Plot

Exhausted from her recent travails, Sookie finds herself the unwilling host of a festive mainstreaming party in Bon Temps. In search of an elusive adversary, Eric and Pam head to Dallas and attend a gala fundraiser. Andy makes a life-changing decision; Jessica and James reach a crossroads; Bill loses himself in remembrance of human days.—HBO

Open with Willa telling Pam she doesn't want to go with them. Eric interrupt and says he wants to kill Sara Newlin and needs her help. Willa agrees to help if he releases her. He releases her and she tells him about Sarah's sister Amber, who happens to be a vampire in Dallas.

Lafayette shows up at Sookie's door and tries to comfort her. He puts her to bed and offers to help her with chores. She asks him to stay around for awhile. After her rest, Sookie comes downstairs and finds the place filled with food and candles. Jackson is there and offers to help her go through Alcide's things with her when she's ready. Lafayette tells Sookie they're throwing a party in Tara and Alcide's honor and have invited the whole town. Jackson and Lafayette convince her it's what the deceased would have wanted.

In Dallas Eric finds that Amber is also infected. Sarah had been paying Amber to lay low while she told the world her sister had been taken by vampires. When Eric says he's planning to kill Sarah, Amber agrees to help them. Sarah happens to be in town looking for a place to hide. Amber thinks she's probably with their parents at a political gala.

Lettie Mae tells Daniels she wants to go the party. Daniels doesn't think it's a good idea since alcohol will be present.

At the party Holly and Arlene toast to surviving. Bill watches this and flashes back to his human days. It is the days before the Civil War and his fellow Louisianans are in favor of seceding from the union. Bill thinks it's a mistake since the Yankees are too powerful. It is an unpopular view to express publicly.

Lettie Mae slips Daniels a bunch of allergy medications, and sneaks out.

Jackson tells stories about Alcide. He thinks Alcide died a hero and that Sookie was worth his son fighting for.

Lettie Mae arrives at the party and Sookie asks if she'd like to say a few words about Tara. She compliments Tara's friends for what they did in helping to raise her daughter.

Andy finds Jessica outside Sookie's looking off into the woods. He invites her inside but she says she can't do it. Andy wants to move forward with his life and says he needs her help. He tells her he's going to propose to Holly and needs a ring. Jessica has an idea and asks Sookie for help. Sookie lets Andy use her Gran's ring. Andy stops the music and drops to a knee. She says yes.

Arlene takes an emotional Sookie upstairs to cry. Sookie still can't believe Alcide is gone. Arlene says she never really got over Terry's death, but with time she learned to live with it and heal. Jackson listens to this from the bathroom.

On the porch James expresses to Lafayette his frustration with Jessica not being physical enough for him. This leads to Lafayette taking his hand and the two making out.

Pam and Eric get dressed for the gala. She is shocked by the physical signs of his illness and he tells her she needs to accept his death.

Keith, the vampire who gave Arlene his blood to save her life, expresses his interest in her. Arlene seems interested.

Jessica goes outside and finds James and Lafayette having sex in their car. She's furious and asks Jason to rescind James' invitation. James goes outside and tells Lafayette he wants to be alone.

Jason goes upstairs to comfort Jessica. Lafayette walks in and points out that Jessica really didn't know anything about James. He doesn't think James was the right guy for her and expresses his own desire to find love.

Sookie hears via through their thoughts that most people are sympathetic to her situation.

Bill flashes back to attempting to leave the state via the underground railroad to avoid fighting the war. His group is found and one of the men is killed. They promise to kill all deserters. In the present day, Sookie comes outside and joins Bill. He points out how much she's accomplished in terms of mainstreaming over the past few days. Sookie thanks him for "seeing me the way I can't see myself sometimes." They hug and he leaves. Inside Sookie hears that Lettie Mae wants some of Willa's blood. Lettie Mae stabs Willa in the shoulder, but it isn't a fatal blow. Lettie Mae tells Lafayette she wants to contact Tara, but Lafayette escorts her away. Nicole stands up, upset at the way everybody is treating the recent deaths. She thinks having a party is weird and asks Sam to take her home.

Jason helps further console Jessica. He tells her he'd like somebody to marry someday. Jessica is moved by his sweetness and kisses him. He returns the favor.

At the gala Eric targets Sarah's father. We see Sarah find her mother in the bathroom. She'd been hiding in the closet. Sarah tells her mother she needs help from someone powerful and asks about Laura Bush. Sarah's mother tells her to leave. Sarah says the Yakuza are after her.

Violet hears Jason and Jessica having sex through the bathroom door. She decides not to go inside.

Eric glamours Sarah's father and asks about Sarah. At this point the Yakuza show up and starts shooting. They kill Sarah's father. Sarah and her mother race to the kitchen. Her mother falls behind and is shot. Sarah turns a corner and runs into Eric. He grabs her by the neck and holds her in the air. Eric drops her to kill the Yakuza members.

Sookie puts on Alcide's jacket and lies in her bed.

In his flashback Bill and his wife stand in the graveyard. They don't see a way for him to avoid fighting. Bill promises his wife he'll return to her and the children. In present day Bill goes to the bathroom and looks in the mirror. He looks down and sees one of the tell-tale purple veins that means he's infected.