BreeTico – Ahh good idea, but no, not so dangerous. Things are starting to look up for Elsie and Nick. At least for this chapter. (:

The Significance Series belongs to Shelly Crane.

Chapter Fifteen

By time we pulled up at Caleb's house, the street was lined with cars. I swallowed nervously. Now that the whole ordeal with Paul was over – or, at least, pushed out of my mind for the time being – I now only had to worry about the Jacobson picnic. I was more worried that they wouldn't approve of me. I kept telling myself that they would, because Nick's cousins, parents, and grandma already liked me, but his family was huge, and there was bound to be one person that I didn't get along with.

Nick pulled the car up to the curb. He put it in park and then glanced at me. He knew that I was nervous about this, but he didn't have any worries. He was sure that his family would love me because he did. I really wanted to believe him, but my own insecurities were rampaging inside me. He reached out and put his hand on the side of my neck, his thumb smoothing over my jawline. I bit down on my lip as his calm washed over me. Sometimes I wondered if he was tired of me, because it seemed like he was always making me feel better. I was just so unstable.

"You're perfect. You're fine just the way you are." He said quietly. "I wish you wouldn't stress about meeting the rest of the family. Sure, they're a huge bunch, but they already love you. Think about your brothers with me. They knew you loved me, so they let you come live with me. It's the same principle. They know that I love you, that we're significants, that we're perfect for each other. And honestly, Elsie, they do care for you. My parents have already lectured me on the importance of keeping you safe because they already think of you as their daughter-in-law. Caleb and Maggie were the first to tell me to be on guard when it came to protecting you and keeping the Watsons away. Every single one of them cares about you, whether or not they know you. But when they do get to know you, they'll love you even more."

I looked away from the dashboard and into his eyes. His beautiful, blue-turquoise eyes. The ones that had looked directly into my soul and seen the real me. He'd chosen me, out of all the girls he'd met in his daily life, his soul had chosen mine and mine had chosen his. We were meant to be together, and if his family couldn't stand it well… it was their problem, because the two of us were stuck together forever. I took a deep breath, his words finally making sense to me. When I thought about it, there was nothing for me to worry about. But then again, I'd always been worried that people wouldn't like me. It was one of those deep-rooted fears that live in most people, and mine had decided to rear its ugly head.

"I know you're right." I whispered to him. He leaned forward to kiss my temple, his breath warm on my hair. I closed my eyes and wrapped my fingers around his. He gave my hand a gentle squeeze and then opened up his car door. His fingers slid from mine, and I took another deep breath before opening my car door. He was already on his way to my side, but I beat him to it. It was cute, how he always tried to open the door for me. And they say that chivalry is dead.

Instead of walking up to the front door, Nick led me around to the side of the house. He motioned towards the fence as we walked. The Jacobsons are a really traditional bunch. Picnics are only held outdoors. His voice slid through my head, such a welcoming sound. I nodded as he reached the gate and hit the latch. It opened, swinging outward. Nick skirted around the gate, his hand tight on mine. He paused to turn and close to gate and I took my first glance of the backyard. I nearly choked seeing all the people out here. And to make matters worse, they were all staring at me, their eyes trained on my every movement. Unconsciously, I tightened my hand on Nick's, and he drew his hand away. Panic started in my chest before I realized that he was just slipping an arm around my back, his fingers hooking into the belt loop of my jeans. Take a deep breath, Elsie. They're not going to bite. They might bark so much that you'll want to be deaf, but they won't hurt you.

"Elsie, Nick! You two made it on time." Alexandra said easily, a smile plastered on her face. One thing I loved about her was that she wasn't the type to give false smiles. Every single time she glanced at me, she was being completely open and honest. I never really met people like that before, that didn't care what everyone thought as they walked around with their heart on their sleeve. It was a good thing that she was a Jacobson, if they were as close-knit as Nick said they were. She always had someone to protect her. People like her, with her optimistic attitude, were likely to get their hearts broken more often than not.

