"Uh-oh," Hank said to Nick. "Run."
"What?" Nick said distractedly, around a mouthful of chocolate donut. He was focused on preparing his cup of morning coffee and barely listening. It had been a late night, or early morning, depending on how you looked at it, considering neither Nick nor Hank left the station until about two hours ago to shower and shave and change clothes, after spending all night on a robbery case.
"Too late," Hank replied, stealthily moving away, and held up his coffee cup in salute and surrender as Adalind blew past. She was immaculately ensembled in a white-front and black-backed sheath dress with three quarter length sleeves and sky-high black heels. Her hair was straight, and her mouth was angry and determined. Hank doubted if she even saw him, so focused on Nick she was.
"Hey Adalind," Wu said, noticing her, and he managed to sidestep neatly away before she plowed over him. Nick apparently didn't hear this either, though with his enhanced hearing Hank wasn't sure how he didn't register the rumble of loose articles on the desks, and the picture frames rattling on the walls, and the sea of officers parting before Adalind as she thundered towards Nick.
"Uh-oh," Wu said as he and Hank watched her steam by from a safe distance away near their desks, intent on her target. "I think somebody's in trouble."
"Somebody has no idea the world of hurt he's going to be in, judging by that look."
"Somebody's about to find out."
"This is going to get ugly."
"Yup. Well, we haven't had anything exciting to talk about at the office for weeks," Wu said.
"What do you mean? Two of our detectives were just shot."
"Well, yeah, I mean there's that, but I'm talking something really juicy and entertaining."
Nick would be thrilled to know his love life was once again being discussed among the rest of the staff.
"Adalind," Nick said, finally catching sight of her, although she was hard to miss, standing practically on top of him now, seething.
"Nick," she managed to get out politely. Then she did something strange, and incredibly disturbing, given the general sense of malice that followed her path to her husband: She smiled at Nick. Hank felt a chill creep over him and suppressed a shudder as he and Wu glanced at each other. Nick eyed her warily, apparently understanding that his life might be at stake as he risked a glance at the unabashed gawkers around him, cup of coffee hovering in his hand between him and his wife.
"Adalind," he said. "What are you doing here?"
"I came to see you," she replied sweetly. "I missed you this morning…and last night," she added acerbically.
"Look, I'm sorry about last night," he began and Adalind started shaking her head. "I was going to call you," he continued, "but I lost my phone at the scene chasing after a suspect, and then Hank and I got busy trying to piece together the crime scene." Nick gestured to Hank with his mug and Adalind turned her blonde head obligingly. She caught sight of Hank standing twenty feet away next to Wu, and offered her frozen smile to him. Hank was sure if she still had her powers he would have turned to stone the moment she laid eyes on him. She turned her attention back to her husband.
"It's fine, Nick," she replied pleasantly. "I know how busy you are and how unpredictable work can be for you," and Nick nodded after a moment, likely wondering as the rest of them, why, if she sounded so understanding and agreeable, no one felt she looked it.
Hank doubted she came all this way in such a state to let him know she wasn't bothered by his absence last night. Another glance passed between Hank and Wu as Adalind continued.
"Since you lost your phone I take it you didn't get any of my messages?" she asked him.
"No, why?"
"That's too bad," she lamented.
"Did I miss something important?"
Adalind smiled.
Evilly.
Hank was harkened back to her glory days as a hexenbiest, and was infinitely glad she no longer had such powers at her disposal, since she seemed scary enough right now as her non-wesen self. Nick had had far more acrimonious encounters with her as her former self than his partner, so surely he recognized the danger.
"No, no. Not at all," she said. Nick eyed her for a beat longer and slowly brought the mug up to his lips. He contemplated his wife as he took a sip. "So, what did you do all night?"
"Hank and I spent it tracking the other suspect in the robbery, before we caught him. I would have called you if I still had my phone, but then we got caught up in the investigation. We just got done with the preliminary investigation and interrogation a couple of hours ago. I went home to change clothes, but you were already gone to work, I guess."
