TITLE: I'd Bleed For You

RATING: T for angst

PAIRING: Pam/Tara

SYNOPSIS: Pam wakes minutes before dawn to an empty bed and the sharp pangs of sorrow…

DISCLAIMER: True Blood and its delightfully complex characters do not belong to me. I'm just borrowing them to satiate my muse.

A/N: I couldn't get this scenario out of my head. We haven't really seen Tara deal with the consequences of being a vampire in full so I thought I'd pen this one out. Enjoy.

Pam awoke to an empty bed and the sharp pangs of sorrow. Blinking sleepily, she sat up, revealing pale breasts and a delicately muscled abdomen as the deep purple silk bed sheets slithered down her torso to pool at her waist like so much dark water. Moonlight poured through the open window, illuminating the room in a preternatural silver-white glow though Pam's internal clock told her that dawn was fast approaching.

Another stab of sorrow twanged against her heartstrings and the blonde vampire stirred uncomfortably.

Tara.

She slid out of bed with a regal grace and grabbed the black silk robe hanging off the edge of the bed. Shrugging it on, she tied the sash loosely around her waist and ran a tired hand through her bed-ruffled hair, before slipping out of the room. As Pam walked down the hallway, she paused in front of Jessica's room, debated with herself for a mere second before giving into the urge to check up on her fellow vampire.

Pam told herself that it was a safety precaution, that she was just checking on the redhead to ensure that the young vampire hadn't gotten abducted or staked in her sleep. However, through the course of two weeks, the blonde had begrudgingly come to realize that she cared for the girl, annoying as she was. Two weeks of holing up at Pam's safe house and living on a constant cocktail of tension, adrenaline and fear had bonded the trio. Not knowing if Bill aka Bilith was going to come snarling through the door at any second had brought them all closer together.

Pam eased the door to Jessica's room open and the sight that greeted her had her dramatically rolling her stormy blue eyes. Jessica, clad in nothing more than girl briefs and an oversized Taylor Swift t-shirt was sprawled across the expanse of the bed, limbs kicked out in every known direction, her hair splayed out across her pillow like a red halo. Sheets the color of a summer sky lay in a crumpled tangle at the base of the bed and the soft strains of Taylor Swift's, You Belong To Me could be heard from the young vampire's iPod stereo.

To her disgust, Pam found herself leaning against the doorjamb, an indulgent smile pulling at the corner of her lips. Shaking her head at her sudden sentimentality, Pam crossed over to the bed, yanked the bed sheets back over Jessica then exited the room, internally scowling at all the feelings bubbling up inside of her.

The pangs of sorrow that had woken her in the first place once again hummed through the maker/progeny bond. Pam closed Jessica's door with a quiet snick then padded down the stairs, worry clouding her eyes. As the days passed, she had noticed Tara distancing herself, growing quieter and withdrawn. Pam didn't push; a lot had gone down since the mess at The Authority and Tara was allowed to come to terms with what happened at her own pace.

Now, however, Pam couldn't ignore the fact that something was wrong with her progeny. Not if her emotions were as potent as to wake her maker minutes before dawn. As she came off the last step, the blonde had to contemplate how Tara was even awake. Newborns often found it near impossible to resist the pull of dawn and Sleep and retreated into their coffins like clockwork. But Tara was different. Tara never did anything conventionally. It was an aspect of Tara that Pam loved.

Rounding the corner, she found the vampire she was looking for. Ensconced in nothing but a white bed sheet, which was wrapped around her like a makeshift toga, Tara was found sitting by the window seat in the living room, staring mournfully out the window. From her vantage point, Pam could see that the ink black sky was starting to bleed out into shades of purples, pinks and reds.

"Come back to bed," Pam husked, her voice rough with sleep and the hours she spent using it to vocalize her pleasure earlier that evening. She propped herself against the doorframe that separated the living room from the main hall, watching Tara with careful eyes.

Tara started slightly at the unexpected sound of her maker's voice. She turned her head slowly, caught Pam's azure blue gaze from where she sat and offered her maker a sad smile. "In a minute," was all she offered before returning melancholic eyes to the window.

"You're going to get The Bleeds," Pam warned quietly though not unkindly. She pushed herself off the doorframe, her arms akimbo as she lightly began tapping her toe against the wooden floors.

