My apologies for taking so long with this chapter. Thanks again for reading and commenting. I really appreciated all the wonder comments, please keep them coming.
It wasn't so bad. The house was actually nice and they didn't have to worry about neighbors since the closest one was about a mile away. It was quiet too, giving the sense that everything was good and right with the world. Nick's friend was cool with them staying at the house. He hardly used it anymore on the count of him getting a job on the other side of the country. But he kept it because it belonged to his grandparents and carried memories he was unwilling to let go of. Nick was grateful.
A trip to the nearest Walmart got them everything they needed. It was better than shopping at the smaller stores closer to the house; no one would pay attention to a family of four moving through the aisles of a busy shopping center. It wasn't convenient but it was safe and would keep them off the radar.
Nick checked in with Monroe and Hank the following day, providing confirmation that he and Adalind and the kids were safe. His friends were in the process of going back to normal, well as normal as their lives could be. Things were changing for everyone but Nick didn't have time to dwell on that just yet.
The first few days in the house went by slowly. Nick spent the days ensuring that the house was safe. Reinforcing locks and blocking glass windows that were way too easy to get to. The house was surrounded by a copse of trees before turning into a more wooded area; he surveyed everything, figuring out an escape root should it come to that. There was little chance of Black Claw being able to find them but he didn't want to be too confident. No one knew where they were, including his friends. For the time being they seemed to be ok.
While Nick planned and ensured their safety, Adalind was busy getting the kids adjusted to their new environment. Kelly loved it; he had the space to crawl around, having discovered that his hands and knees would take him a lot further than his stomach. He cooed and giggled and made attempts to speak that allowed both Nick and Adalind to forget they circumstances for a while. None of it mattered to Kelly. He was a happy little boy, satisfied by the simple fact that he had both his parents' attention when he wanted it.
Diana was restless. Something she had in common with Nick. They both watched, ready for something profound to happen but each new day passed and nothing did.
Adalind, on the other hand, was okay with being ok. Fighting for her life wasn't new to her and she was happy having both her children beside her and out of the hands of people that were up to no good. It was still shocking how much she had changed in the last two years. She saw how easy it would have been to go along with Black Claw, how beneficial it might have been and two years ago she would have jumped at the chance. Secret societies and Hexenbiests have a tendency to go hand in hand. She even remembered her mother telling her stories about their family being involved in a similar group like Black Claw; their desire for power and subsequent battle with the Grimms lead to destruction and the birth of the Dark Ages. A fact the history books got unequivocally wrong.
Adalind liked the house. It was the type of place that made for a good setting in a story book. It was slightly old fashioned but she could tell it was built with love and care. Nick had to turn everything on when they got there, the water pump and breakers; everything to turn the walls into a living breathing thing. He was focused on their safety, which she was grateful for, but she had to get rid of the layer of durst to make the place habitable for them.
Adalind didn't consider herself a homemaker, but she knew what they needed to make this place work. Diana even helped, somewhat reluctantly but she did and Adalind was pleased by how normal their life seemed in those moments; up until Diana used her powers and accomplished what was taking Adalind a lot longer to do. In truth, Adalind forgot about her powers, forgot that she was a Hexenbiest again. She'd become so use to not relaying on her abilities that her normal had changed and she found herself being amazed by what her daughter could do. They shared a laugh in those moments but Diana would go back to brooding and worrying.
Nick was the same. He smiled, played and laughed when he was with Kelly but there was a constant undercurrent of worry that was understandable given their current situation. The first week passed pretty much like that; Nick checking everything around them and Adalind doing everything to make their life seem ok.
"Nick, everything is fine." Adalind could feel his restless movements despite a sleeping Kelly between them.
"I can't sleep." It's been that way throughout the week. "I'm going to check everything one last time." Through the dark he could see Adalind's furrowed brow and the sigh leaving her lips. "I'll be right back." He leaned over and placed a kiss against Kelly's head before slowly exiting the bed. With everything that happened he felt the need to keep his son close to him, so Kelly had taken to sleeping in between his parents. It made Nick feel better.
He was careful as he moved from their bedroom and through the hallway. Slowly moving past the room where Diana stayed before entering the main area of the house. All was quiet, just like the other nights since they had moved into the house. Nick moved to the windows, checking to ensure that they were intact and remained reinforced. Once he was satisfied he moved on to the door that lead to the back yard. That was fully secured as well. But he was not about to let his guard down. The front door was last and he moved through the dark towards it.
