So some of you might want to yell at certain characters for being idiots in this chapter. But remember they're only human…. Well some of them.

Title chapter from Natalie Merchant's Thick as Thieves.

There was something wrong about the day being clear and beautiful. Like God was laughing at them all.

Andy and Jason kept watch over Sam, who they had handcuffed to a towel rack in the bathroom despite both the man's and Sookie's protests.

Coby and Lisa didn't seem fazed at all by what was happening. They seemed better able to handle crises than their own mother was. Since the vampires were all 'asleep' the two children were content to watch public access children's programming on Lafayette's T.V.

Tara had taken up pacing again, and since the vamps were gone she had even considered making a break for Sookie's until Jason and Lafayette threatened to not only handcuff her, but also put her in the bathroom with Sam.

They had heard screams and other noises through out the day so Lafayette took up a post on the front porch.

After checking that the kids were all right and giving Jason a heads up to keep an eye on Tara, Sookie went out on the porch to join her friend.

"So you're basically married now?"

Sookie needed to talk to someone about some of the events in Dallas and Lafayette was more than curious. She didn't tell him everything and gave him a very water downed version of what a bond was.

Sookie wrinkled her nose.

"It's not really like that."

"It sounds a lot like that," Lafayette said. She had to agree. "You gonna sell your house and move to Shreveport?"

"What? No!"

She was most definitely not selling the farmhouse. Or quitting Merlotte's. She didn't see why her life had to change that much at all just because her and Eric were bonded. Couldn't things just keep going on as before?

They definitely needed to have that talk as soon as this was all over.

"What about the feeding him? Don't you get freaked out by it?"

Lafayette looked a bit nervous.

"Did you ever let that vampire you were getting blood from drink from you?"

Lafayette almost dropped the rifle.

"Shit. He told you about that?"

Sookie nodded.

Lafayette was sure Sookie didn't know that Eric was making him sell V because when the vampire had first told him to start doing so he had made it clear that Lafayette was to tell no one… most especially Sookie.

"He would've killed me if it weren't for you, huh?" Lafayette asked.

"I didn't know anything about it until after." Though they both knew the only reason he was still breathing was because of her. "You're not doing it anymore anyways."

Lafayette thought about the fourth of July, his clam chowder recipe, and how his mother used to smile before she got really bad.

"I ain't that fucking stupid."

They both went silent for a long moment and tensed when they heard a bird cry out from a nearby tree.

"I was afraid at first. About the biting," Sookie said finally. "And then taking his blood."

Lafayette knew that that vampire of hers must have had some powerful scary blood if he was as old as she said he was.

"But now… it's like it's the most natural thing in the world."

Lafayette gave her a smile at hearing the sound of her voice.

"You two are crazy stupid in love with each other."

Sookie looked away and turned a slight pink.

"I do love him, I told you that. He hasn't exactly said it back though."

"Pffft. A blind man can see how crazy that vampire is about you. Besides him not saying it ain't no big thing. People throw those three words around like they're fucking magic. Try to cover up all manner of sins with 'em. You said you can feel him in your head now can'tcha?"

She nodded.

"Then you obviously know how he feels. Sometimes words just fuck everything up."

Sookie leaned over to hug him.

"You always know the right thing to say even when I didn't know I needed it said."

"That is because I am a genius."

Sookie laughed and straightened back up.

The two lapsed back into silence.

Sookie looked out over Lafayette's front yard.

"Hey, Laff?"

"Hmm?"

"Did you get a new car?"

He was saved from answering by the door opening behind them. The two turned around and immediately stood up when Tara stepped out clutching Sookie's car keys.

"Oh, hell no. Get your ass back inside."

Lafayette raised the rifle.

"You really gonna shoot me?" Tara asked. "Let's see."

"I might not shoot you but I will crack you upside your damn fool head with the end of my rifle if you don't get back inside the damn house."

"Tara, we talked about this, honey. The best thing we can do for Eggs is to stick to the plan," Sookie said. She raised her hands a little and let her voice go soft, as though Tara were a wild animal she was trying to coax.

"A plan that might not even work," Tara said. "Eggs needs to get out now. Who knows what's happening over there."

