I DO NOT OWN TRUE BLOOD OR ITS CHARACTERS!

Chapter 1

Sookie watched as Bill and Alcide stood their ground keeping the infected vampires from getting to her. They could hear the screams and calls of the humans and vampires still at the mix, Sookie looked towards the party before glancing at the two men and taking off. Alcide threw another Vampire as Bill caught a glimpse of Sookie running.

"Sookie!" He called making Alcide look over but he did not have a chance to move as another infected Vampire attacked him. Bill took off after the selfless woman. He found her standing at the edge of the mix as vampires attacked each other, one side to feed on the frightened humans and the other to protect them. She heard a yell to her left making her look to find Jason on his back with an infected Vampire looming over him.

"Jason!" She cried out as she took off to try to help her brother.

Bill, not far behind jumped in front of her. Standing between Sookie, and the Vampire over Jason. "Sookie, get inside the bar." Bill told her without breaking his eyes away from the vampire.

"Jaso-." Bill quickly glanced at her with a hard-determined look.

"Sookie." He half growled before he leveled his eyes back on the infected vampire. The two lunged and Bill pushed the vampire back letting Sookie run to her brother. "Get her out of here." He told Jason before he was in a battle with the vampire. Jason grabbed his sister's arm and pulled her behind him as he ran into Arlene's bar.

Sookie turned and watched as her brother and several others who had taken refuge in the bar began bracing the doors and windows. "Jason, what are you doing? Bill and Alcide and all the others are out there-." She said as she pulled at the things they had put in place. Jason tried to pull her back as they heard screams from the other side. "I can help them."

"No Sook, you have to stay in here. those weren't normal vampires. They're-." Jason was cut off as Sookie pulled her arm from his hand.

"That's exactly why I have to be out there. If they have any of that blood…" She shook her head and looked back towards the barricaded doors.

"I know Sook. I know… but… but that's why we have to stay in here." Jason tried to reason with her. "They're a better match for them than we are." She gave a small nod as things seemed to quiet down making everyone look around. Suddenly the doors jumped repeatedly.

"Follow me." Sam told the others as he led them through the bar and out the back door towards the woods. Jason stopped at the order window to look at his sister who was still standing in front of the doors as they slowly loosened before flying open. The siblings looked up to see ten infected vampires smirk as several others were still fighting outside.

"Well, what's this? An offering?" The male vampire mused as he took a step forward. "Or are you just stupid?"

Sookie squared her shoulders and glared at the vampires. "Neither." The vampires looked at each other before laughing. "You take one more step and you'll be sorry." The head vampire grinned sadistically and licked his lips, making Sookie shiver. He slowly lifted his foot and made a show of placing it on the ground as if taunting her. He watched Sookie raise her hands as he ran his reached out to grab her only have a blast of Fairy magic from each of her hands blast him back out the doors.

"A fairy?" One voiced as they all turned back to look at her. You must be what all the fuss is about...I can smell it in the air, you are something special." He lets out a smirk and exposes his fangs in a menacing tone and he too started for her.

A crash off to their right had Bill and Tara looking over as an infected Vampire flew from the bar landing with a dull thud and what looked like electric roaming over his skin. The two looked to where he came from and found nine other infected Vampires turning their gaze back to a small blond woman just beyond them. "Sookie." Bill gasped as he watched the others slowly move forward towards her. His attention was brought back to his foe as they lunged at him. Bill quickly grabbed the female Vampire by her neck before slamming her to the ground and shoving a branch into her chest making her turn to red ooze.

"I knew something smelled good." One laughed as she walked closer and closer to Sookie. Suddenly she was shoved by another before another moved forward to shove him. Before anyone realized it there was an all-out brawl between the vampires over Sookie.

