A quiet night. That was all she wanted. A night of nothing but peace and quiet and perhaps even a bubble bath. She just wanted a quiet night, but now that Vampires were in the mix how could a night ever be quiet again?

It probably wasn't smart for MJ to take a walk through the cemetery on her night off but she couldn't sleep so that's where she walked to. As soon as MJ walked upon the grounds and shone her flashlight around, she knew something was different. MJ walked over to the closest headstone where she placed the most recent bouquet of flowers and crouched down in front of it. The flowers were no longer laying upon the ground in front of the stone but placed in a vase stuck into the ground beside it.

MJ brought herself to her feet and shone her light around to find every headstone and grave-marker there each had their own vase. She had no idea what to make of this or even who would have even placed them there. MJ wasn't vain enough to think she was the only person to ever come to this cemetery but she honestly had no clue who else it would be.

At the sounds of footsteps behind her, MJ whipped around and found the dog that hung around Merlotte's was coming towards her. This wasn't the first time that dog had followed her home. "Stalker much?" MJ joked as she crouched down to rub the dog behind his ears and laughed when he licked her cheek in reply. "I'll give you a pass this time, Pupper. Only because you're so damn cute." After a final head rub, MJ stood up again with the intent of going back home but for some reason she found herself walking in the other direction towards the Compton estate. Why MJ started walking towards Bill's house she didn't know but that's where she was headed.

In all honesty MJ didn't even realize that she was walking towards Bill's house until she was standing right in front of it. Now that her attention was fully placed upon her location she took a look around to find that Sookie's car was parked nearby. There was also another vehicle with Vampire related bumper stickers upon it and a license plate that said 'Fangs1'. "Could you be more obvious?" she muttered to herself and went up to the front door. If Sookie was there with even more than one Vampire present then MJ was gonna have to see for herself that Sookie was alright.

MJ didn't even bother knocking and went right into the house. When she exited the foyer and into the sitting room the sight that met her eyes made her blood boil. There were Vampires around Sookie with the full on intent of biting her and Bill was sitting in the corner doing nothing.

Just when MJ was about to react quite unhappily about this, a creepy-looking bald Vampire appeared in front of her and hissed right before he lunged towards her neck. His fangs were about to drive right into MJ's throat when Bill's voice bellowed,

"Stop! Sookie and Marie-Jeanne are mine!"

MJ had no clue what that meant but that didn't stop her from shoving the bald Vampire away from her and going straight over to Sookie who was tossed aside by the female Vampire.

The apparent leader of this Vampire trio walked around the room, saying, "Well now, if you two are Bill's then we won't do anything to interfere with your arrangement. That's why I always bring Jerry with me." He plopped down beside a male human wearing nothing but a pair of short shorts. "He's like mad money."

The female Vampire laughed as she lounged on the arm of the sofa next to the pair who were more engaged in a physical entanglement. "Why are you not taking care of your master, humans? Can you not see how hungry he is?"

"Bill, if you're hungry, you're more than welcome to have some of Jerry." The 'leader' tapped on Jerry and gestured for him to move over to Bill.

So much was going on so quickly that MJ wasn't sure what to make of it all. She was just about to practically drag Sookie out of there when suddenly – right before Bill was about to bite Jerry – she cried out,

"Stop! He has Hep-D!" Sookie then looked around to ask, "What is Hep-D?" Sookie didn't get her answer because Jerry lunged at her and wrapped his hands around her throat.

"Sookie!" MJ pulled on Jerry's arm to get her to release Sookie and in doing so she was hit with the memories of Jerry's boyfriend leaving him and Jerry's thoughts of how that never would have happened if he hadn't gotten hooked on V. MJ didn't care how overwhelming this was, she had to help Sookie but the next thing she knew Bill had pushed her aside and yanked Jerry off Sookie himself.

MJ stayed in the chair she'd been pushed into as her thoughts had to sort themselves out as well as the feelings that came with them. For a few moments she was lost in Jerry's memories but soon they filtered out and MJ was able to think for herself again.

By now the trio of Vamps had left with Jerry and their other human companion and Bill was caressing Sookie's face. This brought MJ to her feet, seething, "Get your fucking hands off my sister." MJ took hold of Sookie and helped her off the table she was currently upon. Once Sookie was on her feet, MJ hugged her tight in an attempt to calm Sookie's shaking. She then helped Sookie into the nearby chair and stormed over to Bill who was saying to them,

"I'm sorry you had to witness that. Their visit was unexpected."

"Witness that?" MJ shot back with a strong incredulous tone. "That's what you're apologizing for?! You're not going to apologize for that fact that you were sitting by doing nothing while those assholes were messing with my sister!"

Sookie didn't want MJ to keep yelling at Bill like that. "MJ, please."

"No!" MJ shouted back at her. "He fucking deserves this!" Now turned back to Bill she laid right into him. "I bought into your whole southern gentleman act but really you're just as fucked as the rest of them!"

