Two Days Later (And before anyone complains, it's better than Two WEEKS...isn't it?)

Bill slid into the back booth at Merlotte's. Sookie waved to him from several tables away. She finished taking the order and walked over, blonde ponytail bouncing. The black eye had faded to pale green, and the make-up she wore hid it from all but the closest scrutiny.

"Hey." She smiled.

"How are you this evening, Miss Stackhouse?"

"Better now that you're here."

"What's wrong?"

"Oh, nothing really, Sam's in a mood 'cause Lafayette hasn't shown up for a couple of days." Sookie rolled her eyes. "Like that hasn't happened before. And we're short-handed what with Dawn and Amy and all. Besides which Arlene has to take a break every twenty minutes to go to the bathroom and cry, not that I blame her, but...it makes things hectic."

"Sookie! Order's up!" Sam yelled from the bar.

"Oops, I'll get you a Tru Blood in a sec. Be right back."

"That's alright," Bill said. "I'll go to the bar. I should speak with Sam anyway."

Sookie glanced back at him, surprised, but pleased. She picked up the food and headed toward the waiting customers.

"Sam." Bill said. "I owe you a debt."

Sam slid a bottle of Tru Blood across the bar. "Nope. Did it for her. Not for you. You owe me nothin'."

"Still," Bill insisted. "You covered me. I imagine it may have crossed your mind to leave me in the sun to burn. It would have crossed mine, were the situation reversed."

"Okay," Sam said, his back to Bill as he straightened the bottles behind the bar. "You're welcome."

Bill leaned against the bar and willed the shifter to turn around. When Sam did, Bill lowered his voice. "I am grateful for what you did. But please remember, Sookie and I are together. I don't expect you to like it, but I do expect you to keep your paws off her. Do we have an understanding?"

Sam wrapped his fists around the bar towel, pulling it tight before slapping it down on the bar. Glaring at Bill he growled. "I'll stay away, but I swear bloodsucker, if you do anything to hurt her, if you leave her again when she's vulnerable or in danger I will stake you."

"Are you boys makin' nice?" Tara asked, walking in and throwing her purse under the bar.

Sam whirled on her. "Where's that cousin of yours? I'm not going to hold his job forever."

"I ain't his keeper. Lafayette don't check in with no one, not his mama and most certainly not me." Tara gave as good as she got.

Bill watched her immediately get to work readying glasses for an order. She was different. There was an air of confidence, not the forced strident confidence she always exhibited, but a more subtle self-knowing. Tara had changed.

"Well, if he isn't back soon I'm gonna fire his ass." Sam snapped.

"You ain't gonna fire him, Sam. You know it and Lafayette knows it." Tara took the empty bottle of Tru Blood and replaced it with a fresh one.

"Hi there, Bill."

"Hello, Tara."

"You talkin' to Sam?" Tara looked over her shoulder as her boss disappeared into the storeroom. "Are you buddies now?"

"For Sookie, I will try."

Tara snorted. "You two're like a couple of dogs liftin' your leg on everything in the neighborhood to stake your claim."

Bill fought to keep the smile from his lips. Tara didn't know how right she was, at least in Sam's case.

"Seems to me Sookie has made her choice. Give Sam some time to get over it and maybe you two can be friends. He's got to learn not to hold on so tight to things he can't have. Marianne says 'Let go and all you need will come to you.'"

Bill nodded. Sookie was right. Something was up with Tara and he had the feeling there was more to this Marianne than met the eye.

Sookie approached the bar and sat down with the empty tray. "I only have the one table finishing up right now. Would you take them their check so I can take my break? I'll split the tip with you."

"Sure."

"Thanks." Sookie hopped off the stool and took Bill's hand, pulling him toward the door.

The sultry night air hung heavy around them. She linked her fingers through his and walked quickly toward his car. The low hanging branches of one of the Sycamores surrounding the parking lot provided some privacy. Sookie leaned back against the door and put her arms around his neck. Stretching up, she kissed him, gently at first, then with more urgency as he responded in turn. Bill reached behind her and pulled the door handle, Sookie moved aside for him to open the door, then sank into the back seat, pulling him in on top of her. They kissed again, and his fangs descended. It no longer made him self conscious, or afraid of rejection and only seemed to intensify Sookie's desire.

"Do you mean to drive me mad?" Bill asked, pulling away.

He could see her smile in the moonlight. "Just giving you a preview for later."

"And what if I want you now?" He teased.

"Here? In the backseat of a car? What kind of girl do you think I am?"

He stroked the soft skin of her thigh, right below the edge of the shorts she wore. "I bet I could convince you pretty quickly."

"You'd better hurry then," she breathed. "We only have twenty minutes."