Dying For Some Sun

EIGHT

Merlottes


A/N: Thank you for all the fab reviews... remember back in chapter one we learned Sookie should be dead, she wouldn't last to the morning is what the doctors had said...

Enjoy JoxX...


Jason came running towards me, picking me up and spinning me round, "Sook, I was so worried about you girl. Damn you look like a real lady tonight," I could feel the relief pouring off him in waves and how nice I looked. He even thought Gran would have loved to see me like this. He was happy I looked so well cared for. Weird how pale I was but in his thoughts he was willing to over look it.

"Thanks Jas, no need to worry about me I am okay," I smiled at him cupping his cheek.

"Damn, Sook. I feel like I should be on Jerry Springer or something but you don't even know how bad it was when I thought I'd lost you for good," he said his eyes brimming with emotion. I'd seen Jason once since, I'd been made Vampire that didn't go so well, as I was angry at him.

"Shut the fuck up bitch, you gonna make our girl cry and ruin her make up when she's looking sooo fine," Tara abashed Jason. I was smiling so wide, if I were human my jaws would have ached.

"Tara," I said, before she flung herself at me, pulling away a few seconds later, "this is okay, to hug you right? You're not gonna grab yourself a little snack back there are you?" I burst out laughing.

"I think I can restrain myself, mmm although..." I laughed winking at her, she laughed too. She hugged me again, squeezing me tight.

"Well hooker you know, I'd do anything for ya, but that's stretching friendship a little too far," she laughed. "I've missed you so much, I am so grateful that you're still with us, that Eric saved you. I don't know what I would have done without you girl, you've always been my rock," Tara blurted out.

I blew out some air, "I thought you didn't want me to cry, bitch," I smiled at Tara, dabbing the corners of my eyes, before I grossed everyone out.

"But Tara is our bitch," Layfaette hugged Tara by the shoulders, "now come and let me have a look at chew, sweetness," Layfaette dressing a skin tight pink tank top, make up and cargo pants. He did a little dance gyrating his hips. "Bow chicca wow wow," he sang. I giggled, he was always such a character.

"Well Sook's," he began, I did a twirl on the spot.

"So what's the verdict Layfaette?" I asked, with a huge grin on my face.

"Hmm mmm mmM ,Vampire looks good on you Sook, but I'd take bloodsucker any day of the week than visiting you're grave, don't ever do that to us again, you feel me?" he smiled pulling me into a big hug, that would have surely crushed my rib's if I had still been human. A big group had gathered round us. Wishing me well and saying how happy I was that I was still alive sort off.

It made me feel bad, selfishly I'd only thought about myself, what I'd lost, not anything about the people that would have been left behind if I'd died. If Jason's behaviour was anything to go by, they had really missed me, Jason stayed close like a lost puppy.

Sam was one of the last to approach, "I didn't ever think I'd be grateful to a bloodsucker, but you are a sight for sore eyes, Cher," he said with a look of sadness in his eyes.

I launched myself at Sam, "Sam, I am so glad your okay," I hugged him tight. Enjoying his body heat a little too much, willing the tips of my fangs back into my head.

"Back at ya," he smiled giving me a kiss on the cheek, "so what will it be? On the house," he said when I began getting emotional again. I noticed Arlene had been keeping her distance.

"I'll take an O neg please," I smiled, feeling awkward requesting the blood.

"Arlene it's good to see you," I said, reading from her thoughts that she was too afraid to speak to me in case I blamed her for Rene.

"Oh Sookie, I am so soo soo sorry, Rene," she sobbed out.

"Shh, it wasn't your fault, I don't blame you. He fooled us all," I said, thinking how bad Arlene smelt, which I'd never noticed before, it was like I could smell the desperation in her.

"It's not been the same without you here, we've missed you more than you'll know," she smiled, twisting the serving towel in her hands, nervously.

"How is Coby and Lisa?" I asked.

