AN:At the beginning of season 3, Sookie finds Bill has gone missing after his marriage proposal. She embarks on a mission to find him where she enlists Eric's help and meets Alcide and they all encounter Russell Edginton, the Vampire King of Mississippi who employs Franklin to procure information on Bill and Sookie. Franklin comes across Tara, falling smitten and kidnaps her, taking her to Mississippi where he plans to turn her into his vampire bride.

In season 5, Tara has been mortally wounded after taking a bullet for Sookie when Debbie shoots at her. Sookie and Lafayette insist Pam turn her; as a result, Tara vows she will never forgive either of them. Sookie is sent back in time to try to stop Tara from getting shot but she goes back a year in the past instead of days.

*So the banter is very southern twang, I promise most of them probably aren't typos. If you know these characters, you know what I mean! This is my first attempt at portraying that. And experimenting with time travel, so please be kind :)

2011

*Sookie*

The angel of death he called her. Lafayette wasn't wrong about that, dead bodies did seem to be piling up around Sookie these past two years, starting with her Gran. Though that wasn't because of what she was, it was because it was who she was dating. No, she corrected herself. It definitely indirectly was because of what I am! Bill was only attracted to her because he was a vampire on a mission to procure her blood for the Vampire Queen Sophie-Anne. Dawn, Tara, even Amy, all somehow implicated, though Sookie didn't know how Amy fitted into the equation, being that she wasn't a fangbanger. She guessed it was her V addiction that Rene deemed just as deplorable as vampire sex. They were all in her circle and they were all dead now.

But Tara. Tara Thornton. She grew up standing out, as the angry, misunderstood aggressor, reacted to largely in the same way people reacted to vampires upon coming out of the coffin. Most people hated vampires at the onset, but Tara had come to really loathe the 'fangers' as some people called them. An ugly word that could be attributed to a racial slur, or in this case, a slur on the vampire species. Tara absolutely hated vampires. In the beginning, Bill terrified her, because he was the first vampire Tara or Sookie had ever met but her interactions with him proved he wouldn't hurt her or any of her friends. At the time, he was the most benevolent vampire around. The time Eric and Pam visited Merlotte's was intimidating enough for everyone involved, Sookie supposed. The fact that they kidnapped and tortured Lafayette was probably when her intolerance of vampires began to take root.

A short reprieve when Marianne came to town, absolutely fucking up everything in sight, especially Gran's once beautiful home- Sookie supposed she had Eric to thank for restoring it to its former glory, though she hadn't yet- took vampire hats off Tara's mind. If she was being honest, Mary Anne took everything off of everyone's mind, besides indulging in each cardinal sin, and awaiting The God Who Comes. She still didn't understand how that all made sense, she was only glad it was over.

Except when it was over, Franklin Mott entered the picture. Looking it back, it made absolute sense that Franklin would be affiliated with the Vampire King of Mississippi. They were both absolutely unhinged, mentally, yet cold and calculating in their dealings. Russell with his lustful quest for power, Franklin and his obsession to possess someone. Franklin was the experience that solidified Tara's hatred for vampires. With his abuse, rape, kidnapping, feeding on her, it was no wonder she'd loathe their very existence. In her eyes all vampires were monsters.

And now Tara was a vampire. Sookie drank until she passed out.

*Tara*

"What did you just say?" Tara asked, spreading her palms on the bar. The bitch clearly ordered a strawberry daiquiri, that's why she fucking made a strawberry daiquiri. Tracey had to be crazier than a soup sandwich, or dumb enough to try one. Did she not see the long, sharp, glistening fangs? She must have not gotten the message or she was underestimating what it meant to piss off a hungry vampire. Tara was new so as a vampire, she was always hungry. And being Tara, she was always pissed off.

"Geez, you are the same as in high school. All uppity," the bitch mused.

"Uppity? Listen, you white trash fucktwat," Tara said. "We're not in high school anymore so if you let any more of that racist bullshit fall out of your mouth, I'm gonna rip open your heart and fry it up with some grits. And collard greens," Tara added with a plastic smile.

In an instant, Pam was out of her throne, next to Tracey. "Tara!" She reprimanded. "Ma'am, I apologize. Tara's new." She glanced at Tara. "And stupid. Your drinks on the house," she said, returning her gaze to the entitled patron.

