All you Held Sacred Falls Down and Does not Bend

Just remember that death is not the end
And all that you held sacred
Falls down and does not bend
Just remember that death is not the end.
Bob Dylan- Death is not the end

There was a knock at the door. Len got up and went to the door. “It’s Bill and Eric.” I stood there, a paragon of indecision.
“Please, let us in,” said Bill. He said this quietly, gently. I nodded and Len threw the bolt and helped Eric in the house. “Thank you.” This was the first time Bill had been in the house in a long time. Eric sat down on the couch. His face was still smeared with his bloody tears and he was speechless. Aolani brought a wet wash cloth and knelt in front of the big Viking. I motioned for Bill to come over to the computer desks.

“What happens now?” I asked.
“It is all up to Sookie now,” he said. He looked slightly uncomfortable. “How are you and Renee?”
“We saw you, when you were outside the house, we saw you,” I said.
“I know, I just didn’t know what to say,” he said. “Aslinn…”
“Can we help you at all?” I asked.
“Can you talk to Sookie for me?” he asked. I bit my lip. “I don’t think you will have any more luck than me, but can you talk to her?”
“We’ll try Bill,” I said.

Minnie was patting Eric’s shoulders and back as he sat there and let Aolani wipe his face. “Eric honey, you were so brave, you were with her till the very end, she died safe in your arms,” she said. “Everything that could be done was done.”
“Not everything,” he growled. “Where is that mongrel?”
“Sookie has him,” said Minnie.
“I could almost say I hate Sookie Stackhouse,” he said. “Bill is asking Aslinn to go and talk to her.”
“And they will, we all will,” said Aolani.
“Cast whatever spells you ladies can, make her bring him back,” said Eric. “We are running out of time.”
“We have some Tru:Blood Eric, can you drink some for us?” asked Renee. “It is safe, we got this from Fangtasia before all hell broke loose.”
“I had better have some, thank you,” he said.
“Bill, do you want a Tru:Blood? It is clean,” said Renee.
“Thank you sweetheart, I think I better,” he said. She walked into the kitchen and grabbed two bottles out of the fridge and popped them in the microwave. “This is good for Eric, being with you all. Aslinn…”
“Please Bill, not till it is over, okay?” I said. “When it is over, and we can count on you being you…”
“I am sorry,” he said.
“Just don’t worry about us, just get Jess and Tara and Pam and Willa out,” I said. “I love you Bill.” Bill opened his mouth as if to speak then shut it. He nodded and Renee came up and handed him the Tru:Blood. He leaned down and brushed his lips on hers and thanked her. Renee grabbed him around the neck and he put his arms around her. I could hear him muttering to her.

I went over to the other Vampire in the room. Barrister got up and I sat down next to him. “I always end up here when I lose someone,” he said. His mood ring eyes were rimmed red.
“It is because we are your family,” I said.
“I don’t want any more family if it hurts to lose them,” he said.
“Eric, hun, we need you to get ready,” said Aolani. “We need you to save the others.”
“How?” he asked.
“Something will come up but you have to keep yourself up and be strong, maybe stronger than you ever have been before,” said Aolani. “Would you let us…bless you…and Bill?” Eric sat there and looked at Aolani. He cupped her face and sighed.
“I don’t think it will do any good,” he said.
“Well, do it for us,” she said.

He stood, unwilling but still stood, and we pulled him into a circle. Renee led Bill in. We joined hands. I guess there would be some who would say this just a little too sweet and syrupy and reminiscent with hippy encounter groups but these were our friends and we wanted them to know even if they believed, half believed or didn’t believe at all, that we loved them and we wanted only the best for them.