Six days of making his rounds had taught him where everything was placed inside the home. He knew to make a right when he got near the couch because there was an end table on the left. He knew how many steps from the back door to the front door and he knew to avoid the edge of the kitchen counter as he went by. Six days of keeping watch and ensuring that the people he loved most in this world remained safe as they slept in their beds.
He'd been thinking about his ancestors a lot since going into exile. For centuries Grimms had watched and protected, sometimes at the cost of their loved ones and their own lives. His mother pretended to be dead for years and his aunt Marie had more battle wounds than Nick had been willing to acknowledge. In that six days that passed, he started to wonder if any of it was worth it. Maybe he should cut his losses and go a lot further away than a few hours outside of Portland. The Caribbean would be nice; warm weather, sun always shinning, cool ocean breeze, a place where he could relax and not have to worry about the shadows. Adalind would look damn sexy in a bikini, something with very little fabric and held together with only a few strings. He could hold her close as they lazily rocked to the breeze in a hammock that they shared beneath a shaded tree. Their life would be uncomplicated.
But for the time being, they were in his friend's house in the middle of the woods, trying to be the best parents they could possibly be. Nick was use to being on his own, even when he was with Juliette there wasn't this overwhelming need to take care of someone else. At times he did things without thought of how they would impact her. That was unfair of him but it's the truth. Things had changed. There was Kelly. Nick still wasn't sure how things stood with Adalind. They were surviving and working together well but they still had a lot to get pass. Kelly was his number priority.
He was still trying to figure things out with Diana.
As if conjured by his thoughts, Nick reached for the gun at his waist when she was suddenly standing in front of him. He quickly allowed his heart beat to slow and released his hold on the weapon. She was a cute kid but mysterious enough to be on the creepy side at times. "Diana what are you doing?" He asked the question as he took two slow steps in her direction.
"There are no bad guys out there." She said it in a matter of fact way that left Nick wondering. "I checked." He was about to ask her if she went outside, but then he remembered her appearing in the loft to warn him about Black Claw. Nick had no idea all the things she could do and neither did Adalind.
"It's okay. You should go back to bed." It was his job to keep them safe.
"Do you think the bad guys will find us? Mommy said we have to stay here so they don't." She looked innocent in her PJs and too much like a younger version of her mother.
"Mommy is right, but I'll handle them if they do." Adalind told him what Diana had done to Rachel and Nick saw firsthand what she did to Conrad. He recognized the slight look of worry that comes across her features and he is reminded of just how much of a child she is. She looks older but Diana is only a year older than Kelly.
"Will you keep mommy and Kelly safe from the bad guy?" Kids shouldn't have to worry about safety.
Nick slowly moved closer and knelt to her height. Her eyes never leave him and even in the dark he can bet he sees everything. "I won't let anyone hurt your mommy, or Kelly or you. I promise." That would be the moment where he would reach out and lightly pat her head to reassure her; but he hesitated because he wasn't sure how she would receive that from him.
"I liked your mommy."
Nick's heart stopped for a second as he realized who she was referring to. His mother gave her life trying to protect Diana.
"She was nice."
After years of thinking she was dead and then finally having her again, Nick had lost her once more. Because she made the decision to protect this little girl from the evil people who would seek to use her.
"She said that she loved you but had to leave you behind to protect you. Just like my mommy."
Unintentionally, it seemed the task had been passed on to him.
"I didn't know they would hurt her." For the first time, Diana looked like the little girl she was supposed to be. "I didn't know they were bad. They said they would take me to my mommy and daddy. They said she would be fine without me, that she wanted me to be with my real parents. They said …" The sniffles followed and Nick found himself pulling a crying Diana into his arms.
It was awkward at first, but gradually they both eased into the embrace. There was a sudden flickering of lights that had been turned off hours prior, but Nick knew it was because of Diana. The little girl in his arms was simply being a little girl with very little control over her emotions.
"Are you mad at me?"
"No I'm not mad. It's not your fault okay." His voice was soothing as he made small circles on her back, trying to comfort her the way he would Kelly. She nodded against his shoulder as she tightened her hold on his neck. He had to admit that he wasn't completely comfortable with her hands so close to his throat, but he tried to focus on the child and not the powerful Hexenbeast within.
His mother knew exactly what she was getting herself into when she took Diana. She knew the risks. It wasn't Diana's fault. It could all the laid at the feet on Black Claw. They organization that Diana's father and his former chief, was probably now the head of. He couldn't hold that against Diana either. She didn't chose to be who she was, no more than he chose to be born into a family of Grimms.
"We should probably get you to bed." He tried to loosen the hold but she wouldn't budge, so when Nick got back up on his feet, she was still attached to him. "Do you want to stay with me and your mom tonight?" Another nod followed his question.
