A/N: Fair warning up front... no Eric in this chapter outside of mentions. BUT, we get to see Sookie strut her stuff, the way I think she should with knowledge of what happens and a little more self-confidence. Not a lot I have to say besides that... enjoy. Not mine.

SPOV

It was hard to leave Fangtasia, knowing he was there. I also knew that I made an impression on him. He was impressed. The lack of fear and the fact that I wasn't offering myself to him, or asking for some kind of favor, was unique in his world.

When I got home, Gran was already in bed and I tried to think about what I needed to do. I needed to get to New Orleans. That was non-negotiable. I thought about my pathetic car rusting in the driveway. There was no way it would make it to NOLA and back. I tried to think about what I should do.

I pulled out my bank information to remind myself of what I had available. It wasn't a lot by my new standards, but it was more than what I needed. The first thing I needed was more time. I went into the kitchen after I changed into my pajamas and called Sam.

"Merlotte's, this is Arlene. How can I help you?"

I was glad I hadn't seen her earlier. She may not belong to the Fellowship yet, but she still tried to kill me. Timeline shift or not, she was guilty of that. I wouldn't and couldn't forgive her, even though she hadn't done anything... yet. "Hey, Arlene, it's Sookie. Can you grab Sam for a minute?" It wasn't any of her business why I needed to talk to him.

"Sure thing, hon," she replied sweetly and I heard her lay the phone down on the bar.

I few moments later, I heard the line pick up. "Hey, Sook. What can I do for you?"

"Hey Sam. You know, I hate to ask this, but I need a little bit of time off. I need to go down to New Orleans. You've heard about my cousin Hadley? She's living down there."

"The junkie cousin who took off after robbing your Gran? What does she want?"

Time to mold the truth a little bit. "She's clean now. She's just not ready to face Gran or Jason just yet and wanted me to come see her."

"So you need some time off? You need an escort? NOLA can be dangerous."

"I know, Sam, but I'm sure I'll be okay. I just need a few days, maybe up to a week. Is that okay? I know it's short notice."

"Sook, you never take any time for yourself and this is your family. I understand and take all the time you need. Just keep in touch and be sure to let me know if you need anything at all," he said with a small sigh. He really was a good friend.

"I will, Sam. Just, as a favor, don't mention it to Jason if he asks. I want to make sure everything is okay with her before I tell him about her."

"Got it. My lips are sealed. Take care, cher," he said in closing. I smiled as I hung up the phone.

I packed up several days worth of clothes to get ready and fell into bed. I had a lot that I had to get done the next morning so I could get to New Orleans before dark.

When I woke, I was greeted with the heavenly smells wafting into my room. It was still hard to get used to having Gran back after she had been gone from my life for so long. I pulled my robe from its hanger on the back of the door and met her in the kitchen with a kiss on her cheek before I filled a coffee mug. I thought about how to tell her about my plans without telling her too much.

"Gran... I got some interesting information last night at that vampire bar I went to," I started as she filled my plate with pancakes and sausage.

"What's that, dear?" she asked, calmly and with a slight air of distraction that she always had when things were cooking. She hated letting her attention go away from the food when the result would be burning.

"I think I know where Hadley is," I told her, and was quiet to let her absorb. I had to split my attention since I had her full focus, the pastries she was preparing forgotten.

"Where is she? It's been... gracious... over ten years now, hasn't it?" She sank into a chair, her hand over her chest.

"From what I understand, she's in New Orleans. I have a lead on where she's living now. I want to drive down there and see if any of this pans out. Sam gave me the time off. I was going to head out today and rent a car so I can be there by tonight," I told her.

"Oh, honey, don't you think you should take Jason? New Orleans is so dangerous..." she trailed off.

No, I didn't want Jason with me. I needed to do this by myself. I just needed to convince her. "Gran, I can do this alone. I know that she and Jason were close when we were younger, but I think she might not be as open with him as she will be with me." Especially since he had an unwarranted prejudice against vampires.

