A/N: Seriously, I have no idea where this came from. I'm supposed to be working on Nadir over in the SVM fandom. Maybe I shouldn't have marathoned all the way through True Blood last weekend...Set post S2, after Maryann's mess is cleaned up, although Bill never proposed. I'm blending elements of the books with rearranged (read: just go with it) aspects of the show to fulfil my need to make it all better...

Since I've already been warned that I was hit by the malevolence of the person/persons unknown who are falsely reporting abuse on this site, I've created a blog for my writing, in case my stories disappear. I'm saddened that the maliciousness of a few can ruin a creative outlet for many. I'll keep updating here, but honestly, I'll probably put up new chaps on my wordpress site first. The link is in my profile, so please, feel free to stop on by!

Disclaimer: I own nothing recognizable, and may deny the rest, depending on how you like it...

Prologue

"Well, Viking, it is obvious what you must do."

I looked over at Eric, seriously creeped out by the old bat and hoping for some reassurance. Instead, my worries increased ten-fold to see Eric, proud Viking vampire Sheriff, hunch in on himself, his face taut with pain. Concern flittered through me before my thoughts focused on the fact that anything that caused Eric pain was likely to be worse for me.

Apparently sensing my rising terror, Eric slowly straightened to his full imposing height, squaring his shoulders to regally face the AP. His bearing and demeanour struck me in that moment. That surely was how he had looked upon the battlefield, commanding his men a millennium ago. Never once glancing at me, he stared straight at the head of the Authority.

"No."

Well, it was official. I was broke. I had tapped myself out cleaning the destruction and desecration Maryann and company had done to Gran's poor house. Not only was I destitute, but between working extra shifts to make-up for my Dallas excursion and scrubbing, clearing and redoing what needed to be done on the house, I was running ragged. Sam, who had fully recovered from the Maryann debacle, had refused to give me any more hours for the foreseeable future and told me to get some rest. He didn't understand that working was the only thing keeping my brain at bay and saving me from thinking about all the uncomfortable facts I didn't want to face.

Going over my accounts one last time and comparing them to my bills, I realized there was one uncomfortable thing I had no choice but to face and soon. Eric hadn't paid me yet for my work in Dallas and that money surely would come in handy. The very last thing I wanted to do was face the Viking Sheriff, especially after the eye-opening events of Dallas, but a poor girl's gotta do what a poor girl's gotta do.

Realizing I had a few hours to go until the vamps would be up and about, I dutifully finished removing the last of the muck from the exterior. Wiping off the sweat from the extra warm day, I stood back to admire my handiwork. The house looked, if not good as new, then at least respectable. I choked back a sob, realizing that Gran would have been pleased as punch with how presentable and prettied up the whole place looked and how she would have tsked at me for working so hard but been proud of me for doing it myself.

Feeling grimy and despondent, I took an extra-long shower and relished the physical and emotional cleansing power of the water pouring over every inch of me. I felt re-invigorated and refreshed after a long day of hard work in the sun. Slipping into a plain but pretty sundress, I headed off into the early dark. I liked the drive to Shreveport as it usually gave me time to clear my head and just enjoy being alive. While I was a creature of the sun, the dusk held a certain whimsical sadness that was enticing.

Arriving to find business apparently booming even early in the evening, I headed to the front of the line, hoping that Eric's open invitation to stop by was accompanied by notification of the bouncers as to who I was, since the vamp manning the door was most definitely not Pam. Sighing with relief as I was waved right in, I marched myself right back to Eric's office, trying to gather enough courage to broach the embarrassing subject of money.

Right before bursting in, as usual, my ears caught Eric's muttering to Pam. "I don't understand why the gods would curse me so...to finally have found my own, yet to have lost to another." What grabbed my attention was his utterly despondent tone, so drastically different from his normal overwhelming self-confidence. It made me hesitate long enough that Eric must have sensed my presence as he called out for me to enter.