"I ain't about to let you do something crazy over a man who beats you."

Sookie looked at Lafayette in shock then turned her gaze to Tara.

"He beats you?"

"It is not even like that! It was Maryanne's influence. I wasn't the only one with bruises."

"Yeah, you too are a match made in hell, huh?"

"Oh fuck you, Lafayette! You're just jealous cause you know you're gonna die all alone."

"Tara!" Sookie yelled at her.

It was like Tara was still under Maryanne's influence.

Tara turned to look pleadingly at Sookie. She knew that there was a small sliver of hope of getting what she wanted if she could get Sookie on her side. Tara was not above preying on her friend's sympathetic nature.

"I finally found myself a good man." Lafayette rolled his eyes and snorted. Tara ignored him and kept her eyes on Sookie. "How many times have you put yourself in danger for the man you love, huh? And I'm not allowed to do the same?"

"Tara, it's not the same thing."

"The hell it ain't. If we wait around and something happens to him I might as well have just stayed with Maryanne because my life is going to be worthless if something happens to Eggs." Tara's eyes started to well up. "Sookie, I love him. Please."

Lafayette groaned when he saw Sookie's shoulders slump.

"No way in hell…" he began.

"It couldn't hurt just to take a look," Sookie said. "Just a look. Recon or whatever. We should find out what's going on over there before hand don't you think?"

Lafayette lowered the rifle with one hand and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"I hate you two bitches so much right now."

They were about 20 yards from the house in a cluster of trees only a few dozen feet from where Sookie, Jason, Eric, and Godric had stood the night before.

Lafayette had brought his rifle and a high-end looking pair of binoculars, which Tara hogged though Sookie could see things pretty clearly from where they were.

People had been moving around the house and yard, several of them naked and all of them unruly. The house was relatively quiet for the most part now, though Sookie could hear people moving around inside.

"This is so much worse than anything else that's happened to me in the past weeks," Sookie whispered.

People the exact opposite of her Gran were ruining the house the woman had built her life in. It was like they were raping her Gran's memory.

Tara looked away from the binoculars.

"Sook… I am so sorry about all this."

Sookie gave her a sad smile.

"I know. It wasn't your fault. Maryanne does things to people. I knew the first time I saw her there was something wrong with. She was thinking in a foreign language, but I knew it wasn't anything good."

Tara shook her head.

"It wasn't just that." Tara sounded like she was going to start crying. "I was lucid when I invited her in. That just makes it worse I know. I just felt so alone… and she made me feel like I was a part of something. Like a family."

"That's cause you been taking stupid pills," Lafayette said.

Sookie shot him an angry look then turned back to Tara.

"You already have a family, Tara. You got us."

"I hate to interrupt this Hallmark Movie Channel moment between y'all, but the sun's gonna be down soon and this place is probably gonna start crawling with all kinds of nasty," Lafayette said.

"He's right," Sookie said. Tara looked like she didn't want to agree. "We can't go into that house, Tara."

Tara held the binoculars so hard they looked like they might be in danger of being broken.

"Alright, I know. Its just—."

"Hey!" A very familiar sounding voice cut Tara off. It was coming from above them. "Y'all are trespassing."

The three on the ground looked up to see Arlene and Terry, black eyed, sitting on the limb of the tree directly above them.

"Oh shit," Lafayette cursed.

Merlotte's other cook and waitress jumped down from the tree in perfect synchrony and landed on their feet.

"Now you gotta pay a fine," Arlene said.

"Yeah. Or spend a night in the brig," Terry said.

The two started advancing on the three. Lafayette lowered the gun in one hand and reached for something in his back pocket.

"What about some drugs? That enough to let us pass?"

"Seriously Lafayette?" Tara asked. "You just carry that baggy around at all times?"

It was maybe lucky that he did because Terry and Arlene stopped advancing.

"We don't do drugs, thank you," Arlene said.

Though Terry didn't seem to agree because he asked, "Got any oxycodone?"

Arlene turned to look at him, shocked.

"Baby! Users are losers."

"Yeah, but they make sex better," Terry argued back.

Lafayette hissed at his cousin and friend.

"Run."