"Thank you. I've known Tara since high school. Even back then she had trouble connecting with folks," Tracey said looking back at the baby vampire.

This haughty bitch.

"I connected well enough with your boyfriend to fuck him," Tara replied with a sly nod.

"Well, I don't live in the past, Tara. I live in the present. In a four-bedroom house with a BMW in the garage. So, enjoy your little job. Barkeep,"

"Fuck you," she said enunciating the phrase. She reeked of desperation. No wonder her boyfriend got tired of her. No wonder she was here, desperately seeking someone to give her attention. This was where everyone went when they wanted to fill a void, only fangs seemed to fill that endless hole.

Tracey scoffed and walked away, taking her desperate little bag.

"Tara, that's enough!" Pam snapped. "Don't get uppity with me," she added when Tara side-eyed her.

Fuckin vampire Barbie, Tara thought. Tara tried to keep an eye on that pink dress which was absolutely the wrong color on the trashy racist but after a few more patrons, she lost sight of her. Pamela Swindle Bitches out of their blood and money with cover charges and overpriced drinks was gone from her throne too. The throne up on the stage was empty and Pam was nowhere to be seen until she appeared at Tara's side.

"We need to talk about your attitude," Pam said.

Fucking perfect. The pink bitch was spouting bigotry like she was a damn leaky faucet, just dropping her bullshit all over the place and Tara verbally mopping her ass was the one with attitude? After glamouring the next patron to desire a flat half-empty beer, instead of the margarita he'd initially requested, Pam led Tara down the basement of Fangtasia, also known as the dungeon where Lafayette was tortured, fed on, and kept prisoner about a year and a half ago.

This was also where she and Pam would go to ground but seeing Tracey chained and gagged as Pam presented sparked the memory about Lafayette.

"This is yours. After that shit she was slinging, she owes you,"

"I thought you were mad?" Tara said in awe.

"You don't know me that well. My mad face and my happy face are the same."

Pam glamoured the pathetic blood bag into being Tara's blood whore and as Tara fed on her, she found the blood of the evil was far more satisfying than a willing donor. Maybe it was because she deserved to die, slowly and painfully. As a vampire, when someone wronged you, death was the price to pay. Even for just spewing racist garble. Tara had to admit it was a sweet thang to bring her to her knees in such a way. Pam played the role of an ice-cold bitch, but here she was, showing up for her progeny in thee best way.

That was another vampire thing. No one fucks with you and Lord have mercy on them if you fuck with their progeny. And with Pam's shoddy temper, pissing her off was about as smart and useful as tits on a bull.

*Sookie*

Claude and his band of homonym-named siblings had informed Sookie that she had powers beyond anything she could have even dreamed of. Channeling the memories of time was apparently one since events in time were frozen energy. She couldn't change the fact that her parents were apparently murdered by vampires but maybe she could change something. She could go back in time and blast Debbie with her light, now that she could properly channel it. Her light must have been on the fritz that night but she was learning to better control it, access it when she wanted to, not just out of fear.

Only a few days had passed, it shouldn't be that hard to channel a very vivid, recent memory. As Claude took her hand and led her to the clearing under the bridge, he advised she only try to harness the memory of her parent's death, cautioning that it could be dangerous going back into the past if it works, due the ripple effects. Sookie insisted she try to revisit the night Debbie shot Tara.

"We have to try!" Sookie said against Claude's warning.

"Sookie, this hasn't been done before, and we swore amongst ourselves we'd stay out of affairs involving vampires. It's fucking vampires! Your friend is a vampire, we cannot channel her memories." He said, releasing her hand.

"Then we can channel mine! Jason, you know Bill spent years being a self-loathing vampire, you know Tara! Tell me you don't want that for her, do you?"

"Now, Sook, don't. Don't ask me about Tara. She hates me now," Jason replied, shaking his head. "If it wasn't for me and my trying to be a good citizen, I wouldn't have had to kill Eggs and Tara wouldn't hate me as much as she hates vampires. I shouldn'ta killed him but what the fuck else was there to do?"

Consciously, Sookie felt like Jason was missing the point, as usual. Subconsciously, it unlocked the guilt Sookie had for the inadvertent role she'd played in Egg's death as well, imparting his memories unto him.

"Nevermind, Jason, shut up," She turned to Claudette. "Is it possible?"

