Take My Hand, We'll Make It I Swear

[Nora Gainesborough]

Nora knew she was going to get in to trouble. It wasn't that she cared, though. Eric had done billions of things that Nora hadn't cared for in the past, but it didn't stop him. Granted, this was a bit more of a big deal, but it was Nora's decision. Feeling confident about what she was about to do, she walked to William Compton's house dressed in one of her favorite get-ups, and she stood at his door. She curled her manicured fingers in to a fist, and lightly rapped on his door, taking a brief, un-needed breath. It wasn't Bill who answered the door, though, but rather, his daughter, Jessica. Nora smiled when she had seen the red headed, spirited baby vampire. "Good evening, Jessica," she greeted her with a nod. 

Jessica was of course protective over Bill. He was the closest thing she had to a father, and she didn't want just any woman sauntering in to his life. Luckily enough, she and Nora had been through a lot together and she knew she wasn't just 'some chick' wanting to hook up with the King of Louisiana. Not to mention, she did all she could to save Bill's life..and that meant a lot to Jess. "Hey, Nora." She lightly tapped her fingertips against the doorway. She was dressed in her Merlotte's uniform, signaling that she was about to go to work as Nora arrived. "Bill's upstairs. Want me to go get 'em?" 

Nora shook her head. "That's okay, I can find my way." She took yet another un-needed breath, and then cleared her throat, clasping her hands together. "Jessica, could I ask you a question? What is your opinion on mine and William's relationship?" Nora wasn't one to care what anyone thought of her decisions..but considering the gravity of the situation, she wanted to make sure her presence in Bill's life wasn't completely despised. 

Jessica thought for a moment, with her brows narrowed. "...I don't hate it." She said simply. After Nora gave her a rather sad looking nod, she continued. "To be honest, I'm just scared that he's gonna get hurt. Every woman he loved crushed him.. and now with everything that's going on with Hailey, it's just...Well. Actually..it's nice to see something making him happy." Jess, never one to hold back her emotions, wrapped her arms around a very shocked Nora, and hugged her. "Just don't hurt him..alright?" 

Nora blinked several times, but still gave Jessica a hug. "Of course," she promised. "I'd never hurt him intentionally. I hope you know that."  

"I do..I think." Jess mused, breaking out of the hug. "Anyway, I've gotta go to work so.. i'll see you around, Nora." After smiling again, she was out the door, and on her way to Merlottes. 

Nora was standing there, at the bottom of the stairs, looking up toward the direction of William's bedroom. She just realized that she was never inside of it.. The only time that they were intimate was on his living room floor. She closed the door behind her, walked up the stairs, and toward his room, where she knocked yet again on the door.


Tag: Bill Compton
Outfit: Here 

[William Thomas Compton]

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All alone at the end of the of the evening
And the bright lights have faded to blue
I was thinking 'bout a woman who might have
Loved me and I never knew


