In need of a friend

She walked....and walked....and walked some more. Stopping only to go to ground for the day until night fall again. Her clothes were dirty, she had a tear in the hem of her shirt, and her hair was a mess. She felt as bad as she looked and really didn't know where to go, but the first person who came to mind was the one who helped her when she was in hiding at Fangtasia.

Tara.

They weren't best friends, but they understood one another. Maybe Pam could help too. She would know what to say, being she was so much older. She found the cabin that she had once visited on one occasion, seemingly so long ago, and knocked on the door three times.

*Tara hit the pause button on her new xbox 360, pausing Saint's Row 3, on her brand new t.v., the largest she could find, as a flat screen, truthfully it was only slightly larger then before, but it was the point that mattered. She lowered the volume, she knew it was a vampire, and immediately got up. Looking through a side window she saw Jessica, the redhead vampire, whom had known about Tara having a *thing* for Pam. She exhaled and vampire ran to the front door, opening it.*

"Hey girl, you aren't looking so good...okay to be honestly you look like a crime victim....who did this to you? Someone hurt you? We could go kick there ass if you want!"

*Tara said cracking her knuckles and smiling.*

She looked up when the door opened and smiled slightly at Tara's assumptions. Shaking her head no, she looked down at her clothes and grimaced. "It's....everything." She looked up and met Tara's eyes.

"Can I come in? I won't stay long, I know Pam can be...well, you know. I just need...I just..."

Red tears brimmed her eyes as she shook her head and tried to find the words of what she needed. "I'm sorry..."

*Tara looked around outside, and not seeing anyone she ushered the baby vampire in, hearing her Maker's name made her shake her head, and look down sadly.*

"You're always welcome here Jessica.....as for Pam...you really don't know?"

*She asked Jessica. She went over to the liquor cabinet, and poured herself and Jessica some blood royal.*

"Ain't got no one to answer to here but me.....Eric and Pam.....there.....not coming home......there.dead."

*Tara said, looking away from Jessica for a moment, then attempting to keep her composure which she did beautifully, she then looked back at Jessica.*

"My home is your home...you know and all that jazz."

She saw the change in her face as she stepped inside and closed the door behind her. Watching Tara move over to the liquor area and pour blood royal, her mouth watered and her stomach seemed to rumble in hunger.

Her mouth dropped open as she heard her explain. "What do you mean....they're not coming back? I mean...where did they go? What happened?"

Seeing her sadness, she read between the lines and sat on the couch behind her, still feeling shocked. Looking into the glass of blood she held, she shook her head. "Tara, I'm so sorry...I didn't know."

"You ain't gotta worry about that.....it's not your fault...and I ain't got any clue, exactly how and why....but I do know it's god damn Eric's fault, fucking leaving Willa here to begin with, I like Willa, hell she's like a sister to me, but to turn her and leave her here, she ain't got no idea what to do, and I ain't no maker, what the hell I gonna tell her, what's right and what's not, although I swear if I knew she went all 30 days of night out there feeding and killing I would have stopped her, that much I know."

*Tara shook her head, and forced a smile.*

"I'm actually glad you came by.....I love the cabin, don't get me wrong...but...it really gets lonely in such a place, I was even thinking of maybe getting a dog....see I don't even know if we can have a dog, would it run away, would it be something I wanted to eat? Shit I don't know that.....see....on the upside....I'm rich."

*Tara said looking down and attempting to make the situation sound better.*

She widened her eyes at the revelation of Willa. She heard Brianna mention something about another female vampire, but she'd been so caught up in things with James and Quinn, she hadn't realized. Was it Willa staying there? From the looks of things, Tara being alone and all, it was Willa. She took a sip of the blood and nearly spit it out from laughing.

"Thanks...I needed that. Dogs...I don't really get hungry to eat a dog. I mean I know Louis from Interview with a Vampire liked rats...but I'm not sure we can eat animals. hmm That makes me wonder..." She smiled thinking of Quinn in his tiger form and shut her eyes quickly, looking up at Tara trying to act normal. "Rich is always good...but lonely, not so much. Ever felt like you were lonely...in a crowed room?" Her voice was small, fighting the urge to break into tears at everything that had recently happened.

*Tara took one look at Jessica and sat down, shaking her head.*

"Okay....what is it? And don't tell me nothing because I am not going to sit here and ask again and again, don't think I don't like you here, 'cause I do.....but girl you got more on your mind, then I do, and I am trying to figure out starting up Fangasia again, so I am all worked out, what happened, who did it....and...what we gotta do about it?"

*Tara said re-filling both there glasses, with the royal blood.*

She looked up and downed the rest of her glass, feeling the hit of the alcohol in the blood and smiling. Exchanging that glass for a new one, she sat back and blew out a breath. "Where to start? Bill's fiance, Kiara, she faked her death. Turns out all along, she was alive. But she's something else...something not human...not alive. It's scary. On top of all that, Quinn, the were tiger I told you about once, well....he's got a progeny. He's not a vampire, it happened...well, I don't know how exactly but I know it did. I think it was some kind of final request from her maker to Quinn. Anyway, so this girl...she loves him, I can tell. When he left, I met James at the camp...and well....I....we.....well, I slept with him."