"Of course it is," she said with a smile and a shrug.

Claude snapped his head in her direction. "Claudette!"

"Well, it's true, Claude, we mustn't mislead her. It can at least be attempted with days, it's easier to attempt minutes prior," she explained to Sookie.

"How often do you do things you regret?" Jason wondered out loud.

"Oh I regret nothing," Claudette said.

"Neither do I," Claudia added as well.

"Nor I," Claudija chimed in too.

"Right, there are no regrets here either," Claude admitted. "But I don't want this to be the one thing we all live to regret."

"If I make things right, there'll be nothing to regret," Sookie offered.

"If things go awry, we'll have to stop, and the consequences could be harmful to you,"

"Hey harmful how?" Jason asked.

Claude didn't respond, he just eyed Sookie. "Please," Sookie implored.

"Let's join hands,"

Sookie took Claude and Claudette's hands. "Concentrate, Sookie. What happened that night? Take us back,"

2010

Sookie closed her eyes and thought back to that night. She was remembering how she'd walked in, calling for Tara when she heard Debbie's gun cock. She was flooded with guilt the moment she remembered Tara had been shot. That threw her fast down a rabbit hole of Tara's emotions and memories. The thoughts swirled around Sookie like a tornado, moments of anger when she left Bon Temps, relief when she found peace in New Orleans with Naomi, more anger along with regret upon returning to town thanks to Eric, until she arrived at a memory of Tara's she'd only witnessed surreptitiously, while she attended the funeral for Eggs alongside Tara. It was that moment while she mourned the loss of the only person she'd ever truly loved, her guilt and regret over her one-night stand the previous night began to seep in and take root. At the time, it was regret for the way she'd tried to drown her pain. It was an act she couldn't yet understand how much she would live to regret, which was the next memory triggered, though it still centered on that moment. The aftermath of her ordeal with Franklin made the funeral memory all the more painful.

The night before, Franklin Mott walked into Merlotte's bar requesting True Blood, revealing himself as a vampire in that moment. Tara was too weary to give a shit that there was a mysterious new vampire in town. He had immediately taken a liking to her and later helped her beat the tar out of some racist, disrespectful rednecks who had desecrated the ground on which Eggs had fallen.

All that rage and frustration absolution ended up culminating in the passion of adrenaline-fueled sex; that is, for Tara. For Franklin, it became a violent obsession.

Sookie found herself tapped into the memory of Egg's funeral. Somehow, Tara's future memories settled on the later regret she felt remembering the funeral, and that is where Sookie's faerie abilities brought her.

Sookie was watching the memory in the whirlwind of memories floating around her, then suddenly she was in her body as she was that day, reliving the memory as if it were happening for the first time.

She gasped when she realized it was last year and she was sitting arm in arm with Tara.

"Tara!" Sookie exclaimed as Mike Spencer began to speak.

Mike paused and looked at Sookie. He gave a nervous chuckle. "Ya ok there, Sookie?" Oh no, did I fuck it up already? I ain't even said two words, he thought.

Tara frowned. What the fuck are you screamin' about? And what the hell is there to be jumpy for, ain't no more maenads in town! The confusion in Tara's mind found its way to Sookie's thoughts.

"I'm fine, Mike, I just need to speak with Tara for a minute and then I promise, you can have the floor," Sookie said with a toothy, reassuring smile.

"Well thank you, Sookie, y'all go ahead," he nodded uneasily but apparently having no other choice, he proceeded to glance back to the pastor while he waited patiently.

"Tara, you had a one-night stand last night," Sookie whispered.

Tara's eyes slowly grew wider and she failed to react for a moment before she leaned in and whispered back. "Gotfuckingdammit, Sookie, I told you to stay out of my head, that shit is private!"

"Tara, I've seen what's gonna happen, you have to believe me," Sookie implored her best friend.

"I do," Tara replied reassuringly. "But can we just get through this fuckin funeral? We owe him that much fuckin respect," she said, raising her brows.

"Oh right, of course," Sookie looked up and called to Mike. "Go ahead and continue, Mike!"

Grateful for Tara always trusting in her abilities especially when it came to this crazy mind-reading shit, Sookie hugged Tara closer as Mike began the eulogy.

