A.N: Heads up; this is the final chapter to this story. But I will post a little epilogue. Or more like a small later-chapter. Sort of.

One of my reviewers guessed something that would happen in this chapter a little while ago. We think alike!;)

Oh, and before I forget. There's a smoothie-shot with some parsley and another mint-leaf dipped in lemon hidden somewhere in here. Just so you know;)

Like a dog

Joan shifted nervously next to me and slowly lowered her hand back down. A heavy silence was staring to build up, but Seth didn't even seem to notice. He stared at her like he'd never seen a girl before.

Like he'd never seen a girl before.

Like he'd never seen anyone before.

Oh crap.

This couldn't be happening. Not Joan. Not Seth. What? I couldn't believe it. I'd never seen anything like this before, I'd never really seen it happen before my eyes. Wait, that wasn't true. I had. But that had been with me. I hadn't seen it happen with two other individuals. So I couldn't know this was it. But some place, deep inside me I knew it was.

The silence stretched on and on. I couldn't break it. I didn't know what the hell I was supposed to say. Joan shifted her look back and forth between me and Seth. I just stared at Seth who kept staring at her. His facial expression had turned into admiration. And by admiration, I mean utterly affection and adoration. And that was a heavy understatement.

He looked at her the way Jacob used to look at me.

Just then I heard the sound of thudding paws, and I wished with all my heart it was Jacob and that he could come and fix this. The thudding paused, and then I could hear the sound of running footsteps.

I turned around to see Jacob appear behind the trees waring his usual cut-offs. As soon as he saw me, his face transformed into a smile. I had no idea what my facial expression was, but as he took in my face his smile faded and became a frown. He hurried over to me, never letting his eyes off my face.

When he reached me, he grabbed my arm and was about to ask what was wrong. I just nodded towards Seth and Joan behind me. Joan was eyeing us, silently begging us to tell what was going on. She kept giving Seth uneasy glances.

Jacob looked from Joan to Seth. His eyes lingered on Seth for a long time as he took in the situation. And then he looked back at Joan and then back at me again. And then he grinned. A wide smile spread across his face and his eyes twinkled as he understood. Now I was the one staring.

He wrapped his arm around my shoulder.

"Hi Nessie, Joan" he said casually, as if nothing out of the ordinary had just happened.

"Hi Jacob" Joan said, still eyeing Seth nervously.

"Hey, you!" Jacob said towards Seth, and lightly punched his shoulder. "It's not polite to stare"

That punch seemed to be exactly what Seth needed. He snapped out of it and blinked a few times. His eyes darted over me and Jacob before his attention turned back to Joan. Jacob's grin widened impossibly.

"What?" Seth said. His voice was dreamy.

"I said, it's not polite to stare."

"Oh" Seth said then, as he realized what he'd done. "Sorry about that." He reached out a hand to Joan. "Nice to meet you too"

She looked really relived and shook his hand. Jacob chuckled in my ear and even Joan smiled nervously. The relief to escape his stare was painted on her face.

"Wow" she said as she let go of Seth's hand. "Are you two related or something? Your hand is just as warm as his." She nodded towards Jacob.

"We're not related" Seth answered immediately, smiling. She was asking for something. Now he would answer. Of course. "But we're not far form neighbors though. I live down in La Push too"

"I figured" Joan seemed relieved he was finally talking, and threw herself out in the conversation, arms and legs. I let them talk and grabbed Jacobs arm to drag him a little bit away from them.

"What the hell just happened?" I hissed and spun around to face him. He was grinning from ear to ear.

"That's obvious isn't it? He imprinted" Jacob sounded delighted.

"How did that happen? Why her?" I cast them a glance over his shoulder.

Jacobs smile fell a little as he took me in.

"You don't like it" he said thoughtful. It wasn't a question.

"It would have made this hell of a lot easier if he didn't!" I huffed. Jacob's eyes narrowed and he continued to study me. His face became more and more thoughtful and his lips tightened.

"Why are you so happy about this?" I asked him. When he'd first found out he'd looked like a kid on Christmas Eve.

"Well" Jacob looked down to his feet, avoiding my gaze. "Seth had a hard time lately. I don't see the problem" He shrugged.

He still didn't look at me, and my eyes narrowed. What did he mean Seth had a hard time? I had a feeling there was something he didn't tell me. I was just about to fire several questions to find out what he was hiding , when Jacob looked up.

