Flames of Love

Disclaimer: Don't own Shake it Up.

A/N: Note that the lake episode, the entire second half does not occur.

Chapter 34 (Promises)

Cece sat with Gunther behind his cabin, everyone else was at her place, and his parents were still out by the lake. They had been roasting marshmallows before, enjoying the calm while their children were off elsewhere. Cece had her knees up against her chest while Gunther's arm was draped around her shoulder. "So the last I saw, Ty was talking to Georgia about what to do once they got home," he started off. She lifted her eyes and frowned, it was not going to be a pleasant experience for Ty and Rocky, but they were going to do everything they could to better their lives. She was supporting them the entire way.

"I know Rocky's kind of scared, but she'll be okay. I know they want to rush into the custody battle, but Ty needs to be emancipated first. Georgia's a good social worker, she'll get it taken care of." It really wasn't all her, there were the lawyers and then the judge. If the Blue family was preparing for a war, then Curtis and Marcie would have to prepare if they truly stood any chance of winning the battle. They didn't even have anyone on their side. "I'm nervous for Rocky and Ty. I know they can do it, but it's going to be rough adjusting. Mr. and Mrs. Blue are full of pride, so much so, that they honestly believe that neo judge would grant Ty emancipation, or even let him take custody of Rocky…that's where even my own father isn't so stupid. At least if it ever came to a custody battle against him, he'd probably expect that it would be hard for him. But…"

"But?" She breathed in sharply and put her head to his shoulder, there was the fear that it just wouldn't be enough for that man to have a bad background and lifestyle. As many times as she imagined herself in Georgia's spot, cradling her dying brother in her arms, she wanted to vomit. "You're worrying about something that may never happen. If your dad hasn't sought custody yet, then why would he do it now?"

"I don't know, he could just be biding his time, or waiting to find me in a vulnerable moment. For example, if I lost my job, then would be the perfect time to hit, because I wouldn't have the finances anymore to support Flynn." She brought her hands to the sides of her face and brushed them back through her hair. She felt Gunther hold her tighter and lowered her arms.

"You're really worrying about all that. You really think he'll come back?"

"I don't know." It was probably just all this talk about Ty's quest for emancipation and custody that was bringing forth all these fears. "You're probably right, there is probably nothing to worry about. I just…when I think about losing my brother, I…I don't know what would happen to me. What would mom do? Would she tell me to give Flynn to Kashlack and Squitza? At least until I have enough money I could take care of him myself?"

"Cece…" She frantically turned to him, gazing into his deep-sea eyes. He smiled at her and leaned forward, kissing her forehead. The feel of his lips on her skin sparked and dripped into her blood, cooling her burning nerves. "Right now, you are financially and emotionally able to take care of Flynn. You're raising him well, you're giving him the love he needs. What more could he ask for?"

"A mom…a dad…" Gunther raised an eyebrow as she buried her head into her knees. "I can't compete with that. Dad's still a prick, but if he pretended to sober up for even a moment, the judge would see his money, his fiancé, and they would give him custody." She knew it would be harder for the man if Flynn were with the Hessenheffers, because at least that way it would be even where finances were concerned, leaving the only thing to be investigations. "Gunther, do you realize, if I were to lose my job, there's nowhere else that would hire me. At my age, I don't even turn fifteen for a few months, I'm not even supposed to be working right now." She lifted her head and groaned. "Maybe you're right, maybe I'm just worrying too much. It's just, how can I not worry. How can I be confident things will be okay, when every night I'm scared something bad is coming?" After a moment's pause, she thought back to those childhood stories she used to hear about, where things just always seemed to be so blissful. As a childhood tale should be. She let out a scoffing laugh and shook her head. "Then I see those fairy tales I grew up with, and I wonder, why can't I have something like that? They don't exist…"

Gunther blinked and lifted his head up, chuckling softly. "They don't? Well I guess fairy tales can be over exaggerated." Cece lifted her hand and brushed off the comment. She was referring to everything being happy, being golden and glorious. Where was Cinderella? Snow White? Belle? Or hell, Princess Jasmine?

"Where's my good time, where's the prince to sweep me off my feet?" Gunther cleared his throat. "Life is always so hard, but fairy tales…well, I guess they are just lies really." She moved her arm over her knee and narrowed her gaze onto a distant tree.

"Well if you think about it, almost each and every one of those fairy tale princesses had major problems in their lives. The happy ever after came in the end."

"True…"

"And usually each of them had a prince charming come and help them through their times of trouble." He smirked coyly and reached over, resting his hand beneath her chin. Her eyes drifted back to his. "Now I don't know about the princes of fairy tales, and I can see meeting royalty is a once in a lifetime thing that most girls only dream of…so what if fairy tales don't exist in reality, or maybe they're just embellished tales of royalty. Kind of like the whole 'based on a true story' premise. So rare that it is impossible for anyone to meet a real life Prince…" He held onto his smirk and narrowed his eyes, speaking sarcastically. "Do I have to start singing Aladdin's 'A Whole New World'?" She blushed slightly and closed her eyes, embarrassed to think, sometimes she forgot that he was even part of some royal family.

"Maybe, but you're exiled and Aladdin wasn't a real prince."