She nodded her head, still lost in the fact that her oldest granddaughter might not be dead as a Jane Doe in some unknown city or fueling a drug habit by doing any number of unmentionable things. I just had to get there.

I finished my food and dressed, thinking about the places I needed to go. The first place I drove after the bank to transfer some funds was Tara's Togs. I needed formal wear to appear for the queen and if I could help my friend at the same time, that was a bonus.

"Hey Sook! What can I help you with today?"

I looked around the modest shop. "I need a few formal things, like dressy dressy stuff. I know it might be the wrong time of year for some of that stuff, but do you have any options I can look at?"

Her eyes widened slightly. She knew me well enough to know that I wasn't a formal kind of gal and that I didn't have any reason she could think of that required me to get that dressed up. "I might have some prom dresses left over from the spring on clearance, but just about anything else is going to be full price..." she trailed off.

I smiled at her. "For once, I'm not going to worry about the cost. I need the clothes and it will be worth the investment. Show me what you have!"

We spent the next ninety minutes pulling out options and trying them on. In the end I settled on three dresses: a midnight blue floor-length slip dress with rhinestones on the spaghetti straps, a similar dress in candy-apple red, with sequins over the bust, and a gorgeous champagne halter dress with a built-in bra and beading over the cups. I had forgotten how much I liked having a tan and the light color of the last dress showed it off spectacularly. Tara had even more fun helping me find matching shoes for each, as well as any necessary lingerie.

I paid for the clothes in cash and hung them from the hooks in the back seat of my car. I went next to the mall in Clarice and headed for the nearest cellular provider. That part was just good sense. I was going to be spending a lot of time on the road and in a dangerous, unknown city. It was better to be prepared.

I found a modest phone and got a low, pay-as-you-go plan. I knew the phone would become a necessity, but for the moment, it was a safety precaution. I finally went to Avis and rented a small, reliable sedan that was good on gas. If things didn't go the way I hoped, I was screwed as far as bills went, but I was fairly confident that I could make this work the way I wanted it to. I wasn't a naïve hick; I knew more about vampire business than most newborns, having been married to a sheriff and the child of a king.

I returned back to the farmhouse to eat lunch and pack before I got on the road. Sunset was late in the summer; I wouldn't need to get to Hadley's apartment before eight, at the earliest. I pulled out some jeans and shorts with some t-shirts and blouses, folding them and putting them into one of Gran's beat-up, ancient suitcases. I gave her my new cell phone number and promised to call her when I got to the city. I got everything situated in the rental, pulled out my road map of Louisiana with my route already highlighted, and left to start my trip.

The miles passed uneventfully on the interstate and I made it into New Orleans proper just after eight. I got mixed up and had to turn around a few times, but I finally saw the wall on Chloe Street that surrounded the courtyard of the apartment building. I eased my car into the narrow opening of the driveway and park. I sat in the car for a few moments and listened for brains. I could hear Amelia's thoughts screaming at me from her apartment, but she had always been a broadcaster. I focused on the room above her and just as the sun dipped below the horizon, I could feel a void come to life. Hadley was there.

I couldn't remember how long ago she had been turned, but I waited a little while for her to quench her thirst, either with bagged or synthetic blood. I could feel her void moving around leisurely, and I didn't know if she still had to appear at court. Figuring I should go ahead and get it over, I made my way up the stairs, steeled my nerves, and knocked on her door.

Getting closer and closer, my anxiety started ratcheting up. The knob turned and I was facing a thoroughly stunned vampire. "Sookie?" my long-lost cousin gasped, stumbling back.

"Hey Had," I greeted her cheerfully.

"Wha... what... how are you here?" she stuttered, still staring at me like I was a ghost. Her hand rested over her chest where her heart would have been beating if she were still human. I smiled wider; the gesture was the same as Gran's

"Can I come in? It's kind of a long story."

She took a few steps backward to clear the doorway for me. She gestured to the couch for me to sit and grabbed a True Blood from her refrigerator. After waiting the fifteen seconds for it to warm, she took a seat across from me and stared, still stunned. I had already thought of a way to answer this question.