"Why don't you like it?" he asked. His voice was harsh, and he stared at me with a tight look upon his face.

"Why?" I burst out, before I lowered my voice. "Why? Because she is my friend. And now he's going to tell her everything! And then she'll know. About him, about you, about the pack, about my family and about me." I gazed up into his eyes and my voice turned weak. "She'll know I've been lying to them. About me. About everything. All the time."

While I spoke, Jacob's eyes softened. His eyes turned understanding and I thought I could detect a glimpse of...was if relief? He moved closer to me and wrapped both his arms around me.

"We all have to do that" he said softly, looking down into my eyes. "She'll understand that"

I sighed and looked over to the other two. They were now in deep conversation. 'It's difficult to resist the adoration' I remembered Jacob had told me once. I guess it was. Heck, I knew it was. I'd been there.

"But you don't have to worry about that now" Jacob leaned forward to kiss my forehead. "She doesn't know anything yet"

That was true. But she would though, someday. I wondered how she would take it. How do you react when you find out one of your best friends has been lying to you about the fact that she is a half vampire, only seven years old, her parents are the one everyone thinks is her brother and sister, both stuck in their teens, and her boyfriend is a werewolf and the alpha of a pack. Oh, and sometimes she feeds on animal blood and kills deer with her teeth. Totally normal.

Not that I wasn't happy for them. I knew Seth had wanted something like this to happen. He'd told me. And for Joan; I wanted nothing but the best for her. Except for Jacob, Joan and Seth were my best friends.

In two very different worlds.

"Let's go inside" Jacob wrapped his arm around my shoulder and we started to walk in the direction of the house. I looked over my shoulder. They were still in deep conversation. Joan had a flattered look upon her face.

I guess she wouldn't be going on that date tonight after all.

We walked inside, and I found both my parents in conversation with Alice and Jasper. My mind was too filled with my friend imprinting on my friend no notice anything else. I slumped down on the sofa and Jacob sat down beside me.

"Oh." Dad looked amused as he read my mind. "I guess that changes things."

"What does?" Mom looked back and forth between us.

"Seth imprinted," dad explained.

Mom looked puzzled for a minute before she seemed to understand.

"On her?" she smiled, and I knew she was referring to Joan. "I didn't see that coming"

Hah. Me neither, that's for sure.

Jacob wrapped his arm around me, and when I looked up at him I found him watching me with content, warm eyes. I rested into him, and his arm tightened around me as he kissed the top of my head.

It hit me that this was the first time since that terrible encounter with my parents yesterday that Jacob and my dad were in the same room. I guess I really shouldn't be sitting this close to Jacob. Not because my parents minded, but because after what I'd seen yesterday, Jacob's thoughts weren't exactly pure as polish when we sat this close. And I guess my dad would mind that. In fact, it was a miracle he hadn't already started the screaming and hair-pulling.

I looked at Jacob. He was watching me with a warm expression. I looked at dad. He seemed normal. Had Jacob's mind-control improved drastically over the past 24 hours? Or had he simply stopped thinking about me? I looked back at Jacob. Still warm look. And I looked back at dad. Still normal. And I didn't understand.

But when I looked over at my mom, she winked at me. And then I understood. Of course. She must be shielding Jacobs thoughts. No wonder dad seemed relaxed. He didn't have to be listening to Jacob's thoughts about me at all.

"I figured this was the best solution" my mom smiled "For now, at least"

"And I certainly don't mind" dad said. "You wont believe how much more quiet it is around here now"

He sent Jacob a little amused smile, and I knew he was both joking and telling the truth at the same time. Jacob's thoughts were loud.

Emmett and Rosalie entered just then. Rosalie sent me a warm smile, and she even spared one for Jacob. Emmett was uncharacteristically grave. I smiled at him and turned my head to the side as if to ask what was wrong, but he didn't look at me at all. He stared right at Jacob. Then he flexed his muscles.

"Oh, for the love of god" dad said and buried his face in his hands.

"What?" I said, looking back and forth between my dad and Emmett. Emmett was still glaring at Jacob, he hadn't even cast a glance in my direction. Jacob looked confused. I looked at dad for some sort of explanation because Emmett was obviously not going to give me any.

Dad sighed. "Emmett doesn't approve"

"Doesn't approve? Of what?" I asked, my voice careful.

