A/N- Dont worry Eric's making an appearance soon.


The next day I had work starting at three, just after the lunch shift and going through till dinnertime. Night shifts meant better tips and I reminded myself of this fact as I climbed out of my car in the parking lot of Merlotte's. I shivered in my work outfit of black shorts and white t-shirt; thankfully I hadn't begun to show in my early stages of pregnancy yet. I'd probably have to give up work when I did, or else face the rude glances and snide comments, not to mention the thoughts I'd have broadcasted my way. I entered through the back way, throwing my purse into Sam's desk and tapping Holly on the shoulder to let her know I was there. She grinned and gave me a thankful wave as she darted out the door; the crowd was unfortunately light tonight, I could see that in a quick glance and I knew exactly who the blame could be pinned on to. Arlene and her Fellowship scum had been arrested a while back for planning to crucify me much the same way my sister-in-law had for being a shifter sympathiser. Since then a few of the irregular patrons had stayed away worried that the same could happen to them, the regulars though, those that came in after work and the alcoholics were openly defiant of the fear. 'Out loud and out proud' I thought to myself as I served Catfish and some of his men;

"Hey Sookie" he greeted me eagerly, a little too eagerly. Even though my brother had been cleared of any suspicion in Crystal's death, Catfish had still decided that enough was enough and fired him. Logic told me Catfish was feeling a little guilty about drinking in the place where I'd serve him, in case I made some remark, and from the snippets I gained from his mind he was a little worried Jason wouldn't be okay. Shows what he knew, Jason hadn't even been unemployed a day before he'd been picked up by a crew in Shreveport and offered a promotion and pay raise, in spite of everything my brother still had a reputation as a hard worker, he'd only hesitated long enough to make sure that the job had nothing to do with my having dated Alcide Hevereaux before taking it. Something I truly respected him for.

"Hey Catfish" I reply sweetly, "What can I get you boys?"

"How are you?" he asks digging for clues, I grin and give him what he wants to hear,

"I'm good, I'm mighty pleased for Jason and his new job, what with the promotion and pay rise and all...so the usual?"

Catfish nodded absently and the relief on his face endeared him to me for a minute...but then I was distracted by a drunk running his hand up my top.

My response was pure reflex strengthened not a little by horrible flashbacks. I broke the guy's nose with one quick punch and brought my foot down hard on his own. He hollered in pain even as those who'd seen his mistake applauded me for my quick reaction. However Sam didn't see it that way,

"Sookie!" I turned to look up at him with a self-satisfactory smile on my face, which faltered when I saw the fury in his eyes, "Apologise to this man immediately"

I blink in surprise, certain that I'd misheard him, "What?"

He repeated his request but for the life of me I couldn't compute my boss taking the side of a groping drunk, "But he grabbed me," I explain, cursing myself when I hear a slight whine to my tone, several of the patrons backed me up echoing my statement but I already saw in Sam's face that he wasn't backing down.

Blame it on hormones but I wasn't either, nor was I gonna take this lightly,
"Sam he put his hand up my top, not only invading my personal space but treating me worse than a common whore, if the strippers at Claude's club don't have to put up with it, I'm not gonna put up with it in a family centred bar"

"I'm going to sue" the drunk slurred and that fuelled Sam even more,

"Sookie, I'm only going to tell you this one last time, apologise or leave"

"Fine" I ground out through my teeth, "I'm sorry if this will hurt"

Sam's eyes blinked in confusion but before he had the chance to move I rammed my knee up hard in between his legs, every man in the bar hissed in sympathy. Dropping my empty tray at the bar, I handed Catfish's order into the kitchen where D'Eriq was watching me with admiration, then I stormed right out of the building, got into my car and headed home.