Mission accomplished, Tara. You took the weakest woman in Bon Temps besides yourself, and broke her. Well done. But frankly, why the eff would anybody leave those two alone in any circumstance, much less one directly related to their familial addiction and abuse issues? Or on the other side, nobody thought, "Gee, being tied up in a room with the woman who beat you savagely for the last 28 years -- until about two weeks ago, matter of fact -- roaming free, and praying at random, is probably a little fucked up to deal with all on its own"? Why not just chuck a rabid raccoon in there with them?

Of course, once the gun's pointed at Lafayette he heads into meltdown, because that's what happens these days, because Lafayette's body doesn't know the difference between having a gun pointed at you and being in a room with a vampire, because there isn't one. He folds, and Sookie tends to him while pointing out that Lettie Mae is sending her daughter directly back into the arms of evil, but Lettie Mae doesn't care anymore, about what's best for Tara: "I got a chance to win my baby back for real. The Lord works in mysterious ways." Usually by not doing much of anything. Lafayette can't even dig the handcuff keys out of his pocket on his own, so Sookie grabs them -- staring at a statue on the porch for about five times as long as foreshadowing requires -- and goes inside.

"I pity you," says Lettie Mae, but she's not Lettie Mae anymore. She's Eric. In a dress. Which is funny and all, but you'll see them accrete as we go along, and maybe you'll read The Bacchae and maybe you won't -- and this far into the season it's unlikely you are the kind of person who will -- but there's a reason. Lafayette moans as Eric comes closer: "I don't hate you like your mama does. You can't help what you are. But I cannot let you keep me and Tara apart."

The creature takes on Eric's voice now: "And that's why I'm gonna have to kill you." He cocks the gun, crouching and smiling sweetly as Lafayette whines: "I thought you wanted to be a vampire. You know how you feel with my blood inside you?" He is beautiful; as beautiful as in Sookie's dreams. "Well, being a vampire is like that. Times a million," he says intensely, staring into Lafayette's eyes. "Goodbye, sweetheart," he says, winking, and pulls the trigger. Vampires mean death. It's that simple. Every night, for the rest of your life.

When Sookie and Tara return -- and as important as that scene just was, you have to wonder how that went -- he's just gone. Eric too, but I mean Lafayette. Lettie Mae's standing where she was standing the whole time, and ushers Tara away, claiming she did nothing to him. Tara turns, still capable of being embarrassed, at the bottom of the stairs: "Sookie? ...I need your keys..." Sookie reminds her she's being a fucking idiot -- just like Sam did, with Jason, and just like Jason Tara's going to run into a few trees on the way -- and they watch her go. Sookie wraps her arms around herself and hopes for the best.