A/N: I just wanted to thank all of you that reviewed and or favorited/followed this story. Honestly you guys quelled my fear that no one would like this or take a chance on it just because of the pairing so thank you. Sorry for the long wait but I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. I think I forgot to put a disclaimer in the previous chapter so here it is: I own nothing but the plot kind of not even that really. Also the title of the story and chapter titles come from the song "R U Mine?" by the Arctic Monkey's if you haven't heard it I strongly recommend it!

She's a Silver Lining

He's hot. Not only in the damn he's a fine fellow kind of way but his body is literally hotter than most. It's the wolf in him. It's proof that he's not quite normal, proof that as much as they try to play house there's just something a little off about them. That and the golden hue his eyes take on when he's angry. But hey she sparks sometimes so she can't judge.

It's usually not so bad, she likes the way his whole body can warm hers, but sometimes, like now, it's suffocating. She hates the wounded puppy dog look she gets whenever she pushes him off but the Louisiana heat cannot let up even for her hot werewolf boyfriend.

"Come back to bed." He mumbles into her pillow as she slips out his hold and starts to pull on her discarded nightdress.

"You have work and so do I." Three months ago she might have figured work could wait, but she was trying to be an adult now, a real one. One who couldn't just fly off to Dallas on a whim, or sleep in all day because she had stayed up all night having sex by a fire… a little off track with that one. She shake her head because that was her past and this was her now.

She showers and dresses and still Alcide isn't up. She wants to poke him, throw her bottle of lotion at him but instead resigns herself to starting breakfast. The minute the plate of scrambled eggs and bacon, that's more raw than anything else, hit's the table he's kissing her cheek and settling in for breakfast. I wish I had supernatural speed, sleep in forty more minutes without being late. He wasn't as fast as other supes that might be technically not alive, who she refused to name, but he was faster than her.

"I'm going to be working late tonight, I try to get out of it but I couldn't." He gives her a sad smile and she knows he genuinely hates that he has to leave her alone longer than usual.

"It's okay Alcide I'm a big girl, I can take care of myself." She watches the way he devours her food and she can't help the sense of pride, she could nourish him and didn't have to involve any kind of red liquid goo.

"I know I just… I probably won't be home until midnight." He has that look in his eyes, the one that all the men have always had. The one that assured that they think she just can't handle herself unless they're at her side. With Eric it had led to insults, with Bill… well she had figured that it was just his old southern breeding coming out to play and though she had to rebuke him about it for the most part he had apologized at her. With Alcide she could admit that she just let him have his way, it was easier.

"Well… that's alright besides what's the whole point of this if we can't count on his protection." He nods his head in agreement but she can tell he doesn't like it. She wants to reassure him, needs to reassure him, this was her house and one night alone was not going to lead to all hell breaking loose… probably.

"Besides I think Tara might come by and well… you know." To say that Tara and Alcide didn't like each other was an understatement.

0o0

"She's Eric's." His gruff voice reached her and something about his comment set her off. Tara wasn't Eric's, did he even understand what it meant to be someone's? Despite the fact that Alcide was a supe and had been all his life his understanding of vampire politics was incredibly ignorant.

"She's Pam's progeny." From what her friends had told her she was more than just simply that but Alcide didn't need to any of that.

"Still his family." While Tara was part of Eric's 'family' that wasn't a word she would use to describe them, from what she understood Tara had barely spent any time with Pam and Eric and most of it had been spent running from the Governor.

"They don't even… she doesn't know where they're at. This isn't a conspiracy she's my best friend." Eric and Pam had still been MIA but since neither Tara nor Willa had felt anything everyone assumed the pair had just opted for an extended hiatus. Alcide's eyes stopped glowing and thankfully the subject had been dropped.

0o0

That had been the end of that. They never really argued which she figured was a good indicator for their future. Still whenever Tara was set to visit, since she was dead set on never visiting Shreveport again, Alcide had made himself scarce. The feelings were mutual since Tara couldn't stand the sight of him, it brought back too many memories of Debbie Pelt and just how she came to be undead.

0o0

"He's the kind of guy you would have rooted for before." She nudged the vampire with her shoulder as they lay next to each other in their stomachs in her old room. The TV wasn't as nice but it was the only room in the house that Tara said didn't reek of 'sweaty wolf'.

"Sook, don't you think it's a little late for that." She looked at her best friend who was still staring at the crappy reality show they were watching.

"I'm done with vampires." She stated boldly, she needed someone whose declaration of love didn't' lead to lingering thoughts of just when was she going to be offed.

"What about me." Tara finally turns to her and her ebony eyes stare at her with accusation. It was her fault afterall, she had begged for Pam to turn her, she had been selfish. She knew how much Tara hated vampire, viewed them as monsters and still Sookie begged for her to become one.

"I'm done with vampire boyfriends." She clarifies and finally her friend's relentless eyes soften.

