AN: New record for me! Not even a day for a new chapter, I'm awesome! Next chapter, which I want to get out just as fast, is the big blow out with Mama Joyner and Jacob. Enjoy!

Chapter Six

Four's a Crowd

Paranoia kept me up for a few hours before exhaustion won the battle of emotions. Of course that didn't stop my brain from making up a horrible nightmare about Jacob and Nessie bringing along a 'friend' that turned out to be male and they tried to pair us up. It was horrible. And not in the embarrassing horrible way, but the painfully horrible way. I've never been any kinds of comfortable in a relationship with a guy, a romantic one at least. I'm fine with Joe, heck even Jacob, but I guess underneath it all I'm afraid of commitment or something because the thought of staying with some of the guys I've dated scares the daylights out of me.

And they weren't bad guys. God, Johnny Palitano was gorgeous… What was I thinking?!

We had to leave a little earlier in the morning since one of her meetings had to be pushed forward, so I had to shower and get dressed in the truck in order to have a ride into Seattle. Sadly, it's not the first time I've had to do it. I got to the Starbucks a good hour before I was to meet Nessie. Talk about time to kill. I got a coffee and settled into the only empty chair I could find and started reading my batter copy of The Prince And The Pauper while I waited.

Well, the book was a cover. I was really panicking. I could tell Nessie was the kind of girl that would try to set me up with some one, because she is a lot like Natalie and well Natalie has been trying since we were fourteen years old. Coffee probably isn't the best thing for me right now, since if she does try to set me up with anyone I will most likely puke up the Colombian roast they were using for the day.

I so sat and waited and pretended to read. I was getting so nervous my leg was vibrating, an old nervous habit. Just as my leg was about to read thirty miles an hour, a curly haired woman slipped into the seat next to me.

"Hey Claire," Nessie said happily.

"Hi Nessie," I chirped. I probably sounded like a song bird on helium.

"How long have you been waiting?" She asked looking down at her slim designer watch.

"Mom had to drop me off earlier than expected, so about an hour." I explained, slightly rushed. My blood stream was full of caffeine and nervousness, I'm bound to talk at a speed that only dogs can understand. "Where's Jacob?" I asked once I noticed she was alone.

"Getting me some coffee with Seth." She said pointing to the long line at the counter. I was only able to make out the top of Jacob's head.

I froze. "Seth?" I croaked. I remember them telling me about him, but not whether or not he was single.

She nodded. "He hasn't been here in a while, you can't say no to that face." She said shaking her head, and pointed to the short man standing next to Jacob. He wasn't much shorter and had ear length black hair. I couldn't see his face.

"Nessie, you're not trying to set me up with Seth are you?" I asked quickly, before my brain-mouth filter could actually work.

She giggled a little bit. "No, I promise." She said sincerely.

"Okay good," I let out a long sigh and let my body crumple into the chair.

"You don't like being set up?" She asked frowning slightly. I think I might have just insulted her taste in men.

"I'm horrible with romantic escapades involving men." I explained pathetically.

"Why?" She asked, not entirely believing me.

"It's just a problem I have." I answered shrugging.

"You were fine with Jacob." She pointed out.

"I can talk to guys till I'm blue in the face, but flirting and dating. I'm just not cut out for that, I guess." I mumbled. These are one of my downfalls I don't like.

Her lips pursed and her eyes narrowed slightly. "You are an odd one Claire." She said shaking her head.

I chuckled. "Thanks," I said sarcastically.

"Ladies," Jacob said interrupting.

Before I could look up, Nessie was on her tip-toes kissing Jacob while she stole the coffee from his hand. "Thank you," She murmured. He kissed her forehead and wrapped his arm around her waist. I stood a few seconds later and was between Nessie and who I assumed was Seth. "Seth, this is Claire, Claire this is Seth." She said motioning to each of us.

Seth was taller than Joe, probably six-foot-five, and had twice as much muscle. He had kind black eyes and was all around good looking. If he wasn't so muscled he'd resemble the boy next door rather than a professional wrestler. He gave me a crooked smile. "Nice to meet you," He said with a little more enthusiasm than I expected.

"You too," I said smiling. I wasn't all that nervous now that I knew he was only here for a tall and pointy building.

"We should get going before we miss the tram." Nessie said trying to pull Jacob toward the door. Good luck with that Honey, he looks like he's damn near two-hundred and fifty pounds of muscle.

"It comes every twenty minutes." Jacob pointed out confused.

"So we have to hurry." She pressed, pulling him a little harder. Jacob laughed and let her pull him through the Starbucks while Seth and I followed.

"Hope you don't mind me tagging along." Seth said with a sheepish smile.

I shook my head. "No its fine, I'm all for evening the playing field." I said with a nod toward the happy couple ahead of us.

"We were going to bring another friend of ours, but he refused." Nessie said over her shoulder.

"Why?" I asked, trying not to sound insulted.

"He thinks the city is a cesspool of idiots and criminals." Nessie answered.

"Charming," I said dryly.

"We love him!" Seth said with a wide smile.

Nessie forced me and Seth to converse the whole walk to the Westlake Mall, where we were supposed to meet up that totally fled my mind too, by canoodling with Jacob the entire time. You'd think it be difficult for them with the height difference, but no, they managed to suckle just fine.

