Author's Note: You know I realized while looking through the Southern Vampire Mysteries section that there are quite a few AH/AU where Eric is a movie star, a rockstar, high school quarter back, etc. Usually I'm not a big fan of AH/AU stories, but I have warmed to them recently and have decided to try my hand at one. Introducing to you all, Eric Northman, professional Footballer. I will also be using POV switches in first person for the first time hahaha. Please drop me a review and let me know what you think, I'm sorry if everyone is terribly OOC it's hard to translate 1000 year old vampire into 20-something year old human. Review and let me know though.

Disclaimer: The characters are not my own, I only play with them. Any professional Football/Soccer teams mentioned are property of their respective owners. To use a blanket term, I own absolutely nothing.

Summary: Sookie Stackhouse knows absolutely nothing about the world of professional football, how was she supposed to know that the handsome blonde who asked her out to dinner was world renowned striker Eric Northman? And what the hell is a WAG anyway? AH/AU probably OOC

Prologue

~SPOV

"Sookie!" A wave of relief washed over me as I saw Amelia Broadway standing on the tips of her toes, waving her arms frantically above the crowd of people waiting outside the terminal. Carefully -and with several 'excuse me's'- I managed to weave my oversized wheeled suitcase through the crowd and towards my best friend. The moment I was an arms length away from her, Amelia reached out and pulled me into a tight hug that I could only return awkwardly as I attempted to save my duffel bag from sliding to the floor.

"Hey Amelia! It's so good to see you again," I said taking a step back and looking at the friend I had not seen in three years, ever since Amelia had dropped out of LSU Shreveport and decided that she wanted to go to Fashion School in London. I could still remember the vivid shade of red and purple her father had turned when she told him the news, I'd thought the man was going to have a heart attack right then and there. "You look great."

"You too!" Amelia said smiling and I laughed shaking my head, in my LSU sweat pants and a black tank top with my messy pony tail I probably looks like I stepped right out of the trailer park.

"I couldn't sleep on the plane, the flight from Louisiana to D.C. was fine. The flight from D.C. to Heathrow though? I was stuck behind three screaming kids who started bawling whenever their mother so much as went to the bathroom." Amelia winced on my behalf and patted my shoulder comfortingly. I looked up at the slightly cloudy sky and frowned. "What time is it here?"

"Ten AM, plenty of time for us to grab a bite to eat and for you to take a nap until tonight," Amelia said grinning wickedly and I groaned inwardly. As long as I had known her Amelia hadn't been what most would call a party girl, but when she went out, she went out.

"Amelia I'm really not sure if I'm up to it..." I said as she took my duffel bag that had been sagging closer and closer to the ground.

"Nonsense. You need to go out and let your hair loose, you're on vacation Sookie. Besides it's not like you're with that asshole boyfriend anymore." Amelia walked briskly to the closest taxi -how she did that in four inch stiletto's I hadn't the slightest clue- as I struggled to keep up.

"Bill isn't an asshole Amelia," I said shaking my head as I thought back to my once high school and college sweet heart. "We just grew apart is all."

"Sookie, you grew apart. Bill grew apart between some dumb bitches thighs," Amelia said as she handed the taxi driver my duffel bag. It stung the way Amelia described it, and though I knew it was true it wasn't the way I liked to look at it. Bill and I had been friends since we were kids when his family moved back down to Bon Temps, it had progressed into a sweet high school romance and stayed strong through out his years at LSU. Though the minute he announced he was moving to Chicago to attend Law School some small part of me told me it was the beginning of the end, and I'd been right.

"We're still friends, we still talk." It had hurt to find out Bill had been cheating on me, even if I had already started emotionally separating myself from him. Bill had been my first boyfriend and my first love, I valued his friendship despite what Amelia thought of him. Then again those two hadn't gotten along since the moment I introduced them. Bill had always been studious and organized, with his plans and future planned perfectly. Amelia had always been a bit of a free spirit, always living in the moment. Their personalities just had not meshed well at all.