His check of their temporary home was complete for the night so Nick walked with Adalind's daughter into the room they shared. Adalind was laying her on her side with Kelly tucked close to her body. Her head lifted off the pillow as he got closer and he watched as she became more awake when she noticed Diana. "She is going to stay with us tonight". Adalind responded with a nod and made room for her little girl.
Diana easily left his arms and joined her mother. Nick reclaimed his spot and this time he holds Kelly close to allow Diana the opportunity to cuddle up with her mother. Adalind's eyes met Nick's in the dark and he silently promised to answer her questions tomorrow.
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"Are you seeing what I'm seeing" Hank asked Wu who was standing beside him watching the procession of new offers that were joining their unit. Wu nodded in response to Hanks' question and registered the same level of dread that his friend did. "We're certainly not in Kansas anymore."
Things were changing since Nick attacked their Captain (now major of Portland) in his office for all to see. A warrant remained for Nick's arrest. Hank had been surprised there wasn't one for him too or Wu for that matter, but apparently Black Claw had failed to fill out the paper work end of their misdealing, so for now they were still cops.
They had been trying to keep a handle on everything that was taking place. For one thing, Nick had been right about Black Claw cleaning up their mess. All the bodies left behind at Nick's place and the precinct had disappeared; even the ones at Hadrian's Wall were missing. It was creepy how they made it seem like none of it happened. Not having his partner beside him was the constant reminder that it had all been real. Nick was in hiding and Renard was knee deep in Black Claw.
There were questions from the other cops, whispered words about the captain and Nick. What could have set him off? Where was he hiding? Questions Wu and Hank deflected by turning the conversation back to work. That was the one piece of evidence that Black Claw could not ignore; everyone saw Nick and the Captain go at it. They suspected Nick must have had a good reason for his actions, having worked with the guy for years and knowing that he was a damn good cop. Some joked that he was probably in Mexico by now; living it up in the sun with some hot babe.
Wu and Hank continued to watch the new comers as they spread out across the precinct, introducing themselves to the veteran staff as they go. When they got to Hank and Wu the thickened air and pointed stares were hard to ignore but the officers were nothing but polite to each other.
"Looking forward to working with you gentlemen, we've heard nothing but good things." One guy remarked before walking away.
"I'm sure you have." Wu whispered loud enough for Hank to hear.
Soon everyone was asked to gather around and the new members blended in with the old. It was impossible to tell the good guys from the bad guys. Whispered conversations continued while the group assembled and awaited the introduction of their new Captain.
"Do you have any idea who this guy might be?" Hank asked as he leaned slightly in Wu's direction to keep the conversation personal.
"No clue. Haven't heard anything."
The whispered conversations transformed into loud noise and applause as the former Captain tuned Major walked through the double doors. There was a huge smile and his face and he looked even more put together than before. He was no longer a simple police captain, he was the Major of Portland and the guy certainly looked the part.
"How much do you think that suit cost?" Wu asked in a dry tone. "Probably more than I make in a year." Was Hank's follow up answer. The two men stood back as Sean Renard took command of the room. He gave a speech about the importance of the police department and the great work they were doing. He thanks the officers for their dedication to justice and their city and asked for their support in his efforts as Major to that citizens were protected and treated fairly. He was eloquent and charismatic; if Hank didn't know all he did about the man delivering the speech and the war between humans and Wesen, he would have believed every word.
"I also ask for your support in welcoming your new captain, Mr. Michael Bernick." The applause erupted once more as Bernick to center stage. He was tall, about the same height as Renard, but with a smaller build and hair so blonde that the light practically bounced off of it. He smiled at the group and they could hear the sigh of pleasure from some of the female staff.
"He's a pretty one." Wu commented as Hank discretely took a picture of the new guy. He didn't look familiar to Hank and Wu didn't recognize the guy either. This was someone new and they were pretty sure he was someone that was on Black Claw's payroll. They waited until all the hoopla was completed and Renard had left the building before making their own exit.
They arrived at the spice shop just as Rosalee was finishing up with a customer. Monroe closed the door behind the customer and they gathered by the counter to discuss what new information they had. Hank showed them the picture of Michael Bernick, but he is not familiar to any of them. They tried a Google search on this guy but all they found was a possible link to German ancestry.
"Have you heard anything from Trubel or Juliette?" Wu was just as anxious as everyone else to find out what was going on.
"No." Rosalee shook her head as she explained that after Juliette was feeling better the two took off to parts on known and there had been no communication since then. Trubel was determined to make connection with some of HW's contacts in other parts of the word, but no one knew how long that would take or if it would even make a difference. Meisner had been the driving force behind everything, without him the loyalty of everyone was in question.