"Hmm," Adalind nodded solemnly in agreement. "Early morning. Lots to do," she said with another dangerous smile, pointedly enough that Hank got it, and probably Wu, but either Nick was sleep-deprived enough to miss the warning signs or subtle threats from Adalind barely registered anymore.
"Yeah, we've had to take on some extra workload, too. Couple of our the detectives were shot during an investigation. You remember Holbrook? And Bauer?"
"I heard," Adalind said with concern, affecting wide-eyes. "Going to be out for a few weeks, recuperating from their injuries I understand."
"Yeah," Nick said in surprise. "How'd you-?"
"Oh, Sean told me. Last night. At the committee meeting. Remember? The one you up and ditched me? Gotta say, they might not be the only ones recovering for weeks from their injuries."
"Adalind—"
"Oh, it's fine. Fine. We got so much accomplished," she said, and Hank thought she looked a little deranged. "Sean was so helpful. Did you know he and Valencia make quite the team! I think after last night, they might even be sleeping together, who knows?"
Hank grimaced at the thought.
"Adalind—"
"But you know, between the two of them, and the dozen motions I still have left to file at work, and the three client meetings, and two appearances in court, I now have seven grants to apply for, three budgets to construct, minutes to type up from our first committee meeting, two more committee meetings to schedule before the end of the week, and oh, make sure my husband goes through the same excruciating pain and suffering I endured last night. Guess which one of those I'm looking forward to the most?"
"Adalind—"
"Well, I'll let you get back to work, since you're so busy. I just wanted to see you one last time," she said.
"Before what?" Wu murmured to Hank. Hank shrugged.
"His funeral?" Hank said to Wu.
"Bye Nick," Adalind said, as his brow furrowed in confusion, obviously wondering the same thing.
She whirled around, hair flying out, wisps of the platinum blonde strands striking Nick in the face. She waltzed out of the station, flashing another wicked smile at the officers watching them and called over her shoulder.
"Such a shame what happened to your phone."
%%%%%
"Shit, I think she's pissed," Nick said with a sigh to Hank after everyone watched her leave. It seemed the building breathed a collective sigh of relief at her exit, and Hank was doubly grateful that at no point did she cross paths with the captain, since, judging by her comments, she was likely just as infuriated with him as she was Nick.
"You think?" Hank echoed incredulously. "You should be thanking God she chose to never regain her powers after suppressing them, because I'm pretty sure she would have thrown you through a wall. Actually, you would probably be grateful if that's all it was."
"She caused enough havoc even when she wasn't a hexenbiest. Remember all that stuff with Juliette? She was as human as me and you when she cast that spell," Wu said to Nick. "What did you do?"
"Nothing," Nick said defensively. Wu gave him a disbelieving look.
"Really?" he said. "That was nothing?"
"Oh, he did something, all right," Hank told Wu.
"Yes, my job," Nick retorted, curtly. "Which apparently now I'm going to be punished for, since doing it meant missing some stupid meeting or committee we both got nominated to but didn't want."
"Oh boy," Wu said. "For the school? Did I hear her say the captain was there?"
"Yes, he volunteered to go."
"I think volunteered might be a little misleading," Hank interjected, giving Nick a look. "Especially since you sort of guilted him into taking your place."
"Hey, he's the parent of a child who attends the school. You know how many times I've filled in for him?"
"You really think that was wise?" Hank asked Nick, and Nick shrugged noncommittally. He glanced at Hank, and then Wu staring expectantly at Nick, and took another, longer, sip of his coffee.
"Probably not," Nick conceded.
"Definitely not," Wu said. "Were we not all just witness to one incredibly pissed off – and can I just say, just as scary as when she was – former hexenbiest? You better apologize," Wu said to Nick.
"You better start kissing ass," Hank rebutted. "The sooner the better. Certainly, for you."
And for the rest of us, he thought, remembering how Nick and Adalind's "disagreements" could escalate.
"Well, not too soon," Wu objected, and Hank rolled his eyes. "I'm sure I speak for most of the station when I say I'd like to see how this all plays out," he mumbled.
"Probably with us holding services for a once promising detective."
"I didn't do anything wrong," Nick insisted. "I'll just explain to her again about work. It's not my fault we're short-staffed and we landed a robbery because of it. I didn't ask to be assigned the case. She should be pissed at the captain, not me."