She averted her eyes elsewhere. "I'm such a screw up...I hurt Quinn and in the long run I'll only hurt James. I don't deserve either of them..."

*Tara shook her head and looked at Jessica for a moment.*

"Girl, don't be acting like ain't no body love you, they both love you, they both want you, you got people falling to there knees to be with you, and you're not a screw-up, I got to know you, pretty well, when we were in vamp camp, and you're a lot of things, but your not damaged."

*Tara said, re-filling there glasses.*

"It's like a new wave forming, ya know....maybe we're not where we want to be or with who we want to be with, but it is what it is, right?"

*Tara said, looking down, for a beat.*

"You're stronger then you think, and shit, you can stay here, and we can figure this shit out together, as long as you want, as long as I am here, you will always have a place here, there are plenty of rooms, and the only one you can't use is Eric's....I am leaving that for Willa...and then girl I am painting that shit, bright pink."

*Tara said happily.*

She sighed and listened, nodding in agreement. "But what Kiara said was right....I hurt him, I had it really great with him and then I screwed it up. I've always screwed it up....Hoyt, Jason, Quinn...why not James too. I just...well, there's more. I...love them both....only, I know I am...or was in love with Quinn. Very much in love...and I still love and care for him. James...well...I'm falling for him, I know I am. I just don't know what to do, my heart is not trustworthy...and well...I don't want to hurt either of them. God, I'm so confused!" She buried her face in her hands and listened to Tara speak more.

Stronger than she thought, yeah right. ".....and shit, you can stay here, and we can figure this shit out together, as long as you want, as long as I am here, you will always have a place here, there are plenty of rooms, and the only one you can't use is Eric's....I am leaving that for Willa...and then girl I am painting that shit, bright pink."

She looked up with a smile at her lips. "Did you say...bright...pink? Wow, Eric will just love that." She smiled for the first time in a while.

*Tara smiled*

"Look....you ain't gotta deal with it right now, right? Fuck....take a break....just sit, down and enjoy a drink right now, Jessica I am not going to say I am a you, expert, but shit, you deserve the right to be happy too, I am no love expert...but....I know you'll eventually make the right choice, and I don't believe anywhere in my heart that there is a mean bone in your body, and girl, I would know."

*Tara said re-filling there glasses again.*

"They say if you love someone, and you let them go and they come back, then there yours, right? And wait....did you say like Bill has some Frankenstein like girlfriend in the basement, 'cause I know it's close to Halloween, but that is a level of freaky, even I ain't ever heard of."

She nodded then downed the glass of blood royal and felt her head get heavy. Shaking it to clear her mind, she smiled and giggled. "You're right. Fuck it! Fuck it all. I'm just gonna rolllllllll with the flow. No harm in that? Let them go and whatever happens, happens. I just don't care anymore."

She took the fresh glass and took a larger sip. Feeling relaxed now that the alcohol was beginning to take effect. It made her think of drinking from Quinn when she'd have too much and get tipsy. Then the feeling of Bill's blood and walking in the sun with James. Damn it would her brain just stop!

She heard her question and went to answer it quickly to rid her mind of James and Quinn. "Yeah, talk about bride of Frankenstein. She apparently just won't die...and I watched her...rip her own heart out." She gasped and sat up quickly. "TARA, you can't say anything about Kiara being alive. Promise me? I swore to Bill I wouldn't say anything. Please, please keep this between us??" She begged her with pleading eyes.

*Tara made a motion much like swatting a fly.*

"I ain't telling nothing to no one, Jessica come on Girl
it's not my business if Bill has Evil dead all up in that bitch. However if those motherfuckers all go all Night of the living dead I'm outta this bitch."

*Tara said, shaking her head.*

"Stay here as long as your want, enjoy the drinks, we'll figure your love problems out eventually, and I'll help in any way possible, after all your like a sister to me. You and Willa....and if you stay you can eventually help me transform Eric's old room into Hello Kitty central.....I know he's not coming back, but the idea of him seeing it always gives me such joy."

*Tara said smirking*

She laughed at her horror movie puns. It was very fitting and very Tara. Draining the last of the blood, she felt....intoxicated but content. Setting the glass down she stood and hugged Tara tightly. "Thank you Tara, for everything. Letting me stay here...not saying anything...oh and if Bill asks, I'm not here. I just want to be left alone for a bit. Get my head together?"

She laughed again, nodding in agreement. "I'd love to paint his room pink with you. It may take my mind off things." She thought about Eric and what he'd say about it. "I think, if it's okay with you....I'll have a shower?" She followed Tara to the guest room where she would be staying and looked around. There was tons of clothes in Pam's closet that Tara said she could help herself to. They were nice, but some of them just...not her. Finding some sweats and a Fangtasia, she headed for the massive guest bathroom and stepped inside. She thought Bill's place was huge...well, this took the cake. It would be a while before she felt like herself again, but maybe a shower was the way to go.