𝐊𝐄𝐄𝐏 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐘 𝐆𝐎𝐈𝐍𝐆
i grew up with flowers in my hair and dirt on my knees

UPON HAVING THE same day off, Sookie and Victoria decided to go visit Tara at Merlotte's.

"Hey!" Tori grinned and leaned up on the counter.

"What are you guys doing here?" Tara looked between them after switching a glass of beer. "I thought it was your day off."

Sookie nodded. "It is."

"How many times do I tell you that coming in to work when you don't have to is pathetic?" She asked them and Tori snickered. "It's like going back to school and visiting your teachers."

Sookie tilted her head. "I didn't come to see my teachers. I came to see you. So come on." She skipped forward with a big smile. Tori followed shortly after. "Take a break."

Tara rose her brows. "Sam will be pissed."

Sookie rolled her eyes. "He's always pissed."

Tara looked between them before they quickly ran past Sam who was arguing with Terry. They ran into the bathroom and quickly closed the door behind them.

Sookie was quick to explain to Tara about the whole Jessica situation, to which Victoria stated her opinions about the whole thing.

Tara grinned and laid her chin in her hands. "So, basically, you're like a stepmother to a vampire?"

"I'm the cool aunt!" Tori exclaimed and they all three giggled.

Sookie grinned. "Okay, you did not just call me that." Tara hummed whole Tori snickered into her hand. Moments like this, she loved. "What about you? How've you been?"

Tara sighed. "I'm confused."

"About what?"

"You know i've been living over at Maryann's for the last couple weeks?" Tara asked, and they nodded. "In a lot of ways, I don't ever wanna leave. I mean, everything is taken care of for me there. My bed gets made, my laundry gets done, there's breakfast on the patio served to you by a chef."

Sookie grinned. "Can I move in?"

Tara chuckled. "Seriously, right? But it scares me too. And maybe that's just 'cause I'm not used to taking and not giving, but something inside me says, "This is weird, Tara. Don't trust it." What do you think? Does all this sound too good to be true to you?" She looked between them and they both had their thinking faces on.

Victoria sighed and grabbed her hand. "I think if you're getting that feeling, you should listen to it."

Sookie nodded before sighing. "I think before I answer that, I have to tell you I may have a conflict of interest in all this."

"Conflict of interest?"

Sookie nodded and bit her lip. "The main reason we came to see you today was..." She leaned forward and grabbed her free hand. "Tara Thornton, would you like to move in with us?"

"Really? Are you serious?" Surprise appeared on Tara's face and she couldn't help but feel like this was a dream.

Sookie furrowed her brows. "Of course I'm serious. It would be so much fun. And we know we get along. When we were kids, you slept over more often than you didn't, and we never wanted to pull each other's hair out or anything."

Tara couldn't help but chuckle at that. "That's where you're wrong. I was always jealous of your long blond hair. More than once I thought about cutting it."

Sookie gasped. "You did not."

Tara nodded, pursing her lips. "Yes, I did."

"Same," Tori commented which made them turn to her. "I am not a big fan of my hair... or my face, actually. It just reminds me a lot of Katherine."

Sookie gave her a sympathetic look. Tara looked between them with furrowed brows. "Who's Katherine?"

Victoria rolled her eyes and groaned. "A bitch who has ruined my life." She then gave her a look. "I'll tell you everything later."

Sookie turned to Tara with excited eyes. "So, what do you think? 'Cause I've been trying to get my act together, to move into Gran's room for the past couple weeks, and your moving in might be the kick in the butt to do it."

There was a loud crash outside, and they all three jumped and opened up the door to see a plate of food on the floor, and Sam yelling at Daphne, the new waitress.

Tara turned to the cousins as they walked out of the bathroom. "If you wanna make it to Bill's tonight, you better get out of here before Sam asks you to stay."

Sookie cackled. "You're probably right."

"Hi Sam, bye Sam," Tori said as they walked right by him, but he was too busy cleaning off his boots.

A woman walked up to them, mumbling, and they stopped to look at her as she glanced between them. Though, she was paying more attention to Victoria which made the eighteen year old squirm in her spot. "Is this the infamous Sookie and Victoria?"

Sookie grabbed Victoria's hand to calm her down. "It's nice to meet you."

