Friday
Cab driver is driving to Bon Temps.
"What brings you here in Louisiana?" Cab driver asked Maria Stackhouse
"Family." Maria said
Stackhouse Residence
Sookie ran to her sister and hugged her. Gran also hugged her. They stopped hugging.
"We missed you." Sookie said
"Making sure I don't have to go anywhere no more. Five years of college and graduated. Done volunteering and also done with my paid job." Maria said
(Flashback)
One year ago.
Chewed up by a couple of tigers and left her for dead. Suddenly a blonde man with dark clothes appeared. He carried her and landed on the building. He make her drink his blood and started healing her.
(Back to Reality)
"The most important thing is your home now." Gran said
Maria moving in Jason's old room.
"Me moving in Jason's old room." Maria said
"You can always move back in my room." Sookie said
"Thanks sis. But I've been having a roommate long enough and now it's time to have my own room." Maria said
"Ok then." Sookie said
"Speaking of Jason? Where is he?" Maria asked them
"He's uh..." Sookie said as her sister cuts her off
"I don't wanna know." Maria said
Welcome home party at Merlotte's.
"So glad you're back." Sam said
"It felt like yesterday." Maria said
"We've missed you." Dawn said
"Glad you didn't turned into those bloodsuckers." Arlene said
Maria observed her own neck and arms.
"No bite marks. No turning." Maria said
René approached to them.
"Maria this is René Lenier." Arlene said
"Please to meet you Chér." René said
René extended his hand and Maria shakes it.
"Nice to meet you too." Maria said
Maria takes her hand back.
"Maria you feel like kicking my ass in pool?" Hoyt asked Maria
"Always." Maria said
They laughed.
"Stand there or you gonna give me a hug as well?" Lafayette asked Maria
Maria hugged Lafayette. They stopped hugging.
"Where's Tara?" Maria asked Lafayette
"She's at her job. Every job she quits. Pretty sure she'll quit the next one." Lafayette said
Maria smiles.
"Let's just enjoy her welcome back party." Sam said
The Rattrays came inside.
"Maria Stackhouse." Denise said
"This is a private party." Sookie said
"It's ok, Sookie. Anyone welcome to join." Maria said
Denise and Mack walked to their table.
"Why would you do that?" Sookie asked her sister
"Hoping someone would pour beer on their laps." Maria said
Sookie giggles. Tara shows up.
"No fucking way." Tara said
Tara ran up to Maria and hugged her. They stopped hugging.
1 hour later.
Maria stopped playing pool with Hoyt. She sees Sookie looking at a dark-haired stranger. He walk toward a booth passed to Denise and Mack booth. He sits down and then raises his eyes toward Sookie. They stare at each other for the longest moment. She was so excited. So she hurries over to the stranger's booth. Maria walked towards Sam and Tara.
"Never seen her this excited about anyone." Maria said
"That's not just anyone." Sam said
Maria figured it out.
"Oh." Maria said
"Goddamn vampires." Tara said
"Denise and Mack seemed to be interested in him too." Maria said
Sookie is watching them as she stands next to Maria and Tara at the bar.
"What a bitch! You...really think that... she's gonna let him bite her?" Sookie asked Tara and her sister
"You know how many people are having sex with vampires these days? Sometimes those people...disappear." Tara said
"No. He's not like that." Sookie said
"OK, OK, you spoke to him for, like, a minute! You don't know how many people he sucked the blood out over the last however many centuries he's been alive!" Tara said
"But he's so not scary." Sookie said
"Sweet Jesus in heaven, Sookie! He is a vampire!" Tara said
"Actually..." Maria said as her sister cuts her off
"Yeah, but the synthetic blood has everything..." Sookie said
Sam approaches to them.
"Are you willing to pass up all your favorite foods and spend the rest of your life drinking Slim-Fast?" Sam asked Sookie
Sookie rolls her. She looked at Bill, Mac, and Denise again.
"I can't take no more of this." Sookie said
Sookie leaves them again. Goes back to their booth.