The two girls were about to comply when Terry and Arlene immediately stopped their argument and faced forward, goofy looking grins on their faces.

"We were gonna bring them to you right away. We swear," Arlene said nervously.

"Yeah… We don't know nothing about no drugs," Terry said.

The three non-thralled humans turned around. Lafayette dropped the bag of drugs and brought the rifle up once again, cursing.

Maryanne and a bald man in an apron Sookie had never seen before were standing directly behind them.

"I'm sure you were," Maryanne said speaking to Arlene and Terry. "You did a very good job."

Arlene smiled wider but Terry's eyes were glued on the dropped Ziploc baggy of drugs.

"Uh… Could we…?" Terry asked.

Maryanne rolled her eyes.

"Go ahead."

Terry pocketed the drugs.

Maryanne turned her gaze to the golden trio. Before she could say anything Lafayette stepped forward and raised the gun to fire. He knew it wouldn't kill her, but he bet that if he shot the bitch in the head it would hurt like hell and maybe slow her down.

"Run," he said again as he pulled the trigger.

But Arlene and Terry boxed the two girls in and Maryanne raised her hand. The bullet bounced off and hit the bald man in the head. He dropped to the ground.

Maryanne looked at the dead man and cooed.

"Poor Carl. He didn't advance much in this life." She turned to look at Lafayette who had lowered the gun in surprise. "But you can cook, right? And apparently you're full of other surprises." Maryanne tapped her nose. "I smell a witch."

Sookie and Tara exchanged a look and then turned their gazes to Lafayette, who looked just as perplexed at Maryanne's words as they did.

"Really, what is it with this town? It's just chalked full of surprises. Speaking of which, lovely to see you again, Sookie. It's very considerate of you to be so prompt. I know it must have been hard for you to get away. Vampires can be so possessive."

"You leave her the hell alone!" Tara said.

She grabbed and squeezed Sookie's hand.

Maryanne turned her eyes to Tara and her smile got colder and wider. Sookie could feel Tara shaking and her breaths came out hard.

"Good to see you again, Tara. Eggs has been so upset since you've left. Well he would be if I let him be."

Tara's shaking was most likely from anger now.

"You let him go you crazy bitch."

"Ow." Maryanne mocked physical pain. "Words hurt, Tara. And after everything I've done for you."

"You made me eat somebody's heart!"

"And you enjoyed it."

Sookie released Tara's hand and stepped forward, her own hands in front of her. She couldn't feel a hint of that familiar tingling and her trick didn't seem to effect Maryanne anyway, but it might make her wary of the little blonde.

"I know what you are and I'm not afraid of you. You can't keep me here. You can't control me."

"Well you're right about me not being able to control you. But as for not being able to keep you here."

Two strong and familiar looking arms wrapped tightly around Sookie.

"Lafayette, what the hell?"

She saw his eyes were the same as Terry's and Arlene's. Sookie's gaze shot in Tara's direction. Hers were the same and she was smiling.

Sookie struggled and normally Lafayette would have been able to subdue the much smaller woman but Sookie was now bonded to a 1,000-year-old vampire and that had certain benefits. Sookie didn't want to hurt anyone but desperate times.

Sookie bent her elbows and stabbed them hard into Lafayette's ribs. He grunted and his arms loosened in surprised. Sookie easily pulled out of them and turned to shove her friend away. He stumbled back into a tree.

Tara stepped up, an angry look in her eyes.

"Tara…" Sookie spoke her friend's name, hoping to cut through the fog. "Don't do this."

Tara held her hands up and open and made to grab at the smaller woman's throat. Sookie easily stepped out of her path.

Terry and Arlene looked ready to join the fight and Sookie wasn't sure she took take all four of them at once.

Though Maryanne would have loved to see something like this play out at any other time she was impatient and did not give Sookie the chance to see just how strong she was now.

The maenad reached out and snatched Sookie up off the ground by her hair. Sookie shouted out in surprise and pain. The others immediately stood down. Sookie tried to wriggle free but it did nothing but cause her more pain. Maryanne was stronger than her. Possibly stronger than a vampire.

"Now then," Maryanne said. "Enough of that."

She held Sookie closer to her and spoke with an upbeat sound to her voice.

