A/N: Thank you all for the interest and reviews, you're the best!

Chapter 1

Four months.

Sookie had not set foot over her threshold in four months. It was the longest she'd ever been away from home. The downright farthestshe'd ever ventured from Bontemps--possibly the farthest any Stackhouse had ventured in generations, since coming over on the boat.

Resting her shoulder bag upon the threshold, she flipped the light switch for the foyer, illuminating the entryway of her family home.

Well, at least they didn't shut the electric off.

That meant Sam had proven true to his word, and paid what little bills came her way in her absence. He'd been so surprised at her request, but like a true friend came through, like he always did.

Had she really fled the house four months ago, a scared and bruised young woman with nothing but a small duffel full of clothes and a toothbrush, and a wad of cash to give Sam for the bills? And just who was returning, she wondered at herself. She was still Sookie the telepath, sweet and kind and strong. And she was still scared. But oh the things she'd learned. The places she'd been.

It all started with a chance meeting at Merlotte's. An unlikely patron seated in her section. She'd known immediately that he wasn't from around there, because, well, she knew pretty much everyone. Everyone in the bar had stared at him, with unabashed southern curiosity. Or maybe it was his bright blue eyes, his blond hair, and impossibly long legs--so much like a certain Viking she happened to know. Yes, those were nice, but those were not the attributes that first caught her attention.

What truly piqued her interest in the stranger was the fact that as she approached with cheerful smile locked in, she found she couldn't read his mind. The fact caused her to hesitate a moment, before recovering from her stumble, smiling once more. "Hi, I'm Sookie, and I'll be your server tonight."

He paid her a blinding smile that went all the way to his eyes. That made her pause too, but for a different reason. As he opened his mouth to speak she realized he also had an accent. Something Germanic maybe? She couldn't place it. Her experience in such matters ran to Southern English, Cajun, Spanish and a little Creole. Sookie suddenly felt very self conscious about her lack of experience in the world.

As he ordered a coffee with cream Sookie attempted to probe his mind, suddenly so very curious whathe was. There were no thoughts available to her, but his mind was not the cold blank slate of a vampire's presence. There was the warmth of the living, yes, a great warmth to him, and buzzing activity, but she couldn't make out anything specific. As though he could sense her reaching out to him, the man smiled gently, studying her in kind with intelligent blue eyes.

"I'll have your coffee right out!" Sookie suddenly exclaimed, hurrying away with her wide guarded smile. The one that had earned her the nickname Crazy Sookie. Throughout his meal and three cups of coffee Sookie repeated her attempts at infiltration. It was upon retreating from the last fill-up that she nearly jumped into the air, his hand clasping hers lightly. She glanced down at his long fingers wrapped around hers with wide blue eyes, but all protests died on her lips as a wave of calm washed over her. Did he do that to her? Or was it merely the earnest expression upon his handsome face. Maybe it was the glasses that were disarming, square silver frames that gave him a disarming and bookish appearance. "Perhaps we could talk a little? It could be easier for you, to find your answers."

Sookie nodded, feeling as though she'd been caught red-handed, trying to read his mind. "I have a break coming up.. .can you wait five minutes?"

"I can."

She scurried away, checking on her tables one last time before sliding into the booth in front of the intriguing stranger. Once seated she still found herself fidgetting, smoothing back her hair, checking her ponytail, and twirling the ends around her fingers. "So…"

The stranger laughed, a deep good natured rumble from deep in his chest. "You are always this nervous?"

"Not exactly." Sookie leaned in over the table, asking in a low voice, "What are you?"

With that enchanting smile Sookie was becoming to like quite a bit, the stranger leaned in as well, whispering conspiratorially, "I am a telepath, like you." He leaned back in the booth, straightening broad shoulders once more. She felt certain he would be nearly as tall as Eric, once he stood. "But you may call me Henrik."

Sookie narrowed her eyes as she studied him. "I'm guessing you're a long way from home, Henrik. What are you doing here?"

"I was on rotation at a hospital in New Orleans, helping with the hurricane victims. A sort of.. .doctor exchange program. But I am going home soon."

"And where is home?"

"Stockholm."

Stockholm. She knew it was in northern Europe, but suddenly she feared she would appear unforgivably ignorant if she asked which country. So she nodded. "Bontemps is a long way from New Orleans. Something tells me you're not here for hurricane victims."

"No," he openly admitted. "I heard there was a powerful telepath here in this town. I think I have found her."

