“Who the hell do you think you are?  How about welcome back Tara.”  Tara barked at Lafayette as he released her arm and closed the door to the storage room.

“Who the hell do you think you are running off to Shreveport like a thief in the night without telling your friends and family?”  Lafayette answered back crossing his arms over his chest and leaning against the shelves of cans.

Tara shrugged and ran her fingers through her hair before placing her hands on her hips.

“Oh no hookah, you gon' have to do better than that.”

“Damn it, I don’t know.  I just had to get away.” 

“You think I haven’t wanted to get away.  To leave this god-forsaken piece of shit town.  Why you think I’m holdin' down three fuckin’ jobs?  The point is you don’t turn you back on your family.”

Tara started to feel badly for leaving.  She’d always hated what it must have done to everyone, but now it was staring her in the face.

“Wait a minute.  How did you know I was in Shreveport?” 

“Don’t change the subject.”

“No, you don’t change the subject.  Fuck.  Did everyone know where I was?”  Tara wondered. 

“Naw.  I have ways of knowing things.”  Lafayette answered.  Tara rolled her eyes knowing that was the best she was going to get out of her cousin.

“Anyway…”  Tara began “How you been?”

“Fine.”  He answered standing up straight.  “Speaking of changing the subject...  How come you been back less than 24 hours and already call yourself being in a ‘relationship’ with the Boss Man.”

“Oh that.”  Tara shrugged and shoved her hands in her back pockets.

“Oh that?”  Lafayette looked Tara in the eye.  “There's not a soul in Bon Temps that won’t hear about ‘that’ after that scene from Romeo and Juliet the three of you just had out in the bar.

Tara sighed and closed her eyes.  Damn it if her cousin wasn’t absolutely correct.  There was no such thing as a secret in a small town and thanks to Jason neither Tara nor her relationship with Sam could fly under the radar.

“Fuckin’ Jason Stackhouse.”  Tara muttered under breath.

“Are you?”  Lafayette asked casually.

“What?”  Tara exclaimed “Hell no.”

“Don’t say that like he hasn’t starred in all your fantasies since you were twelve.”  He laughed.

Tara grumbled knowing it was true.  That made the whole scene ironic, but it still didn’t make any sense to her – and she’d been there the whole time.

“I don’t get it.  Why all of a sudden does Jason give a fuck who I date?”  Tara asked her cousin and herself.

Lafayette circled his cousin in the small store room.  “Now you too old to think. for one minute, that the rampage Jason Stackhouse went on is because he cares who dates you.”

“What do you mean?”  Tara turned to ask him.

“What you done stepped in?”  Lafayette asked half smiled.

“I didn’t do anything mutha’ fucka’.  Jason’s the one…”  She protested, but Lafayette cut her off.

“Think back sista’, think hard.  What did you do that might make Jason …”

“Make Jason what?”

“Suddenly want to get him some Tara.  And I know you ain’t this slow.”

Tara sighed again.  Of course she wasn’t slow, but she had no desire to lead her cousin down a path that would revile one of her very dark secrets.  Namely the killing of Franklin Mott.  Murder (even in the defense of your life) did have a way of bringing people together.  Not to mention…

“I haven’t done anything.  Jason always been crazy for the next piece of ass.  Maybe it was just my turn.  He’ll be over it tomorrow.”

“Uh huh.”  Lafayette huffed.  “That man drove all the way over to Merlotte’s to tell Sam a thing or two and he’s going to be ‘over you’ tomorrow.   Why don’t we save the delusions for the white folks.  This has Tara fucked up written all over it.”

Tara crossed her arms and leaned against the same wall f cans that Lafayette previously occupied.  “I might have kissed him.”  Tara confessed. 

Lafayette crossed over to his cousin and stood towering over her.  “A kiss, can be a powerful life-changing event…when you mean it.”

With that Lafayette left his cousin to ponder the current situation with Sam and Jason.  Was it naive to believe that it was over?  Tara hoped not.  If it was up to her everyone would just pretend the last hour had never transpired.

Sam wiped down the bar once more even though he knew that it was as clean as it ever got.  The bar was slow and Sam was trying to let his mind wander, but it kept coming back to Tara and Jason.  What were they doing before they came into the bar.  What the hell was Jason’s problem?  Sam and Tara had had lengthily conversations about why Jason ignored her and didn’t see her ‘that way’.  What the hell was going on?  It had been a hell of a 24 hours.

Sam sighed and wiped up his own fingerprints unaware that Tara and emerged and was watching him unsure of how to approach.  Her sweet scent wafted toward the shifter and he turned to lock eyes with his love.  She had that face on - the one that was trying to look brave and nonchalant, but underneath was nervous and yearning for acceptance.  He knew that face well so he smile and watched the tension melt from her body.  Whatever had happened he knew that Tara hadn’t set out to hurt him or anyone for that matter.

“Come here.”  He quietly beckoned to his love that obliged thankful not to have to speak at the moment.

