Pam pushed the door to Eric's office open and stood in it for a moment to take in the scene. She smirked when she noticed the eclectic group that was waiting on her maker. Her heels clicked on the linoleum as she crossed to lean against Eric's desk adjusting her black bustier as she went.

"My my…what a motley crew." She greeted them with a half smile. "Eric is finishing up some…business. He should be here shortly."

"Well we appreciate your time." The shifter folded his arms silently willing the older vampire to walk through the door.

"Pam turned toward the baby vampire. "Jessica. Long time no see. I hear you've been keeping yourself busy while Bill's been away.

"How did you hear that?"

"We make it our business to know the activities of all the vampires in Area 5." Pam informed her as her eyes drifted to Jason who was presently occupying a corner.

"Oh." Jessica breathed as she smoothed out her skirt.

Sam spied Jason pacing out of the corner of his eye and crossed to him lowering his voice. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah." Jason shrugged defensively.

"Then cool it." Sam warned before placing some distance between them.

A bead of sweat trickled down Jason's temple and he quickly wiped it away silently cursing himself. Vampires were nothing if not perceptive, and Jason was terrible at protecting secrets…like the fact that he killed Franklin. The asshole might have deserved, but Eric and Pam might view certain events…differently.

Jason closed his eyes and took a deep calming breath. When he reopened them Pam was mere inches from his face. She methodically raised her hand and ran her fingers through Jason's blond curly tresses.

"Jason Stackhouse. Sookie's brother. I remember you. It's been a long time."

"It has, hasn't it?" Jason swallowed the knot that recently formed in his throat.

"How is your sister?" She purred continuing to pet Jason's head.

"That's actually why we've come." Sam piped in an attempt to remove the focus from Jason who was clearly cracking under it.

"If you have anything to ask, you are to ask it of me." Eric entered the room and leaned against his desk.

Jessica quickly vacated the spot and scrambled to stand next to her boss.

"Eric." The red-head addressed him respectfully.

Eric nodded slightly as the baby vampire, as his eyes shot over to Jason and Pam in the corner, before settling on the shifter in the middle of the room who was clearly in great distress.

"What is it you believe I can do for you?"

Sam inhaled, took a deep breath, and began. "I have a favor to ask."

"Eric does not do favors for humans." Pam smiled and rested her hand on Jason's shoulder.

"I do not do favors…at all."

"But it's real important." Jessica blurted out the silently apologized to Sam.

Eric glanced back and forth between the two for a moment before carefully decided to speak once more. "Is this about Sookie?"

"Yes." Sam nodded not exactly lying. "And Tara." He added.

"What could I possibly do for this woman…Sookie's friend?"

"She needs protection."

"How would offering her protection profit me?" Eric leered at the shifter.

Sam sighed and reminded himself why he did not care for Eric Northman. "Well it might clear your conscious for one."

"Uh…Sam." Jessica timidly warned.

"Weren't you there over in Jackson when Franklin was holding her captive?" Sam dared to remind the Vampire Sheriff.

Eric flew off the desk to stand towering over the smaller shifter. "And what if I was? I do not answer to humans."

Pam felt Jason grow tense at the mention of Franklin's name and grinned. "Don't fret lover, it's just a friendly chat."

Jason tried to smile at Pam, but it came out like a sneer. "Yeah Sam. Bill was there and he didn't do nothing. And he actually knows Tara." Jason defended the vampire causing Sam to turn around and shoot him a look of contempt.

"You're going about this the wrong way." Jessica interjected. "Eric," She began softly, "There is a newly formed pack of Weres that are trying to take over Area 5. They are a threat. They're highly organized, incredibly smart, and they kidnapped Sookie and Tara to use in their evil schemes."

"Are if anybody's going to use Sookie for evil…it should be you." Jason added.

Eric ambled around his desk and leaned back in his chair, fingertips touching. "Although I agree that these Weres should be reminded of their place, regretfully Ms. Stackhouse has requested that I remove myself from her presence."

"I don't think Sookie saw this coming when she made this request." Sam pleaded. "We need to fight fire with fire."

Eric sighed. "I shall take our conversation under advisement."

