I smugly stepped from the basement, phone to my damp ear. Eric wasn't far behind me. Sookie perked, looking toward us from across the bar. Pam was sat at another table, filing her nails. Pam spared a look, smirking as she looked to Eric towering over me.

"Yeah. I mean, I bagged it all up, ready to go." My eyes roll, hand fluffing at my damp hair. "Fine. Yes. I didn't know what else to do. Either you take it or I get rid of it."

Sookie frowned, clearly picking up on this conversation. I was moving across the room, steps measured with the tight attire.

"No. You come get it or you lose the chance. Werefox. Clearly had a heavy intake of V, sort of sweetened. Look, I can't keep talking about this. Door's unlocked, just come in."

I hung up, tossing the phone to the table with the papers. "Want a drink, Sookie?"
She made a face. "Fae, are you seriously going to act like this is just another normal day?"

I glance up to her once I reach the bar. Fingers point to myself. "I'm getting a drink. Offer's there. And yes. I am."

She shoots a look to Eric moving to his chair. He shared a look with Pam. I was manually moving about the bar with an ease that gave how often I was actually behind this bar. A number of things were mixed over ice.

"Don't judge me, Sook. I can't help it. I just…" I pause, sighing a breath as I search for the wording. My head shakes, turning back to the task of mixing a drink. "It's just not the same anymore. Like all that worry over good or bad just went out the window."

"That can't just go out the window in a week or so, Fae," she strongly counters.

I take a drink, just looking at her. "I still get the emotions, like before. But they're sort of different? Sure, I just killed that lady. But she bit me when I did try to warn her off." My attention snaps to Eric and Pam, cup thumping as I huff. "Do I seriously look that much like a vampire?"

"Hardly pass for human," Pam calls with amusement.

Clearly not getting more than humor from Eric. I moved from the bar with a bottle of water in one hand and my cup in the other.

"So why ya here, Sook?"

"Jason and Grandpa Niall were worried."

"Aside from your mess downstairs."
I spare a questioning look to Eric, placing the water by Sook.

"You mean the V addicted were?"

"Janna," Sookie supplies quickly.

"Yeah, whatever the name was." Sookie flinches as I drop to lounge in the chair across from her, paperwork before me. "She wasn't going any place."

"What?"

"Oh, ya know, was big on trying to pick up a baby vamp. A homophobic baby at that." A look of exasperation is shared with Pam. "Yeah. She signed rights off at that point."

"She was human-"

"She attempted to drain Jessica Hamby."

Sook cut off, eyes turning to the clipped tone of Eric. I calmly took a drink, shifting papers to glance at.

"This way, dear."

"Stop flirting!" I call without looking up. "And I can freaking smell you from here!"

Ginger giggled her way in, under the male's arm. The pale man wore the favored white attire. Sook blushed as she looked to him.

"Cut the fucking pheromones," I clip, flipping a paper to finish something I was looking over. The glass is set to the side. "I get that you're excited. But rein that in."

"Always so lovely, Faelyn," he chuckles, abandoning Ginger as I stand to move and meet him.

He reached out, taking my hands to lift and spread a bit. He was taking in the fitted attire that was usually worn for working here. It hardly covered my rear and put my tightly constrained chest on view.

"This may have helped last night. They do serve to make your legs look longer."

"You're so smug," I laugh, nudging with a shoulder as I turn to the room.

"Is it not deserved?"

"Tsch."

I motion to the basement. He glances long over those in the room. But he gave Eric the longest look.

"We'll get you used to it soon enough."
He was still all over the map with conversations and timing of responses.

I roll my eyes, slinking forward. "You, maybe. But I don't see it over such a short time. Especially when I'm apparently not as controlled as I thought."

"Who's your friend?" Ginger asks, following and clearly eager over the male.

"Yes, I'd like to know as well," Eric calls to remind us just who was in the room.

Smirking, he looked right to Eric. "I'm Lyle."

I made a 'Really?!' face at the back of his head. There was the urge to swat him. Eric lifts his brows, head tilting toward me.

