A/N: Thank you so much to MelodyAnderson, TB Eric - Sookie always 85, ciasteczko, ericplenty, outinritefield1, Perfecta999 and the two guests that reviewed. You have no idea how much I appreciate it. No story I have ever written has gotten this much attention so fast, so thank you!

Also thank you to Asher55 for editing this chapter and making sure I write.

I hope you all like this chapter!

SOOKIE

Bill called me the next day and we agreed that we would go out to Merlotte's the next evening. The time between our phone call and Bill picking me up was completely uneventful. Jason didn't come home, my parents didn't call, I finished a book and started a new one. I watched six episodes of Pretty Little Liars, two episodes of Hannibal, In the Loop, Labyrinth, Sixteen Candles and Whip It.

At around eight o'clock the next day I showered, dried and curled my hair. My make-up was a little dramatic but still simple. Nude eyes with wing tipped eyeliner, blush to high-light my cheeks and blood red lips. I took out a red summer dress, which was tight around my torso and flared out over my hips and some back velvet heels. I grabbed a black clutch, headed down to the kitchen and had a beer while I waited for Bill.

He knocked on my front door at exactly ten. I straightened my dress, made sure my hair was in place and opened the door. Bill stood on the other side wearing black dress pants, black blazer, black dress shoes and a charcoal dress shirt. He looked good, like the type of man I should be with.

"Wow." He said breathlessly. "You look amazing." He took a step into the house and wrapped his arm around my waist, pulling me flush against him, pressing his lips to mine. He parted and looked over my face slowly and smiled. "Take a little pressure off the end of the date kiss."

"Was someone watching Annie Hall today?" I smiled back as I ran my hands over his strong shoulders.

Confusion swept his face. "What's Annie Hall?"

I opened and closed my mouth several times debating on whether or not I should explain it to him. In the end I just shook my head. "Nothing, never mind. Do you wanna go?" I asked him.

He nodded, I locked up and we walked across the lawn.

"So, you're sure Merlotte's is okay? We can go somewhere nicer if you want." Bill was looking at me the way most men looked at me when they wanted to take me somewhere, like I would spontaneously combust if I went to a place that didn't have 84-dollar appetizers and an expensive wine list.

"Bill I've spent my entire life in nice places, maybe something dirty is exactly what I need." I grinned and watched him swallow hard as I stepped into his silver BMW sedan. I buckled my seat belt and smoothed out my dress as he ran around and got into the drivers seat.

I had been to Merlotte's before when it first opened about fifteen years ago but I hadn't been back since. I just wanted some beer, some wings and some conversation with the boy next door that grew up to be one hell of a man.

The parking lot was packed so we had to park on the road. "Are you sure you want to go here?" Bill asked me again.

"Bill, if I want to go somewhere else you'll be the first one to know." I reassured him as we stepped into Merlotte's. It was packed and a blonde waitress told us it would be a bit of a wait. Bill and I hovered around the front door waiting for a table to clear out as I took in what Merlotte's looked like now.

The wood paneling had started to curl and the green and burgundy paint had started to chip, the chairs had been reupholstered and the tables had been replaced but other than that it was exactly as I remembered it. The dining area to my left, a pool table to my right and the bar directly across from the door.

Behind said bar was a girl I knew, I knew. Her dark skin, large brown eyes were so familiar, her hair was black and straightened around her face and she had a fed up look on her face that would stun most people. I was shocked it took me so long to recognize her, my old best friend here in Bon Temps.

I pushed my way through the crowd. "Tara?" I exclaimed hoping she would hear me above all the noise.

Her head whipped in my direction with a seriously annoyed look on her face. Her expression softened when she figured out who I was, it took her way less time then it did me. "Sook?!"

I nodded and she jumped over the bar and pulled me into a hug. "Oh my God! You look amazing." She said taking me in after all these years.

"So do you!" I exclaimed over the noise. She was fit, wearing dark wash jeans and a purple tank top that stood out against her skin.

"I was going to stop by your place soon to say hello." She smiled warmly looking down at me.

"How did you know I was back in town?" I questioned.