"You should be enjoying your party." Sam said
"I know. But I like to keep my odds open." Maria said
"What's your next big plan?" Sam asked Maria
"Opening a club. But I'm not there yet." Maria said
Sookie back to them.
"We have to stop them!" Sookie said
"Stop who? Why?" Tara asked Sookie
"The Rattrays! They're gonna drain him and sell his blood! We have to stop them!" Sookie said
"No, we do not! We don't have to get anywhere near that vampire!" Tara said
Maria looked at as the Rattrays and Bill booth were empty.
"Sookie." Maria said
"Tara, I am very disappointed in you and your small-mindedness." Sookie said
"Sookie." Maria said
"Sookie! Vampire can take care of himself. I promise you." Sam said
"SOOKIE!" Maria said
"What?" Sookie said
"He's gone." Maria said
Sookie turns around and seeing the empty booth.
"Shit! (Sookie drops her apron and runs outside. Maria follows her. They ran outside and into the parking lot. Sookie looks around but sees no one.) Maria you need to go back inside." Sookie said
"We're not little kids anymore. I'm coming with you." Maria said
"You're not. (Maria gets out a gun. She shows it to her sister. She puts her gun back.) Have you been hanging out with someone that I don't know?" Sookie asked her sister
"Like I said. I'm coming." Maria said
Sookie stands very still, she closes her eyes and concentrates. Soon she begins to hear voices. She open her eyes, looks down the road and begins to move toward the sound of Denise Rattray's "voice". Maria follows her. They see a heavy chain in the back of a truck. Sookie quietly picks it up. Her and and her sister moves slowly forward. The Rattrays have Bill down on the side of the road. He's being restrained while Denise, using a needle and blood pouches, drains him of his vampire blood.
Sookie has quietly approached behind Mack and hits him hard on the back with the chain. He cries out in pain and falls to the ground. He gets up and draws a knife.
"You crazy bitch!" Mack said
Sookie dodges as Mack lunges at her with his knife. Seizing an opening, Sookie lashes out with the chain and wraps it around his throat. Gasping for air and clutching at the chain, Mack sinks down to the ground. Denise was trying to get the knife. Maria gets out her gun and aims it at her and stops her in her tracks. Sookie gets the knife.
"This ain't your business, you two stupid cunts!" Denise said
"Now, see, that just proves how low-rent you really are." Sookie said
"You two have any idea who you're messing with? Neither one of you don't wanna be on my bad side!" Denise said
"You don't have a good side. Back home and your still doing stupid shit. Please. No account? You still and always will be a trailer, trash, whore!" Maria said
"What did you call me?" Denise asked Maria
"You heard me. (Denise takes one step.) Come any closer and I will shoot." Maria said
"I will kill the two of you." Denise said
"Get out! Now!" Sookie said
"Come on, Mack. (Denise grabs Mack and pulls him along.) This ain't over!" Denise said
"Like it already has." Maria said
"Come on. Get up, Mack! Why can't you take that fucking thing off? I ain't got time for a fucking cripple!...because I'm getting out of here one way or the other." Denise said
Mack staggers after Denise.
"Wait!...You...how else am I gonna..." Mack said
Maria still aiming at them while her sister quickly moves over to Bill and kneels down beside him. She gently removes the silver chain that restrains him. As the silver chain is lifted, it painfully takes Bill's skin with it. Maria put her gun down. Her and her sister watches in amazement as Bill's wounds heal in front of their eyes. Suddenly a car barrels down on them, Sookie and her sister grabs Bill under the arms and yells.
"Quick with your feet! (Bill manages to move his legs as Sookie and her sister pulls him from the road! They manage to drag Bill further into the trees and leans him back against a broad sturdy trunk.) Oh, bless your heart. Sorry we didn't get here faster. You'll be OK in a minute, right? (Bill just stares at Sookie.) Do you want us to leave?" Sookie asked Bill
"Actually I'll leave. You two can talk and get to know each other." Maria said
"You weren't really gonna shoot her?" Sookie asked her sister
Maria shows her sister the gun.
"No bullets." Maria said
Sookie smiles.
Merlotte's
Maria drinks a beer.