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With his youngest progeny returned to her right mind, freed of the influence of what had appeared to be a demon, Bill was once again able to indulge in moments of quiet solitude. It had felt like the house had echoed with Hailey’s shrieks for a life time and even now, as he sat in a corner of his room Bill found himself looking up occasionally, wondering why the house was so quiet. With both Hailey and Jessica under his roof once more Bill expected that it would not stay this way. Young women were typically vocal and Bill almost looked forward to the sound of happy voices once more. Surely they would return now that the dark ominous cloud of both the demon and the Queen of Arkansas had been lifted from this home. Until that happened Bill would enjoy the peace he had been given, even if it meant that he was using it here in his bed chamber, reading instead of spending time with Nora. Had he been told that he would end up courting his sheriff’s sister when he’d received the first ultimatum from Anita Beauchamp Bill would have called the speaker a liar but fate had dealt him a pleasant hand in the midst of so much pain. Setting the book face down on his thigh Bill took a slow sip from the glass of bourbon that had been waiting at his elbow. Perhaps, he thought, as his eyes took in the broad bed before him, the empty bed, he would have been better off inviting Nora over tonight. With Jessica taking a shift at Merlotte’s and Hailey … somewhere, behaving herself hopefully … he had the house to himself. The thought of Nora in his empty home would have bought a furious blush to his cheeks had he enough of a heartbeat to drive the hot blood to his cheeks. The last time they had been alone here had been the night she had admitted her feelings to him, the night he had ordered his guards out of sight so he could take her … right there in the living room. It had been a bold move for him, one surely driven by the revelations Nora had made but instead of leading to nothing more than a physical fling things between the two of them had developed into so much more. Of course it had angered her brother but Bill had long ago given up on pleasing his sheriff, it would surely never happen. As occupied as he was by his own thoughts, Bill did not hear the knock on the door. He missed the exchange of voices and opinions in the front hallway and perhaps that was for the best. His embarrassment of only a moment ago would have been nothing in comparison to the furious mortification he would surely have been eaten alive by if he had heard what was being discussed. A man of his time did not discuss matters of the heart, not in polite company, and it was less acceptable still to discuss the more intimate parts of a relationship. The only one he had spoken of it with was the woman with whom he was involved. The woman on his mind now, who might possibly have been summoned by his own thoughts. Shifting in his seat, moving to pick up his book once more Bill caught a familiar scent in the air, one which he had not dreamed he would encounter tonight. Caught up in his amazement at the almost dreamlike appearance of Nora Bill slowly got to his feet, sending the book tumbling to the floor. He was fairly certain that he would not find her there when the knock sounded at his bedroom door. Bill was in fact sure that the subtle scent of Nora Gainsborough had been nothing more than a memory, one dredged up by his thoughts of her. Silently he glided across the room, pale features drawn in doubt and confusion until he opened the door. The instant he caught sight of the dark hair gleaming under the lights Bill’s expression changed, warmth entering his eyes, stealing away the cold pallor of his skin. ”I was certain that I had imagined your presence,” Bill murmured softly in greeting. He leaned against the doorframe, one corner of his mouth drawn up for a moment before he reached for Nora’s hand. Lifting it to his lips, Bill brushed a kiss across her knuckles. ”I daydreamed of you and suddenly you were there. Perhaps I’m more psychic than I had ever imagined.” Or perhaps the bond between them had sent Nora’s mind wandering in the same direction as his own tonight. It would not be the first time their blood bond had allowed them to share emotions, although this was of course a hundred times more pleasant than the night her blood had called out to him from the cemetery where Anita Beauchamp was planning the final battle in her little war.

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You know I've always been a dreamer
(spent my life running 'round)
And it's so hard to change
(Can't seem to settle down)



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Word Count: 836 - Tags: Nora Gainesborough - Lyrics: 'Take It to the Limit' by The Eagles – Outfit: Here!

[Nora Gainesborough]

The moment that Nora saw Bill's face when he answered the door, she was filled with an overwhelming feeling of love. Whether it was because of her own emotions, their bond, or both combined, she didn't know, but either way it was intense. He had spoke of how he had been daydreaming about her, and how she was there now. He mused that he could have been psychic and it made her smile. "What can I say.. I was drawn to you." For more than one reason. "May I come in?" She asked, with a small tilt of her head. Once he allowed her in, she crossed the room, allowing her eyes to roam over his bedroom. It was as classy as she had figured it would be. It was nice, neat, and it carried a smell of a time forgotten... it was wonderful. 

She pivoted on her heel and looked him over. She had gone through an entire thought process of how this conversation would go, but now that the moment was actually there, she had nothing. No plan. Everything just vanished in her mind. "I'm glad to know that you were daydreaming about me. I was worried that I would be interrupting time with your progeny."  She could have dropped the bomb right at that moment, but she decided against it. She wanted to let her presence sink in.. as well as what she had been wearing. She wore a rather nice outfit for the occasion and she didn't want it to go to waste.. even though it was partly covered by a leather jacket - one that she couldn't take off otherwise she'd have no pockets to conceal the box that lied inside of it. "I couldn't stop thinking about you..." she smiled warmly, taking a step toward him. 

[William Thomas Compton]

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All alone at the end of the of the evening
And the bright lights have faded to blue
I was thinking 'bout a woman who might have
Loved me and I never knew