"That's just because he wants to still have the sweet girl from his home town to marry and have babies with after he's gone and had his fun." I thanked the driver as he took my suitcase and loaded it in the back of the cab and climbed into the back seat next to Amelia, behind what would normally be the passenger's seat back home but instead was the driver's seat. I let out a small sigh of relief that I would definitely not be driving while in England.

"We are not going to get back together," I said though I didn't bother to deny what Amelia was not so subtly hinting at. Bill had hinted at the very same possibility of a reconciliation when he moved back to Louisiana but I had been sure to make it very clear to him that I didn't think that was what would be best, for either of us. He had relented, at least for the moment anyway.

"Hmm when you say it like that I almost believe it," Amelia said and we laughed together as the driver slipped into the cab. Amelia quickly gave him the address to her apartment -or 'flat' why they called it that I hadn't the slightest clue- in West London. "Well I'll be able to make you believe it, you're stuck with me for the summer."

"I cannot believe I let you talk me into this," I said shaking my head in disbelief as I tried to think back to the last time I had taken a real vacation. Ever since I had graduated high school my life had been consumed by school, work, and trying to help Gran out with the house. It had taken me six long years to finally earn my degree -I had to work fulltime as a waitress at Merlottes just to pay for a class or two a semester- in English, so when Amelia invited me to stay with her over the summer in London how could I refuse? Well I had tried but Gran had all but ordered me out the door, telling me there was more to the world then Bon Temps, Louisiana and I ought to go out and see it while I was still young and healthy.

"Oh I can't take all the credit," Amelia said with a small shrug of her shoulders. "How are Gran and Jason?"

"Gran's great, the Descendants of the Glorious Dead are having another gathering tomorrow-or rather today?" I paused briefly before shaking my head laughing. "Anyway she's baking away, I wanted to try and sneak a pie with me on board but Gran said that by the time I got here there wouldn't be anything left." It was the truth as well, no one made a pecan pie quite like Gran.

"Please Sookie, don't talk about your Gran's pie. It almost makes me homesick." I nodded in agreement, just the thought was making me miss home already.

"Jason is...Jason." My brother was and probably always be a complete dog.

"Color me shocked," Amelia said with a touch of sarcasm in her voice as the cab pulled to a stop in front of a simple but nice looking tan brick building. Despite his protests over his daughter's career choice Copley Carmichael still made sure that Amelia wasn't living in some "artist hovel" as he called it. I was surprised Amelia had agreed to letting him pay for anything at all but seeing her place now I could see why. As I finished admiring Amelia's place I turned around to see her paying the cab driver.

"How much do I owe you?" I asked, reaching for my duffel bag so I could get my wallet. The exchange rate of dollars to pounds had very nearly given me a heart attack when I'd seen it. Maybe I should have just taken the train in and met Amelia at the station.

"Don't worry about it, now you have no choice but to go out with me tonight!" Amelia was grinning ear to ear as I let out a groan of frustration. "Oh don't worry Sookie it will be fun! No pub crawling, yet." I shot Amelia a small glare but my friend continued ignoring the fact that I was less then thrilled with the prospect of going out while I was still jet lagged. "It's a nice club, my friend Pam got us on the guest list for the night."

"Pam? The same Pam you were dating for a while?" I asked curiously though I could be wrong. Amelia went on dates with so many different men and women it was starting to get difficult to keep up with who was who.

"Oh we only went on a couple dates," Amelia said waving a hand dismissively. "Apparently there are going to be a lot of-"

"Amelia, I'll go. Just point me to the nearest bed and wake me up a couple hours before we have to leave." Amelia grinned and clapped her hands together before grabbing one of my bags and walking towards the entrance to her apartment.

I sighed shaking my head, envious of Amelia's energy. I guess there was no harm in going out with her tonight, it would make Amelia happy and besides what could possibly happen outside of a few shared gin and tonics?

