Since I imagine you’ve never celebrated Christian holidays, I’m surprised by your well wishes.
William Compton
TO: WILLIAM COMPTON
ONLY A FOOL WOULD USE AN ASSIGNMENT FROM THE QUEEN AS LEVERAGE, AND AS YOU KNOW, I AM NO FOOL. SHE SEEMS CONVINCED THAT YOUR DATABASE WILL BE NOT ONLY A VALUABLE TOOL IN HER BUSINESS DEALINGS BUT ALSO A PROFITABLE ENTERPRISE IN GENERAL. CONGRATULATIONS, BILL, YOU’RE NOW A BONA FIDE COMPUTER WHATEVER-YOU-ARE. GOOD TO SEE THOSE NIGHT CLASSES PAID OFF.
AS FOR MY HOLIDAY WISHES, NEVER LET IT BE SAID THAT I CANNOT ADAPT TO MY ENVIRONMENT. CHRISTIAN HOLIDAYS ARE IMPORTANT TO HUMANS—SUCH AS SOOKIE. I WONDER HOW SHE’LL BE CELEBRATING? RUMOR HAS IT YOU TWO ARE NO LONGER INVOLVED, SO PERHAPS I’LL DROP BY TO MAKE CERTAIN SHE’S NOT ALONE FOR THE HOLIDAYS.
ALL MY BEST,
ERIC
To: Eric Northman,
Dear Eric, Sheriff of Area Five
Dear Eric,
Fuck off.
Bill
TUESDAY, JANUARY 25, 2005. Sookie drives her brother, Jason, who may be a werepanther as a result of being attacked by Felton Norris, out to Hotshot, leaving him with Calvin Norris, who will guide him through his first change. Sookie can tell his eyes are different before she leaves.
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 26. Jason returns to Sookie’s house the next morning, almost exhilarated by his new experience. Although at first he becomes ill at the sight of food, she is ultimately relieved that he seems able to handle the changes in his life. Working the late shift at Merlotte’s, Sookie is surprised to see her friend Tara sitting with an unfamiliar vampire named Mickey. Since Sam is out enjoying the moon, Terry is left in charge of the bar, and he and Sookie work together to relieve a Drainer of her cache of vampire blood and send her from the bar.
THURSDAY, JANUARY 27. Claudine arrives at Merlotte’s with the upsetting news that Calvin Norris has been shot and seriously wounded, and that apparently a shooter is targeting shifters. As Sookie and Sam leave the bar after closing up, Sam is shot in the leg.
FRIDAY, JANUARY 28. Laid low by his broken leg and fearing to expose any other shifters, Sam asks Sookie to visit Fangtasia to bargain with Eric for the loan of a bartender. Eric sends vampire Charles Twining back to Bon Temps with Sookie. Hearing that Mickey came into Merlotte’s, Eric warns her that Mickey is a rogue and to stay away from him.
SATURDAY, JANUARY 29. The next day at Merlotte’s, Sookie is visited by private investigators Jack Leeds and Lily Bard Leeds, who want to question her about the disappearance of Debbie Pelt. Sookie agrees to talk with them at her home the next day.
Jason and Sookie go to the hospital in Grainger to visit the wounded Calvin. The werepanthers keeping guard over their packmaster keep Jason out but allow Sookie in the room. She is upset at the seriousness of his injuries but is horrified when Calvin tells her the Hotshot shifters suspect that Jason is the sniper. He reassures her that he has ordered that nothing be done to Jason, but Sookie realizes that to save her brother, she must find the shooter before the next full moon.
Alcide comes by Sookie’s house with the news of the death of Colonel Flood and invites her to attend his funeral the next day. She tells Alcide of the visit of the detectives, warning him that the Pelt family is looking into Debbie’s disappearance.
SUNDAY, JANUARY 30. When the detectives arrive, Sookie is surprised at how much they know about her relationship with Debbie, but she is straightforward about her dislike of the shifter. They leave with no apparent reason to suspect her, and Alcide arrives to pick her up for the funeral.
Once at the church for the service, Sookie realizes that her attending with Alcide has a larger import within the pack. She learns from Christine Larrabee, wife of the former packmaster and escorted by Alcide’s father, Jackson Herveaux, that her appearance with Alcide signifies her support of his father in his bid for packmaster. An angry Sookie confronts Alcide with the deception but remains at the service to honor Colonel Flood. Sookie also comes to the notice of Patrick Furnan, the other candidate for packmaster. A tall, handsome bald man at the service catches Sookie’s eye.
