Disclaimer: I have no way of actually owning anything from True Blood. The only thing I own is Trudy and the occasional random characters that I add for my enjoyment and to better the story.

By the way, thank you everyone who reviewed! It was much appreciated. If I hadn't gotten those reviews, I probably wouldn't be updating as quickly as I had chosen to do.


Chapter 2 Sparks Fly Out

As soon as Bill parked the car outside the house, I threw the door open and stuffed my hands into my front pockets, walking towards the front door after I closed the door with my foot. Bill and Sookie need to hack this little problem out on their own. I quietly opened the screen door and closed it behind me. I then kicked off my shoes and grabbed them, walking up the stairs to my room. I closed my door behind me and dropped my shoes by the door. I yawned and went over to my dresser. I pulled out a pair of red and black plaid short shorts and closed my dresser drawer. I turned and pulled my socks off and then sat down to pull off my skin tight skinny jeans. I threw those into my dirty clothes basket and pulled my shorts on. I walked over to my vanity and sat on the little stool. I carefully took the bow from my hair and set it down gently, smiling lightly. I had gotten this as one of my Christmas gifts from Lafayette a few years back.

I then looked at myself in the mirror and sighed irritably. My hair was windblown all to hell and my makeup was smudged from the sweat I had worked up in the stuffy bar that is Fangtasia. I grabbed the bowl that sat on my vanity and walked out of my room and into the bathroom. I turned the hot water on and felt to make sure it wasn t too hot. I then filled the bowl to about half way and took a washcloth from the cabinet and went back to my room. I sat down on my vanity stool again and dipped the washcloth in the warm water. I sighed and started to take my eyeliner, mascara, and lip gloss off.

When I was done with that, I ran a brush through my tangled hair and smiled when I felt how silky it felt. I then stood and walked over to my bed and lay down. I tried to sleep, but I kept tossing and turning in my bed. I finally groaned heavily and tossed my blankets off. I padded over to my desk and grabbed my laptop before I walked to the big window that doubled as a door. See I had a balcony. Sookie and I had rock paper scissored for it and I had won when we were kids. Gran also had a balcony. I smiled gently and pulled the door open, walking out into the comfortable warm climate of Louisiana night. I sat down in my old couch that I had Jason and Lafayette drag up here and opened my laptop on my lap as I sat Indian style. I turned my computer on and decided to go get some hot tea while I waited for it to boot up. I left my laptop on my side table and walked into my room and straight out the door. I softly walked down the stairs and into the kitchen.

I took a mug down from the cabinet and filled it with hot water before I stuck it in the microwave. I rummaged through another cabinet until I found what I was looking for; a tea bag and the jar we kept the sugar in. I smiled and took the mug out of the microwave when it beeped. I dropped the tea bag in and poured some of the sugar in. I then put the jar of sugar up again and took a spoon from a drawer before I walked back upstairs. I closed my door behind me and went out onto my balcony. I sat down in my couch and bobbed the tea bag in and out of the water to get it to mix right. I typed my password into my computer and waited for it to load. A picture of me, Lafayette, and Tara popped up when it did and I smiled fondly. This had been taken for my 21st birthday at Merlotte s.

I shook off the memory before it could surface and focused on what I was doing. I opened my journal and started in on what had happened today. About half way through, I took a sip of my warm tea and paused, looking up through my eyelashes at the tall vampire that stood on my balcony in front of me. I groaned and set my drink down, standing up to face him.

"What the fuck are you doing here, Eric?" I asked angrily and crossed my arms over my chest as he looked me up and down.

"I rather like your choice of clothing, Miss Stackhouse." He said coolly and reached out to twirl a piece of my purple hair around his finger. I just glared at him and unconsciously tugged my shorts down a bit lower to hide my pale thighs from view. Well, at least I hoped that helped to hide them.

"You didn't answer my question." I growled and he smirked with a twinkle in his eyes.

"Your sister seems to have special powers. I was curious as to if you possess any characteristics that would fall into that category as well."

"Why would I tell you that? I just met you and I honestly don't want to know you." I snapped and his smirk only widened.

"That cut me deep, Trudy, it really did." He said with fake hurt and clutched at his chest with his free hand as his other hand tucked my hair behind my ear. I shivered as his cold fingers caressed my ear for a moment. He smirked and I glared back.

"Well, I don't care. I'm going to bed." I stated and grabbed my laptop and now empty mug. I walked into my room, leaving the door open, and sat the mug and laptop down on my desk again.

"Can I come in?" Eric asked from his position leaning against the door with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Nope." I answered and grabbed my blanket and wrapped it around my shoulders, sitting on the edge of my bed, facing him.

"Why not?" He asked with a smirk and I raised an eyebrow.

"Uh...because I don't want you being able to come into my house whenever you want." I said in a duh voice.

"Well, that just hurts."