Seth is a lot cooler than I'd hoped he would be. A really sweet guy too. Why did my mom have to take me from the Rez? The guys were so perfect. We didn't have all that much in common but we found a lot to talk about. The one thing I noticed was Jacob and Seth would never tell me their age. I mean they looked in their mid-twenties, but seemed older. They would always shrug it off with a sour look. I guess they are older than they want to be. I'll get it out of Nessie later.

Of course when we got to the Mall Nessie and I were ready to race off to the nearest shoe store, but Seth and Jacob herded us to the nearest elevator and to the top floor of the Mall, promising we would come back and shop. We agreed begrudgingly and just barely caught the tram. I hadn't really noticed, but being crammed in a speeding bullet shaped vehicle made me notice how many people were staring at us, Jacob and Nessie in particular. I couldn't deal with it, but they were too busy talking to each other in hushed voices to notice. If I had someone like Jacob, I wouldn't notice let alone care.

When we got off the tram Jacob and Seth were talking about the Sci-Fi museum around the corner. It was the girls turn to force them toward the Space Needle.

We had a lot of fun at the whole plaza. We went to every shop there and every museum within a few blocks. Even though I went to the plaza for the Space Needle it wasn't even the highlight of my day. Seth and Jacob fighting about the best movie robot at the Sci-Fi History Museum was hands down the best part. Two grown men, having a heated conversation about C-3PO and the Terminator, there is nothing funnier than that.

We took the tram back to the Mall almost four hours later, after a lunch of funnel cakes which they call elephant ears for some reason. Seth and Jacob were happy when we got off the tram and about three accessory stores in, they had lost their cheerful demeanor. Seth was still polite and smiling, Jacob was far more cantankerous.

"Ness, there is no way you need any more watches." Jacob said incredulously.

"But its pretty, and it matches that dress over there." She countered, pointing to the shop across the hall. It was a nice dress.

"Oh no," He groaned fearfully.

We bounced from boutique to boutique and I had to stop myself after three bags because I was sure there wasn't enough room in the trailer for anymore stuff. I was still helping Nessie pick out shoes to go with two of her new dresses when Seth's cell phone rang. He jumped to answer it and Jacob rushed to his side as they left the store.

"Am I missing something?" I asked confused.

Nessie sighed and sat next to me, forgoing the stilettos she was trying on. "You know that friend we wanted to come, but didn't want to?" She asked quietly.

"Yeah?" I whispered with a nod.

"Well, he is kind of in the wind, as of this morning." She said painfully. I have a feeling she wasn't supposed to be telling me this.

I almost gasped. "Why?"

"He got his heart broken a long time ago and every once in a while he does this. Seth and Jacob are just worried." She explained sadly.

I was about to say something when Jacob and Seth came storming back into the store. Seth was attempting to smile but Jacob was clearly angered. And it looked like the only thing keeping him from flat out ripping something to bits was Nessie's apologetic smile.

Seth walked right up to me and I stood to try and meet his height. "It was nice to meet you Claire, but I have to get going." Seth said sadly, offering his hand.

I reached out to take his hands and tried not to be affected by the inhuman heat of his hand. "Oh, well it was nice to meet you too Seth," I mumbled shaking his hand, sad that he was leaving. I dropped his hand and he gave us all a weak smile and dashed out of the store.

Jacob had stalked to Nessie and was hanging his head over hers, speaking her so lowly and quickly I couldn't understand what they were saying. Nessie let out a sigh and nodded and Jacob put half a foot between them.

"How is he getting back?" I asked curiously.

"Cab," Jacob answered bluntly.

Nessie and I shared a cautious look. "I think we're done with clothes, lets go eat something." Nessie said kicking off the shoes and stepping into her ballerina flats.

Just when I thought Jacob wasn't a total grump, he reverts back to his old ways. Nessie and I talked the way to the French bakery she was so psyched about. She seemed to ignore her boyfriend as he stalked behind us. I got the feeling that he was watching our backs more than being a pain in the ass.

I didn't ask Nessie anything about Seth, or Jacob's mood, I kept the conversation light and airy. I was curious about the whole situation but I didn't want to ruin the day by being too nosy. Nessie insisted on taking dinner to go and waiting with me for my mom. Jacob was very apprehensive about that. So was I but she was too sweet to deny.

"Ness, we have to get going soon." Jacob said firmly.

"We can wait with her." Nessie countered, her tone insistent.

"Ness," He growled.

"Don't worry so much Jake, call Sam, let him know we're going to be a little late." She said innocently.

"You are going to be the death of me." He groaned.

"But you'll die smiling." She said with a devilish grin.

He shook his head and pulled out his phone and turned his back to us. I looked at him suspiciously as he walked passed us toward the fence that sectioned the park like are to the road down below and looked out over the water. I walked to the nearest empty bench and plopped down with my two croissants and Nessie followed, only she doesn't plop. I continued to look at Jacob's back tiringly.

"He's just being cautious." Nessie said nudging my arm a little.

"Why don't I believe you?" I asked, snorting a laugh.

"Its not you really." She insisted sincerely.

"So who is it?" I asked, still not entirely believing her.

Nessie was about to answer when Jacob turned and started walking toward us, glaring down at his phone as he did. When he looked up the angered look on his face was wiped clean by one of panic. I turned around to look at the source of the distress to find someone who shouldn't be here for another ten minutes.

"Get away from my daughter!" Mom yelled as she stormed across the grassy hill. Shit.

AN: I know, its not Quil, it would have been too obvious still, so I sent Seth. Don't hate me! Quil will show up soon, I swear! Oh, and review!