That evening at work, Sam asks Sookie if Charles Twining can stay at her house, since the bar does not have an adequate light-tight space. Tara and Mickey arrive at the bar, and Sookie has an angry confrontation with Mickey.
Sookie is asleep when Charles awakens her with the news of a prowler and slips outside. She turns on the porch light to see that Charles has captured a furious Bill Compton. Returning to bed, she is awakened again by Claudine with the news that her house is on fire. Charles kills the man who apparently started the fire, and the fire department is able to save her house. It appears that the man is a member of the Fellowship of the Sun. With Sookie’s home seriously damaged, Sookie and Charles go home with Bill for the rest of the night.
MONDAY, JANUARY 31. Sookie’s insurance agent, Greg Aubert, arrives to assess the damage, the first of a steady stream of visitors, including Tray Dawson, who’s been sent by Calvin Norris with a message of support and an offer of his home while he is in the hospital. Sookie does not want to be obligated but worries where she will stay until her home is repaired.
Sookie is dismayed when the family of the dead arsonist comes to see her at work. They struggle with his guilt but leave when the evidence seems overwhelming. Sam comforts Sookie, and they have a passionate moment, which is interrupted by Bill, who fights with the injured Sam. When Sookie is harmed trying to stop the fight, an angry Bill leaves, and she decides to spend the night at Jason’s.
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 1. Terry Bellefleur has offered to help Sookie by demolishing the fire-damaged areas of her house and disposing of the refuse for a nominal fee. They are working at her house in the morning when Alcide arrives, anxious after hearing about the fire. Contractors Randall and Delia Shurtliff come by to arrange the repairs, and after they leave, Alcide asks Sookie to move in with him for the duration of the renovation. She refuses, admitting that she shot Debbie in self-defense, and although he claims it doesn’t matter, she tells him that now is not the time to consider starting a relationship.
Sookie is upset when Bill brings a date, Selah Pumphrey, to the bar that evening. She is further disturbed when Eric arrives, angry that Charles had not rescued Sookie from the burning house. Eric tries again to get Sookie to tell him what happened between them when he had amnesia, but she is able to distract him. Sookie agrees when Sam offers her one of his rental houses until her own is repaired. She is pleased to have to spend only one more night at her brother’s place. She is surprised to find Crystal at Jason’s but relieved that the female werepanther doesn’t believe Jason is involved in the shootings.
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 2. Sookie salvages enough linens and kitchenware to move into the duplex on Berry Street and makes her first meal in her temporary home. She visits Calvin at the Grainger hospital and decides to stop at the library on the way back. Out in the parking lot, Sookie feels another presence and ducks just as a shot rings out, creasing her shoulder. She wakes up in the hospital to her brother’s voice and later gets a visit from Detective Andy Bellefleur. Bill arrives to watch over her and spends the night.
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 3. Sookie is released from the hospital the next morning and is mystified to find that her bill has been paid. She is just realizing that she has no way to get home when Claudine’s brother, Claude, arrives to take her back to the duplex. Tara comes to visit, and Sookie is horrified when she learns how Mickey is controlling her terrified friend. Tara begs Sookie not to interfere. When Tara leaves, Sookie realizes that she has only one alternative, and she calls Eric, who comes over immediately. Sookie tells Eric the full story of Tara’s problem with Mickey. She is not surprised that the price for the favor is the truth of the time they spent together. Sookie tells him all they did and what he promised her while he had amnesia. After a few minutes of stunned silence while he processes the information, Eric calls Mickey’s maker, Salome, and asks her to deal with Mickey, since he is acting against their laws and without permission in Eric’s territory. Eric is beginning to get amorous when a furious Mickey arrives with a beaten Tara and attacks, striking Eric with a rock. Sookie is able to revive Eric but is forced to let Mickey into the house when he threatens to kill Tara. Mickey attacks Sookie, but she is able to rescind the invitation. He is forced to leave and answer his maker’s call. Eric calls Salome back to inform her of Mickey’s disobedience and then calls Bill to help repair the apartment.