"Jason's here." She rolled her eyes and pointed in the direction of the pool table. I followed her gaze to see Jason doing several shots before slinging his arm over a clueless looking brunette. "He really hasn't changed has he?" She remarked with a slight chuckle.

I left out a laugh of disbelief. "No, he really hasn't."

"What are you doing at Merlotte's?" She asked changing the subject.

"I'm on a date." I said waving Bill over. He was kind enough to give me space while I reconnected with my old friend. "Tara, you know Bill Compton, from when we were, you know, kids." I said wrapping my arm around his waist.

She looked him up and down with a dark look and nodded. "Yeah, I know Bill. What's up?"

"I'm very well Tara." He smiled at her stand-offish nature. "How are you?"

"Real good Bill, thanks." She looked from him back to me. "LaFayette would love to see you."

"Tara, where is my drink?" A clearly drunk older woman screeched in our direction.

"Jane you will get your fucking drink when I'm good and ready to serve it to you." Tara shouted back as she escorted me to the back where the kitchen was. I laughed, she was still the same old Tara. She never let anyone walk all over her and always said her piece.

She pushed me through the kitchen door. "Lafayette, look who's here!" Tara said walking up to LaFayette making him turn away from whatever it was he was making.

"Sookie Stackhouse?" The gold eyeshadow that covered eyes stood out against his dark skin as looked me up and down with an amused look on his face. He had a gold scarf wrapped around his head, a black and gold tank top with a deep V covering his torso, dark blue jeans covering his legs and black and gold sneakers on his feet. "Look at you baby girl, you certainly aren't twelve anymore are you?" He came up to me and gave me a big hug.

"That's what they tell me." I laughed out as he released me from his grip.

"This summer is gonna be fun with you around Blondie, I can practically smell the trouble on you." He leaned in and breathed in deep. He looked past me to Bill who was leaning up against the door frame. "You best keep her away from Eric, she's his brand bottled." He gave a dramatic flip of his head before heading back to the stove.

"I intend to." Bill said firmly.

I looked back to him and then back at LaFayette. "I think I am perfectly capable judge of what company I keep, thank you very much." I said annoyed with both of them.

LaFayette laughed. "You stick around, I want to have a drink with you gorgeous." He half turned his body and pointed at me with the spatula he was using.

"I'll be here. I'm sure Tara will keep me here past close." I winked at him knowing that I couldn't stay annoyed with him for that long. I turned and exited the kitchen.

Tara had made sure a table was cleared for Bill and me and we were seated the moment we hit the dining room.

Once drinks and food were ordered bill caught me up on his life.

"So you're a stock broker." I said taking a long refreshing sip of my beer when it finally arrived. Merlotte's was definitely short staffed.

"I look over people's stocks and trade them on their behalf. My father does the same thing, so it only made sense that I would follow in his foot steps." Bill was always clear, precise, pronouncing everything. Good, clean, holism. He drank sweet tea.

"You're a wolf of Wall Street then?" I said trying to get him to lighten up.

He laughed, smoothing out his hair. Not a single one was out of place. "No, no nothing that shady or sordid. Although I do work with men like that."

I made a face of disgust. "Ew."

He nodded. "It's quite unfortunate but I'm not that kind of a man." He smiled shyly.

"What kind of man are you, Bill Compton?" I said flirtatiously.

"The good kind of man. At least I'd like to think so." He had trouble looking me in the eye. He was nervous.

I couldn't help but smile. "You are adorable Bill."

"That is not an adjective most would use to describe me." I could see the blush creep into his cheeks. I would never get sick of making boys blush.

Our food came and we continued to learn more about each other since we last saw one another. He had gone to Yale after he finished high school here in Bon Temps and had gone on to be a track star there. He had an amazing penthouse apartment, celebrated Christmas in the Caribbean every year and socialized with the New York elite. "Basically now, I'm just looking to settle down."

I nodded. "I don't really know what I'm looking for right now. I went to school to be an educator so I think that's what I'm most likely going to end up doing." I took the last sip of my beer before a red-headed waitress took the bottle.

"What about the record company?" He asked me curiously.

I shrugged. "Jason is most likely going to take it over. He works their now, he knows the business and I hate country music."

He laughed. "The daughter of a country music legend hates country music. That's funny." He smiled at me warmly. "Do you want to leave?"

