AN: Enjoy this new story! Happy Reading!

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Chapter 1

SPOV

"Shit," I whisper as I look over the kitchen table that's currently covered in overdue bills. I've become so far behind with payments, the power and water are about to be shut off, which doesn't matter so much since I'm about to lose the house as well. This is a total nightmare.

How did I let it get this bad? I've been taking care of my sick grandmother for months now, and every penny we were able to scrape together went to pay hospital bills, doctor's visits, and fill her many prescriptions and after she passed, the funeral costs fell solely upon me, wiping out the last of my meager savings.

So now, I'm about to lose everything and I have no idea what I'm supposed to do to make this better. I guess I can ask Sam for more hours at the bar, but honestly, the measly tips I make waitressing are barely gonna put a dent in this massive pile of debt I've managed to incur. I pick up the phone anyways punching in the number for Merlotte's in a last act of desperation.

"Merlotte's," Sam answers as I take in a deep breath, trying to calm my racking nerves.

"Hey, Sam, it's Sookie," I tell him as I walk out to sit on my front porch swing, hoping the cool air will help clear my swirling thoughts.

"Hey, Sook, what's up?" he asks cheerfully as I frown. Bill fucking Compton's car has just pulled into my driveway and I roll my eyes as I see him grinning at me from the driver's seat.

"Um, I was wondering if I might be able to pick up a couple more shifts," I tell him as Bill climbs out of his shiny, new BMW.

"Gosh, Sook, I wish I could help ya out, but the other girls need hours too," he says with a sigh as Bill walks up to stand before me on the porch with a cocky grin. Ugh, this is so not my day.

"It's fine, Sam, don't worry about it," I tell him as I glare up at Bill.

"Listen, cher, if you need some help, I could loan you some money," he tells me as I let out a sigh. I know Sam would do anything for me, but the staggering amount of money I would need in order to get out of this situation would most certainly bankrupt him, and I just couldn't live with that on my conscience.

"No, no, I can't take a hand out, Sam. I'll be fine, just forget I said anything, okay? Look, I got company, so I'll talk to you later," I tell him as Bill's grin widens.

"If you're sure," he says hesitantly as I shake my head, pinching the bridge of my nose in frustration.

"I am, bye Sam," I say dejectedly.

"Bye, cher, take care of yourself, ya hear?" he says in concern.

"Will do, see you soon," I tell him as I hang up the phone and scowl up at Bill. "What the hell do you want?" I spit out as he grins at me. Gran would roll over in her grave to hear me being so impolite, but Bill Compton has been after me for years now, and no matter how many times as I've turned him down, he just doesn't seem to get the hint that I'm uninterested.

"I was just stopping by to offer my condolences," he says as I nod to him. "Your grandmother was an exceptionally sweet woman," he tells me as I let out a small sigh.

"Thank you, Bill," I tell him as I stand from the swing. "Now, if that's all, I have things to do today," I tell him as I open the front door. He follows me into the house and I turn to huff at him as he looks over the pile of overdue bills. He picks up several of the papers as my cheeks flame a deep red.

"Seems you're in a bit of a financial bind," he says smoothly as I glare at him, placing my hands on my hips as my fury builds.

"That's none of your damned business, Bill Compton," I cry out angrily as I clutch the bills from his hands. "Now why don't you go on and get the hell out of my house?" I snap as he smirks at me.

"I could help you out, you know," he says as I shake my head.

"I'm not interested in dating you, we've already been over this. I won't be some kept woman," I tell him as he chuckles softly.

"As much as I would love to court you, Sookeh, I was actually thinking more along the lines of offering you a job," he says as my brows rise in surprise. He sits at the kitchen table and as much as I'd like to kick him out on his ass, I desperately need work, and Bill is a very wealthy and powerful man.

He practically owns the entire parish by now and he just might be able to help me. I may not like him, but if anyone has the kind of capital required to get me out of this mess, it'd be him. So I sit across from him and bite back my anger as I decide to hear him out.

"A job, huh?" I ask as he grins widely, nodding to me. "I'd need an awful lot of money to get my head above water," I tell him as I motion to the many bills.

"I would be willing to pay off all your debts and allow you to work to pay me back," he says as I eye him warily; this seriously sounds too good to be true.

"I'm listening," I say as he leans forward with a cocky grin.

"I'm in need of new talent down at 'Reflections'," he tells me as my jaw drops open in shock.

"The strip club?" I cry out as he nods to me with a wide grin. "Oh, hell no," I tell him as I shake my head vigorously. "I'm not taking my clothes off for money; I'll just have to find some other way to come up with the money."