"You'll deal, now leave." I replied and grabbed some lotion from my bedside table.

"Actually, I won't." He retorted and I looked up and locked eyes with him. "Let me in." He ordered in a low, enticing voice.

I blinked as I felt a force pushing into my brain and my mouth dropped open. "Are you trying to glamour me?" I asked angrily and he seemed surprise. "Get the fuck out of here, you fuckin' asshole!" I yelled and stood.

He turned to look behind him and swore under his breath in what i could guess to be Swedish. He looked back at me. "I will go, but only because it is almost dawn. Don't think that this is over, Miss Stackhouse."

"Goodbye, Mr. Northman." I said curtly in and icy tone as I closed my doors in his face and pulled my curtains closed. I growled and stomped my way over to my bed. I lay down and closed my eyes. I slowly drifted off into a dream that involved staking Eric Northman.


I sat at the kitchen table in my pajamas I wore last night and watched Gran frying eggs and talk to someone on the phone.

"Who is this?" She asked and I took a sip of my coffee. "I suggest that you hear what he has to say before you take to lynchin' him." She said and I raised an eyebrow in question. Who was she talkin' to and what the hell about? "Well, I will be at the church early if you would like to stop by and say hi. Mr. Compton's talk starts at eight." She changed the tone of her voice when Sookie entered and sat down across from me at the table. "Alright! Same to you! Bye now!" She then slammed the phone down.

"Phone's been ringin early today." Sookie observed and I smiled knowingly as I ate a piece of sausage.

"Oh, oh!" Gran exclaimed as she brought the eggs to the table. "Everyone is excited about meetin the town vampire tonight." She smiled at us as she served the eggs. "I didn't hear ya' two come in last night."

"You went to bed early, Gran." I stated and took a sip of my coffee.

"You didn't wanna hear us come in." Sookie added.

"Well..." Gran chuckled and walked back to the stove. "...I just thought I'd give you and Bill a little privacy, is all, Sookie." She explained.

"What about me?" I asked, confused and a little weary of what was going through my grandmother's head.

"Well, when you go to a club, you usually meet a boy."

"That certainly doesn't make me sound like a whore." I mumbled to Sookie before I looked back at Gran. "Gran, I don't go home with dudes. I usually go to clubs with Tara and Lafayette, so I go home with Lafayette, who's gay and doesn't swing for girls. I am still a proud virgin."

"Well, that explains that." Gran mumbled and I grinned.

"Gran, am I really that much of a lost cause that you gotta pin all your hopes for me on a vampire?" Sookie asked with a raised eyebrow as Gran came back to the table with the phone in hand and sat down between us.

"But he really seems like a very nice man."

"Well, he's not."

"He's not nice?"

"Technically, he's not even a man." I supplied as an answer and Sookie nodded in agreement.

"Oh, goodness! Did you and Bill have a fight?" Gran asked Sookie worriedly.

"No. Kinda. I don't think Bill and I have very much in common. He doesn't think like we do; he doesn't feel the way we do, if he feels at all." She then pierced a sausage and ate it.

"Well, I know that, if I had a chance to know somebody who'd experienced the world differently, I'd see it as a blessing and not somethin' to be scared of. Or hate." She held the phone to her chest as it began to ring again.

"I don't hate him. I just don't want to be his girlfriend."

The phone continued to ring and I smirked broadly. "Uh, the phone's ringin', Gran." I informed her and she blanked, looking at me.

"Umm, the machine'll pick it up." She smiled broadly and I chuckled.


When Sookie and I were at work, Sam and I were working the bar and Arlene and Sookie were waitressing. Sookie was currently refilling the ketchup bottles and spilt some on her hand.

"That vampire Bill would get a rise out of that." Arlene said as Sookie wiped her hand on a towel.

"You'd have to ask him yourself to find that out." I said absently as I wiped down the counter.

"Vamp club not all it was made out to be, huh? A lot of freaks, I hear. And people from Arkansas." Arlene stated.

"That place was filled from head to toe with Goth freaks, tourists, and vampires." I informed and crossed my arms on the bar.

"It was fine." Sookie concluded and continued to refill the ketchup.

"So what, then? Did that vampire get all handsy with you? Despite the fact that Trudy was probably five feet away?" Arlene asked and I hummed. That probably would happen if Bill was Eric.

"I can take care of myself. And no, I won't be goin out with him again."

Arlene and I looked at Sam and he cracked a small smile. I smiled softly. He's liked my sister since we first walked into Merlotte s for a job. That kinda made me sad because I always had a small crush on him, but I knew he d never really like me like that. He still considered me a kid since I had just reached drinking age a few months back. He even treats me like a child and is overprotective of me because of it. I do know that he likes my smell though. That's a good thing, right? I mean, every time I walked past him he inhales deeply with this blissful look on his face.

