REUNION PARTY!

She grinned when she saw Tara; it was still weird that her best friend and almost sister was a vampire. But, that was the way that things had gone. She hadn't missed that Eric and Pam hadn't shown. And she was really worried about Sam.

Her arms wrapped around Lafayette and held him close, taking his words to heart. "It is sad, but it's okay. I'm sure he's in a better place, raising hell or something." No one really knew that they hadn't had contact in ages; the last thing she had heard from him was his suicide note on her phone. She shook her head and stepped back.

"Crazy seeing everyone, ain't it? Oh, excuse me." She stepped back as her phone rang and she pulled it out of her pocket; it was a number she didn't know and normally she wouldn't answer those, but this time she felt she should.

Is this Sookie? This is Clara Merlotte. The voice on the phone sounded teary, as though she had been crying, and instantly her heart clenched. "Clara..... What happened?" she asked quietly, in her heart knowing that it had to do with Sam. It's dad. Sookie, he died this evening. He had a heart attack. He's... he's gone. I just thought I would inform you, and ask that you tell everyone else. I'll be in touch with arrangements. I have to go. She hung up before Sookie could respond.

Shaking her head, she turned to the crowd and spoke loudly. "Can I have your attention, everyone? Please? Y'ALL SHUT UP!"

"You lookin' good for an old man."

*Tara says hugging Lafayette, Rayne does so as well, but it is very obvious she isn't use to public affection, an after effect of the eye patch.*

"Why didn't you call me sooner, I could have made it so you never were un-fabulous....When you live forever you have a long time to find you're soul mate, so vampires have an edge."

*Tara said kissing hos cheek, it was so weird seeing everyone so old, seeing then and knowing they would one day die....maybe even soon, and she wouldn't...no her and Rayne would be living even when they were nothing but dust and bones.*

"So this is the famous Lafayette, is it?"  

*Rayne leaned in and whispered into Lafayette's ear.*

"Please tell me you still smoke some of that good stuff, I am so in the need of something to relax my nerves."

*Tara just smiles, looking for Sookie, it had been far to long since they had spoken....but she wasn't use to seeing the Sookie she saw in front of her.....she was looking for the blond that had, nearly taken everyone's heart....and instead there was an older woman there....for a moment she thought of Pam...her Maker....and her leaving her without little, or no warning, regardless, she smiled wide seeing Sookie.*

"Sookie....it's been far to long."

Hearing Sookie shouting, I turned back to Tara and exchanged a glance. Sookie looked like all the color had drained from her face.

"You all heard the lady! Shut the fuck up!"

From the look on her face, I was pretty sure this wasn't gonna be a "Welcome to Bellefleur's" speech.

Kiara grinned at Bill before Sookie yelled to get everyone's attention. She got that sinking feeling in her stomach that whatever Mrs Herveaux was going to say was not going to make the party any better.

She caught Bill's eye whose thoughts seemed to mirror hers and she set her drink down, moving to face Sookie and hear what had to be bad news.

*Tara looked back at Rayne for a moment, and Rayne back at her, they weren't both for speeches, but Tara knew Sookie, didn't command presence unless totally necessary.*

"You head the lady....shut the fuck up!"

*Tara said, clinking a glass together.*

Bill's arm snaked around Kiara's waist as he held her close to his body as she sipped on her drink as he glanced around the room watching everyone go about their thing. He saw that Brianna was stood at the bar, he would need to talk to her. It had been a while since they had spoken, but he wanted to know more about her and Quinn.

Just as he took a step towards Brianna, Sookie called out everyone's attention. Her presence in his blood was severely weak, but he could tell that something was wrong.

"Sookie?"

Brianna was on her second bottle of True Blood and was just about to start her third when she heard Sookie call everyone's attention. Was this going to be one of those speeches again? Turning as she had caught everyone's attention as she waited for the speech to begin. But the look on her face told her something was wrong.

She cleared her throat, her face turning pink as she met everyone's gaze; she heard Bill say her name and let the tears fall freely.