"I don't know whether you're so strong because of whatever you are or from the amount of vampire blood in your system and really I could care less right now. It's my special day and you have a very important role."

"I'm not helping you!"

Sookie kicked out with her foot and Maryanne yanked harder on her hair once again.

"You should feel honored. You will comply or I'll have your friend Lafayette there take his gun and shoot Tara in the head. Maybe the other two as well."

Maryanne dropped Sookie so suddenly that she crumpled to the ground. Before she could push herself up Maryanne was on her, grabbing her by the chin so she would look her in the face. Maryanne's smiled as she spoke.

"I do have a certain fondness for Tara and some of the others, but probably not as great as you do. And really though there's more where they came from. I don't have any qualms about leaving behind a mountain of bodies, Sookie dear. In fact I'd kind of prefer it. It would just be the cherry on top of my tribute."

The four other humans all smiled and Tara even laughed. Sookie's eyes misted over.

"Now are you going to behave?"

Sookie nodded as well as she could in Maryanne's grip. Maryanne released Sookie and stood up. She snapped her fingers at Tara and Lafayette.

"You two. Take her upstairs and make sure she's dressed properly before you change into your own outfits. Hurry now. It's getting late."

Tara and Lafayette each grabbed Sookie by the arm and began to lead her up to the house.

Jason paced the length of Lafayette's living room. Andy was sitting in a chair and Sam was sitting on the couch. The two men had decided to let the third one go once they were sure he wouldn't run. Really they were just sick of his bitching.

Coby and Lisa were sitting on the floor both drinking cans of soda and watching Jason go back and forth.

"Bet that big vampire kills him for losing Aunt Sookie," Coby whispered to his sister.

Jason gulped. He'd been thinking the same thing.

The sun would be down in a matter of minutes and there was no sign of Sookie, Lafayette, or Tara.

"Nobody's going to kill anybody," Sam said.

"I thought that some crazy lady was gonna kill you?" Coby said out loud.

"No, they're only gonna pretend to let him die," Lisa said. "Weren't you paying attention at all last night?"

The two siblings had apparently woken up later in the evening and had been listening to everyone else going over the plan.

"Damn kids," Andy muttered.

Said kids opened their mouths to mention the swear jar but stopped when Andy scowled at them.

"Jason, calm down," Andy said. "The kids are right. Sam's the one that maenad thing wants dead. The others are probably fine."

Sam glared.

"Thanks, Andy. Jason, you know this changes things."

Jason stopped pacing.

"What? No it don't. We are sticking to the plan and if you try to run I will handcuff you to that table right there, Sam. You might be a shape shifter or whatever but I have had a lot of vampire blood."

"Ew!" Lisa said, while her brother asked what that tasted like.

The grown ups ignored the children.

"Even so, you know you can't trust any of those vampires. Eric Northman will probably let us all get killed to get Sookie back. You see how obsessed with her he is."

"Like you're one to talk," Andy said. "The whole town knows you've had a jones for that girl since she was barely legal."

Sookie had started working at Merlotte's her sophomore year of high school.

"What? You pervert!" Well not the whole town obviously if Jason didn't know. "And of course that vampire's crazy about her, just as much as she is about him, they're bonded now."

Sam blanched.

"What the hell is bonded?" Andy asked.

"The way Sookie explained it I think it's like the vampire equivalent of a marriage."

"Aunt Sookie got married?" Coby asked

"And she didn't even ask me to be the flower girl," Lisa said grumpily.

Again the two were ignored.

"And as for not trusting vampires…" Jason said. "… I just spent the week with a bunch of so called 'god faring' people who talked like that and you know what? They tried to kill me and Sookie. And you know who saved us? Vampires. So you just keep your trap shut about that, Sam. Quit being such a god damn hypocrite."

Andy was surprised by several things about what Jason just said, especially the fact that the boy knew how to pronounce and correctly use the word hypocrite in a sentence.

"What the hell got into you this past week, Stackhouse?"

"I saw the light, Andy. Plus the vampire blood."

Jason had completely forgotten about his nervousness from the previous minutes. He also didn't notice that the sun had slipped behind the horizon.