EPOV

"Eric. You're going." I raised an eyebrow but did not bother saying anything as my PR Manager -and friend- Pamela Ravenscroft looked down at me with a gleam of determination in her eye. I shifted slightly on my couch careful not irritate my still tender ankle, not only had we lost the last match of the season but the team doctor's were still insisting I 'take it easy' after a player from Manchester City had taken quite the stomp on my ankle.

"Oh you heard the dear doctor Pam. I have to 'be careful' lest I harm my fragile body." I grinned as Pam rolled her eyes and placed her hands on her hips cocking them to the side.

"Yes because you most certainly were not doing work outs before I got here, right? That's why you're not wearing your training kit, that's why you're not still sweating, and that's also why your exercise bike has not been moved to face the TV." Her tone was bored and positively dripping with a brand of sarcasm that belonged solely to Pam.

"Exactly," I agreed, a smile on my face though I was seriously beginning to think I should have cut and run back to Stockholm when I had the chance.

"If you're well enough to exercise, you're well enough to hobble over to a night club and make an appearance." I opened my mouth to protest but was quickly cut off by Pam. "The press is starting to think the injury is more serious then it is, I know you're not a fan of playing to the press but get used to it Eric. Go out, drink with your team mates, and hit on girls like a bloody normal footballer."

"Hmph." There was nothing I could really say in response. I had known that a transfer to the English Premiere League would garner quite a bit of attention, and I had accepted it. Though just because I had accepted it did not make having twenty camera's shoved into my face any less irritating.

"Drive up, pose for a few pictures, go inside and mingle for a bit. If you decide to drink I will sadly be on hand to drive you home." I knew better then to think I would be able to talk Pam out of anything when she set her mind to it so with a heart felt sigh I relented.

"Someone needs to remind you that you work for me Pamela, not the other way around."

"Keep telling yourself that Eric. Be ready to leave by 22:30, if you're so much as a minute late there will be hell to pay." Without another word Pam gracefully turned around and walked out of my flat, the fading sound of her clicking stiletto's music to my ears.

I closed my eyes and ran a hand through my shoulder length blonde hair. I didn't doubt that Pam would find some way to make me pay if I was late, and as much as I hated to admit it Pam did have a point. It was time to make an appearance and clear any rumors that might still hang in the air about my injuries or possible romantic entanglements.

Romantic entanglements, I shook my head in disgust. The press was still going on about my 'tragic' break up with Sophie-Anne Leclerq and how I had 'shattered' the poor girl. Rumors which without a doubt all came from the French model's press camp, according to Pam the tabloids had been flooded with pictures of a 'demure' looking Sophie-Anne holidaying alone in Cannes. The woman had a talent for manipulating others that I found truly disturbing.

Pam had told the press nothing more then 'no comment' when asked about the end of the relationship.

I on the other hand was still hearing a barrage of different "I fucking told you so, you idiot" stories.

Tonight was probably going to be a very, very long night.

INSIDER REPORT: GUESS WHO'S BACK ON THE SCENE?

A famous striker will apparently be making an appearance with the rest of his team mates at Club Hooligan's tonight, probably to put any rumors to rest about the severity of his injury. Though Insider would like to remind the public that this striker has rarely been seen out since his break up with a certain beautiful French model who still appears heart broken. Though many sources close to both the striker and the model have doubts if she even has a heart, ouch!

For those of you who won't be able to get into Club Hooligan's for the night don't worry, Insider will be inside with the details of the striker and his team mates evenings.

Author's note (s):

1) You might have noticed that I didn't mention any specific's about Eric's club and that's because I've decided to create a fictional one instead of making him play for a known team. If anyone has any suggestions for name's that would be lovely, though I have one in mind if I see one that strikes a chord I would most certainly choose that one instead. Also if anyone has a particular numbered jersey they would like him to wear feel free to suggest as well!

2) For those of you unfamiliar with football/soccer just let me know and I will explain how the EPL works to the best of my ability. It's the end of May in this story so the EPL season is over, but that doesn't mean there won't be a few International Friendlies!

Please leave a review! I'd love to hear what you all think.