"Okay, that place was kinda freaky, but how are you ever gonna know until you go see for yourself." Sookie said as she looked up at us.

"I said my piece yesterday." Sam replied.

"I'm sorry it didn't turn out like you'd hoped, but better it happens now than before you end up hurt, or dead." Arlene apologized before she walked off.

"I hope you're not too flipped out to miss the Descendants of the Glorious Dead tonight." Sam approached Sookie hopefully and I sighed, reaching down for a bottle of whiskey.

"No, I gotta go. Gran spent all week on it." Sookie replied.

"Good, cause I was gonna ask if you wanna go with me."

My heart clenched as everyone, which is three customers and Andy Bellefleur at the bar, looked up at the three of us. See everyone in town knew I liked Sam, but he liked Sookie, so I couldn t do anything about it.

"Maybe we'll go grab a cup of coffee or somethin after." Sam continued and Sookie glanced at me sorrowfully as she set down the ketchup. I smiled reassuringly.

'Just say yes, Sookie. He's never gonna like me, so just go ahead and go. Have fun.' I told her mentally and she gave a subtle nod sadly and looked back to Sam.

"Are you askin' me out?"

"Yeah, I am." Sam smiled nervously and looked down. "That's pretty much how I do it." He looked up at her again and I poured myself a shot of whiskey, knocking it back quickly. "Sometimes they even say yes." Sookie looked around to see everyone, excluding me, watching them expectantly.

"Everyone's lookin' at us." She observed.

"I know. You better say yes."

Sookie reached out towards my mind again and I sighed quietly, closing my eyes. 'Just say yes and go with Sam, Sookie. If you can't be happy with Bill, be happy with someone that wants to be with you.' She smiled sadly, but Sam didn t seem to notice the sorrow surrounding the two of us.

"Shoot. Why not?"

"Good." He then looked around at the people watching. "Eyes on your food, people." He ordered before he walked off.

Sookie came to stand in front of me on the other side of the bar and I opened my eyes to look at her. She looked full of guilt, but I just smiled reassuringly. "It's okay, Sook. I always knew that he never liked me because I'm just a kid to him. I'll move on, don't worry."

"Still, I'm really sorry. You know that I would've said no and could've put a good word in for you?"

"Yeah, but that would make me feel second best, Sookie. I want everybody in my life to be happy if I can't. If you're not gonna be with Bill, who also makes you happy, I know for a fact that Sam'd make you happy, too."

"It's just a date, Tru. You make it sound like he just proposed." She smiled softly and I smirked, twisting my rag. I then slapped her with it, making a loud snapping sound. "Ow!"

"Yeah, love hurts, sis." I told her and she rolled her eyes, continuing on with her refilling of the ketchup.


Eventually, nobody was left in the bar but the people working and Andy. Sookie went and talked to him for a bit before she came over to me and handed me the red tumbler that Andy had used as a glass.

"Need a sweet tea." She told me and I nodded and proceeded to get more tea. "Tara here yet?" She asked Sam.

"She just came in. She's in the ladies room." He answered and she literally stormed off to the bathroom. I blinked and placed Andy's drink in front of him.

"Thanks, Trudy. How you holdin' up?" He asked, sincerely.

I smiled softly and glanced at Sam, who was watching us from afar. "I m fine, Andy. Thanks, anyway, though. Enjoy your food." I told him and he nodded. I walked off and went to pass Sam on my way to the other end of the bar to get a bottle of water, but he stopped me by grabbing my arm. "Yeah, Sam?" I asked, not looking at him as I turned to face him.

"Are you okay, Trudy? You've been kinda down all day." He observed and I sighed mentally, looking up at him with my signature smile.

"Yeah, I'm fine. It just feels like everyone around me's happy and I'm not." I told them and he looked at me in concern. I just shook my head. "I'll be okay, Sam. Don't pity me." I said and took my arm away.

"Do you want the rest of the day off?" He asked, frowning.

"Nah, I'm okay to work, Sam." I said and walked back to Andy, who had just finished off his tea again. I smiled and brought it back with me to fill up.

"Keep that girl away from me!" I heard Tara yell as she walked out of the bathroom and passed me and Sam. I raised an eyebrow as Sookie walked out after her and picked up the red tumbler I had just filled again.

"Is everything okay?" Sam asked as she walked over to Andy and I sighed.

"I'm not so sure anymore, Sam. Everything's gone all to hell." I complained and wiped the counter were I had split some tea.


I showed up at the church with Gran, dressed in a dress that Sookie picked out. I moaned uncomfortably as I tugged on the hem of my sleeve. I was wearing a full white sun dress with spaghetti straps and a pair of black flats.

"Gran, this is so not me." I complained and she sighed, rubbing my back comfortingly.