His anxiety returned real quick though when he heard a familiar whooshing noise and in a blink found himself shoved up against the nearest wall by a dirty and very angry Eric Northman.

"Where the hell is your sister?"

"Uh…. Funny story."

Tara and Lafayette had dragged and shoved Sookie upstairs and into her Gran's room, which was just as trashed at the rest of the house. Eggs was there and smiled when he saw Tara. The young man was watching over a large egg that sat in the middle of the bed, which had been turned into a makeshift nest. Tara joined him in his vigil.

"What the fuck?"

Sookie was pretty sure she didn't want to know what the egg was about.

Tara became excited about the egg and grabbed it up and her and Eggs headed out of the room at a careful but fast pace.

Lafayette left and came back with a white dress and demanded for Sookie to strip and put it on. She refused at first but when he mentioned how she wouldn't like it if Maryanne had to come ask her, since it would probably be bloody, she did as she was told.

It was dark now and Sookie knew Eric was up and very, very angry. He was also determined though. The fact that he wasn't busting down the door of the house gave Sookie the impression that everyone back at Laff's were obviously going to go forward with the plan. She just had to hold on a little while longer.

Easier said than done.

Just when Sookie thought this all couldn't get worse, Lafayette shoved her back downstairs and she saw what Maryanne had been up to.

"What the fuck are you doing in my grandmother's wedding dress?" Sookie shouted.

"I know it's a little old fashioned for my taste, but it's not like you were going to use it," Maryanne said.

"No decent Christian man would have her after she let a dead man touch her," Arlene said smiling.

Arlene, Tara, and Jane Bodehouse were gathered around wearing plainer versions of the dress Sookie had been forced into.

"Like you're one to talk, Arlene. You were practically ready to marry a serial killer."

Sookie knew that Arlene was under Maryanne's influence, but most of the stuff the people were spouting off during that seemed to be their own thoughts. Thoughts so dark and nasty they probably didn't even realize they had them.

Usually Sookie would have taken the high road, but this craziness had made her incapable of being nice.

"Now, now," Maryanne said. "No need to be so negative, Sookie. As my maid of honor you should be helping to make my special day everything it should be."

"Oh you can go back to hell, you crazy bitch!" Sookie spat.

Maryanne clicked her tongue in disapproval.

"Do we really have to go over this again? You cooperate or I'll take out new, old, and blue here," she said motioning to Tara, Jane, and Arlene.

"If you hurt any of my friends… or Jane Bodehouse, you will never get your hands on Sam Merlotte. I can promise you that."

The smile that Maryanne had on her face dropped and her eyes turned darker. Sookie felt a small sliver of fear, but refused to show it.

"Girls, go help with refreshments. I need to have a word alone with my maid of honor. You too, Eggs."

When the others departed Maryanne took a few steps closer to Sookie and the younger woman steeled herself to stay put.

"Well, go ahead. I'm all yours."

"Uh… Go ahead with what?" Sookie asked.

"That electricity." Maryanne's smile was back and her voice took on a tone of wonderment.

"I can't. That's the first time that's ever happened," Sookie lied.

"Well I know that's a lie and not just because you're a horrible liar. I felt it, all those weeks ago. Energy like that? I couldn't not come here and see what it was."

Sookie knew she must have meant the first time it happened when René had tried to kill her. How the hell was that possible?

And was she saying that this was all Sookie's fault?

"I must say when I saw you the first time I was a bit disappointed. You seemed pathetically human. What with how you acted on the road."

Sookie flinched as Maryanne reached out to smooth some of Sookie's hair.

Maryanne sighed.

"But I got over it. Especially when I saw what a little gem this town was. And then there was Sam." She showed some teeth with her smile. "I really should have never let him slip through my fingers that first time. I really should thank you, Sookie. If it weren't for you none of this would be possible. You led me to find my perfect vessel."

Sookie's stomach turned.

"You can't really believe any of this is going to work. That you're God will come by making people behave like animals and cutting out someone's heart. It's insane!"

"No more insane than believing that a man in a collar can say a few words over some wafers of tasteless bread and turn them into the body of a man who was crucified thousands of years ago," said Maryanne.

Maryanne saw the angry glint in Sookie's eye.