"So, I went to Fangtasia last night. I met the sheriff and his second. While I was dancing, I 'heard' the pet of one of the other vampires there thinking about how they met you at court." It was in no way true, but it was vague enough to get away with. She already knew about my ability; she used it as pillow talk. "I saw you in his head and nearly fell over. Hadley, how could you not get in touch with us for so long?"

"Vampires aren't allowed to contact their living family. My maker was very specific about that. Plus, I felt so bad about taking off on Gran and Momma the way I did. I didn't think they'd ever forgive me. How are they, and Jason?"

"Jason is good. He's working on the road crew for the parish and still sleeping his way through every woman over eighteen. Gran's the same as she's always been, taking care of everyone she can and spending her spare time reading, gossiping, or planning events for her Descendants group."

She smiled, which was reassuring. "And Momma?"

My face fell. "Had, Aunt Linda died a few years after you left. She had cancer."

Her hands folded over her chest again while red streaks decorated her cheeks. "Momma died? And I wasn't there for her? Oh, Jesus on the cross, I made her suffer so much." She wiped the bloody tears from her face. "Please tell me she went easily, that it wasn't hard on her."

While I had no sympathy for Hadley's selfishness, there was no point in telling her about the months of painful chemo that made my aunt lose her hair and made her so sick that she told us she almost thought the cancer would be easier to live through. So I nodded, "She went peacefully."

She took some unnecessary deep breaths, trying to calm herself. Once done, she turned to me. "So, I'll ask again. Why are you here, Sook?"

I looked straight into her eyes. "I know you've told Sophie-Ann about me and my little 'talent'."

"Wha.. how... you..." she stuttered. "How do you know that? Did you just..."

I shook my head, knowing what she was going to ask. "I can't read vampires. I don't know why. But I can make a hazy read on Weres and Shifters."

Her eyes narrowed. "How do you know about them? And why are you so damn comfortable with all of this?"

I thought about it. In the original timeline, I would have been freaking out, no question. The first time, Weres were just in books and Sam was just my boss. Hell, the were-tiger that dry humped me on the counter mere feet way was still a figment of my imagination back then, although I doubt my imagination was ever that good. "I know a few and their thoughts are different. I finally plucked up the courage to ask one and they told me." I patted the back of her hand. "That's beside the point. I know you've told Her Majesty about me and I want to see if I can negotiate a contract with her. I'm willing to offer her my telepathic services on an as-needed basis, but she has to let me live in Bon Temps. I need to look after Gran since she's getting up in years and you know damn well that Jason won't do it."

Her face looked puzzled. "Umm, Sookie, I don't know if she'll be open to that. She wants you to be at court full time... and how the fuck do you know about sheriffs and queens?"

"Well, that's not going to work for me. Look, I told you I met Sheriff Northman last night. Maybe she can work something out with him since I'm in his area. The house needs a lot of work and Gran has medical bills. If we can work something out to where I can get paid some kind of retainer, something that can give us a cushion and make Gran more comfortable, I'll happily read her donors and human staff until the cows come home and anyone else whenever she needs. I just need her assurance that she'll let me live at home, or where ever I want. And don't worry about how I know. Just know that I'm... well informed."

She considered what I was proposing. She knew it made good sense. "I can try, Sookie, but you'll need to prove yourself to her first. She's also going to test you on the reading vampires thing. That thought may be the only reason she hasn't sent anyone up to you yet."

Not wanting to overwhelm her with what I knew and she didn't, I nodded. "Tell me what I need to know about the palace."

She told me about her "siblings": Andre, the scary Saxon twins that she called "the Berts", and the albino Waldo. I had to bite my tongue; it wasn't the time to warn her about him just yet. It would come up before I left, though. I would make sure of it. I asked her about appearing at court and she became thoughtful again.

"Sook, I would need to call her, give her some advance notice. She doesn't particularly care for surprises and there's no way she'd let you show up in that," she said, gesturing to my tank top, flip flops, and cut-offs.