"Uh. Eric. Everyone. This is Lyle. My birth father."

Sookie perked quickly. But it faded as the rest of that caught up. "Oh."

I motion to each in turn.

"This is Ginger. She works here. Sookie my cousin. We talked about her."

His eyes took her in, judging. "Pam, boss slash hero." I lean a bit toward him. "She's mostly who I get help with clothes from. Got those shoes from last night." A perk of his brows, head inclining toward her in silent thanks. Old fashioned. A bland look is aimed to Eric, not as enthused, on my part. "And that is Eric. Asshole extraordinaire. Boss man. Local Sheriff of the Area. Been over that too."

"Ah," he sounds. There was a sort of regal distance to his assessing gaze over Eric, amused none-the-less. "The one Azazel and you had the contest over."

I let a sound from the back of my throat escape, a hint peeved. "Still not fair. He's like centuries older and speaks a lot of languages."

He has no sympathy to fit his act, patting my arm.

"In due time, child. Due time."

"You're mocking again. Not needed."

He beams, slipping forward toward the door to the basement. But a clear reminder of just how similar I was to this male. It was the same smile I gave people.

"Oh most assuredly, dear Faelyn. It is very needed."

"Hold on," I huff at him. "I'll bring it up. You and the damned white."

"Grab and run? Pushing me out so soon?"
"Yes," I answer without shame. "I still have work. And smaller doses of you are far better than larger."

"Fine, fine. Later then."

The bags slip out of the door as I swing it open. Two large black bags that were possibly for construction or yard waste.

"Carry out for one please," 'Lyle' chirps, fingers wiggling like a cartoon villain before deftly plucking the bags from the air.

I laughed, near giggling, letting my hold on the bags go. He tested the weight of each, eyes lifted and to the side as he seemed to contemplate.

"Oh this will work. Fatty?"

I shrug, arms moving to my waist to grin a bit at him. Nodding his head happily, he moved toward the door with a definite swagger.

"Night, dear. We'll have a diner in a night or so. Formal attire."

"You're fucked up," I laugh as the door opens.

Ginger let out a dreamy sigh.

"What a looker."

My brows pointedly lift as I look to her. She sobers fast as she sees the look. Possibly remembering who I had said he was.

"I mean," she stammers. "You obviously take after him."

"Ginger, Word of advice: He's far too old for you and loves to play sadistic games. Don't bet on anything."

"How old?"

Eric seemed to second Sook's question. I lift a hand at them, finger up to show that I would get back to them in a moment. But my focus was upon Ginger.

"Ginger, be a dear and clean up the basement."

She lit up, already moving toward the cleaning supplies. "Sure thing, Faelyn."

I waited, the only sound in the room aside from the music was Ginger getting stuff and slipping into the basement. The door shuts with a small motion of my hand.

"About 3 or 4, if I remember. Not the point," I call as I move to take my seat again. "Jason can stuff off until I forgive them."

"Fae, he was only-"

A snarl cut her off, echoing a bit in the room with the force and rougher sound to the voice. I'd flashed into the change at the sudden rage this brought out. Full or not, I still couldn't hold it back when so angry. Hulk much? It was quick, Sookie only seeing the teeth and eyes for a moment. There was a popping sound from my neck as I rolled it, eyes shutting for a moment to push the change off. Normal in the next breath.

"I'm not talking of it," I airily state. My eyes were to a lifted paper.

"So that's it? Jason kills Ben and you just move on? Leave us behind?"

The paper lowers with a slow deliberateness. I was distancing myself from all emotion, trying to keep from getting too enraged or mad.

"Sookie," Eric tires to warn her in a low breathed call.

"I do forget," I start with a clenched jaw, eyes flicking up to her. They were glowing, only bit of the change to slip through as of yet. "Obviously this world revolves around you, Sookie Stackhouse." There was poison in that tone, hissing out from clenched teeth. "What you want. What you think. What you feel. Sookie this. Sookie that."

My fist slams the table, letting out a snarling sort of yell of my frustration. She jumps at the flash of sharp canines. I was a hair from loosing hold on the rest of my demon traits.