"Oh dear, did I hit a chord with that one?"

"If your God does exist…" Sookie said.

"Oh he does."

"After millions of years, probably countless sacrifices… I don't think it has anything to do with finding the perfect vessel. It's you. He stopped listening. He doesn't care about you. He doesn't love you."

Maryanne's body went rigid with anger and her lips tightened. She took a few steps more towards Sookie and raised a hand. Sookie's eyes closed and she flinched in preparation for the blow.

But it never came. Instead Maryanne relaxed and stroked Sookie's hair again. Her smile reappeared.

"Let's not fight, hmm? I know tensions are high right now. Hell, even I've got pre-wedding jitters. You're saying things you don't mean. I forgive you."

Jesus Christ Shepherd of Judea!

Was she born this way or was she crazy because of her obsession with her religion?

Maryanne petted Sookie's hair a few seconds longer before taking a step back.

"We have to get a move on with the preparations. Sam will be here soon."

"This sucks," Jason said. "I'm missing everything! Again." He hit the glove compartment of Sam's truck.

"I know," Andy grumbled. "I am an police officer—."

"Sam said you got suspended, Andy," Jason said.

"That is a technicality! Being in the thick of things and saving the whole town would get me my badge back for sure. Instead here I am babysitting you two."

"Actually…" Jessica spoke up, "I'm the one who's doing the babysitting."

The three were sitting in Sam's truck no more than a quarter mile from Sookie's house. They were to stay there until Eric Called Jessica and let her know it was okay.

"Besides, you two don't want to be out there." They really did and so did she to be honest. "You could go all crazy."

"Yeah, well I'm already going crazy from not knowing what's going on over there," Jason grumbled.

"Well I'm listening in. Pam and Godric are in position and Eric's making his way to the house. Sookie's in the house. Downstairs I think."

"You can hear all that?" Andy asked.

"Super vamp hearing," Jason said grinning. "Sook's okay right?"

Jessica listened some more then her face scrunched up.

"What is it?" Jason asked.

"Something about an ostrich egg," she replied.

"Oh you can't hear nothing. I knew you both were pulling my leg."

Sookie was the one tied to a chair this time around. She watched in disgust as a goblet full of blood was passed around. The bridesmaids and Lafayette took sips from the cup then licked the giant egg Tara and Eggs had been so excited over.

"Okay, seriously. What is with the egg? Did you lay it or something?" Sookie asked Maryanne.

"Don't be silly. My womb dried up eons ago. It's an ostrich egg. It represents fertility."

Jane kneeled down in front of Sookie on one side with the goblet while Arlene kneeled on the other with the egg.

"You have to drink, Sookie. You're the maid of honor," Maryanne instructed.

"Hell. No."

"Just lick the egg," Arlene growled.

"If you don't want to do it I'm sure Arlene would only be too happy to slit her own throat in front of you and smile while she does it," Maryanne said, mirth in her voice.

Sookie glared daggers at Maryanne and then turned her head in Jane's direction.

She tried not to gag and spit the blood back out. It was definitely human blood. She wanted to only take a tiny sip but Jane tipped the goblet more and Sookie almost choked on it.

Arlene held the egg in front of her and Sookie cringed as she stuck her tongue out to coat the surface of the egg.

And Sookie had thought sucking bullets out of Eric's chest was bad.

She could feel Eric getting closer. She was sure he was just outside somewhere.

The door opened and Terry came running in.

"You're vessel's here," he said excitedly.

All the girls in the circle, sans Sookie, started to giggle and clap their hands. Maryanne looked as though she might start crying tears of joy.

"It's time ladies."

Tara took the egg from Arlene and the three bridesmaids proceeded toward the door.

Maryanne got up and undid Sookie's bonds.

"You too."

Sookie remained seated and just continued to glare at Maryanne.

Maryanne rolled her eyes and huffed.

"Really? You don't get how this goes by now?" She grabbed Lafayette by the throat, who made no protestation. "How hard do you think it would be for me to snap his neck?"

"Fine," Sookie said through clenched teeth.

Maryanne released Lafayette.

"Don't cause trouble," Maryanne warned as she shoved Sookie toward Terry.