I smiled. "I'm aware of what I look like. You try driving five hours in the June afternoon heat and see how dressy you want to get," I said, just a little smug over the fact that she wouldn't be enjoying a summer afternoon anytime soon. "I brought some dressy things to change into, but nothing I would want to wear on a road trip."

She looked astonished that I would have the forethought to actually prepare for meeting royalty. She followed me out to my rental. "I'm not getting everything out. Are you going to do the family thing and invite me to stay with you or am I going to further deplete my funds by looking for a hotel?" I asked her.

"I... uh... you would be comfortable staying with a vampire?" she asked, and I bit back a giggle at how I was managing to bewilder her at every turn. It was pretty fun.

"You're my cousin, Had. If you had bad intentions toward me, I wouldn't still be standing here. I know that you have the ability to control yourself. If you aren't confident, I'm sure Sophie-Ann will have some suggestions. Let me get my dresses out and you can help me out with my hair and make-up. I know you can still do that." A former pageant contestant would never forget those skills, alive or undead.

I carried my dresses back up the stairs to her apartment and hung them up in the closet of her spare second bedroom. She insisted that I model them for her and said that the red one would be the best. She fixed my hair into a cascade of blond ringlets to bounce over my shoulders and back. I couldn't use her makeup since her coloring was so different from mine, but made do with the little that I carried with me in my pocketbook. She dressed herself in an outfit that wasn't as formal as mine, but still not something one would consider "everyday" wear, maybe "catered dinner at the country club" style. She called for a car and finished her own grooming while we waited.

She told me about a few other people I would meet at court. She told me about the main guards, Rasul, Melanie, and Chester. I remembered them fondly. Melanie had been the one to mourn the chase when looking to feed pre-Revelation. And Rasul was a flirt. I looked forward to meeting them... again. She also told me about Bill.

I was hoping he'd be out "procuring" something for Her Majesty during my visit, but apparently wishes aren't always granted. I would just hope that Sophie-Ann would let me take her test, take my warnings seriously, and sign me to a contract and let me go back to Bon Temps to get reacquainted with my sheriff.

The town car pulled up with Rasul as the driver. I smiled and let Hadley introduce me as he opened the door for us. He dropped his fangs with a cheeky wink when I nodded at him. Hadley rolled her eyes and slid into the back seat in front of me. Being the queen's child definitely had perks.

The closer we got to the palace, the more my nerves got to me. I had no idea what I was going to face. The first time I encountered the queen was in my driveway with Bill and Bubba after they killed Waldo. This would be different, but a year wouldn't change the amount of humanity left in her. She was slightly older than Eric and, honestly, scared the bejezus out of me.

We entered the gates off the French Quarter and I saw the office complex that Her Majesty used as her palace. That still threw me a little, especially after Felipe's home. If I hadn't known better, I would have expected her to have a Garden District estate, but I remembered Rasul telling me that security was easier in a place like this. There were still protesters with picket signs outside the walls, but they weren't as bad as they would get later. I still hated the damn Fellowship.

Rasul dropped us off at the front doors and threw me another fangy wink as he helped me out of the car. I patted his shoulder as I passed. I was glad that he had survived Katrina last time, as well as the take-over by Nevada. Hopefully that would be something I could prevent this time around. First I had to meet the queen.

Hadley took my hand (whoa! Unexpected!) after we entered. An eternally fifteen year old platinum blond met us in the hall and I unexpectedly thought of Draco Malfoy. I bit my lip hard to keep from giggling nervously and nodded deeply to Andre, much to Hadley's surprise. Well, I knew how to conduct myself around royalty. I'd lived like one for a few years. It got to be common practice.

He looked pleasantly astonished at my conduct. I know he was thinking I would be some backwoods bumpkin that had no idea how to act, but I was pleased to see his incredulity. He nodded at me politely. "Ms. Stackhouse, I must say that your arrival has managed to cause quite a stir. Her Majesty is quite anxious to meet you. Do you mind if I ask how you knew to find your cousin?"