"So I get The Bleeds," Tara murmured distractedly. She pressed a hand onto the windowpane and Pam was alarmed to find that a single blood-tear trickled from the corner of Tara's eye.

She blurred over to Tara in a blink of an eye. Bending, she reached down and cupped Tara's cheek in the palm of her hand, using her thumb to brush away the tear. "Hey," she said softly. She leaned down and kissed away a second drop of blood that fell from Tara's pain laden eyes. "What's wrong?"

Tara stared at Pam, eyes the color of bitter chocolate swirling with emotions that she felt were too painful to voice aloud. She leaned into Pam's touch, needing the comfort.

"You hurt," Pam whispered softly. She moved behind Tara and shuffled her progeny forward a little so that she could sit. Then she pulled Tara flush against her chest, releasing a gentle sigh as Tara sank against her. "Talk to me."

"Do you miss it?" came Tara's voice, so soft that it was barely audible.

"Miss what?"

"The sun." Tara's voice broke at the end, the emotions churning inside of her finally locating an outlet for their presence.

Pam inhaled sharply, though unnecessarily. Her arms tightened around Tara's waist and she leaned forward to press a soothing kiss to the side of Tara's head. "So that's what this is about." Her lips lingered against her progeny's temple, soaking up the taste of cinnamon and chocolate. "Yes," was her simple reply. She wouldn't lie to Tara, wouldn't coat the truth. Her progeny deserved nothing less.

"I'm never going to see the sun again."

Pam dropped another kiss, this time into Tara's hair. "I am sorry," she rasped as she moved her lips to Tara's ear.

Tara gazed longingly out the window. Dawn had begun its approach and the once onyx stained sky was now a myriad of yellows, reds and oranges. Soon shards of sunlight would sweep across the street and up the front lawn to shower the house with light and heat. However, the light-tight shutters, programmed to automatically shut when the sun came up, would prevent any sliver of sunshine to permeate the inside of the house.

"We need to go upstairs," Pam murmured. She could feel the pull of Sleep and felt the exhaustion wafting off her progeny in near palpable waves. A slight whir announced the descent of the light-tight shutters. "Come," Pam instructed. She stood and offered a hand to her progeny.

Tara stole one last hungry and mournful gaze at the brightening sky before the light-tight shutters dropped over the window, encasing the pair in darkness. Twin blood-tears meandered down Tara's cheeks, only to be wiped away by Pam.

"Come," Pam repeated. Her unbeating heart ached for Tara but there was nothing she could do. They were vampires, creatures of the night. The sun brought nothing but True Death.

Tara took Pam's proffered hand and allowed her maker to lead them back upstairs and into the room they shared. A slight wetness could be felt on her left nostril and Tara realized that The Bleeds had begun. She licked the blood that trickled down her nose and belatedly noticed that Pam's right ear was stained with blood.

"I'm sorry," Tara apologized. She reached up and swiped away the drop of blood that hung precariously on the edge of Pam's earlobe.

Pam ushered Tara into the room and shut the door. She pushed her progeny towards the bed, unwrapped the bed sheet that was around Tara and bundled her under the covers. "Shh," she soothed. She rounded to the other side of the bed, slipped off her robe and clambered in then turned to gather Tara into her arms. "Sleep."

Tara nuzzled her face into the crook of Pam's neck, inhaling the scent of lavender and honey. "I'm sorry," she said again, her voice choked with sorrow and now guilt. She fought against the wave of blood-tears that stung the corners of her eyes.

"Tara." Pam's voice burred softly above her, laced with tiredness. "It's okay." A sluggish hand smoothed itself across her progeny's cheek and down her bare arm before it entwined its fingers with Tara's. "You know I'd bleed for you."

There was no pause, no inkling of hesitancy in that statement and Tara knew that Pam meant every word. She tightened the arm that she had slung across her maker's stomach. "I would do anything for you," Tara whispered, her voice barely audible as the pull of Sleep brought her under but her tone was fierce and unflinching.

Pam managed one last kiss to the crown of Tara's head before Sleep claimed her.

Outside, dawn reigned supreme, chasing away the last remnants of pitch black and painting over it with the colors of a brand new day.

THE END