Alcide drove down the highway towards Bon Temps with both women sitting silently in the cab of his truck. He glanced over Sookie to look at Tara who was worse for the wear.

"How you feeling?" He asked.

"Fine." Tara shrugged. "Mostly wondering how it's possible to throw up so much when you haven't eaten anything."

"Well…you received quite a shock." Alcide reasoned as he turned up the heat. The night had turned decidedly cold.

"I'll say." Sookie breathed shaking her head.

"I'll have you two home in no time so you can get a good night's sleep. We'll worry about the rest of this in morning."

Sookie giggled and Tara turned towards her friend with her eyebrows raised.

"Please share. I'm dying for a laugh right now."

"It's nothing really." Sookie smiled. "Just you said we'll worry about it in the morning and it reminded me of Gone with the Wind."

"How does anything that just happened remind you a racist movie where a narcissistic white bitch gets everything she wants?"

"Because whenever Scarlet didn't feel like thinking about something she would simply say. (In her Scarlet O'Hara voice) 'I don't want to think about that…I'll think about that tomorrow.'"

Tara couldn't help chuckling too and Alcide joined in shaking his head.

"Maybe she the right idea." He added.

"Yeah." Tara smiled. "Fuck them. We'll think about this tomorrow."

"After all…tomorrow's another day." Sookie sang and all three laughed at the absurdity of it all.

Even if they hadn't been laughing the trio would not have been prepared for the driver's side door to be ripped open, sucking out all the heat, and Alcide dragged from the car only to be replaced by Jack.

Eric looked sharply at Pam who flew to his side.

"What is it?" She asked in front of Sam, Jason, and Jessica.

"Sookie." He informed her.

"Is she in trouble?" Jason inquired.

"Then Tara must be too." Sam chimed in. "Eric, please, I…don't have a choice. I have to ask. Will you help? Hell I'll owe you one." Sam tossed his pride out the window momentarily.

"Human emotions." Pam rolled her eyes.

"I'll owe you one too." Jessica offered.

"You, Jessica, are a vampire in the area of which I am sheriff. You will always owe me loyalty."

"I know. I mean in addition to that." Jessica appealed to him earnestly.

Eric and Pam exchanged a look and Pam sighed. "You know this always happen when I'm wearing my favorite heels. They'll be ruined."

"Does this mean you're going?" Jason tried to put two and two together.

"Eric turned his head towards Sam. "You will repay this debt."

Then they were gone leaving the three of them to see themselves out of Fangtasia.

Jack careened down the highway doing over a hundred in Alcide's truck. She viewed the review mirror to see that Alcide had shifted into wolf form and was chasing after them. She didn't have the heart to even smile at how funny he looked.

"What do you want from us?" Sookie screamed holding onto the dashboard.

"Not you, Tara." Jack clarified.

"What?" Tara demanded.

"Who killed my Franklin?"

"I already told you I did." Tara fumed.

"Liar." Jack bellowed jerking the wheel to the right. The truck sailed off the road between two trees and into the woods with Alcide trailing behind them.

Sookie screamed.

"Jack." Tara yelled. "Franklin was a psychopath. He kidnapped me and raped me. The fucker terrorized me. That's why I killed him."

"No!" Jack screeched as she dodged trees at high speeds.

"Yes!" Tara argued.

"I know it wasn't you. I would feel it. Franklin was amazing and wonderful. Stop lying!"

The truck caught air for a moment and Tara felt like she might explode, or throw up again, or both.

"Jack this won't solve anything." Sookie tried to reason with the deranged vampire.

"Shut up blondie!"

"Look Jack. Sometime after you and Franklin parted he lost his marbles. Tara would never lie about what he did to her? Can't you see the pain she's in?" Sookie pleaded with Jack hoping she would at least slow the truck down. How deep were these woods?

Jack stared over Sookie at Tara. "Give me peace." She serenely commanded as if she wasn't off-roading in a pickup.

Tara's mind drifted back to Jason shooting Franklin with a wooden bullet. She remembered the vampire exploding all over her, covering up his remains, and disposing of his clothes. Her stomach churned as she recalled not being able to get the smell of him out of her hair afterward.