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In the wake of his conversation with Jessica Bill’s thoughts regarding Nora had become crystal clear. The earlier doubts and confusion drifting away the more he had thought about what she had come to mean to him. Every daily task now was interrupted by stray thoughts, one that he was sure left him smiling as Jessica had noticed. His progeny had teased him during their conversation about him no longer only flashing his teeth in anger. The thought had been slightly disturbing at the time but Bill had seen the humour in it. In honesty there truly hadn’t been a time of late when he’d had a reason to smile that way, that was until Nora had practically burst into his home, demanding a spot in the war against Anita Beauchamp, requesting a place in his heart. Inevitably Nora had achieved both, although the second had very much been risked when she had strolled into the Queen’s court and attempted to decimate Anita’s people. That part of Nora’s plan had succeeded and in a way she had protected him and Eric with the reckless charge but in the end it had been Nora who had almost met her true death out in the woods. That thought still burned at Bill, irritating something deep in his heart until he felt almost gleeful that in the end he and Eric had slaughtered the Queen and her fae. Without Nora in his life Bill was sure that the result would have been different, he truly had to thank her for that. The Queen and her pet flew far from Bill’s mind as the woman he cared deeply for appeared before him like a vision. As if they were truly tied together Bill found his mouth curving further as Nora aimed a smile in his direction. His mouth still tingled from the touch of her skin against his lips. As she requested an entrance Bill stepped back, her hand still caught in hers until Nora had moved past him into his room. ”Forgive my manners, please, enter” he murmured softly, casting an appraising gaze around his own chamber. It was a far cry from the room he had shared with his wife in this home, the furnishings more opulent, the life that had once rung within its walls now absent. It served him well enough as a sanctuary, as a place of safety in which to spend his most vulnerable hours however. Honesty that he could not disguise around Nora shone in his eyes as they returned to her. ”With a bond such as we share it can be difficult to be certain from what quarter the feelings come. Perhaps I drew you here, perhaps you somehow took some of my feelings as your own. Either way,” Bill paused for a moment, his expression softening, ”I am glad that you have come. I would not readily have admitted it to most, but I have missed you.” For a man unused to expressing some words it was always a surprise to feel the words fly free so easily around this woman. In the time it had taken for Nora to look his room over Bill had shut the door behind her and taken two slow steps into his space. That faint trace of a smile remained on his face, the expression touched with just a hint of bashfulness as he stood before her. They were in his private space now, alone and speaking in ways that were far more tender and concerned than the conversations he experienced with almost everybody else. ”You would never be interrupting,” Bill assured Nora as she spoke of her own concerns. He glanced at the door to his chamber as he considered where his progeny actually were. ”Jessica has been employed by Sam Merlotte once more, I imagine she’ll be garnering tips for hours to come and Hailey…” Bill was actually uncertain where his younger progeny was now. Just a few short weeks ago that would have terrified him but Hailey was now free of the demon’s influence and he could once again trust his progeny to find her own way around this town. One hand rose as Nora moved closer, seeking out the curve of her hip just as surely as his eyes sought the depths of hers. ”I believe our minds were of one thought,” Bill said softly as he drew Nora even closer. ”I find you invading my thoughts constantly. Jessica assures me that she can tell when it occurs, I am just glad she cannot read the images in my mind that occur at those moments.” Bill was bashful enough about those images, about his feelings as it was. This woman had truly undone the parts of him that had remained laced tight for so long and she had no clue just what she had done to him.

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You know I've always been a dreamer
(spent my life running 'round)
And it's so hard to change
(Can't seem to settle down)



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Word Count: 812 - Tags: Nora Gainesborough - Lyrics: 'Take It to the Limit' by The Eagles – Outfit: Here!

[Nora Gainesborough]

The mind of a vampire was a strange thing. One sip, and you'd be linked for a short time.. but if one drank enough, it was a link forever. Nora and Bill, had drank from each other.. which gave them an incredible bond. It was much like that of a sire and a vampire child.. It was a bond that could not be broken. So it was no surprise when Bill opened his bedroom door, and admitted that they were of one mind..for he had been thinking about her. Now, she was inside of his room, and he spoke of how he had missed her. "I've missed you as well, William." She missed him so much that it only proved she was absolutely ready for the question she was going to as him. 

He spoke of his progeny, and how Jessica was once more working at Merlottes. It wasn't a surprise, as that was where most of the young girls in this town seemed to find jobs. It was okay though, because it kept them safe. Sam Merlotte was a protector at the core of him, and that was what those girls needed. Hailey, however.. it seemed that she was a different story. Nora took him by the hand to comfort him, but she noticed he quickly got off of the topic of his youngest progeny. She would have, under other circumstances, she would have mused that children would be children, and it would work itself out.. but that likely wasn't what Bill wanted to hear right now. 

"Our minds are indeed working quite wonderfully together.. and I will have to apologize to Jessica for bombarding her with the thought of knowing exactly how much we think about one another. It's quite an intriguing string effect isn't it?" She gave him a sweet smile. "But.. I must be forward. I had a reason for coming you tonight. Something other than merely you being on my mind every waking moment.." and usually, during the day while she was asleep as well. "And.. here it goes." She took a deep breath and pulled a crimson velvet box from her pocket... and then she got down on one knee. 

