A/N: Sorry about the wait, guys… I had a really tough week: work drama, friend drama, you name it… and then, as the cherry on top of the crap cake, my apartment almost went up in flames a couple days ago. So, needless to say, I've been away from my computer a whole lot. BUT, I made some major progress on this story earlier in the week, so I'll be posting a couple times this week to make up for it.

Some stuff's gonna happen in Nessie and Jake's relationship that will change everything. And it's gonna happen soon. So stay tuned, and please… review! I see you reading… please tell me what you think!

Enjoy!

~Crit.

Chapter 9: Anger Management

Jacob was early to meet Renesmee after her Monday class the following week. He was even dressed in some of his new Alice Cullen clothes, which he had to admit fit like a glove and looked pretty great. There was even a fancy-looking watch, which looked like it had been sized to his over-large wrist. He'd strapped it on after some debate, and was now glad that he had, because it allowed him to periodically check the remaining time until Renesmee would be out of class. She'd perfectly described the forked pathway where she wanted him to meet her, and after locating it easily, Jacob had plopped himself down on one of the large wooden benches to wait.

Finally, it was twelve-thirty, the time Renesmee was due to meet him. He looked up expectantly, first one way and then the other, but of course she wasn't there yet. Jacob sighed heavily and slumped back against the bench. A couple minutes later, he checked his watch, and then again after ten minutes. He frowned. Renesmee was usually very strict about punctuality, to the point where she actually lectured other people about lateness. And here she was, fifteen minutes late for their meeting and counting. Just when he was starting to wonder if he should call her, his phone buzzed with a text message, the dot-dash-dot pattern that was dedicated specifically to his imprint. Jacob released a breath he hadn't been aware he was holding and flipped his phone open.

Running late… sorry! Grabbing a coffee… anything for you? Jacob caught himself smiling down at his phone. Renesmee had a serious fixation on coffee.

Big and Strong, he texted back, chuckling to himself. Thanks!

Not a moment later, his phone buzzed again. Super lame, read the message, then, You got it!

He leaned back again, more relaxed this time. He knew it was silly to worry over fifteen minutes, but he wasn't sure if he'd ever get over his overprotective nature with regards to Renesmee. It was hardwired into his brain to look out for her.

A few minutes later, Jacob felt the familiar and distinctive pull that told him his imprint was near, and sure enough, he looked up to see her familiar form strolling down the path, about fifty feet away, next to… a guy. Tall, long-limbed and gangly, carrying a white and green cup that matched the ones Renesmee carried in either hand. Jacob rose to his feet, subconsciously squaring his shoulders. Renesmee her attention from the man at her side to look at him, then looked down at her full hands, shrugged, and shouted "Hey". She then looked back at the other man, said something brief, and he nodded, shifting his book bag from one shoulder to the other. He turned to walk down one of the converging pathways, but before he did, he placed a hand on Renesmee's forearm and said something that made her grin up at him. Jacob felt his whole body tense as he watched this stranger handling his imprint, and he had to take several deep breaths in quick succession to calm himself down before Renesmee reached where he was standing. He didn't want a repeat of their almost-argument from the previous week, and he knew that Renesmee would be upset if he got territorial. He pasted on his best smile given the circumstances.

"Hi, genius," he said as Renesmee reached him and handed him his coffee. Once she had a free hand, she reached her arm around his waist and gave him a quick hug.

"Lots of sugar," she said, nodding toward the coffee. Jacob took a swig and made an appreciative noise.

"You know what I like," he said. Renesmee chuckled.

"You bet I do." She took a sip of her own drink and said, "So, where first? We've got between now and seven to waste time."

"Oh, we can do loads of damage in that many hours." Jacob offered his arm and they started walking down the path. "I was thinking maybe the Museum of Natural History first. Get you all primed up for those Anthro classes?" Renesmee beamed up at him.

"That's perfect, Jake. I've been itching to go since we got into town. I never get sick of that place. And I'm sure you'll love it." Jacob smiled indulgently. Museums really weren't his thing, but it would be worth it just to see how gung-ho Renesmee got over the place.

"I'm sure." They walked in companionable silence for a while. Finally, Jacob couldn't resist. "That the new friend you were walking with?" He said, trying to make himself sound pleasant while asking. Renesmee nodded into her coffee cup.

"Mmhm, that's Rideau. Sorry we were running late… I told him I had time to walk to the coffee shop with him after class, but the lecture ran a little long, and I didn't want to bail on him."