"Oh, likewise." She hummed as she looked between them. "You are both very special, you know. I mean, to have been through everything you have in your lives, not to mention the last few weeks and to emerge through all of it walking, let alone smiling. It's simply astonishing."

Sookie nodded and while Maryann spoke, the blondes grip on Tori's hand tightened. The doppleganger knew that she was reading the woman's mind at this point, and found something unsettling.

"I see what you mean about them, Tara. They have an old soul, don't they?"

Sookie stood up straighter and let a fake smile grace her features. "Sorry. I'm usually good at placing people's accents, but yours I can't get a handle on. Where are you from?"

Maryann grinned. "Cape Cod. Best potato chips in the world." She chuckled but both cousins couldn't help but think it was fake. There was something off about her, and they didn't like it one bit.

Victoria nudged Sookie when she saw Sam approaching them. The blonde quickly said, "We'd love to stay and chat, but we're running late." She faced Tara. "Let us know what you decide about moving in, all right? 'Cause... we think it'd be really great."

VICTORIA ENDED UP going to Bill's with Sookie, mostly because she simply wanted to get to know Jessica.

Once they walked into the house, Jessica came marching towards them, in a flannel that was tied into a crop top, and a small plaid skirt, and heels. "I just saw my parents on TV!"

Tori frowned at the red head, feeling sorry for her. "Oh, no. I'm sorry."

Jessica crossed her arms, "I finally get why they never wanted me to watch it in the first place. It's horrible."

Sookie furrowed her brows. "Where's Bill?"

"I have no idea." She shrugged and pouted. "All he told me was, "Jessica, I have errands to run. "Errands which do not require your presence. "So remain here and do your best to stay out of trouble while I'm gone." And I hate it here. I hate it so much!" She exclaimed, sniffing before marching into the living room, and sat down on the couch. She pushed her face into the pillow and started crying. "I... I think I miss them."

Victoria frowned and sat down beside her, placing her hand on the girls shoulder. "Your parents?" She felt a sting in her heart. She misses her parents too, even John.

Jessica numbly nodded. "And my little sister." She started sobbing, and the cousins saw blood rolling down her cheek. "I was always totally horrible to her. I was just such a brat." She started wiping her face and paused, and quickly sat up upon seeing blood on her hand. "What's wrong with me?!" She started panicking.

Sookie gave her a small smile. "Sweetie, vampires don't cry regular tears. So. when you cry, you're gonna cry blood from now on."

Jessica frowned at that. "Why do you know that and I don't? Don't you think I should know this about myself?"

Tori nodded, a little disappointed with the vampire. "Bill should probably have told you."

The red head gave her a look. "Jeez, you think?"

Sookie dug around in her purse and pulled out some tissue. "Here's some tissue." She sighed as she sat down, too. "Look, I don't know if it helps at all, but I think we kind of know how you feel. At least a little."

Jessica shook her head as she tried to wipe the blood away. "No, you don't."

Sookie sighed. "I'm not saying it's the same, but we lost our gran a few weeks ago, and she was everything to me. Everything I knew, and now she's gone." She then grabbed Tori's hand. "And my cousin here... she has lost pretty much her whole family. We only have each other, our brothers, and her twin."

Jessica frowned at Tori, feeling bad. "I'm sorry about your family." She then furrowed her brows. "But, with me, I'm the one that's dead, yet, still here".

Sookie gave her a sympathetic look. "It doesn't really matter who's dead. When people love each other, and then suddenly one of them isn't there anymore, it's the distance that hurts. And the distance is the same no matter who's doing the leaving."

Jessica sniffed. "What do you do when you feel so far away you can't stand it?"

"Well, sometimes I'll go into her room and just sit there a spell," Sookie responded in a soft voice.

"That helps?"

A small smile came on her features. "I don't know why, but just being someplace where she's been, it makes me feel better, at least a little bit."

Jessica thought for a second before saying, "You think you could drive me to my parents—"

Sookie quickly shook her head, interrupting her. "Okay, I did not mean to... You know I can't do that."

Jessica sniffled. "Please. I would just sit in the car. I swear. All I'm asking is to sit across the street and catch a glimpse of them through the window. Just so I can say goodbye."

Sookie simply sighed. "I'm sorry. It's just not my place. But if you explained it to Bill the same way you just explained it to me, I'm sure he'd take you."

