AN: Hello my fellow readers! I hope you are having a wonderful weekend and to make your weekend extra special here is a new chapter! I hope you enjoy it as much as I do writing it. I like to thank Krismom for reviewing my work as always! Now on with the story!

Chapter Four: I'm Here For You

Today was finally Friday and thank the lord, a two day break from Eric Northman. I did the whole nice thing like Gran said but I couldn't do it, he always found a way to get under my skin. I so badly wanted to scratch his eyes out of their sockets and I think he loved pissing me off just to see my face scrunch up in anger. On Fridays, I always make sure to arrive to work earlier than usual so I can leave earlier at the end of the day. Since it was casual Friday I wore my blue jeans with white flats and a white tank top with a pink sweater over it.

I went to Starbucks to get the usual for my boss and me. When I got there I saw Eric and he just order Lafayette's drink – that was my job! I liked being the one to put a smile on Lafayette's face when I give him his breakfast, he can't take that away from me. I walked right up to him and was going to give him a earful but before I got to utter a word a tall blonde woman came up to him. She was very pretty and classy looking, looked like she could be a model as well; maybe she was his girlfriend or flavor of the week.

She placed her hand on his shoulder to get his attention and gave him a warm smile; they hugged each other and made small talk. She just noticed I was standing right behind them and whispered in his ear then Eric looked over and saw me and they both giggle – they were making fun of me!

I wasn't gonna stand here any longer while they laughed at me so I turned to leave but Eric caught my arm, "Sookie wait a sec. I got your breakfast right here." Eric said and showed me the bag that contained my breakfast.

I scrunched up my face in disbelief, "You did? Is this a trick?" He never did anything nice especially for me since we didn't get along. "Figure you could use the break." He handed me the bag with my breakfast and I thanked him.

The blonde clear her throat and Eric remembered his manners, "Oh, this is my sister Pam and Pam this is Sookie Stackhouse." She was his sister and I felt a little relieved hearing that, not sure why.

We said our hellos and shook hands, "My brother talks about you all the time so it's an honor to finally meet the famous Sookie Stackhouse." She smirked at Eric and I; I guess it was a family thing since Eric does it a lot and why would Eric talk about me to his sister?

I glanced over at Eric and he looked a bit red in the cheeks. He pulled his sister to the side and said, "Don't you have somewhere to be, Pam?" He wanted to get rid of his sister before she embarrassed him again. She played the part, "Oh yea that thing with that other thing. Well I better go before I'm late for that thing. See you for lunch?" Eric nodded that they will see each other for lunch.

She walked over to kiss me bye on the cheek which threw me off, because we just met and I was ready to shake her hand. "It was a pleasure meeting you Sookie. I hope my brother doesn't give you too much trouble today," she came closer to whispered in my ear so Eric couldn't hear, "give him a chance." She winked and smiled at me. She kissed Eric bye and she was gone.

What a morning is all I gotta say. "Sorry about that, Pam is very…special. Our mom always said she was the odd one in the family." He held the door opened for me while we were leaving, "yeah, same with my brother, he's special too." Wow we were having an actual conversation where he wasn't annoying me. "Maybe we should hook them up." He joked and we both laughed picturing our siblings dating the other.

On our way to the office we talked more and it felt nice having someone to talk to who actually listened. As we walked in we were in the middle of laughing and Amelia happened to walk by, "morning you two. Sookie, a word" she said, and I told Eric I'll see him in a few. She dragged me to one of our conference rooms, "what is it Amelia?" I asked her because she looked very anxious.

She crossed her arms over her chest and gave me a hard look, "are you and the hottie having an office affair?" I almost dropped my breakfast on the floor, "what? No! Why would you even think that?"

She looked at me again like a detective who wants to solve a murder case, "are you sure? The way you two act together just now and the way you look at each other says different. This whole hating each other thing is just an act right?" She said to me.

"Amelia, if you haven't noticed we do not get along whatsoever and it isn't an act. We just started having a normal conversation this very morning and nothing more. Whatever you and the office are spreading is false. I have a boyfriend and I would never cheat."

Now her face changed to her sweet loving friendly face, "Bill isn't a great boyfriend Sook and if you do feel for Eric maybe its fate he walked into the office. And…" I cut her off because I was getting tired of this, "Amelia I told you that I would never leave Bill, I love him. Just drop this whole Eric and me thing, it's getting out of hand."