Sookie gasped seeing every event fresh in Tara's mind right along with her. Her brown eyes almost bugged out of her head when she realized that it was Jason Tara was protecting.

Tara was frozen when she knew the mistake she's made, now Sookie knew. Tara tore her eyes away from both Jack and Sookie to stare out into the dark woods which were beginning to clear. Suddenly Tara realized why they were clearing and screamed pointing at the river ahead of them.

Both Jack and Sookie's heads snapped towards the river at the last moment, just in time to see Pam stop the truck from diving in. The pickup screamed in protest and shifted to the right balancing on two wheels.

Eric tore the driver's door open and yanked Jack out pinning her to a tree. Tara fell against the passenger door which gave way. She slid out of the car and fell into the river. Sookie immediately lost sight of her.

"Tara!" She screamed into the black water as she herself began to slide.

Pam pulled the left side of the car so that it was once again on all four tires preventing Sookie from following Tara into the water.

"I can't even see her." Sookie panicked.

"Damn it." Pam huffed. Before the blonde vampire could dive into the water after her, a wolf sailed between the two into the water.

The four of them waited for a moment. Sookie was the only one the required oxygen, but the all held their breath. Finally Alcide's head broke the barrier of the water. He then swam up to the edge of the water carrying Tara with him.

Sookie and Pam pulled Tara out of the water and Alcide climbed out after her.

"She's not breathing." Pam dryly informed Sookie who sank to her knees beside her best friend.

"Damn it Tara Thornton. Don't you dare die on me." Sookie sobbed

Alcide gently pushed Sookie out of the way and sat next to Tara naked as a jay bird. "Come on Tara stay with me." He felt Tara's neck. "She has a pulse."

"I could have told you that." Pam rolled her eyes once more.

Alcide began to perform rescue breathing on Tara as Sookie cried and Pam observed.

Eric leered at Jack and pushed her deeper into the tree. "For your sake she had better live."

"This was not my intention." Blood spilled from Jack's eyes.

Alcide pressed his lips around Tara's mouth and filled her lungs with his air once more. She coughed this time and turned to expel water.

"All in a day's work." Pam smirked. "Things are certainly never dull when Sookie's around."

Alcide lifted Tara up to sitting. "Sookie, there's a pair of sweatpants in the back of my truck."

"Oh, of course." Sookie fetched the pants. She was so happy Tara was alright that she didn't have time to feel shy about seeing Alcide naked.

Alcide put on the pants as everyone's attention turned to Jack whom Eric still held firmly to the tree.

"What is the meaning of this?"

"She knows who killed my maker."

"And you want vengeance?" Eric surmised.

"No, I want peace. He was taken from me." Jack turned to Pam. "Think of how you would feel."

Sookie looked down at Tara who was soaked through and shivering in Alcide's arms. "She did it out of self defense."

"You have your answer. We can all go home." Eric informed her.

"It is a lie. I would know. He loved her."

"He terrorized her." Eric corrected. "I was there."

Jack shook her head refusing to buy in to what was being said. "He saved me." She cried. "He saw me. He loved me."

Tara stood with Alcide's help.

"Careful. You're bleeding from the head." Pam remarked.

Tara took a few steps toward Jack and Eric. "Yes he did. He loved you very much."

"Tara?" Sookie questioned but Tara waved her off.

"But you have to admit that he changed?" Tara asked Jack who looked down and away. "That's why you left him." Jack shook her head and closed her eyes.

"He tried to replace you and recapture your love…with me…but he couldn't…any it fucking drove him crazy."

"Stop." Jack moaned.

"He wasn't able to grasp that I wasn't you. That I didn't love him…because you did. He thought he saved me the way he saved you. He wanted to be a hero again. Live happily ever after like a fuckin' fairy tale frozen in time."

Blood freely streamed down Jack's face. Tara's heartfelt words sunk into and she knew them to be true. If she had a heart it would have broken to see the man her Franklin had become.

"Please tell me…you didn't kill him."