"I'm sure she is," Hank replied mildly. "You can bet she's planning something especially diabolical for him. Just remember, whatever she does to you, she loves you."
%%%%%
"I see the explanation was well-received," Hank observed. Nick gave him a sour look, and dabbed at a large stain on the front of his shirt.
"She's being ridiculous," Nick muttered.
"Hey, you married her," Hank replied, eliciting another black look from his partner. Frankly, he kind of thought Adalind's anger was justified, though Nick was right: he had had no choice in the matter of taking on the case. Hank had offered for he and Wu to take point on it so Nick could attend his meeting, but the captain would have none of it, insisting Nick and Hank get to the scene immediately. Hank suspected it was all part of the pissing contest Nick and the captain had been engaged in ever since their battle over custody of Diana. Which was why Nick had returned the favor and basically misled the captain into taking his place. Hank had known it was a bad idea from the start.
"I'm telling you, you need to start groveling now."
Nick made a face and threw the napkin he was using on his shirt towards the trash.
"It's too late for groveling," Nick sighed.
"Not if you do it right," Hank insisted.
"I dialed my voicemail on my way back from lunch," Nick said, seemingly changing the subject. Lunch was when Nick obtained his stained shirt, having made it a point to drive all the way to Adalind's office to plead his case.
"And?"
"And I had twelve messages, eight of which were from Adalind, the content of which consisted of escalating threats of bodily harm for missing the library meeting."
"Well, look on the bright side. I suppose if you want we could arrest her for making threats against an officer. We got it all on tape."
"What good would that do?" Nick said. "She hasn't killed anybody. Yet. We do that, and she's out on bail in a couple of hours with my head in her sights."
"Your head is already in her sights," Hank returned.
"Yes, but she'll be really pissed," Nick argued.
"Are you under the impression she's not now?"
"If we can't keep her locked up indefinitely we're going to have to figure out something else."
"Whoa, whoa, wait a minute. We? How did this become we? This isn't my problem," Hank said, and Nick frowned. "If I wanted a wife to threaten me, may I remind you I had four of them to choose from. I don't need yours. Did you even try groveling?" Hank asked him.
"We didn't get to the groveling portion," Nick said.
"You start with the groveling portion," Hank snapped. "Did you learn nothing from your time with Juliette? How is it you're even married?"
"If it worked so well with you, how is it you're not?" Nick retorted.
"What about something else?" Hank said. "Is there anything she wants?"
"Besides making me suffer?"
"Obviously."
"The captain suffering," Nick said, looking contemplative.
"If you're planning on pissing the captain off more let me know now so I can take vacation, or transfer out of the department."
"Maybe that's the key," Nick said thoughtfully, not listening. "I just need to remind Adalind who's really at fault here."
"You?" Hank said.
"I didn't volunteer for the case. Did you?"
"The captain? Yes, great idea, because having the captain and Adalind even more at each other's throats is what we need. Certainly, what Diana needs," Hank pointed out and Nick cocked his head, conceding the point.
"You're right," Nick said, and Hank leaned back in his chair, glad he'd convinced Nick to abandon that idea. "It's easy to blame Renard, when this whole situation is really because of Valencia. She's at the root of this. Neither Adalind nor I asked for this. This is extra workload on both of us when we already have enough going on with the kids, and our jobs, and let's not forget our other job that keeps us occupied most days and nights."
"Right," Hank said, deadpan.
"I'll bring it up tonight."
"Why not call her now?" Hank retorted sarcastically.
"I doubt she'll pick up. Besides, it'll give me time to let my shirt finish drying out."
%%%%%
"I've been thinking," Nick began when he got home. The hour was late, and the kids were already in bed. He'd been busy with his robbery case for most of the day, but he had also been procrastinating. Hank had given him a knowing look when he had spied Nick at his desk, working on a summary report that he would normally leave off writing for two more weeks.
Adalind was seated on one of the barstools next to the counter, going over something for work by the looks of it. She paused in her scribbling as she looked up and flashed icy blue eyes at him.