"William Compton. I know that you are a gentleman, and this is something that you would likely want to do.. but I've been wanting this for a long, long time. You have touched me in a way that no one else has. You see my soul, and my heart, as dark and void of life as they are.. and you make me feel alive. Will you marry me, my king?" She opened the box, presenting a ring to him. 



Ring is here

[William Thomas Compton]

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All alone at the end of the of the evening
And the bright lights have faded to blue
I was thinking 'bout a woman who might have
Loved me and I never knew


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It was often said that every cloud had a silver lining, Bill had seen enough storms roll across the skies of the world to know that the truth was often far from the adage. There were lives that were plagued with darkness, that were lucky to see one brief silvery glimpse in their many years. In his experience love shone the brightest in the dark and was fully capable of sending the darkness fleeing across the sky. He had experienced such brightness three times in his long life, with his wife, with Sookie, although that silver gleam had rapidly been dulled by their circumstances, and again most recently. As the black shadows cast by Anita Beauchamp and her pet fae had descended upon the town he’d lost sight of the silver lining … until now. Nora had brought it back for him and it was now almost visible as he invited her into his bed chamber. If he had a heart, it would have ached as she assured him she had missed him as well. It was strange how one’s feelings could change in such a relatively short space of time, although those few months that had passed between their first discussion in the parlour and Nora’s arrival today had been hard lived. Tragedy had a tendency to force a lot of living into a relatively short time. The comfort of Nora’s hand being wrapped around his own should have made the subject of his youngest progeny easier to broach but the words still stuck in Bill’s throat. So many mistakes had been made with Hailey, far more than he’d made in any other quarter of late. He had not taken the state of her mind seriously enough, had not shown enough caution in ensuring she was watched at all times and he had paid a price for those mistakes. It had taken far longer than it should have done to free Hailey from the influence that had taken hold in her mind. If he’d not been forced to fight on two fronts that process would perhaps have been over quicker. It was almost a relief for the subject to change, for Bill to feel the burn of embarrassment beneath his cold skin rather than the shame the thought of his failure of Hailey brought upon him. Clearing his throat slightly, Bill casthis gaze downwards. ”Intriguing perhaps, far too revealing certainly.” There were things he could definitely do without revealing to his progeny by mistake. From now on he would have to take greater care there to protect them both from his wayward thoughts. Concern shone in Bill’s eyes as Nora confessed she had a reason for visiting. He had not seen as much of her as he would have cared to following the incident with Anita and Malachy. Had something else happened upon that night, when she’d been held by the pair? Bill was sure he would’ve felt some echo of it through the link between them but stranger things had happened before. Seeing the box confused him further still. Bill shifted on his feet, cocking his head as Nora dropped to one knee. It was only as the words began to spill from her lips that understanding dawned. In his time proposals did not occur in such a manner. The man was always the one to make the request, and only usually following great debates with the bride’s parents to gain their acceptance. Nora’s parents were of course long dead and in the intervening centuries the way these actions were performed had changed greatly. ”You wish for my hand in marriage?” Bill finally managed as Nora asked the final question and presented him with the ring. For a moment there was silence and then laughter as Bill sank down to her knees before him. ”This is certainly not the proposal I had in mind but it is certainly one that is appreciated. Yes, I will.” That was if the law would allow it. Vampires were still very much discriminated against in this world. Coming out of the closet had gained them many rights but they were not yet equal in the eyes of the law. That wasn’t to say that a ceremony could not be performed though. Warmth shone in Bill’s eyes as he held his hand out towards Nora, as he accepted what she had offered.

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You know I've always been a dreamer
(spent my life running 'round)
And it's so hard to change
(Can't seem to settle down)



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Word Count: 729 - Tags: Nora Gainesborough - Lyrics: 'Take It to the Limit' by The Eagles – Outfit: Here!

[Nora Gainesborough]

Marriage for vampires was indeed a fickle subject. They couldn't vote like normal humans.. they couldn't do many things. Normally, Nora wouldn't have cared.. In fact, she didn't even care if the marriage between herself and William Compton wasn't legal in the eyes of the general population.. she just wished for them to be united. Perhaps in a small, handfasting ceremony would do. No matter what the method, Nora wanted some sense of a normal relationship with Bill, and this was as close as they could get. 