Tara took a deep breath in a shuddered from the cold. "I didn't kill Franklin." She answered truthfully. Sure she had tried, but in the end neither she nor Franklin had killed each other as intended. Perhaps there was a modicum of love lost there.

"He did love you Tara."

"I know." She sighed.

"If we are finished with all the Shakespearean drama I have something to say." Eric looked Jack squarely in the eye. "Jacqueline Rose, you are henceforth banned from Area 5. You are to have no further contact with the human's known as Sookie Stackhouse and Tara Thornton, or anyone related to them in any way. You will also cease any involvement with the Werewolves. Have I made myself clear?"

Jack gasped and looked at Tara horrified.

"You will see her no more." Eric commanded.

Fresh tears appeared in Jack's eyes. Eric released her from the tree and she took two steps away from the party, looked back, and then walked a little further into the woods. Just before she was out of sight she turned back toward the group.

"If you need me, call for me." Jack nodded then ran out of sight before Eric could say anything else.

"Sentimental fool." Eric sighed. "She and Franklin were a matched pair in their day…so I hear." Eric turned to Sookie who turned from him to check on Tara, who was still shivering.

"Sookie." Eric called. "May I speak with you for a moment?" It was hardly a request.

Sookie threw her shoulders back and stomped over to Eric leaving Pam, Alcide and Tara.

Pam turned to face Tara and lifted her hand toward her bleeding temple. Tara stiffened and shrank away from Pam into Alcide's chest.

"Relax. Did you hit your head when you fell into the river?"

Tara nodded pressing her fingers to her head to check the severity of the bleeding.

"She most likely has a concussion. Also one of you tires is busted and you don't' have a spare. " Pam informed Alcide before meandering away from the pair.

"So much for worrying about this tomorrow."Alcide pulled Tara closer to him. She tried to fake a smile, but her face felt like it was frozen.

Suddenly Eric and Pam were gone and Sookie navigated the woods back to the truck.

"What did Eric say?" Alcide wondered.

"Not much. Mostly just that Sam and Jessica and Jason went to see him and that we should call them to get a spare since they should be by here in a minute anyway."

"My cell's in the glove box."

Sookie climbed in the truck to retrieve the cell as Alcide turned his attention back to Tara. No sooner had he turned to her than she fainted in his arms.

"Tara. Tara!" He called. "You can't sleep, you have a concussion. I think she'd going into shock." He shouted to Sookie over the rushing river.

"Here, I'll start the truck. Pull her inside so she can warm up."

Sookie helped Alcide drag Tara into the truck.

"I have a blanket in the bed of the truck." Alcide told her as he began to remove Tara's yellow long sleeved shirt, soaked denim skirt and boots.

"What are you doing?"

"She'll never warm up with those wet clothes on. We've got to get her dry."

Sookie found the blanket and a towel that wasn't too dirty. She helped Alcide dry Tara off then wrapped the towel around her hair. Next they wrapped the blanket around both Alcide and Tara. That way he could use his body heat to keep her warm.

Alcide rubbed Tara's legs through the blanket to help increase her circulation. Then he pressed her towards his chest. "Come on Tara. Come back to us, okay. We're not gonna let them beat us. They're not gonna win are they?"

He continued to talk to Tara and warm her up as Sookie called Sam's cell. She told him where they were and agreed to meet them by the road so she could lead them to the truck.

"That was Sam. They'll be here soon with a spare. I didn't tell him about Tara. He's freaked out enough. I'm going to head out to the road so I can meet them.

"Sookie." Alcide protested. "It's not safe."

"Why not? The Were's don't know where we are since Jack's not working for them anymore, and Jack's been banned from Area 5. It's perfectly safe."

Alcide had to stop himself from rolling his eyes. "You forget about regular humans that might want to do you harm for the hell of it."

"Well I'll keep my mind open, and if any of those come by…I'll know what they're thinking and stay in the woods." Sookie took off for the road and shut the door to the cabin.

Alcide continue to rock Tara trying to get her to respond. "Tara…talk to me." He sighed. "I thought trouble followed Sookie wherever she went."

"You ain't seen nothin' yet." Tara grumbled pulling her legs into Alcide.

"Thank God." He breathed resting his chin on Tara's head.