I looked around the restaurant and noticed the kitchen was closed and almost everyone was gone. LaFayette was coming towards us with some shot glasses and a bottle of tequila. He flopped down beside Bill. "I decided that your drink is tequila cause tequila is dangerous and that's what you is." He smiled at me as he poured three shots and pushed one my way, one to Bill and kept one for himself.

"Oh no, none for me. I'm driving." Bill pushed the shot away from him.

"I'll take it then," drawled a monotone voice. I looked up to see an intimating blonde women with dramatic makeup. She was about 5'8, curvy, leather pants, tight black tank top and a leather jacket. She looked about as unamused as one could look. She reached down and took the shot without flinching. "Move over sugar." She said in my direction.

I shoved over and stuck out my hand. "I'm Sookie Stackhouse."

She looked at my hand with irritation. "I know who you are." All her vowels were dragged out.

My eyes widened and I took a deep breath. "Well that's hunky dory sweetheart but who the fuck are you?" I looked at her with pursed lips.

Her smile grew slowly until it encompassed her face. "I'm Pam." She looked over at LaFayette slowly. "This one's trouble."

He nodded, "Mmm-hmm." He took another shot.

"You better make sure Eric doesn't meet her." She looked at Bill. "He has a type and this is pretty much what it looks like." She eyed me before throwing a look at LaFayette.

"What do you mean a type? Woman is his type." They both started laughing and gave each other a high five.

"I can take care of myself. Eric Northman is not that appealing." That was a lie but I could tell that Bill was becoming more and more uncomfortable. I also didn't like that they assumed I didn't have a choice.

"Have you met Eric yet?" Pam asked me taking the shot LaFayette poured for her.

I nodded.

She looked over at Bill. "Oh Bill, I'm so sorry." The look of sympathy turned into a grin as Tara slid into the booth and threw her arms around her, kissing her.

I wave of shock came over me as I witnessed their embrace. Tara parted and looked past Pam to me. "Sookie, this is my girlfriend Pam, Pam this is Sookie." She reached across the table and took the shot LaFayette had just poured.

"We were just getting aquatinted, Pam seems…. nice." I smiled in Pam's direction and she returned it with a bitchy smile of her own.

"What a fucking night." Tara said rubbing her eyes. "We need another waitress really badly."

"You need a waitress?" I chimed in. "I could be a waitress."

Tara's eyes widened and her smile grew. "Sam!" She shouted as an older, shaggy looking man came out of the back.

"What?" He said as he approached the table. The red headed waitress came up to stand behind him.

I shot a quick glance at Bill who was shifting uncomfortably in his seat before looking back at Sam.

"Sam, this is Sookie Stackhouse." Tara motioned to me and Sam's eyes widened. "And she would like to be Merlotte's newest waitress, which we desperately need by the way."

"Have you ever waitressed before?" He asked me.

I shook my head. "Nope, but I can learn. I'm here for the summer and I've got nothing but time."

"Hire her Sam," said Tara.

"Listen to Tara Sam," LaFayette chimed in. "You put this girl in short shorts and Eric Northman behind your bar there will be so many people in here you can retire early."

"Eric Northman?" Bill sighed. "He still works here?"

"Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and every other Saturday." Tara said cheerfully.

"Sookie, you don't need to do this." Bill's eyes pleaded with me not to take the job but I felt like I couldn't say no. I could spend the whole summer with my friends coming home to him in the evenings. Eric was something I could handle.

"Sorry, boredom trumps douche bag. If you want to give me the job I'd love to have it." I smiled warmly at Sam.

"Hire her Sam, I never get to see my kids no more." The red head pleaded with him.

He sighed and rolled his eyes. "Fine. I'll get you the papers." He returned five minutes later with all the things I needed to fill out.

Tara squealed with delight and LaFayette looked pleased.

"Isn't this exciting Pam?" Tara said kissing her cheek.

"Hooray." Pam rolled her eyes.

I filled out all the paper work and handed it to Sam. "Be here tomorrow at five." He said handing me a white shirt and an apron.

