All Hell Breaks Loose

Chapter 18: Secrets that You Keep

Sookie has breakfast by herself since Jason had already gone to work and Jessica was asleep in the basement. She cooked some eggs and toast and ate it with coffee and a glass of orange juice. While she ate she read the newspaper. The top story was all about Reverend Newlin being a vampire and the picture was of Newlin when he bared his fangs.

"Seriously this is the most important?" Sookie asked as she read the second article about a third victim in a murder spree and surprise surprise it wasn't by any vampire, not that there was any evidence pointing to that fact. Why wasn't that the top story instead? Why does everyone have to be all up in arms and think nothing else besides vampires?

Once breakfast was done, Sookie cleaned the dishes and looked around the kitchen. Her brother tried his best. He swept and mopped and scrubbed the surfaces when it got dirty but Sookie can't remember the last time her brother got elbows deep in cleaning. Since he was putting up with her she felt it would only be fair if she cleaned the kitchen.

After making an inventory of the cleaning products she was going to need she made a quick trip to the store and ran into Arlene in the check out.

"Sookie thank the lord," Arlene said. She was already in her Merlotte's uniform and was purchasing milk and a box of baby rice cereal.

"Arlene, what's wrong?" Sookie asked. By the way her friend was acting it sounded like Arlene had a family emergency and needed to trade shifts with Sookie.

"What time are you due in today?"

"At two, do you need to trade shifts or something. I can always call Sam."

"Oh no."

"Is it Mikey?"

"He's fine. All that weirdness seems to have gone. I think it was that doll. There are stories and movies about evil dolls or dolls with evil surrounding them and that's what I now think." She was lying. She is still worried that Mikey would grow up to be like Rene. "It's about Patrick."

"Terry's friend?" Sookie had seen Patrick Devins appear in Merlotte's before. He was in Arlene's section. She never tried reading him and she was never properly introduced to him.

"There is something about him, something that has me on edge. Holly even said he got her Wicca senses tingling."

"Would you like me to read him?"

"Could you?" Arlene smiled. "Terry said they would come in with the kids around five."

"Even if they are not in my section I will speak with them."

"Thank you," Arlene said and gave her a big hug. "Just don't mention a word of this to Terry. He is just pleased as punch that his old army friend is still alive."

"I promise," Sookie said as Arlene put her items down in front of the cashier.

Sookie had managed to get the kitchen to her standard of spotlessness and she still had time to send an apology letter to Pam. She shouldn't have apologized to her since she didn't summon Eric to her window. She did not control him. Eric came on his own accord and why the hell is Pam jealous. She can have as many lovers as she wants and she did seem to prefer women. Sookie wondered if this was a Maker Progeny type of thing, but Jessica didn't care who Bill was dating.

Merlotte's was slow that afternoon. When Sookie arrived most people were finishing lunch. There were a few who had late lunches and the after school crowd did stop by for snacks and sodas or some of the non-alcoholic cocktails. Gossip wasn't much. Most people talked about their days and the weather and sports. The teens talked about football, tests, homework and homecoming. A few mentioned the murders and only two talked about the interview last night.

What they were thinking was totally different. Many were thinking about money and paying bills, others thought about the beautiful people that were shilling cars, beer, insurance and Doritos. The teens thought about sex, no surprise there, and homecoming. One boy was thinking about if he liked guys or girls, or even both. Many were thinking about the interview and a few were thinking differently about vampires and how some were victims.

Around four thirty came in the early dinner crowds, mostly the elderly and Sookie got the usual sandwiches and soups for them. She kept a look out for when Terry and Patrick would arrive and kept smiling at Arlene.

There goes that red headed tramp, one of the elderly women thought. And a fake red head at that. I bet she goes through men more than bottles of hair dye. I heard she let her daughter dress up as a pregnant teenager. So not surprising with that trash. In a few years that girl will probably pregnant, spreading her legs as easily as her mother.

It took all of Sookie's reserve not to dump the entire pitcher of iced tea on that woman. She walked back to the bar and set it down with a clang instead.

"Problem?" Sam asked.

"Just someone with judgmental thoughts," Sookie answered and turned when she heard someone enter the bar. It was Jason and he walked straight over to the bar and sat down. "Hey."

"Hey sis," Jason greeted and turned to Sam. "Hi Sam, can I get the chicken strip basket and a coke."

"No beer?" Sam asked as he wrote down the food order.

"Got to prep for a guest tonight," Jason answered. "I need to do a few errands first."

"Got you order up, Sook," Lafayette called from the kitchen. Seeing him back and cooking and joking with the staff had brought relief to both Sookie and Tara.

