A/N: In one of Season One's Special Features, Silas Weir Mitchell was credited as playing "Eddie Monroe". While it's true in the show he's only referred to as Monroe, the name in those credits is the name used here.

xXxXx

The pair of Blutbaden waited across the street from Monroe's house in their car. After receiving word through the Wesen grapevine that he'd struck up a friendship with a Grimm, they'd made their way to Portland to find out for themselves.

Monroe had left early yesterday morning and he hadn't returned home yet. The male was beginning to worry.

"It's not like him to be gone like this; he's the family black sheep. He's not off on a hunt, so where is he?"

His wife responded a moment later. "I don't know, Jack. I wanted to call and nonchalantly mention we were passing through town. But you were afraid that would tip off the Grimm…which, by the way, we don't know whether the rumor is true."

"But Maude," Jack continued, "suppose it is true. What if he's been tricked into a friendship with this Grimm, and now his head's been chopped off?"

"Oh stop it," Maude admonished. "You know no such thing. If you're so worried, why don't you call him? Find out when he'll be home."

Jack looked again at Monroe's house across the street before taking the cell phone from Maude and dialing his son's number.

xXxXx

Monroe had just fallen asleep on Rosalee's couch when his phone began to ring. Nick dug it out of the Blutbad's pocket and answered it, going into the front room of the spice shop to talk.

"Monroe's phone."

"Uh…may I speak to him, please?" a man asked.

"I'm sorry, he can't come to the phone right now. He's been sick for almost twenty-four hours, and he's resting. Can I give him a message?"

"Yeah…sure. Tell him his folks are in town; we were hoping to see him while we're here."

"I'll let him know. I'm going to be bringing Monroe home soon, and if he feels like having company, I'm sure he'll give you a call."

"Thanks," the man replied. "Perhaps we'll have a chance to meet some of his friends during our visit. Speaking of which, I don't think I caught your name."

"It's Nick…Nick Burkhardt."

xXxXx

For a moment, Jack felt as if the wind had been knocked out him.

"I'm sorry…did you say your name is Burkhardt?"

"Yes sir; why?"

Jack briefly hesitated. He had to be careful not to tip his hand. "No reason…I just wanted to be sure I'd heard you right. Well, you be sure to pass along that message, understand?"

Jack hung up and looked at his wife. "Maude…the guy that pulled into the driveway yesterday morning…I think he may have been Marie Kessler's nephew. Her sister that died…the obit said she married a Burkhardt, didn't it?"

"Jack, that was almost twenty years ago. How could you be sure of something you read that far back?" Maude was quiet for a moment. "If you're right, do you suppose he's a Grimm, too?"

"I think so. He answered Eddie's phone, who just happens to be sick. Wouldn't let me talk to Eddie, said he'd give Eddie a message. What does that tell you?"

Maude didn't answer right away. When she finally did speak, she sounded somewhat doubtful of what she was suggesting. "It might be possible, I guess. Maybe he's at the local hospital. We could go check."

Jack glanced at his wife. "No, I don't think so. If he was at the hospital, his phone would have gone to voicemail; no one would have answered. Something's wrong, Maude. According to this Burkhardt character, he'll be bringing Eddie home a little later today. We wait here."

xXxXx

Nick pulled the phone away from his ear, thrown off by the abrupt ending of the conversation.

"Huh, that was funny," he murmured.

"What was?" Rosalee asked. "Who was that on the phone?"

"Did you know Monroe's parents were coming to town this weekend?"

"No…is that who you were talking to?"

Nick nodded. "His dad. I don't think Monroe knew, either. I know he doesn't talk much about his family, but I'm pretty sure he would've mentioned a visit from his parents. Anyway, they want to see him while they're here, maybe meet some of his friends - "

"Which consists of pretty much just us," Rosalee interrupted.

"Yeah, and here's the funny part…his father hung up almost immediately after I gave him my name. Almost like…almost like he knew who I was."

