Sookie Stackhouse let out a sigh as she cleaned the table at Merlottes Bar and Grill. Most days she didn't mind working, but today was one of the days where she couldn't focus on blocking out thoughts. For a very long time she viewed her telepathy as a curse; but after finally confiding to her family that she could do what she could do they managed to convince her to control and use her power. When she was younger she would get massive migraines if she wouldn't let people's thoughts in. Even when she let them in, her mind would feel fried.

Before she could stop working for a moment to grab an aspirin, she heard heavy footsteps behind her. "Sookie are you alright?" Sam Merlotte questioned. She turned around, and suddenly saw his concerned face. She knew that he was suspicious of her talent, but ultimately had the feeling that he would understand. "Sook?" he questioned, placing a hand on her shoulder. As soon as he made physical contact, his mind was an open book to her. Unlike telepaths in comics and shows etc, she mostly saw flashes of memories, and feelings unless she really concentrated. She could feel his concern flood inside her head, and unlike most people feeling him inside her head was calming. "Dawn," he signaled one of the other servers over, and started to lead Sookie to his office.

"Sam, I'm alright," she tried to insist, but he wasn't having any of it. She just nodded her head, and let him lead her out. He closed the door to his office, and grabbed a bottle of aspirin. "Uh…how did you know I had a headache?" she questioned, gratefully taking the aspirin from her boss. He gave her a little smile I just knew; she heard his voice in her mind.

"Just could kinda tell," he said to her, and she downed the pill. He was the first boss or guy in general that she had met that never pushed her on anything. Sam was just like that and she was grateful. She knew that he really liked her, but even as comfortable as she was with what she could do, she wasn't sure how Sam would actually react to the truth. "Do you want to go home?" he questioned gently. He was sure he could call someone else in if she wasn't feeling that well. She shook her head and smiled.

"No I will be fine," she said, lightly touching his shoulder. She got the impression that he was going to be keeping an eye out for her, but for once didn't mind. He smiled, and she went out the door to get ready for the assault of thoughts and emotions that were going to be coming out towards her. As she continued her work, she suddenly found herself looking towards a man coming into the bar. As she glanced at him, she suddenly found she felt absolutely nothing coming from him.

"Hey there sugar, can I get you anything?" Sookie questioned in a friendly voice.

"Yeah…O Blood negative please," he said to her. She seemed shocked for a moment, but managed to recover.

"Coming right up," she said in a chipper voice. As she was heading back towards Sam and the bar, she walked past a couple of regulars there at Merlottes. She didn't get many thoughts this time around since she wasn't focusing on them intentionally, but she got visions of what they were planning to do to that vampire sitting a few booths in front of them.

They wanted to bleed him dry; and Sookie couldn't seem to stand the thought of someone killing another being. Despite the guy being a vampire, no one deserves to die that painful of a death. "Sam…" she grabbed his attention.

"What's up Sook?" he questioned, smiling warmly at her. After seeing the worried look on her face, he had her full attention. "Is everything alright?" he asked, and she could feel his concern wrapping her mind like a comfortable blanket.

"The Rattrays are planning on attacking that guy over there," she whispered.

"The rumors must be true," Sam murmured, looking at the vampire in his bar.

"What should we do?" Sookie questioned. Sam wasn't entirely sure what to do; one hand he didn't like vampires to be around his bar. Then he looked at the girl in front of her, and knew that despite his personal feelings for vampires he knew that Sookie was going to be upset if he didn't do something.

"Well…I will take care of the Rattrays. Just try and get the vampire out of here," Sam murmured. Sam gently patted her hand, and while he went to go distract the Rattrays, Sookie grabbed the bottle of blood he ordered, and quickly wrote a note on a bar napkin. She walked to the vampire, and placed the bar napkin in sight, and with her eyes made him look down at it while she set down the bottle. He opened up the bottle, and drank some. He took his time with the note, and he looked at her inquisitively.

"Get out of here," Sookie said to him. "Now," Sookie growled, and the vampire paid for his drink and left a hefty tip before walking out of the door. She let out a breath of relief, and she saw the Rattrays shooting her an evil look. They knew the 'rumors' of Sookie's abilities, but they never believed them until now. They had murderous thoughts intended towards her and the vampire she let go. Sookie felt fear enter her system.

The Rattrays left and Sam saw a scared look on Sookie's face. "Sook," he murmured, and she looked up at him. "I am going to give you a ride home tonight…and I may call the cops to give warning that they might do something," he gently grabbed a hold of her shoulders. Most of the time she would have just blown this off, but she had never seen or felt anything that angry at her before.

As time slowly passed Sam saw that Sookie was slowly beginning to relax. "Good night Sookie!" Arlene called out, and she gave her friend a wave, "See y'all tomorrow!" and with that, she was out the door. Lafayette was still cleaning up in the back, but after a quick conversation from Sam, he was willing to finish up closing. As he started to lead her towards his car, he felt Sookie tense up.

Before he could ask if she was alright, she whispered, "I'm ok Sam," He opened up her car door for her, and she sat down. "You know that you didn't have to do this," she said to him as he sat down behind the driver's seat.

"Sookie, its alright," he said to her, "I don't mind," and unconsciously Sookie read his mind, I would do anything for you.

"You are a really good guy Sam," she said, "I'm sorry I put you in a position with the Ratt-," he wasn't having any of that though. As he stopped at a stop light, he grabbed her hand.

"Sookie, really," he said, "I would have done that for anyone in trouble," even a vamp, "I know that regardless you were going to help him," he said, "so I would rather have you safe with me then potentially in danger with the Rattrays," he whispered. She squeezed his hand back. He smiled at her, and since she had no objection to him holding her hand so he didn't let go. As they slowly approached her house, Sookie saw that the kitchen light was turned on.