"Thank you," Sookie said and accepted the plate and went back to the table with the obnoxious and judgmental woman. "Here you go." She set the plates down and gave her the most saccharine induced smile that she could muster.

"Thank you dear," the judgmental woman's friend said.

"I'll be back to check on you in a few minutes," Sookie promised. "If you need anything don't be afraid to flag me down."

"Sookie," Arlene called to her from across the room and nodded to the entrance.

Terry had just walked in to Merlotte's with Mikey strapped to his chest and Coby and Lisa hanging around him. He was also accompanied by Patrick Devins. Before Sookie could greet them the group went up to Arlene. Terry kissed her and they sat in her section.

Sookie sighed and went around checking on her customers, writing down new orders and picked up a check. It was well over an hour before she could speak to Arlene about the subject, but she promised she would listen in on Patrick.

"You can't leave yet," Arlene said as Terry and the group were getting ready to leave.

"Mikey conked out," Terry said. "Coby and Lisa are also getting tired."

"No we aren't," Coby protested.

"Well you still got to take your baths," Terry said to them.

"We haven't introduced Patrick to Sookie yet," Arlene said as she motioned Sookie over to her. "Patrick this is my good friend, Sookie Stackhouse."

"Hello," Sookie said and held out her hand. "It's nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you," Patrick said and shook her hand. "Terry has told me about you."

"Terry has told me about you as well," Sookie said as she tried to focus into Patrick's thoughts. At first it seemed that he wasn't readable but then there were something.

She is very pretty," Patrick thought. "You are very pretty, Mrs. Stackhouse."

"Thank you very much," Sookie said as she kept on reading.

I really want to talk more but I have to get back before nine. "I really want to talk more but I have to get back before nine."

"I understand," Sookie said and tried to dig around even more. Patrick's mental voice was a bit distant and muffled and for some reason there seemed to be like a second voice whispering inside his head. "It was nice meeting you."

It was nice meeting you. "It was nice meeting you."

"I have to get back to my tables." Sookie ran off to her section. She did not speak to Arlene until an hour later when Arlene was getting ready to clock out. Holly and convinced Sam to hire her friend Danielle and she and Sookie had divided Arlene's section in half and added it to their own sections.

"Well?" Arlene asked. She had already put on her jacket and her keys in her hand.

"He actually says what he thinks," Sookie said.

"Really?" Arlene made a disappointed face. "Is that all?"

"No his inner voice is different. It's kind of muffled and away and there was a second voice."

Arlene's eyes widened. "Oh my God is he possessed?"

"I-I'm not sure."

"Oh dear lord." Arlene placed her hand at the back of her head. "He was near my kids."

"We don't know for certain."

"I have to get home now. Thank you for helping me, Sookie." Arlene gave her a quick hug before she ran off.

Sookie hoped it wasn't demon or ghost possession. She already had to worry about Russell and worry for Bill and Eric. This was the last thing that she needed. She thought about asking Claude to look into that for her, but the fairy had done so much already.

"Sookie," Sam's tone sounded frantic.

"What is it?" Sookie asked as she ran over to her boss.

"You got a call from your werewolf friend," Sam explain and handed her the phone. "He says it's an emergency."

"Alcide?" Sookie asked.

"Tried reaching your phone but it was off and figured you were at work," Alcide said on the other end. "Some of Russell's wolves have returned to Bon Temps."

"Are you certain?"

"Damn serious. The took out some of the Shreveport wolves. These guys are high and were at your house."

"They don't know I'm not there. They have no idea where I am."

"We do have a great sense of smell. They can track you down. I'm on my way now."

"Jason," Sookie gasped. Even with Jessica there he still was no match for the wolves. "I have to go."

"Sookie wait," Alcide said on his end. "Don't go and do something stupid."

"I can't let them hurt my brother."

"I'll be at the bar in about ten minutes. I'm already on the road."

"I can't wait." She hung up and turned to Sam. "I have to go."

"I heard," Sam said and placed his hands on her shoulders. "And I agree with Alcide. I'll let you wait back here and I'll cover for you. I only got Jane sitting at the bar."

"Sam I can't wait." Her eyes were burning with her tears. "I just can't." She snatched up her keys and her purse and bolted for her car.

A/N: Wasn't too sure if I would get this chapter done, been hit hard with a cold and also taking care of a toddler with a cold.

To my readers in the U.S.A: Happy Thanksgiving.

Replies. I usually reply to through the links on the reviews but FFnet is having issues.

Ncmiss12: Thank you. Sookie does have a whole lot on her plate.

TheLadyKt: I've always loved Spike and Angel, hard for me to chose but with Trueblood I'm more of an Eric fan.

Desireecarbenell : Thank you.

ashmo2000: Bill and Eric are centuries old and both need to grow up still.