"Well, you won't be dressed like that much longer. At least we allowed you to do your own hair." She smiled and I sighed, twirling a strand of my long bangs that hung around my face. Most of my hair was pulled back in a long ponytail with my bangs still covering my forehead and the bangs around my face that were purple stayed down. I also had a loose white bow tied into my ponytail. Sookie had insisted on it, but I didn't find a point. I only put it in my hair to get her to leave me alone about it.

"Okay, then." I mumbled and walked off to help Hoyt hand out flyers. "Hey, Fortenberry." I greeted and he grinned boyishly.

"Hey, Trudy. How you doin' tonight?" He asked and I smiled. "You look nice."

I groaned. "I don't feel like myself in this. I feel like a Barbie doll that Sookie used to have. She dressed me." I informed him and he chuckled.

"That sounds about right. You'd usually come to one of these things wearing jeans and a tee-shirt." He smiled as he gave a flyer out and I shrugged.

"Well, I don't dress up for church cause I don't believe in Christianity. You know that, Hoyt."

"Yeah, I know. Believe what you want to believe."

"I do. I believe in the earth and drawing our energy from her. We're here for a certain reason and mine is well, I haven't found that out yet, but I will." I stumbled over my words and he laughed.

"Yeah, okay." He patted me on the head and I frowned. I swatted his hand away and walked off with a chuckle.

"Trudy!" I heard two very familiar voices yell happily and I turned around and was tackled to the ground by one blonde boy and a red head girl. I groaned and smiled, happy to see them.

"Hey, Coby, Lisa. What's up?" I asked as I sat up and they helped me to stand. They then both hugged me around the waist. "Where's your mom and Rene?"

"Talking to your Gran." Lisa answered innocently and I smiled.

"Well, let's go find 'em, then." I suggested and took their hands and led them off to find Gran, Arlene and Rene.

We soon found them and I handed off the children to them before I turned and walked off again. I sighed and rubbed my arms sadly as I sunk into a seat. Not too soon later, Sookie sat down beside me and Sam sat beside her.

"Hey, Trudy. You okay?" Sookie asked as she hugged me. I smiled softly and hugged her back.

"Good, you?" I asked and she just smiled as Sam stared at me with wide eyes.

"Tru? Wow, you look different." He mused in an awed tone, making me chuckle. "I didn't even recognize you."

"Well, that's flattering...I guess. Sookie picked out the outfit. And honestly, Sam, did you seriously not know I was me? I've got to be the only one around for a hundred miles with naturally bleach blonde hair and light purple highlights."

He shrugged and smiled nervously. "I never really paid attention."

"Yuh huh, sure." I drew out the last word and settled back into my seat again. I looked around and noticed Tara sitting all by her lonesome. "Come on, guys. Let's go sit by Tara. She's all by herself." I proposed and Sookie nodded, standing. Sam, of course, followed close behind us as we went and sat in Tara's row. I sat beside her. "Hey, can we sit here?" I asked and she looked up at us.

"Hi, Tara." Sam smiled and she laughed nervously.

"Sure, come on in." She said and they sat down with Sam being on my other side. "Could always use more white people." She mumbled to herself and elbowed me, making me jump in surprise. I watched her as she fanned herself with a Jesus fan.

"Hey." Someone said from Tara's right. We all looked up to see Jason. "Mind if I sit with you?"

"Uh, sure, have a seat." Tara answered and he nodded, taking a seat beside her. He just then seemed to notice me, Sookie, and Sam.

"Hey, guys." He greeted and I smirked, shaking my head at him.

"How you feelin'?" Tara asked Jason and I just looked forward in boredom. I ignored everything around me until Gran walked up to the front and called for attention.

"Welcome." She greeted the crowd and I raised an eyebrow when I noticed the large cross that stood behind Gran had the American flag draped over it. Well, that's not odd at all... "It certainly is a pleasure to see so many new aces here this month. But Mayor Norris assures me that there will be enough ambrosia and tipsy cake or everyone." The crowd laughed politely and I rolled my eyes, crossing my arms over my chest and leaning back in my seat. I felt watched and glanced around but couldn't find who was watching me. I shrugged it off and paid attention to what Gran was saying. "Now, our guest tonight is a gentleman who, despite what you might have heard, is one of us. His family was among the first to settle in Bon Temps and he bravely fought for Louisiana in the war for Southern independence. Let us welcome one of the original sons of Bon Temps back to the town that he helped build. I give you First Lieutenant William Thomas Compton." Gran then stepped aside as Bill appeared behind a door near the pulpit. There was some scattered applause as the door shut beside him and he stepped up to the pulpit, looking out at the crowd.

