Eternal Flame

Author's Note: I am sorry it has taken so long to update but I have been sick and the last thing on my mind when I am sick is to write but I am starting to get better now and I'm here to bring you this update in the lives of Alcide and Bella…be sure to check out my other story Hate that I love you which will have 2 spin offs to it…both slash so you have been warned ahead of time. I have an all human triangle in the works between Edward/Bella/Carlisle…now sure how that will work yet…still in the thought process.

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or True Blood…all I own is Summer and she is based on my step daughter who I am trying to adopt. I WOULD however LOVE to own Carlisle, Eric and Alcide…they are ultra yummy!

Chapter 10

Alcide's POV

After dropping Bella off at her house I took Summer back to Debbie's, dreading every second of it. I told Summer not to mention Bella to her mom yet because I really didn't feel like having her beat the details out of my little angel. Debbie, being the jealous monster that she is, would do just that to get what she wanted. Summer was a bargaining chip for her…not her daughter. By keeping Summer, she had a way to see me any time that she wanted as long as Summer was there and that was just a sick thought. I divorced Debbie for a reason and I am with Bella now for that same reason.

Drop off that day went rather smoothly, despite the fact that Debbie would not stop checking me out. I went home, took a shower and called Bella. I really hated being away from her so much, I just wanted to keep her close to me. I felt that a month was a bit soon to start moving in together but in my heart I felt it wasn't soon enough.

We continued dating and growing our relationship for the next six months, and Summer was beginning to grow attached to Bella. She absolutely ADORED her. Bella, I could tell, felt the same way about Summer and that made my heart swell even more. I decided that after 6 months of being together, I wanted to have her with me all the time. So I took the next big step in our relationship. The funny thing is, it just so happened to be her birthday.

"Happy Birthday, Baby." I told her that night, kissing her temple. We were on our way into the restaurant she was dying to try for her birthday, and who was I to refuse my girl?

"Thank you, Alcide…but really it's not a big deal. I'm not real big on celebrating my birthday…I never have been." she said.

"Indulge me please." I said with a smile as I put my hand on the small of her back and guide her to our seat in the restaurant. We ordered our food and waited for the waiter to return with it when I decided to give Bella her present from me. "I know you said not to, but I got you a little something."

"Alcide…you didn't have to." she said.

"I wanted to give this to you a while back so I decided now would be no better time." I said handing her a little box with a ribbon wrapped around it…cheesy I know but I really couldn't think of another way to hide what was inside.

"Alcide…baby, thank you." she said opening the box and pulling out a key. Her expression changed to that of confusion. "Baby, what's this?" she asked.

"Will you move in with me?" I asked her and her expression changed from that of confusion to excitement in the matter of seconds as she nodded excitedly.

"YES! I will move in with you." she said leaning across the table to kiss me.

"You have no idea how happy you just made me." I said, only one thing would make me happier but that would have to wait just a while longer. We finished our food and headed back to Sookie's house to gather Bella's things and begin our life of living together. Surprisingly when we got there both Sookie and Eric were sprawled out on the couch watching a movie…well maybe not REALLY watching the movie as much as they were making out but that's their business.

"Hey guys!" Bella said cheerfully. "I'll be out of your hair after tonight."

"What do you mean, Bells?" Sookie asked finally coming up for air.

"I'm moving in with Alcide…he just asked me, gave me a key and everything." she said with a smile and Sookie smiled at both of us.

"That's GREAT Bells…just wait, I'm going to be helping to plan your wedding soon!" she said and I let out a little chuckle.

"Don't be planning do far ahead, sweetie…this is just the first step." Eric said wrapping his arms around Sookie. "But I don't imagine that Alcide here will wait much longer." he added with that sly Eric Northman smile…I shot him a look and he only laughed.

We got together all of Bella's things and headed back to my house, officially spending our first night of living together making love and falling asleep in each others' arms. It was a wonderful night. I really couldn't ask for anything more.

A couple of months later and a few confrontations with Debbie and Marcus because of the relationship that Summer and Bella shared, I was ready to take the plunge. I knew without a doubt in my mind that any woman who would stand up to Debbie, love my daughter like her own and capture my heart completely was the woman I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. I consulted with Sookie to help find the perfect ring and instead of doing the traditional "propose at dinner" deal, I waited until we were alone in bed.

