This is unbeta'd. I've been toying with this in my head for a while and finally decided, after many many sleepless nights to put it on paper so to speak. ShadoKat is still my beta, and if this takes off, and ya'll like it, I will send this first chapter to her for editing and I will repost it, when I post the second chapter. This may be a slow to update story. Lots going on for me, moving, packing, new job etc...

Ch 1

He sat at his table watching what appeared to be a reunion in front of him. His eyebrow arching at the laughter that was echoing in the small space. He still didn't know why he was here to begin with, he was looking through the paper with an untouched cup of coffee in front of him.

He'd been within moments of leaving when she walked through the door. He was sure he'd seen her last night, but she'd slipped through the crowd before he could reach her. New Orleans was nothing if not full of people, a fact he relished.

He could almost hear Pam sneering at him, as he walked through the door "A coffee shop?" she'd sneer "Really Eric, are you that desperate?"

He wasn't, but he also couldn't understand the pull that this particular coffee shop had for him. Walking through the door, he saw the boy, Caleb the name tag said, behind the counter. Everyone was a boy to him, after a thousand years, none of them could ever hope to see his age.

Ordering a large coffee, he grabbed a newspaper and after paying, sat down at a table facing to door to see what fate was going to bring his way. Coffee shops in New Orleans were open almost all night, and people were coming and going just like it was a busy morning. For Eric it was, he'd only risen in the last hour, having to wait until the sun went down.

Sitting, he went through the motions of drinking his coffee and reading a paper. Bringing the cup to his lips but never drinking it down, he blended well with the other people around him.

He smelled her before he saw her. It was Caleb's voice ringing out in the shop that drew his full attention.

"SOOKIE!" he heard, his mind wondering briefly exactly what a Sookie was.

"Caleb" he heard answer, the voice was soft, southern and happy.

It was followed quickly by a shriek of happiness as Eric watched Caleb jump from behind the counter and wrap a small blonde in his arms. It was a moment later that Caleb was twirling her around in a circle quickly as they laughed.

"Caleb!" he overheard "Put me down this instant, you act like you haven't seen me" Eric listened intently and then he saw her as Caleb stepped away.

She was a small thing, maybe 5'4 or 5'5. She had long blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail, her eyes were big a blue, with high cheekbones and a graceful nose. She reminded him of a doll Pam had, until he saw the rest of her. She was obviously coming from the gym, wearing knee length workout pants and a matching jacket in black. Her shirt was a deep purple, but it was what was in her shirt that raised his eyebrow. Her breasts, filled out the shirt completely. Pam had always remarked that anything more than a handful was a waste, and until now Eric had agreed, but looking at the woman in the coffee shop, he began to rethink his opinion.

"How have you been Sookie?" Caleb asked, jumping back over the counter and turning to look at the blonde.

"I've been good" she replied, smiling "Jason is due in within the next few days" she answered "We decided to have Christmas in New Orleans this year" her gaze was moving around the shop then "I love the shop Caleb, I'm so proud of you" she said until her gaze fell on Eric.

Eric didn't try to hide his interest then. Having caught her eye, he winked, hoping to attract her to his table. It was a surprise to him when she dropped her gaze and he heard her heartbeat quicken as she tried to retreat.

"I'm on the way home, come by after you close up tonight, we can catch up then" she said quickly smiling at Caleb again and backing away towards the door.

"Sookie, wait" Caleb said, stepping forward again.

Eric approached them then, unwilling to let the blonde slip away. "Could either of you tell me where to find Market?" he asked, interrupting their conversation as his gaze held Sookie's.

"I have to go, Caleb can help you" she said running out the door then.

Caleb shook his head for a moment and turned to face Eric then. A smile on his face "Market?" he asked

"Yes" Eric said nodding, he knew exactly where the market was, but he was hoping to have delayed Sookie. He was still staring at the door, hoping to catch a glimpse of her retreating figure.

"Her name is Sookie" Caleb told him, "She visits every now and then"

Eric turned his full attention on Caleb then. Arching his eyebrow he made no comment to the boy.

"She lives not to far from here, about 3 hours or so away" Caleb said, turning to start cleaning the coffee machine behind him.

"Thank you" Eric said quietly

"I'll introduce you to her tonight if you want" Caleb said casually "She's very shy around strangers but we'll be out tonight if you want to run into us"

Eric thought briefly about glamouring the boy to obtain her address, but decided to go along with things for now. "Where?" he asked

"We'll be at the Spotted Cat" Caleb told him, "We are friends with the owners; she'll be more relaxed there"

"What time?" he asked

"We should be there after 9, so anytime after that would be good" Caleb told him "My name is Caleb" he said offering his hand out to the tall blonde in front of him.