She knew, deep down, that this wouldn't be the proposal he'd had in mind. Bill was old fashioned in every sense of the word, but Nora was rather independent and did things on her own terms. When he agreed to marry her, she rose to her feet once more, after slipping the ring on his finger. She was standing in front of him now, fighting back crimson tears. She hated crying.. it always stained her face and her good clothes. "Maybe in a century or two, you can re propose to me." She teased with a playful grin. "Until then.." She didn't say another word..but then, she didn't have to at this point. 

She lifted her hands to cup each side of his face, and she captured his lips with her own in a deep, loving kiss. She was certain that her brother wouldn't approve of this in any shape or form, but she didn't really care much about that. He would accept her happiness eventually. Every time she was with Bill, all thoughts or cares about anyone else had gone out the window. Except for the fact that she was a little nervous, hoping that his daughters would accept as well. 

William Thomas Compton

[William Thomas Compton]

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All alone at the end of the of the evening
And the bright lights have faded to blue
I was thinking 'bout a woman who might have
Loved me and I never knew


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In another time, before his world had been irrevocably changed by Lorena, there may have been a chance for a normal marriage. If Caroline had been lost before him he could have, would likely have been forced to, find another match for himself. Then it would have been legal, he would have been human, unlike now. Vampires had gained some rights for themselves once they had marched out of the coffin but still, most were denied to them and unless something drastically changed, would likely be for some time to come. The sort of wedding he wished for Nora to have wouldn’t happen, but that wasn’t to say they could not have some form of ceremony, something small and meaningful. If he’d chosen to or if Nora had desired it they could have gone with the lavish sort of vampire ceremony that Kings and Queens from all over the country would have attended, it wouldn’t have been the first amongst their kind, but Bill suspected that neither one of them had such a thing in mind. This would likely be family, his progeny, her brother, close friends like Sookie and Sam Merlotte. As far as possible he’d keep his title and politics out of this. It wasn’t the business of any other state, this was just theirs. Nora’s proposal had been confusing at first, coming as it had after their temporary separation from one another. Nora had produced the box and, as traditional as he was, the gesture had been momentarily outside of his realm of understanding. It hadn’t taken long for realisation to dawn, his mind catching up rapidly once she had dropped to one knee. The proposal would have been considered scandalous in his day but this was no longer the 18th century and he no longer had to be the one slipping the ring into place. Bill watch, his mouth gently curved in satisfaction as the ring was slipped home on his finger. He flexed his hand slightly, watching the light catch the ring. Bill knew he would find one for her. It was too late for it to truly be called an engagement ring but he wanted her to wear something that would symbolise this moment too. There was a faint sound of laughter in Bill’s throat as he raised the hand with the ring on to cup her cheek for a moment, thumb sweeping over her a cheekbone that it seemed would only remain dry for a few short moments. ”Until then we will be happily wed,” Bill murmured. It was a promise he did not know if he could keep but right now he very much wanted to. He had been offered a gift by a woman he had grown to love very much and was happily accepting it now. Almost uncharacteristically Bill’s mouth was stretched into a smile beneath Nora’s, at least until the kiss reached a depth where there was no room for amusement. This was a kiss to seal what was now passing between them and Bill took a long time to draw back from it. He remained close to Nora, one hand grazing her waist, the other settled at the small of her back. Her hands still held his face and he made no move to pull away yet. ”We should celebrate,” he suggested, a faint trace of laughter working its way back into his voice. ”The two of us now and perhaps once we have informed the others of our happy news we can arrange a bigger gather. I’m sure Sam Merlotte would allow us the use of his establishment.” Fangtasia would have been the other choice for a party of sorts but the use of his Sheriff’s bar would have been fraught with difficulties. The least of which was likely to be the fact that Eric Northman would not be happy that his sister had chosen to marry him. Even before his taking of the throne the ‘friendship’ between himself and the Viking was tenuous at best. The battle with the Queen of Arkansas and her pet had both divided and united the two of them but Bill was still uncertain whether or not they were now in a place where Eric could come around to this. Pushing the thought from his mind Bill removed his hand from Nora’s face and offered it to her.

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You know I've always been a dreamer
(spent my life running 'round)
And it's so hard to change
(Can't seem to settle down)



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Word Count: 727 - Tags: Nora Gainesborough - Lyrics: 'Take It to the Limit' by The Eagles – Outfit: Here!