"Fair enough. I just remember the message behind the fairy tales, I don't think it's supposed to be 'there's always a prince to sweep you away' rather than…life can be a bitch sometimes. There's going to be people and things out there that just make you miserable, whether intentionally or not, but things will always wind up getting better eventually."

"Yeah, that makes sense." Her heart rose above and she slowly curled up to his chest, moving her arms around his body. She felt his warm, strong embrace, and relaxed her body into his.

"No matter what issue there are to face, you'll always have someone there right beside you. Whether it's me, Rocky, your friends, whoever it is…you're always going to have support from someone." She did feel like everyone around her would support her, no matter what, and for that, she was grateful.

"Thanks…I'll try to stop worrying so much, but I make no promises." She reached up and kissed his lips. Pulling back, she kept her gaze locked with his, still smiling at him. It was difficult to put herself back into the scared, mildly depressed state she was just in, only because he made her feel so good. "Tell me this will last..." Gunther lifted his eyebrows as she brushed away a thought on Travis and Frankie. "I know you won't hurt me, but just tell me that you and I-" He placed a finger upon her lips and smiled reassuringly.

"I do not know what the future holds, Cece. Nobody does, but I do know that as of now, and in the future, I will never do anything to intentionally harm you. You have my heart, my love, you are my everything…You and Flynn both, I would be there to protect you, to care for you, to love you, forever."

"Glad to hear you say you care about my little brother too, because that is very important." She couldn't be with someone who didn't care about Flynn. "That kid means more to me than you do."

"I figured as much." He brushed his lips together and exhaled. She sighed at the touch of his warm breath against her own lips. "Cece. You're beautiful, smart, strong, courageous, and everything that a woman ought to be. The love you have for your brother is amazing, and the compassion that I see you have for everyone around you…everything about you pulls me closer to you." Her heart began racing, and her body started to heat up. "I would go to the ends of the earth for you, if it would make you smile." She lifted her lips and felt her eyes go misty, her heart's pounding increased and the butterflies in her stomach seemed to flutter about at a swifter rate.

"Gunther…" She lifted her arms and moved them around his neck. Rocky never said she didn't approve of him in particular, she said she didn't approve of Cece having a boyfriend that might hurt her. Flynn approved of Gunther, and that was more important to her than even Rocky's vote. Could it be, that he would never hurt her? Could she be free to love him without fear? She bit her lip, her chest aching for him.

"I've been meaning to say. I think your decision to come here, for your brother, and to remember your mother, it says so much of how you care. I'm glad that I could be here to support you. I believe your mom must have been a great woman, to raise two great kids. More and more, you amaze me. More and more, I fall in love with you."

"You're making it so hard…" She closed her eyes and bowed her head, sighing softly. "To not be afraid. I don't want to be afraid of my feelings…I feel like, if I give my heart away, I'm letting it out to be misused…"

"That's where you trust the person you give it away to. Would you trust me with your heart? Trust that I would not break it, I would not abuse it, I would treat it as you deserve to be." She lifted her gaze back to his and felt a grin growing on her face.

"If I gave you my heart…what would you promise?"

"To love you, to stand beside you, to do the best I can to make you happy. I'm sure I'd screw up from time and time, but I'm human, and I would do my best not to do wrong. I love you Cece." She parted her lips and waited as he wiped a stray tear with his thumb. "I don't know everything that happened to make you so fearful, so afraid, but whatever it is, I want you to know that you will never have to worry about it again."

She was getting too emotional for her liking, the tears wouldn't stop coming out and her heart just wouldn't stop pounding. At this rate, she would burst like a balloon. She had to get this feeling off her chest. She wondered if her mother would approve of him. Maybe so, he treated her right.

"Gunther, I…I'm just going to say it…" She took a deep breath, struggling to grasp her courage. "You make me feel…a way that no one's ever made me feel. I can't say I thought it would be you. You've been nothing but supportive, caring, and I think I'm starting to find my strengths. I…" She took a momentary pause, looked into his deep blue eyes, and smiled. It didn't seem so hard to say, not with him. She wanted so badly to give her heart, to trust, and maybe with him, she could. She definitely knew where her heart was. "I love you." It came out in one breath, soft and quiet, but loud enough that it shook the earth from its core.

He smiled at her and leaned forward, fully kissing her lips. She gasped briefly, then sighed into the kiss. Her heart exploded into rhythm, bursting with emotion. She felt his love spreading over her body like a cleansing fire, embracing her and pushing away all her fears. She truly loved him, she could feel that, and she honestly trusted him not to shatter her heart, as though it were a child's toy.

She'd finally said it, it was still a shock to her. This night, this feeling, this kiss, it could all go on forever if possible. She didn't care. It was a lot, and hopefully he understood just how much it took to get her to this point.

She melted into his kiss, putty in his arms. For as long as it lasted, she was in a daze. Even when it was over, and he was just gazing into her eyes, she was dazed. His hand held hers, no words needed to be spoken for they understood each other well enough. Her cheeks were flush red, and she was struggling just to catch the breath he took from her. "Don't ever hurt me."

"I would never."

A little cheesy, but well earned. About damn time for her to come around.