She looked defeated, "fine, be happy with your great and amazing boyfriend Bill. I wish I had a boyfriend just like him." She sarcastically said and left the conference room. I came to my desk and saw a load of paper work on it, "woah what's this?" I asked Eric as I sat down.

Eric came to my desk and pounds his fist on the paper work, "this is our job today. He wants us to put them in order and see if the files are active and term. This is also a part of the project he gave us." I sighed, looks like I won't be going home early today. "Yeah looks like I gotta cancel lunch with my sis." He too sighed and we separated the work load evenly.

"No, you should do lunch with your sister, don't worry I'll be fine." I said to him and began working. "No, it's okay I'll just see her over the weekend, unless you join us for lunch." I stopped typing and looked at him, "are you ever going to give up asking me out to lunch?" I turned my chair around so we were looking at each other.

"No not until you say yes. I want to see how Sookie is outside in the normal world, I just know office Sookie. You could use a break from this paper work and its Friday. What you say?" He sat there waiting for my reply with an anxious face.

"Fine, I'll go just so you can stop asking me already." I said to him and he smiled at me, "great, I'll let Pam know." Eric went ahead and texted Pam that I'll be joining them for lunch. I started to feel butterflies in my stomach when he smiled at me when I agreed to go with him to lunch, uh oh this isn't good.

"Great, she said she'll meet us out front by 1:30, that good for you?" He asked me. "Yeah that's fine." I replied and went back to my work. Time flew by and I felt like we got nothing done – there was just so much to do just for two people. I took a look at the time on the computer and it just turned one and my stomach was growling.

"So where are we gonna eat for lunch?" I asked Eric. "I don't know, do you know of any good places around here?" He asked me in return. "Um, I usually order take out so I don't know what's around here. Hmm oh there's this place my friend owns call Merlotte's Bar & Grill, his place makes the best burgers ever." Now I was craving a nice cheese burger with crunchy fries and hoping he would say yes.

"I already see you drooling just thinking about those burgers so, yeah that sounds fine with me. I'll let her know." He once again texted her to let her know. Texting is such an easier way to communicate than calling the person, that's what my relationship with Bill was based on – texting.

I didn't even realize it was 1:30 until Eric put his coat on, "1:30 already? Wow time goes by so fast. Let me just go to the ladies room. I'll meet ya in the lobby." I gather my jacket, purse and went to the bathroom.

I sent Sam a text to let him know that I was dropping by for lunch with a co-worker and I guess you can call Pam my friend. Sam and I go way back, during my college years I worked in his restaurant as a waitress to pay off bills and help my Gran out. Sam was also a great boss to have and we became the best of friends. I had a feeling Sam wanted more than friendship but I was with Bill so that never happened, don't get me wrong I thought he was cute.

When I came to the lobby I saw Eric looking nervous and checking his watch every now and then, why would he be nervous? I admit he was very handsome, even a blind girl could see how handsome he was, amazing blue eyes that any girl could get lost in and his hair I just want to run my fingers through it – wait back up the truck, what is going on with me?

Come on Sookie don't be like the other girls in the office who fell over heels with the new guy, just act casual and just be yourself, no need to get nervous. I said to myself as I took a deep breath and opened the lobby door, "hey, I was wondering what was taking you so long." Eric said and pushed the elevator button. The elevator came and in we went, "so what does your sister do for work?" I asked him so I can get some background on his sister.

"Oh, she owns a club, a Goth club and on weekends I help her out." "Wow, a Goth bar? That must be crazy with the way the people dress and the music." I commented. He shrugged his shoulders, "I like it, it's so different and it's like every weekend I dress up for Halloween. You should come by one weekend; I promise it isn't scary as it sounds." The elevator dinged and we arrived to the lobby of the building.

"I don't know that really isn't my scene. I haven't been to a club or bar in years." It may sound like a lie but it's true, I was a boring 26 year old. "I don't believe it, you're young and from the pictures you have lots of friends that probably do fun stuff on weekends." Eric didn't believe me.

"I'm only four years younger than you and well my friends are either marry or have kids so they don't have time to hang and do fun stuff." Pretty sad huh, all my friends were married and had kids while I was in a relationship that was going nowhere.