Dad didn't answer, he just looked at me pointedly. And then I realized. Emmett didn't approve of me and Jacob's new...ah...relations.

"Really?" I looked up at Emmett. I guess I should be embarrassed that this became the topic of the conversation again, but I was really more amused than anything. Emmett? My uncle Emmett? That couldn't be.

"She's just a little girl!" Emmett snarled then. His stare had never wavered from Jacob. I noticed that he was flexing his muscles again. Jacob looked like he didn't quite know what to believe.

"Emmett!" I said loudly. His gaze glanced over to me for the tenth of a second. "What are you talking about?"

His mouth tightened. Again, very uncharacteristic. I almost didn't recognize him this serious.

"I think someone's a bit over-protective " Rosalie said dryly.

To my great surprise a giggle escaped my lips. I should be embarrassed. But this was kind of funny. Emmett was feeling over protective? About this? He was almost having a worse reaction to this than my dad!

Dad chuckled a little as he heard my thoughts. And then Rosalie started giggling as well. And I heard a little snicker from Jacob behind me. I couldn't help it any more, and I started laughing for real. The next thing I knew everyone in the living room were laughing, everyone apart from Emmett.

He looked around then, confused. This had not been the reaction he had expected. He had probably expected an argument, a fight even. It didn't last long before his lips twisted upwards as well. Of course Emmett wouldn't stay serious for a long time. I'd only seen him serious a few times in my short life, all countable on one hand. And a joined laughter like this; well he simply couldn't resist that.

When my laughed eased and I started drying my eyes with my sleeve, Emmett looked down at Jacob. I could see Emmett wanted to be serious, but he didn't quite manage.

"You just...just...be good to her, all right? Be good." he said. It was almost like he was giving him an order.

"Hey. There's no need to talk to him like he's a dog." I interrupted.

I heard Jacob snicker beside me at my choice of words.

"Oh, shut up, Jacob" I said. "You know what I mean"

"But you talk to me like I'm a dog all the time" he laughed behind me.

I turned to glare at him. "I do not!"

He just kept laughing and nodded. I looked around the room and realized every one of my family was grinning as well.

"I don't!" I said again. "Do I?"

Emmett laughed then. His normal easy-going laughter that inclined he soon was about to make a joke or two. "You do order him around sometimes. Come here, Jacob. Shut up, Jacob. It's very entertaining. I wonder how you talk to him when you two are alone and..."

"I think we'll just leave now" I said quickly, as I felt my blush begin to blossom. Emmett was dangerously close to being his normal self, and I had my guesses what his next favorite topic would be.

"You two behave now," Emmett snickered.

"Sure."

"Don't do anything a dog wouldn't do."

His voice implied everything that his words did not.

"Get up, Jacob." I stood up abruptly "We're leaving."

Emmet snickered again, before he leaned down to whisper loud and clear into Rosalie's ear. "See, she already orders him around. Just like a dog. 'Get up'. Wonder if that's how she get's him going. Get up. You see the double meaning in those words right? She want's to go home so that she can get some."

He barely got to finish that last word though, before my dad reached out and pushed him on the side, flipping the chair away from him. Emmett fell down from the chair and hit the floor with a loud thud. I didn't stay around to see what happened next though, but dragged Jacob by the hand out of the house. Emmet's roaring laughter followed us all the way into the back yard.

Outside we were faced with The Happy Couple. Great. Seth was laughing and Joan seemed pleased and intrigued. Both their eyes were literary sparkling. I was happy for then though. I just wasn't happy for me.

Suddenly I felt a bit grumpy. Made fun of inside, third wheel outside. Not wanted by friends, made fun of by family.

I knew I was being unreasonable and I knew it wasn't true. But my mood was sulky and I didn't care if I whined a little. It was only inside my head, after all. One should be allowed to think grumbly thoughts now and then.

A pair of arms wrapped around me then, and Jacob hugged me tight to him. He rested his chin on my shoulder, and I smiled despite myself.

Wanted by boyfriend.

"Let's get out of here" he said, as if he'd read my mind.

I nodded tiredly. Before we left I turned around and called out to Joan. "I take it I don't need to drive you home?"

She barely heard me, she was so busy laughing with Seth.

"I can drive you home," Seth said to her, and she smiled.

Fine. Don't even bother to answer me. Whatever.

