Arlene was having a terrible morning. Sookie hadn't turned up for work again, probably because she was running off about some damn vampire business. It wasn't healthy for a young girl, up all hours of the night going lord knows what. Let alone what it mus be doing to her sleeping patterns, how did the girl ever have time to get anything more than a couple of hours?

Plus, of course, she couldn't call in the new waitress seeing as she could only work nights. Arlene couldn't for the life of her understand why Sam had hired a vampire. Even if he had gone soft on the bloodsuckers, he knew how unreliable Sookie was at the moment, he could have at least gotten someone who they could call in during the day time.

Luckily it was quiet this morning, but that didn't mean Arlene appreciated having to do all the set-up, especially after she'd had to clear up everything last night since Sookie stormed out half way through her damn shift. She had already made sure all the tables were clean and all the knives and forks were set out. Then she's swept the floors and helped Terry bring in all the food from out back, before filling up all the ketchup and mustard bottles and setting them on every table. She had just brought out some fresh glasses from the kitchen and was half way through making the ice-tea

She had just brought out some fresh glasses from the kitchen and was half way through making the ice-tea when suddenly the door crashed open and a large man wearing an awful lot of plaid came barging in. He looked around before spotting Arlene and came rushing over to her.

"Arlene right?" he asked, obviously panicked, in an accent that was most definitely not from around here. He didn't give her time to respond before he continued. "I was in here last night, with my brother?" Arlene nodded at this, she remembered them well. It wasn't often Merlotte's got folk from out of town.

"I need to talk to your boss." He sounded urgent but Arlene was frozen out of surprise still. It wasn't until he made a sort of confused expression that she was shaken out of it.

"SAM!" she yelled without even turning her head as she was still taken aback by this urgent entrance.

"What?" said the man in front of her, looking severely puzzled.

"What?" Arlene parroted.

"Why did you yell my name?" in his confusion he seemed to have momentarily forgotten his panic.

"Oh! No! That's by boss's name." Arlene laughed awkwardly.

"Sam Merlotte, like the name on the roof." She added for clarity. Smiling again she leaned around the corner to see Sam's office door firmly shut.

"SAM!" She yelled more urgently this time. Why did all the weird stuff always happen to her? And why was the damn boss never around when she needed him?

"I'm sorry I don't think he's in." She told this Sam apologetically.

"Crap." Was all he said, lowering himself onto a barstool and putting his head in his hands.

"You look like you could use a drink." Arlene suggested sympathetically, he looked real upset about something. "What's wrong?"

"It's my brother; he's been abducted, probably by vampires."

"That's terrible!" Arlene replied earnestly poring a scotch out despite how early it was, "Damn fangs are always doing something horrible 'round here."

She couldn't keep the disgust out of her voice as she passed him the glass. She was getting sick and tired of all the drama since those vampires had turned up in her nice little town. Sam's head had shot up at her last sentence and he was looking at her with a hopeful expression.

"You know of any? From round here I mean? Where can I find them?" His tone was urgent again.

"Well, the only one who lives real close is vampire Bill, he lives in a house by the old cemetery, creepy as hell if you ask me, even for a vampire. Other than that the closest are in Shreve-" But Sam had already stood up, thrown some bills on the bar and was heading towards the door, leaving his drink untouched.

"Wait!" she yelled, hardly believing that she had to warn someone else. He paused by the door, "You seem like a nice guy, I'd hate to see you go and get yourself killed."

Sam just smiled at her knowingly.

"I think I'll be okay." And with that he turned and walked out.

"No! There's something you should know about Bill!" Arlene called after him desperately but he'd already gone.

She sighed, downed the abandoned scotch and headed out from behind the bar towards the back. As she rounded the corner she nearly walked straight into Sam. Sam her boss that is.

"Hey there Arlene! What's the rush?" He inquired, putting a hand on each of her arms to slow her down. She brushed him off.

"And where were you about five minutes ago?" She demanded.

"I was just out ba-" he began to gesture behind him before Arlene held up both hands to stop him.

"Y'know what? I don't even care." She snapped. "Seems like no one else wants to listen to me 'round here so I don't need your excuses neither." And with that she stalked off into the store room to get some more beer for behind the bar, leaving Sam with a confused look on his face. It was going to be another one of those days.