Set after fall finale. Contains spoilers if you haven't seen it.
Nick drove home somewhat in a daze, as if he had seen a ghost, which is he felt like he had. He had finally comes to term with Juliette's death just to suddenly see her. But, whoever that was, she wasn't really Juliette. He knew that deep down the Juliette he had known was gone forever.
He arrived home to laughter. Adalind and Trubel were sitting together on the couch in their tiny living room watching as Kelly bounced up and down in his swing blowing raspberries. Nick couldn't help but grin for a moment despite the night he had had. On a different day, it would have felt so normal and right. They both looked back as he laid his stuff down on the table, and clearly his face was back in the state before he had heard his son making silly noises.
"Nick," Adalind said concerned and getting up to approach him. "What's wrong?" Trubel followed suit with "What happened?" There was no use in denying it, though he would have probably delivered the story much differently to each woman if he were telling them separately. He managed to tell them all about what had happened, the ambush and then spotting Juliette, or at least someone he was pretty sure was her, at the very end of the night.
Trubel shook her head. "I knew those a-holes were up to something sneaky," Trubel said. "I swear I didn't know about this, Nick, but I can't say I'm surprised." Trubel went on to tell Nick about all the potions and poisons these people she had been working with had at their disposable and what they were capable of in terms of training and brainwashing. Adalind listened to the whole conversation in a stunned daze. If Juliette was alive, what did that mean for her? Suppose she was truly herself again someone? Would Nick go back to her? Would they share custody of Kelly? The thought of being without him for even a moment made her sick to her stomach. If she was still a hexenbiest, she would no doubt be seeking revenge against Adalind, and maybe Nick too. Either way, the best way to get to either of them was through Kelly. A million things were running through her mind.
"Did she try to hurt you?" she finally managed to interject. "No," Nick said as if trying to really remember what happened. "She looked right at me but didn't even seem to know who I was. It was strange. Then, she just walked away." Trubel and Nick kept talking about the possibilities of why she might have been there and what may have happened to her. Adalind felt like she was in a fog she couldn't see through. No matter who she was now, Adalind couldn't think of a single reason this could be a good thing for her. Kelly started crying a few minutes later. "It's time for him to eat," she said almost absently. "I'll take him to the bedroom." Nick and Trubel were too engrossed in their conversation to really notice, so she grabbed Kelly and quietly slipped into their bedroom.
As she fed Kelly, she could no longer hold back her emotions. She began crying as she stared down at her beautiful son. The thought of losing him was too overwhelmingly, and in truth, the thought of losing Nick was pretty sickening too. Their relationship was strange, no doubt, and they weren't a couple, but they were in a really good place and had become great allies and co-parents. Kelly drifted off to sleep as he finished eating. Adalind had just transferred him into his crib and sat down on the side of the bed to try and collect herself when Nick softly opened the door and closed it behind him.
She turned toward the wall pretending to be looking for something on her nightstand knowing she looked like a tear-stained mess. "Adalind?" Nick said with a question. He had still been chatting intensely with Trubel when he finally noticed Adalind was missing and felt like a jerk. He could only imagine what she might be thinking after hearing such a bombshell of news. He had excused himself to come check on her. "You okay?"
"Yes, fine" she managed trying to hide the fact that she had been crying. "I just put Kelly down. I was trying to find my…umm…chapstick before coming back out." It was a terrible lie, and they both knew it. Plus, Nick could hear her voice wavering.
Adalind could feel Nick closing the space between them and pretty soon knew he was standing right behind her. "Adalind?" he said again and lightly touched her shoulder. This time she turned around and looked up at him. Nick's heart broke. Her typically beautiful face was still beautiful, but red and blotchy and covered in tears. "Come here," he said gently, and she collapsed into his arms sobbing. Nick just let her cry for a few minutes just holding her close and stroking her back and hair. Finally, he sat them both down on the edge of the bed still holding her, but he pulled back forcing her to look at him. "Talk to me," he said holding her hands in his.
"I'm sorry," Adalind started. "I just have a million things going through my mind," she admitted. "I just can't see any scenario in which Juliette being back is good for me," she said honestly. "It's scary."
"I know," Nick said, "and I'm sorry to have just blurted out the news like that in front of Trubel. I should have been more sensitive, and I'm sorry." Adalind didn't say anything, so Nick continued.
"Adalind, you know I am not going to let anything happen to you or Kelly, right? If she comes after us, I'll take of it," Nick said meaning every word.
"I know," Adalind said, "but who knows what she might be capable of. Plus, what if…"she trailed off trying to find the words. "What if what?" Nick asked. "What if she's just back? They fixed her somehow, and she's just Juliette again."
Nick softened as he saw the pain in Adalind's eyes. Her biggest fear wasn't that Juliette was back and bad, but that she was back and might be good again. Either way, her family was being threatened. Adalind was now looking down at her hands a bit embarrassed by what she had been forced to admit. She knew she was a lot more invested in Nick than he was in her.
He took both sides of her face in his hands and forced her to look up at him. "Look at me," he said gently, and she raised her tear-rimmed eyes.
"I'm not going anywhere if that's what you are worried about," he said continuing to look right into her eyes so she knew that he meant it. "First of all, that was not Juliette, at least not the Juliette we knew. Second, even if it were, I'm not going to leave you and Kelly. I have no desire to do that. You are my family."
Adalind now shed tears of joy and threw her arms around Nick's neck hugging him close. She could not hide her relief. He returned her embrace and continued to hold her for a few minutes. Finally she pulled back and looked up at him again. "Why are you so wonderful?" she asked meaning it with her entire heart. Nick just smiled and impulsively leaned forward and kissed her on the forehead. "I'm going to go lock up then be back for bed, okay?" She just nodded her head yes feeling so much better. She then slipped out behind him to run to the restroom and wash her face and brush her teeth. Nick's words were so soothing she was finally truly able to pull herself together. She heard Nick chatting a bit more with Trubel on her way back to the bedroom but knew he would be in soon.
He came back about 10 minutes later having also freshened up and changed into some sleep clothes. His clothes were still out near his old bed, so he was able to grab something to change into. They both got into bed, and Adalind turned to face Nick after turning off the light. "Thank you for what you said," she said quietly. He reached out under the covers to find her hand and squeezed it. "You're welcome," he said smiling. "It's the truth. Now let's get some rest." Adalind so appreciated him saying the last part, which he didn't have to say, but it reiterated that he didn't just say it to make her feel better. He really meant it.
"Nick?" she asked quietly after he had closed his eyes, and he opened them again. "Hmmm?" he answered. She mustered up a lot of courage and asked, "Have we crossed over into territory yet where we can cuddle?" It was equally silly and sweet and perfect. Nick just smiled and laughed a bit. Hearing Adalind say "cuddle" was funny on so many levels. How far they had come and what a different person she was. "Come here," he said as an answer while rolling more on his back and opening his arms so she could easily curl up next to him and put her head on his chest. Adalind smiled and swiftly planted herself by his side. Nick's heartbeat lulled Adalind to sleep pretty quickly. Though exhausted, Nick lay awake a while longer. It was hard to shut down his mind with everything going on, but as he took in the situation…hearing Kelly breathing lightly across the room, knowing Trubel was safe just outside the door, and feeling Adalind snuggled up next to him…it all felt safe and right, and there was honestly no place he would rather be right now.
