Disclaimer*** No copyright infringement intended. These characters are exclusive property of Charlaine Harris, Alan Ball and HBO.

Bill leaned forward bracing his hands on the vanity and looked at himself in the bathroom mirror. Searching for anything about his appearance that looked familiar. He supposed he wasn't a bad looking guy, his features were symmetric, his blue eyes clear. Of course, as a vampire he had no clue how old he could possibly be, but he was at least a grown man at the time of his turning. But nothing about his face sparked any recognition. Even his name, Bill... Bill, he rolled around in his mouth. Again, it's a nice enough name, but it doesn't seem familiar. It doesn't feel like him. He chuckled a bit at that thought, how could he not feel like himself when he had no clue who he was?

Not having any recollection of who he is was bad enough, but he couldn't even remember what had happened before Ms. Stackhouse, no, Sookie had found him on the side of the road. Sookie, while it was an unusual name, he'd heard it before. Wait! Why had he heard that name before? He couldn't even remember his own name, but Sookie was somehow a familiar name? It was sort of like the piano, it just felt right. He glanced at his reflection in the mirror again, noticing the streaks of dirt across his shoulder and chest. Was that blood mixed with the dirt? His blood maybe? As he touched the dirt on his shoulder his fangs clicked into place, catching him by surprise. Yup, must be blood he thought as he took in his fanged appearance. He knew he healed quickly, so whatever had happened, he might have been hurt, but all of the wounds had healed before he could even notice. All that was left was dirt.

He looked for a wash cloth to clean himself up with, but only found pristine white and cream colored towels. He certainly couldn't use those and wished for a moment he still had the kitchen rag he used to clean up his feet. Although he had only been in the house a matter of minutes, he noticed how well kept it was. Sookie must be a person who was proud of her home. He was a guest and couldn't ruin her clean towels. He debated for a few seconds, managing to will his fangs away, and figured what the heck, she did say get cleaned up. He flipped on the shower, shucked his jeans, noting that he was apparently the kind of guy who didn't care for underwear and stepped under the still cool spray.

It took him less than a minute to scrub away the dirt and grime, an advantage of vampire speed he supposed. He shut off the shower and dried himself just as quickly. He pulled on the clothes Sookie had given him, surprised at how well they fit, and a bit curious as to why she had men's clothing upstairs. Maybe she still lived with family, what if she's married? That thought hit him like a ton of bricks. He didn't remember seeing a ring on her finger, but he did remember how beautiful she was. Just the thought that she was with someone else soured his mood, and again had him staring down the stranger in the mirror.

He shook himself out of his reverie, his ears perking up at voices in the house. He could hear Sookie talking and what sounded to be another woman. He gave himself one last glance in the mirror, his hair was a bit of a mess, but the pull he felt toward Sookie and his curiosity at who else had arrived outweighed any desire to comb it. At least he wasn't covered in dirt and who knows what anymore.

"So you found him on the side of the road? Just walking along?" A pretty red haired girl, who didn't look more than 17 or 18 years old stood in front of Sookie, shaking her head with a look of displeasure on her face. She was wearing jeans and a yellow short sleeve top that Bill thought made her red hair even more vibrant. Sookie had her back to him as he entered the room. He could feel the tension between them as he stepped closer.

"That's what I said isn't it? I was on my way home and there he was, walkin' down my driveway in nothing but his jeans." Sookie explained, the irritation evident in her voice. The girl saw him enter, and before he realized, she was in his arms, hugging him fiercely. At a loss as to who she was, and why she was touching him, but also not wanting to be rude, he brought his arms up and awkwardly patted her back. He wasn't in a relationship with this girl, was he? Although she was beautiful, she just seemed so young. He didn't know how old he was, but human or vampire, he knew he was too old for someone like her.

"Bill, are you okay? Sookie says you don't remember anything," she said as she released him.

"Physically I am okay, but she is right, I do not remember anything. And if you'll forgive me, that also includes you," he said, afraid that his candid statement would hurt her feelings. She just stared at him for a moment, then burst out laughing.

