Sookie pulled up outside of Merlotte's restaurant and bar, reveling in the memories that came rushing back to her at the sight. She basked in the sight knowing that in a few months, she'd be halfway across the world with Eric in Sweden.

Through the windows, she could see Tara and Amelia already at a booth, talking and laughing. They'd spent so many weekends and afternoons after school at the place, that booth soon became "theirs," and Sam Merlotte, the owner and friend of the family, kept it reserved for them.

It was spring break and, during the week off from school, she talked Eric into spending some time in Bon Temps to meet her friends and loved ones. He'd be meeting her here later, as Sookie couldn't wait for him to finish his homework.

She bounded out of her Jeep and ran to the front door, pulling it open quickly in her enthusiasm. A few regulars recognized her and lifted a hand or a glass to her. She returned their hellos and looked behind the bar to see if Sam was on duty.

"Sookie!"

She turned to see him heading towards her with arms wide open. "Sam!"

"Damn, girl, it's good to see you again," he said, picking her up in a bear hug and swinging her around. Sam reminded her of a big teddy bear, and his tawny hair and scruffy beard finished the look. "How's Shreveport treating you?" he asked.

"Great, Sam. Thanks for asking. Lafayette working the grill today?" she asked, after he dropped her back down on her feet.

"Sook!"

And with that, Sookie turned around to see a sight for sore eyes. "Laf!" He hadn't changed a bit, Sookie noted as she was subjected to another full-on bear hug. The loud, flamboyant black man may have stuck out like a sore thumb in this backwoods town, but Sookie loved him like a brother. Along with Tara, Amelia and Sam, they made up for her lack of actual family members.

Lafayette set her back on her feet and held her shoulders, looking her up and down. "Something's different about you."

"Don't know what you mean," Sookie said, blushing slightly.

"Lafayette, leave the girl alone," Tara cried out from the booth.

"I will as soon as you all tell me what's got Sookie smiling brighter than the sun here," he said, walking her over to the girls' booth.

"Sookie got herself a man," Amelia said with a wide smile.

"Ames!" Sookie admonished.

"Well, you do. Didn't know it was a secret. Besides, wasn't he supposed to come with you?" she asked.

"He'll be here. I just couldn't wait any longer," Sookie said, sliding in beside her.

Lafayette was about to slide in beside Tara, and by the look on his face, Sookie knew he wanted to gossip, so she headed him off. "You all will see him soon, and we'll tell you everything, Lafayette. For now, can I have a burger and fries?"

"Sure, sugar," Lafayette said. "And it's on the house, as long as you give me all the juicy details. This town ain't been the same since you left."

"While he's gone, I wanted to talk to you two," Sookie said. Amelia and Tara leaned on the table. "You both know Eric and I are going to Sweden this summer, but I want you to tell me, now that we're face-to-face, that you really don't mind."

Amelia leaned back off the table and rolled her eyes. "Yes, Sookie, both of us are extremely disappointed that you want to run off after graduation with a blonde God and live together in sin. For shame."

"Amelia, don't tease our girl. I think she's serious," Tara said. "Are you really looking for our permission?"

"Well, I know we had plans to go to LSU, all of us. I mean, we dreamed about that all through school," Sookie explained.

Amelia scoffed, "Hell, I knew those plans were out the window last fall when I saw you with him."

Sookie looked with surprise at her two lifelong best friends. Were they really that sure about Eric and her? Long before she was herself? She shook her head in disbelief. "I love you guys, you know that?"

"We know," the girls said simultaneously, making the three of them crack up laughing.

Half an hour later, after polishing off Lafayette's burger, Sookie leaned back in the booth. She'd been thinking about this moment for a month now, ever since she'd gotten the acceptance letter on Valentine's Day. Half of her was excited and happy about her future. The other half never wanted to leave this little town, as simple and rustic as it was.

"I've got to use the restroom," Tara said.

"Now that you mention it," Amelia said, giving a slight push to Sookie's arm. "Let me out."

