Eva drove Bill's car straight down the street until she found what she assumed to be the only market in the area. At such an early hour, there were only two other shoppers, and they both ignored her. Eva bought everything she needed for the breakfast she wanted to cook and then returned to the house to prepare it. Eva had just finished setting the table for two, complete with a bouquet of Tiger Lilies when her expected guest arrived. Leaving the kitchen, Eva hurried to open the front door and found Sookie standing on the front steps.

"Oh…" Sookie hesitated when Eva opened the door. "Hi there…"

"Good morning," Eva greeted. "I've been waiting for you."

"You have?" Sookie didn't move from the first step.

"Please come inside. I have breakfast ready for us."

"Breakfast?"

"Please?" Eva stepped back and motioned for Sookie to follow her inside, which she did a little reluctantly.

"How'd you know I'd be coming here?"

Eva just smiled and shut the front door. Sookie looked around, and Eva couldn't miss the curiosity in her deep brown eyes.

"Do you want to check on him?" Eva asked. "He's in his usual place."

Sookie's eyes drifted in the direction of closet beneath the staircase, but she shook her head. "He doesn't like me looking at him when he's sleeping. I think he thinks it would gross me out or something to see him all dead like."

"It is a little creepy," Eva told her.

"You've seen him sleeping?" Sookie clearly couldn't stop herself from saying the first thing running through her mind.

Eva nodded. "It's not what you think though," she promised. "Come and sit down. There's a lot we should talk about, and I think it would be best discussed over waffles and Sangrias. You do like Sangrias, don't you?"

Sookie shrugged.

"I'm completely obsessed," Eva admitted. "I met this bartender in Morocco who made the most amazing Sangrias…he taught me all his secrets."

"I can't say I've ever had one before," Sookie told her.

"You haven't? Well then I am glad I decided to make them today." Eva led the way into the kitchen and motioned for Sookie to take a seat at the set kitchen table. Eva served Sookie two waffles and a couple pieces of bacon and then took her own seat across the table. She took a sip of her drink and then smiled. "Where to begin…"

"How'd you know I'd be coming here this morning?"

"Oh please," Eva laughed. "Your boyfriend ditched you last night to go home with some strange girl, and he doesn't give you any explanation. I'd be dying."

Sookie was quiet.

"You have every right to be curious. Bill should have told you what was going on last night instead of just leaving like we did. I know he's been around longer than many, but in some ways, he's very naive in his thinking, and I don't think he realized what it might have looked like to you for him to be leaving with me and for me to be staying here with him…"

"I didn't actually know you were staying with him."

"Oh, well, yea, I am."

"I see." Sookie hadn't touched her food.

"It's completely innocent though. I promise. Bill's family to me."

"Family?"

Eva nodded. "Bill and Eric mean everything to me, and I mean everything to them."

Sookie fidgeted in her chair and stared down at her plate.

"It's not romantic. They raised me."

Sookie suddenly looked up with a frown. "They what?"

"They raised me," she repeated.

"How were you raised by two vampires?"

"It's a long story, but if you want to hear it, you're going to have to eat something."

Sookie glanced at her plate and smiled slightly at Eva as she started shoveling food onto her fork.

"Thank you." Eva finally took a bite of her own food. "Also, you should know that this isn't something I talk about much. My past is sort of private. I don't think it's necessary for everyone to know my business."

"Then why're you telling me?"

"Because my past is intricately linked with Bill, and I can see that you're a major part of his life now, so I think you deserve to know."

"Do you think I should hear it from Bill?"

"If I thought he was capable of telling you then yes, but as quiet as I am about the past, he's even worse."

Sookie nodded and waited quietly for Eva to explain.

"I know it's hard for you to believe now, but Eric and Bill used to be close. They were as close as brothers. They did everything together, they even nested together." Sookie frowned, but Eva just nodded and continued. "One night they went out together, as usual, and they witnessed a young man being mugged in an alley, so they stepped in to help. The muggers got away, but the guy was nearly dead. Even if they had taken him to a hospital, there was no way to know for sure if he would live, but instead of trying, they decided to turn him—together." Noticing Sookie's shocked expression, Eva quickly continued. "It was something they had talked about before. They had been curious how a vampire would behave with two makers, whether or not he would be equally loyal to both. I think they wanted to make it a game between the two of them—who could be the better, stronger maker. This guy gave them the opportunity they needed. So they drained him together, and then they both lay with him, and when he rose, they both gave him their blood to drink and he became their protégé. He was loyal to both makers."

"Bill's never mentioned this vampire before. What happened to him?"

"Well, it turns out that despite his intense loyalty to his makers, he had another loyalty that they hadn't counted on, and it was even stronger."

"Loyalty to what?"