A butchered version of the wedding march was being played on a couple of violins while the crowd was chanting that horrible chant that Sookie had heard in Tara's head.

Tara was holding that stupid egg and Lafayette was next to her holding the bull mask. Eggs was there with a very large knife.

Sookie let Terry keep a hold on her as she watched Maryanne walk down to the lawn. She was too terrified from everything to do much else.

Sookie's fear abated a fraction as she heard Eric call out to Maryanne. It abated a little more when she saw him.

"Eric…"

He had a hold on Sam, whose arms were tied behind his back.

"I'll trade you the shifter for the girl."

"Done," Maryanne said smiling. She nodded at Terry. "Take her to the dead man. She's served her purpose."

Sam looked scared and angry and some part of Sookie's brain guessed that it must have been an act, but she couldn't help the feeling of dread that crept back with full force.

"I don't think this is going to work," Sookie whispered.

Her eyes went misty as she was brought closer to Sam and Eric.

"It's okay, Sook," her boss said to her.

I'm ready for whatever happens.

Though she felt a little better once she was in Eric's hands she still wanted to cry.

"Get her out of here," Sam said.

Like Eric needed the shifter to tell him that.

"Wait, Eric…"

Before she could protest any more Eric grabbed her up and threw her over his shoulder and blurred off. They stopped in a clearing in woods only a few yards from Sookie's front yard. They both could hear the chaos that was going on there.

"Eric put me down!" She thumped her fists on his back.

"No. And stop squirming like that. You're just going to hurt yourself and piss me off more."

He was angry. Not as angry as he had been upon rising for the evening. Just irritated really.

"I know you're mad but put me down!"

"Not happening."

"Sam needs me! Somebody has to make a diversion so Pam can get him out of there and heal him."

"Godric's already on it."

Sookie could hear shouts going up, these ones were more of outrage than of madness. She was pretty sure the loudest was Maryanne's.

Godric blurred up and stopped right next to the two.

"I don't think the maenad liked my spoiling her tribute," he said.

Did Godric just make some kind of a joke?

"I take it this is not a normal Saturday in this town?"

"Godric! Tell Eric to put me down."

Godric looked at the two and his mouth actually quirked.

"I doubt he would listen to me. Besides I know better than to interfere with a vampire and his bonded. Though I must say Eric if this is the way you plan to discipline her, it is rather childish. What's next? Are you going to chain her up in the basement dungeon of that bar you own?"

Eric narrowed his eyes at his Maker. Sookie obviously did not understand that Godric was still joking and was upset by the prospect that Eric would go even more caveman than he normally was now that they were bonded. Which wasn't to say he wouldn't, he just didn't need Godric pointing it out like that.

"I think I liked you better when you were suicidal."

"ERIC!" Sookie gasped. "I cannot believe you just said that!"

Except Godric was chuckling.

"I was wondering when you were going to start treating me normally again."

Sookie's eyes went wide.

"You let him talk to you like that?"

"He's not my slave. And you should know his sense of humor by now, no?"

"Well one of us had to get one of some kind," Eric said.

"I have a sense of humor."

"A bad one."

Before either of them could take any more digs at each other Pam stumbled up from the darkness. She looked a bit queasy and was weaving.

Sookie's concern for her friend was the last straw.

"Eric, put me down right now or I swear to God I will never have sex with you again!"

He thought it was an empty threat but it rang true through the bond so he put her down. Not just from her threat though but because he was also concerned for Pam.

Sookie ran to her side.

"Are you okay?"

"Fine. Except now I smell like dog." Pam looked at Eric. "He should be coming in a minute. He's such a whiner."

Sookie turned as she heard hoof beats from the direction Pam had just come from.

The bull, Sam, was huge and white. And beautiful. Sookie could believe that Maryanne would think this was her God.

"Sam," Sookie said, smiling as the bull got closer.

The bull slowed down and snorted… and then it winked. Sookie couldn't help laughing.

"Get a move on, shifter," Eric said.

Sam the bull let out another snort, this one a little bit more angry sounding, before trotting off into the darkness. He released a sound that sounded more like a roar than a moo.

Sookie watched for a second before she spoke.