"I don't have to remind you how dangerous that can be for you, especially lately. You might want to tread carefully."
"Ha, ha," Nick said. "No, what I mean is, why are you angry at me?"
"Really? You want me to go over it again?"
"No, the list you cited at lunch is like a stain on my memory, much like the one on my shirt," Nick replied dryly. "I meant it more rhetorically. You know? Why are we angry at each other?"
"I wasn't aware you were upset with me," Adalind cut in coolly. "What, pray tell, have I done?"
"Nothing," Nick said quickly, and she frowned in irritation. "But we're both upset about the circumstances we found ourselves in, what with Valencia dumping another school responsibility that we both didn't ask for, and that we both don't have time for."
"Uh-huh," Adalind said. "To be fair, all the other parents participate in activities to support the school. In fact, it's written in the school policies and parent handbook."
"It is? There's a parent handbook?" Nick said, momentarily diverted, and she huffed a sigh.
"Yes, you signed a paper stating you had read it and would abide by the rules and expectations set forth in it. We both did."
"I did? When?" Nick exclaimed.
"When we enrolled Kelly," she said impatiently.
"Wait, that two-thousand-page tome I had to go through and sign a hundred different pages as part of his admissions process?"
"Yes."
"I'm pretty sure none of those signatures count. I was under duress," Nick replied.
"Whatever," Adalind retorted, already tiring of this conversation. Letting Nick get on a roll about the school was not something she was in the mood to entertain tonight, especially since she still had to get budget figures to Ansheimler to make the Friday deadline, and Valencia had offered to (read: insisted on) look it over first. She turned her attention back to the documents she was reviewing.
"Anyway, it might be different if we were given forewarning about when we were due to fulfill a commitment to the school or even got to choose the commitments we were interested in or that fit our schedule. Instead we're always subject to whatever whim or initiative Valencia's supporting."
"What commitment is going to fit our schedule, Nick? We have enough trouble sometimes making time for our commitment to us."
"Well, we can rectify that right now," Nick said with a semi-hopeful smile and Adalind gave him a withering look.
"You know what I mean. There's never going to be anything the school does or offers that's going to fit with our schedules, especially yours," she said.
Which meant that everything fell on Adalind, as it usually did when it was something related to the school. And truly, she did understand that Nick's job, his whole life, was unpredictable, and that many things that happened in either aspect were often times beyond his control, but she was also a little sick of being the one shouldering all the workload.
Which she supposed wasn't fair. Nick shouldered plenty as a Grimm and a cop, and he was a devoted father and husband, who keenly felt the conflict every working parent felt of not being able to spend as much time with his children as he would like. Maybe he was right. Maybe they needed to push back against Valencia and all her committees and micro-managing. Yes, there were commitments to the school that Adalind was willing to support, but she was already working two full-time jobs as a lawyer and mother, not to mention the part-time one where she helped out Nick with Grimm things from time to time.
She looked back down at the numbers she was trying to make sense of, staring at them, and the notes she had made in the margins. She had spent the last hour or so after putting the kids to bed looking over them. She was exhausted. Even the prospect of making Nick suffer a little, enjoying another one of their fun little torture games, had lost it luster, and now just seemed like another thing to do on a very long list.
Which was the real crime, she reflected, since they both always enjoyed the challenge of besting the other.
"What are you working on?" Nick ventured, glancing down where she was looking.
"Budget figures for the library committee. I'm supposed to turn them into Ansheimler this Friday. Valencia offered to review them."
Nick snorted, coughed when Adalind glared at him, and then stared down at the mess of numbers before he glanced up at his wife.
"Seriously, this is what I'm talking about. You're exhausted. Go to bed."
"I'm almost done," Adalind said stubbornly. Which wasn't exactly true. She reckoned she was about half-done and she was certain after she gave the data to Valencia she would find she was only a quarter of the way done at best. Likely she would have to start all over. She sighed despairingly.
"Adalind," Nick said, "Come to bed. I wouldn't worry about it."
But she would worry about it. She was Adalind Schade-Burkhardt, a fast-rising attorney in one of the top law firms in the city. An able problem-solver and task-master, and working mom, who could do it all, or so she told herself every day. To leave this unfinished…half-done…went against every grain of her being.
