A/N: Hello, everyone! How are you doing? This chapter has been a long time coming, so I'll be brief. I'd like to apologize for taking so long to update. I got vaccinated and had a bad reaction to it, then got the flu, then got Covid, one right after the other. So, I've only been coming back to feeling like myself for a week or so and used that opportunity to write what I could and here it is.

I'd like to thank everyone for the reviews too. It's really nice to read them and have a glimpse of how you're taking the story. I have a good idea of where I'm going with this one, but there are a few things still undecided so let's wait and see how everything comes together. Hope you enjoy it.

Kat sighed watching Sookie sleep. She had finally managed to explain to her cousin the level of control Bill had over her with his blood inside of her and with her acknowledging their bond. And she had just scrapped the surface. She hadn't even touched on Bill's presence in Bon Temps, who he really was and what he wanted with their family. It was truly a lucky strike that she had heard about their Gran passing away and decided to swing by Louisiana to see how her cousins were doing. It wasn't so lucky for her that now she felt the need to stay and help her family out because that meant being under the Vampire Queen of Louisiana's thumb and the only proximity she wanted with Sophie-Anne was to rip her head out of her shoulders.

It didn't help either that it was likely that she wouldn't be able to stay for long, if at all. Her maker hadn't thought of her much, but Katherine was always an observant person and a quick study. Most of what she learned about being a vampire was through observation and logical conclusions. They didn't think she was a threat and spoke freely about most things when she was around. And she used and abused that.

Kat watched over Sookie's sleep for another fifteen minutes, lost in thought when she heard the front door opening and whoever was downstairs making a lot of noise. Jason must be in. She rolled her eyes and made her way to the living room slowly, making no noise. On top of the stairs, she could smell Jason. He was sweating bullets, muttering about money, and grabbing at things, wondering how much he could get selling them. There was a sour turn on his scent, like something spoiled and her fangs dropped when she recognized it. She listened to him stop and groan in pain and frustration.

"The jewellery. She didn't have much, but it'll have to be enough." Kat glared and sped downstairs, just in time for her presence to stop Jason dead in his tracks.

"I'd thought you would've been here early, cousin, grieving with your sister and all."

"Kat? What the hell are you doing here?" His eyes were bouncing everywhere.

"I heard about Gran. Thought to show up to offer my condolences and support."

"Yeah, I'm sure Sookie will need that."

"Yes. And apparently so do you. What are you doing here, Jason?" Instead of answering, he marched forward, using his arm to shove her away. Or rather, try to. Because Kat didn't budge. She didn't even seem to notice he was using his enhanced strength on her because it was nothing compared to hers.

"What the hell?"

"You know what I think? I think you're here to steal from your barely deceased grandmother's house."

"Half of it is mine!"

"And what are you going to do with the money, Jason?"

"It's none of your business!"

"Oh, I think it is! Because you look like you're being chased by the demons of hell. Because you're sweating bullets on a fairly cool night. Because the woman who raised you just died and you're so high on V that instead of offering your support to your sister, you slapped her and blamed her for Gran's death."

"It was her fault!"

"She could've died too; did you know that? If Bill Compton hadn't drowned her in his blood, with the amount of vampire blood I can smell on you right now, you could've broken her neck with that slap, did you know that?"

"What?" That seemed to get through to him.

"But then again, you don't seem to care that you lost Gran, so why would care about losing Sookie too? Maybe you could even get a discount on the funeral home…"

"I care! Of course, I care! I didn't do it on purpose! I wasn't thinking!"

"That's your problem, Jason. You seem to be incapable of thinking!"

"I don't- It's not my fault! I don't want to be addicted to that shit! But I need it!"

"You don't want to be addicted to that shit. Well, guess what Jason, call me a fucking genie, 'cause your wish has just been granted." Kat grabbed him by the shirt and sped them both to the couch. She threw him down and bared him her fangs, huffing when his eyes widened in fear, and he scattered away from her. "What's the problem, cousin?"

"Stay away from me!"

"No, Jason. Gran was soft on you and so is Sookie. It's high time you learned that actions have consequences. You're a sweet boy, cousin. But a stupid one too." He tried to run but he was no match for her. She had only planned on scaring him a little bit and then glamouring his need for V away. She's made sure he'd experience the withdrawal and it would hunt him for the rest of his life but when he ran, something wild in her snapped and she gave chase.

He didn't even make it out of the living room before she was on him, her fangs deep in his shoulder as he tried to get away from her. She wasn't completely lost to instinct, but she was still new enough that it could override her reasoning on occasion. She wasn't as gentle as she should've been either and the moment her lips touched his skin, she understood what had led him to this and had to consciously hold back from biting hard enough to break his collarbone.

"It all comes down to sex with you, doesn't it, Jason? The moment you understood what your dick could do your brain didn't have the reigns anymore, did it?" Kat sighed, knowing that as much fault as he had in this, it was also part of his nature. Just like how drinking blood was now part of hers. She crouched in front of him, grabbing his hair, and forcing him to meet her eyes. "You will never partake in V again. I don't care about other drugs, you and your conscience can deal with that, but if a powerful enough vampire catches you in it, what I did here will seem like a walk in the park, capisce?" He repeated Kat's command, his mind like clay under her power. "You will feel every part of your detox process too, you will feel your body craving for more as it disappears from your system. But you will not have more. And during that time, you will reflect on your actions. You will think about what you are doing with your life and if that's really how you want to live it." She waited for him to repeat her. "I'll make no decisions for you; you don't get that much of an easy out. If you want a better life, it'll be your choice, not mine. But you'll take a good look at yourself, Jason. Now, go upstairs, take a shower, and sleep it off. If you have work in the morning, you will go and then come back here, if not, you will stay on the farm. Tomorrow night we'll have a family meeting about all the bullshit that seems to have happened in the last few weeks. And stay the fuck away from Sookie until I say otherwise!" She released him and moved back, watching him do as she compelled him.

What an absolute shitshow. She closed her eyes. It looked like she wasn't going to be able to leave Louisiana behind after all. She wished for the first time in her existence that she could be a little bit more like her sister and care less about others. She caught herself thinking about how easy it would've been for Hadley to just open the door, get in the car and leave, never once looking back, never once thinking about the ones she left behind.

But that wasn't her nature. Kat was the one who stayed and stuck through thick and thin. She was the rock everyone could rely on, the one who always stood the storm, bending but never breaking. Even if she was likely to hate every second of it.