Disclaimer: All rights are property of Alan Ball and Charlaine Harris. I'm just playing.

A/N-WARNING: MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS! This is my attempt to pick up right where season 2 ended by following True Blood cannon (plus comments from Alan Ball about Season 3) and using the books by Charlaine Harris as a template. In other words, it is pure speculation on my part, since Mr. Ball tends to deviate from the novels…though who knows? I might be right! Characterizations, however, follow True Blood as best as I can manage. Your comments are welcome. Thanks!

CHAPTER 1-This is the Beginning

"Bill?"

Without waiting for a reply from someone who was clearly not there, Sookie dashed to the door she had seen slowly closing when she'd walked into the room. She threw it open and ran outside, calling his name again. She pulled the cell phone from her purse and tried to call him, but it went straight to voice mail.

Had he really taken off? Abandoning her during one the biggest moments of her life so far? The questions were flying through her head as she searched for any sign of him. But he wasn't there and then she saw that his car was gone, too. She stood there in the deserted parking lot; suddenly feeling just as empty, and then the tears started welling in her eyes. Sookie shook her head, wiped her eyes and set her jaw, determined not to let grief overtake her. Bill loved her; she knew that without a doubt. He would never just leave her there, even if he had been upset with her reaction to his proposal, not without a really good reason. It didn't make any sense though, at least any that she could imagine right now. What could possibly be so all important on this night, of all nights, that he would run off on her without one word?

Sookie had been making her way back to the restaurant while she was thinking, and by the time she reached the door, she was in full worry mode. She went back inside, briefly scanning the room before swiftly making her way to the back.

"Hello? Is anybody back here?" she called as she pushed through the double swinging doors to the kitchen.

The kitchen was noisy with the sounds of the dishwasher, clanking pots and pans, a radio playing a song she didn't recognize. The hostess, the waiter and the busboy were in there chatting away, until they noticed the blond in the lilac dress charging towards them.

"Miss Stackhouse! Can I help you with something?" her waiter asked, startled. Customers don't go in the back of the house, even in Merlotte's, she knew but she didn't care.

Sookie looked around the kitchen before she answered him. "Have you seen Bill, the gentleman I came with tonight? I know you've seen him… I mean, did you see him leave?"

The waiter shook his head; the others did the same. Of course they'd made themselves as scarce as possible all evening, except for the necessary service, to give them privacy.

"Did you hear anything? Anything strange?" Again they all shook their heads. Their thoughts told her the same thing.

"Crap!" she said, frustrated that she had nothing to go on, and no idea what to do next.

Standing there being looked at was downright uncomfortable, so she spun around and walked back into the dining room, the staff following her curiously but keeping a respectful distance. Sookie walked back to their table, eyeing the overturned chair, the napkin on the floor. None of this sat well with her and it only served to confirm her worries. She needed help.

Sookie took a nearby chair and plopped down onto it without any grace. She noticed the hostess cross the room and disappear into the hall, and heard the other two go back into the kitchen. She was alone, but glad for it. She needed time to think.

Quickly she went through the likely list of the helpful people she knew. Sam was out of town, so he was out. Jason, Tara or Lafayette and even Arlene could give her a ride home, but she doubted any of them would have any more answers than she did. Besides, they were all still reeling from the whole Maryann ordeal. Hell, she was still reeling from that. She thought of Eric, and it bothered her that he somehow ended up on her helpful list at all. She cursed the blood he'd fooled her into taking and thought of the reasons why she shouldn't call him. He was devious, and cruel and completely untrustworthy. He was also smart, brave and loyal and he had a 'thing' for her, so she knew she could call him and he'd come willingly. Calling Eric would be an invitation into her life, though. She was pretty sure that was a bad idea, and Bill would be adamantly saying no if he was there. With that thought she resolved to call Jason, and reached into her purse for her cell phone.

The hostess returned before she could dial her brother, however, with a distinguished man in a dark suit following closely behind.

"Miss Stackhouse, this is Mr. Talbot, our Maitre de. He runs things here," the hostess told her as if she had no idea what a maitre de was…just a fancy name for a manager in her book. Sookie nodded at the man, who pulled out a chair and sat down next to her. The hostess, having done the introductions, excused herself and left them alone.

