A/N: Last chapter of the Summit (a short one); Sookie and Pam finally get to talk a little. There are just two more chapters left after this one. Thanks again to everyone for reading and reviewing.
Disclaimer: Characters belong to Charlaine Harris, I'm just making the women dance together a lot more often.
I pulled myself together and headed over to the bar. Gin and tonic in hand, I grabbed a small plate of food as well. I spotted Russell and his husband - King of Indiana Bartlett Crowe - at one of the high tables, and headed toward them, plastering on a smile. "Gentlemen, mind if I join you?"
Russell, as ever, laid on the charm. "Why Miss Stackhouse, you look beautiful my dear. Please do join us."
"Thank you, you both look very handsome as well. I hope everything has gone well for you while you've been here." My conversation with Eric had rattled me a little, but this was part of my job now.
"It's been wonderful. We've been quite pleased by this little turn of events. Bartlett and I thought it was rather distasteful for one as old as Eric to be sold off to Freyda, didn't we, honey?"
I really had no response to that, but Bartlett nodded, and finally spoke, "Indeed. Sookie, I look forward to working with you for Indiana. I understand much of your work will be done remotely, but I hope you'll visit us one day."
"I'd like that, thank you." The vampire gave me his card, then he and Russell excused themselves to go dance. As I watched them take the floor, I spotted a blur of color that I recognized immediately - Diantha. Her quick, jerky movements were something to behold - the band wasn't even playing a fast song. I abandoned the table and approached her cautiously, trying not to get whacked by her flailing limbs.
"Diantha!" She turned to face me, but kept waving her arms over her head and switched to something like a jig with her feet. She was wearing a sparkly purple tutu over black and yellow striped leggings, with some kind of ruffly, asymmetrical red top. Her wrists were decorated with a few dozen jelly bracelets in every color.
"Sookie gladtoseeya! GotcherReverend, won't botheryanow!" Diantha's wide grin revealed her pointy teeth, so I didn't think too hard about what might have become of Steve Newlin. It was one more thing I no longer had to worry about.
I decided the best response to the news was to dance, and that's exactly what I did. After squinting at her for a moment, I copied Diantha's bizarre dance, although much more slowly. We laughed and twirled and jumped up and down through several songs until I needed a break. I gave Diantha a big hug and made her promise to come see me sometime.
I grabbed another drink just to have something to do while I sat and rested up for a few minutes. Quinn soon dropped into a seat near me and told me what a great job I'd done, and how he was looking forward to us working together more. Several different vampires came and went, including members of the council, each one congratulating me again, giving me their cards, and complimenting my dress. They were all much more relaxed with me now that I was "one of them."
From the little bit of gossip they shared with me, I learned that Freyda and Felipe were both under heavy guard and had been forbidden from joining the festivities. I received several assurances that if either tried to move against me, one vampire or another would personally handle it. I thanked them each for the thought, but reminded myself to stay alert for trouble from those two.
When I'd talked to just about every important vampire at the ball, there was nothing left to do but dance some more. Sure, I kept an ear open for trouble, but officially I was off-duty, security-wise, since I hadn't meant to be here at all. Barry grabbed me for that dance I promised him, and then a couple more. I watched Sean and Layla's mesmerizing performance, then I danced with each of them turn on the slow songs. Layla taught me some new steps, and we all danced as a group during the fast tunes. I felt like I was shaking off months of stress with every song.
I finally caught up with Karin and Pam again, and made some arrangements with Karin since she'd need to be ready to go in her travel coffin when I got up tomorrow. After she rose at my place tomorrow night, she'd head to Shreveport. "Karin, you better promise to call me when you can to set up fight nights." She agreed, and we explained to Pam about Karin training me. I had to promise an intrigued Pam that she could come too one night, and all three of us would shoot guns. I had the weirdest girlfriends ever, and it was wonderful.
The band announced that they were playing one more song, so I stood up and tried to drag them both out on the floor with me. Karin was having none of it, and stayed put in her seat. Pam came with me - and then we realized it was going to be a slow tune. I held my hand out to the vampire.
"Alright, Pam, you can lead, but you can't feel me up." I gave her a wink, and she laughed heartily and took my hand.
As we moved gracefully, she told me. "Sookie, I am quite proud of you. I knew you would show what you are made of. Things will be much better now for all of us."
"Thanks, Pam. Listen, I've been wanting to tell you, thank you for looking out for me. You really stuck your neck out for me, more than once. I'm sorry it took me so long to realize it, and to thank you."
She started to respond with some classic Pam snark - "Sookie, tell me you aren't going to leak all over my dress" - but I just grabbed her and hugged her tightly. She stiffened at first, but then she relaxed and hugged me back.
"I mean it, Pam. I like you, and I was sad when I thought I wouldn't see you anymore. I hope you'll stay in touch. Maybe we can watch movies or something sometime."
We resumed dancing, and she nodded and said, "I'd like that. You're welcome back at Fangtasia now, of course. It's VIP access and free drinks for life for my favorite telepath. You can even use the shower if you want." She leered at me playfully, and I lightly punched her in the arm. It was really nice to see Pam again without Felipe or Freyda looming over everything.
"Pam, you're going to be an amazing Sheriff. If I can ever help you, you just call me." I meant it; Pam and I had been through some things together. She nodded. I knew Pam actually respected me, and she wouldn't take advantage of my offer.
We didn't have to say anything else. Pam and I finished out the dance, I hugged her again, and I told her I hoped I'd see her again soon.
I said a few goodbyes, then I collected Karin and we headed back upstairs to our rooms. I carefully hung up my new dress, and slept better than I had in ages.
A/N: Sookie has really owed Pam this thanks for a while now, so I'm glad she finally offered it. Sookie/Karin/Pam fight nights are on my list of possible side stories as a one-shot, if there's interest. Someone would have to beta who knows firsthand about shotguns, though. :)