"Of course not," Jacob said, sounding understanding but feeling like maybe he wanted to break the smug bastard's face. He wondered what Renesmee had told him. I'm running late to meet my best friend? I'm going out after class with my roommate? Oh, Jacob? He's just a family friend… I've known him my whole life. Yes, I'm free Saturday night! He shook his head to stop his thoughts from running wild. He was determined not to be angry or jealous today, especially when there was probably no reason to be.

As predicted, Renesmee had run wild in the museum. Jacob had periodically pointed out exactly how dorky she was being, studying all the different artifacts and displays, but in truth he actually found himself getting into it too, his imprint's enthusiasm catching on somewhat as their visit progressed. Renesmee was practically vibrating with excitement by the time the left. Jacob clapped a hand on her shoulder and stopped her at the bottom of the steps.

"Okay, now we have to try something I want to do," he said. Renesmee caught sight of his mischievous expression and looked suddenly leery.

"Oh—kay," she said slowly, "What is it?" Jacob took her hand in his and pulled her along the sidewalk.

"This," he said, coming to a stop in front of a dirty-looking cart with a red and yellow awning. Renesmee's eyes went as round as dinner plates.

"Nope," she said firmly. "Nuh-uh, No way."
"Aw, come on Nessie," Jacob wheedled, "Street meat is an essential part of city living!"

"How would you know?" Renesmee said, looking at the cart and then turning away with a disgusted look. "Ugh, I feel dirty just thinking about it!"

Jacob just shook his head and stepped towards the cart. "Hi," he said, nodding at the vendor, "I'll get two all-beef hot dogs, please." He passed the man a few bills and turned back to Renesmee. "You're gonna love this," he said, practically bouncing with excitement. Renesmee looked like she was trying very hard not to laugh at him. The vendor handed Jacob their hotdogs, and he gave one to Renesmee, chuckling when she made a very unimpressed face. "Come on, dress it up… the condiments are half the fun!"

Renesmee surveyed the collection of sticky squeeze bottles and containers of relish and sauerkraut doubtfully, and finally went for the ketchup, picking it up with the very tips of her fingers and squeezing a minimal amount into the crease between the hotdog and the bun. Jacob loaded his own dog up with nearly all of the toppings, and then tore into it with vigor. Renesmee watched him with her nose wrinkled in distaste before taking a little nibble. Jacob watched her between bites.

"Not so bad, is it?" he said when he'd polished his off. Renesmee had only managed a couple bites.

"The flavour is kind of okay," she admitted reluctantly, "But the texture is absolutely disgusting. How can you stand it?"

Jacob shrugged and took the hotdog from her when she offered it to him. "Years and year of eating really gross food, I guess." He took the hotdog down in two giant bites, greeting Renesmee's disgusted expression with a wide grin. "You can't have twenty dollar steaks every night, you know."

Renesmee shrugged. "I don't think it would be that big of a problem, really, considering the contents of my trust fund." She shot an apologetic look at Jacob. "Sorry, but in this department, I accept my position as a spoiled brat. If I have to eat human food, I can at least eat the good stuff."

Jacob just slung an arm around her shoulders as they strolled down the sidewalk. "Ah, Nessie," he said sagely, "This is the good stuff."

oooOOOooo

Jacob was reclining on their very comfortable new couch when he heard Renesmee's key in the door. It was ten-thirty on the night of their museum visit, and Renesmee had been at a class since quarter to seven, when he'd dropped her back at the Anthropology building. Jacob had done a whole lot of nothing since then, aside from getting himself another couple helpings of street meat (Renesmee would be severely grossed out, but Jacob figured it wouldn't kill her if she never found out about it). Jacob was about to get up to greet his imprint when, to his surprise, he heard not one but two voices on the other side of the door. He immediately went on guard, leaping to his feet and standing squarely to face the door.

"Oh, hi Jake!" Renesmee said as she came through the entryway. Behind her came a tall, lanky man, about two heads taller than her but nowhere near Jacob's height. He had dark brown hair, glasses, and wore plain slacks, a black pea coat and a warm, stylish scarf. It was the same guy from earlier in the day… the new friend. Jacob had to bite back a growl as he responded.

"Nessie," he said in a low voice, "You didn't tell me you were bringing home company." Renesmee gave him a quick, odd look and then turned to the new guy.

"I didn't really know until just now… Rideau offered to walk me home, since it's so late, and so I offered to make him a cup of tea before he heads back. It's chilly out there!" Renesmee made a big show of rubbing her hands together as she said this. Jacob sniffed; he knew very well that it would take a much larger drop in temperature for Renesmee to even notice the cold. She was clearly going to a lot of trouble to act human for this boy.

