Sawyer stopped the car when she saw the bar ahead of her. Merlotte's the sign on top read. She looked at her gas gage and saw that she had almost no gas left. She flicked on her turn signal and turned in. She pulled the old beat up Pontiac into a parking spot in front. She shut the car off and sat there for a while trying to clear her head and not think about her problems. She couldn't though. All she could think about was the bruise on her face and the pain in her ribs every time she moved. Jeremy had not liked the news she had given him a week before and he had made sure she knew it.

Tears formed in her eyes and she shook them away. She was going to be strong. She had no choice. She tucked a piece of her brown hair behind her ear and slowly climbed out of the car. She grabbed her huge hobo bag and slammed the door. She walked over to the door to the bar and walked in. She stood there and looked around.

It looked like every other bar to her. Red booths lined the sides of both walls with tables in the middle. She turned to her right and saw a pool table. She turned and walked to her left where the majority of booths were. She slid into on and began digging though her bag. She mentally started counting how much cash she had on her. It wasn't much. The silver chain wrapped around her wrist jiggled as she moved her stuff around trying to find any loose change.

"Hello, what can I get you?" she heard a voice ask the accent strong.

Sawyer turned and saw a blonde with brown eyes smiling at her. Sawyer pulled the menu from behind the ketchup and looked at it. She immediately started scanning it looking for the cheapest item on there. She felt tears coming to her eyes. She thought about how pathetic it was that she was twenty four years old, an established writer but she didn't have a penny to her name.

That is the last time I let a man manage my money. What am I going to do now? I am broke in a town where no one knows me... God, I am so fucked, she thought raking a hand though her thick brown curls wishing she had cut her long hair shorter.

"Ahhh, I'll have a glass of water and... Some fries," Sawyer said looking at the waitress.

Sawyer frowned when she saw that the waitress was looking at her with pity in her eyes. Sawyer looked down at her blue sundress and wondered if she had food on it on something. She then remembered the bruise on her face. She sighed and looked at the waitress.

"Look, this was-," she started.

"You did the right thing in running away. No man should ever lay their hands on you. Ever. And you don't have to worry about money or friends. Bon Temps is a great place," the waitress said.

"Fuck... Telepath, right?" Sawyer asked.

Now it was the waitress's turn to be confused, "How did you know?"

"Oh, the little fact that I only told you what I wanted to eat not my life story."

"It doesn't... Scare you?"

"No, it doesn't. I'm not exactly normal either."

"Really?"

Sawyer sighed. She turned and focused her attention on the pitcher of beer on the bar. She kept her eyes on it and willed it over to her. The pitcher floated up and drifted over to her slowly. It landed softly on the table without a drop being wasted. The waitress looked at her then looked at the pitcher.

"I'm Sookie Stackhouse," she said.

"Sawyer Hampton."

"Wait... The writer?"

Sawyer sighed, "Former writer. Now I'm a gypsy without a home and in need of a friend and a place where I could just lay down and cry until next week."

"Well... I have both."

"What?"

"I have a room you can gladly have. And we just happen to have an opening for a waitress position."

Sawyer looked at Sookie like she was crazy. She looked around the bar and saw that everyone that was there, which was five people were looking at them as well. Sawyer watched as Sookie slid in the booth across from her and took her hands.

"You did not just seriously invite a stranger to come and live with you," Sawyer said.

"I did. Question is if you want to come and live with me?"

Sawyer turned and looked at the man behind the bar. He was a tad cute but he reminded her a little of a dog. She smiled at him and pointed at Sookie.

"Does she do this often?" she asked.

"About every week. Course, usually the stranger turns and runs away," he said.

"Or Bill chases them off," the black woman added.

"Bill? You married?" Sawyer asked Sookie.

"She's dating a vampire," the man behind the bar said.

"Sam!" Sookie exclaimed.

Sawyer sat there. She knew that everyone expected her to jump up and run away. The truth was, she was tired of running. She looked at Sookie and knew that this girl was a nice girl. She was close to her age and at the moment Sawyer didn't have anyone. She felt tears come to her eyes. She looked up at Sookie and shook her head.

"I can't believe I am doing this but, yes. I'll take you up on your offer," Sawyer said.

"Great. Now, I'm going to change that order to an iced tea and a big old deluxe hamburger. Okay?"

"Okay. I... I'll never be able to thank you enough, Sookie."

"Don't mention it. I'll be back with your order."

Sawyer sat in the booth and wiped away her tears. She looked out the window and ignored the whispers of Sookie's friends telling her she was nuts to take in a stranger. Sawyer smiled and thought that just maybe this could be her second chance. A chance for her to restart somewhere and hopefully get it right this time. She sighed; she had no idea what to expect.