Bill took the opportunity to charge through and grab Sookie, pulling her back several feet as Alcide leapt through, turned, and growled in his wolf form. Sookie looked between the two as the infected Vampires realized what happened and ran at them. Bill blocked two before sending them back out of the bar as Alcide shoved the group back and transformed. "Take her somewhere safe." He said before he was forced to transform back and continue fighting to hold the infected Vampires back as Bill gave one look, grabbed Sookie around the waist and was gone with Jason glancing back only once as he followed.

"Bill!" Sookie yelled as he stopped and put her down. "Alcide needs our help. We can't just-."

"He wants you safe first." Bill responded as he looked down into her eyes. "As do I." Sookie looked at him not knowing what to say as he continued. "I know that you…. love him, but right now it's best to get you away. You're what they're after."

"You have no right to tell me what to do or where to go." Sookie said pointing her finger at him.

Bill took a step closer. "I know I've hurt you, and for that I am really very sorry but I cannot and will not let anything happen to you. Whether you agree or not I am going to protect you." He watched as she looked at him, at a loss for words. "Jason take her out of here." Jason grabbed his sister and pulled her behind him as he started in the direction of Sookie's house. Bill took a minute before turning and running back into the bar to help the Wolf. He wasn't doing it because he wanted to help Alcide, he was doing it for Sookie. The woman who he was supposed to get for the Queen, and instead he fell deeply in love with.

"Jason they should be back by now." Sookie said as she paced the kitchen waiting to hear back from Alcide and Bill. Jason stood by the door holding a rifle in hand looking out into the night waiting for any sign of danger. "We have to go back." She said as she tried to push passed her brother.

"Sook! They're after you. Bill said to get away-."

"I don't care. I'm going back. Alcide is fighting-." She cut him off only to be cut off by a deep voice on the porch. "Alcide." She whispered before laying eyes on the man he carried. "Bill…" She ran to him as Alcide placed Bill on the grass.

"I was cornered and Bill took down a handful before the rest ran off. He refused to let any of them past to get to you." Alcide explained as she knelt beside the nearly unconscious vampire. The wolf watched as Sookie broke the skin on her wrist and held it to Bill's lips letting the warm liquid drip and flow into his mouth.

"Drink." She said softly. "Come on Bill, drink." She half begged as he just lay there still, after a minute she could feel the tears coming to her eyes as she watched him, unmoving. "God damn it Bill Compton, drink." She demanded as a tear fell from her eye. Suddenly she felt his lips move against her wrist as he pulled in her blood. She could not help the relieved smile as she pulled his head onto her lap, letting him feed, and replenish his strength. Alcide watched as Sookie gently pushed Bill's dark hair back, off his forehead as he reached up and took a hold of her arm, holding it closer to his mouth.

"Is he going to be alright?" Jason asked as he looked at the man lying in his sister's lap.

"He'll be fine after some rest and another feeding." Violet said as she made her way over.

"We should take him back to his house." Sookie said as Jessica, Tara, and James made their way closer. Alcide nodded as he grabbed the man and started towards the Compton house with Sookie, Jessica, Tara and James following.

It didn't take them long before they were at the house where Jessica led them to Bill's room. Alcide laid Bill on the bed and backed away, watching as Sookie stroked his hair once more before backing away sadly. Jessica glanced from her maker to the woman, before Tara wrapped her arm around her friend's shoulders and pulled her from the room with everyone following. "He'll be up by tomorrow." Tara reassured her friend.

"I know." Sookie gave a small smile before she and Alcide started on their quiet walk home. "Jason…" She said as she found him and Violet sitting on the porch talking.

"We, uh, we're going to head home. Let me know if you need anything Sook." He said as he hugged her. She just nodded and said goodnight before the couple left. Sookie turned to watch Alcide make his way into the house making her furrow her brow in confusion.

"Alcide?" She asked as she walked into the house. "What's wrong?" Alcide shook his head as he stopped in the living room.

"It's nothing. We've had a rough night, we should get some sleep." Sookie looked at him another minute before nodding and both walking up to her room to climb into the bed and fall asleep.