Jessica tilted her head and gave a deadpan look. "Are you really sure about that? 'Cause I'm not so sure he would."

Tori turned to Sookie. "Come on, Sook. She's a teenager who has been through something life changing. You and I both understand that. We just need to give her this one thing," she begged her older cousin with her puppy eyes which almost always works.

Sookie, defeated, sighed. "Okay."

Victoria turned to Jessica with a huge smile. "Roadtrip?" She looked like a child in a candy store, and Jessica couldn't help but giggle. The brunette then looked her up and down. Though, she was appreciative of how hot Jessica looked, it just wasn't something a seventeen year old should wear. "We're going to stop by our place and get you a change of clothes though."

Jessica chuckled and nodded her head. "I really like you, Victoria!"

"Call me Tori," Victoria smiled at her, "all my friends do."

Sookie shook her head at them with a kind smile. "Just never mention this to Bill. Never."

Both Jessica and Victoria chuckled and leaned into one another.

THE THREE GIRLS were now sitting in Sookie's car across the street from Jessica's home. Her human home, the place she won't be able to go back to anytime soon, or maybe never again.

Jessica was in the back seat and she pointed at it. "Here, this is it!" She had a look of awe on her beautiful features. "Across the street. My daddy won't be home yet, but my mama and sister should be there."

Sookie frowned. "I'm sorry." She started to cry and both teenagers turned to her with wide, concerned, and confused eyes.

Jessica frowned. "Well, why are you crying?

Sookie started sobbing. "Because I did this to you. If Bill hadn't... I took your life away, and I know there's no way you'll ever be able to forgive me. It's not even right to ask. But I had no idea it was gonna lead to this."

Jessica looked at her with wide eyes, and she sniffled, trying to not cry. "I don't blame you, Sookie." She glanced at Tori. "And I don't blame you either."

Sookie was confused. "How's that even possible?"

A noise was heard and Jessica turned towards the house. A little girl could be seen through one of the many windows. "There's my sister." Before either cousin knew it, Jessica was out of the car. and zooming towards the house.

Tori's eyes widened as they both got out of the car and ran after her. "Jessica! Get back in the car!"

The front door opened and a tall woman with short red hair was shown. Her eyes widened at the sight of Jessica, and she quickly pulled her daughter into a hug. Over her mothers shoulders, Jessica glanced over at the cousins. and they told her to not cry.

A little girl that was around thirteen years old appeared at the doorway and stared at her older sister with big eyes. "Where were you?"

Their mother turned to her with tears falling down her wrinkled face. "It doesn't matter. Just call your father. And... And tell him that Jessica's home."

Jessica stuttered over her words, and she glanced over at the cousin who were standing there with wide eyes, regretting ever bringing the red head. "Momma, I'd like to introduce you to my friends. This is Sookie and Victoria."

Victoria couldn't help but smile brightly, and says, "Hello."

Jessica's mother smiled at the both of them with wide smiles, and big eyes. "Thank you so much for bringing her back." She walked towards them, pulling them both into hugs, which just made them uncomfortable.

Sookie cleared her throat before saying, "You're welcome."

Jessica smile was bigger than Tori has ever seen. "Aren't you gonna invite us in?"

Sookie started panicking. "What?! No, no. We can't stay!" She gave Jessica a glare and the red head just tilted her head at her mother.

Her mother reached out and touched Jessica's arm, and frowned. "Honey, your arm's like ice! Come on in and I'll make you some tea."

Jessica's mother brought them to the living room, and made her way quickly into the kitchen to make some tea and sandwiches.

Sookie glared at the redhead as Tori was glancing around the home, getting a feeling like everything seemed too perfect. There wasn't any questioning on where Jessica was or anything. Plus, ever since the little sister got off the phone with their father, there has been a thickness in the air.

"I don't normally cuss, but you have completely fucked us," Sookie spat in anger, holding her cousins hand tightly.

Jessica frowned and looked between them with wide eyes. "I know and I'm sorry, but I swear it was like it wasn't even me doing it. It must be those new vampire impulse control issues."

"Fuck your impulse control issues!" Sookie whisper-shouted. Tori quickly nudged her in the side as Eden, Jessica's little sister, walked into the room, holding a tray of sandwiches.

She smiled kindly at them, and said, "Here's some sandwiches, Mom's making tea."