"Hey man," a boy said, stepping from the crowd. A shorter blonde girl held onto his fingers as he stepped forward. "Please tell me you got Zombie Death Three," he added. One of the men standing next to him snorted loudly and pat him on the back. He looked over at me, and said, "Good to see you again, Elsie."

I forced out a nervous smile. "Hi, um," Kyle, Nick's supplied for me. "Kyle." I finished. He beamed like he was glad that I remembered his name. I held onto my smile as Nick handed him the game we'd bought.

"Thanks," he said, turning to look at the pretty girl next to him. "It looks like our war continues." She laughed, and once the exchange was over, it seemed like everyone sort of calmed down. They weren't all staring directly at me anymore, but their eyes still watched me as we stepped into the crowd. Daniel and Nick were talking, and I had completely zoned out. I was staring at a pot of bright yellow flowers on the far side of the yard when someone weaved their arm around mine.

"Maggie," I said, breathing a sigh of relief. "You scared me."

"Sorry," she said easily. "I could see that you were completely focused on those flowers. They're geraniums," she added. I didn't say that I knew exactly where they were. "Don't worry about everyone. They're just interested in you because you're new. Think about it – you're the third imprint that has been known in the last twenty years. And believe me, they like you, even the ones that have no idea who you are. I thought the same thing when I was in your position. How could they like me if they've never met me? But they love you because you're family, and because you've chosen Nick." She nodded towards the biggest group of the entire picnic. They gathered around a table that Caleb's mom, Rachel, had set out. "When they get to know you, they'll love you all the more. Jacobsons are really accepting, and honestly, similar people attract. All of the Jacobsons have something that's relatable to everyone else, and there are bound to be things that you and the others have in common."

I was suddenly aware of the fact that Nick was trying to worm his way into my mind. The moment we'd stepped into the backyard, all of my mental walls had immediately shot up. As far as I knew, Maggie was the only mind-reader that could pick up on everyone, and not just their significant, but I couldn't be for sure. I didn't really mind Maggie digging around in my head because I liked her, but anyone else…. Anyway, it was clear that my defenses weren't very strong, because Maggie could read me like a book. Nick didn't have to try very hard to get into my head.

"Pay attention to your father," I said offhandedly. All three of them stopped and looked at me. Maggie had a knowing smile on her face and Daniel looked a little at a loss for words, maybe because he realized that his son had been ignoring him. Nick beamed like I'd just given him a prize and planted a kiss on my temple, drawing me even closer into his side.

A young woman stepped up all of a sudden, infiltrating the small group of people that I'd built around myself. "Sorry to interrupt, but I just wanted to meet my nephew's significant." She gave her name, but I only halfway heard because, over her shoulder, I could see a huge crowd of Jacobsons looking excited at the prospect of meeting me. My stomach plummeted as I pasted a smile on my face. Maggie nudged me with her shoulder, and Nick's fingers dug into my side, giving me a comforting reminder that he was standing right next to me.

"Um, hi. It's nice to meet you, too." I told her. People were practically in a line to introduce themselves. Each and every one of them gave Maggie a respective look as they stepped up to congratulate Nick and me and introduce themselves. I glanced over at Maggie, who was looking a little stressed, but she stood with poise. Caleb came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. As she turned her head to look at him, I caught the glimpse of her tattoo on her neck. It was half of a moon blending into half of a sun. I had no idea what it meant, but I had the feeling that it was something important. I didn't get to ask because the next person shook my hand, taking my attention away from Maggie's strange tattoo.

After introductions had been made – I remembered almost no names – Nick brought me to the food table. He handed me a paper plate, and we moved down the line. It seemed like Rachel had outdone herself with a line of different barbeque dishes. There was also an array of sides, ranging from corn to salad, and a lone line of desserts, including a huge plate of honeybuns. Maggie indulged herself on the last dish, piling the gooey pastries onto her plate. She looked up and gave me a smile and a shrug, like she couldn't help her obvious addiction to the food.