"Of course. What was I thinking" She giggled, "I'm Jessica. I'm your... well I guess progeny is the right word."

Bill glanced at Sookie, who had remained standing in the doorway to the foyer, she was giving him an odd look that he had trouble interpreting. He met her warm brown eyes with his and tried for an easy smile, which must have been the wrong thing, because she abruptly turned and walked away from him and Jessica. Her blonde ponytail bouncing as she made her way towards the kitchen.

"Jessica, do you have any idea what happened to me?" He said, turning back towards Jessica. Well, at least that's one thing he had learned about himself, he had a progeny. Maybe she could help him figure out what happened, and how to get his life back.

"I don't know for sure Bill, but we did talk yesterday and you told me that you were dealing with a witch problem."

"Witches?" Bill said, his face betraying his surprise.

"Witches?" Sookie echoed as she came back from the kitchen holding a glass of what Bill guessed was sweet tea, he did, at least, know they were somewhere in the South. "You think those witches had something to do with this?"

"How do YOU know about the witches, Sookie?" Jessica asked, none to kindly, grabbing Sookie by the shoulders, somehow managing to not spill her drink. Bill was surprised how quickly Jessica went from sweet innocence to menacing as she questioned Sookie. He quickly zoomed between the two of them, now holding Jessica by the wrists. He had enough on his empty plate as it was, he couldn't have the only people he knew in the world killing each other.

"Enough Jessica, Sookie has been nothing but kind to me. BE NICE TO HER," He said firmly.

"So, I was dealing with witches the last time we talked?" He asked her, releasing his hold on her arms.

"Yes, you said that you still needed more information, and that you had sent Eric to deal with them. But, wait, if you sent Eric, how did they get to you?" Bill was getting more lost by the second.

"Eric? Who is Eric?" Bill questioned.

"He's one of your sheriffs, but you guys have never really seemed to get along very well. What if this was part of his plan? What if he convinced the witches to do something to you? What if they are after you?" Jessica looked frantically from Bill to Sookie, and back to Bill, the words tumbling out of her mouth.

"We've got to find a safe place for you to stay, Sookie, you've got to hide Bill until I can talk to his staff and figure out what's going on," She met Sookie's eyes, pleading for her help.

"Wait, wouldn't he be much safer with you?" Sookie put her glass down on the side table and placed her hands on her hips. "Eric owns this house now, and if you think he's involved with all this, wouldn't this be the worst place for him to hide?"

"No, that's the best part, this is the last place he'd look, unless he's spending a lot of time here for some reason," Jessica glared at Sookie expectantly. Even Bill could sense the anger Jessica was sending Sookie's way, but didn't understand the sudden shift in her mood. There was some serious friction between Jessica and Sookie, but he had no clue why.

"Not really, he's stopped by briefly, but he told me he was going to give me a few days to 'think about things' whatever that's supposed to mean. So I think he'll be gone for at least a couple of days. Not that it's any of your business," Sookie responded tartly, a faint spark of anger in her eyes.

"If Eric was involved, or even if he wasn't, whoever did this is going to know to check Bill's house or my place, no one would think to look here," Jessica said without any trace of the animosity her tone held a second ago, was Bill just imaging these mood swings?

"Sookie, I know having Bill here isn't great for you, but we really need your help."

Jessica was convinced that staying with Sookie was going to be the safest place for Bill, and he certainly wouldn't disagree if it meant he could spend more time with Sookie. Something about her drew him in, even only knowing her for this short time, and under these circumstances, he could see an innate kindness in everything she had already done for him.

"Crap! It's going to be dawn soon, I suppose you don't have a safe place for him to stay during the daylight, shoot. Where else can we hide you?" She looked at Bill, her eyes wide, then shifted her gaze to Sookie and out the front window into the night.

Bill could sense Sookie's hesitation, she had something to say, but looked like she didn't want to say it. "Well, actually..." she started quietly, "Eric built himself some sort of cubby, which I'm sure must be light tight."