"His sister." Eva silenced for a moment and took a sip of her drink. "I was only eleven at that time, and no matter what Eric and Bill said, my brother insisted on coming home to me. They told him he couldn't be with me since he had become a vampire, but he wouldn't listen to them. Noah refused to leave me alone."

"What about your parents?"

"Our parents died when I was six. My brother was all I had."

"I know what that's like," Sookie told her. "My parents died when I was young too."

"I'm sorry."

"So did Bill and Eric let your brother go to you?"

"They didn't have a choice," Eva explained. "He managed to ignore their pull over him and disobey their orders to stay away from me. They followed him back to me to watch what would happen. You have to understand how nervous they were since this was before vampires came out."

"What happened?"

"When Noah came home, he told me everything that had happened, and he explained that he wasn't human anymore and that things were going to be different. Then he told me that if I was scared of him or what he had become, he would stay away from me."

"And what did you say?"

"What would you have said?"

Sookie nodded. "He stayed with you."

"He did, and when his makers saw how important I was to him, they chose to stay as well."

"Your brother was okay with that?"

"Of course. As much as he loved me, he did have some unavoidable loyalties to his makers. He wanted to be with them, so the idea of us all being together was the best option. There were a couple of conditions and arrangements that needed to be made, such as a nanny to stay with me after school, while they were still asleep, but that was only until I was thirteen and I insisted that I could take care of myself." Eva stood to refill both their glasses with sparkling wine. "The four of us became a family. They showed me what it meant to be loved."

"You were happy living with them?"

"Happier than I've ever been in my life. They made sure I had everything I could ever need or want. They took care of me and protected me. They made sure that every vampire within their radius knew I was off limits. I was, and still am under their protection." Eva took her seat again.

"If you had such a happy life with them, why'd you leave? You did leave, didn't you? Bill seemed surprised to see you."

"Yes, I left last year."

"Why?"

"Noah died last year."

Sookie's mouth dropped open, and her eyes watered instinctively.

"He got mixed up in something…no one's sure what exactly…but he was killed."

"I'm so sorry," Sookie let a tear leak from the corner of one eye. "I don't know what I would do if anything happened to my brother…"

"I don't blame Eric or Bill of course, but losing Noah was too much to handle. I had to get away for a while, so I left. I just needed some time to myself."

"But now you've come back?"

"I couldn't stay away from them. I missed them too much," she explained. "Like I said, they've been my family for more than half my life."

"Then I'm glad ya'll are back together."

"Yea, me too." Eva noted that Sookie had finished eating, and so she started clearing the dishes. "Since I'm going to be staying around for a while I think I might like to get a job. Do you think Sam Merlotte might hire me?"

"I think he might. We always seem to have a shortage of waitresses at the bar. I could talk to him for you if you like."

"Actually, I think I might go in and talk to him myself. Do you think he's in now?"

"Maybe." Sookie stood and started helping Eva with the dishes. "I'm supposed to be heading over there actually. We can go in together."

"Perfect. I'll finish these later." Eva abandoned the dishes and followed Sookie towards the door.

"Can I ask you something else before we go?" Sookie paused at the door.

Eva shook her head. "I'd rather not talk about that."

"I'm sorry…" Sookie didn't look entirely apologetic. "It's just that other than the vampires, there's never been anyone whose mind I couldn't get into."

"I'm not like most people."

"I've noticed. Most people wouldn't choose to live with three vampires, but that doesn't explain why I can't hear your thoughts, or how you knew I was even trying to."

"I can't explain it to you Sookie," Eva told her. "It's just the way I am."

"Can you read minds?"

"Not like you do," Eva explained. "I can see things about people though. I know things about them—about their past, present…"

"And their future?"

"Sometimes."

"Can you see stuff about them?"

"Bill and Eric?"

Sookie nodded.

"I can," she confirmed. "I think I can sense them better than anyone. I'm so connected with them…I can always feel them."

"Really?" Sookie looked a little sad. "I can't read their minds."

"Of course not. They're vampires."

"But that doesn't stop you?"

"I told you I'm connected with them." She shrugged. "Come on, let's go to Merlotte's."

"There's more you aren't telling me, isn't there?"

Eva smiled. "There's always more."

Sookie didn't say anything as they walked outside to Bill's car. Since Sookie had walked to Bill's house from her own, Eva drove them both to Merlotte's. When they arrived, Sookie went to the back to prepare for her shift, while Eva sought out the owner in his office. She knocked on the door and waited for his permission to enter before peeking her head inside.

"Hi there…"

Sam glanced up from his desk and greeted Eva with an expression of surprise and curiosity. He beckoned her all the way into his office. "I didn't really expect to see you again."

"Well I hope it's not an unpleasant surprise," Eva smiled. "I'm actually here to ask for a favor."

"I'm listening."

"Sookie mentioned that you might be interested in hiring a new waitress."

He nodded. "You're planning on staying around then?"

"I am. This is my home now."

"Have you had any experience waiting tables before?"

