Fingers ran slowly, nearly rhythmically up and down my spine. A sound left me, not wanting to get up yet. My hold on the form half under me tightened, shifting to put my face better on their chest. The light of day was partially waking me.

Used to a room without windows, the little light fitting around curtains was brighter than I expected. The arm under me curved me closer, face burying into my hair. My lips curved up, eyes yet to open as I felt the intake of breath in my messy hair.

"Think I could get used to this," he murmurs against my scalp.

I shift my legs some, weaving them with his. His voice was lower and got a small delighted shiver. No matter the pleasant waking, I never woke easy or quick. I pulled in a breath through my nose, his scent and mine heavy in the room.

"We can go get something to eat."

That had my eyes popping open. A disoriented moment and I was seeing the motel room I'd fallen asleep in. "What time is it?" I nearly croak out, stretching as best I could without letting go or getting up.

He shifts a bit, head lifting from my hair. "About noon."

"Mm."

"Your phone went off."

A grunt is given, clearly annoyed with that. He chuckles, letting me shift up to pop my back.

"Need a shower."

"Mind if I join?" Fingers brushed low at my back as my legs slipped off to the floor.

A flirting look was shot back over a shoulder. The water was cold by time we finally got out of the shower and dried off.

"It's raining tacos!"

My hand shot out, not bothering to look as the other tucked the end of the towel into the twist in the back on top of my head.

"What?"

"I'm surprised you're actually awake," Sookie truthfully admits with a color of that surprise in her tone. "Grandpa was asking after you and you hadn't answered the message. Thought I'd call before the worse was assumed."

"I'm perfectly fine, Sook. Told you so."

"That's hardly the issue, Fae. You know that. There's just a lot going on and it's not safe with you out there on your own. It would be easier with you here."

"And I will be. Later."

"For a few hours? That's not a middle ground, Fae."

"No, I mean to stay for a day or more."

She lets out a sound, pleasantly surprised. "Good. I'll make sure to have Jason get groceries."

"You sure you've got room with Gramps and Jase there?"

"Can make room. Besides, it will be like a sleep over."

I made a disgusted face. "I refuse to paint nails and talk boys."

"Good. We can talk men."

"I amend that. I refuse to talk over any of that sort. I don't do girls' night."

"I do. Suck it up. Get here soon. I need help with the lawn."

I sigh, stepping out to the room where Ben was pulling a shirt on. He smiled my way, eyes flicking over my naked form. I had no shame, stepping toward my box of stuff.

"Yeah. I'll be there soon."

"Grandpa said to bring that friend. Said it may help."

"Yeah, well tell the old fart I told him to stuff it."

"I'm not telling him that."

"Fine. I will."

"Hurry up and get here before you get mean with somebody who doesn't understand."

"Make me bacon and coffee and I'll be there quicker."

"Already making it. Unless you're too slow."

The phone was tossed to the bed in a flick, clothing ripping from the box with little thought. The bra buckled in the back without hands, stepping into panties that pulled up on their own. The shorts followed the same, hands slipping through a cami to pull down while the shorts buttoned themselves and zipped.

"Handy."

I grin over at Ben, pulling on a plaid button up to hang open. The towel was dropping from my head to snap toward the bathroom.

"Very much so."

"So, to Sookie's?"

"Yeah. Sorry, bit of a grump when I wake up."

"Then let's get some food in you," he says while lifting my box of stuff. The things from the bathroom zip out, stuffing into the box as I grin and move up toward him.

"Sure that's what you want to do?"

"Hardly. But your cousin is expecting you." He bends as if to whisper a dirty secret. "With bacon."

I let out a groan, patting his arm as I rush around him. "How could I forget. Come on, Ben. She's going to put us to work."

Niall was sat on the porch swing as I pulled up. He frowned rising as he saw Ben step out before I rounded the SUV. Ben smiled toward Niall before opening the back for my stuff. I move up toward the house, Ben following a step or so behind me.

"Good. You brought him."

"Don't sound so happy about it," I snip, mood far from friendly as I march past him. "Coffee!" I call out as the door swings open before I reach it.

"Kitchen!" Sookie calls back.

Niall frowns as I storm into the house without a look back. There was clattering before Sookie was laughing.

"That was mine!" Jason crows out.

"Mine now," I bite before taking another heavy drink.

"She's not much of a morning person," Ben tries to explain to Niall as he stops at the top of the steps. He shifts his hold on the box, offering out a hand. "I'm Ben."

"Niall, their great-grandfather."

They separated hands, Niall twisting to look back toward the now calm in the home. Niall's hands slipped into his suit pockets.

"We need all the help we can get."

Ben frowns in worry. "I'd be glad to help. Fae wasn't forthcoming with information."

Niall looks back to Ben, a bit grim. "I fear she's used to doing things on her own."

Ben chuckles, having to agree. "One woman army."

"Fae! Use a cup!"

"Cups are for wasteful people," I respond, lifting the pot of coffee back up for another gulping drink.

"Don't be a heathen, Faelyn," Sookie scolds, trying to get the pot back.