I watched Bella as she sleep the morning I wanted to propose to her and she just looked so much like an angel I didn't want to disturb her. I lightly slid the ring on her left hand and went downstairs to start on breakfast for the two of us. I was just about finished when Bella walked down in just my shirt and wrapped her arms around me. She obviously hadn't seen the ring yet, which only made me smile more.

"Something smells good." she whispered in my ear.

"All for you, my love. I was going to bring it up to you." I said. "It's almost done if you want to wash up."

"OK, baby." she said "I just need to wash my hands."

I went back to finishing off breakfast and a smile crept onto my face when I heard her gasp. She walked back over to me, tears in the corner of her eyes, and wrapped her arm around me.

"Alcide…I…What…."she couldn't form a coherent thought.

"Marry me, Bella." I whispered in her ear.

"YES!" she said standing on her toes to kiss me passionately.

"You have no IDEA how good that makes me feel." I said and she just giggled. "Let's eat my beautiful fiancee. God, I love the sound of that."

"Mrs. Isabella Marie Swan Herveaux….Bella Herveaux…has a nice ring to it don't you think?" she said admiring her ring. "It's beautiful, baby."

"Not as beautiful as you are." I said kissing her before I sat her plate down in front of her. She waited for me to sit down before she started eating. She took one bite of eggs and took off running…what was that all about?

I walked to the downstairs bathroom to find her sitting on the floor, tears streaming down her face, clutching the toilet. I walked up to her and she looked up at me through tear filled eyes.

"Are you okay, my love?" I asked.

"Must just be a bug or something…I'm sorry I ruined our breakfast…I love you." she said.

"Do you want me to call Sam?" I asked.

"Would you, please? I'll just go upstairs and take a shower before I get back in bed." she said.

"OK, my love. I'll call him and come tell you goodbye before I go to work…do you want me to stay?" I asked and she shook her head.

"I'll be fine, baby. I'll call you if I need you." she said and I kissed her temple before walking in to call Sam Merlotte to tell him that Bella would not be in that day. He didn't sound pleased but I told him that she needed rest and that she'd better have a job when she got back. I think he got the point after that.

I went upstairs to kiss Bella goodbye but she was already sound asleep so I kissed her lightly on the lips and whispered that I loved her and good bye before heading off to work. I spent the day at work just thinking about my beautiful fiancee and what could possibly be wrong with her. I also thought about Summer and how soon we could possibly take the custody battle to court. I decided to call Darrell, my lawyer.

"Mr. Herveaux, I'm glad you called." he said "I got an in with the judge about a month from now."

"That's good to hear…I just wish it could be sooner…it's been torture hearing

Summer cry on the phone and seeing her cry every time I have to take her back. It's literally killing me." I said.

"I'll keep trying for a sooner date but for now that's the best I can do…we don't just want any judge. We want one that will give a fair hearing and not just grant the mother custody without hearing the father's side or despite the fact that the mother is unfit." he said "We need Judge Paul…or Judge McLinden and if we go for next month we will have Judge Paul."

"Very well. Oh and Darrell? I'm engaged!" I said.

"Congratulations, Alcide. Who's the lucky girl?" he asked.

"Her name is Bella, she's the waitress I introduced you to a while back at Merlotte's." I said.

"She's a sweet girl, very good for you and Summer. You did good, kid." he said. "Well I must be going, I have a divorce case on the ballot today so I will be out of the office. I'll call you when I hear anything new."

"Thank you Darrell, for everything." I said.

"You're very welcome, Alcide. Your father would want me to do this for you…he saw that woman for who she really was from the get go." he said.

"That he did…I should have listened." I said "Talk to you later, Darrell."

We hung up the phone and I went back to work a bit relieved that soon we would be taking the issue of custody of Summer to court. I couldn't wait, I just hoped the judge ruled in our favor. Darrell was right, however, about other judges here in the south not even considering the father's standpoint before awarding custody to the mother regardless of her being unfit or not and I was hoping that Darrell and I could prove everyone wrong by showing that a father could win one for a change. Until then, I would go about my life the way I currently was…spending time with Bella during the week, speaking to Summer throughout and spending every other weekend with both of my girls. Now, I just needed to see if my dear Bella was ok.