"Asking, for you all the time," then she pulled a face and grimaced, "they want to see your fangs, they have told anyone who would listen, their auntie Sookie is a Vamper," she smiled.

"You tell them, their auntie Sookie misses them too," I grinned fang free.

Tara led me over to a table in my old section, I looked round for Eric to see he had taken a seat at the bar, chatting with Sam.

"Okay girl, let see them it's killing me," Layfaette blurted out, he was swiftly punched in the arm by Tara.

"Bitch, yous been wanting to see them too, so don't start," Layfaette abashed her.

"It's okay and I am only doing this once, it's considered bad form to pop your fangs if you don't intend to use them in a situation like this," I popped my fangs and smiled. Met with ooh's and ahh's as I moved my face from side to side so they could see. "Can I put them back now everyone had a good look," I giggled.

"That is some intense hardware, are they as sharp as they look?" Hoyt asked.

"Sharper, much sharper the first while I keep cutting myself. I couldn't stop touching them, just as well I heal so fast now," I answered.

Everyone told me about the Bon temps gossip, we chatted it was real nice. But I now understood, how different I was to them. Maybe I'd always been different, but to be completely honest and this might make me sound like a bit of a bitch; I really couldn't give a rats ass over some of the more mundane things they were telling me. I kept thinking life's too short, in my case it was life's too long to sweat the small stuff; I guess I'd done some growing up.

Layfaette grilled me intensively about Eric, totally unaware that Eric could hear every cringe worthy word. No, I am not tapping that, I had answered repeatedly. He then went on to ask me what was wrong me and was I still straight. When he started talking about what that boy could do for him, I had to put my foot down. Eric did not need a bigger ego than he already had.

I looked up over to the bar, saw Eric sat there, I caught his eye's, I flicked mine to the door. He rose to his great height getting the message immediately. I was so grateful Eric had stayed in the background and allowed me to visit with my friend's, maybe he wasn't so bad after all.

"It's time I take Sookie home," he said.

"Okay," I got up a bit relieved to be no longer centre of attention, but I would miss them all.

"We can maybe have you guys out to Fangtasia one night," Eric very generously offered. This was met with lots of positive noises.

Tara hugged Eric and he didn't really know what to do so he just stood there looking lost, "Thank you, for saving her. You better treat our Girl right or there is a sharp piece of wood with your name all over it."

"Tara!" I yelled.

"What? We still got your back, no Vamp daddy drama is gonna change that, you'll always be my best girl," she said hugging me.

After all the goodbyes and see you soons were exchanged. We stepped outside, Eric's hand on the small of my back guiding me to the car.

"You have an interesting choice in friends Lover," Eric commented as he folded himself in his car.

I laughed, "You mean all the strays, I've picked up over the years," I smiled. Feeling much lighter. "They are nut's, but they are loyal and I love them very much," I sighed. They had given me a lot to think about and Bill too.

We rode the rest of the way in silence; I must have slipped into downtime, processing it all. I felt myself come online again, as Eric pulled up to a house I'd never seen before, I looked at Eric my eyebrows raised.

"Our other home is not secure, seeing as it's missing a whole wall," Eric smirked.

I winced, "I am real sorry, I don't even know what happened," looking thoroughly ashamed.

"Sookie it's covered by the insurance, it's only money. I am proud of you tonight... at Bill's, I know that must have been difficult for you," Eric spoke.

"It was surprisingly easier after I spent a nigh... I mean a day on a blanket lying on the dirt," I laughed. "I've turned into a snob, what can I say I missed waking up in a bed with Egyptian cotton sheets, with a high thread count, sipping blood bank blood, being able to walk around after I rise," if I looked sheepish it was because I was feeling sheepish.

"I think Compton is right, if I am not careful I will end up with two spoilt brats," he smiled, picking up my hand and pressing a kiss into the back of it, me letting him.


REVIEW...

WOW is this the start of her finally processing her turning and accepting her nature... ? let me know what do you think...