A/N: Many of you have expressed some very good points. I'm done grieving over the fact that this show that could be so wonderful in premise and longevity, is so poorly run! Unfortunately, I believe these poor decisions in cast, writing, and general operations behind the scenes is the reason this show has struggled for renewal over and over again. This last season I just hope they actually invest in writing good material and giving the audience what they want, but I have my doubts. So... for all the wonderful fans and my followers, I have picked up the pen once more (or the keyboard technically).

Chapter 1 Nick

Thick, palpable tension hung in the air as his gunshot wounds stung with an itching fire. Sweat ran in rivets through the closing flesh. The miraculous sliver of wood nestled in his pocket, mingled with his need to find justice for his family, had reinvigorated him over and over again despite his mortal injuries. Nick panted with heavy breath as he faced yet another friend who had betrayed him. The two people in his life that had gutted him were linked more often than not. Hadn't Juliette gone to Sean first when she had turned into a Hexenbiest, instead of coming to him? Nick mentally shook himself as the heat of battle had given him a moment of clarity. It was something he never would have understood without Adalind and Kelly giving him a true picture of a happy home. The life and trust Nick thought he had shared with Juliette was a figment of his imagination, purely one-sided. When she was in desparate need of a friend and a place to stay, Juliette went to Sean. Now, here, he stood experiencing those familiar feelings of frustration, but this time he was under no illusion of trust. Renard was linked to everything hurtful that had happened in his life, especially in regards to Juliette. In fact, Eve had physically become the captain in her investigation of his activities with BC. Was she still Eve? He questioned himself as the glimpse of her face whithered in emotion returned to him. It was most definitely not the time to contemplate whether his ex was back or not. Nick had his own unresolved issues if that were the case, but for the moment he focused a stare on his current source of anger and rage. "I always thought trusting a Zauberbiest was a bad idea, it would seem Bonaparte had to find that out the hard way," Nick's sarcasm split the silence. "You've never been lacking words before, cat got your tongue?" He continued to taunt the Royal comprehending that Sean was really no better than the rest of his family.

He watched Renard glance down at the bloodied sword in his hand then over the body that lay between them. The new Mayor seemed nearly as taken back by his own actions as Nick was. Didn't Nick just witness the man plunge that sword into Bonaparte's back and run him through? Why did the captain look down at his weapon with astonishment? These questions flew through his mind until Nick decided it really didn't matter if Renard planned to kill Bonaparte or not, the fact remained the man had joined the wrong side. He had blackmailed Adalind with Diana and conspired to keep Nick's family from him, not mention he murdered Meisner! Nick leveled Sean with a deadly glare. Bonaparte or not, this was not finished. The vision of Renard claiming Adalind and Nick's very own son as his family during his acceptance speech, flashed before Nick's eyes. Oh... This was far from done!

He advanced on Sean, who instinctively brandished the blade against an attack. "Nick, this is not necessary. Bonaparte's gone, we don't have to be enemies anymore," Renard started in with that manipulative voice of his, but Nick was no longer buying his brand of crap!

"You think Bonaparte made your decisions, controlled your actions? The choices were all yours, Sean," Nick imdued his voice with a disrepect and disdain that he had never given to a superior before. He realized Renard being 'his superior' was completely false, and not just because Nick's career as a police officer was most likely over. There was something pitifully grasping, selfish, and unattainable about Sean's view of happiness. The man would never be satisfied and, by God, Nick wasn't going to let his loved ones pay the price!

As he continued to move on the captain, Nick yanked the two handed axe that he had used during the fight out of the body nearby. Sean changed his tactic, as always, trying to make Nick feel irrational, "What do think that Diana will say and do about you trying to take her family away?"

The jerk really thought he could use his own daughter as a playing piece like in a game of chess, Nick fumed to himself. "Wasn't it you who allowed my mother to take her from Adalind in the first place? And don't give me 'it was for her own good', because I've already used that as my reasoning for what we did. That didn't make it right and I wonder how Diana would feel about it herself?" Two could play that game, Nick thought. A look of uncertainty crossed the taller man's face, as his eyes were drawn back down to the sword in his hands unconsciously it seemed. Years of cooly observing criminals and suspects gave Nick a keen grasp on the situation. So... Diana had something to do with the captain's sudden murder of Bonaparte. Gratitude, apprehension, and revulsion flooded him as Renard met his gaze once more. "Did you think you could just step on everyone around you to get to the top, or whatever it is you're striving for? Well my family will not be more causalities like all the wesen who oppose you... Or Meisner!" At those words, Renard stopped and took a slow breath, pressing his lips into a thin line. So Meisner's death didn't sit well.

"Meisner's death was unfortunate and if I could have stopped it I would have," the captain said with a sigh.

"You expect me to believe that," Nick growled incredulous. "You shot the man!"

"Conrad was torturing him, slowly squeezing his skull as he was doing to you. I gave him a merciful death," Sean responded with new anger of his own. "I don't care to explain that to you or anyone!" The captain may have justified Meisner's death to himself, but Nick knew there were many choices he could have made to prevent so much bloodshed. However that wasn't something Sean wanted to face. Nick began circling, welding his weapon, as Renard's movements mirrored his. No, there would be no truce this time!

Tired of sitting by while this man pulled strings in his life, like he was some marionette, Nick swung the axe overhanded as the captain blocked ducking to the side. Steel met steel over and over till they clashed together with both opponents pressing in. They were mere inches from each other as they faced off, their weapons crossed between them. "This is something I should have done years ago," Nick said through gritted teeth. They maintained their stare a second more before Nick's Grimm hearing detected approaching sirens. With great shove, they separated.

A smug grin donned the Royal's face and with a shrug of his shoulders Sean said, "As the new Mayor, I have the pleasure of informing you that you're under arrest for" he paused and glanced around the loft covered with bodies from the North Precinct, "the multiple homicides of your fellow police officers."

Wrath gripped Nick's gut. It was all self defense and Sean knew it, but how to explain that as well as the fact that he had survived an attack that numbered against him twenty to one. As much as it galled him to do it, Nick turned and quickly wrenched the tunnel door open. With one piercing last look back he promised, "It's not over yet!"