"Hey whatever floats your boat… for the moment." Tara turns back to the TV but Sookie could still see the sarcastic grin on her, the one that read, I'm right dumb ass.

0o0

"Well then have fun with Tara, I'll see you at night." He kisses her chastely before heading out to his truck. She should go out and wave him off, she should make sure he hasn't forgotten anything, instead the moment she hears the door shut she exhales. It was just too damn hot in this house.

"Goddamn why won't this heat break?" Lafayette grouches from the other side of the room, it was the first Monday of the month meaning that their monthly meeting to go over bills, inventory, and general maintenance duties had come about.

"Because it's Louisiana." She smirks at him before going over to check that the AC was on high. of course it is. It was just taking forever to be of any use. After the big transfer of Merlotte's into Arlene's hands Sookie and Lafayette had found themselves as co-managers of the place since Arlene had no intention of spending her days at the bar and grill anymore. Usually they traded with Sookie preferring to take the day shift and he the night one, but on the first Monday of the month they found it was easier if they both were here to deal with the shipments, staff, and bills.

"Ugh, lets just get this day over with." She could agree more, the faster they finished everything the faster they could get done with the day.

"Um Lafayette the new bartender is putting rum instead of whiskey in your signature drink." Jessica says the moment she walks into the tiny office.

"Fucking Jim this is the third time I've caught him doing this." Lafayette swears as he gets up and rushes out to deal with the new bartender they had hired just last month.

"He did it again?" She asks worrying on her lip, she had hope Jim would need very little adjustment period since he had worked in a city bar, a small bar and grill shouldn't have been that hard.

"Um, yeah, I wouldn't have said anything that man is just full of nerves, but I didn't want any of the patrons to notice and get upset." Jessica lingers by the door and Sookie knows something's up.

"Anything else?" The red head zips up in front of her small desks and smiles bashfully at her.

"I just… I wanted to thank you." Although at first Sookie had considered the girl a punishment that Bill had to endure because of her she had grown to really care about her. Despite the fact that she wasn't with Bill anymore she did her best to see that Jessica was treated well within the establishment and that she wasn't let go despite Arlene's prejudices against vampires.

"Thank me, for what?" Anything she did for Jessica was because she felt the vampire had deserved it.

"I know it might not mean much to you or anything but Bill's been doing so much better now, and really think it's cause of you." She should have known it would have been about something like this, something awkward and totally about Bill. She motions the vampire to close the door which she thankfully does. The whole town's been a lot nicer to her lately and it doesn't escape her mind that they all think she's finally done with being a 'fangbanger' and has herself a normal fellow now. If her deal with Bill ever came to light she knew that her reputation would go back into the dirt, not that she minded much after all who were they to judge? But she found Alcide to be very worried about things such as that.

"Jessica Bill's written a book, had tours to promote I'm pretty sure he was fine before we agreed to that." She had seen how much of a sensation Bill had become, a famous vampire/god Though she thought the story was important to tell especially will all the Hep V infected vampires running about. Still all the hype about him was a bit much.

"Yes but… being Billith took a lot from him and I think he's finally starting to forgive himself, and I know that's because of you." She gave the girl what she hoped was a comforting smile. She could admit that though she had given up hope on Bill, Jessica had not. Jessica had stood by his side and now that the real Bill was back Sookie was glad that Bill at least had his progeny still at his side.

"It wasn't him, not really. He shouldn't be so harsh on himself." She had given it a lot of thought the past few months. At first she hated Bill, she would even begin to spark the moment she thought about him, he had not cared a single bit if she had to sell her soul to the devil just as long as he got what he wanted. But as time passed she had realized that a lot of anger was at herself. She had looked to him to save her, had depended on his emotions for her to sway his opinion while shad already declared she didn't want him. So why should he have cared? Especially when he was infected with Lillith's blood, he was someone else, not her Bill. Then again she wasn't his Sookie at the moment either.

"Well I think we both know that, but you know how he is." She did know. Know how easy it was to see the negatives and not even glimpse at the positives, it was what had drawn him to her, or so that's what he said. No point in thinking of that now.

"Right, well you're welcome anyways even if I don't think I've done much for him." She hadn't she had made it clear that they had no relationship prior to their deal, he was an ex and Alcide was her man. So she doesn't know how she could have helped him become the big success he was now.

"You have, you really have I think having yo…" Whatever the young vampire was going to say was cut off the moment Lafayette barged back in.

"We need to fire him." With a sheepish smile Jessica left.

"He's new." Sure the bartender wasn't the best, still… times were hard.

"He obviously lied on his resume." Lafayette always did have a more cut throat style when it came to new employees.

"Weren't you the one who was supposed to check on his references." Lafayette flashes her a guilty smile. She had seen the way Jim flirted with Lafayette and wouldn't surprise her if he was hired just for the eye candy status.

"One more week won't hurt." She smiles back at him and rolls her eyes, some things never change.

A/N: Please review and tell me what you think!