A/N: Dang you Grimm! I'm supposed to be working on my Sabriel Big Bang, not getting inspired by your gratuitous Nick/Adalind adorableness! Grrrr...
This was written quickly and has not been beta'd.
After checking on Kelly for the third time Adalind made herself lie down on the new bed. She was unable to hold back a frown as she inhaled the smell of the new bed linens and her eyes fell on the bare metal walls.
Her new home used to be a paint factory. It was a good thing the baby was half Grimm and half Hexenbiest, God only knew what they could all be breathing in... She shivered as she pulled the cold blankets tighter around herself and shut her eyes with determination.
She was being ridiculous. The baby was sleeping and she really needed to sleep before he woke up needing to eat. It wasn't like this was the worst place she'd ever called home. Adalind had given birth in an old shack in the middle of the woods for crying out loud.
Remembering Diana's birth made her long for her lost little girl again and try to imagine what she looked like now. Tears stung her eyes and she let out a soft huff of annoyance. She needed to think about something else.
Like the conversation she had earlier that day with her old co-worker, Lane. The idea of going back to work was certainly appealing. If Adalind was anything it was self-sufficient, at least to a certain extent. Nick's protection had been necessary when Juliet was alive, but now that she was gone... Still, there was Kelly to think of. While the baby may not be in any immediate danger, he was the son of a Grimm and danger would come eventually.
If Adalind started working again, Kelly would have to go to daycare or get a nanny or something. That might put him at risk. Not to mention that Adalind felt sick at the idea of having to be away from him for eight hours a day. The fear of him being taken from her like Diana was always lingered in the back of her mind.
And then there Nick himself. Things between them had gone surprisingly well since she revealed her pregnancy to him in Sean's office. Nick had acted like he was ready to kill her then, and she had believed him at the time, but now that she had gotten to know him better she realized it had been an act. As tough and fearsome as Nick was, all he ever seemed to need was an excuse not to kill. After that moment in Sean's office, Nick had treated her like she was something precious. Never in her life had she been treated like that before by anyone... not even her own mother. It wasn't something she even knew she wanted. Now that she had it, she didn't want live without it. Her desire to go back to work might start an argument that could jeopardize that.
Even now when Nick talked of protection and future plans he would say Kelly's name first, but always made a point to mention that Adalind was included as well. And though she knew he didn't mean much by it, the fact that he included her made her feel warm inside.
She was cold now though, but hesitant to complain. Nick had gone through a lot of trouble to get them a safe place to live. She thought of the small twin bed he was currently occupying mere feet away. He had sacrificed his own comfort for them. For her.
An idea went through Adalind's mind that gave her butterflies in her stomach. She had confessed to Rosalee that she wanted to have with Nick what Rosalee and Monroe had. Adalind had been surprised when instead of expressing disgust at the idea, Rosalee had encouraged her.
Now seemed like a good time to start feeling him out. She might as well try, it's not like she would be falling asleep anytime soon.
Before she could talk herself out of it, she got out of bed and slid the door open that blocked off her and Kelly's room from the rest of the place. Nick immediately looked up from his cramped position in the small bed, eyes alert and clear. Obviously he was having as much luck sleeping as she was.
Adalind gave him a small smile and chatted for a second before saying what she had come out there to say.
"Nick, I don't want to be alone right now. I know this is... whatever this is, but maybe just for tonight you could sleep in our room?"
Her voice was steady, but she knew he could read her uncertainty in her fidgeting. For a long moment he simply looked at her, face unreadable. Then he looked away and Adalind felt a flash of fear. She had overstepped... it was too soon after Juliette...all the reasons he had to say 'no' suddenly hit her and she felt foolish for thinking he would agree.
"I'm sorry! This is too weird..." She said quickly and turned to leave.
"I think we're beyond weird at this point," he said, ruefully.
Adalind stopped walking and turned back around. She watched with a mixture of relief and disbelief as he got up, unplugged his phone from the wall charger and grabbed his gun. He followed her into the back room and took his time closing the door, putting his gun and phone within easy reach of the left side of the bed.
Adalind climbed back into bed and turned on her side to face away from him. A few minutes passed and then she felt the bed dip under his weight as he climbed in beside her. She looked back at him over her shoulder and saw that he was lying on his back as he stared at the ceiling lost in thought. He may not be sleeping, but at least he looked more comfortable stretched out than curled up in that too small bed.
"Thank you," she said and turn back to stare at the wall again.
Nick didn't respond, but she could feel his eyes on her. Rather than make her uncomfortable the thought that he was there watching over her and Kelly let her relax for the first time in a while and she drifted off feeling content and safe.
An hour passed before she sat up in bed with a gasp. Nick put a hand on her shoulder and turned her to face him.
"Adalind?" He asked quietly.
"D-dream," she whispered and he rubbed her shoulder comfortingly.
She was shaking and trying to control her breathing.
"Come here," he said and lay back pulling her with him. She curled up next him and laid her head on his chest.
"Just breathe, Adalind. You're safe. I'm not going to let anything hurt you," he murmured soothingly, wrapping his arms around her and holding her close.
It was the first time he had promised protection without mentioning the baby. Despite her still frantic heart rate and shallow breaths, Adalind had to hide a smile in his shirt.
Nick was warm and solid beneath her. If she had felt safe and cherished before it was nothing to how she felt wrapped in his arms like this. It was intoxicating and Adalind wanted it too last forever.
Her breathing slowed and she listened to the steady beat of his heart. She didn't want to fall back asleep, she wanted to stay awake and enjoy this new closeness but the terror of the nightmare she could no longer remember and her long day had exhausted her.
As Adalind drifted off for the second time that night she decided she was going to find some way to destroy that small bed Nick had got for himself. It's not like he needed it anymore.
A/N: That's it. I'm stopping it here. There is a possibility that there will be more post-episode ficlets from me, as long as the Nick/Adalind progresses.