Sookie stood, and as her friends darted off to the hallway beside the bar, she walked up to it, her eyes glancing off of the array of pictures taped on the mirrored wall. One was of her and the girls in their booth, last year at this time. Comparing the year younger Sookie to what she saw in the mirror before her now, Sookie smiled at her reflection. She looked happier, and she could now see what Tara and Amelia did. Her eyes pretty much sparkled, and there was a slight glow about her skin. Given the cool weather and weak winter sunshine, she knew it had nothing to do with her ever-present suntan.

No, the new Sookie was courtesy of a Mr. Eric Northman, she knew, and the life she planned to spend with him. She began to daydream about her and Eric in Stockholm and didn't hear the door open, nor did she notice someone walk up next to her until he began speaking.

"Sookie, decided to come back home, huh?"

She turned to see Bill standing beside her. Her own happiness, though, refused to be dulled by his presence, and she decided to be civil for now, or at least until Tara and Amelia came back out of the restroom.

"Yes, I haven't seen Sam and Lafayette in a long time. I'm going to miss them," she said.

"It's only a couple more months, then we'll all graduate," he said with a shrug.

Sookie nodded, then returned to looking over at the pictures and daydreaming about Eric. She couldn't wait for him to get here. Though Gran was now gone, and she didn't have anymore family members to introduce him to, she'd really like him to at least meet the people that meant the most to her. She could hear Bill still speaking, but nothing he ever said really mattered to her, and she was only half-listening.

"I was thinking, come September, you know, we'll all be at LSU, and my dad said he'd spring for an apartment if I could get a roommate. You've still got money from your Gran, right?"

Hearing her Gran's name, Sookie looked back at him. "What?"

"Gran left you her estate, right?"

"Well, yeah, I'm the only Stackhouse left," she replied.

Bill suddenly smiled wide, and Sookie involuntarily shrunk back a bit.

"It's all settled, then. Sookie, this was all meant to be. You'll see. I know I came on a bit strong at your Gran's funeral, but I can't help it. I'm crazy about you. Sometimes I can't think straight because of it."

The gleam in his eyes screamed at Sookie to get away, and she slid off of her bar stool and took a step away from him. "What are you talking about? What's all settled?"

"You and me, roomies!" he said. "Going to LSU together!"

"What? I never said that. What do –"

"You just agreed to it."

"I wasn't even listening to you, Bill."

The gleam in his eyes and smile slipped a bit, but he didn't waver and walked up to her, placing his hands on her shoulders. "Sookie, don't be ridiculous. We're so good together."

"Let go of me."

Bill shook his head, and to her horror, Sookie noticed that his head was bending down towards her face. She knew what to do, and she let him get as close as she could possibly stomach before bringing her knee up sharply between his legs.

He let go of her then and crumpled to the floor with a girlish scream that startled Sookie. His hands cupped his crotch, and he brought his knees to his chest.

Sookie heard running footsteps, and soon saw Sam and Lafayette run from the kitchen, followed by Tara and Amelia out of the restroom. Sookie fought the urge to kick him in the ribs, and instead stood over him.

"For your information, Bill Compton, I came here tonight to say good-bye to Sam and Lafayette because as soon as I graduate from Shreveport High School, I will be packing to leave for college. Not to LSU. Eric and I will be attending Stockholm University in his home country of Sweden. I love him, Bill. He's everything you aren't. He's attentive and loving and cares about me. If you ever speak to me again or lay hands on me, I won't stop at your family jewels."

She stepped over him, squashing the juvenile urge to misstep and give him another kick. Lafayette and Sam walked past her and picked up Bill, who was by now biting back sobs. Each holding one arm, they escorted him outside.

Amelia stared at Sookie with her mouth hanging wide open. "Where'd you learn to take care of yourself like that?"

"Eric taught me," Sookie said.

"Well, guess we don't have to worry about you heading off then, huh?" Lafayette said. "Our Sook can kick some butt!"