Nick must have sense her indecision, since he stepped closer, slipping an arm around her and pressing his lips against her neck.
"It's late. You're tired, I'm tired. We have more important things to focus on."
She knew exactly what Nick was wanting to focus on, since she doubted he was so tired as to completely take sex off the menu.
Except he was right. She was tired. She wanted to go to bed, and a late-night romp with Nick didn't sound so unappealing if she didn't have so much left to do. She'd more than earned a little diversion, and he could be incredibly attentive, especially if he was trying to make amends.
And after sticking her with Sean last night, he definitely had some to make.
"I'm still irritated with you about the whole Sean thing," Adalind reminded him.
"Again, isn't that really Valencia's fault?" Nick murmured, nipping her earlobe.
"Pretty sure that one falls on you," she retorted, "since I don't know how else he knew to be there but from information you provided." She closed her eyes when Nick's lips ghosted over her cheek.
"I was trying to talk my way out of taking on another case since I knew you were expecting me."
"Uh-huh," she said. She suspected there was some truth to Sean's claim that Nick wasn't all that disappointed about being handed a case the last minute and not having to attend the meeting.
"Come to bed," he whispered.
"If I go to bed with you now, who's going to finish these figures?" she said, opening her eyes and pointing to the papers on the counters.
"I'll make it worth your while," he added enticingly.
"Good, you'll finish this and give it to Valencia and Ansheimler?"
Nick paused in his ministrations. She eyed him calculatingly. "Sure," he said unconvincingly, and then added with more confidence, "I might even do one better. How about I get you and I off this blasted committee once and for all?"
"How do you plan to do that?" Adalind asked skeptically.
"I'm going to work my magic."
"God help us. You might stick with something you're good at. Are there any unpaid parking tickets in Valencia's background?"
"Wow, that's just hitting below the belt, isn't it?"
"Sorry. I'm still pissed. Besides, I believe that magic is more my specialty."
"Well, feel free to cast any hexes on Valencia."
"You don't know how tempting it is," Adalind admitted. She cast another conflicted look at the work set out before her as Nick slipped nimble fingers under her shirt. A moment later it was gone, the chill of the room abated by the warmth of Nick's body against hers.
"I've spent all night going through the budget numbers," she said between kisses, and she saw Nick's face scrunch up in momentary confusion. "You will take care of everything? You have to promise me you'll come through."
Nick was concentrating now on divesting her of the rest of her garments, but he glanced up when she stayed him with a hand against his chest. He met her anxious blue eyes with his ardent green ones, and his face softened slightly at her expression. Then he smiled, slow and sexy.
"Don't I always?"
%%%%%
"What is that? Calculus?"
Nick jumped, having been so engrossed in trying to figure out Adalind's notes on the budget figures he didn't realize Wu had come up behind him.
"Budget numbers," Nick said.
"If it's numbers why are there so many letters?" Wu returned, and Nick shook his head. He had no idea, which was half the problem. The letters represented some form of shorthand that apparently only Adalind, and likely Valencia (it was probably her idea) understood, but Nick had yet to crack the code. He had completely forgotten about the budget and his promise to take care of it, still heady from the buzz of a night well spent with Adalind.
Naturally she hadn't.
The way she slapped the budget papers against his chest on her way out the door made him wonder if this had been her endgame all along. Certainly the smirk was suspect, and he was reminded she hadn't lost any of her competitiveness - and deviousness - in the years they'd been together.
He supposed he could call Adalind and ask what the letters meant, but he felt that might cast doubt on his ability and promise to take care of it, and though he didn't mind irritating Adalind from time to time for his own amusement, he understood she took care of a lot (not the least of which was their children), often times on her own and without having to consult him, and typically without complaint.
"It's like a code, isn't it?" Wu continued, studying it carefully.
"I guess," Nick said.
"I used to love cryptography," Wu said. "Do you mind?" he asked, pointing at the pages on Nick's desk, hands hovering as though itching to take them.