"Thank you, Mrs. Stackhouse. If you'll pardon me for a moment..." He trailed off as he stepped down from the pulpit and I smiled as he removed the American flag from the cross and the crowd gasped. He then took the flag back to the empty flagpole and reattached it. He set the flagpole upright and looked up at us. "As a patriot of this great nation, I wouldn't dream of puttin' myself before Old Glory." He placed the flagpole on a pedestal and walked back up to the pulpit, speaking into the microphone. "As you can see, I did not burst into flames." He smiled and there was slight laughter, but I just continued to smile. He may tick me off sometimes, but he sure is great at being an American, vampire or not. "We vampires are not minions of the Devil. We can stand before a cross, or a Bible, or in a church, just as readily as any other creature of God. I am honored to stand before you tonight. Vampires have traditionally been very private, perhaps to our detriment. But I believe, if we reach out to one another, that we can coexist and even thrive together." He said the last few words, looking straight at Sookie.

She blushed and looked down at the floor and his smile widened. "I served in the 28th Louisiana infantry, formed in Monroe in 1862, under Colonel Henry Gray. It was there that we learned the value of human life, and the ease with which it can be extinguished. Uneducated as we were... we knew little of the political or ideological conflicts that had led to this point. But goin' to war was not a choice for us. We believed to be a man that we had a calling to fulfill. A destiny handed down to us from above. God forbid should any of our men become wounded or injured. Often the only recourse for a serious injury was amputation. More times than I care to remember, I had to hold down one of my fellow soldiers while the medic took a saw to his arm or leg. We had no anesthesia at the time. Apart from a bit of whiskey."

I noticed Sookie turn around in her seat and turned to see Royce, Chuck, and Wayne sitting behind us. I liked to call them the Redneck Stooges because that's exactly what they are. They were currently passing around a piece of garlic. I scowled as Chuck opened the garlic and I rolled my eyes with a sigh and turned to sit forward again and paid attention to Bill.

"It often seemed that the men bein' operated upon suffered more from his surgery than he did from his original wound. Even if he survived the amputation, the chance of subsequent infection was high." He paused and I caught the stench of garlic and heard the Redneck Stooges giggling behind me. I growled and was just about ready to hit one of them. "In the winter months, the nights could grow bitter cold." He continued and my mind painted a picture for me. I could see the pain and suffering the wounded soldiers went through and immediately felt like crying.

I snapped out of my thoughts as an elderly man stood. "My great-grandfather was in the 28th." He stated and we all turned to look at him. "I wonder if you might have known him. His name was Tolliver Humphries."

"Tolliver Humphries?" Bill clarified.

"Um, hmm." The elderly man nodded.

"Yes. I knew him very well. We fought together. Tolliver Humphries was my friend. He was a brave man, perhaps to a fault. I dare say it contributed to his death."

"What happened? Were you there?"

"I was. We were about 20 miles north of where I stand now. The Federals outnumbered us five to one. And they had better firepower as well. We'd spent much of the afternoon recovering the bodies of those we'd lost. There was a boy in our troop, no more than 12 or 14, who lay wounded in the middle of a field under poor cover. He called to us all day. He begged us to help him. He knew he would die if we didn t. I admit I considered shootin' the boy myself just to shut him up. But Tolliver convinced me that would be an act of murder, not war. He told me God wanted him to rescue that boy. I pleaded with him not to go. To think of his wife and children back home. He ran into that field like it was a cool spring day." As Bill narrated the scene, it was painted like a picture in my mind. I imaged a boy yelling for help, Bill aiming his rifle, Tolliver stopping him, and finally Tolliver running out to save the boy. "They shot him just as he reached the boy. It was obvious to us that he was beyond help. And then, after a while, the boy started screamin' again."

"What happened to the boy?" Mrs. Fortenberry asked from the crowd and I blinked back the tears I was started to get in the corners of my eyes. Another power that I had was the power to feel others emotions. There was so much sorrow in this room that it was making me cry and most of it was from the elderly man related to Tolliver and Bill.

"He lived. He survived the day and then under cover of darkness we retrieved him later that night, along with the body of Tolliver Humphries. But it seems that Tolliver was right. God did look after his descendants. Yes? Mayor Norris."

Mayor Norris stood and with the aid of his cane, he walked up to Bill. "I've been digging in the archives this week and I found this old tintype." He held up said item for Bill to see. "The inscription on the back says, Mr. W.T. Compton and Family. Can you tell us if this is a picture of you?"

Bill took the tintype and opened the frame. I felt a wave of great pain and sorrow hit me from Bill and frowned. He misses his family. "This this is a remarkable photograph. I remember the day we gathered to have this taken."

"When was the last time you were with them?" Mrs. Fortenberry asked.

"When I...I went to war in 1862. I...my human life ended before I had a chance to come back home."

"But choo become a a vampire after that, right?" Rene asked in his thick Cajun accent. "Couldn't cha go back to your family then?"