I got a little bit of everything, and then Nick led me to a table. He put his plate down and then pulled out a chair for me. Luckily, Maggie slid into the seat right next to mine. It was sort of nice to have someone besides Nick know that I was panicking deep down inside. And I actually really liked Maggie. It was nice to have someone that wanted to be my friend. Thinking of friends reminded me of Hanna, who I had only talked to on the phone. It had been a long time since we'd hung out. I picked through my food, my mind focused on the best friend that I had slowly been drawing away from. It was hard to hold up relationships after I'd found out that I was no longer normal. I hadn't even talked to my brothers since I'd moved out of the house, and I'd promised them that I would stay in contact.

Nick took my chin with his hand, turning my face to look at him. He rested his forehead against mine, sucking away all my anxiety. It seemed like all I ever did was be anxious. It made me feel bad, but the emotion only lasted for a short moment before Nick drew it away from me. Don't worry about your brothers right now. I promise that I'll make sure you talk to them. In fact, we should have a dinner with them. I know that you're willing to stay with me forever, but I'd like it if your brothers liked me, too. I don't want to cause problems with your family. It had been the most that I'd ever heard from him in one sitting. It was practically a monologue.

Thanks, I said back, giving him a smile. And I know they'll like you eventually. They're just worried that someone will treat me badly. But after they see the two of us together… they'll realize that you'll do anything for me.

We'll make plans with them. Now go on and eat, or you'll regret it later. Rachel is one of the best cooks ever. He released my chin and picked up his fork. I noticed that a few of his family members were watching, especially the younger ones, ones that probably had never imprinted. Nick had told me that Kyle's parents were the last to imprint. That meant that everyone under forty had didn't have a significant. Most had worried that they'd never get one. And since it was a huge thing, they were probably just as interested in it as Rodney was. I glanced down the table, ignoring the eyes on us. Rodney was seated at the far end of the table. I found myself wishing that he'd seated himself closer to me, just to have someone else around that I could add to my allies. I knew that everyone here was on my side, but it was obvious that I'd had trust issues. It was hard for me to lay my life into hands of people that I'd only met once or twice and barely spoken to.

I picked up my fork and speared a piece of sausage, dragging it through the pile of mashed potatoes on my plate. Nick had been right. Rachel was one of the best cooks ever.

# # #

With my stomach full from lunch, Nick made plans for us. It seemed that before he'd met me, he'd worked on the ranch with his father and brother. Apparently, there was an endless amount of things to do. According to him, there was always something that needing fixing or cleaning or updating. I thought about offering to help him – I wasn't a stranger to hard work – but he'd already made plans in his head. He'd just been keeping them away from me.

"Where are we?" I asked as we pulled up at a little wooden building. It was surrounded by a series of other small buildings, but from where we'd parked I couldn't see a sign. I opened up the door and could smell a distinct animal smell. I looked over the top of the car at my significant. He just flashed me a smile. He didn't even say anything. The feeling of being in the dark was annoying, but it was also sort of exciting. Obviously, he wanted to give me a surprise gift. "Nicholas Jacobson." I said sternly.

He laughed out loud. "You forgot the middle name."

"Don't tempt me." I replied. "Where are we?"

"You're trying to ruin the surprise." He said, taking my hand. He led me to the largest building. He pushed open the door and led me inside. Immediately, I recognized the room. It had to be a vet's office. I'd volunteered at one for a short while when I was in high school for my required community service hours. I turned to look at him, eyebrows raised. The man behind the counter stood up. It looked like he was wearing a sort of scrubs. "Nick Jacobson," he said, leaning on the countertop. "It's good to see you again. You've been a stranger lately."

"Sorry, David." Nick replied, holding out his hand to the man. They shook, and he added, "I've been busy with school lately, along with some other stuff."