I waited for Aolani to begin but it was Minnie’s voice who began.
“I pray you are both safe and strong and you are protected as you go out there and fight for your friends,” she said.
“And I know what it is to lose a sister and the pain that you must have so I hope you find justice for her,” said Barrister.
“Fear nothing,” said Len. “And let your best intuition be your guide.”
“Open Sookie’s heart to these two, she said once she loved you both, prove it Sookie, help them save their friends and their progeny,” said Renee.
“Bring them all back safe, and help us to know what to say to convince Sookie they are her friends too and they, no matter what petty faults she finds in them, are her friends and she once proclaimed her love to them,” I said.
“I call upon Godric and Nora to walk with them and protect them and be their guides,” said Aolani. “I call upon the energies of the elements and earth and the hand of the creator to cradle them and guide them, comfort and protect them and give them wisdom and bravery.”
We unlinked our hands and we watched them. They hugged and kissed their lovers, shook hands with the rest. Barrister gave Bill a look I could only describe as confident and hopeful and then the Viking came to me.
“Be careful,” I said.
“I will try,” he said.
“I love you, you know, you are my best Vampire friend, I wouldn’t like it if you get hurt,” I said.
“I have more stories to tell you,” he said.
“You better believe it,” I said. “We’ll talk to Sookie.”
“I know you will do your best,” he said.
“Go on Eric, time is fleeting,” I said.

After the Vampires left, there was a noticeable gloom in the house. You know how you have a picture and over time, the color fades out? That is the way the house felt. I rubbed my eyes and looked around.

“Let’s go, I am tired of fucking Sookie and her fairy vagina,” I said.

Aolani still drives like her broom is on fire. We were in Bon Temps in record time and we headed past Merlotte’s and went straight for her house. The path to Bill’s house was dark. She was crossing the yard to the porch. I got out with Aolani. The rest followed suit. The Vlad Squad.

“What now?” she asked. “Look, I don’t care what Bill wants you to say, this has to be my decision.”
“It is your decision,” said Aolani. “But we want to talk to you.”
“I am just a little worn out right now, in case you didn’t know it, but a friend of mine died,” she said.
“And a lot more are gonna die…You know Sookie, if you are so fed up with Vampires, why do you keep fucking them? Strike danger whore and just call you a whore if you keep humping everything with fangs and then conveniently deciding they are not really worth your friendship, love or effort…You got Tara turned into a Vampire and you have the nerve to say she isn’t your friend?” I asked. “How dare you.”
“So much for subtlety,” said Len.
“Yeah, but Eric would have enjoyed it,” said Barrister.
“I don’t think Bill would have minded it either,” said Renee.
“Why don’t you guys help them if you love them so much?” she asked. “Aren’t you tired of them pulling you around, dragging you through danger?”
“Well, we are still here, and we are still trying to help them, and we think the best way….” I stopped. “Never fucking mind, Sookie. Are you gonna get Warlow or what? How do you think Jason would feel?”
“Careful,” said Barrister. I took a breath.
“Jessica is Jason’s friend, and she is about to die. Don’t you care about him and how he would feel if he knew you not only had Warlow but that you fucked him and then denied Bill access to him to save her and the others?” asked Aolani. “Help him Sookie…or I will tell Eric….”
“Tell him what?” she asked.
“Tell him you don’t give a shit,” said Minnie. “You talk about how crappy they treat you and how they deceive you and betray them and yet, what do you do? You are doing the same thing if those Vampires die. Maybe Eric doesn’t mean anything to you.”
“Go help him yourself if he means so much to you,” she said heading up to the porch.
“Where is your grandfather Sookie? Where is fucking Niall?” asked Renee.
“I don’t know, out there somewhere,” she said.
“Ask…” she began, but I grabbed her. “Go back to Warlow and ask him where Niall is and see what he says Sookie.”
“What do you know?” she asked.
“Ah ah ah…that would be a favor. That would require you doing a favor for us, which is a favor for Bill and Eric and all our friends,” I said.
“I wished I could just read your alls minds and get it out,” she said.
“Go ask your lover Sookie…see if he would know the truth any better than Bill and Eric,” said Aolani. “You may be surprised at what you hear…and what you don’t hear. Then decide if Bill and Eric and the rest are worth you keeping your lover du jour another day….”
“Fuck you, fuck all you all,” she said.