fancy?" Bud supplies; motioning for me to follow him as he heads towards his desk in the opposite corner from where we stand, and tossing the papers he has in his hand onto the surface as I reply.
"Something like that."
"Well we'll sure be glad to have you back. But I assume you're here to find Andy; not to pass time with me?"
"Technically. But if he's still as grumpy as when I left, I'll pass" I reply; taking the seat Bud offers me and watching as he sits at his desk opposite me "I'm guessing that hasn't changed?"
"What hasn't changed?" A voice says from behind me; causing me to turn and rise from my chair as I recognize the source and smile as I reply.
"Your damned grumpiness."
"C'mon, Sadie, am I that bad?" Andy questions; pulling me into a bear-hug and pressing a kiss to the side of my head.
"Sometimes."
"Don't make me arrest you" My cousin intones; laughing at the raised eyebrow I give him as he places a hand idly on the cuffs at his side "Assaulting an officer of the law is a crime."
"I haven't assaulted anybody" I protest; jumping back slightly as Andy steps towards me as though he actually means to do what he says. Belatedly, I find myself forced to admit that I've missed this—the teasing—far more than I ever would dare admit out loud. And almost as if in time with my thoughts, I register Andy speaking once again; his amusement evident as he dangles the cuffs out between us.
"Verbal assault is still assault, little lady."
"Bud, you just gonna let your partner do this?" I inquire; looking toward the older man for some manner of assistance and finding him only looking on in amusement as he interjects just as Andy is about to attempt actually putting the cuffs on me.
"Andy why don't you take the rest of the day off and get your cousin reacquainted with everything 'round here?"
"Oh I don't think that's necessary" I protest; eager to avoid disrupting anything with my return as I turn my attention from my cousin to the Sherriff "If he's supposed to be workin' I don't want to leave you short-handed."
"No need to worry about that. Today's a slow day" Bud insists; his significant glance towards Andy causing me to look towards my cousin as well, only to find that he appears all too eager to get out early for a day "And besides; you all deserve a family reunion after how long you've been away."
"You're sure?"
"Positive, darlin'. Go let your cousin take you home."
Satisfied, at least partly, by the Sherriff's response, I manage a grateful nod; moving to walk towards my cousin and smiling as I register how his arm almost automatically loops around my shoulders. It's startling, how easy it is to fall into step with him; as though absolutely no time has passed between my departure and this moment. A fact that has me leaning into Andy's side as he guides me through the front door of the police station; his voice soon breaking me out of my thoughts as he speaks.
"Feel like a burger at Merlotte's? I know more than a few people that'll be ecstatic to have you back."
What better way to fall back into an old life?
…
I'm hardly in Merlotte's front door for five seconds when I feel the impact of every pair of eyes turning to fall upon me; the sensation of being watched bringing a faint flush to my cheeks as I move out from under my cousin's watchful hovering and step forward a bit on my own. Almost immediately, I hear a startled shriek; the sound automatically causing me to turn to face the source—the familiar blonde hair of my closest friend rushing toward me in a blur, before I am knocked backward just a bit with the force of her embrace.
"Sadie, my God, I can't believe my eyes!"
"Am I that scary-lookin'?"
"Oh shut up" Sookie huffs; swatting playfully at my arm as she pulls away and manages a glance for Andy as he stands beside me "Hey Andy. You have to drag her back to town in cuffs?"
"Nah, she came on her own."
"She stayin' this time?" My friend questions; leveling a significant look my way, and reminding me of exactly how tenacious she can be as I move to reply.
"That's the plan. Got a job at the clinic in town-"
"Oh thank God!" Sookie exclaims; throwing her arms around me once again, before she pulls back and finally releases me "Now you've got no excuse to go leavin' me again."
"Whether I wanted to or not, I doubt Andy would let me" I tease; nudging my cousin in the ribs, only to find myself tugged backwards against a sturdy chest, my feet kicking out slightly as I'm twirled around in a strong embrace.
"Jesus Christ, look what the cat drug in!"
"Terry?"
"The one and only" My older brother replies; setting me down so that I can turn to face him, and launch myself into his open arms "Lord have I missed you."
"Feeling's mutual" I return; ducking away as Terry starts to ruffle my hair like he always does when he wants to bother me, and pulling away to look at him properly. He's still the same Terry I always knew; in spite of how he suddenly seems older—more drawn. Something in his expression tells me he's trying far too hard to put on a good show for my own benefit, as well as everyone else's. But before I can make any move towards inquiring into how my brother is actually feeling, I find myself once again distracted as Andy's hand comes to rest on my shoulder and he begins leading me away from both Terry, and Sookie in favor of heading over to a booth in the corner. Belatedly, I can hear Terry as he turns back to the kitchen; hollering for someone to start up an order of onion rings—my favorite—but as I slide myself into the booth across from my cousin, I find myself distracted once again as Andy's gaze locks onto mine; his tone suddenly serious as he speaks.