Pam was outside waiting for us and she was thrilled to see me, we just met that very morning, "Sookie Dear, so happy you can join us for lunch. I'm so looking forward to eating a greasy burger." She said and latches onto my arm as we walked to her car. The way Pam acted around me was like we been best friends for years, not even my closest friends act this way toward me.

She told me more about her club and how she thought about the Goth thing, "Vampires seem to be the big thing this year so why not opened a Goth club where people can dress and act like vampires every night. And let me tell ya it's a business success!" She shuffled around in her purse and took out a flyer.

She handed me a flyer of her club, "Come on you have to come one weekend and see for yourself. Free drinks on me all night." I heard Eric laughing behind us as we drove to Merlotte's, if he wasn't able to get me to go to the club one of these weekends his sister would.

We drove up the drive way and I happily came inside and saw Sam behind the bar. Sam looked up and smiled as he saw me, "Sookie so good to see it has been too long." He came around the bar and gave me a big hug, "So good to see you too Sam." I said and kissed his cheek.

I heard Eric clear his throat and he looked bother that I was just a little too friendly with the owner, "Oh Sam this is Eric Northman my co-worker and his sister Pam, guys this is Sam Merlotte the owner and my friend." They all said their hellos and made small talk. Sam walked us over to our table and told us the waitress will be with us in a second.

We weren't sure how to sit in the booth for four, "I don't like sitting next to someone so you two sit together." Pam said and slide into the booth. Eric let me slide in first and he soon follows, "This place is nice, very Southern looking." Pam commented and glance at her menu. Eric ordered a grill steak with mashed potatoes, Pam ordered a chicken Caesar salad and I ordered a cheese burger with crunchy fries.

We were enjoying ourselves and that Pam was something else, I thought Eric was bad, she was worse. She mentioned that Eric was Co-Manager to her club which was called Fangtasia – very clever name and I had to hold in my laugh when she told me. I was surprised to hear that Eric was co-manager to a very popular club; he didn't need a second job.

"Eric, why are you even working a second job, if you have a steady job as co-manager?" I asked him. "I don't know I just like keeping myself busy, keep my mind off stuff." He said and played around with his straw in his water. Something was bothering him I could tell but I couldn't put my finger on it. Even Pam looked sad for her brother but before I got a chance to go in deeper to that conversation Bill walked in, what was he doing here?

Bill walked to the bar and ordered a beer and I saw him and Sam make small talk. Sam must have told him I was here because he turned to look my way, "Excuse me for a second." I said and Eric got up so I can slide out.

He recognized Bill right away and they both glared at one another, "We'll it was fun while it lasted." He whispered in my ear and my body melted as I felt his hot breathe against my ear. I looked into those deep blue eyes of his and felt like time stop for a little while; I mentally slapped myself and walked over to my BOYFRIEND Bill.

Bill looked upset, just great. "Hey." I said and sat next to him in the bar. "What are you doing here? And who is he?" No hello or hey baby how are you doing? "I'm on my lunch break with my co-worker; he's the new temp I told you about." I replied.

"New temp? You never told me anything about that." He said and it really bugged me that I did tell him about the new temp we were getting but does he even listen or remember what I tell him, never.

"Yes I did, not my fault your memory sucks. Well I just wanted to say hi, let me head back I think our meal is ready." I got up to head back to the booth but Bill grabbed my arm, "So you rather spend time with a co-worker than your own boyfriend?" "Oh please don't even go there. See you when I see you, bye." I yanked my arm free from him and came back to Eric and Pam.

When I came back Pam wasn't there and Eric told me she went to the ladies room, "Are you okay? You seem down." Eric asked me as I slide back into the booth. "No it's nothing I'll be fine." I lied and turned away so he didn't see my face.

"Sookie, you were just fine before he walked in, why do you…" "Eric stop I get enough of it from my family and friends I don't need it from you too. Let's just enjoy lunch." I felt the tears form behind my eyes but I would not cry, not in front of Eric.

Eric placed his hand on my top of mine and gave it a firm squeeze as if saying; I'm here for you.

AN: So what you think? You like? Well I hope you do! I have 5-7 I think ready just gotta review it and then send to my beta reader. Please leave me a review, no review no new chapter lol.