"Am I being selfish?" I asked. We were sitting on the couch in Jacob's house, and my mood was still low. "I mean, I am happy for them, I really am. But I don't know how she will take all this. When he tells her."

"You're afraid she'll be mad at you." Jacob said quietly.

"Yeah" my voice was dragging.

"Nessie, you're thinking way to much ahead. They just met."

"Still."

"Don't be such a pessimist."

"I'm not pessimistic, I'm being realistic."

Jacob smirked a little. "Pessimist."

"I'm not!" I smacked his shoulder and he laughed. He wound his arm around my waist and pulled me back on the couch to lay on top of him.

"You really should know by now that violence isn't the solution to everything," he chuckled.

I rested my chin on his chest and looked at him.

"It's the solution to making you stop being silly" I said. "You should be glad I've stopped biting you."

He laughed. "Maybe I'll get you a punching bag for Christmas" he said. "In case you wear me out by then"

"Funny" I mouthed as he put his hands behind my neck to pull me closer. "I can think of another way to wear you out"

He kissed me then, and I kissed him back and my mind stopped thinking all together. I stopped thinking about Seth and I stopped thinking about Joan and I stopped thinking about everything that could or would happen in the future.

Almost.

"But seriously, how do you think she will take it?" I broke free from his lips. "You don't think she'll be mad?"

Jacob gazed up at me. "Do you really want to talk about that now?" In a sudden movement he flipped us both over, making me squeal in surprise. He pressed me down in the soft cushions of the sofa. "Because I know I don't" he finished, before his lips crashed back down on mine.

I quickly forgot pretty much everything else.

Wow. One day can turn out quite different from what you expect. This morning I had expected to go to school and then maybe see Jacob. Instead I had brought my soon-to-be-imprinted-on human best friend with me home, watched her get the magic spell by my best wolf friend, gone inside only to have my sex-life harassed by my supposed over-protective uncle, and now I was looking up at Jacob in his boxers laying over me on the sofa. All in all it had been a tiresome day. Except for that last part.

"What are you staring at?" Jacob said, pretending to be self conscious. I knew he wasn't really. Jacob was never self conscious with me.

"Oh, nothing important" I teased, and he pretended to be offended. He knew I was just teasing. He wasn't a very good actor, Jacob.

"Come here" he said, his voice turning warm. Who could resist that? I stretched up, and he kissed me softly, placing his hands around my waist to hold me to him. He guided his hands down to push aside my remaining clothes as I did the same with his. I feverishly hoped no one were to walk by the house and look through the window right now, we were in fact on the couch in the living room. Thankfully, we would hear if someone arrived.

And thankfully, no one did.

It started out slow and tentative. His lips against mine were soft and kind, and my hands were fluttering lightly over his chest and shoulders. It was very sweet and tender, and when he pressed into me he was very slow and careful and it didn't hurt at all. In danger of sounding very cliche; it was romantic. It really was no other word for it.

He kept placing featherlight kisses all over my face while he gently moved his hips against mine. Without thinking, I wound my arms up to caress his face, but he stopped me then, holding my wrists in a tight grip.

"Oh no," he warned me. "You know what happens if you do that"

Emotion flushed over me as I remembered that first time. I had, without meaning to do so, placed my hands on his neck, and the pleasure from two had been to much for one.

I yanked my head up and kissed him then, a movement far from slow and tentative. He reacted the same way, and mashed my head back down in the cushions, kissing me just as fierce. He pinned my hands down in the pillows over my head as he increased the pace with his hips.

My breaths were quickly becoming uneven, but I never removed my lips from his. I moved my legs up to wrap around him, and Jacob groaned loudly into my mouth. A crashing new wave of sensations started to flood through me. Boy, did he hit spots he'd never hit before. He kept pondering and it didn't last long before I tilted my head backwards into the cushions. His lips moved from mine only to trace hungrily down my chest. I forced my hands free from his grasp then, and just as I dived over I put them around his neck.

The word became incoherent, and it stayed like that for quite a while. I felt Jacob shudder over me, and I think he cursed out loud and then said something but I had no idea what.

When I opened my eyes, he was looking at me with hazy, heavy-lidded eyes. He smiled and shook his head like in awe, as if he couldn't find a thing to say.

I reached up and kissed him tenderly before I removed my hands from his face. I had to let the boy breathe.

A.N: Thanks for reading! There will be a ending-chapter-epilogue-thing up within a week, so stay with this story a bit more:)