I opened the door, coming face to face with Pam, who I could have sworn looked grave for the briefest of moments. Looking again as she passed to exit, I saw only her usual mask of dry superiority.

"Sookie, what can I do for you?" Business-like Eric never failed to surprise me. I had fully expected some raging innuendo or flirtation but instead, he was friendly, although direct. I chanced a look into his oh-so-expressive eyes to see if he was plotting mischief but was shocked to find a warm something swirling in their azure depths that called to the very centre of me. It drew me in, whispering to my soul of comfort and companionship. I wanted so badly to give in, but shook myself out of whatever trance I had been in, reminding myself it was just the blood. It had to be the blood. No matter that I'd never felt that instant connection with anyone else.

Glaring at the vampire who had started my whole emotional upheaval in the first place, whose blood made me question my love for my boyfriend, who I felt an inexplicable and magnetic pull toward, I flatly and rather rudely stated, "I need the money you owe me for Dallas."

I felt a slight satisfaction, but also a little remorse for being so harsh when my words obviously startled him. He instantly yanked out his check book and said, as he was writing, "I apologize, Sookie. I had expected Bill to come to me for your remuneration and neglected to realize how much time had passed."

He handed me the check, hesitating over his next words. "It's been a bit difficult for me to focus lately." His voice was quiet and he avoided looking directly at me.

My ire instantly melted, realizing that of course he wouldn't be functioning at one hundred percent yet, so soon after Godric's passing. It had taken me weeks to have even a semblance of normality in my routine after Gran's murder. Taking the check, I apologized, "I'm sorry for snapping, Eric. It's just that I've had so much work to make up and I've been struggling to clean up after the disaster Maryann left my house in and I'm really just exhausted. I didn't even think that you were having a difficult time. I understand though, and thank you for this."

Instead of lightening his countenance, my little speech seemed to further disconcert him. "The maenad destroyed your home? And you've been repairing the damage on your own? No one has helped you? Not Bill or your brother?"

His concern over my lack of help threw me. "Well, no. Jason's got his own issues to worry about and he works all day, so I didn't want to wear him out if he helped me after hours. And Bill, well, he could only help at night, so there's not really much he could do." Actually, I had been a bit miffed at his obvious disdain for the state of the house the few times he'd deigned to make an appearance in those first days after things calmed down. It wasn't like I had purposely neglected the housework! He hadn't even offered to help, not that I'd necessarily have accepted it since being with me seemed to be a chore for him these days if I wasn't solely focused on him. Shaking it off since Bill wasn't exactly Mr. Fix-It anyway, I just shrugged at Eric, not really knowing how to respond. "I'm pretty much finished now, though. Almost back to normal."

"I wish I had known sooner; I would have sent a crew out." Anticipating my response, he simply smiled, a real honest-to-God smile, and said, "Your home, your safe haven, was violated by a supernatural creature while you were away on business for me. It should have been my duty as Sheriff, and your friend, to repair the damage."

I actually felt a little glow at his kind words and obvious sense of responsibility. I focused on the easier, yet infinitely more complicated part. "Are we friends, then?"

He smiled a small, almost shy smile that suited his face so much more than his customary leer. "I would hope so. I consider you a dear friend, not only for your kindness in Dallas, but as someone I enjoy spending time with. Those are few and far between for me."

The warmth in my soul grew at the sincere tone of his voice. That was Eric distilled down to basics, stripped of his typical arrogance and suggestiveness and I relished the chance to bask in his bright presence.

"Thank you, Eric. I want you to know that I'd like to regard you as a friend, especially without the innuendo and mocking of Bill. It'd be nice to get to know you without you making fun of the man I love."

I was confused by the brief shadow that passed over his face, but was pleased to see the return of that sunny little grin I was growing addicted to as he said, "Well then, I have some time to spare tonight, Miss Stackhouse, if you'd care to begin our getting to know you sessions?"

I smiled back. "That'd be lovely."