A/N: Don't forget to vote ;)

---------

We all needed a moment after that. To catch our breath, mostly... to calm down and think of a really cold shower? Maybe in my particular case...

After a few moments of unusual silence at Merlottes, the sheer volume that followed seemed unnaturally loud. Everybody was talking at once.

„-nothing but trouble since those damn vamps appeared. Moved to town even!"

"When there'd be a zombie apocalypse they'd kill them freaks right away. Why keep them fangers alive I wonder. They are just as dead, you know?!"

"Jeez, that blond guy? I'd take him straight to my trailer. You've seen him staring at me, right?"

With the mentioning of the Viking, they got my attention.

"Well, I saw how he looked at Ash!"

My head turned involuntarily, eyes wide open, to where I heard them gossip about me. A woman so unnaturally blond wearing nothing more than a pink push-up Bikini and jeansshorts leanded over the table to talk to her girlfriend with a meaningful look in her eyes. Her bottle-red friend gave me a dirty look a rolled her eyes.

"Honey, I think he was more interested in the new barmaid the way she rubbed up against him...", she moved her head in my general direction. "Probably just another fang-banger like Sookie. All just skanks working here.", she told her friend while my jaw dropped by the shear amount of nasty.

The blond one seemed to mull that over before shrugging her shoulders.

"Well, if they're all just looking like THAT, count me in. Vampire or not... You know Dawn once told me the vamp she fucked was the best she ever had..." she sighed drifting into daydreaming when nasty-redhead bitch interrupted her.

"And where did she end up? Inside a grave!"

Than she turned back towards me, seizing me up before plastering a fake smile on her lips. With a raised hand she'd let me know she wanted to order. Apparetly she assumed I didn't hear her talk smack about me before.

Wait a minute...

How did I hear her from the other side of the bar, being surrounded by all those noises before? Their table was at the far end...Had probably something to do with the architecture of the place or something.

I took a deep breath, swallowed my pride that would have loved to slap that fake grin of her face and walked over to the table. Inside my head I repeated my mantra:

Don't cause a scene. Adjust. Be as invisible as possible.

I'd done so well the last couple of month. I never talked back, stayed polite, said 'Yes' and 'Amen' (-literally! I even started attending church, which almost killed me) to everything. Even my closet had gotten a make-over. Black leatherjacket, ripped jeans and dark red, purple or black lacey tops over black bras where part of my past. Part of Ashley Johnnson, the gal from the system with a slaughtered boyfriend in New York.

Ashley Simmons, my new me I had created for my revengeplan, liked plain, white basic shirts always with a hint of beige, maybe every now and then a knee long flower dress and pig tales. Ashley Simmons was a young woman, who needed a change after her grandma's death in Washington. I had adjusted the pigtail part, after meeting Sookie, who had that whole good girl thing working for her. Usually I had my hair just hanging around my face, stuffed under a hoodie, but with a pigtail I just looked -  well all sweet and innocent I hoped. 

And the Grandma-thing was a good cover actually! Whenever the grieve over what happend to Tom caught up with me and I ended up being unable to conceal my pain, people naturally assumed that I was grieving over my grandmother. Which even gave me more sympathy with many of the town folks. A big city girl staying in touch with her family, caring deeply. She couldn't be all bad then, they agreed and just like that, I was adopted into this homey towns society... which weirdly enough felt really good - Too good almost. Like they had become a part of my non-existing family. 

But now, 8 month after my arrival and all my invested time and money, Eric Northman had seen me - and most definitely noticed me. I had appeared on his radar, thats for sure and I was afraid for the people of Bon Temps. From all corners of the bar I heard the people whisper, felt their eyes on me.

"She is different!", they said. "Not like us! Thats what the vampire noticed!"

I sighed heavily and made myself walk towards my table where the two gossips blondie and red-head-bitch waited for me, plastering on a smile like every good service girl would.

„What can I get'cha?", I asked them almost in a singing voice. Maybe I was laying it on a bit to thick. I cleared my throat.

„Cheeseburger, Sweet Potato Fries and a Bloody Mary!" the blond one grinned and winked at me. Both women made up their mind about me I figured. I couldn't think of anything I could do to stop the gossip that already started rumoring around so I just wrote down their order and handed it to Lafayette.

"Damn gurl!", was his only remark before I raised my finger and gave him a daring look.

"Not you tooo!"

He closed with a gesture that meant to say that his lips where sealed.

This little gesture of support and acceptance touched me and my vision started to get blurry from tears. All that tension from the last hours had drained me of all power. I was exhausted and about to cry. That had been a close one. To close for my own personal taste. I drew in a shaky breath and took hold on the corner or the table.

„Okay, honey, you need a drink!" , Lafayette diagnosed me.