"How about you fall in love. Then, when you are assured of this comfort, I will slaughter them before you. No. No. Even that would be Sookie oriented. Poor you. Pity Sookie."

She was watery eyed, but glaring angrily. I sit back, returning the look. A steaming breath is let out, shaking from my lungs with the tight hold on my rage at her sheer audacity. The music was lost to me as I looked at her and let that set in, taking the moment to pull myself more from this rage, to a different angle of it all.

"Who the fuck do you take me for?"

She swallows thickly, lips parting but only to pull breath in. My eyes sharply narrow at her.

"Are you so foolish? You've seen me beat a girl's face from a pole for less."

She had. I would never forget that day. Sookie had screamed so loudly, alerting the teachers. The girl had been popular and a right bully. I wasn't kind even then. I was suspended from school for weeks. I was unapologetic even then. The girl had cut Sookie's hair, laughing. I'd found Sookie crying with ruined hair. The next day, I invited the girl to play with me in the farther part of the playground. Right by the fencing. I hissed her crimes in her ear soon as she arrived and thought it fine. And promptly wove my fingers in her hair to beat her face from the pole of the fence nearest. She should still have that scar to this day. Bullying little bitch.

I felt Eric's weighted gaze upon me. I knew I was a terrible person. I didn't play that I wasn't. When enraged, violence was my response.

"This isn't an elementary school bully, Fae," Sookie breathlessly urges. "This is Jason. He's your cousin and best friend."

"I'm rather interested in this story," Pam murmurs toward Eric behind us.

"Which is exactly why I didn't and haven't ripped him limb from limb. Ben had never been a threat to me."

"That's a lie. He was only looking to use you."

"The same way I used him."

"He would have turned you." She was grasping at straws.

"Improbable. Impossible. Unnecessary."

"So that's it? You'll just never see us?"
There were the tears. I slumped the slightest at the shoulders, hand lifting to rub my brow.

"I'm a vindictive bitch, Sookie. I hold grudges with a vengeance."

"Fae," she tries, sounding so wounded.

Oh, shiiiiittttt….

I felt that last harshness fade as I just felt so done.

"Look," I start in a near sigh. The sniffle wasn't hidden. "I never said that. You did. I've my own shit to worry over outside of everyone's feelings." Not helping as she sniffled more frequently. I really was trying to not look at her. I hated tears. My own pissed me off. I need to be trashed for this crap. I let out a groan, head falling back with the sound. "Stop fucking crying! I know I'm emotionally constipated, right?! Just-"

Her hand was reaching for mine. I jerked back quickly, eyes flicking about to her side, not at her.

"Can we can the drama shit going on? Cause that were is going to make a second appearance and won't look or smell nearly as good."

"Seconded," Pam dryly quips.

"Shove it, Pam," Sookie glares through a teary sniff. But she was pulling it in. I guess realizing that I was justified. That I knew what Jason aimed for. I knew she wanted to read me. But…I really didn't want her knowing what was going on in there. Cause even I was a bit icked by it. So, like the typical Fae, I went for the sarcasm and humor when ever uncomfortable or unsure.

"Motion made and passed," I quip happily. Papers tap for show of the jest. "Next case."

Sookie gives a weak laugh, maybe sniffing a bit in it. But she got up, pushing her bag up her shoulder with the water in hand.

"Call me?"

It was hopeful.

"Yeah…" I drawl, wincing a bit. "There's this thing where I avoid calling people like the Plague."

"Then answer the phone," she huffs with softer eyes and a hollow bite to the words.

"No promises. Get out. Bye. Shoo."

"You're such a bitch," she laughs by the door.

"Noted and truthful, doll. Get on out of here."

Soon as the door shut, my happy look vanished. Disgusted annoyance was in place.

"Jesus. Has she always been that emotional?"

"Did you just notice?"

My eyes roll at Pam. But both agreed then.

"Possibly why I don't actively date women."

"You hardly date," Eric reminds. He'd been far too quiet during this whole mess.

I laugh, twisting to look at him. "Do you blame me?"