"Some night this was." Maria said
"You really saved that vampire?" Dawn asked Maria
"Sookie needed my help. I know leaving the party sucked. Saving his life and he'll do the same for us. Some are trying to find peace." Maria said
"I miss going shopping with you." Dawn said
"When are you off?" Maria asked Dawn
"Friday." Dawn said
"Let's go shopping on Friday." Maria said
"You ready?" Sookie asked her sister
"Yeah" Maria said
Stackhouse Residence.
Maria is in her room and unpacking her stuff. Sookie knocks on her door.
"Need some help?" Sookie asked her sister
"Sure. (Sookie helped her unpack some things.) We didn't have the conversation in the car. The mystery man? The one we saved from the Rattrays?" Maria said
"His name is Bill. I almost told him what I can do." Sookie said
"You can't be that desperate." Maria said
"He's handsome and charming. Like a miracle to me." Sookie said
"You really like him." Maria teases her sister
Sookie giggles.
"Shut up. So what about Hoyt?" Sookie asked her sister
"What about him?" Maria asked her sister
"He used to have a crush on you." Sookie said
"Oh, I don't know." Maria said
"Come on. He's nice and sweet. Just give him a chance." Sookie said
"Fine. I'll give it a try." Maria said
Saturday
Sookie and her sister is sunbathing when their brother, Jason, pulls up in his pick-up truck. He quickly gets out and strides over to them.
"Back home and now you're beating up the Rattrays?" Jason asked his sister Maria
"I wasn't the only one." Maria said
"I know." Jason said
"We haven't even seen you since then." Sookie said
"Where's Gran?" Jason asked both of his sister's
"Hanging the laundry out back -- and you keep your voice down. She doesn't need to hear about any of this." Maria said
"Fortenberry couldn't wait till I got to work this morning to tell me all about it!" Jason said
"Hoyt Fortenberry? How the heck does he know?" Sookie asked her brother
"He went over to the Rats last night to buy some weed. And Denise drove up like she wanted to kill somebody she was so mad. The only way she would sell him any weed was if he would drive Mack to the hospital in Monroe." Jason said
"Did Hoyt tell you that Mack came after me with a knife?" Sookie asked her brother
"Motherfucker! You want me to kick his ass?" Jason asked his sister Sookie
"I took care of it when I threaten them with a gun." Maria said
"I'm impressed when you take care of yourself. Anyway, what were you two doing messing with them anyway?" Jason asked both of sisters
"Well, did you know that in addition to dealing drugs, that the Rats also happen to be vampire drainers?! Yep! One of my customers last night was a vampire." Sookie said as her sister cuts her off
"The party that you missed." Maria said
"They were draining him out in the parking lot." Sookie said
"You two don't want to get mixed up with vampires. Trust me!" Jason said
"They were selling vampire blood." Maria said
"You can't let trash like the Rats go and drain them. It's not like siphoning gas out of a car. They would have left him in the woods to die." Sookie said
"Who cares? He's already dead." Jason said
"That's not his fault." Sookie said
"You got a thing for him." Maria said
"What did he look like?" Jason asked his sister Sookie
"Handsome...in a sort of...sort of old-fashioned, like from a movie on TCM." Sookie said
"Was he bald-headed?" Jason asked his sister Sookie
"No. He had really nice hair." Sookie said
"Tattoos?" Jason asked his sister Sookie
"None that I could see." Sookie said
Gran carrying a laundry basket and walks towards her grandchildren.
"Jason!" Gran said
"Gran!" Jason said
"Sakes alive, boy, where have you been keeping yourself? You get on over here and hug my neck." Gran said
"You get here, Gran." Jason said
Jason hugged Gran
"You're all sweaty." Gran said
"I know." Jason said
"You want some ice tea?" Gran asked her grandson
"I would love some ice tea." Jason said
Gran laughs.
Kitchen.
Jason, Maria, and Sookie are sitting at the kitchen table, finishing lunch. He spears some food on Sookie's plate.
"Want the rest of that?" Jason said
"Yes!" Sookie said
Jason took a biscuit off of Maria's plate.