"Have at it," Nick said, gathering them up and shoving them into his hands. He had until Friday to get them to Ansheimler, and he was still toying around with the idea of telling Valencia to take her committees and shove it. Although, perhaps more politely than that.
He was forced to put thoughts of committees, budgets, and Valencia on the back burner as work came to the forefront and he and Hank were soon immersed in the robbery case. He went through one of their witness' statements, alluding to another robbery, which might, based on the M.O., be part of something more sinister than merely a string of robberies when he was rudely reminded of his promise to Adalind.
"Ah, Detective Burkhardt," he heard, and came aware of an extravagantly attired figure standing next to his desk. He looked up from his computer and suppressed a sigh at the sight of Valencia Stewardson looking at him expectantly.
"Ms. Stewardson. To what do I owe the pleasure?"
"I was told by your wife that you had the figures for the budget?"
"And I was told that I had until Friday to turn them in," Nick replied with as much politeness as he could muster.
"Yes, well, I told Adalind that I would do a preliminary review as I'd hate to turn in anything sight-unseen to Dr. Ansheimler, since there's always a little tweaking necessary. I can't stand to waste her time."
So you waste ours? Nick wanted to ask.
"I assume you have something ready?" she prompted, with another discerning look.
"I'm still going over some things," Nick replied smoothly. "Besides, I know how valuable your time is, as is mine," he added, thinking of all the work he still had to do on the investigation, which, like all his cases, naturally had a wesen aspect he still had to research.
Valencia eyed him critically.
"Detective Burkhardt, I'm repeatedly reminded by your wife you have a busy and unpredictable schedule, so I'm afraid I have to express some doubt as to your ability to follow through on the deadline imposed."
"I couldn't agree more," Nick said, seeing an opening. "As does my wife, which is why I have to express my disbelief in your appointing us to heads of some committee when you know this."
Valencia bristled.
"All parents are expected to assist in matters related to the school and its functions," she said primly. "It's a requirement that is outlined in the parent handbook. The library committee is one of the most important group of decision makers the school can have. Appointments to it were not taken lightly, neither was the decision to have your wife in charge of it. I confess I was worried how much involvement you would devote to the project, but I was most impressed with your stepdaughter's father and his interest in ensuring a quality educational experience for her and the other children."
Nick resisted an eye roll at the reminder of Renard, and the idiotic parent handbook.
"I don't believe my wife or I have any objection to offering support where we can—but that's just it. We're tasked with committees or duties without consultation or regard to the fact we both have lives and careers outside of the school, not to mention other responsibilities," he said, thinking of his life as a Grimm.
"Detective Burkhardt, we all give up a portion of our extraordinarily busy lives to support our children. Or at least, certainly, your wife does," she added condescendingly, and Nick narrowed his eyes. He supported the children (or at least his) with monthly payments from his paycheck for the ungodly sum of their bloated tuition. "Putting in some extra time is one of the sacrifices we make for the privilege of a child attending such an exceptional school."
"Yeah, it's fine when it's some time, but it's like another full-time job," Nick retorted. "I already have two."
Valencia raised an eyebrow, trying to quell her surprise.
"Detective-work and being a father," he added, realizing his almost slip.
"Detective Burkhardt, if you believe the school requirements are beyond what you and your wife are able to fulfill, perhaps you should consider other educational avenues for your children. If you'd like, I can take the issue up with Ansheimler next time I see her."
Adalind would kill him if he got their kids kicked out of that school, and he couldn't deny that both Kelly and Diana were thriving in its environment, one that catered to wesen children. Which made him wonder about Valencia's own, but he'd never seen anything out of her that would make him think she was wesen, but not all the children who attended the elite school were wesen. Still, he had often wondered about her husband, of whom Nick had seen precious little. He was always conveniently busy during the many, varied school activities or functions, a talented OB/GYN who had his own demanding career that apparently he got a pass on for all school functions.
"Actually," he said, raising an eyebrow at the threat, "that's a great idea. I think we should all talk to her."
%%%%%
Which is exactly how they all wound up in the principal's office.
Adalind was sitting rigidly beside him, worried and beyond irritated at what this meeting might mean for her children. She had barely spoken two words to him in the lobby, a rare and disconcerting feat, since Adalind usually tended to babble nervously when she was worried or freaked out about something.