Sam.... Her dear, sweet Sam was gone. She wiped at her eyes and cleared her throat again before speaking. "I just got a call from Clara, Sam's daughter. She said that tonight, just a few hours ago, Sam suffered a heart attack. He didn't make it. Sam's.... He's gone......" Her tears fell more freely and she reached for Alcide who wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head. She squeezed him and spoke again, her voice quiet but still loud enough to be heard. "She said she'd let us all know about the arrangements. She wanted me to let you all know."

Brianna froze when she heard Sookie tell everyone that Sam Merlotte suffered a heart attack and didn't make it. She didn't know what to say, Brianna always liked Sam, he was always kind to her. She remembered when she first came into the bar, he didn't judge her because of what she was. He was kind to her when she told him how she became a vampire.

Taking her bottle of blood she took a swig of it as she turned to a photograph that was still pinned behind the bar.

"Sorry Sam...You were a good friend" she smiled softly as she nodded to the photo.

Kiara gasped. Merlotte had always been a good friend for a shifter. Always there lending a hand, willing to cop a warm meal and some work for any supe in need. To hear he had passed away hurt, like loosing a true dear friend.

She walked over to Bill, unsure how he felt about it.

Feeling my jaw drop at Sookie's announcement, I struggled to fight back the tears. OH. MY. GOD. Sam was gone. There are no words.

Turning to Tara and Rayne, "Rayne, I wish I did have some of the good shit on me. I think we could all use it right about now."

Hearing the muffled sobs of many that were gathered for the party, I felt the first hot tears began to flow.

"At least he is now with Nicole. Rest in peace Sam."

"Who's Sam?"

*Rayne asked immediately, casting a glare at Tara.*

"Jesús no es posible que sea esta celosa ...... que era un viejo amigo ..... Nunca pensé que estaría ..... muerto."

*Tara responded with, she did love Rayne to no end, but her jealously knew no bounds, she was constantly keeping her eye on Tara, worried Tara would be looking for someone else.*

"I knew Sam....I mean, we all did....Sam was a good man, a good boss and an even better friend.....sometimes being a vampire isn't always all good...watching everyone die around you....I am just thankful I am not alone.....watching it."

*Tara said, sullen.*

Bill heard Sookie's words and for the first time in a long time, he felt something stir inside of him. 

Merlotte was dead.

He could feel Kiara come up behind him and he knew that he didn't know what to feel. Although he and the Shifter did not get along, but they always had one interest that they could agree on. Was that Sookie needed to be protected. He turned to Kiara as he nodded as he had to speak with Sookie.

He let go off her hand as he made his way to Sookie who was wrapped up by Alcide.

"He was a good man," Alcide said as he held onto Sookie. She looked up into his eyes and pressed a kiss to his lips. "Go check on Savi, make sure she's okay." He nodded and stepped away, leaving her to stand there by herself. It wasn't long before Bill walked up to her, and she turned to meet his gaze.

"Hey, Bill. What's going on?" she asked quietly, her mind still on the fact that Sam was gone. She'd miss him terribly.

"I am sorry about Sam..He was a good friend of yours, and that made him a friend of mine. I know that we didn't get along...But he knew that you needed to be protected and he stood by that" he assured her.

He glanced around the room and could see all those affected by his passing as he turned back to Sookie.

"If you need help with the funeral, costs...Please let me know. I want to help in any way that I can" he smiled softly.

*Tara went behind the bar and grabbed a bottle of Scotch.*

"2010.......damn this shit's old......damn good I bet too, fuck it I need a drink, and I know a bunch of you all do too."

*Tara said looking back at Rayne, as she lined up shot glasses*

"Sam always did keep the good shit, waaay behind the bar, I figured that out first day, go ahead, everyone pick one up, you know how to."

*Tara said holding her glass up.*

"To Sam!"

*She said slamming the glass on the bar, and then re-filling it.*

Walking over to the bar and picking up a shot glass, "To Sam!" Downing the shot, and slamming the glass down on the bar, motioning to Tara to refill it.