"Gran is up late," she observed. Sam felt worried for a moment. He knew that he could sniff out the Rattrays if they were hanging around her and her Grans' house. Before he could offer to walk her to the door, she took a look at him.

"Did you want to come in for something to drink…I think Gran made some pie too," she said, her eyes twinkling. Despite the fact that there might be danger ahead, Sam couldn't help but feel his face light up with a smile.

"Would love to," he said. As they approached the door, Sam smelt the air around the house. He stiffened as he smelt the familiar vampire in her house. "That vampire is in your house," he said, and Sookie turned around.

"What do you mean?" she questioned, opening up the door.

"Sookie!" her Gran called out in an excited voice, "you have a visitor," Sam suddenly snatched her hand. Sookie could feel his worry radiating off of his body.

"Hold on Gran!" she said, "Come on Sam…it'll be ok," she whispered. Ever since he was younger, and his adoptive family had abandoned him for what he was, he didn't want anything to do with the Supernatural world. But after seeing the look on Sookie's face, he nodded his head. She took his hand and led him into the kitchen.

"Oh hello Sam," her Gran greeted with surprise in her voice, "I didn't know Sookie was bringing home company….well, I think that you two met have met this nice vampire Bill Compton,"

"Hey, I am Sookie Stackhouse," she said brightly, putting on her smile when she got nervous. She shot her hand out for the vampire to shake, and felt Sam stiffen behind her. Bill reluctantly shook her hand.

"Well…thank you Miss Stackhouse for helping me with the Rattrays," he said in a broody voice.

"Yeah….no problem," she said, "I wouldn't have been able to do it without Sam's help…" he nodded briefly at the head of Merlottes and went back to staring at Sookie. The telepath could feel the hostility hanging in between the two men in the room. "Well…yeah, Gran I am going to go make us some tea," she turned to Sam, "you want to help?" she questioned. He nodded his head, and couldn't help but feel that she was going to bite his head off for not being more polite. He couldn't help it; by the time he had finally gotten to a place to ask Sookie out, here came a vampire.

"Well that was very rude of him," she said softly, as she put some water in a tea pot. "I am sorry that he was like that Sam," she apologized. She found herself yawning as she was getting out a pie Adele just made out of the refrigerator.

"Sook…do you want some help?" he questioned and she waved him away. He stood awkwardly in the kitchen. He let out a sigh, and pulled Sookie away. "I can find out where stuff is at, go sit,"

"You are so not the boss of me," he raised an eyebrow at her. "Don't throw that at my face," she said laughing as she reluctantly sat down. Adele walked into the kitchen with Bill Compton.

"Thank you for your hospitality," he said to them, "but it appears that you have plans," he said, "I wish you goodnight," and he walked himself out. Adele saw how Sookie was acting with her boss, and decided to leave them be.

"I think we will talk tomorrow Sookie," she said with a knowing smile, and gave her granddaughter a kiss on the cheek and a hug. She also planted a kiss on Sam's cheek, and headed off to her room. That left Sookie and Sam alone once again.

"Your Gran is quite a lady," Sam said with a smile. She seemed a little nervous around him still, and he gave her a questioning look. "You ok?" he questioned as he grabbed two mugs, and sat back down next to her. She bit her lip; it wasn't like she had much experience with dating.

"I'm doing ok," she whispered. He looked at her, knowing she was holding back on something but didn't want to push. She bit her lip, "You know….Sam…I really never dated that much," she whispered, "because…well…most people thought of me as crazy Sookie Stackhouse,"

"There's nothing wrong with you Sookie," he said.

"Sam…I hear people's thoughts, how does that not make me crazy?" she sighed, looking away.

"Just because you are different doesn't mean you are insane. Sookie…you are an amazing person," she turned to him.

"Me warning you about the Rattrays going after Bill…that doesn't freak you out?" she asked. He shook his head, "It still freaks me out sometimes," she admitted. He looked at her, and could see how down she was. He pressed his hand on top of hers, and was glad to see that she turned it around to squeeze him back gently.

"I know how it can be…to feel like you don't belong," he said to her. She raised her eyebrows.

"Thank you for trying to cheer me up-," before she could try and say anymore, Sam leaned in close and placed a chaste kiss on her lips. His mind was an open book to her, but unlike all of the other times people kissed her or went on dates with her all she could feel was warm and safe. Of course he was thinking about how good she was feeling against him, but also a longing of wanting to do that for a very long time.

"You have no idea how long I have wanted to do that," he whispered softly against her lips. She smiled, and his arms were around her. "Sookie…you are a beautiful person, and if people don't accept you for who they are then they don't deserve to know you,"

"That is the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me," she whispered, and she could tell that he meant it. Before he could get too comfortable holding her in his arms, the tea kettle went off. She got up before he could and took it off the stove. He stood up and re-wrapped his arms around her. She stiffened for a moment before relaxing against him. "You really want to be with me?" she asked.

"Of course Cher," he whispered. "This is something I have wanted since you walked into my bar looking for a job," she bit her lip; he was her boss. People that dated their bosses usually didn't last long with relationships.

"Sam…what about work?"

"It will be like normal," he said with an easy smile. "Don't worry about it ok?" he said, resisting the urge to pinch himself.

"I will try not to," she whispered. She let out a yawn, and he took a look at her. She looked at her watch and realized how late it was.

"I think its time I left; you look like you are about to pass out," he whispered. She nodded her head. A walked him to the front door, and he gave her a smile. He pressed a kiss on her lips again, and she found herself kissing back. "Good night Sookie,"

"Good night Sam," she said with a smile. As soon as he was in his car, she closed and locked the door.