*Sookie*

After the funeral, the two women were back at Sookie's house where she was explaining that she couldn't tell her everything, only that she needed to stay away from Franklin and they needed to rescue Bill. She decided it would be easier to say that she'd begun having visions of the future, rather than explain that she had just arrived from the future, being that Tara had already been through a supernaturally traumatizing experience, and was gearing up for yet another if Sookie failed to protect her. The girl could only take so much. Sookie had also called on Lafayette to see if his medium abilities had manifested yet.

"And if that were possible wouldn't I fuckin know by now?" Lafayette asked, gesturing to himself in his signature theatrical fashion. "Shit, why my abilities holding out on ya boy? Dead folk! Y'all got any messages for me?" He looked around the room and chortled.

"You haven't unlocked your abilities yet, that was after you and your boyfriend Jesus-" Sookie stopped suddenly. "I shouldn't say anymore. I don't wanna stop you two from meeting."

"You didn't. They met last night," Tara said with a smirk in her cousin's direction.

A combination of shock and awe came over Lafayette. "The only Jesus I know is my mama's nurse. And he fine as hell, ain't no way he gon let my mama and my crazy ass cousin complicate whateva he got goin on,"

"That would be the one," Sookie assured him.

Lafayette cocked his head to the side, eyeing Tara. "Bitch you run your mouth to Sook again?"

"Bitch no, it's a small town and that's the only Jesus around!" She snapped.

"Whateva. So who da fuck is this vampire Franklin?"

"He's a Brit and he works as a private investigator for the Vampire King of Mississippi," Sookie said as she leaned forward in her seat. She looked over at her best friend. "Tara, I could show you, but I can guarantee you ain't gonna like what I've seen. Vampires can sense fear and if he senses fear on you, he'll prey on that. The only way to stop him is to kill him,"

"Well I'm all for killing evil vampires but I need to know why," Tara said. "It ain't my style to just do things without cause. Not that I don't trust you, Sook but Franklin was really sweet. I need some more evidence of his craziness because the way I see it, he just helped me beat the hell out of some drunk hillbillies who really deserved it,"

If Tara wanted to know, then her request was granted. "Brace yourself," Sookie warned, taking Tara's hands.

Both women closed their eyes.

*Tara*

Tara's mind was assaulted with visions of brutality, rape, violence, at the hands of Franklin. The Brit vampire who'd showed her kindness, compassion, and catered to her aggression in helping teach those racist fucks a lesson. He turned that aggression way the fuck around on her!

Fuckin A! The guy was severely unhinged, the worst kind of psychopath she could have come across. What the hell was it with Bon Temps being the epicenter for all the sick freaks and their fantasies to come dwell? The town used to be a nice place, besides the blatant rednecking intolerance, women weren't just out here getting raped, kidnapped, and murdered because most people in the town weren't crazy as hell, just plain stupid. Too ignorant to go around causing chaos to that degree.

So Franklin wasn't who he seemed, but another thing she'd caught was that Bill couldn't be trusted either. Some of Sookie's versions of events were implanted in Tara's head as well. Bill was not to be trusted and it was revealed that he would not help the best friend of the woman he loved when she was in need. And the Vampire King was even crazier, killing someone on live TV! So that was that. Fuck Bill Compton, fuck Eric Northman, fuck Russell, fuck all of them!

Sweating and gasping as Tara's mind was released from Sookie's mental invasion, Tara sank back into her seat on the couch. "What the fuck, Sook?!"

"Shit, bitch," Lafayette sighed, fanning himself. "Consider Sookie yo muthafuckin savior cause that's a huge mufuckin bullet dodged, Tara Mae,"

Sookie and Tara both turned to him, perplexed. "What do you mean?" Tara wondered aloud.

"I mean y'all were screaming like whatever is gon happen was happening to you. I ain't never seen nothing like that,"

Tara sighed, putting her head in her hands. "So how do we kill this mutha fucker?"

"Well, I can maybe-" Sookie held her hands up and conjured what appeared to be a beam of light in her hand.

"Oh my God, Sookie. Will that kill vampires?" Tara gasped.

"It can hurt them. I think I need more of it to kill them though,"

Tara wanted to ask the question that was already forming in her mind, though she didn't want to appear fearful or ashamed. She loved Sookie like a sister anyway, it didn't matter what she was, she'd always be there for her no matter what. "You know I love you, and think of you as my sister, Sookie. But did these visions give you any clue on what you are?"