Damn, this was the good shit. All the best for Sam, may he rest in peace.

Oh shit, does that mean he's gonna come talk to me too? The more dead folk I know, the busier my head gets.

She shook her head at Bill's offer to pay for the funeral. "I think his family is paying for it. They were pretty well off the last I heard. But thank you, Bill. It means a lot." She smiled at him, shaking her head at the offer for a shot of liquor. She didn't drink, not after what happened to Jason. But Tara's toast was beautiful. She sure would miss him. Seemed like everyone was gone now; Hoyt and Amy had died in a wreck, Sam was gone. It was only a matter of time, really.

"So how have you been?" she asked Bill as she grabbed a glass of tea from the table and took a sip.

*Tara turned immediately, forgetting for a moment, that Lafayette had that power, she turned and looked at him, intensely serious.*

"You ever get.....vampires....I mean.....that come to you after there dead?"

*Tara asked, she knew the look she was getting from Rayne at the moment,they would talk about this later, she knew that, and she was more then well aware of Rayen's abandonment issue, Pam had left Tara, and deep down inside Rayne was afraid of loosing her because of it.*

"You know I love you."

*She said to Rayne holding her wife's hand.*

Looking at Tara, "You mean after they meet the true death?" I was momentarily speechless. No one had ever asked me to contact a vampire in the hereafter.

"I dunno cuz. None have come forward of their own accord. Guess that doesn't mean that they can't if someone asked them to though. I never thought about it."

"I was sorry to hear about your brother, he was a good man. I had only heard recently as things have been very hectic...Kiara and I have been traveling a lot, i am now the King of several states. It has been hard, but adjustable" he smirked a little.

Hearing Tara's toast to Sam as he bowed his head in remembrance to his friend.

"How are things with Alcide? The children? I have been meaning to visit but things have been busy" he told her, but not excusing his lack of visits.

*Tara kept her gaze on him, and then said.*

"So you're not saying that it isn't possible thought, right?"

*Rayne squeezed Tara's hand.*

"Mi amor, ¿qué estás haciendo, me dijo que estabas sobre ella!"

*Tara rolled her eyes, it would just be nice to know for sure....to be able to just move on, to not care, but she did.*

"Just because I want an answer on why she left does not mean I love you any less....why do you constantly question that...I have NEVER given you a reason to."

"Oh, congratulations. I'm proud of you, Bill. You've come a long way from the vampire you were way back then. You've done very well for yourself." She smiled at him and took another sip of her tea, sitting down on a chair next to where they stood. "Not as young as I once was. Can't even stand up for too long these days." She shook her head and laughed before answering his questions about Alcide and the kids; she ignored the mention of Jason.

"Alcide is wonderful. We're wonderful. He's a really good man, takes good care of me. Jayson and Savannah are amazing, got kids of their own. I was lucky later in life. Savannah got my gift, unfortunately," she said. It still bothered her, but it was something that couldn't be changed. Savannah had handled it much more easily than Sookie had, especially since the world was used to things that were abnormal. "How about you? How's life with Kiara?"

Kiara merely mingled about, laughing a bit with some of the random patrons, enjoying her rum and coke.

She knew Bill and Sookie would spend a while catching up and she strangely found she was ok with that. Times had changed, she had changed and there was nothing wrong with catching up with someone you were really friends with.

She sat down with Brianna, catching up with her as well. She didn't mention Quinn, that would be a can of worms for a later time.

"Times have changed, and I allow with them" he smirked.

Watching as she struggled to sit down, she was not as young as she used to be. He debated whether or not to tell her that vampire blood would prolong her life just that little bit longer.

"Things are really well, she is doing great. Sophie is now married with children...But I shall visit more often" he promised.

He glanced towards Kiara who was now sitting with Brianna at the bar, he knew that she would be alright with him talking to Sookie. Their past was in the past, he was with Kiara now.

"Perhaps you, Alcide and the children would like to visit tomorrow evening?" he asked politely.