Trouble.

-Sookie shook her head and laughed quietly to herself as she laid out on her chair in the front yard. Alcide had cut the grass even better than Jason normally did, which was probably because he, unlike Jason, wasn't drinking while he did so. She had never really listened to this song before, but when she heard the first bit of the chorus, it struck her as hilarious that this was exactly how she felt the first time she had met Alcide. It seemed just like yesterday, actually....-


-her back ached, her knees were sore and her shoulders felt as though she had ice picks in them. She had been cleaning that front porch for so long she was surprised she hadn't become a piece of it; it sure felt like her dang knees were starting to form into the concrete. She was completely oblivious to all around her, her mind on the simple task of scrubbing the blood out of her front porch.-


-that couldn't be good. That couldn't be good at all.-

{Northman had said a way he can pay back his father's debts was to protect a woman named Sookie Stackhouse who lived in Bon Temp. He reluctantly took the job knowing it was the only way, taking him away from his home life in Jackson, Mississippi. He walked up to the porch where a woman was cleaning and grinned.}

That must be her. He said blonde and pretty. No wonder the girl is a magnet for trouble...

{She took of running and his brows went up with shock. He took off after her.}

"Hey wait, hold on...hold on."

{He grabbed her by the arms and she fought against him with all she had, in a way it made him grin and chuckle inwardly at her will to fight back. With all the trouble she seemed to attract it was a good quality to have.}

"Hold still I ain't here to hurt ya.

{Her words made him smile even bigger with a small shake of his head and a chuckle.}

"Calm down, I was sent by Eric Northman. The names Alcide Herveaux, I'm here to look after you."

I'VE HAD VAMPIRE BLOOD! I'LL KICK YOUR ASS!!

-she fought and fought against him, but it was no use. He was huge and easily kept her arms down, away from his face. When he said that Eric had sent him, and that he was sent by Eric, she calmed almost instantly. Of course Eric would send someone to watch over her. That was just what the overbearing vampire would do.-

I don't need anyone to watch over me. I can take care of myself. I'm not a baby.

-she said with her arms crossed over her chest. She realized the irony in that she was, in fact, acting like a baby at the moment but that was irrelevant. She just wanted her life to be normal again.-

{He let her go when she calmed and stepped back, looking her over once more.}

"Yeah, I see that. A hellcat like you can take care of yourself and I ain't sayin' you can't...but I was sent here to do a job and I'll do it no matter if you like it or not. So, you're stuck with me for now."

{He told her bluntly what was going to happen and if she didn't like it she should get used to it regardless. He placed his hands on his waist and gave her a hard stare, his mouth in a line as he waited to see her reaction to that.}

-she glared at him before throwing her head back in exasperation and letting out a sigh-

Fucking Eric. Okay, whatever. Come in.

-she shrugged away from him, meeting his hard stare with one of her own. Who was this guy? Why would Eric send a were to watch after her considering they had JUST had to deal with them last night? Wasn't that sort of... dangerous? Oh wait. She was Sookie-freaking-Stackhouse, danger magnet.-

Overprotective vampire ass.

{He chuckled and rolled his eyes. Following her into the kitchen he took a seat at the table and looked her over once more.}

Is it true you can read minds?

{When she answered out loud his expression changed to being shocked and taken back that it was actually true. They had a short conversation of the ins and outs of why he was here and what she needed. She needed to go to Jackson to find her vampire boyfriend. Wonderful, more fangers. Sad though that a pretty girl like her would be tangled up in vampers and not be lookin' to settle down with someone normal. Whatever, wasn't his business.}

"Jackson...why was he taken there?"

-he seemed genuinely surprised when she answered his thought, and shrugged her shoulders as he expressed that surprise. They talked amicably about why he was there, which lead to her mentioning she needed to go to Jackson-

I don't know why he was taken there. But I have to find him. He... he proposed to me and I didn't get to answer him. I gotta find him, Alcide. I got to.

-she felt so terrible that she hadn't answered him right off. She was just so shocked that he wanted to get married. She loved him; she loved him so much it was scary. And when she had come back from the bathroom to tell him yes, he was just... gone. And she knew it was bad. He wouldn't have just left, that wasn't like him at all.-

{He sighed and shrugged, this woman would be trouble in Jackson, especially where Debbie was concerned.} "I guess I can take you but you have to listen to me. Got it?"

{he grumbled and stood, putting her chair back in it's place.}

**A week later**

"I'm glad I met you, Sookie Stackhouse. I hate leaving you here alone though, why don't you get someone to stay with you."

{He hated that he had to leave, but the pack from Jackson were going after his family and he couldn't have that. Stepping up the step once more so he was eye level with her, he smiled}

-the past week had been outrageously full of.. everything. Excitement, danger, and lots of tension. Alcide was truly a good guy; he was nice, treated her like a queen. And it made her realize something. He was a good choice.-

Andy and my brother can't stand up to a vampire like Russell; they wouldn't stand a chance! And besides... I don't want to spend my life running. That's not much of a life, and it's something I won't do. I just can't.

{He nodded and accepted that she would be hard headed.}

"Who am I to tell you what's best for you."

{He looked down for a moment until she said the words he never expected her to say.}

"Right back at you."

{Sookie was the kind of girl he needed, the kind that was good for him.}

"Too bad we're stupid."

{He said and grinned. She hugged him and he hugged her back tightly, taking one last inhale of her skin. Turning his back to walk away was one of the hardest things he had to do lately.}

[/i]

-she shook her head and laughed as she came back to the present. It was true; if she had been smart and done what was best for her, she would have fallen in love with him long ago. But, that hadn't happened. And here they were again; only this time, he did take her up on her offer to stay in the house for as long as he needed. She just wondered how long it would be before he was out on his own again.-

Shame on me.

-she grinned to herself and settled back down into her chair to get more comfortable, soaking up the sun and letting herself slip back down memory lane. She didn't visit the bad ones, only the good. And funny thing was... most of them involved that wolf.-