The boy in question stepped forward and offered his hand, after he'd taken off his coat and hung it on the coat rack. "Hi," He said in an overly-friendly tone, "I'm Rideau. You must be Jacob… Ness has told me lots about you. It's nice to meet you face-to-face."

Jacob reluctantly took the man's hand and shook, maybe a little too hard. From this close range, he was able to inspect his adversary more carefully, and what he saw didn't exactly thrill him. Rideau, as it turned out, looked to be in his early mid-thirties, probably around the same age as Jacob, although obviously Jacob looked younger than his thirty-four years. He was bookish but handsome, and when he met Jacob's eyes the wolf saw a certain level of confidence and self-assuredness that made him want to rearrange the little jerk's face. He released Rideau's hand and ground out a quick, "You too."

Nessie was blissfully oblivious to their tense exchange, and set about bustling around in the kitchen, putting the kettle on and getting out cups. "Joining us for tea, Jake?" She called over her shoulder. Jacob thought that tea with Mr. Scholarly Fancy-Jacket was about the last thing he'd choose to be doing if he had any say in the matter, but there was no way he was about to let Renesmee spend any more time alone with the jerk today.

"Oh, you bet," He said, giving Rideau a less-than-friendly grin. Rideau's pleasant expression dropped a little, Jacob noted with satisfaction as they headed for the kitchen.

Renesmee had set their cups out around the small table, and was just pouring the boiling water into the teapot as Jacob took his usual spot. Rideau sat across from him, and Nessie took the chair in the middle as she brought the pot of freshly brewed tea over to them. Rideau was the picture of civility, thanking Renesmee as she filled his cup, and Jacob wanted nothing more than for his hand to accidentally 'slip', causing a cascade of teacups and scalding tea directly into the usurper's lap. But he kept his hands to himself, and found himself being similarly polite to Renesmee, who gave him a weird look, as if he'd maybe lost his marbles. Maybe he had, he thought moodily. After all, she'd had a point when they argued before: lots of guys and girls had platonic friendships with each other. He took a breath and tried to settle down. Renesmee and her friend were discussing something from one of their lectures, and Jacob tried to follow thee thread of the conversation, but it was beyond him, and besides that it sounded completely boring. He took a sip of tea, cleared his throat, and decided to join in.

"Nessie, did you tell you friend about our trip to the museum?" he asked. He wasn't intentionally trying to point out that they met up mid-day to do exciting things together, but at the same time, he didn't see how it could hurt. Rideau answered before Renesmee.

"She mentioned you two had gone this afternoon," he said, seemingly relieved that Jacob had decided to acknowledge him, however indirectly. "You know, I have a friend who's a junior curator. Next time you're thinking of going, let me know and I'll put you in touch. He might be able to hook you up with some behind-the-scenes stuff." Renesmee looked at him with wide eyes.

"Really? That would be great! Maybe you could come with me… I think sometimes Jake gets a little bored when I nerd out on him." She flashed Jacob a smile, and although he was smarting from her comment he couldn't help but realize from her expression that she didn't mean anything bad by it. And she had a point… the only reason he wasn't completely bored by that stuff was because he was there with Nessie. Rideau was nodding.

"Sounds like a plan." He turned to Jacob then. Jacob realized with a sinking feeling that this guy wasn't going to quit; he was going to keep hassling him, trying to win him over so that he could woo Renesmee right under his nose. That was about as likely to happen as… Well, Jacob couldn't really come up with anything quite that unlikely. "So," Rideau said conversationally, "Renesmee tells me you grew up near her in Washington, on the La Push Reservation?"

"That's right," Jacob said carefully, trying to figure out where the other man was trying to go with his question.

"Then you're Quileute," he said as if it was obvious. Jacob nodded slowly, this time feeling like he had a legitimate reason to be miffed. "I hope you don't think I'm being to forward, but part of my Masters Thesis concerns the depletion of West Coast tribes, and I'd really benefit from talking to somebody with an insider's perspective, if you'd be willing."

Jacob was stunned, and he said the first thing that came into his head. "That is a bit forward." Out of the corner of his eye, Jacob could see Renesmee shooting daggers at him. He ignored it. "No offense, friend, but most people don't bring up the subject of a person's race within fifteen minutes of being introduced to them."