He could see the sadness in her eyes as she told them about the cubby. As much as Bill wanted to stay with her, it seemed like his presence was really taking it's toll on her. Was it just because of everything that had happened tonight or something else? Why does a vampire own her house, but doesn't actually live in it? Bill felt like he was missing much more than just his memories.

"Sookie, you have been such a help to me already, you cannot know how much I appreciate it. But if my staying is going to cause you trouble, I am sure we can come up with something else," Bill met her eyes, and tried again to ease her mind with a gentle smile. This time, to his surprise, he was rewarded with a small hint of a smile in return.

"No, it's okay, Jessica is right, this is the last place Eric, or anybody else would think to look for you. At least for a couple of days anyway." This time, Sookie looked at him with a more genuine smile and it was beautiful. Somehow he felt that smile deep in his chest, like he could feel the slight shift in her mood. He wanted to reach for her then, to touch her golden skin, but he caught himself before she could notice his movement, no touching was one of the rules she had set in exchange for her help.

"Thank you so much Sookie, you know we will pay you back for this, whatever you want, we'll take care of it when this is all over," Jessica told Sookie, a look of relief on her face. "I better go. Bill, I'll stop by your house on my way home to see what your staff know about what happened. I won't let on that I know where you are, not yet. Then we'll start working on how to get your memories back." She gave Bill a quick hug, and actually shot Sookie a smile on her way out of the house.

"Sookie," Bill said softly. Startled by his soft word, her head whipped around to meet his gaze. He thought he saw a flash of what he would almost call desire when their eyes first met, but it flashed away just as quickly.

"I know it's late, but can you fill me in on a few more things before I go to rest?" he continued as he sat down on the arm chair across from the couch.

"Sure, Bill. What do you wanna know?" She was quiet, but he had no trouble hearing her reply. She took a seat opposite him on the couch and drank from her glass. She still hadn't changed clothes since they arrived home. She was wearing what looked to be a uniform of sorts. Black shorts, a white T-shirt with a bar logo on it. Did she work in a bar? he wondered as he watched her lick her lips before placing the glass back on the table. It took all of his control to keep his fangs away and his mind focused on his questions.

"What did Jessica mean by 'my sheriff' and 'my staff'? Why do I have a sheriff and a staff?" He had been pondering that question since Jessica said sheriff. Sheriffs in the vampire hierarchy are only under the command of a monarch or the authority, that didn't make any sense.

"You're the King of Louisiana, Bill, he's literally your sheriff for this area" She took one look at his face and she giggled, he could tell she was trying to hide it, but she couldn't. The giggles continued to escape, despite the hand over her mouth. "I'm sorry Bill, but I can't help it. The look on your face, it's just priceless."

"Come on," she said standing up before he could process what she had just told him, "Let me show you to your 'room'."

She led the way to an armoire in the corner of what looked to be some sort of home office. He raised an eyebrow at her as she indicated the cabinet. Well, I suppose I have probably slept in worse places, even if I don't remember them, at least it looks bigger than a coffin, he thought as he reached for the latch. To his surprise it opened up to a ladder that led to some sort of basement. He climbed down the ladder, and was shocked to find Sookie following after him. It wasn't a bad space, probably about 10x 10 with a small bed at the center of one wall. Bill found it a bit cold with the simple lines and dark, monotone colors, but it was much better than sleeping in a closet. He even noticed some books on one of the side tables, hey, he could read them and no matter what they were it would be like a whole new book.

"Not bad for a vampire," Bill said to Sookie, trying to ease some of the tension that had re-accumulated as they climbed down into the cubby.

"Sookie, do you belong to this other vampire, Sheriff Eric?" he asked, trying to sound like he didn't really care about the answer, and not quite sure if really wanted it. She met his gaze.

"No, I am not his" She said without hesitation.

"Why do you live in his house if you are not his? Do you belong to another vampire?" Bill was getting frustrated with his constant sense of confusion. He did still remember how things worked in the vampire world, with one key rule being you didn't touch a human that belonged to another vampire. And although he didn't like the idea of humans as possessions or pets, he didn't want to cause more trouble for Sookie, or for himself.