"Marie-Jeanne, that's enough!" Sookie only ever really called MJ that when she was really upset. "I think you should leave now."

MJ did not want to do that. "I am not leaving you alone with him, Sookie. You can call me Marie-Jeanne until your face goes blue. It ain't gonna happen."

Sookie looked at MJ with pleading eyes. "Please. I want to talk Bill alone."

MJ shook her head at Sookie before throwing out her arms in defeat. "Whatever floats your boat." She glared at Bill with fire in her eyes before she walked out the front door and slammed it behind her. As she walked off, she shouted, "I know where you live, Compton! Anything like that happens to my sister again, I will burn this place to the fucking ground!"

Bill, who was just about to answer Sookie's question as to what Hep-D was, heard MJ exclamation and he had no doubts in the world that she would keep her word.

MJ only went home long enough to get her car then drove to Merlotte's. She knew Sam would have already closed the place down for the night given how late it was but since he lived in the trailer across from the bar she also knew he'd be around.

Seeing Sookie at home wasn't something she wanted to do quite yet. MJ needed space before she ended up saying something she'd regret. Oddly enough, despite wanting space she didn't want to be alone.

MJ parked her car and found Sam sitting out on the porch outside his trailer with a beer in hand. "Got an extra one of those?"

The last thing Sam expected that night was to see MJ there but he wasn't going to turn away. "Even if I didn't there's a boat load across the way." He opened the beer bottle and handed it to her as she sat in the chair on the other side of the small table beside him. "What brings you by?"

MJ didn't want to bring Sam into all the drama and send him into overprotective mode where Sookie was concerned so she only brought up part of it. "I touched someone and got hit with some not so nice feelings." She took a long drink of beer after telling him that.

"I can't even imagine what that must be like." Sam thought of something in that may or may not help. He held his hand out palm up on the table for her to take. "Nice thoughts and feelings only. You have my word."

MJ appreciated the sentiment but it wouldn't do any good. "Eventually I'd get hit with something you don't want me to know, Sam."

"Then put your glove on." Even if they couldn't touch the least he could do was hold her hand.

MJ looked at him with a raised brow and when he didn't move his hand away she set the bottle down and did as he asked. MJ took the gloves she carried around in her pocket and put them on before lacing her fingers through his to hold his hand. She closed her eyes and imagined the touch of his skin against hers which gave her a moment of relief.

Sam moved his thumb over the top of MJ's gloved hand and decided to use that moment to take Tara's previously given advice. "Tara mentioned something to me tonight. She said you think I have feelings for Sookie."

"Everybody knows that," MJ laughed in reply with open eyes towards him. There was something on his expression that made her ask, "Where are you going with this, Sam?"

"It's not Sookie I have feelings for, Jeanne." Sam could already see MJ getting uncomfortable so he made sure to add in before she could say anything, "I understand you can't touch anyone, but we can work around that, Jeanne. Look, we're doing it right now."

MJ looked down at their hands and took her back to rub her knees in a nervous manner. "Don't play games with me like that. You've had the hots for Sookie for as long as I've known you."

"I've felt protective over Sookie but it's nothing like what I feel for you – what I have felt for you." Sam hoped he wasn't scaring her off. "This isn't a game, Jeanne. I'm being honest with how I feel about you. Now the question is…do you feel the same?"

MJ honestly thought she was going to cry because she'd dreamt of this moment for a really long time but of course in her dreams she'd be able to throw her arms around Sam and kiss him deeply to express what she felt. Unfortunately this wasn't a dream – this was reality and in reality MJ would never be able to touch him.

"I can't be with you," MJ regrettably replied. "I can't touch you, Sam. You may think we can work around it but can we really? Can you sit there and truly tell me that you can give up holding hands or kissing. Hell can you give up fucking sex? You may think you can right now but what about weeks down the line? Would you really be so willing then?"

"In all of that not once did you say you felt nothing for me. If you do feel something for me then we can figure out all the rest." Sam was determine to find a way.

MJ didn't confirm the feelings that radiated inside for him. Instead she asked, "Why now? If you've felt this way for awhile then why are you saying it now?"

Sam chuckled lightly before admitting, "Tara. She basically told me to kick my ass into gear and tell you before I ended up losing any chance because I waited too long."

"Tara should have kept her damn mouth shut." MJ got up from the chair and went down the porch steps to leave. "Fucking ignorance would have been better."

"How would that have been better?" Sam asked as he followed her, not about to let her leave yet. "How is being ignorant and miserable better?"

"We'd end up miserable anyway!" MJ shouted at him as she whipped around. "There is no work around – no substitute that could replace the touch of another person. And it kills me to know that the person I want more than anyone else wants me back but I can never truly touch them."

Sam knew it made things complicated but he wasn't going to let her go without a fight. "Don't give up on us before we've even had a chance." He stepped forward and reached out to take MJ's gloved hand in his. "We can do this, Jeanne."