David's eyes, dark brown and surrounded by fine wrinkles, alighted on me. "I can see that."

Nick threw an arm around my shoulder. "David, this is Elsie. She's my fiancée." I nearly choked hearing the word, my cheeks flushing.

"Does she know that?" David laughed.

"Well, she will be." Nick amended.

David grinned at me. "It's nice to meet you. I'm David."

"Elsie," I repeated, even though Nick had already said my name. "And it's nice to meet you, too." I was sort of tired of saying that phrase. It seemed like that was all I'd been saying all day.

Nick leaned against the counter and gave me a grin. "I've worked here with David when I was fifteen."

"And he quit when he was eighteen," David said. "Darn college, taking away my best worker."

I smiled at him, at a loss of words. Nick laughed and said, "Best worker? I cleaned. Swept the floors, wiped down the rooms, and on occasion, I was lucky enough to clean out the overnight kennels and make sure the blankets had been washed." David cracked a grin, and Nick rubbed his hand up and down my arm, warming me. "David, I'd like to see that gib."

David nodded and waved for us to join him behind the desk. "Come on back." He said. Nick led the way, pushing open the door. We stepped out of the clinic's lobby. A chorus of barks exploded from the back room, ranging from deep barks to high-pitched, short yaps. David continued on and opened the door. It led out to the sidewalk. He glanced to his right, and I followed his line of sight. There was a kennel of dogs out there, all of them watching, their tails wagging. David continued on to the next building. He gave the door a hard shove and led us into a room of cages. Nearly every single cage was full.

My heart immediately melted. I'd always been a fan of animals, no matter what they were. But the big-eyed kittens seemed to be staring into my soul, begging to be loved. A soft "aw" came from me before I could hold back. David and Nick chuckled as the older man reached for one of the cages. He pulled open the door and reached in. After a moment, he pulled out a soft-looking black and gray striped tabby. The cat's large golden-green eyes set on me, and he gave an easy meow.

"This," David said, holding the cat to his broad chest. "Is Scout. As you can tell, he's a gray tabby. And neutered. I can't tell you how many people bring in little kittens that they can't take care of." He told me, giving me a wink.

He held out the cat to me. I stood there for a moment before reaching out. The cat immediately snuggled into me, his little wet nose digging underneath my ear. "He thinks he's a dog," David told me. I laughed as the cat purred as I pet him.

"And you said he's good outside?"

"He's spent his entire life as a barn cat. He'll be just fine outside." David said.

"We'll take him." Nick replied. I was sure my eyes got bigger than saucers. The cat seemed to purr louder, as if he knew that Nick had just said that we would adopt him. He was adorable and warm and soft, and it was like instant adoration. I'd never had a cat before, though. But I was definitely willing to take him home.

"Great. The papers are in the other building." As we walked back to the main building, David said, "He's got a microchip and everything. We feed them two small scoops in the morning and at night." I tuned him out, completely focused on the little bundle of fur in my arms. He couldn't be that old, and he was fairly light. His eyes were darting all over the place, trying to take in everything around him.

Nick and I headed into the main office. Nick signed some papers for the place, which was obviously a vet clinic and a shelter. Scout had lived in David's barn for the first few years of his life before he decided to move into town, where there were no barns for the cat to lounge in.

I held the cat all the way out to the car. He climbed into his side of the car after opening my car door for me. I smoothed my hand over the cat's head. "Should we change his name?" Nick asked me.

I shrugged. "I like Scout." I said. The cat purred loudly. I could feel it coming from his chest, his fur warm and soft.

"Yeah? Me, too." Nick replied. He reached over and pet Scout. "So, are you surprised?"

"Completely."

"I knew you wanted an animal, and a barn could always use a barn cat." He said. "My mom used to have a cat. It died a good seven or eight years ago. Besides, it's a big step for us. It's our first pet together." He gave me a smile, and I laughed. Scout snuggled against me, and I wrapped my arms around him. It was sort of like having an extension of Nick, in a weird way. He was a part of Scout just like I was. He was ours.

