LPOV

The small apartment I'd rented out while Eric and I were broken up was mostly empty. I'd spent a lot of time in Shreveport with Rachel, helping her with wedding preparations. When I wasn't there, I was either at Sookie's or Bill's. Half my clothes had never made it out of the boxes I'd brought them back to Bon Temps in. The only thing in the kitchen was a half case of off brand TruBlood. It was more watery and tasted bloodier than TruBlood, but it wasn't infected with Hep-V.

I had barely been boxing things up for an hour, when my phone rang. It was Sookie. "Hi," I answered.

"Are you still in Bon Temps?" She asked.

"Yeah, I am," I told her. "Just getting my stuff together at the apartment."

She was quiet for a minute. "Do you wanna stay here? Rachel went home with Lafayette and James, and I don't really want to be alone."

"Sure," I said. "Pick me up?"

OoOoO

Sookie came to get me in her PJs. When we got back to her house she went right to the kitchen and made us each a large mug of hot chocolate.

She sat down on the couch next to me and pulled her knees up to her chest. "So you're moving back to Shreveport?"

"I think so, yeah. Now that Eric is better, and we're back on good terms again, it just seems like the right thing to do." I took a sip of my cocoa.

"What about Rachel?"

"I don't know, I'm not sure she's decided what she wants to do," I said. "Bill wants her to move into his house…" I trailed off.

"Once he's gone," Sookie finished.

"Yeah." I shrugged. "I think it's a nice idea, but I'm not sure she'd want to move in right away, you know?"

"Too fresh."

"Maybe she'll go back to Colorado for a little bit. The schools up there are nice, it's a great place to raise kids." She nodded, but didn't say anything. "How are you holding up?"

"Bill told me why he's doing it, I guess you heard." I nodded. "It's hard to take in, that he's doing this to set me free."

"Can you imagine what our lives would have been like if vampires didn't exist?" I asked. "Or if they'd never come out of the coffin?"

"A lot more boring," she said, trying to smile.

"A lot less dangerous." I shook my head. "Then again, Rachel never would have met Alcide. Jessica would be trapped with a horrible, toxic family." I shrugged. "You and I would probably be crazy cat ladies."

"There's good and there's bad."

"Exactly." I nodded. "It's like poker, we're all dealt a hand, sometimes it's a good one, and sometimes it's a bad one. But we have to make the best of it, bluff our way through the tough times, and revel in the good ones."

"Maybe we haven't been dealt a full house, but we can't fold this round, we can't give up."

There was a loud noise outside, followed by shouting. "What the hell?" Sookie and I both jumped up and ran to the window. I couldn't see anything. Then my phone rang. "Eric?"

"You can come back to Fangtasia now," he said. "I'm outside." He hung up and I looked at Sookie confused.

"Um, will you be okay here, if I head out?" I asked.

She nodded. "See you soon."

I walked outside and found Eric leaning on the hood of a black sports car. "Need a ride?" As I got closer I could tell he was covered in blood spatter.

"What happened?" I asked. He didn't say anything; he just opened the passenger side door for me to get in. I let out a small squeak in shock when I saw the bodies of several Yakuza men piled in the back seat. Eric got in the driver's seat. "You killed Mr. Gus."

He started the car and cranked up the radio. I shook my head at him and he just smirked.

RPOV

I woke up to my phone hitting me in the face. "What the fuck?" I mumbled.

"Make that damn thing shut up, it's been ringing for twenty minutes," Lafayette told me.

I pushed myself up on the couch and grabbed it. "Hello?"

"Um, hi," Jessica said.

"What's going on?"

"Rach, I know you've had a hard time lately and this is gonna seem like really crazy," she said nervously. "But this would just mean so much to me."

"What would?" I asked, scrunching up my nose in confusion.

"Hoyt and I are getting married," she said blurted out. "Bill put the idea in our heads, and I just thought…I want him to walk me down the aisle too."

"Jess, that's amazing, honestly."

"You're happy for me! Okay, great! Will you be my bridesmaid?"

"Oh honey, of course I will. I can't believe you would ever think that I'd say no!"

She laughed. "I just thought with everything, it might be a little too soon. I'm glad I asked you!"

"Thank you for worrying about me, but I'm so glad you decided to call. You have a color scheme in mind? I can probably borrow something from Lily's apartment."

"Pink?"

"Pink sounds perfect!" I started to hang up. "Oh, and Jess, my dress is in my closet at Bill's, if you want it."

"Your dress," she repeated.

"My wedding dress."

"You'd let me wear it?"

"I think it would look beautiful on you."

OoOoO

It felt like it took ages to dig through Lily's boxes for a dress. But I still made it to Bill's before anyone else. I barged right on in and ran up to my room. Jessica was standing in front of my full-length mirror, wearing my wedding dress.

I felt tears spring to my eyes. She turned around and looked at me. "Oh, Rach." She hugged me, and I started crying harder. After a minute I finally let go and wiped my eyes. "I don't have to wear it," she said. "I asked Sookie to bring me other options."

"No," I said. "You have to wear it. You look absolutely breath taking."

"You think so?" She asked self-consciously. "I can't look as good in it as you did."

I tried to smile. "It was specially made for me."

She ran her hands over the lace. "Are you sure?"

I nodded. "I'm sorry. It's just bringing back memories of my wedding, and Alcide. I miss him."

"Of course you do, you should! You don't have to apologize. What you've been through could break down even the toughest person. You're one of the strongest people I know, Rachel." She hugged me again.

"I love you, Jess."

"I love you too," she told me. "I'm so thankful for everything Bill's given me. But I'm especially grateful that I have you and Lily as sisters."

"Speaking of Lily, where is she?" I asked. "I thought she was staying the night in town?"

"She was, but Eric whisked her back to Shreveport last night apparently." She shrugged. "We've got an eternity for sisterly bonding, I guess it's okay that she's missing this one."

"Give her a few decades, she'll kick herself for missing this."

There was a knock on the door. "It's just me!" Sookie called.

"Come in!" Jessica called to her.

Sookie opened the door and gasped. "Jess, you look amazing."

"You think?" She asked. "It's not too much? I mean this isn't a formal wedding or anything."

"Oh please, it's not every day you get to dress up like a princess," I said. "Revel in this moment."

"Exactly, plus it's not like you're getting married in a cellar. This house is pretty swanky."

"She's right," I noted.

"Okay, okay." Jessica grinned. "Can you two help me with my hair?"

OoOoO

When we were done curling Jessica's hair and fixing her makeup, Arlene poked her head in. "Oh honey, you look stunning." We all turned and smiled at her. "They just wanted to know if you guys were ready?"

Jessica looked to us and then nodded. "Yeah, I think so." We all walked downstairs, Arlene hurried ahead of us.

"Nervous?" I asked Jessica.

"A little," she admitted.

Bill was waiting for us at the bottom of the stairs. "She's all yours," I told him. I winked at her before walking towards the living room with Sookie. Before I opened the door I turned around and whispered, "Don't trip!" to Jessica and giggled at her look of terror, just like Lily had done to me.

After we had taken our places inside, Bill opened the door and led Jessica into the room. I didn't want to watch Jessica and Bill because I knew I'd start crying again, so instead I watched Hoyt. His eyes lit up when he saw her. Good, Jess deserves someone that will give her the world. Bill let Jessica go and she turned to face Hoyt. "Arlene, can you cut the music?" Andy asked.

"Oh shit." Arlene scurried over to the record player. "Sorry."

"Please be seated." I perched on the couch next to Sookie, we both smoothed down our pink lacey dresses. "We're gathered here today to celebrate the relationship of Jessica Hamby and Hoyt Fortenberry. Together we make up some of the most important people in their lives. We've all played an important part in getting them to where they are today." Jessica looked over her shoulder and smiled at each of us. I mentally shook my head at Lily again for missing this.

"Who gives Jessica away in marriage to this man?"

"I do," Bill said. Jessica turned and hugged him. He stepped away to sit down, and she let him go reluctantly. I slid over so he could sit next to Sookie.

"It's a beautiful thing fathers and daughters. Whether that relationship is biological, or circumstances brought them together, they have a bond that no one else can understand." Bill rubbed my arm. "That love is eternal, it's the sort of thing that you will carry for the rest of your life." I saw Jessica give Andy the same pained look that I was probably giving him. "Right, so, who gives Hoyt away?"

"I do!" Jason said. "But we already hugged it out, so carry on." We all laughed, the mood lightened once more.

"I just want to say one thing before the vows, the state of Lousiana may not recognize this union. But there's no doubt in my mind that God does. The love you two share is beautiful, and love is love."

"Amen," Holly said. I looked down, and quickly dabbed at the tears forming in my eyes.

"Have y'all written down any thoughts you want to share with each other?" Andy asked.

"There wasn't really much time," Jessica said.

"Yeah, I didn't write anything either," Hoyt said.

"How about rings?" Jessica and Hoyt shared a look of panic. Andy waved his hand. "It's okay, we'll improvise. Hoyt repeat after me, I give you my heart as a symbol of our love, for today, and tomorrow, and all the days to come. And know that my love is present, even when I am not." Hoyt repeated the vows to Jessica, and then Jessica did the same.

"I'm running out of tissues!" She said after she quickly sped through the vows. I pulled a few out of the pack I'd brought and stuck them in her hand.

"Alright, you're almost hitched," Andy said. "Jessica, do you take this man to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, as long as you both shall live?"

"I do," she said, smiling at Hoyt.

"Hoyt, do you take this woman to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, as long as you both shall live?"

"I do," Hoyt said, holding Jessica's hands tightly.

"I now pronounce you man and wife, you may kiss your vampire bride!"

Hoyt pulled Jessica towards him and kissed her. We all stood up and clapped. Jason gave a wolf whistle. Bill put his arm around my shoulder. "Can you meet me in my office in a moment?"

After hugging Jessica and Hoyt, I headed to the study. Bill came in a moment later. "I've asked Sookie to make arrangements with the cemetery for me, I want to be laid to rest with my family."

"That's nice," I said, honestly.

"I was wondering if you'd like to come say your goodbyes tonight."

I thought for a moment before shaking my head. "I don't think I would. I don't want to remember you like that. And I think it'll be best if you and Sookie say your goodbyes alone."

He nodded. "I am in awe of the person you've become," he told me. "You're such a strong, courageous woman and I'm glad that I was able to see you mature into the person you are today." I tried to smile, hoping that would force down the tears. "My only regret is that I won't be able to meet that beautiful little girl."

"I'll make sure she knows who you are," I told him. "Even when you're gone, you'll live on in our hearts." The tears that were building up in my eyes, finally spilled over.

Bill wrapped his arms around me and rubbed my back and let me cry. Suddenly I was being pulled into a dream. I gasped. Bill stepped back, looking at me worried.

"I had a vision."

"I thought those stopped."

"Me too," I said surprised. My tears had stopped momentarily due to shock, but as soon as it hit me what I saw I started sobbing again.

"What did you see?" He asked.

"Happiness," I told him. "Lily, Sookie, Jessica, my daughter, all of us. We're going to be happy, really truly happy."

Bill looked overjoyed; I could see blood tears on the verge of spilling. "Good, that's all I've ever wanted for you."

Five Years Later

"They just played one of your commercials!" I said to Lily on the phone. "You looked so cute!"

"Oh god, those fucking commercials were such a bitch!" She said with a groan. "The number of times I had to say that stupid line about Eric being a beautiful, Viking God. I could've thrown up."

"I am a beautiful, Viking God," I heard Eric say over the phone.

I rolled my eyes. "Some things never change, Eric's ego is one of those."

I could hear her saying something to him, but she was covering the phone. "Eric says happy Thanksgiving," she said.

"I don't think that's what he said, but okay."

It suddenly got very loud on her end. "Shut the door!" I hear her yell. "Asshole."

"Things going well with Eric?" I asked.

"Oh, you know Eric. He's a mess, but I love him."

"He's a mess that's making you very, very rich."

"This is also true," she said with a laugh. "But honestly, nothing's changed. We're the same people we've always been, and I guess always will be. We're not perfect, but I wouldn't want anyone but Pam and Eric to be my vampire family."