"Umm, honestly, no I haven't…" Eva replied. "But I'm a fast learner and I'd be very devoted to my job if you gave me a chance."

"I'm sure you would Eva," he paused, "it is Eva, isn't it?"

She nodded.

"Right, well, I'm sure you'd be a very hard worker, but I would need assurance that there wouldn't be any trouble…"

"Trouble?" She smiled. "You mean vampire trouble?"

He hesitated.

"It's okay. Sookie mentioned that you weren't particularly fond of vampires."

"It's not that I've got anything against them, but they do seem to bring some unnecessary trouble along wherever they go…"

"Well for the sake of complete honesty, you should know that I am living at Bill Compton's place. So with that I can't guarantee that he won't come in every now and again."

"Bill comes in anyway for Sookie."

"True, but Eric might be coming in sometimes as well."

Sam crossed his arms.

"They will behave though," she assured him. "They won't cause any trouble."

He considered it for a moment and nodded. "I could use another hand around here."

"When can I start?"

"Today too soon?

"No it's perfect."

"Okay. Why don't you put on one of the extra shirts from the back room and shadow Sookie today? She'll show you the ropes and you can start your own shift tomorrow at eleven."

"Thanks Boss." She smiled and left to find Sookie.

"Well?" Sookie was waiting for Eva in the back room.

"I've been instructed to put on a shirt and follow you around for the day."

"Great. There should be a spare in there, and I think I've left a pair of shorts in there too if you want to put them on." Sookie pointed out a cupboard and Eva retrieved the clothes. Eva changed quickly and put her dress in the cupboard, then followed Sookie out. "I don't know what all he wants me to show you, but I guess I'll just let you follow me around and help serve my tables."

And that's exactly what they did. For the next five hours, Sookie taught Eva the ins and outs of life as a waitress at Merlotte's. She taught her the table numbers, the short names for menu items, and even some inside information on a few of the regulars who came to the bar. It wasn't until after the dinner rush started to subside that Eva had a chance to visit the kitchen. She wandered back when Sookie was busy with one of her tables and introduced herself to the chef.

"You're the new girl Sam hired?"

"I'm Eva." She put out her hand but he kept on working. "You're Lafayette, right?"

He nodded.

"Sookie has nothing but good things to say about you."

"Sookie's a good girl." He continued cooking and spoke without looking up. "You were in here last night with the vampires right?"

"Oh, did you see that?" Eva rolled her eyes. "They were so out of line—some vampires just think way too highly of themselves."

"Like your friends?"

"Sookie seemed to think you were okay with Bill."

"I wasn't exactly thrilled when she started dating a vampire, but yea, he's nice enough I 'spose." He finally looked up, only very briefly, but Eva was shocked by how much anger and terror she saw in his dark eyes.

"So, you're okay with Bill…" Eva puzzled out. "What about Eric? You know him?"

Lafayette turned his back to her and she could barely hear him mumbling. "Yea, we've met."

"People say he's the nicer of the two," Eva told him.

"Could've fooled me."

Eva didn't like the tone in his voice. It reminded her too much of others who had been at the wrong end of one of Eric's wilder moments. She knew it was crossing a line she had promised not to cross, but she moved around the counter until she was directly behind him and turned him around so she could grasp his hands in hers.

"What the fuck you doing woman?" He started to pull away from her.

"Please…" she held on tightly and concentrated hard. After a few moments she let out a sigh, but didn't open her eyes. "I'm so sorry."

"What've you got to be sorry for?" He succeeded in pulling his hands away.

"I'm sorry for what he did to you. It was very wrong."

Lafayette took a step away from her, and she noticed that he had started trembling a little. "Now how the fuck do you know what happened to me?"

"I'm sorry," she repeated.

"You got in my head. You a mind reader like Sookie?"

"Not exactly."

"Well, whatever you are, you just keep out of my head. Understood? I don't want you fucking with my private pains. You just keep your hands to yourself and keep your vamp away from me, and we'll be just fine."

Eva left the kitchen promptly and returned to the main room where Sookie was still busy with tables.

"Did you meet Lafayette?"

Eva nodded. "Look Sookie, I've got to go. Tell Sam I'll be back for my shift tomorrow."

"Everything okay?"

Eva tried to smile, but she just shook her head and started towards the door, not even bothering to retrieve her dress from the back room. "There's just something I've got to take care of. Thanks for helping me out today."

Sookie waved as Eva hurried off to the parking lot. She drove back to Bill's house and parked in front just as the sun started to dip low in the sky. She hurried inside and directly up to the room where Eric slept in his borrowed coffin. Heading to the window, she pushed aside the heavy velvet curtains and then returned to the coffin in the center of the room. Taking a deep breath to calm herself, Eva lifted the lid to his coffin and stared down at his perfectly still sleeping form with her hands on her hips.