"That would be some vital information," Lafayette agreed.

Sookie looked sheepish before she replied. "It turns out, I'm a flipping faerie. A halfling, according to my visions," she added quickly.

"Ain't that some shit," Lafayette murmured.

"Faeries? Are there more of them around?" Tara asked.

"You know, I don't want to give too much away. Y'all still need the element of surprise in your day-to-day. And you need to be ready for when Franklin comes to try and take you," she snapped her fingers and stood up suddenly. "The vampire arsenal supply store! Oh, wait, that hasn't happened yet. I think I know someone who can help though, they'll have no choice to,"

Sookie headed for the front door. "Y'all wait here. And don't open the door for anyone, if Jason comes by he'll just walk in."

Sookie hurried out the door. A moment later, Tara heard her car start and depart. Tara sighed and looked at her cousin. "You wanna try testing your abilities?"

"Ain't nothing else to do round here but explore the deep, dark, inner workings of my fabulous mind," Lafayette said, smoothing his du-rag out.

Tara laughed. "I'll find some candles,"

*Tara*

Lafayette just had to be himself, whatever he was doing, the man gave no fucks and Tara was there for it. He felt getting into character would help him be more open to the abilities he was said to have possessed. So of course, he had to run home and change into his medium outfit: silk robe, silk pajama pants, silk headwrap, hell silk everythang in tawny zebra print. Had to swipe on some shimmering gold shadow as well, and Tara had to admit, the bitch looked fab.

Tara, seated at the head of the table, had the candles set up on it when he returned.

"Bitch, that's my seat," he said as he walked up in his Whoopi Golberg in Ghost ensemble.

Tara smirked and moved to the next chair. Lafayette slid into the head chair. "Don't get a big head, now,"

"Who we summoning, child?"

"Do you really have to ask?" Tara asked, giving him a look. Wasn't it obvious? She was mourning Eggs, she'd never get over him and she needed to know if he'd found some kind of peace or her rage over how fucked up he'd died would consume her.

Lafayette sighed. "Tara Mae, I know you think you want closure but considering how unexpected and violently he went out, don't you think he needs some time to adjust to being on anotha plane? I mean, he's probably watching over this shit right now trippin balls over the fact that he ain't among us anymore. I know I would be!" He twirled his hand in his dramatically flamboyant gesture. "Shiiiiiet, I'd need a fat ass blunt on repeat fo at least a week,"

"I need to know, Lafayette. Did he find peace? Is he going somewhere awful for all the terrible things he did?"

"If there is only suffering in store for Eggs, that's the last thing you wanna know. Hell, that's something you don't wanna know!" He gave her the side-eye, immersed with concern and bewilderment.

Lafayette's love life was rather… detached. He'd had countless lovers but having never truly been in love before, he likely couldn't understand the need to know what became of the only person you'd ever loved. Whether he was at peace or headed for some kind of eternal damnation, which Tara didn't exactly believe in, then again. If Lafayette was some kind of medium for the dead, then they had to dwell somewhere, right? The question was where?

"If Eggs is out there somewhere, in ghost land, then maybe we'll meet again someday. That's why I need to know. Otherwise, there'll be no fuckin peace in my life, only sufferin. I'm not the kindest or most moral soul out here so I'll probably suffer in death too. If that's where I'm gonna end up I need some semblance of peace in my life, Laffy," she explained with mournful eyes.

Her cousin sighed. Just the way she couldn't talk him out of something when he was determined, Tara wouldn't be swayed either. She gave him a tiny smile when on the inside they both knew she was beaming with excitement and anticipation.

"Yeah?"

"Whatever. Close your eyes, we need to concentrate," Lafayette said, rolling his head around as he closed his eyes.

Tara complied and a few moments passed by with their eyes closed. During this time she tried not to think of the guilt and harm her night with Franklin was apparently inevitably supposed to cause her. Instead, she thought of Eggs, how stimulating conversation was with him, how sexy he made her feel, and what a saving grace he was in her life before Marianne blew it all to shit with her maenad nonsense. She was lost in her memories regarding Eggs when Lafayette spoke.

"Tara," he said in a low voice. Tara peeked one eye open.

"You get anythang?"

"Bitch, you ain't concentrating, I knew this shit wadnt gon work," he sighed, flapping the edges of his robe against his shoulders.