Tara entered Sam’s warm embraced.  His heart swelled having her there after so long.  He breathed in her sweet scene.  Most people probably wouldn’t believe that Tara smelled like flowers, but that was the real Tara – a flower – a Rose that needed to be de-thorned.

Sam’s head jerked to the right as he smelled the unfamiliar scent of a Were.

  “What is it baby?”  Tara asked feeling the tension in her lover’s body.

“Nothing.”  Sam replied kissing Tara on the forehead as he searched the bar for the Were.

Sam’s eyes locked with a tall dark-haired shifter sitting in a far-away booth in Arlene’s section.  He must have missed the man enter when he was waiting for Tara to come out of the store room.   The shifter’s eyes wander the bar over to Sookie’s section.  He saw her waiting on a couple of college boys.

Sam thought load and clear.

Sookie’s head spun so fast her ponytail flew and nearly hit her in the face.  Clearly she was not accustomed to communicating this way.  She nodded after a moment and went back to taking the order.

“Sam.  Sam.”  Tara called again and gently shook her boyfriend.

“Sorry.”  He smiled.  Clearly she’d called him a few times.

“It’s alright.”  Tara shrugged leaning against the bar.  “Hey thinks for not going all crazy before.”

“Well, I think Jason has enough crazy for the both of us.”

Tara giggled.  “The three of us.”

They both chuckled as a co-ed approached.  She must have been joining the table in Sookie’s section.

“Hey.”  The red-head smiled.  “Can I get a Long Beach?”  She tilted her head to side thinking that somehow that was endearing.

“Sure.” Sam smiled trying not to be annoyed.  “What’s a Long Beach?”

“You’re kidding right?”  She laughed.  “I mean I knew this place was off the map, but…”

“I’ll make it.”  Tara spoke up not liking that the girl was laughing at Sam.  “You’re waitress will bring it to your table.”

“Oh, okay.  The red-head answered clearly offended.  She then sauntered off to her table to complain.

Tara got out the ingredients for the drink.

“So what the hell is a Long Beach?”

“It's just a Long Island Ice Tea with Cranberry juice instead of Coke.”

“Ah hell, I could have made that.  How’d you know that?”  Sam wondered.

“Well…”Tara thought.  “On my first night of bartending my boss tossed a book at me...”

“I handed it to you.”

“And told me that he couldn’t be bothered…”

“I said I didn’t have time…”

“So I should read it back to front.  Which apparently he never did.”  Tara winked at Sam as she finished the drink and poured it into the glass for Sookie to take to the table.

Sam stared intently at his girlfriend eyeing her up and down.  “Sounds like a nasty Son of a Bitch.  How do you put up with ‘em?"

“He’s not that bad once you get to know him.”  Tara turned to face Sam.

Sam reached out and tucked Tara’s hair behind her ear.  “Guess we have that in common.

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah.”  He breathed moving in closer.

“What else do we have in common?”

“Well…”  Sam leaned down to Tara’s ear to whisper to her.

Sookie turned to the bar to get the annoying red-head’s drink when she saw Sam whispering in Tara’s ear.  Tara was smiling.  Tara almost never smiled.  Sam looked happy too.  Sookie had to mentally slap herself for not wishing them the best.  She decided that it was probably just because she thought she’d had what they had only to be betrayed by the one she loved.  Sookie looked at Tara practically blushing and wondered…

A small part of Sookie was dying to know what her friend was thinking, but she made Tara a promise a long time ago that she wouldn’t read her mind, but she never promised Sam.  In fact he once told her she could read his mind if she wanted, and he’d never rescinded the invitation.

Sookie lowered her mental blocks and listened to the shifter.

All off Sam’s thoughts were jumbled, but Sookie knew that they had to have been clear and strong for her to get so much.  Most of the time all she got from her boss were feelings and moods. 

The blonde slowly approached the bar.  She was just about to ask for the Long Beach when Sam placed his hand on the side of her best friend’s face and kissed her softly on the lips.  The kiss looked sweet and loving.  He hovered just an inch over her lips before gently kissing her again.  Sookie realized she was staring and cleared her throat.  They both turned to look at her which made her feel that three was a crowd.

“Sorry Sook.”  Tara smiled.

So many thoughts flooded into Sookie’s head.  She’d been out of practice and it took her a while to get her guard back up.  Both Sam and Tara looked concerned which upset Sookie because she knew that she could take care of herself.

“Um…Tara.  I was just wondering how long before you’re going back home.”

“Sookie?”  Sam seemed to think that was inappropriate.

“It’s just that I know you ran out after Jason and I was wondering if you remembered to lock the door is all.  If you’re going home soon it’s no big deal though.”  Sookie smiled

Tara knew that smile.  There was a lot going on in her friends head right now, although she didn’t appreciate Sookie bring Jason back up.  “I’ll head home before too long.”  She answered.  Sookie was right.  She had forgotten to lock the door to the house, and she’d already let too many bad things walk though those doors, namely MaryAnn and Franklin.  The place still wasn’t completely cleaned up.