Mr. Talbot regarded her for a moment before he spoke quietly. "I understand there was some kind of trouble tonight with you and Mr. Compton and he left you here."

She shook her head, "No, not trouble, not really. I was a little upset so I went to the ladies room for a few minutes, and when I came back he was …gone." She caught her breath when she said the last word, saying it out loud made it seem so much more real. Tears were welling up in her eyes again, and she didn't have the resolve just now to stop them from falling.

The gentleman next to her nodded and reached into his pocket to produce a crisp clean white handkerchief and handed it to her. John Talbot, maitre de at large, known as the 'T-man' to the staff, (Mr. Talbot to his face), was in his late forties and the father of three daughters, one close to the age of the young woman next to him. He was a well-regarded man, who carried an air of quiet authority as a maitre de and as a father. Mr. Talbot allowed her the moment to dry her tears and settle herself

"Better?" he asked simply. She nodded with a sniff and a 'thank you', remembering her manners.

"Perhaps he just wanted to get some air and he will come back shortly," he offered, though it was only an attempt to placate her.

Sookie wanted to believe him, but she knew it wasn't true. "His car is gone too."

Talbot sighed, "It does appear that he left in somewhat of a huff," he nodded toward the table. "It may be that he went for a drive, to cool down."

She shook her head, "He wasn't angry, he wouldn't just take off like that. Not tonight, especially! He just proposed to me!" She was getting angry herself, though. This seemed like a useless waste of time. Sookie started to stand, but Mr. Talbot prevented her with a firm hand on her arm.

"Relax, Miss Stackhouse. I really am trying to help." Damned vampire, leaving this poor girl like this. Why on earth would she want to marry him anyway? She's better off without him; I would certainly never let my Lottie marry some dead…

"I am not better off! I love that damned vampire, he's decent, and kind and it's none of your damn business, anyway, who I marry!!" Sookie answered his thoughts indignantly, freeing herself from John Talbot's steady hand, and standing up in a snit.

Mr. Talbot sat stunned for a moment like a scolded child, not quite able to process that she'd read his mind. Abruptly, he stood up, losing all sense of his fatherly protectiveness as he rose.

"A decent and kind man would not have left his future bride holding the bag. I will give your vampire thirty minutes to return, and in the mean time you can decide what to do about this if he should fail to come back." He spoke with cool indifference while he pulled a folded piece of paper from his suit pocket and handed it to her.

Sookie's eyes widened in shock when she unfolded the paper and looked at the bill inside. Apparently, William Compton had given them a $3000 deposit last week to book the restaurant for tonight. Which left her with only $5,658.67 to still pay up. She began to laugh, it was so ridiculous, until she saw Mr. Talbot glaring at her, clearly not amused.

"How am I supposed to pay for this? It's not like I stuffed five thousand dollars into my purse!" she thrust said purse out to him, suddenly aware she had been clinging to it the entire time.

He was eyeing her diamond ring now, she noticed, and she jerked her hand back and held it to her chest using her elegant clutch to conceal it.

"I have a business to run here, young lady. Your situation is regretful, but none the less, I am obligated to see that the remaining balance is taken care of before I let you leave. How you pay for it is your concern, mine is to see that you do," Talbot responded without a hint of regret.

Sookie felt her eyes begin to burn again with tears, the frustration reaching the boiling point. She let out an exasperated cry, turned her back away from Talbot's glowering stare and closed her eyes. It seemed so stupid to be standing here haggling over money, a lot of money, when Bill was out there somewhere in Lord knows what kind of trouble. How the heck was she going to get her hands on that kind of money?

Suddenly it occurred to her that she did have that kind of money. Sort of. Eric, the Viking thorn in her side, owed it to her. Her earlier resolve not to call him for help seemed unavoidable now. Bill might come back, but she didn't really believe that. She was worried sick about him, and her stomach churned and ached, it seemed, just to validate her fears.

She turned to face John Talbot again, who was still watching her carefully, plastered on her smile and declared "I can get you the money. Can I borrow your phone book?"

thank you Southernlady23 for your help and keeping me on the Ball :)