She snapped her eyes open. "Lafayette, I am concentrating, but this ain't gonna work if you don't at least try to have some faith! You're the one who told me, there's darkness in our blood, in our family but we can overcome it. How the hell else can we overcome it if there's not some good in there too? Ya mama ain't that crazy on purpose, use what you know about Ruby Jean,"

He cocked his head in that sly way he does but he didn't argue. Of course, he couldn't argue. He was always on about vibes, energies, frequencies, and whatnot, where was his faith now? Tara supposed it would come out of experience, though his ordeal with the vampires at Fangtasia likely hindered all that he did believe in.

Suddenly, Lafayette frowned, then shuddered. Tara noticed a slight breeze blowing through, which was odd because the windows were fucking closed. "Oh shit. Someone's here," his gaze locked on Tara showed how terrified he was.

"Who is it?"

Lafayette turned around and if Tara didn't know any better, she'd say he was raising his brows at no one in particular, addressing the same party as well. "Who the fuck is you?"

Terror morphed his features before he jerked, as if someone had knocked the breath out of him. He faced forward and closed his eyes shut for a moment before he took a deep breath and faced Tara, once again. Oh hell no, this is really some Ghost shit!

"Lafayette?" She asked with a shaky voice.

Her cousin shook his head slowly. "I am not your companion Lafayette. But I will not harm you. I only request a favor from you. Your delightfully scented companion, Miss Stackhouse was correct in forewarning you of what is to come. Only in the future I have foreseen, I have made the mistake of asking my son to show mercy against his enemies. The Vampire King she spoke of, will go on to commit deplorable and heinous crimes against human and vampire kind ruining the future of all."

"The Vampire King, the one who employs that crazy-ass vampire?" Tara asked in shock.

"Yes," the spirit in Lafayette nodded. "Russell Edginton employs Franklin Mott. You will overcome the chaos of Franklin but my son must bring an end to Russell Edgington when given the opportunity. His death at the first opportunity is the catalyst that will serve as redemption for yours and many others' lives. Go to my son, Tara. Find Eric Northman,"

Oh hell no, he had her fucked up! "Oh hell no, you got me all the way fucked up! Eric tortured Lafayette and fed on him for weeks. He almost killed him!"

"There can be no true redemption without the willingness to forgive. Harboring hatred is what creates monsters. Russell Edginton is one such monster, he feels he is above reproach. In actuality, he is far beyond redemption. You, must forgive, Tara. Rally your allies. Your survival depends on it," the spirit urged.

Tara shifted uncomfortably and clicked her tongue. She hated Eric Northman, what good would it do to ally herself with him? Would there be protection against Franklin? What if overcoming Franklin meant they'd be on Russell's shitlist? Russell, who was apparently more batshit crazy than Franklin and wanted to drain the world of blood and humanity. Knowing there wasn't time for the spirit to answer all of these questions, Tara posed only one. "Who are you?"

"I am Godric. I made Eric what he is. Together, we spent centuries feeding and slaughtering our way through the world. Until I learned that human life has so much meaning, in its temporary stay on Earth. Eric has yet to learn, but humans feel, so much. I've grown fascinated with observing them. There is immortality in human emotions, most never getting over the most traumatic events that have taken place in one's life, and holding onto the fondest memories for their whole life. The trauma of losing your paramour in such a way will always remain with you, it will subconsciously alter your worldview, as well as the memories you both shared. Whether that is good or bad will be determined by you. Again, I remind you; forgive, Tara,"

She wanted to ask who the fuck she needed to forgive because it sure as hell wasn't Lettie Mae, but Lafayette jerked and closed his eyes, regaining control of his body.

Opening his eyes, Lafayette gasped. "Eric fuckin Northman?!"

AN:Bear with me, I'm still finding my deep south banter, I promise it will get ten times better! This will make tons more sense if you have seen True Blood, if not, I will try to include as much backstory as I can. The part about Eggs is ambiguous because subsequent chapters will explain it more.

If you love it, let me know! If you don't, I don't wanna hear it lol this is just a reimagining of what I would have loved to see on True Blood, after a few years of mullin' it over, it's my own guilty pleasure now that I ship Eric and Sookie lol True Blood was my favorite a few years ago, my world was SO empty when that show ended. So I rewatched it lol.