"No. No. That wouldn't have been possible." He closed the picture frame and dabbed his eyes with a handkerchief. I gaped at the sight. He was gonna burst into tears any minute, I could feel it. "I apologize. This is not a subject I'm very comfortable speaking about. But thank you for the photograph, Mayor. Brings back many memories for me." The Mayor went back to his seat and Bill walked back up to the pulpit. "Any other questions?"


I stood with Gran and Bill to thank the people for coming. Terry approached Bill and shook his head before hugging Bill, who looked slightly surprised but I just smiled.

"They don't understand, man. None of them will ever understand." Terry was close to sobbing and Bill nodded. "You stay sharp, brother."

"All right." Bill replied slowly and we watched as Terry walked off. He then turned to me and raised an eyebrow.

I smiled softly. "He went to Fallujah." I explained in sorrow and he nodded in understanding. Mrs. Fortenberry then walked up to us.

"Could I..." She trailed off as Hoyt joined us and smiled at me, which I returned with a tired look in my eyes. "Would it be possible to take a picture with you?"

"Of course." Bill smiled.

"You won't vanish in the photo?"

"That's just a myth. And it's one I'd be happy to disprove." He answered as she handed me a camera. "Come around." Mrs. Fortenberry moved so that Bill could wrap an arm around her shoulders and Hoyt moved to place his hand on Bill's left shoulder. It kinda reminded me of a family of three; Mrs. Fortenberry was shorter than Bill, but he was shorter than Hoyt. They all smiled and Hoyt gave a thumbs-up for me to take the picture as Gran stood beside me. I snapped the picture and gave Mrs. Fortenberry her camera back.

"There you go." I said.

"Thanks so much, Trudy." She said back before she and her son walked away.

Sookie and Sam walked up then.

"Hey! Great job tonight!" Sookie smiled at Bill.

"Wasn't he just marvelous?" Gran asked happily.

"Yeah, that was that was quite a show." Sam mumbled and I elbowed him in the ribs, making him wince and glance at me with a smirk.

"Bill, you remember Sam, right?" Sookie asked.

"Yes, you're Sookie and Trudy's employer." Bill said curtly.

"Not when we're off-duty." Sam retorted and put an arm around Sookie. I felt a pang in my heart and closed my eyes, taking quiet subtle deep breaths through my nose.

"No, legally you still are." Bill argued, glancing at me. He must've noticed my discomfort with the situation.

"Well, I just wanted to congratulate you. Seems like you've won everybody over." Sam said, obvious venom in his voice and Sookie and I locked eyes.

'Ah, testosterone. You gotta love it.' I thought with a mental smirk and she seemed to be scolding me in her mind and eyes.

"Well, some, I hope." Bill agreed with Sam, looking at Sookie.

"Well, we better get going. We're gonna grab a cup of coffee before we call it a night." Sam said, obviously trying to get Sookie away from Bill as fast as he could.

"Coffee. Sounds delightful." Bill murmured coldly as Sookie brought me and Gran into a double hug.

"Good night, guys. I'll see ya'll later." She smiled and we both nodded as they left.

"He seems nice." Bill commented and I chuckled.

"Yuh huh." I agreed.


I smiled as I sat beside Jason in Merlotte's after I left the church. I now had my hair hanging around my face and the ribbon was in my leather jacket, which was draped over the back of my chair. Hoyt and Rene were sitting with us also. We'd been here for a while and had already finished off a pitcher of beer, which sat in the middle of our table now.

"Man, this place is crawlin' with hot chicks and we're just sittin' here like our dicks are stuck together." Hoyt complained and I scoffed, rolling my eyes at him. He just smiled back as I crossed my arms over the table and leaned on it, crossing one of my legs over the other. I had taken off my flats earlier and they rested beside my chair on the ground.

"Don't look at me." Rene responded. "My chere is right there." He said and looked over his shoulder. I looked up to see Arlene taking an order from a table nearby. Jason unbuttoned a few of the buttons at the top of his shirt and rubbed the table with his hands as Rene turned back towards us. "You want a girl so bad, you get one yourself. You-" Before he could continue, Arlene ran her fingers through his hair as she walked past and I grinned that he got distracted by a simple touch.

"Want another round?" Jason asked us.

"Yeah?" Ren said it like it was obvious.

"Hey..." Hoyt licked his lips as we all looked at him. "...maybe we should order up a couple of those Tru Bloods." At this Rene made a disgusted face while I simply raised an eyebrow. "After meetin' a vampire tonight, don't you wanna try it and see what it's like?"

"I go to the dog races. You see me eating Alpo?" Ren asked rhetorically.

"Yeah, Hoyt, I don't think it's such a good idea." I said, agreeing with Rene.

"I just thought he was pretty cool, was all." Hoyt told us with a small shrug and I hummed in understanding, though I had met the vampire many times before.

"Jason, go get us some more Dixie Draft." I ordered, but he wasn t paying attention. I narrowed my eyes and hit him in the arm, but he still didn t respond.