All three women said, "thank you," at the same time with big smiles on their faces. Tori didn't like the situation Jessica had put them in, that she had helped with seeing as she made the idea possible, but Eden was adorable.

Eden looked between Sookie and Tori with a smile. "You're both very pretty".

"Why, that's awful nice of you," Sookie said with a kind smile, showing off the gap between her two front teeth. "And you're very pretty yourself."

"You're going to have all the boys worship at our feet," Victoria told her with a big smile and a wink which made Eden giggle.

The door opened quickly and a man walked inside the house, shutting the door behind him before turning to face the girls. His eyes fell on Jessica who was wearing a bright yellow sundress. She walked towards her and pulled her into a hug. They hugged each other for a minute and the mother walked into the room, smiling.

The father then quickly pulled back and grabbed her arms. "How could you do this?!" He shook her lightly and Tori clenched her jaw, understanding why she was getting the feeling she did.

"Daddy," Jessica said, her eyes wide.

"Do you have any idea what you put your mother through?!" She shouted in rage and shook her more violently now. "Why, Jessica? You tell me why?!"

Victoria's nose flared and she said, rather harshly, "Mr. Hamby!"

"Or I will make you tell me!" Mr. Hamby shouted, and shook her so much, that if she was a doll, her head would've fallen off.

Jessica pushed him away from her, and he tumbled into the wall. "Go ahead, Daddy!" She spat and Tori mentally praised her for standing up for herself. "Get your belt." She let her fangs show. "But this time, I'll be ready for you!"

Her father stood up and stared at her in disgust. "How could you let some bloodsucker bite you like that?!"

Jessica snarled, "I didn't let anybody do anything me. But, am I glad he did. 'Cause now, I get to homeschool you in what it's like to be scared." She zoomed towards him and got up in his face.

"Jessica!" Sookie ran forward and grabbed her.

"Jesus Christ, Sookie!" Jessica snapped, annoyed. "Would you shut the fuck up?!" She pushed Sookie who tumbled into the piano, and then to the floor.

"You okay?" Eden asked, her voice breaking as Tori quickly helped her cousin up.

"Baby, please. This isn't you," her mother begged with tears in her eyes.

Jessica turned to face her mother with tears in her eyes, too., "You don't know anything about me. You're too dumb to know anything!"

"Jessica!" Victoria gasped, shaking her head as the redhead turned to her.

"What?" She shrugged, smirking. "She is dumb. She's dumber than a sack full of hammers, and he's as mean as a snake. And that's the way it's always gonna be around here. So I am ending it." She placed her attention on her little sister who was crying. "Right here, right now. And I am doing it with your belt!" She went to grab his belt but he grabbed her hands. She grasped his wrists and slammed him into the wall, snarling at him. She then yanked off his belt and then wrapped it around his neck, getting ready to tighten it. "Don't worry. This will only hurt for a minute."

Right when Jessica went to bite her father's neck, the door was blasted in, and Bill was shown, fangs out and all. "Jessica, let him go!"

Jessica frowned. "But..."

Bill's eyes were on her and only her. "As your maker I command you." She slowly backed away from her father.

Sookie sighed out in relief, her hand gripping Tori's tightly. "Thank God you're here."

Bill turned to Sookie with harsh eyes. "Shut up!" He snapped which made Sookie gasp, and for Tori to glare at him. "Now, someone who lives here must invite me in."

"Don't, he's one of them!" Jessica's father shouted. "He'll kill us all!"

Sookie shook her head. "He won't. He's not like that!"

Bill turned to Eden and Tori tensed up. "You. Little girl. Come here." She numbly started walking towards him and Sookie had to hold Victoria back from running into danger. Once she made it to him, Bill said, "Good girl. Now, you listen to me. I'm here to protect you. You and your mother and your father. I am your friend. So you just invite me in and I can make everything stop."

"You can?" Eden asked in a small voice and Tori couldn't help but tear up at the crack in her voice. When Bill nodded, she asked, "Won't you please come in, sir?"

Bill zoomed towards Jessica and pushed her away before roughly grabbing Sookie and Victoria. "Get the hell outta here. So, I can clean up your mess!"

"Please don't kill them," Tori begged.

"This is your fault!" Bill shouted in their faces. "Now get the hell outta here!" He shook them before pushing them out of the house.

Sookie quickly grabbed Tori's hand and they made a run for the car.