In one swift motion he stepped out oft he kitchen and pushed me towards the bar.

"But your working! We're workin-", I tried to protest but Lafayette interrupted me. 

„Them bitches can wait!"

A few guests turned their heads, a judgy look on their faces when Lafayette started to stare them down.

"Yeah, I'm talking about you ugly ass birds."

With that they gave us one more dirty look but turned back around afterwords. I grinned at my friend, causing Lafayette to raise one of his perfectly plugged eyesbrows. Than he made his way behind the bar. 

"You're simply to nice Ash. Those Idiots almost manage to make you cry and for that, they'll get burned food!"

Now I smiled. Noticing the face, that he had lightened my mood, he grinned as well and started using his talent for groceries to create a new cocktail. When he was done a grey-blue glittery drink was placed infront of me.

I eyed it sceptically.

Lafayette rolled his eyes.

"Drink it. Thats the way the alcohol hits your bloodstream, you know?"

I raised my eyebrow.

"Yeah, but what IS that?"

"I figured I'd name it "Rain of Ashes" or something. Still experimenting a bit with the name but not with the ingredients. Now drink!"

Lafayette was basically on the edge of his seat when he shoved the drink in front of my face. I took a sip.

"Holy crap!"

Lafayette laughed and nodded in agreement to my wide open eyes. Never in my life did I drink something this...magical. It was refreshing like a cool breath on a hot summer day but at the same time fruity and sweet and hot.

"What... How? What exacly am I drinking?" I asked curiously while some storm of glitter twisted around in the liquid. It was mesmorizing.

"Uh, uh! I ain't tell you!" Lafayette was all secretive.

I pouted.

"Alright, one ingredient then" he gave in. "You feel the tingling cold in your throat and how your brain gets all cleared up?

I nodded fascinated.

"Peppermintschnaps. The strong one!"

Now that he mentioned it, I could most definitly taste it. Feel it. I burst into laughter.

"Wow. You most definitely got a talent Lafayette. Thank you!"

"Oh I got many talents alright!", Lafayette smirked.

I leaned over the bar and gave Lafayette a big kiss on his cheek, leaving a mark with my bright, pink lipstick. In my attempted to rid him of that, I gave his cheeks a cute pink-is glow.

"How do you come up with this?", I asked pointing at my drink with my head

"Magic!"

Shrugging his shoulders he rubbed some of my lipstick stains on his other cheek to even things out, before winking at me. "How do I look?"

"Gorgeous."

He smiled. "Thats what I do. Being gorgeous and mixing drinks."

"Amazing Drinks. How come?", I starred at the glitter swirling inside my glas, looking like a far away galaxy. 

"Dunno. Figured the combination was kind of fitting for you. That's how one feels being around you. You're a fresh breathe, honest and make people around you smile." He took a sip " Hu. And your hot! Just enchanting."

I had no words. I was touched.

Never before had anyone said something that nice to me. I was used to people thinking I was a liability, annoying or basically non-existent. Sure, men noticed my looks, my body more likely, trying to get me into bed. Tom and I had both been in foster care with the same family, when he was 16, me 14. The most charming 'father' of that particular family had been most interested in my body as well, when Tom stepped in just in time with punching  daddy dearest in the face before I would have been traumatised for good. He ran away with me after that. Protected me. Helped me. Took care of me. Loved me.

I was about to cry again. I cleared my throat an tried to ignore my constant companien, the tight feeling in my chest. Instead of crying, I took another huge sip from this newly created loveliness and focused my senses on the taste. Incredible.

"Lafayette!", Sam's voice cut trough the sick layer of voices from the bar before his curly head appeared at the service-entrance and looked grim.

"I'm not paying you to drinking cocktails! Your meat is burning and Ash, your tables need service!", he growled before he layed down his aprint and notepad.

He normally wasn't that short tempered, but he sure was hiding something from us. Even though he was polite and calm most of the time, every now and then his temper seemed to get the better of him. Especially lately he seemed to be almost aggressiv. I cold feel my forehead crincle.

"I'm done for today!", he informed us with a glare to not ask any questions or comment on him leaving early.

The tempered Sam was one I tried to avoid. I had no good experiences with short tempered men. He must have seen my face, cause he sighed.

"Sorry. I think we all are a bit tense today. You al'right? Looked like you and the vamp knew each ot-"

I had to cut him off right then and there.

"We don't, okay?"

He raised his hands in defense.

"Understood. Jeees, Ash. Don't close up to late today, okay? You seem to need some rest more than I do.", he mumbled. I already felt bad snapping at Sam like that.

"Guess you're right. I'll make sure to get a good night sleep in tonight."

"Good. See you tomorrow than?"