MJ knew this would just end in heartbreak but it seemed that would be the only way for Sam to take the hint. "You're a stubborn ass, you know that?"

Sam laughed at her words and smiled, "Is that a 'yes, let's try'?"

MJ rolled her eyes dramatically. "Fine. Yes. Whatever."

Sam smiled wide, kissed the top of MJ's gloved hand, and replied with, "In that case – Goodnight, Jeanne."

MJ waved over her shoulder as she walked away. "Goodnight, Sam." Once she was in her car, she rested her head upon the steering wheel and groaned to herself, "This is not going to end well." And yet, despite knowing that, it was what she wanted more than anything.

The next morning MJ and Sookie weren't talking to each other. Even when they both went outside to finish up the yard work around the place neither of them said a word to each other either verbally or mentally. Finally it was Sookie who broke the silence because she couldn't take it anymore.

"I understand why you're upset, MJ. I'm upset, too, but yelling at Bill and threatening him isn't going to solve anything."

MJ dropped the bag of lawn clippings she had collected and turned towards Sookie. "I will yell and threaten anyone I have to, to make sure they know damn well not to mess with you. You're my family, Sookie. You, Gran, and Jason are all I have left. My mother is dead, I have no fucking clue who my father is, so you're it. Forgive me for wanting to make sure nothing happens to you."

Sookie sighed deeply before going over to MJ and hugging her tight. "There are other ways to protect the people you love."

MJ hugged Sookie back but didn't answer until they pulled apart. "Yeah, well, apparently I don't know those other methods oh wise one." After they shared a little chuckle about that, MJ asked Sookie something. "Hey, Sook, this may be a stupid question but does Sam have a thing for me?"

Sookie laughed – she couldn't help it. "Of course he does, MJ. Everyone in Bon Temps knows that."

MJ's mouth dropped when she heard that. "I thought Sam had a thing for you and everyone knew that!"

Sookie laughed again because it was too funny. "Sam having feelings for me like that? Oh MJ that is so not the case. Did you really think that?"

MJ nodded like it was the most obvious thing in their strange world. "Uh, yeah."

Sookie shook her head with a smile before something clicked. "Wait, why are you asking?" She then gasped, "Did he say something to you?"

MJ nodded. "He wants us to try being in a relationship."

Sookie squealed in delight for her. "Oh, MJ, that's amazing! I'm so happy for you!"

"It's not all that amazing, Sook. I can't touch him, remember?" MJ would never be able to let that go.

Sookie waved her hand like she was brushing it off. "Oh, please. I'm sure you and Sam will think of something to work around that."

"That's exactly what he said." MJ blew some of her blonde hair out of her face. "Enough about me. Are you really gonna start screwing Bill or was that just a fantasy?"

Sookie gasped at MJ's question. "You caught all that?"

MJ pressed her lips together and nodded. "Oh, yeah. You were way to relaxed to keep yourself from broadcasting it."

Sookie turned bright red and covered her face with her hands because she couldn't believe she'd accidentally slipped MJ her fantasies yet again.

MJ laughed at Sookie's reaction. "Don't worry. I'm sure I'll accidentally broadcast one of my fantasies to you one day and then we'll be even."

Later that day, MJ headed into work for the lunch shift and stopped when she realized Sam was leaning on the bar checking her out. "Stop that."

"I'm not doing anything," Sam answered all innocently. That technically wasn't doing anything but he was certainly thinking it.

"You're thinking," MJ countered as she tied up her hair and approached him.

He had no name in admitting she was right. "I most certainly am." Sam was just about to move away from the bar when he felt his shirt being pulled and the next thing he knew MJ's lips were against his. He had just enough to react and kiss her back before she quickly pulled away.

MJ never would have done that under normal circumstances but there was just a surge inside her that made her act against better judgement. As soon as their lips met MJ got an insight into what Sam was thinking about. He was thinking about having his way with her right there on that bar. The images and feelings made MJ's heart beat rapidly and she needed to fan herself a bit after the thoughts filtered out. "Oh my stars."

Sam reached out to move some stray hairs out of MJ's face but made sure not to touch her skin, asking, "Are you alright?"

MJ nodded when Sam took his hand away. "I better get to work." She beelined for the back to get her apron before she acted upon impulse again.

Sam didn't try to stop her and leaned back against the bar with crossed arms and a smile as he watched her go. It took him a minute to realize Arlene was looking at him. The questioning expression on her face made him say, "What?" before getting back to work himself.

Arlene honestly wasn't sure if she had even seen the kiss she thought she saw because it happened so quickly but she didn't say anything about it. At least not to Sam. Arlene abandoned the table she was setting and went into the back, calling out, "Marie-Jeanne, sweetie, did you just kiss Sam or did I accidentally eat one of Lafayette's candies again?"

Sam heard what Arlene said and almost went out back to help MJ deal with it but instead he stayed right where he was because in the end it'd be far more interesting for MJ to deal with it herself.

End Season 1 Episode 3