All of them started to laugh and clap, and Lafayette started chanting, "Go, Sookie, Go Sookie!"

Tara and Amelia joined in, and though she was a bit embarrassed by the attention, Sookie was proud of herself and began strutting and clapping her hands to the impromptu beat.

"What'd I miss?"

Sookie turned to see Eric walking through the door, looking perplexed and surprised.

"Only Sookie kicking Bill to the curb, finally!" Tara said.

"Well, kneeing him to the curb, actually," Amelia amended, and they all burst out laughing again.

"Bill?" Eric asked. "Is that who I saw driving out of here in that beater? He nearly hit my Corvette!"

"Yep, he tried to put the moves on our Sookie, and she kneed him in the balls!" Tara explained.

Eric knew he should be mad that Bill got a hold of Sookie again without him there to protect her, but he didn't. Instead, a feeling of pride and surprise surged through him, and he walked up to his girlfriend. "Well, I guess my little Southern belle is something of a spitfire, huh? Remind me never to get you mad."

Sookie smiled up at him. "I could never get mad at you, Eric."

Oblivious to the small crowd around them, he cupped her face in his hands and leaned down to kiss her.

A loud clearing of throats behind him reminded him that they weren't alone, and he looked up to see Tara and Amelia staring at them, along with two men he'd yet to meet. The red-headed one in the plaid shirt looked flabbergasted, but the other took Eric aback. It wasn't the way he was dressed, though he could say he'd never seen a man wear so much pink before. No, it was the way he was looking him up and down like he was a tender sirloin.

"Umm, Sookie, you want to introduce us?"

Sookie could see Lafayette's frank perusal, and she shook her head at him and wrapped a possessive arm around Eric's waist. "You've already met Tara and Amelia, of course. This is Sam Merlotte. He owns this place. And this is Lafayette Reynolds, the cook here."

Eric nodded and reached out a hand to Sam. "Sookie's told me a lot about both of you."

Sam shook his head and walked up to Eric, grabbing his hand, but also pulling him in for a half-hug and slap on the back. "You're family now, man. A handshake just isn't going to do it."

After Sam released him, Eric held out his hand to Lafayette, who thankfully just shook it and said with a smile, "Boy, if Sookie hadn't seen you first –"

"Leave the guy alone, Laf," Tara said, "Ain't it obvious he ain't batting for your side?"

"A man can dream, sweets," Lafayette said. "Now, you all have a seat. The girls already ate, but you ain't leaving this town until you sampled some of my cooking."

Sookie took Eric by the elbow and led him back over to the booth. "So, now you've met my family. What do you think?"

"What do I think?" Eric said, pulling her across the padded seat until she sat beside him and put his arm around her shoulders. "I think if anything happens to you, I'd better head for the nearest cave and hide because they'd tear me limb from limb."

Sookie reveled in the warmth and closeness of his body. "They're all I have left, Eric."

"You've got me, now, too."

"I know," she said. "I wish Gran were here."

Eric pressed a kiss against her hair. "If you want, we can go to the cemetery so you can say good-bye to her."

"Thank you, Eric. I'd love that."

"Okay, love birds, we gave you enough time," Tara said, sliding in across the table. "Now, tell us everything about Sweden, Eric. We want to know what you and Sookie are going to do over there."

A/N I may go back and fix this storytelling mistake, but nobody seems to have noticed (or at least cared enough to point it out to me) that I named the bar owner and the car dealer both Sam Merlotte. Oops.

Other than that, what do you think about Sookie's move? Personally, I think that'll be all for Mr. Compton. It's one thing to have Eric push him away, but to get humiliated like that by a girl in front of witnesses? He's gonna slink away with his tail between his legs. Yay!

A couple more chaps, at least. I know, I said that a while ago, but I don't want to leave this story with any plot holes. Still gotta talk to Godric and Pam about it, though by now, they know, but I think a heart-to-heart is due them.

Please review.