"Who did you hear that from?" asked Sookie suspiciously, raising eyebrows high. People knowing of her ability, her handicap, in Bontemps was one thing. This was her town, and a small one at that. But word getting out elsewhere? Perhaps not such a good thing. "I'm not that powerful," she added quietly, humbly.

"A man in passing in the hospital. He did not speak of it, but I caught the image of you, the impression, from his mind. I must say though, you are much more lovely in person."

Even as her cheeks burned at his intent gaze, even if ever so slightly, Sookie asked further, "And what do you want with me?"

"I want to study you," he admitted unabashedly, causing even more heat to rush to her ears. The doctor laughed, and continued with his explanation. "Back home, I am involved in a series of studies with another doctor. He's brilliant, a wonderful man. We are curious of the implications of telepathy, the origins, the patterns of brain activity. We have a lovely facility with the university, and quite a large gathering of subjects who come and go as they please. It has been a tremendous success, giving many a chance to learn about their ability, and meet others who are like them."

"Are there many of us out there?"

"More than you might think."

Sookie sat quietly for a moment, and couldn't help but feel odd at the sensation of this live and otherwise human man before her, projecting almost no thoughts her way. "How do you do that? Your shields are so strong, I can't get anything from you."

"I have had a few more years of practice, I imagine. Yours are not bad. But I could teach you to be better."

"Is it difficult, being a doctor with this ability?"

"It is very useful, actually. Have you ever watched the show House?" Furrowing her brow, Sookie shook her head no. "There is a saying he has, that doctor. Everybody lies. It is true, and in the medical field, quite a pain. I used to work in an emergency room. Being able to look into someone's head and glean important facts they are usually too embarrassed to impart is a lifesaving tool at times."

"You like to help people, don't you?"

"I do."

"Do I look like I need help so badly?"

Henrik shrugged, smiling slightly. "I do not know you well enough to say. But the invitation to join us is open--its up to you, of course." Both the doctor and Sookie noticed Arlene and Sam beginning to throw looks Sookie's way, a clear signal she'd gone over her 15 minute and the natives were getting restless. "I would be happy to tell you more about the study tomorrow, perhaps?"

Sookie nodded, jumping up from the booth. "Yeah, that would be nice."

She ran off to catch up on her tables, and it wasn't long before Bill came in too. Vampire Bill. A feeling of slight resignation raised from the pit of her stomach at the sight of him, something she couldn't quite identify. She had to go work for Eric later that night, and she knew Bill wouldn't be happy about that. He would pout, beat his chest in a Neanderthal-esque way, ask her not to go alone, offer to take care of her financial needs, whine that she wouldn't let him go with her anymore when she was working.

She'd tried to ignore it, but the more time that passed, the more it seemed inevitable. She was getting tired of Vampire Bill, the way so many lovers are doomed to do. And worse yet, he seemed to sense it in his uncanny way, causing him to grope for a hold even more.

Making Bill jealous was something the Viking found to be highly amusing, a game that was becoming a favorite pastime of his. He was becoming increasingly difficult to fend off, that one. He took more and more liberties every night she worked at Fangtasia as the resident mind-reader. Part of it was her own fault--she liked that vampire too much for her own good. She liked the way he made her laugh, she liked the way he kissed her. She liked his smile, and his hands, and his dependability in a crisis. She even liked his overbearing confidence in a way, though it scared her too. Its only a matter of time before you yield to me, he would remind her. Playfully. Jokingly, but not really. He meant every word.

There she was, caught between a rock and a hard place, as usual. Two vampires who both wanted a piece of her, wanted to own her in some way. It rankled her, that sense of entitlement all vampires seemed to adopt over time. The old ones were the worst, and hell, maybe she would be like that too if she'd lived ten times a human's average lifespan.

But she put up with it, and other things, because they were so delightfully blank in their minds. They were her best option to not live life alone, it seemed, and no one wants to do that. At least that's what she'd thought, up until about 15 minutes ago, meeting a telepath who could wall her out as effectively as any walking undead.

And so Sookie went about doing something that would, unwittingly, change the course of her life forever. With Bill sitting right at the bar, idly chatting with Sam but keeping a hawk's eye on her all the while, she wrote her address and a time, (emphasis on daylight hours), on a napkin and handed it to Henrick with his bill.

Next order of business? Where the hell was Stockholm?

Eric would know.

Ah, backstory…Not too much Eric/Sookieness this round, but more to come soon…stay tuned, tip your waitress, review your author! :)