I don't own True Blood or the Sookie Stackhouse Novels. Ailis and some of the plot points are the only things that I own.

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I promise that the next chapter will have the story about Eric and Ailis. I needed this chapter to set the scene.

Just as she was about to take the plunge, there was a loud rapping at her door once more.

Really? Can I not just get this fucking over with already?

She fumed inwardly to herself as she hopped up off the couch and crossed over to the front door. Wrenching it open, she put her hand upon her hip.

"What?" she ground out sharply.

Lafayette was standing on her porch, twirling the end of his bandana around his finger. At the tone of her voice, he straightened up, crossing his arms across his chest. Cocking his head to the side, he clicked his teeth in exasperated contempt.

"Hookah, I know you ain't taking that tone of voice with me. Not after the shit storm you put me through this morning."

Ailis leaned heavily against the door jamb. She closed her eyes, and sighed in pure exhaustion, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Lafayette, I'm sorry, but I'm really not in the mood to get into this with you right now. I don't have the mental or emotional strength for it."

"Well, from the look of things, you're just gonna have to make time. If'n you can make it for Sookie, you can damn well extend me the same courtesy. I feel like I have more than earned a moment of your time." He glanced over his shoulder, than looked meaningfully into her eyes before he subtly shouldered his way into her home.

Looking into her driveway, she noticed that Sookie had driven her car over. Glancing up at the stars, she prayed for God to grant her the strength not to strangle the blonde waitress sitting innocently in her living room.

"Great. The more the merrier," she breathed sarcastically under her breath, as she went to close the door once more.

When the door was almost shut, another appendage impeded her progress. Growling loudly, she contemplated just slamming the door shut, damn the person on the other side. Her better nature took over at the last minute and she opened the door, gazing balefully at the irritating visage of Sam Merlotte.

"Why the hell are you at my door tonight of all nights, Sam?" she gritted out, not caring if she was being less than hospitable.

Scowling deeply, Sam refused to meet her eyes. He opened his mouth to answer and Ailis realized she really didn't want to hear anything he had to say.

Holding her hand up, she cut him off before he could speak. "Never mind. Save your breath, Merlotte. I must be out of my mind to let you in here after what you did to me today. You will not speak to me; you won't even open your mouth when you are in my house, Merlotte. You will hear what I have to say and then get the hell out of my house. Then I intend to never see you again in this life or the next, is that understood?"

His brow darkened and she could see he was warring with himself. After a moment he jerked his head once in acquiescence. Sighing heavily and once more questioning her sanity, Ailis moved away from the door and allowed him to pass.

She went to close the door for a third time this night, only to once again find her movement impeded. Snarling loudly, she turned back to the door and felt her stomach give a sick flop when she noticed the unnaturally pale skin of the hand gripping the edge of the jamb. Following the arm, she traced her eyes to the face of her unwanted visitor and let out a quick gush of breath she hadn't realized she had been holding. It was only Vampire Bill.

Sagging against the door, she sent a silent prayer to whoever was listening that it hadn't been Eric. Clearing her throat to make sure it didn't croak, she cocked a brow at Bill. "Something I can help you with, Mr. Compton?"

"Ms. McCullough," he said, bowing formally. "I am sorry to intrude on you this evening, but I believe when we spoke earlier at the bar I made it known that I wanted to be privy this conversation you are soon to be having this evening. I feel I have a right to ask this, seeing as how you are becoming such good friends with my human, and your….unfortunate association with Eric Northman."

His words were spoken in a benign tone, but his eyes showed that he would brook no argument from her. Feeling that he was within his bounds to ask to be there, she nodded slowly and stepped out of the doorway once more.

"Believe me, Mr. Compton, I would like nothing more to have had nothing to do with Eric Northman. Unfortunately life tends to not be exactly fair." Grimacing darkly at her thoughts, she came back to herself when she heard a low cough. Looking up, she saw Bill standing on her porch.

Remembering that she had never invited Bill into her home, she shook herself out of her thoughts and smiled sheepishly at him. "Sorry about that. Just got a lot on my mind. Please come in, ."

Bill thanked her softly and stepped across the threshold. She pushed the door closed, and was secretly thankful that nothing else was trying to come into her home. Turning, she saw Bill waiting for her.

Smiling sadly down at her, he offered her his arm. "May I escort you, Ms. McCollough?"

That one, simple gesture was enough to make the tears she had been holding at bay come surging to the forefront. She reached out, fighting the lump forming in her throat and latch onto his arm, feeling like it was the only bastion of safety in the swirling tempest that were her thoughts.

"Just take a deep breath and start from the beginning," he murmured encouragingly into her ear as they headed towards the living room.

She nodded her head, not trusting her voice at the moment. She needed to get herself together if she was going to get through this night without turning into a sobbing, blubbering mess.

She squeezed Bill's arm, looking up at him with a small smile of gratitude. "Thank you, Mr-"

"Please, call me Bill," he cut her off.

"Thank you, Bill. I've been terrified at the thought of going over all of this, not knowing where to begin."

He nodded slowly. "It always helps to start at the beginning."

They had reached the living room at this point. Every eye in the room turned to her as she stepped across the threshold. It was vaguely ominous the way they were looking at her, the sense of apprehension in the room. They seemed to sense that this story wasn't going to be pretty.

Isn't that just the fucking understatement of the century, she griped silently to herself as she walked to the table sitting in the middle of the room and hopping up onto it, and plopping down Indian-style. Sookie was sitting on the sofa, Bill leaning against the back of it, his hand resting possessively on her shoulder. Lafayette had thrown himself into the chair beside the fireplace, legs thrown over the arms. Sam was standing in front of the fireplace, leaning up against the mantle. Everyone was looking at her expectantly; all save for Sam who was glaring moodily into the empty grate.

She suddenly felt like an animal at the zoo. All of them were watching her closely, waiting for her to do something amazing. Swallowing thickly, she looked down at her hands. Start from the beginning, she told herself mutely.

"The thing you have to understand about Regina and me is that we were inseparable. Most people figured we had to be related to one another due to the fact that where you found one you would surely see the other following. Not to mention we knew everything about one another and could finish each other's sentences. It used to drive people that knew us crazy," she murmured softly, a misty smile forming slowly.

"All the trouble I ever got into was with Reg. More often than not, she was the one that caused the trouble and I was just along for the ride."

Her eyes took on a faraway look, while her voice dropped an octave. Everyone had to lean in to hear what she was saying. "Of course, the real trouble began about a year ago…"

I hope ya'll liked this one and I promise that a new chapter will be coming to you very soon.

Thanks so much for reading my story and I hope ya'll will like the next one.

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