Day 2
Sookie was true to her word. She showed up just as the orange ball of sun slipped behind the pine trees flanking the cemetery. Bill was opening the doors for the evening breeze and there she stood. Her hair hung to her shoulders, hiding the bruises on her neck. The black-eye, however, looked even worse than it had earlier.
"Sweetheart," Bill said "How are you?"
"Stiff," she admitted. "A little sore. But fine, really."
"Come in." He turned, walking toward the living room. "What's that?" He indicated the bag she was shifting from one hand to the other.
"Arelene brought me dinner. Some of Lafayette's clam chowder. She just dropped it off a few minutes ago. I didn't want to take the time to eat before I came over." She blushed. "Is it okay if I put it in your fridge for later?"
"Absolutely. Here, I'll take it." Bill took the bag. It seemed heavy so he peered inside. "A six pack of Tru Blood?" He changed direction and headed instead for the small kitchen. Sookie followed.
"Arlene is so happy you're, um, alive, and she feels guilty about what happened." Sookie said. "I think it's her way of making it up to you, and to me. She's a good person. She just has lousy luck with men."
He couldn't argue with that point. Bill put the bag in his nearly empty refrigerator. "Would you like something to drink? A glass of wine?"
Sookie shook her head. "No wine. The pain pills make me loopy enough."
Bill pulled her into an embrace. "I missed you."
"Me, too."
"What did you do today?"
"I slept until noon. I can't remember the last time I did that. I think I might have slept the rest of the day, but Tara came by. She brought some magazines, we sat in the sun and read and talked. I'm worried about her."
"Why?"
"Oh, this woman who's taken her in...she's spouting some kind of self-help gobblety gook and Tara's falling for it. Gran always said Tara was a lost soul."
"Seems to me Tara's the kind of girl who can take care of herself."
"She seems that way, but she's no better at it than anyone else."
"You are good at it, thank God. I hate to think what might have happened if you weren't.." He kissed her forehead gently.
"You called my name."
"What?"
"You called my name. It was you, not Sam. I heard your voice. It woke me up or shocked me, I'm not sure which. But I know it's the reason I came to and was able to help Sam. Rene was kicking the shit out of him. He would have killed him. I know you think you failed, but you really saved us both.".
He gazed at her in wonder. He had failed her, he hadn't been able to get to her in time, to stop Rene's attack, and yet, here she was, defending him. But perhaps there was something to what Sookie was saying. The bond between them was strong. She had his blood and he had hers. There was no stronger bond except for....no. He would not think of the girl. Eric was taking care of it. It meant a favor to the arrogant bastard and Bill shuddered to think what the favor might be, but whatever it was, this moment alone was worth the price.