To Jacob's irritation, Rideau just put up his hands and smiled in a somewhat abashed way. "Hey, no, you're totally right. I'm sorry, I was thinking like an anthropologist. I do that sometimes. I also sometimes make things really awkward in social situations, which has nothing to do with being an anthropologist… that's just me." Jacob was intensely frustrated… he'd been given the perfect opportunity to prove to Renesmee that this guy was a jerk, and the little twerp had weaseled his way out of it by being quick and charming. It made him want to scream.

"No big deal," he said with some difficulty, and then he stood up. "I just remembered I've gotta make a phone call… business back home, you know." He looked pointedly at Renesmee. "I'll tell Seth and Leah you said hi." Renesmee was clearly upset with him; she nodded briefly as he stalked out of the room.

"Nice to meet you," he heard Rideau call as he disappeared around the doorframe. Jacob could hear them muttering to each other under their breaths as he left their line of vision. Probably Nessie apologizing for his rude behavior, he thought. Well fine. Let her side with Mr. Anthropology-Gives-Me-Carte-Blanche-To-Comment-On-Peoples'-Race. He could care less.

Except that, once he reached his room, he was shaking so violently that he thought he might phase. The only thing that stopped him was the thought of Esme's disappointed face at learning that he'd destroyed her beautifully decorated room. He actually liked that sweet vampire lady. And, of course, the fact that Edward would immediately remove him from Renesmee's side once he found out that Jacob couldn't control his temper. He calmed himself down by counting backwards from one hundred, and then pulled out his phone and hit one of the numbers on speed dial.

"Hey, Leah. What's up?"

oooOOOooo

Jacob got up from his bed at the sound of a tentative knock on his door. He opened it to see a very angry Renesmee standing in his doorway, arms crossed and shoulders high, face redder and stormier than usual.

"What is wrong with you?" she shouted before Jacob could even say hello. "I bring a friend home for the first time EVER and you can't even be bothered to act civilly towards him? Not cool, Jacob!"

Jacob tried to stay calm, but it was really difficult when Renesmee decided to punctuate her sentences with periodic jabs to his chest. "Nessie, settle down," he said, trying unsuccessfully to restrain her hands by catching them in his. She twisted away from him and stepped back, glowering.

"I will not settle down," she said angrily. "What was that down there, Jacob? I know for a fact you're perfectly willing to talk openly about your heritage with lots of people you barely know. Why did you act so rude when Rideau asked you to help him out by talking to him?"

Jacob rolled his eyes. "Because I thought it was rude of him to just assume I'd be okay with him prying into my personal history. I don't know the guy, and I don't trust him. I know you think you guys are friends, but I'm sorry, I just don't like him."

"But you just said you don't know him!" Renesmee threw her hands up in exasperation. "I don't get it, Jake… you're usually so easy-going with new people. Why do you have to be so crazy around the one friend I've managed to make here in New York?"

"I was being nice, until he got too personal. After that, I didn't really think I had any obligation to be civil."

Renesmee sighed. "Jacob, he's a cultural scientist. He just got excited to have the opportunity to speak with you. He wasn't trying to—"

"Why are you defending him, anyway?" Jacob said suddenly, cutting her off. "You've known this guy for just over a week. I've been your best friend since ten minutes after you were born. And yet here you are, sticking up for him, when I bet you didn't even bother to defend me to him after I left."

Renesmee went very still. "Actually," she said in a quiet, lethal tone, "I did defend you. Rideau was really upset, sure that he'd offended you horribly. I assured him that you're a really good guy, and that something else was probably bothering you. I told him you're one of the best, coolest people I know, and my closest friend. I made all sorts of excuses for your behavior so that you wouldn't look like a total ass in front of somebody you'd just met. I was a good friend to you tonight." Her glare intensified. "I guess that makes one of us."

Jacob felt his heart sink. Renesmee's disappointment in him was almost palpable, and he hated the way it felt. "Nessie… okay, look, you're right… you're always a good, loyal friend to me. I'm sorry I implied that I doubted that…"

"You didn't imply, you flat-out stated."

Jacob hung his head, ashamed. "I know, okay? I'm just…"

"Worried about me? Trying to look out for my 'best interests'?" She stamped one foot in a way that Jacob would have found adorable if he wasn't the reason for it. "I've heard all this before, Jacob. It didn't impress me then, and it doesn't impress me now. What gives you the right to act like you're in charge of my life?"

Jacob wanted nothing more than to tell her exactly why he felt compelled to act that way, but he knew it was a bad idea. Now, in the middle of a horrible fight brought on by him acting like a territorial jerk, was not the time to introduce the idea of imprinting. And besides, if he wanted to keep Renesmee in his life, Jacob knew he had to keep his promise to Edward and not reveal his secret. "I know I'm not," he said dully, "I just can't help the way I act sometimes. You're… really important to me, Nessie, and I don't want to see you get into a situation where you'll end up unhappy."