"Eric." She knew if she tried to move he would most likely pick her up again. "I need to see."

"Sookie…"

"Please. I need to see it happen."

"I for one want to see that bitch go down," Pam said.

The four did not have to walk all the way back to the house to see the phenomenon that no one had perhaps ever seen before or would ever see again; a true immortal dying.

Maryanne had heard the beast's call and had let off tormenting the townsfolk to meet it half way between the woods and the front lawn.

Even though Sookie hated Maryanne with every fiber of her being she found it hard to watch the maenad die. She forced herself not to look away though.

When it was over, with a naked Sam's arm covered in black blood and a shriveled black heart clutched in his hand, the first thing Sookie thought wasn't to thank god or about any of the lives that were now safe.

Gran's wedding dress

It hurt to see it like that. One more thing and memory of Gran that was now tainted.

After the split second it took for this thought to pass, Sookie ran to hug Sam. Eric did not like this and Godric smirked at his child's anger. Sookie didn't give a fig.

Even though he had been acting like a grade A a-hole and might continue to do so, Sam was her friend. And he had been prepared to die for the town they both loved.

Tara and Lafayette walked up out of the darkness. When Tara saw Maryanne's body she stopped short and got an unreadable look on her face.

Sookie pulled away from Sam and went to her other two friends. She returned the hug Lafayette wrapped her in.

"Fuck, Sookie. You okay?"

"Yeah, you?"

"Nothing a fifth of vodka and some peyote won't fix."

Sookie hugged him quickly again before going to Tara.

"Do you remember anything?" she asked.

Tara shook her head.

Jason, Jessica, and Andy came running up.

"I know you said to wait, but it's over right?" Jessica asked her Maker. Eric nodded.

"Holy shit!" Jason said looking at the body.

Sookie reached out her the arm that wasn't currently around Tara to him.

"Jessica, Pam, get rid of the body," Eric ordered.

Jessica wrinkled her nose because the thing reeked but she followed her Maker's order along with her blood sister.

"Are you okay?" Jessica asked Pam as they moved over to the dead maenad.

"Nothing a good feed won't fix."

"Shouldn't we leave that?" Andy asked. "It's evidence."

Eric rolled his eyes.

"You can hardly make a police report about this, Detective. No one remembers anything."

Andy and even Jason were a little disappointed about this.

"Andy, maybe you and Sam could make sure everybody gets home okay? Or at least off my lawn," Sookie said.

Sam had pulled his discarded clothes back on by now.

"Sure, Sook," he said.

Eric shot a look at Godric. The older vampire was smirking and feeling a bit too happy right now.

"Hon är väldigt mycket som du. En naturlig ledare."

Eric didn't comment or smile and even though Sookie couldn't understand what Godric had said she felt Eric's sense of pride.

"I need to check on Eggs," Tara said quietly.

Sookie nodded.

"Go on, honey."

"Well this sucks," Jason said. Everyone left gave him a look. "No one's gonna know what we did! What's the point of being a hero if nobody recognizes?"

"My human friend, that is the epitome of what it means to be a hero," Godric said. "Doing something because it needs to be done not because you wish for the glory that comes from the act."

Jason was still a bit discourage about it all though.

Godric shot Eric a look.

"For his part Eric likes to pretend he's the villain of the story. Though I think we all know different."

"And you really think you have a good sense of humor?" Eric responded.

Sookie just rolled her eyes at the two of them. She could kind of see where Eric and Pam got it from.

"Can we just get back to the house."

She walked over and took Eric's hand in hers. Godric smiled even wider.

"Oh stop egging him on," Sookie said. "Aren't you old enough to know better."

She was exhausted physically and mentally but something told her this night was going to be longer than she really wanted.

Hon är väldigt mycket som du. En naturlig ledare= She is very much like you. A natural leader.

Coming up in the next couple of chapters:

A bit of cleaning up.

The Queen makes her voice heard again and another familiar face shows up. (Guess who?)

Sookie and Eric finally get that date and talk.

And of course werewolves and a certain vampire king and his consort will make appearances soon enough. In my huge crush over Russell I always forget how awesome Talbot was.

As always reviews are love and I am a needy, needy b*tch.