"Jason!" Hoyt called and he looked back at us. "Dixie Draft?"

"Yeah, I'll get it." He picked up the empty beer pitcher and stood. "I love you guys." He told us and I smiled at him.

"We know, bro." I told him and he went over to the bar as Hoyt, Rene, and I all exchanged worried looks.

"Hey, Trudy?" Arlene questioned as she walked over to us and I raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah?"

"Do you think you could help out? I'm the only waitress and I could use the help." She begged and I sighed.

"Let me go change." I said as I stood and looked at Hoyt. Rene was talking to Arlene now. "Look after my jacket, 'kay?" He nodded in understanding with a smile before I walked back to Sam's office, where I kept a spare uniform for just these sorta emergencies. I grabbed my uniform, along with a pair of old full black low top Converse, before I walked into the bathroom and quickly changed. I then went straight to work and picked up half the tables, which just so happened to include the Redneck Stooges. I rolled my eyes as I took their orders and put it in for Lafayette.


I bit my lip apprehensively as I walked away from the booth and up to the service window and sat a hamburger down, looking up at Lafayette as I did so.

"Is there a problem with my burger?" He asked, looking at me from the stove as I continued to bite my lip.

"Lafayette, it's just the idiotic rednecks of the town." I told him.

"Well, what's they problem?"

"Man, it's not worth it." I said, shaking my head as Arlene came over and put in an order.

"What did they say?" He asked as he came over to us and looked out the service window. I turned to see the Redneck Stooges, who were watching us.
I sighed as I faced Lafayette and he looked at me expectantly. "He said that the burger..." I trailed off and jumped when Lafayette slammed the spoon he was holding down.

"What did they say, Trudy?" He asked me angrily and I sighed again.

"He said the burger might have AIDS." I told him. He was silent for a moment as he tilted his head to the side before he started to remove his earrings.

"Lafayette?" Arlene questioned and I smiled lightly as he removed his apron and left the kitchen, burger in hand. We both turned to watch as Arlene clasped her hands behind her head worriedly. "Oh, fudge."

"Damn right, but at least we'll get a good show." I said with a smirk, moving out into the restaurant so I could hear the conversation.

"'Scue me, who ordered the hamburger..." Lafayette paused as he reached Royce, Wayne, and Chuck's table. "...with AIDS?" Wayne and Chuck laughed at this while I crossed my arms.

"I ordered the hamburger deluxe." Royce said as he looked up at Lafayette from his seat.

"In this restaurant, a hamburger deluxe come with fren' fries, lettuce, tomato, and mayo and AIDS!" Lafayette yelled the last two words before he looked around at the people who had stopped their conversations to observe. "Do anybody got a problem with that?" He shouted.

"Yeah!" Royce replied and I raised an eyebrow in question. "I'm an American and I got a say in who makes my food."

"Well, baby, it's too late for that. Faggots been breedin' your cows, raising your chickens, even brewin' your beer long before I walked my sexy ass up in this mother fucker. Everything on your goddamn table got AIDS."

"You still ain't makin' me eat no AIDS burger!" Royce replied angrily and Lafayette leaned down to be face to face with him.

"Well, all you gotta do is say 'hold the AIDS'. Here..." I watched with a grin as he picked up the top bun off the burger and licked off the mayonnaise before he crammed it into Royce's face. "Eat it!" He shoved it into his face and Wayne and Chuck quickly stood to hit Lafayette. Before they could even do that, though, Lafayette decked them both as Royce stood and tried to hit him, which resulted in himself getting punched in the gut and a right uppercut to the jaw. Lafayette then picked up the plate as the Redneck Stooges groaned in pain. "Bitch, you come in my house, you gonna eat my food the way I fucking make it!" Lafayette shouted. "Do you understand me?" He dumped the food into Royce's lap. Royce looked up at him angrily before he knocked the plate off his lap. "Tip yo' waitress!" He ordered before he spun around and headed back to the kitchen, walking past Jason, Rene, and Hoyt's table. Jason high fived him before he, Hoyt, and Rene burst out laughing, making me giggle lightly before I heard my phone ring in my back pocket.

It was 'Pain' by Three Days Grace so I knew it was Sookie.

"Yo, sis." I greeted and leaned against the bar.

"Hey, can you come pick me up? I had a fight with Sam." She said and my smile dropped.

"Sure, where are you?" I asked and she gave me directions to get to where she was. "Alright, hang tight. I'll be right there." I went over to where Arlene was standing at the service window, talking to Lafayette about what he just did.

"Okay, bye." She said and I snapped my phone shut.