"You mean, like knowing you're a Grimm?" Rosalee wanted to know.

"Something like that, yeah," Nick responded. "But that's impossible. When I first met Monroe, he made it perfectly clear that if his family knew he was helping a Grimm, they wouldn't exactly be leaping for joy about it. There's no way he'd tell them about me."

"So…why was Monroe's dad so quick to hang up?"

Nick shrugged. "I have no idea."

He asked if there was anything he could do to get the spice shop ready for the day's customers, but Rosalee declined the offer.

"I appreciate it, Nick, but the best thing you can do right now is sit in the back with Monroe. Be there when he wakes up. Oh Nick, before you head back in there…when he first woke up, Monroe said something about wooden figurines. What was that about?"

The Grimm briefly smiled as he reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out two pieces, a wolf and a man, each wearing a very protective expression. He handed them to Rosalee.

"Monroe carved these yesterday before he was bitten by that tick," Nick explained. "He didn't directly admit to this, but I'm pretty sure they're supposed to be us."

Rosalee noted that the man wore a badge and carried a gun. "I think you're right. And he wanted you to have them?" The Fuchsbau gave the pieces back to Nick.

Nick started to reply, but then heard Monroe calling from the back room.

"Hey! Where did everybody go? And who has my phone?"

"He didn't sleep very long," Rosalee said as she glanced at her watch. "Oh well. I guess you should get that thing back to him before he chooses to woge on you."

"Yeah, I guess you're right. And you, 'Doctor' Rosalee, had better get to work on those release forms." Nick smiled as he turned to leave the room.

Going into the back room, Nick found his friend pushing himself up from the couch.

"Here's your phone." Nick returned it to the Blutbad. "I took a call for you while you were asleep."

Monroe placed it in his pocket. "Thanks, man. Who was it?"

Nick took a deep breath. "Your dad. He and your mom are in town, and-"

Monroe was hysterical. "What?! Nick! What if they're here for you? What if they know you're related to Marie?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Remember I told you about my great-grandma, what happened to her?" Monroe dragged a finger across his neck, making a slicing sound in his throat. "By your aunt. What if my parents found out about you? They won't be as accepting of our friendship as your mom turned out to be."

"Monroe, will you stop it? Just calm down. If you don't want to see them, you have a legitimate reason. You have been sick; call your parents and tell them that. But don't keep them at arms length because of me. You need a valid reason for that."

"You're a better excuse than a tick bite," Monroe argued. "Tick bites aren't contagious."

"Neither am I," Nick countered. "But fine. Do it your way - don't invite your folks over. And when they ask you why, what are you going to tell them? That you're friends with a Grimm police detective, and you never know when he's going to drop in?"

The Blutbad opened his mouth to respond, but closed it again. A moment later he said, "All right, you've made your point. I'll go with the sick excuse."

Rosalee entered the room. "Okay, guys. Hospital hours are over; the store opens in fifteen minutes. You staying or leaving?"

The guys briefly exchanged glances before Monroe answered, "Leaving, I guess. Thanks for everything."

"Just do me a favor…don't bring home anymore ticks," Rosalee pleaded as she wrapped her arms around his waist.

Monroe, taken a little off guard by the Fuchsbau's action, awkwardly returned the embrace. "I'll, uh…I'll do my best to avoid it."

As she pulled away, Rosalee kissed Monroe on the cheek. "Good. Call me if you need anything."

Nick had to punch his friend in the arm to snap him out of his trance.

"Right…I'll do that," the Blutbad agreed. "Well, we'd better be….That is, we have to….I mean…I'll see you later."

Monroe walked out the room, leaving his friends to chuckle softly for a moment before Nick said he should be going as well.

"I'd better catch up to him before he decides to walk home. I really appreciate you looking after him, Rosalee. It means a lot."

"Thanks for bringing him here. Take care of him out there on the streets, Nick. And one of you let me know what ends up happening with his parents."

Nick smiled as he followed Monroe out of the spice shop to take him home.