"You're not considerin' gettin' back with Stackhouse, are ya?" He asks; leveling a serious expression my way, and causing me to shift uncomfortably in my seat for a moment before replying.
"What exactly gave you that idea, Andy?"
"I know you" My cousin returns; holding out a hand to stall my protest as he continues "And I know when you left you still had feelin's for him; even though he hurt you bad."
"Not anymore" I insist; picking at the edge of a napkin as I do whatever I can to avoid meeting Andy's gaze head-on "That's done, Andy; it's in the past."
"Well it better be. Here lately, anyone he's slept with ends up dead couple hours later."
"What!" I exclaim; the beer that Terry brings over going practically unnoticed as I opt instead for leaning towards my cousin even as my brother slides in beside me "Andy Bellefleur, what in hell are you talkin' about?"
"I'm talkin' about a string of murders that started up just before you got back here. You need to stay away from him, Sadie."
Raising a brow, I turn to glance at Terry; the expression of open agreement on his features sending a small shiver of apprehension through me as I accept the drink my brother is now nudging towards me and take a swig to give myself something to do. Already, my thoughts are racing; trying to make sense of what Andy has told me. And I can't do it. As much as Jason did hurt me, leaving me high and dry as he's done to so many other girls, I can't fathom the idea of him actually killing someone. It's just too far off the mark; even for him.
Before I can mention any of this, however—before I can make any attempt at getting more information from my cousin, Sookie appears at our table; a platter of onion rings in her hand; effectively bringing a stop to all conversation of her brother as she sets the platter in the center of the table. Her smile is every bit as warm—as familiar as I can remember it—as she slides a sheet of scrap paper across the table towards me, with a number scrawled in its center.
"I'll be expecting you to make use of this later" She says; reaching across Terry to nudge playfully at my shoulder while she continues:
"We've got a lot of catchin' up to do."
…
Hours later, after having successfully situated myself in the small apartment I rented out for myself with Terry and Andy's help, I find myself seated across from Sookie at her grandmother's dining room table; a warm cup of coffee in my hands. We've already been over the ins and outs of my own life since I left; the rapid-fire questions Sookie fires at me bringing a resigned grin to my lips as I realize that nothing has changed between us at all. She's still the same person she always has been—a fact for which I am absurdly grateful for as I spare only the briefest of moments to take a sip of coffee before I turn the tables on her.
"So what about you?" I inquire; smiling at the sudden blush that overtakes my friend's cheeks as she shifts a bit in her seat and picks at the slice of pie on the plate before her "What's happened since I've been gone that I don't know about from our emails?"
"Well nothin' much, really" Sookie begins; ignoring my outright expression of disbelief as she finally meets my gaze with her own "Except I've met someone-"
"Someone?" I laugh; the way my friend seems almost intent upon tip-toeing around the subject only intriguing me further as I lean forward in the chair I occupy and place my chin on the palm of one hand "Do elaborate."
"His name's Bill" She says; flushing yet again as I raise a brow and wait for her to continue "And he—well, he's a bit unique."
"Unique?"
"You promise you won't judge?" Sookie asks; her sudden hesitation prompting me to abandon my hold on the coffee cup in favor for reaching for her hand as I reply.
"Sookie, why in hell would I judge you?"
Before she can make any attempt at a reply, however, the sudden knock at the door startles us both out of our conversation; the anxious look Sookie gives me as she gets up to answer it causing me to feel the slightest twinge of concern as I move to follow. Something in her demeanor seems to have changed; although I can't even begin to place why. But as though she has suddenly caught on to my silent musings—which, in all honesty, she probably has—she reverts back to a more calm demeanor as she places her hand on the doorknob to open it…
When she opens the door, the man on the other side of it freezes in place almost immediately as his expression falls upon me; his features giving the impression of one who has just seen a ghost…
…
Well hello there, my dearies, and welcome to a slightly revised initial chapter!
Basically, what I was going for in this chapter was to set the stage for Sadie being thrown back into her own life, so that there's a plausible segway for her being involved in the vampire world later on. So I hope that it came across as believable; because I am incredibly thrilled to be getting into the meat and potatoes of the story!
A huge thank you goes out to everyone who has decided to give this guy a chance so far! I truly do appreciate the support, and I cannot wait to hear more thoughts on this chapter!
Until next time…
MOMM