I said all my goodbyes and Bill and I left. I talked to much all the way home because I could feel the uncertainly coming off of him in his silence. He walked me to my door and we hovered awkwardly in front of it. "You wanna come in?" I asked hopefully.

He shook his head. "Not tonight. I'm not that kind of guy." He smiled weakly.

I took a step towards him a grabbed his hands. "Please don't worry. Okay?" I kissed him lightly causing him to smile.

"Okay." He pulled me into his arms and kissed me with more passion. He wouldn't come inside but he was okay with making out on the porch swing for twenty minutes. I watched him drive off and I gathered up my things and went inside.

Jason wasn't home like usual and I sighed hating the sound of my house when it was this empty. I stripped down, took a shower and laid down in my bed. I wasn't going to sleep for a few hours so I grabbed my book, my phone, a blanket and headed outside.

ERIC

I had gone for a walk after I had one too many beers and needed to sober up. There were no ladies that night, no names to remember, no one to avoid. Unfortunately the only thing worse than a house with a stranger in it was a house with no one it and I need to get out.

I wouldn't have notice her if she didn't laugh.

Sookie was sitting on a plush deck chairs reading a book. It was four in the morning and here she was reading, listening to music. I walked up on her deck and sat next to here. "What are you reading?" I inquired.

If she was startled by me she didn't show it. Her hair was pulled into a messy bun on the top of her head and she was wearing a black tank top, no bra and grey sweatpants. She tilted the front of the book in my direction. "The Billionaire's Secret Wife."

"How is it?" I asked, rubbing my face, starting to feel the weight of my day and alcohol.

"It may be the best thing ever written." She said playfully but her voice was tired like mine. There was a moment of silence between us. "Do you even own a shirt?" She asked.

I looked down at my bare chest, I didn't even notice I wasn't wearing one. "If my abs are that distracting you can just say so." I was trying to come across as charming as possible but my mind was betraying me and I just sounded sluggish.

She was trying not to smile but I saw the slightest tug at the corner of her mouth. There was more silence between us. "What are you listening to?" I asked.

"It's called 'Bedside Manner' by Dawes." she said as she turned the page.

"It's good, it suits this time of night." I closed my eyes, resting my head against the cushion.

"I know." She said confidently. "So, you're a night owl?" She said turning another page.

"Sort of." I sighed. "Sleep and me are not friends."

"Ditto."

We were silent again for quite sometime as I listen to her turn the pages. "Why were you laughing?" I finally asked.

"What?"

"You laughed when I was walking past, what was so funny?" I looked over at her as she looked at me. Her face was bare of makeup, the darkness under her eyes more prominent than the first time we met. She was beautiful, the real kind of beautiful. Stripped down.

She smiled and flipped back a few pages. "She gasped as Fernando took her perfect cherry nipple into his mouth." She rubbed her eyes as a wide smile spread across her face. "Cherry nipple is so stupid." She burst out into a giggle fit as she continued to rub her eyes.

Her laughter was infectious and I was laughing along with her without even realizing it. "That is pretty stupid." I said as I stood to go. "I'll leave you to it then."

Just before I stepped off her deck she spoke. "I got a job at Merlotte's."

Her comment made me stop and look over my shoulder at her. "Really?" I said with more interest in my voice than necessary. I turned to face her.

She nodded. "Yep, I'm the newest waitress and while I've never had a job before I understand that when two co-workers don't like each other it makes for an undesirable work environment." The twang in her voice had become even more prominent than the day I met her, the few days in Bon Temps had brought her roots right out of her. "So," she got up off the deck chair and made her way towards me. "That having been said I would like to start over." She stopped right in front of me and I looked down at her as she stuck out her hand. "I'm Sookie Stackhouse."

I took her hand in mine and shook it. "Eric Northman." I smiled a crooked smile, my only true smile.

"It's nice to meet you Eric." She smiled warmly.

"Ditto." I let go of her hand. "When do you start?"

"Tomorrow."

"Then I'll see you tomorrow Stackhouse." I gave her one last look before walking back to my place.

I fell into bed, falling asleep instantly for the first time in forever, actually looking forward to tomorrow.

So there was chapter 2. Like always, reviews are loved and appreciated. I love to know what everyone thinks.

Thanks so much for reading!