"And how do you think you'll be able to make that kind of money? By waitressing for Sam? I'm offering you a lifeline here. You'd be crazy not to take it," he says as I shake my head.

"I can go to the bank," I tell him. "Maybe take out a loan or something," I say as he shakes his head at me.

"Wouldn't do you any good," he says with a sigh as he picks up a bank statement. "You've got no collateral, Sookeh. Face it, you need my help." I slump low in my chair in defeat. I know he's right. There's no other way to get out of this mess, but maybe I can get him to work with me a bit.

"You own other businesses," I say as he shrugs to me. "Couldn't you use help at any of those places?"

"I am fully staffed and my businesses are booming," he informs me. "This position has just opened up and I need the right talent to fill the slot," he says as I lower my head to my hands.

"What if I waitressed at the club? Or I could bartend," I offer as he shakes his head with a grin.

"I have capable wait staff and bartenders; what I need is a face to bring in the masses and you have the look my club so desperately needs," he tells me as he eyes me up and down appreciatively. I glower at him and his smile only widens. Ugh, what a slimeball.

"If, and I mean if, I were to take you up on your offer," I start hesitantly. "Would I be expected to dance fully unclothed?" I ask as I feel my cheeks warm.

"Of course not," he says as I let out a sigh. "Only topless," he says with a smirk as I groan. Of course, because why wouldn't a strip club feature topless dancers?

"This is a really generous offer, Bill," I start. "But I'm just not comfortable with the idea of taking my clothes off in front of strange men," I admit as he nods to me.

"This is understandable," he says softly. "But this is the only position I have to offer to you," he says as I let out a defeated sigh. "Why don't you come by the club and check it out for yourself. I think you might be surprised; it's not as bad as it sounds," he tells me as I wrinkle my nose.

"I think I'll pass," I tell him as he chuckles.

"I didn't mean to take in a show, Sookeh," he says, shaking his head. "Come and talk to the other dancers, get a feel for the place and see for yourself what the job really entails," he suggests as I think over his offer.

"I'll think about it," I tell him as he stands from the table.

"Come by the club tomorrow and we can talk some more," he tells me as I shrug at him.

"Maybe," I tell him as he nods to me.

"Good evening, Sookeh," he says as he walks to the front door.

"See ya, Bill," I say softly as I watch him walk away from the house.

Well, that was certainly unexpected. I sit for a time thinking over what he is willing to offer as I shake my head. I couldn't really become a stripper; I was raised as a good, God fearing Christian. Good girls don't twirl on shiny stripper poles, they just don't. But am I really left with any other option at this point?

I stand from the table and begin wandering aimlessly from room to room of my ancestral home. This house and everything in it is all I have left of Gran and it would kill me to lose it all to the bank, which is most certainly going to happen very soon if I can't manage to get caught up on the house payments. Shit. This seriously sucks.

I wander into Gran's room and plop down to her bed with a sigh. What would Gran say? I know she'd hate to see the house taken from the Stackhouse family. Her own husband helped to work on this house and it's full of so many treasured memories; memories of Gran when she was still healthy and smiling.

Tears form in my eyes as I lay back upon my grandmother's bed and pull one of her needle stitched pillows against my chest. God, I miss her. If she was here, she'd tell me what to do, or she'd at least bake me a pie to help me forget just how awful my life has become. I just can't lose this place; it'd be like losing Gran all over again. But could I really start stripping in order to keep it?

I know Bill's right. If I don't take his help, I will lose this house and be left with nothing but a mountain of debt. I hate knowing my life has come to this. It just seems so degrading, taking off my clothes in front of a bunch of creepy old men, the very thought of it makes me cringe.

"Shit," I say as I sit up on the bed pulling my knees to my chest as I curl in upon myself. As much as I hate it, I know I have to take Bill's offer. There's just no other way out of this mess. I can't believe I'm actually considering this, but I'm too desperate to turn him down, and Bill knows this. I stand from the bed and walk back to my own room, not bothering with changing as I crawl to my bed, wiggling under my covers and wrapping myself up tightly in my blankets.

Tomorrow I'll have to go to 'Reflections' and talk to Bill about his job offer. I already know I'll regret this decision, but I really have no other choice. I let out a defeated sigh as I close my eyes and let the darkness take me to a fitful sleep.

AN: Just to clarify, this will be a Godric/ Sookie love story...Just thought it was important to get a glimpse of what brought Sookie to her current circumstances...

Godric will make an appearance soon, just stick with me! :)