"It's going to be fine," he said, trying to reassure her before Ansheimler arrived.
"How is it going to be fine?" she hissed. "All you had to do was finish the budget numbers! It didn't even have to be perfect, it was only the first draft. I had it all right there, it was nearly complete!"
"Are you kidding me?" Nick said. "That thing was like Greek to me. Even Wu couldn't figure it out," Nick added.
"Why was Wu even looking at it?" Adalind retorted. "You told me you would take care of it!"
"I will," Nick said confidently.
"By getting our children kicked out of one of the best schools in the country?! Where is Diana going to go? I can't quit my job and homeschool her. We need the money!"
Except if it came to that, that's exactly what Adalind would do if it meant the welfare of her children, but he didn't think pointing that out would be wise.
Valencia's arrival forced Nick to bite back his retort that they only needed the money because of the outrageous - despite however discounted it supposedly was - tuition for the school, and the new house Adalind had insisted they needed when Diana moved in with them, located in a decidedly more upscale neighborhood than the loft. Valencia took a seat across from them as Adalind plastered on a polite smile at her nemesis and Valencia returned it with a cold one.
That sat in silence for a few minutes before Ansheimler's secretary informed them they could take a seat at the conference table in Ansheimler's office. They had all taken their seats, except Nick, who stood and graciously held out a chair for his wife (who glared at him regardless) before preparing to take his own when Dr. Ansheimler came in.
"Mrs. Stewardson," Ansheimler said politely, and maybe a touch resignedly. "Mrs. Burkhardt," she said with slightly more warmth, extending her hand for them to shake when she caught sight of Nick and faintly jumped. "Mist-Detective," she said eyeing him in surprise. "What…an unexpected pleasure," she said quickly, offering her hand to Nick before snatching it away nervously.
"Dr. Ansheimler," Nick intoned, not about to put her at ease. Ansheimler was the wesen head of the school, and also very aware that Nick was a Grimm (hence the discounted tuition rate). His intention was to use that to his advantage, and so he didn't bother with his usual (and usually futile, anyway) attempts to put Ansheimler at ease.
"I understand there's an issue with some of the parent participation requirements?" she said, looking at Adalind and Valencia but it was Nick who answered before Valencia could open her mouth.
"I believe I speak for my wife when I say we have no problem supporting the school, and upholding our end of the participation agreements, but we do object to the fact that we have no say in what agreements we're tasked to."
Ansheimler nodded seriously and took a seat at the head of the table, opening a portfolio and jotting some notes on a notepad.
"As you know, my wife and I have very demanding jobs," he said. "My job can be very violent and unpleasant, but necessary," he continued ominously and Ansheimler darted dark eyes to him. She woged briefly before she regained control of her composure. "Adalind's is hectic, and she handles a good portion of the responsibilities with the children since my life can be so unpredictable. That doesn't mean we're any less devoted parents, or that we're trying to shirk our responsibilities to the school, but we feel that having more say in the activities we participate in would be beneficial to everyone involved."
"I see," Ansheimler said.
"My wife is generally the one tasked to things without any consultation about whether she's able to shoulder the extra work."
"Uh-huh," Ansheimler said.
"I'm willing to help out where I can as well, just that I need more than a few hours' notice that I'm going to be committed to some activity that is going to take up weeks of my time. We're short-handed down at the station right now, so I foresee it being even more difficult to make time for things, not the least of which is my wife and children."
"Dr. Ansheimler," Valencia interjected. "I understand the Burkhardt's time is precious, but that can be said of all the parents," Valencia replied. "I donate hours of my valuable time each week in between ferrying Remy to his lessons, Savvy to dance, and attending, and usually hosting, dinners and fundraisers for my husband."
"Who I note isn't here," Nick said, and Adalind huffed a sigh, having heard Nick expound on that fact numerous times.
"He's in surgery, delivering the mayor's granddaughter," Valencia sniffed.