"Like this one?" Renesmee snapped, and then she immediately looked sorry for saying it. "Look, Jake… you're really important to me, too. You're my best friend. But seriously? It's none of your business who else I become friends with."

Jacob could see her point, but he wasn't willing to go that far. "Not exactly, Nessie. You're right that you're free to make friends with whoever you want to, but I feel like, as somebody who cares about you, it is my business what happens to you." He shrugged. "Sorry, but that's how friendships work." Renesmee greeted this revelation with a sullen expression, brow furrowed and chin jutting out at an unpleasant angle.

"You know, it really pisses me off how stubborn you are," she said with a glower. "It's impossible to say anything to you.,.. you just take it and turn it back around until it's exactly where you were in the first place. And every time I come up with a good argument, you just dismiss it, like I'm some impetuous child who has no idea what she's talking about, even if you know I'm really right. I hate that, Jacob."

He sighed. She had a point there, and if he tried to debate it, he'd just be proving her right. He tried for a second to think of how he might respond to her accusation, and ended up chuckling humorlessly to himself.

"What?" Renesmee asked peevishly. Jacob just shrugged.

"You just checkmated me," he explained. "Nothing I can say in response to that will let me win this argument. You've got me in every direction."

Renesmee gave him a very serious look. "Maybe it isn't about winning," she said. "I don't want to defeat you… I just want to coexist peacefully. But if you can't let me be a grown-up and make my own choices, I really don't see how that's going to happen."

Jacob felt like his head might split in two. He knew that his jealousy and over-protective nature was hurting Renesmee, and yet he couldn't promise her with any sort of certainty that he would be able to refrain from acting the same way in the future. And as much as he wanted to lay all the blame on their imprint, a little voice inside of him that sounded exactly like Bella kept reminding him that he'd acted pretty much the same way in the past. One thing was certain, and that was the fact that he had very little control over his actions where Renesmee was concerned. How was he supposed to make her a promise to act like a civil and decent human being in the future?

He'd just have to try harder.

"Nessie… I'm sorry," he said, reaching out tentatively to brush her shoulder. "I didn't mean to be so intense. I just don't want anybody to hurt you, ever."

She looked up at him, and Jacob could see that her anger was already fading. "I'm glad that you're willing to look after me," she said, "but you have to respect me, too."

"I do!" Jacob said quickly, leaning towards her in his urgency. Renesmee put her hands on his shoulders and looked him squarely in the eyes.

"Then act like it," she said softly. They stood there for a long moment, Jacob stooped over so that their faces were just about level, staring into each other's eyes, until finally he nodded and pulled away reluctantly.

"Okay. I promise," he said, and he meant it. Renesmee didn't smile, not exactly, but she did looked like she believed him, and Jacob noted with satisfaction that she looked relieved.

"I'm going to bed," she said, starting for the door. Jacob almost reached out for her as she went, but stopped himself in time. He didn't want to trail after her like a needy child, begging for a hug from an angry parent, even though that was exactly how he felt.

"All right. Goodnight, Nessie. I'm sorry again."

She did give him a small smile then, right before she closed the door. "Goodnight, Jake. I'll see you in the morning." And then she was gone.

When the door closed behind her, Jacob was at a loss as to what he was supposed to do. Back home at the Cullen compound, he would have stripped off his clothing, leapt out the window and gone for a run in wolf form, letting the animal take over for however many hours it took to get it out of his system and calm him down. As it was, he couldn't exactly go bounding through Greenwich Village as a slobbering canine, so he simply paced back and forth until his legs got tired, and then he fell onto the bed and lay there, unsleeping, until the sun came up.

In the next chapter:

On a blanket a little way off, beneath the shade of some large trees near the sand line, sat a woman Renesmee had never seen, a little girl, and Jacob. The woman had the girl in her lap, and was smoothing down masses of jet-black ringlets into two darling french braids, one on either side of her tiny head, while Jacob looked on with a familiar expression on his face. Renesmee stood somewhere between the tree line and the picnic blanket, and as her eyes locked onto Jacob, she felt her chest tighten. An angry heat flushed through her body. That was HER look on Jacob's face, that look of utter devotion and admiration, aimed at these two strange girls, one big and one tiny. She was right there, but he didn't even see her, he was too busy looking on with adoration as the woman played and laughed with her child.