Eric stared at the hand for a moment "Eric" he said shaking the boys hand "Eric Northman"

"Please to meet you Eric" Caleb said smiling at him "I'm guessing you're not from New Orleans?"

Eric smiled then, knowing when he was being pumped for information "No, further north" Eric said "Closer to Shreveport"

Caleb smiled then "I know all about Fangtasia" he said nodding "I'm not sure of your intentions with Sookie either, and I'm not asking, she's a big girl, but I'll tell ya Eric, she isn't like your fangbangers"

"I hope not" Eric said, breathing out unnecessarily

"Just keep that in mind" Caleb said "Jason, her brother, will be home in the next few days, and he'll run you through the ringer. Nobody is good enough for Sookie according to him" Caleb nodded to Eric then. "Just treat her well"

Eric arched an eyebrow at Caleb, who chose then to turn his back to finish cleaning the coffee machine. After a moment of silence, Caleb stopped and grabbed a piece of paper. After writing something down, he handed it to Eric.

"This is where we'll be tonight, and tomorrow night I'm sure" Caleb said smiling at him "She's a good girl, very old fashioned" he said quietly, looking hard at Eric as he did so.

"I want to meet her" Eric said with determination.

"You be there tonight, and I'll introduce you" Caleb said grinning from ear to ear "Sookie will be there, we are meeting folks"

Eric nodded and quietly left the coffee shop then. Still in something of a daze over his own actions as he walked the streets of the city, he made his way back to his hotel and changed for his meeting with the Queen.

It was well after 10pm when he was finally done. The Queen had been in one of her moods and kept him overly long. Making his way out of the palace, he glanced at his image in a street window. Running his hands through his hair, he smirked for a moment as he looked at his clothes. Having dressed in all black, jeans and a plain t-shirt, he thought he would be able to pass himself off as a human for his meeting with Sookie.

Taking to the air, he flew to the French Quarter. Landing not far from the bar Caleb had given him the name of, he straightned his hair again, and adjusted his clothes briefly, before realizing he was fidgeting. "I do not worry over women" he said under his breath as he stepped out of the alley and started walking down the narrow sidewalk towards the bar that held his own personal sunshine.

There was music blaring down the street and laughter echoing outside as Eric approached. People were in various stages of intoxication, but he picked up on her scent as he got closer. When he walked through the door, he was greeted with the sight of her on stage playing piano and laughing. Her smile easily lifting the corners of his own mouth as he watched her unnoticed by everyone except Caleb.

He made his way to the bar and ordered a beer. Turning back to the stage, he raised the glass to his lips without drinking and watched the scene in front of him unfold.

Sookie was dressed in a green sweater with a very inviting V-neck and a pair of black jeans that showcased her very well. He watched as her hands glided over the piano keys effortlessly and her face as she relaxed and enjoyed her surroundings.

Eric noticed the red head watching him out of the corner of his eye. She sat next to him at the bar as he watched Sookie.

"Hi" she said to him boldly

"I'm not interested" he replied without taking his gaze off of Sookie

Seeing where his interest was directed, the woman turned around "She won't give you the time of day" she told him "She's frigid"

Eric turned his head to look at the woman, losing his patience, he glamoured her "I'm not interested, you will go away and not speak of that woman or me again"

The red head got up in a daze and left the bar. Eric turned his head back to the stage and noticed Sookie was gone. It was a moment later he saw Caleb walking towards him with Sookie trailing behind him.

"Eric?" Caleb said smiling "This is my friend Sookie Stackhouse" he said stepping out of the way to nudge Sookie forward. "Sookie, this is Eric Northman"

Sookie looked up and blushed, immediately dropping her gaze. "Hello" she said smiling as she reached out to offer her hand politely.

Eric smiled down at her and took her hand with a gentle squeeze and brought it to his lips. "I am very pleased to meet you Miss Stackhouse" Eric said quietly.

"Oh please" Sookie said, raising her eyes to his "Call me Sookie" she said timidly "It is a please to meet you as well"

"You must call me Eric if I'm to feel comfortable calling you Sookie" Eric replied easily, his smile widening as he continued "You ran away from me earlier, and I begged your friend to tell me what I'd done to offend you"

"Oh, you didn't offend me" she answered quickly, her eyes widening as she spoke "I was just shocked"

"Shocked by me?" Eric teased gently "Little old me?"

"Little?" Sookie giggled in reply "I don't think you've been little in many years" she laughed, straining her neck to look at him.

Eric laughed and bent down to her then "Does this help?"

Sookie took a deep breath then, realizing how close he was to her, his lips poised just above her own as the crowd around them faded into the background. She blinked slowly, trying to get control of her emotions before she leaned forward.

Let me know what ya think, if you like it, I'll have this edited and I'll post the second chapter :) Happy Valentine's Day to everyone! :)