“Alright then.”  Sookie continued to smile as she took the drink, place it on her tray, and walked back to her section.

Sam sighed and ran his fingers through his hair.

“What?”  Tara asked.

“You’re going home?”  It was partly a question and partly an accusation.

Tara realized that once again her foot was in her mouth.  Sam had taken the evening off to go to Shreveport and now he would want to spend that evening…get reacquainted.

“I’ll figure it out.”  Tara walked over to her boyfriend and wrapped her arms around her waist.  “Don’t worry.  We’ll have our time together.”

“Tonight?”

“Tonight.”

“’Cause I’m willing to throw you over my shoulder if that’s what it takes.”  Sam wrapped his arms around his love and placed a small gentle kiss on her lips.

After another thirty minutes of sharing the bartender duties and flirting Jessica walked into the Bar incredibly flustered.  She was muttering to herself about moving in with Hoyt, but stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Tara standing behind the bar.  Jessica ran over to Tara at vampire speed and hugged her as if they were long lost friends.

“Thank God you’re back.”

“What the hell are you doing?”  Tara exclaimed

“Sorry, I know you don’t like to be touched.”  Jessica released Tara and sighed.

“Jessica, you alright?”  Sam asked over Tara’s shoulder.

“I hate tending bar.”  Jessica spoke to Tara and enunciated every word.  “I do not like it.”

Sam laughed and Tara rolled her eyes.

“Sam please tell me I can go back to being a hostess now.”

“Tara hasn’t agreed to come back to work yet.”  Sam smiled enjoying watching Jessica fret.

“Agree.”  Jessica commanded.  “Please agree.”

Tara leaned away from the baby vampire.  “Are you trying to glamour me?”

“No.”  Jessica shook her head.  “But I could.  I wouldn’t, but I could” She answered.

Sam and Tara looked at each other equally enjoying seeing Jessica on pins and needled.  Tara decided to stop torturing her.”Relax.  Hell, I’ll come back.”

“Oh thank you.”  Jessica embraced Tara once more.  “I know you don’t like to be hugged, but this one’s for me.”

Sam laughed and patted Jessica on the back.  Then he made his way out of the bar to speak to Arlene.

“Sam.”  Tara called for him.  “Sam.”  He looked back at her and smiled knowing it might be a full minute before Jessica released his girlfriend.  “Damn it Sam.”

“I’m going to make sure Arlene and Lafayette are alright with locking up.”  Sam called over his shoulder.

While he spoke with Arlene he looked over to the corner booth and saw that the Werewolf was still there.  The man even when so far as to raise his beer mug to the bar owner.  The dark-haired Were gave Sam a very very bad feeling.  He wanted to get Tara out of there.

“So you’re back for good.”

“Do you need me to write it down Jessica?”  Tara rolled her eyes.

“It’s just that everything was complete shit when you were gone.  The bar was all weird and Sam was a mess.  He ran off to Shreveport almost every night.”

Tara almost jumped at Jessica’s words.  “Did anyone not know where I was?”

“Bill told me.”  Jessica shrugged.

“How the hell that…”  Tara was about to say blood-sucker, but though better of it since she was speaking to Jessica.  “How did he know?”

“He never told me.  All he knew was that Sookie wasn’t with you.”

“So …he didn’t know where Sookie was either.”

“Nope.  Drove him crazy.  I think he went to Peru just to distract himself from it.”

“Still there?”

“Yep.”

“Good.”

Jessica turned all the liquor bottles so the labels were pointing out.  “Maybe Sam will get some sleep now.  He was up all hours of the night for the longest.  All day too.  Completely renovated the trailer.  Hoyt helped him carry the stuff in.  It gave me a lot of ideas for what I want to do with our place.  Me and Hoyt.”

Tara was only half listening to the vampire as she rearranged the bar, but news that Sam renovated his nasty ass trailer peaked her interest.

“He got new furniture?”

“Yep.  It's cute too.  Still manly though.  I think I want to do more red in our place.”

Jessica trailed off and Tara resumed not listening as she wondered why Sam would replace all his furniture.  It’s not like he knew that she was coming back. Or maybe he had just hoped.  It placed a huge weight on Tara’s shoulders to know that Sam had undergone such preparations for their relationship.

Sam reached for his lover’s hand and smiled.  “Ready to go?  I’m all finished up here.”

Tara was slightly startled when Sam interrupted her thoughts, but tried not to show it.  “Can we drop by the house so I can lock the door before…?”  She trailed off when she saw Jessica beaming at her.

Tara had decided to try  to be a nicer person, but she really wanted to ask the vampire when they had become bosom buddies.  As far as she knew Sookie was her only friend.

“Sure.  Sounds like a good idea.”  Sam pulled Tara towards him and wrapped an arm around her shoulder as he looked over to make sure that the Werewolf was still in his booth.

“Jessica,” Sam called.

“Yeah, boss.”

“I’d like you to keep an eye out.”  He looked from her to the Were and back again.

“Sure thing.”  Jessica nodded.

Sam led Tara out of the bar.