The next evening Alcide watched as Sookie grabbed her jacket and headed for the door. "I'll be back in a little bit."

"You're going to Bill?" Alcide asked making Sookie stop and look at him.

"Yes. Why?" He just shook his head. "Alcide…I'm just going to make sure he is healing. He may be an ass but he did help save our lives." Alcide sighed and nodded before demanding to go with her.

"Sookie!" They heard as they reached a few feet from her house. The two looked up to see Jessica's worried face. "Sookie, you have to come. He won't wake up. I tried and tried but… Sookie…" Sookie wrapped her arms around the young Vampire and held her close.

"Sh. It's okay Jess. He's probably just healing. It's a defense mechanism for humans when they're hurt bad. I'm sure that he'll be alright." Sookie tried to sooth the girl before pulling away. "Let's go." The two started faster with Alcide following silently. Jessica and Sookie ran to the bedroom as soon as they got there and found him exactly how they had left him on the bed.

"I told you…" Jessica said softly as she tried to stop herself from crying.

Sookie walked over and looked over the man before looking back with a reassuring look. "He's resting. That's all. Alcide, why don't you take Jessica down stairs?" The man gave a small nod before leading the distraught vampire down the stairs. Sookie sighed as she sat on the side of the bed.

"Thank… you…" She heard Bill whisper making her give a small smile. Slowly he opened his eyes to look at her. "For taking care of Jessica."

"She's worried about you." Sookie told him. "You're the only one she has and if you leave her alone…" She trailed off as her looked away. "Here" She said pushing her wrist to her lips. "Drink. You need to regain your strength." After a moment of looking at her, he bit into her wrist and drank. "I heard what you did for Alcide and how you stopped the others from getting through to me….Thank you." She said softly as he pulled her arm away.

"I told you before that I would protect you." He explained sitting up to bit his finger and smear his blood on the puncture marks to make then heal. The two sat silently for a few minutes before Bill furrowed his brow.

"What is it?" She asked watching as he shook his head. "Bill Compton, you tell me the truth right now."

He looked over at her before speaking. "I'm feeling… like I didn't sleep today."

"Then lay back down and rest longer." Sookie told him before pushing him back against the pillows. "Even though you're vampire that doesn't mean you don't need time to rest and heal after harsh battles." Bill gave a small smirk as she smiled and quietly left the room.

"Is he okay?" Jessica asked as she moved from beside James on the couch to Sookie's side.

"He's fine Jess. He woke up and was talking for a little bit before he went back to sleep. He just needs sleep." Sookie explained. "You look like you could use some sleep yourself." She looked at the young vampire with a worried face. "Did you sleep today?"

"A little. I was too worried about Bill." Sookie just gave a soft smile.

"You have nothing to worry about so I suggest you try to get some sleep." Jessica nodded. "Alcide and I will be home if you need anything but let Bill sleep and both of you get sleep." The two young Vampires nodded before Alcide and Sookie left the house and started back towards her own. "I'll check in tomorrow night to make sure they have plenty of rest and to see if Bill is completely healed."

"Why?" Alcide asked looking at her. "You know he's healing and you know he as well as those two vampires can all take care of themselves and each other. So why do you need to come back again tomorrow night."

Sookie looked at him confused as to why he seemed so upset. "Alcide…"

"Sookie, you have no need or obligation to come and care for them. Why are you?"

"Because they are my friends. Yes, Bill was a giant ass and caused a LOT of problems but that doesn't mean I should put them out of my mind forever. Jessica needs someone there for her to comfort her. That boy can't ease her mind all the time; sometimes it takes a woman to help another."

"But why them specifically? You're not running off to Violet or Tara."

"Because Tara and Violet weren't closer to death."

"They're already dead." He grumbled as he turned to walk away.

Sookie put her hands on her hips. "Excuse me? They are my friends and whether they are dead already or not does not mean I can't care for them." She stormed passed him back to her house, slamming doors in her wake.