"Jerk." Maria said
"You two need to start watchin' what you eat." Jason said
Sookie and Maria laughed at Jason's teasing. Gran came in the kitchen.
"That was Evalee Mason. Guess who was found strangled to death in her apartment. Maudette Pickens!" Gran said
"Oh, my Lord." Maria said
"She didn't show up for work...wasn't answering her phone and so her boss called Bud Dearborne. He rode over, got the manager to let him in, and they found her." Gran said
"I went to high school with Maudette." Sookie said
"Can you believe it? A murder in Bon Temps." Gran said
"Well, why are you surprised? Now that we got ourselves a vampire." Jason said
"Not all vampires are like that." Maria said
"He's not a murderer!" Sookie said
"Ah come on! Fang-bangers go missing all the time in Shreveport...New Orleans! They never find them but everybody knows the vampires are killing them and disposing of the bodies!" Jason said
"What's a fang-banger?" Gran asked her grandson
"A vampire groupie. Men and women who like to get bitten." Sookie said
"My stars!" Gran said
"Maudette was a fang-banger?! How do you know that?" Sookie asked her brother
"I don't know, Sookie! The way that you just know things sometimes!" Jason said
"She just asked you a simple question." Maria said
"I'm telling you I don't know. (Jason was upset, slams his fist on the table, gets up, crosses over to the sink and places his dishes down. He stays calm.) There's also...hookers...who specialize in vampires. They drink Tru Blood to keep their supply up, and they keep a bodyguard there in case the vamp gets a little too frisky. (Gran, Sookie, and Maria stare at him in stunned silence.) I read that in a magazine." Jason said
"Wonder how much one would charge for something like that?!" Gran said
"A thousand bucks." Jason said
"See, now that just makes me sick." Sookie said
"I know. What kind of cheap woman could ever do something like that?" Gran asked in confusion
"No, it makes me sick that they're gettin' a thousand bucks to lay there and do nothin' while I bust my ass for 10 bucks an hour plus tips." Sookie said
Maria smirks.
"Oh, I don't think they just...lay there. I think they're expected to...you know, participate." Jason said
"Ewww!" Sookie disgusted
"That is so wrong." Maria said
Night
In the forest.
Maria looked around and was about to take her shirt off. Bill appeared.
"What the hell?" Maria said
Maria put her shirt back on.
"Might I ask what you were doing?" Bill asked Maria
"Nothing." Maria said
"It's not ok for you to be here at night time." Bill said
"You don't know what I was doing." Maria said
"Maria right?" Bill said
"Guess Sookie told you who I am?" Maria said
"You smell different. You feel guilty and you been keeping a secret." Bill said
"Great. My sister can read minds. My brother is normal and I'm somehow different then both of my siblings." Maria said
"What are you?" Bill asked Maria
"Keep your back turned." Maria said
Bill turned away. Maria took off her clothes and turns into a Tiger. He turned around and saw her Tiger form.
"My, my..." Bill said
"You're a tiger." Bill said
"The prefer term is Weretiger." Maria said
"Do they know?" Bill asked Maria
"No. They don't." Maria said
"How can you be related to your siblings and your grandmother?" Bill asked Maria
"For a whole year I was different. Which case I don't know if I am blood to them or not. That's why I came here to find out. Get some answers. Anyway I need to run for a little bit." Maria said
Bill turns away. Maria took her clothes off, puts it in her backpack, transform into a Tiger again, grabbed the backpack in her mouth and ran away.
Shreveport.
Maria was at the back of the building of Fangtasia. Woman who's blonde with a leather dress opens the door. She sees the tiger.
"You must be Maria." Pam said
Maria puts her backpack down and transform back into her human form naked. She unzip her backpack, gets her clothes and puts them back on.
"Is he here?" Maria asked Pam
"He's always here." Pam said
"Great." Maria said
"One question. Why would he help a..." Pam asked Maria
"He saved my life." Maria said
Maria goes in and sees everyone dancing.
"Maria Stackhouse." Blonde man said
"Hey, Eric." Maria said