"Well, no," She hesitated, unable to meet his gaze. "I am nobody's possession," She finally said with some heat behind it. "As to why I live in this house, it's... it's complicated."

There was a finality to her statement, so Bill didn't push it any further.

She remained near the ladder, one hand on the rungs and ready to climb out and away from him. He didn't want her to leave just yet.

"You are so.." he started to say as he reached out one finger and gently touched her cheek. He pulled his hand away, stopping mid sentence when she flinched at his touch.

Perplexed by her response all he could think to say was, "Sookie."

She looked up at him, their eyes meeting yet again, he could have stood there all day starting into the dark depths of her eyes. Their faces were mere inches apart, he almost ached with the need to touch her. She broke the contact between them and turned to climb the ladder.

"It's the only thing so far that's familiar," he said urgently, his hands clenched into fists at his sides to keep from reaching out for her again.

She paused in her climb, looking back at him. "What is?"

"The name Sookie, I do not know why, but I know that name."

She looked at him one last time, he wasn't sure if it was hurt or maybe sadness he saw in her eyes before she turned away. "Goodnight, Bill."

"Goodnight, Sookie" He said as she climbed out and closed the door. He turned off the light switch, plunging himself into complete darkness. He very easily made his way to the bed, still able to see clearly. For not having any memories, he sure had a lot to think about. Did she really say he was the King of Louisiana? He definitely didn't feel like a king. Why did whatever this was that happened to him leave him with a working knowledge of vampires and their protocols but not a single detail of his own life? He could feel the day approaching, and hoped the coming night would bring him answers. His thoughts turned briefly to Sookie and the odd mix of emotions he had seen on her face tonight. He wondered briefly what kind of friendship they had before he succumbed to the pull of dawn.

x

x

Sookie leaned against the closed armoire door. The hot tears finally spilling down her cheeks. She knew she had to remain silent, since her "guest" would probably hear everything. But she couldn't keep the tears at bay any longer. She had been so stunned when he walked out of the bathroom, his hair still a mess, wearing her favorite shirt, still barefoot. It was her Bill, he looked at her like she had never left, saying her name in the way only he can say it, like that awful night on her front porch had never happened. Well, I suppose for him it didn't ever happen she thought as she slowly made her way to the kitchen. Sookie was at a loss.

What was she going to do? Having Bill in her house, especially a Bill who couldn't remember everything they've been through was dangerous. Not only in the most regular sense of vampire sh!t danger, but dangerous for her heart too. Add in the fact that even though Eric said he would stay away for a few days, he could still show up anytime, which would put Bill in even more danger. Just days ago she would have wished all kinds of bad things on Bill... and Eric for that matter. But she knew in her heart that even if she was spitting mad, which she most definitely still was, she wouldn't really want anybody to get hurt. Aaaaaaaaaahhhhhh! she screamed silently, unable to vent her frustrations out loud. She dug through the refrigerator to find something quick to eat before she fell asleep on her feet, and here she was thinking the night before was a long one.

As she ate her sandwich, she couldn't help but think about Bill and everything that had happened tonight. She suddenly dropped what was left of her sandwich when the last thing he said to her finally sank in. He remembered her name. Of all the things to remember, like how to play the piano and how the vampire world works, he also remembered her name. It didn't necessarily mean he remembered her, no, he would have said if he remembered her. It was just a name. Her name wasn't on the most popular list, but it certainly wasn't unheard of around here.

He's probably remembering it from a hundred and fifty years ago. That's all. It doesn't mean anything. He'd forgotten her as much as he'd forgotten everything else, she told herself as she turned off the lights and headed upstairs with a frown on her face. She quickly changed out of her work clothes and pulled on a worn sleep shirt, crawling under the covers in her old bedroom just as the sun began to rise. She thought about how she should really move all of her stuff into Gran's room for real one of these days as she drifted to sleep with warm memories of her Gran on her mind.