I felt the pressure in my head and resisted the urge to roll my eyes. "I don't mind at all, and I'll actually answer. I met Sheriff Northman at his establishment last night and while dancing, I saw my cousin in the thoughts of a pet that shared the floor with me. I believe he was visiting the area and checking in with the Sheriff."

His eyes narrowed. "How is it that you are so well versed in Vampire custom and terms? It's not something that's shared with the regular human population."

I bowed my head to him again. "I've gained some knowledge here and there since the Revelation. I also read a lot. One doesn't have to have a ton of supernatural knowledge to know to be respectful and polite, especially when meeting royalty. As far as 'pet' and 'sheriff', well, I can't help what people think around me."

"So it's true? Hadley wasn't simply exaggerating your abilities to gain favor with Her Majesty?"

I shrugged as politely as possible. "I assumed that she told the queen that I could read minds. To an extent, that's true, but there are exceptions. Vampires are a great big blank and I can't get anything from y'all. Weres and Shifters tend to be hazy, but I can get emotions from them very clearly. Daemons and Fae are like static, white noise, but sometimes I can get emotions from them also."

I wasn't prepared for the wide eyes from both my cousin and Andre. "I had no idea you were so well versed in the supernatural world, Ms. Stackhouse. I have to say, Hadley didn't prepare us for how... worldly you are."

I knew she wouldn't. She would tell them about her freak cousin that read minds and didn't have a lick of common sense. She and I had some good memories from childhood, but once she entered puberty and started getting attention from the popular clique and boys, she distanced herself from her "retarded" cousin.

"Forgive Hadley. It has been close to ten years since we've seen each other. Until the other night, I wasn't even sure if she was still alive."

He lips curled up at the ends. "She's not."

I shook my head, slightly uncomfortable to be talking about Hadley like she wasn't standing right next to me. "Her heart may not beat and she may not need to breathe, but she is alive. She is still walking and talking. She feels emotions. She has thoughts. She is a living person and I'm glad that I'm able to see her and reconnect with her."

His eyes widened again, not accustomed to my kind of acceptance. He decided it was time to move on to the next subject at hand. "Her Majesty is waiting. Please wait here while I check in with her and I will come retrieve you both once she's ready to meet you."

I nodded my acceptance. "That's fine. While we wait, is it okay if I call to check in with my grandmother? I told her I'd call when I got here and was so involved with Hadley that I forgot."

"That's fine Ms. Stackhouse. I'll return in a few moments."

I pulled my cell out and told Gran I'd gotten to New Orleans just fine. I fibbed a little and told her I was still waiting to see Hadley, but would call her tomorrow to give her an update. She sounded sleepy as she told me good night and I hung up, slipping the little phone back into my bag. Hadley looked grateful, but I told her that not much would keep Gran from wanting to speak to her.

We chatted a little more, but shut up when Andre reappeared. He pulled a military style about-face and walked back into the throne room. As soon as we were presented to Queen Sophie-Ann, both Hadley and I dipped into deep bows. Hadley, however, was allowed to walk away and mingle among the vampires, pets, and donors that lined the walls. I stood still, quiet and respectful, while I was sized up by another eternal teenager.

Sophie-Ann was beautiful, just as she had always been. Her dark auburn hair was rich and hung in slight waves around her shoulders and her dark, slightly tilted eyes widened to see me act so appropriately. I waited for her to address me, as that was also protocol with a higher ranking vampire and she was the highest in the state.

"Ms. Stackhouse, I have to say that I never expected you to come to me. I was putting plans in place for us to meet, but I am pleased that you are here of your own volition."

Yeah, I was well aware of what her plans were and saw the dark figure of my former neighbor in my peripheral vision. I would be ignoring him.

"Your Majesty, I wanted to present myself and offer my services. I know that Hadley has informed you of my ability and I wanted to see if we could work together."

She tilted her head and looked at me with those dark eyes. "What is it that you are considering?"

"A contract. Giving you priority one over the use of my talent. In return for that priority status, I would like a retainer, mutual confidentiality agreement, and the ability to remain in Area Five with my grandmother."

She gave me a mocking smile. "And why should I do that? I have you here now. What's to stop me from keeping you?"

