The Fourth of July(Part One).

Gwen sighed with contentment from her place on Monroe's chest. One of her legs were slid through his, one of arms draped around her shoulders. She was feeling pretty good. Very good in fact.

The man under her noticed too. He quirked a brow and smirked at her. His fingers caressed her back lightly. "What's up?"

"Have I mentioned how much I appreciate your body lately?"

"Uh- no, I don't think you have." He told her, his voice laced with amusement.

Gwen hugged him a little tighter. "You actually have like, a build. It's nice."

Monroe blinked. "Did you just call me fat?"

She shot up, her features appalled at the thought. "No! I said I liked that you weren't a stick figure!" The brunette buried her face in his chest. "It makes me feel feminine."

"Oh, well…okay. That's cool, I guess."

With him back to his secure state, Gwen decided to tell him she was going on a date with another man.

He blinked. After a moment he sat them both up, holding her by the shoulders, he asked, "What was that?"

"A friend of mine is coming into town," She explained, not looking up from his chest. "Jakob. I'm always his date."

"His date for what?"

She lifted a shoulder casually. "He's an artist. Whenever he has a gallery I go with him…when I can, anyway."

Monroe lifted a brow at him, the grip on her shoulders tightening. "Is that so?"

The woman flinched. She wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him. "If you're wondering," Gwen admitted, "We were…together for a while, but it was a long time ago. We're just friends now."

"Friends who-"

"Friends who haven't had sex in years." The brunette promised, kissing his collarbone. "I figured I'd take the direct route. I'm actually supposed to be going to meet him in like an hour…"

"Hm." Monroe's lips pressed into a thin line as he stared down at her. "Is that right?"

She blushed, "Please don't be mad."

"I'm not mad," The Blutbad lied. He could feel the wolf itching at the surface, prowling for a fight. But he managed to suppress it okay. Swallowing he brushed off her surprise. "It's not like we're together or anything."

"True." Gwen nodded passively. Ignoring the sting at his comment, she smiled at him. "I'm glad you're being so cool about this. I thought we'd be having another Easter fiasco."

"Oh, you mean when you went out and fucked a bunch of dudes behind my back?"

The witch rolled her eyes to mask her hurt and pried herself from his grasp. "Yeah, that."

"Well, you promise nothing's gonna happen between you two?"

Gwen glanced at his face. He looked almost worried. It was well masked, but uncertainty was hovering just below the surface. She cupped his cheeks and nuzzled her brow against his. Lips brushing against his, she promised nothing would.

"Don't fret, fy cariad." She grinned at him, her fingers brushing his cheek gently. "I'll let you be the one to unwrap me tonight after I'm done being all gussied up."

He eyed her doubtfully. Those Welsh words had been slipping more and more in their conversations, but she refused to tell him what they meant. "Mhm."

"Mhm," The witch mocked. She grabbed his shirt off the floor and slipped it over her shoulders.

"That's mine."

"I know."

And with those departing words, Gwen left his bedroom in favor of her own home. She showered and dressed before heading into town.

When she got to the restaurant, a rather expensive looking Italian one, she felt a touch out of place. Her attire was rather lax (just a pair of cut off jean shorts that grazed mid-thigh and a black tank top) compared to the other patrons' suits and tie combos, but she didn't let it bother her as a waiter led her to the outdoor dining area.

Jakob was already waiting, glancing casually over a menu. When he noticed she had arrived(fifteen minutes late, but that was unsurprising), a smile graced his sharp, handsome features and he stood to meet her.

"Wendy," Jakob greet in a breezy tone that all Coinneach men seemed to have(at least in Gwen's experience).

"Jako." She smiled warmly as they embraced. It was tight, but brisk. Just long enough to make the waiter uncomfortable. The pair shared a smirk over that before sitting.

Meanwhile in a black police issued SUV, two men were watching the couple from roughly a block away.

"I can't believe we're doing this," Nick bemoaned, leaning back in the driver's seat with a pout. "Stalking is against the law you know."

"Shut up."

The detective rolled his eyes and took a sip of the coffee that Monroe had bought him. "Are the binoculars really necessary?"

"What part of shut up did you not understand?" The Blutbad asked, his sights locking on the stranger who was facing his woman. "Huh."

"What? What's wrong? He's not eating her face is he?"

"Yes, Nick." Monroe shot him a stern glare as the binoculars were snatched from his hands. "He's eating her face. Dude, do you even hear yourself any more?"

"Hey, I gave up my lunch break to do this for you, I'll mouth off if I want." Blue eyes glinting with mischief, he looked into the lens. "Huh…Not exactly what I was expecting."

The stranger, Jakob, was a lean man of perhaps thirty with blonde hair and pale skin. No. That wasn't totally correct. The stranger, Jakob, was a freakishly skinny man of perhaps thirty with blonde hair and pale skin. Even from this distance, Nick could tell he had that queer, androgynous look that women seemed to like nowadays. His blue eyes flickered over to Monroe. Monroe who would now doubt hulk over the stranger. Monroe who looked like he could easily rip the man apart if given the chance(if the look on his face was any way to go by).

"So…that's the ex-boyfriend…at least we know Gwen doesn't have a type."

"Shut up."

"Tell me to shut up one more time and I'll arrest you for insulting an officer."

The Blutbad scoffed at his friend. He took the binoculars back and asked, "What'd you think they're talking about?"

"You, probably."

"Ya think?"

Nick was partially right. Much to the young woman's joy, the pair were in fact, discussing Gwen's lover.

"Get out, really?" Jakob asked with a grin. His light English accent was just barely evident. He leaned forward. "Is it true what they say? About their…prowess?"

"If you're asking, no, we haven't fucked in the woods yet."

"Such language," Her former beau teased, "My father would be proud. Your father on the other hand…"

Gwen chuckled and sipped at her wine. "Can we not talk about him, please?"

"Of course. Let's get back to you fucking a dog."

"Jakobi Coinneach!" She snapped at him, blush high on her cheeks. "Don't call him that!"

Snickering, the man grinned wickedly at her. "Do you make him wear a collar as well?" When he noticed her annoyance he relented, waving a hand, he apologized. "I didn't meant no offense, darling."

The woman continued to flush with annoyance, but said nothing on the matter. "This isn't proper lunch conversation."

"You're right!" He slapped his hand down on the table, jostling their wine. He pointed a finger at her, "Just one more question!"

"Oh my god, really!" She groaned, slumping in her seat. Her arms crossed along her bosom. "Fine, spit it out."

"Have you told him you're in love with him yet?"

The redness left her cheeks at an alarming rate. Jakob lifted a brow at her suddenly pallor features, but said nothing as she blinked at him. "Pardon?"

"You're in love with him." He repeated as though it was obvious.

"I know that! But you're not supposed to know that!" She pouted, masking the warped feeling of guilt with rage. "And you're not supposed to be all cool with it!"

"Oh, am I supposed to play the jealous scorned lover card here? Because, I can you know."

Gwen rolled her eyes at him. "No. Don't. We're past that."

"Good."

"And no, I haven't."

Jakob picked up his glass once again. "Why not?"

"Because I don't think it would go over…well." She explained vaguely, thinking back to the we're-just-friends-who-happen-to-bone conversation they had earlier that afternoon.

"Why not?"

"Stop saying that."

The lithe man shrugged passively and didn't press the subject. "Very well." Instead, he switched to the upcoming gallery. "I think you'll like this one."

"What's the premise?" The witch asked curiously, straightening in her seat.

Meanwhile, Nick was telling Monroe it was time to leave and Monroe's cell phone was ringing obnoxiously. The Blutbad ignored both of them.

"What do you think that was about?"

"Probably realized how late it was getting," Nick hinted. When his friend didn't look up, the lawman leaned over and reached into Monroe's jacket pocket. He pulled out the phone, clicked accept and pressed it to the Blutbad's ear.

"Monroe." The man answered, not tearing his eyes away from the now standing couple.

Nick huffed as he continued to hold the phone to his friend's ear. This was ridiculous- he could at least take the damn phone! Shaking his head in discontent, Nick remained silent as Monroe set the binoculars down and pulled a pad of paper from his pocket.

The Grimm stared daggers at the Blutbad as the latter got out a pen and proceeded to jot down an address. When the conversation was apparently over, Monroe pulled his head away. "Where-"

"Are we not even gonna talk about what just happened?" The smaller man asked as he slammed the phone into the large man's chest.

"What?" The wolf tilted his head with confusion, but Nick only sighed at him. When he waved his hand, Monroe shook off the driver's annoyance. Blinking at him with a hint of wary doubt, he raised the binoculars back to his face.

Nick promptly and brutally slapped them from his hands. "No! No more out of character stalking! I have to go back to work!"

"Yeah," The Blutbad sighed, "Me too."

"Is that what the phone call was about?"

"Duh."

A pause before Nick snapped, "Get out of my car."

"What?"

"I said get out of my car, Monroe. Before I do something I regret."

The passenger rolled his eyes but did as he was told, inadvertently stepping into the path of his totally-not-girlfriend and her totally-not-boyfriend. The pair stopped just short of running into him, chattering idly about whether or not it was ethical to profit on what was essential a remake of his previous work.

Gwen lifted her head up to look at the man who had blocked her view and grinned widely. "Monroe!"

Jakob's brows rose and a smirk of his own rose to his lips at his past lover's smile. Monroe on the other hand, was too busy being mortified at being found out to even begin to pretend to be nonchalant.

"Ugh, Gwen, um…hi. How's…things?"

"Great!" The brunette wrapped her arms around his middle and gave his scruffy cheek a peck. "What're you doin' out here?"

"Just…"

"Helping me with a case?" Nick called from the car that was still parked beside the trio.

Monroe pointed at him. "Exactly!"

Jakob arched a brow. The gesture was, surprisingly, more curious than suspicious as he asked, "I thought you were a clock maker?"

Rage filled the Blutbad –that this scrawny excuse for a beta would speak to him in the presence of his woman made his claws come out. He tucked them into his palm. "I am."

"Wendy says you're the best in town." The pale stranger smiled wistfully at the woman tucked into his side. "She's quite fond of you."

"Mhm." Monroe grit his teeth. Hadn't Morgan said something to that effect as well? This time it seemed less condescending somehow, almost approving coming from Jakob. He grateful for that as he wrapped his arm around the short woman's shoulders. "So I've been told."

"We haven't been properly introduced," The man stuck his hand out. "I'm Jakob…"

Monroe had just taken his hand when Jakob finished.

"…Gwen's husband."

A/N: Thoughts? Opinions on Jakob? Also, it is pronounced; Jack-O-bi when spelt Jakobi and Jack-Ob when Jakob.