"Five dollars you can't drink it all," Jason calls over Sookie.

A hand lifts, pointing to Jason as I tilt my head back and open my throat better. Sookie sends a hard look at Jason.

"Jason! Don't encourage her!"

"Wanna see if she can."

A number of loud gasps for breath are heard, both looking at the empty pot pulled from me. A loud belch left, laughing around the pardon. Sookie rolled her eyes as Jason burst to laughter too. Another few belches came out as Ben and Niall came in. I was half leaning over a chair, face red with laughter and the little burps slipping up. Jason was laughing harder.

"Serves you right," Sookie haughtily cuts over our laughter and the painful burps.

"Jesus," Jason laughs as he offers out the five dollar bill. "That was hot too. Sure you didn't get burnt?"

I shrug, clearing the last of the burps as I felt the end of that. The wince was still there from the painful burping. "Nah. Wasn't that hot."

Sookie shoots a warning look to Niall at something. I shift toward Ben, taking the box to move toward Sook's room with it. That was when Jason noticed Ben. Jason was rising, leaning across the table toward Ben with his hand offered.
"Jason Stackhouse. Sook's older brother."

"Nice to finally meet you," Ben gives that dimpled smile, accepting the hand now that both hands were clear. "Fae mentions you a lot."

"Yeah? She aint mentioned you."

"Cause you're a dumbass," I call as I stride into the room, shoes gone from my feet. I brush a hand across Ben's shoulders as I move behind him to snatch up a sandwich of bacon Sook had waiting.

"How's it going, Ben?" Sookie asks, smiling as her hands rest low at her back. We stood by each other. I was devouring the sandwich quickly. This only seemed to draw attention from Ben and Niall. Niall gave a lightly disapproving look as I started making another with a free hand, finishing the other still. "Fae and you still hanging out?"

"Any chance she could spare." There was the boyish grin, hands to his hips.

My attention shifted a bit from the sandwich as I put the MiricleWhip on it. Sookie shoots a look that promised words later. The sandwich is offered out toward Ben, chewing a large bite that was the last of my own.

"Thanks." Niall holds a faint smile as I move to grab a tube from my pocket. "Thanks for the invite," he says to Sookie. "Fae mentioned work needing done."

The sound of an engine roaring to life drew pause from three in the room. Sookie and I were the only ones unmoved by it. Sookie looked to Ben, as if waiting for more. I was rubbing the lotion from the bottle across my face and flesh after removing the outer shirt. The engine idled, warming up.

"Fae, you gotta stop that," Jason demands. "I'm liable to shot the poor thing."

"Not my fault you're a pansy, Jase," I tease, mood far better with something in my stomach. "Saving time."

"You're not even out there to watch it, Fae," he counters.

"It's fine, Jason," Sookie speaks up. "I've got it out where it needs to be."

"You're encouraging lazy behavior, Sook. She's depending too heavily on her-"

A sharp and harsh look was finally noticed as Jason looked my way again. Jason puts his hands up defensively. "I'm just sayin', Fae. You shouldn't depend so much on it."

"Who said I did? I'm doing the lawn. Save time where I can."

"You shouldn't go about flaunting it, Fae."

I scoff, head snapping around as I storm for the back door. It was an old argument that Sook sided with me on. The mean mug from Sookie was enough to cover it as the screen door slammed. The riding mower shifted into gear, moving with out a rider as I took position behind the push mower.

I yanked hard and wide, mower louder than the riding one. Niall was seen watching through the window as I used the crappy push mower to work closer to the home. Sookie sighs, moving up to peek out.

"Jason, you gotta stop that," she scolds without looking to him. "She's going to hide your truck if you keep nagging her."

"How's she supposed to blend in with normal people, Sook?"

Three people frowned at him. The unintended insult was slowly realized as he remembered who was around him.

"Right. Wrong words."

"She's here, Jason," Sookie pushes on. "Not out in public. She's spent years keeping it secret in public just fine. So what if she uses it freely when she's comfortable. She technically isn't normal. Nor am I."

"That's not what I meant, Sook."

"I doubt you know what you meant," she snips, gaze slipping over him with judgment before moving out the door to work in the garden.

The door closed loudly behind her. "Fae! You didn't get your legs!"

Ben looks out, noticing the forgotten tube by the sink. "I'll help them."

He snatched the bottle, moving out after Sookie where she'd gotten me to stop.

A/N: So, I feel like I apologize more than anything for being late with updates. I've been sort of on a blah trend of lack of motivation to write most anything. Been working on a few other things laying about my computer to help try and push it out. But, luckily I have a number of chapters for this already written. We'll be seeing a good deal of Ben from this point on. This will include a lack of Eric mostly. Don't worry. It's merely for this 'arc' and will even out. But, I've had an idea. The next chapter or so posted will be little OVAs. Sort of a behind the usual flow, things that have happened. May be just one chapter with a few little snips in it. I feel like it's getting a very serious vibe going and Fay is just so..not? Her serious is rather unserious. But it's sort of needed and such. So, look for that OVA(s). Will try and get that scrapped out tonight and out by noon Monday at the latest.