Nick braced himself to take on the older Blutbaden, but Monroe stood his ground between his parents and the Grimm. Monroe's father forced his way in front, but the younger Blutbad grabbed him by the arm. The color of Monroe's eyes changed, indicating he was about to woge.
"No Dad, wait! It's okay." Monroe took a deep breath. "This is Nick. He's…um…"
The older Blutbad returned to his human form. "He's a Grimm!"
"You don't understand! He's not like the others, he's on our side." Monroe paused, still breathing heavily. "Nick's not like the ones we've always heard about. As long as you don't give him a reason to come after you, he'll leave you alone."
Monroe's mother had also turned human again. "The fact that he's a Grimm is reason enough not to trust him."
"I trust him," Monroe countered. "He's not just a Grimm. He's my friend."
xXxXx
Maude was taken aback by what she'd just heard her son say.
Friends with a Grimm? Is it even possible?
"So the rumors are true. We'd gotten word that you had befriended a Grimm, but we never imagined it was true. Eddie, listen to me. Nothing good can come of this. He's a Grimm, and he will turn on you.
xXxXx
Nick just stood there as he watched Monroe interact with his parents. He wondered if this was how Monroe and Rosalee had felt when they first met his mother - like their friendship had been intruded upon, yet at the same time as if they were the intruders in someone else's life.
Finally Nick spoke up. "Monroe, why don't I just go? Give me a call when you have this…all worked out."
He turned and made his way back to the jeep.
xXxXx
Monroe followed the Grimm. "Nick wait a minute. Can we talk about this?"
When Nick spoke, he sounded angry. "No, we can't. But apparently you and your parents need to. You said they were asking questions, so answer them. Tell them everything there is to know about me."
"Nick, you heard me back there. I tried to stick up for you; they won't listen to me."
"So try harder. It's not enough to tell them I'm different if you don't tell them I won't burn your house down or chop your head off like my Aunt Marie did to your ancestors."
"It's not that easy!" Monroe argued.
"I'm not saying it has to be! It wasn't any easier for me when I tried to explain to my mom why we're friends. But I protected you from her; I shouldn't have to ask you to do the same for me."
Nick opened the driver's door and started to get into his jeep, then stopped and looked at Monroe. "You know, before you got bit by that tick yesterday, I was thinking about those figurines you made. I was thinking how under normal circumstances, a man and a wolf would be staring at each other, protecting their own territory. But because those pieces were meant to be us, I liked the idea of them standing back to back, protecting each other. Maybe I was wrong to think that."
The Grimm got in his car, cranked it up, and drove away without saying another word.
xXxXx
Nick's blood was boiling as he drove away, but honestly, he wasn't sure why. He hadn't meant to get mad; it just sort of happened. But he'd expected Monroe to speak up more than he had, and that hurt. He knew their friendship was unusual, and that Monroe's parents had good reasons for being wary of Nick, but he felt like Monroe had barely tried to argue those reasons at all.
Deep down, Nick knew he should go back and apologize, but his pride wasn't ready to do that. Out of habit, Nick drove to Aunt Marie's trailer, where he would sit and allow himself to hurt for the next couple hours.
xXxXx
What the hell just happened? Monroe thought.
He stood in his driveway and watched Nick leave. Nick had never walked out on him before, and he didn't like being left feeling like he'd lost his best friend.
But that was just it. Somewhere along the line, Nick really had become his best friend, and they'd just had their first real fight.
He doesn't understand. I feel like I'm being forced to choose between my friends and my family, and -
Another thought occurred to Monroe. Nick did understand. Mrs. Burkhardt had reacted much like Monroe's own parents had, yet in the end, Nick had not been forced to choose one over the other.
The Blutbad hoped that he wouldn't have to either, but as he looked over his shoulder at his parents, he wondered how realistic it was to hope for that.
He had to get away from his parents for a while; maybe he'd go see Rosalee. Turning around, he walked back to the house. He made his way inside to get his keys. As he passed his parents, Monroe said, "I'll be back later. Please…just stay here. Don't go anywhere."
Jack asked Monroe where he was going.
"Dad, you just tried to attack one of my friends. I hope you don't expect me to be okay with that, because I'm not. And for the record, neither is he. Nick has always done right by me, and now he's upset because I didn't stick up for him like he did for me when his mom was here. And speaking of his mom, let me tell you what I know about his family. Both of Nick's parents were thought to be killed in a car accident eighteen years ago. Nick was raised by his Aunt Marie, who chopped off Great-Grandma's head and burned Grandpa's farm. A few weeks ago, Nick found out his mom faked her death. The first time I met her, she attacked me, but by the time she left town, she was more or less okay with Nick's and my friendship. I trust Nick, and I know in my gut he won't come after me."
At this point Monroe was standing beside his Beetle. "I've gotta clear my head. Please…don't go anywhere."
xXxXx
Jack watched his son drive away. He couldn't believe what he'd just heard. He looked at Maude.
"Eddie's actually defending a Grimm. And not just any Grimm, but one whose own relative came after our family. There has to be a way to show Eddie he's making a mistake. I'll be back later."
"Where are you going?" Maude wanted to know.
"If Eddie gets back before I do…tell him I went for a walk."
With that, Jack left his wife standing in the doorway.
xXxXx
Maude watched Jack leave. He was walking in the general direction that the Grimm had gone. She had a bad feeling as to what her husband might have been planning.
Whatever it was, she knew one thing for certain: Her son wouldn't approve.
It was clear that he cared for the Grimm, but Maude was convince that eventually he would be betrayed, and would end up hurt…or worse.
He's so sure that nothing will happen to him, but this Nick is a Grimm. Something always happens when there's a Grimm involved.
She and Jack were not in the habit of visiting their son, so she took the time she had alone to acquaint herself with Monroe's home. She hoped that in doing so, she might find something that would help her better understand her son's friendship with the Grimm.
xXxXx
To anyone that happened to be watching, Jack was just a simple man out for a stroll. But he wasn't; he had a point to make, and he would make it, even if he had to lie in order to do so.
In the midst of exhaust fumes and other smells he wasn't familiar, Jack picked up the Grimm's scent and slowly followed it to a trailer park, which housed small trailers and RVs.
The Blutbad walked through the park, looking for some sign of the Grimm or his jeep, but when the scent's trail led him to the exit and to the left, Jack sighed as he wondered if perhaps he was on a wild goose chase. After reminding himself that he was doing this for his son, Jack continued on his so-called walk, searching for the Grimm.