# # #

Alexandra was excited about Scout. She cooed at the cat. Daniel and Rodney stood in the living room, rolling their eyes, clearly amused. Nick sat down in the rocking chair by the fire place, slowly moving back and forth. Alexandra and I set Scout on the couch and pampered him. He purred loudly, his eyes closed and his ears flicking around the room. His thin tail moved, a constant beat on my arm.

"He's adorable." Alexandra said. "He reminds me of Tommy." She glanced up at me, and added, "He was my old tom. Daniel had gotten him for me." I glanced over at Nick and gave him a stern look. Apparently, he hadn't come up with the cute idea on his own. But there was still something cute about the fact that he'd done something for me which had been based off something that his father had done for his mother.

"Well, I guess we should get him settled in the barn." Alexandra said. She nodded towards Nick, and he stood up. I picked up Scout, and we headed out towards the barn. I stepped carefully, my finger rubbing over the thin, bright red collar that we'd bought for Scout on the way home. It had a cute little jingle bell and a nametag with his name and Nick's cell phone number printed on it. Nick opened the barn door and reached for the light switch. The horses all made noise, excited by the fact that there was someone out here. I saw the horse that I'd ridden yesterday, Peanut. He snorted in my direction as Nick and I went to sit Scout on a bale of hay. I didn't want to leave him out here. He purred and pressed his head to my thigh before turning and jumping onto the thin edge of one of the horse's stalls.

"He seems pretty happy." I said.

Nick sat down on the bale of hay next to me. I brought my knees up to my chest and snuggled up to his side. It was a good thing that Nick didn't mind cuddling, because I loved it. There was just something so perfect about his arms around me, pressed against his side, and the magical feeling that it was exactly where I was supposed to be. All of my life, I'd been questioning – why did my biological parents give me up? Why did I have a tattoo on my arm that only I could see? – and one of the most recent ones had been where I was supposed to fit in. But Nick answered that question for me perfectly.

Nick rested his chin on the top of my head. I was practically sitting in his lap, his arms wrapped tightly around me as my head rested on his chest. I could hear the thumps of our hearts beating together in his chest. Interestingly enough, it was like I could discern his heartbeat from mine. I ran my finger over the lettering on his chest, and Nick pulled me a little closer.

"I love you," he told me. Scout purred from where he'd settled down next to Peanut's stall. It was obvious that my cat liked the horse just as much as I did.

"I love you more." I told him, playing that game that he'd played with me.

"I love you most," Nick finished, a chuckle erupting from him. He'd come to the same conclusion that I did, but it was sort of nice to have one of those super cute and cheesy things that belonged to just us. I looked up at him and he reached out to tilt my chin so he could kiss me. I could see his intention clearly in his head.

Which was why it was surprising that, when his fingers touched my neck, sliding up to my chin, that I got a jolt instead of a kiss. It shot through me, traveling down my veins. My heart immediately sped up, and weirdly enough, I could feel his jump like mine. My skin was hot, but my veins were running like ice water. It felt like… like imprinting. I gasped, my fingers tightening on the front of his jacket. His arms tightened around me.

"What's happening?" I forced out. I was scared that this was some sort of reverse imprint, like for some reason I'd rejected him or he'd rejected me. The thought of losing him scared me enough that I was sure I was going to have a heart attack. I felt a little lightheaded, even.

Nick chuckled and gave me a quick kiss. "This is it, Elsie. We're ascending."

Cliffhanger! Yay! Ha, now you'll have to wait. [Cue evil grin.]

Anyway, I told you things were going to get exciting in this next chapter! And the goodness continues in the next, though there might be an oh-no twist, because I love those.

ANYWAY, I hoped you liked this chapter. Leave me a review! And take a guess on Elsie's and Nick's abilities! Until next time… peace! (: