Monroe was well past beginning to panic; he was on the verge of a full-blown panic attack. Juliette had gotten her memory back, and she knew everything. Not only that, but she was afraid of what she knew.

The Blutbad couldn't blame her. The fact that Juliette had flipped out was completely understandable. However, what had sent Monroe into panic mode was the way she now viewed him. Juliette had called him a monster. He'd been trying for years to overcome that stereotype and leave it in the past. But every so often it would rear its ugly head, and it had just done it again.

And what was worse was the way she'd referred to Nick. If Monroe truly was a monster, then it stood to reason for Nick to be a monster hunter. But even though the phrase may have been an accurate depiction of Nick's ancestors, it just…it wasn't Nick.

Oh my god…Nick. I wonder if he's talked to Juliette yet.

Monroe redialed the Grimm's number, but when he didn't get an answer, he left a message.

"Nick, it's Monroe. Listen, I tried calling you a few minutes ago, and Juliette picked up. Give me a call back A.S.A.P. We've got trouble."

He ended the call, then speed-dialed Rosalee.

xXxXx

"Hello?" the Fuchsbau said groggily.

"Rosalee, it's Monroe. Are you busy?"

"Well, I was sleeping, but I guess it can wait. What's going on?" She yawned.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Listen, there may be a problem. I tried calling Nick, but he's not answering. Can you meet me at his place?"

The mention of trouble awoke Rosalee. "What kind of problem?"

"Juliette has her memory back."

"Didn't you say 'problem'? That's good news."

"Did I mention that she thinks I'm a monster?"

"Oh…yeah, that's…that's no so good. Wait a second. How do you know this?"

"Look, can you just meet me at Nick's? It's not like him to not pick up when I call, and I'm worried about him. I'll tell you both everything when we get there."

"Yeah, sure. Do you feel okay to drive, or would you rather me come pick you up?"

"I think I'll be all right. See you in twenty?"

"I'll be there."

xXxXx

Nick sat on the couch, shocked and overwhelmed by Juliette's departure.

What could I have done differently? Did I give her enough space…too much space? Did I push too hard, trying to get her to remember me? What did I do wrong to make her leave?

He leaned over to pick up a photo album and realized he still carried the towel he'd been using to dry his hair.

Absentmindedly, Nick walked upstairs to the guest bathroom and returned the towel to its proper place. He then went into the bedroom to pick a clean shirt from his closet.

What did I do with that shirt Jack "borrowed" yesterday? Oh right…I tossed it in the dirty clothes hamper.

Nick sighed as he retrieved his phone from the night stand. He saw that Monroe had called, and after listening to the Blutbad's message, Nick returned the call.

xXxXx

Monroe had just turned onto Nick's street when his phone rang.

Nick. "Hey, buddy. Did you get my message?"

"Yeah, just now. I don't suppose it can wait."

Man, he sounds tired or sick…or something. "No, not really. Hold on, I'm just now pulling up to your house, and Rosalee's right behind me. Let us in, and I'll explain."

Monroe heard Nick sigh. "I'll be right down."

They both hung up as Monroe exited his Beetle. He groaned as he walked to Rosalee's car to hold her door open.

"What's wrong?" she asked. "Is your back still hurting?"

"Like hell." He raised the back of his shirt so Rosalee could see the bruises. "How bad are they, honestly?"

xXxXx

Rosalee had never seen anything like them. They covered the entire span of his lower back, from left to right, and appeared to measure about two inches in width.

"Mmm…it's no wonder you're hurting. They look worse than they did yesterday. They're going to be there a while."

"Great, that's just what I wanted to hear." Monroe sniffed the air as he looked up and down the street. "Something's definitely not right. Juliette's car is gone."

Nick opened the door just as Rosalee and Monroe reached the front step, and he motioned for them to come inside.

xXxXx

It was all Monroe could do not to tell Nick that he looked rough. The Blutbad could tell his friend had been crying, and that left Monroe with a bad feeling. He tried to be subtle about finding out why, though he couldn't help but wonder if it had anything to do with what Juliette had told him.

"Hey, um…I didn't see Juliette's car outside. Is she here?"

Nick cleared his throat. "No…she's not, actually. She's staying with a friend for a few days, and she just left." He paused. "And I don't know why."

Monroe hesitated. "I think I do."

He felt Rosalee's hand on his arm as he watched Nick's head turn quickly in his direction.

Monroe motioned toward the living room. "Maybe we should sit down. I called you earlier this morning, and Juliette picked up. And she sounded scared out of her mind, man."

"She didn't say anything about talking to you…she just left."

Monroe sighed. "The reason I called was because she stopped by my house yesterday, and I wanted to know if she mentioned it to you. She got there right before my dad attacked me, and from what she told me this morning, I think she saw him woge…and that I woged when he hit me with that branch."

Rosalee gasped. "So…she saw you change?"

Monroe glanced at her, then looked again at Nick. "Yeah…it brought her memory back."

xXxXx

Nick's heart broke all over again. The possibility of Juliette regaining her memory took Nick back to just a few weeks earlier, when he'd tried to tell her about his heritage. He had thought she was ready to leave him then, and she might have if not for passing out in Monroe's living room. Nick remembered how afraid she'd been…of him, as well as what he was telling her.

"So you're telling me that she…?"

xXxXx

Monroe could tell his voice was going to break, even before he spoke. "She left because of me. She thinks I'm a monster."

xXxXx

Rosalee watched as tears formed in both Nick's and Monroe's eyes. The fact that her two closest friends were hurting so deeply brought tears to her eyes as well, and she rose from her chair and knelt on the floor in front of the couch, where the guys were sitting. She lay her head on Monroe's knee, and as she reach out to take Nick's hand, her own tears began to fall.