"Hey, guys, I'll gotta go. You think you can handle it now, Arlene?" I asked her and she nodded as I walked to Sam's office. I grabbed my clothes from earlier and went to change in the bathroom, bringing my uniform with me to wash. I walked out, waving and saying bye to everyone. I then dug around for my keys and walked towards my black 1967 Chevy Impala that I had inherited from my father. I paused just by the door when a wave of lust hit me. I turned around slowly and came face to face with a black wife beater, covered by a leather jacket. I sighed heavily and looked up at Eric. "Now, what do you want? I ain't got time for this. I have to go pick up Sookie."

"I won't keep you then. I was just wondering why my little princess of darkness is wearing white." He purred and pushed my hair out of my face like he did last night. This time, I was able to suppress the shiver I wanted to let out.

"I had to go to church." I said and pushed his hand away. He cocked an eyebrow and I rolled my eyes. "I promised my Gran, okay? When I make a promise to a loved one, I never back down. I didn't even realize that also included the fact that my sister was gonna play dress up." I mumbled the last part and turned to put my keys in my car door to open it. I then paused and turned to look at him with narrowed eyes and he smiled innocently. "Did you just call me your little princess of darkness?" I whispered slowly and he chuckled, opening my door for me.

"Well, yes. Yes, I did." He said in a seductive tone as I slid into my car and he shut my door. He knelt down and crossed his arms on the window seal. I had left my window rolled down earlier because the people around here know better than to mess with my Impala. "Nice car, by the way."

"Didn't think you were into the classics." I mumbled and pushed the keys into the ignition. The engine purred to life and I smiled. I patted the steering wheel and turned down the music that blasted through the speakers and turned to look at him. "You need anything else, or can I go, question boy?"

"No, I'm good, but I do not want you to go." He sighed as he stood straight again. "Good night, Trudy."

"See ya'." I said carelessly as I turned the music up again and turned to back out. I glanced where he was standing to see he was gone. I just shrugged and backed out and pulled out onto the road. I switched out my CDs when I reached a stop sign so I had my mix CD in. I flipped through the songs, biting my tongue, until I got to 'Not Good Enough for Truth and Cliche by Escape the Fate. I grinned and turned it up before speeding off down the road.

"Hurtful words." I sang along with the grin on my face as I tapped my fingers against the steering wheel and relaxed in my seat. "To my enemies of the last five years, what's it like to die alone? How does it feel when tears freeze when you cry? The blood in your veins is twenty below. Sitting in this room playing Russian Roulette. Finger on the trigger to my dear Juliet. Out from the window see her backdrop silhouette. This blood on my hands is something I cannot forget!" I parked by the curb when I saw Sookie on the sidewalk and waited for her to climb into the car. I turned the volume down as she sighed and looked forward. "You okay?"

"Yeah, can we change the song, though?" She asked, looking at me pleadingly. I nodded and flipped through the songs until we came upon 'Addicted' by Saving Abel. I looked towards her to see if it was okay and she smiled, leaning back in her seat. I chuckled and turned it up. She and I both knew this song and we always sang it together when either of us was angry or sad.

I pulled onto the road as the chorus started and we both sang along. "I'm so addicted to all the things you do when you're down on me in between the sheets. Or the sound you make with every breath you take. It's not like anything when you're loving me. Oh, girl let's take it slow. So as for you, well, you know where to go. I want to take my love and hate ya' 'till the end. It's not like you to turn away from all the bullshit I can't take. It's not like me to walk away." We continued on to finish the song when we reached the house. We were giggling lightly because the song had ended about a minute earlier and we stayed in the car to listen to 'On to the Next One' by Escape the Fate. Sookie had attempted and failed epically to sing it, while I sang it perfectly.

"Wow, you suck." I commented as we stepped onto the back porch that lead to the back door into the kitchen door and slipped off our shoes.

She chuckled and hit me lightly in the arm. "Shut up. Gran's probably asleep." She whispered and I smiled and nodded. I opened the door and we walked in. I slipped on something gooey beneath my feet and fell forward. I caught myself with my hands and whatever was on the floor got all on my legs, knees, and hands.

"What the fuck?" I asked aloud and tried to see in the dark. I heard Tina, our cat, meowing.

Sookie flipped on the lights and I looked down and I swear my heart stopped. The gooey stuff on the floor and my body is a pool of blood. I followed the blood to my Gran's body.


Ooh... my first cliffhanger! He he he...well, not really if you watch the show ^.^ Anyways, tell me what ya' think in a review, please. I wasn't too sure about the whole 'Eric comes to visit Trudy' thing, but it worked out to be okay, I guess. At least in this chapter, you get to see a bit more about Trudy, with her religion and all. And, no, she isn't gonna be as weird as Amy was when she was in the show, but if you guys have any suggestions on how to make her a better character, I'm all ears.

Oh, and if you guys can help me out with who Trudy should end up with, I'd be very thankful. So far, it's either Eric, Sam, or Alcide, but Alcide ain't comin' in for a while, so...we'll cross that bridge when we come to it!

Review please