I nodded. "You could. There's no way I could stop you. But, good faith, to be fair, what would keep me from not telling you all I know or hear?" I was quiet for a moment, listening, and opened my eyes to look back at her. I summoned Andre closer. "Tell her that four of the donors listening to our meeting are spies from the Fellowship and are wondering what I can do that's so valuable that the queen is willing to hear me out."

He nodded, but Sophie-Ann heard me anyway with her super vamp hearing. "Which ones?" she demanded.

I smiled. "This is what I meant by good faith. We could barter over a contract, or you can get a whole new donor pool, but who's to say that spies won't infiltrate that one also?"

Her dark eyes narrowed. "You are very brazen, Ms. Stackhouse. You seem to think that I would be above using any tactics possible to get what I want."

"Your Majesty, I know full well what vampires are capable of, especially ones that have survived for as long as you have. However, I also know how rare and valuable my talent is. Hadley hasn't been around for over ten years. In that time, I gained control over my ability and gained a sense of worth and value of my own. I am offering you a very fair deal. Perhaps once Mr. Cataliades is done negotiating with the daemon in the other room, he can prepare a contract."

I managed to surprise everyone. "How did you know that there are two daemons in the other room and that one of them was my counsel?"

"While I was listening to your donors, I caught two different kinds of static in the anteroom. Since Mr. Cataliades is only part daemon, his static is softer than the other one. I assume the other one is full daemon since he's much louder. Mr. Cataliades seems concerned; the other one seems almost giddy."

She sent Andre into the room to check on the status of those negotiations and summoned me closer. "You are proving yourself very nicely, Ms. Stackhouse, but don't get cocky. In that show of 'good faith', tell me which donors will need to be removed."

I wasn't stupid. I was well aware of what would happen to those donor spies once I outed them. But I wasn't naïve anymore and ask that they be turned into the human authorities. They hadn't broken any human laws. But I agreed to her show of good faith and waited for her to summon her Berts.

"Black hair in a pixie cut, red hair in the mesh body stocking, male brunette with an eight ball tattoo on his neck, and the Australian in a Speedo."

She huffed a small chuckle. "How do you know he's Australian?"

I smiled at her question. "His thoughts are accented."

She genuinely grinned at me and sent the Berts, Rasul, and Melanie after the named donors. I advised Chester to search their areas for weapons carefully. Two of them had wanted to leave to remove the silver that was hidden in the donor common area. He nodded and left to do just that. I wanted to say something else.

"Your Majesty, I met with Sheriff Northman last night and provided him with some information that kept him from being fined. I told his child about three underage customers and identified an undercover police officer that was keeping tabs on the club. He was grateful for the information, but I didn't tell him how I came by it. I believe he would be willing to... ensure my security if we agree to a contract that will let me stay in Bon Temps with my family. I would be more than willing to keep his bar secure by scanning his customers and human employees as compensation for any time that he would have to give to any jobs that you would require from me."

She looked thoughtful. "Sheriff Northman is not easy to fool, but you have already proven your talent. As soon as Mr. Cataliades and Mr. Maimonides finish their negotiating, I can task him with preparing a contract for you."

I nodded, and went to lean against the wall with Hadley while we waited for Andre to return. "How the fuck did you do that? She's never folded like that before!"

I shook my head and shot her a dirty look. "She didn't 'fold', she's saving her ass. She knows that I have even more valuable information to give her once the contract is signed. We just need to get on with it so I can get some sleep."

A/N: I promise to include more face time with our favorite Viking as soon as possible, but I wanted to get the meeting with Sophie-Ann out of the way. The reason Sookie didn't wait for Eric to "claim" her and offer her protection is, she didn't want to put him in that position. He doesn't care enough about her yet. Right now she's just an interesting distraction. And, by not waiting, she doesn't have to deal with Bill coming to Bon Temps. She cut that off before it happened. Please let me know what you think. Reviews are love and I am really wanting to hear what you think of the initial meeting with both Hadley and Sophie-Ann.