I nodded and with that, our chat was over.

After Sam left, other seemed to leave as well. Some quiet returned to the small restaurant. Near closing time only Lafayette, his cousin Tara, Arlene the other waitress, Sookies brother Jason and his best friend Hoyt remained.

„Ash Honey, could you take over and finish with these two? Arlene asked moving her head at Jason at Hoyt who just walked up to the pool table with a pitcher of beer, dancing to the music from the jukebox laughing.

"I want to go home to my kids. Since vamps from all around are running around our little town now, I just want to tug them into bed and make sure all is right, you know?" she explained further "All those murders, v-addicts, them fangbangers..."

She ended midsentence and looked at me, her eyes widening and her cheeks turning red-ish.

"Not, that I'm judging people who are sleeping with vamps, you know, I just meant..."

Arlene had a talent for make a tense situation even worse. I sighed.

Great. Even my colleagues seemed to be convinced I had a special relationship with Eric Northman. Next time I would think about the consequences my actions first.

"Arlene..."

"You know I heard they' all are incredible good lovers, with all those years of experience and all," she continued her eyes glistering with the apparent imagination running wild. Her cheeks turned even more red. "I mean if I where a free woman and they'd all look like that blond hunk even I might be tempted..."

„Arlene!"

Finally she stopped and gave me time to get a word in. Only that I had nothing to say. I could explain that I am not sleeping with that vampire. That I never EVER would have sex with vampires in general. For good reasons, I couldn't explain without revealing to much of my agenda. But than I would have to explain my weird and irrational behavior from before. Explain to her, that my true motivation, why I got giddy around him was my fear of him killing me before I could bring the true death to him. Because I wasn't the little innocent girl, I pretended to be.

So instead of talking I just straightened up, swallowed my pride and let my breath escape from my lungs with a deep sigh.

"You go on home to your kids, I close up."

She gave me a hug and disappeared through the backdoor.

A glance at my watch told me it was close to midnight and I jawned while stretching.

"Lala needs his beautysleep. Nighty night!", Lafayette told us leaving as well.

"A piece of art like you needs to be taken good care of!", I agreed and blew him a kiss winking.

I was about to jawn once more stretching my exhausted limps, when I felt an arm curling up around my body. I grabbed the arm instinctivly and twisted it, eyes wide open in shock.

"Okay, ask first, touch second!", Jason groaned in pain with his arm bend behind his back. Hoyt and Tara started laughing. I let go of him.

He shock he arm right after.

"Surprised that doesn't happen more often with you!", Tara commented from her barstool while Hoyt, the well-raised and respectful one of them both, apologized on his frinds behalf.

"Looks like Jason had one to many..."

I glared at Jason angrily. I hadn't heard an apology from him yet.

"Woah, that really hurt!", he complained instead. His wrist did look a bit red and blueish. I felt the slightest bit guilty. But really just a tiny bit.

"Why are you so strong?"

I raised an eyebrow.

"You wanted to say: I am so sorry Ash, I didn't mean to be gross and groap you. I won't ever do it again unless you ask me to!"

Finally he looked a bit more bashed and nodded in agreement.

"Yeah. You're right."

Of cause his regret didn't last long. He was Jason Stackhouse. Nice to look at, probably to handsome for someone from a smalltown like Bon Temps, who got had more luck than brains. Everything had always been a bit to easy for him.

He smiled a smirky smile in my direction.

"So you plan on asking me to groap you?", he twisted my words. It would have been insulting and creepy if he wouldn't have smiled that charming grin. Being mad at Jason was as difficult at being mad at a golden retriever.

"I wouldn't wait for it", I growled instead , pulling his baseball cap over his head laughing when he tried to give me a smoldering look from underneath it.

"You're worth the wait!"

For a second I thought he would add something, when his friend Hoyt came along interrupting our little chat.

"Guess we're gonna head home now too!", he stated, placing his arm around Jasons shoulders, pulling him along behind him, towards the door. Tara got up as well, settling her tap.

"You have a good night now Ash!"

I waved the boys goodbye and locked the door behind them.

"You want me to take you home?", I asked Tara, wo refused politely.

"Nah, ain't nobody trying to mess with me. I know some nice tricks like you!". She grinned at me widely and maybe a bit scary. "But thanks for the offer!"

She left through the back door and finally I was alone.

I did the quick evening-routine, got the money in the safe, turned down the AC and lights and headed for the backdoor, the keys already in my hand, locking up the bar and turning on the security alarm. It has been a long and exhausting day. I couldn't wait to fall right into my bed to give my aching muscles some well-deserved rest. My mind was already miles away, taking a hot shower, scrubbing of the smell of old grease when a sound behind me got me to turn around. I screamed.