"What about Willa? She's your sister too," I reminded her.

I could almost see her eye roll. "I haven't seen Willa in three and a half years, and I rather like it that way." I could hear her shuffling papers. "This whole New Blood things has brought in a lot of business at Fangtasia. Between New Blood and the bar, I'm swamped with business stuff. It's kinda fun though, who knew that business degree would actually come in handy?"

"Not mom, she thought you were throwing your life away."

"The only thing worse than a business degree, would've been a communications degree," she said. "Which…is what you majored in!"

"We're disgraces to the Compton family name."

"Not anymore!" She sing-songed. "How's Bon Temps?"

"Good so far!" I said. "I'm getting used to the humidity all over again, that's a little rough. Can't wait till you see what I've done with the house. Jess and Hoyt took great care of it, but they're excited to be moving into their own place. It's really cute and totally them, meanwhile I finally got to redecorate." Lily laughed. "Ali loves it here too; she's really hit it off with Jason's oldest. Oh, Nicole and Sam are coming into town tonight too!"

"Aw! I can't wait till tomorrow. I haven't seen Victoria since she was two, I bet she's getting so big!"

"I wish you could've made it tonight."

"Me too, but let's be real. Thanksgiving leftovers are always better than day of."

"Jason has already gone into great detail about his signature leftover recipes," I said, shaking my head. "We're not even done cooking yet!"

"Rachel, I need help with the casseroles!" Sookie called from the kitchen.

"Speaking of cooking, Sook needs my help."

"Okay! See you tomorrow. Tell Ali her aunt loves her very much and has a super special surprise for her tomorrow. It's from Portugal."

"I will, I promise. Can't wait to see you!" I started to hang up and then I remembered something. "Lil?"

"Yeah?"

"Remember that vision I told you about?"

"Which one?" She asked with a laugh.

"The one I had the day of Jess's wedding, where we were all happy?"

"Ooh right, the one you wouldn't tell me hardly anything about?"

"I didn't want to spoil anything!" I defended. "Well, this is it, it's today."

"Today?"

"Yep. You feeling happy?"

"Yeah, actually. I'm really happy." It suddenly got loud again, and then I heard her say, "Shouldn't you be out on the throne?"

"It's Thanksgiving, right?" I heard Eric ask. "I just wanted to tell you what I was thankful for." There was silence and then I heard Lily giggle.

A loud crack let me know Lily had dropped her phone. "Fuck. Sorry, Rach," she said. "Stop it!" She squealed. "I gotta go! I'll see you tomorrow!" She said between breathy giggles. I rolled my eyes and slipped my phone in my pocket.

I walked out of the room and was instantly ambushed by Ali. Her dark curls bobbed around her face. "Auntie Lil?" She asked.

I nodded. "She had to go. But she's coming to visit tomorrow and she told me she has a super, special surprise for you!"

"Ooh!" Ali jumped up and down. "Surprises are my favorite!"

I ruffled her hair. "I know. Mommy's gonna go help Aunt Sookie cook dinner, why don't you go play with the other kids?"

"I'm hungry now."

"Come back in five minutes and I'll slip you a biscuit," I fake whispered. She laughed and ran off. I walked into the kitchen where a very pregnant Sookie was trying to pick up the recipe card she'd just dropped. "I got it!" I told her, sweeping in to the rescue.

There was a knock on the doorframe and Arlene and Holly popped their heads in. "Need help?" Holly asked.

"Yes, please!" Sookie said.

"Sam just pulled up," Arlene told us.

"It's going to be midnight by the time we eat at this rate," Sookie said.

"I mean…that's like midday for Jessica and Willa…" I said.

Sookie waved me away. "Cook something, I'm begging you!"

"We're on it," I told her. She took off down the back steps to greet Sam and Nicole. When she was gone Holly, Arlene, and I burst into laughter.

I shook my head. "Someone crack out a bottle of wine and let's get this Thanksgiving rolling!" Holly and Arlene burst out laughing. I looked outside at the kids playing in the yard and smiled. Things were so good. I knew that no matter what the rest of my life had in store for me, I'd get through it all with these amazing people by my side.