"So? I'm trying to catch a homicidal bank robber that's been implicated in a string of violent burglaries, in addition to three other open homicides I'm working. I'm still here. And I'm still expected to be here whenever there's anything going on with the school, no matter how minor," Nick added. Which might be a slight-exaggeration, since Adalind rarely insisted on his attending their children's quarterly progress reports.
"As I said before Detective, if the requirements of the school are beyond you, perhaps your children should go to school elsewhere. There are plenty of other parents that would be more than happy for the opportunity to fulfill their duties if it meant their children were students here," Valencia replied.
"And as I said, we're willing to meet the requirements, but we'd both prefer to have some say in what we do, and what we reasonably can do," Nick shot back. "Which I don't think in itself is unreasonable," Nick added, staring hard at Ansheimler.
"Mrs. Burkhardt, do you have anything you'd like to add?" Ansheimler asked a noticeably silent Adalind. Nick and Valencia both looked at her expectantly. Adalind bit back a frown, but not a look at Nick and sat up straighter in her chair.
"Of course, we'll fulfill whatever commitments we need to the school," Adalind assured Ansheimler, obviously worried that she might take Valencia's suggestion seriously and kick them and Kelly and Diana out. "I don't mind helping out, really," she added, and Nick almost snorted in disbelief before he caught himself, and the pointy heel of Adalind's shoe in his shin. "But I do agree with my husband that it could be to everyone's benefit, especially the school's, to ensure the activities parents commit to are within their ability to fulfill."
"I do have a very rough draft of the budget," Nick said, and Adalind didn't bother to hide her snort. Neither did Valencia, "but the whole library committee might be better served with a set of parents who can devote the time and resources to leading it. With what is going on in both our jobs, this isn't the right time to add more responsibilities."
"I can't possibly take on one more thing," Valencia insisted to Ansheimler. Ansheimler opened her mouth.
"Nobody's asking you to," Nick said. "We're only asking that we get the chance to choose what we want to do, or at least what we can do. How is the decision made any way as to what parents are given what?"
Ansheimler glanced at Nick and then Valencia, and rubbed her forehead.
"I'm acting-president of the parent's council," Valencia stated coolly. "As I thought you were aware." Adalind glanced reproachfully at Nick and Nick deduced it was probably something he was supposed to know or should have heard. "We decide which parents will be the best fit with the required duties."
Which made sense, since the incredibly capable Adalind always seemed to draw the short-stick of fundraisers or committees, all of them usually helmed or held dear by Valencia, and thus they suffered from her total over-involvement in them.
"Of course, if I left it to everyone to choose, you can imagine what sort of chaos would erupt with that scenario," Valencia continued. "Hardly anything would get done, or everyone would volunteer for the performing arts committee, or the silent auction, and no one would volunteer for the cafeteria audit."
Nick didn't ask what the cafeteria audit entailed, or specifically what would need to be done at a parental level.
"If you let one do it, what's to stop others from demanding the same treatment?"
"Look, I'm trying to work with you here, but if you don't want to help me help you…" Nick began, letting the sentence hang, as he looked pointedly at Ansheimler, and she swallowed nervously.
"Perhaps we can take a moment and acknowledge that Mr. Burkhardt is sincere about finding a middle ground," Ansheimler said to Valencia and she flicked her eyes in disbelief at the woman. Ansheimler ignored the look and smiled encouragingly.
"Mr. Burkhardt, Mrs. Burkhardt. If you were able to volunteer for another committee or activity, what do you feel you could commit your time to?"
"What other options are there? Do you have a list?"
"Look, I'm fine with the helping on the library committee," Adalind cut in, "I just need it to stay within the parameters it was originally presented to me as. Since the first meeting, I now have two extra budgets to prepare on top of the original, and two more meetings to plan this week. And the week's almost over," she added, and Ansheimler looked at her in surprise.
"Two more budgets? And meetings?" She glanced questioningly at Valencia, who jutted out her chin.
"I believe you can agree it's always best to explore every option," Valencia said and Ansheimler eyed her a moment longer before turning her attention back to a shelf on her wall of bookcases. She pulled out a two-inch binder and present it to Nick.
"This contains a list and description of all our extra-curriculars and activities parents participate in. I'm certain we can find something that will satisfy all the interested parties."
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