It had been almost two weeks since Nick had left and they were no closer to figuring out what the next move would be.
"We should probably call Nick." Monroe dipped into his back pocket for the small burner cell phone that they had been using to communicate with Nick. They couldn't risk Renard tapping their cell phones or the one at the spice shop. They gathered around the cell phone like a life line as they waited for the ringing to turn into an answer.
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Nick was restless. Almost two weeks in hiding and he was missing being out and about, working a case with Hank and Wu and trying to solve a puzzle that required them to work together. Being on the outside was hard, ever since his aunt Marie told him about Grimms and what he would be going through, he has been on the front line of all the craziness taking place in Portland. It had been five years since his aunt's death. In that time he had encountered countless Wesen, witnessed rituals that dated back centuries and taken down monsters that threatened the lives of others. It wasn't easy to go from all that to his current situation.
He was sitting on the couch, staring blankly at the space where a television should be when Adalind bounced in and sat beside him. They had spent the early afternoon outside with the kids in the backyard, enjoying the nice weather and acting like normal families would. They had all been smiling and enjoying the moments, even Diana, who seemed less unsure about their situation. She was still slightly weary of Nick, but they had turned a corner that night she cried in his arms. They had something in common, that neither Adalind nor Kelly had truly experienced, they had Nick's mom. It seemed that Kelly Burkhart had brought them together; still being a mom even when she wasn't around to be.
"Kelly is sleeping." The sun had drained the little guy and his cranky attitude had been a sign that it was time for a nap. "Diana wanted to color. She is sitting on the floor in our bedroom." Diana had taken to never leaving Kelly's side. If he was sleeping she would sit nearby and whether Nick or Adalind held him in their arms she was always close. It was good that she was looking out for her brother and Nick tried not to over think about what she was capable of if she perceived any kind of threat … even from him.
"Ok." Adalind frowned at his one word answer.
"What on your mind?" The change was not easy for her either, but she was trying to make the best of it because what other choice did she have. At times the guilty feeling would rear its head, a reminder that Nick was in this mess because of her. The decisions she had made had led them to that moment. It would kill her if he hated her for it.
"Thinking about work, never thought I would miss it." Nick leaned in to place a kiss on her forehead and she moved her body closer. Adalind liked being wrapped up in him. He was still warm from being outside in the sun and she could smell the heat and fresh air on his clothes.
"I'm sorry. You love being a cop." Even when she hated him she could tell that he loved what he did and was good at it.
"It's okay. This is more important. You, the kids." Hearing him say kids broke something inside Adalind and she would be reluctant to admit that tears formed in the back of her eyes. It wasn't just that he said it, but how he said it, with no hesitation and with absolute truth. There was no way she wasn't going to kiss him. No hesitation when she pulled him closer and found that even that wasn't enough.
Their skin burned with something that neither could gave name to, but they needed to touch, to tease and taste and forget for awhile about the craziness that was their lives. They should have been more mindful of where they were and the thought crossed their minds for a second but it was beaten down by need and a reminder that it had been a while since they had this.
From the very first time, when Adalind was in Juliette's skin, there was an undeniable heat that their connection generated. In that moment when she wanted to hurt him Adalind and forgotten herself and for a second allowed her mind to believe that he was hers. And now he was. Without her pretending to be someone he loved. He didn't need the skin of his former lover to be the reason he tugged at her clothes or trailed the curve of her breast with his tongue. Adalind believed him when he whispered I love you against her ear as he entered and thrust deep into her. Those words were meant for her. No one else but her. So she returned them, breathless and panting, mixing his name in with the letters.
Their explosion collided with the ringing of a cellular phone that was resting against the wooden top of a coffee table. The vibration caused the phone to move against the smooth surface. But the call went unanswered as their hearts quieted down and the heat gave way to a cool breeze that licked their exposed skin. The ringing resumed and Nick turned his head in its direction.
A week ago he purchased a burner phone from the grocery store. It didn't require any identification information to be activated, only cash paid to a bored sales clerk. The phone was how he had been keeping in touch in Monroe, Rosalee, Hank and Wu. Monroe had bought their own phone as well to reduce the chances of someone figuring out where Nick was. They didn't talk that often, figuring it was best to keep the communication to a minimum.
Nick looked at the phone as it continued to move towards the edge of the table and couldn't help the thought that whoever was at the other end had really bad timing. "It's probably Monroe." He said and Adalind nodded her permission as she smiled at his uncertainty. Nick reached for the phone as she attempted to cover their bodies with a blanket that had been left on the couch the night before.
"Nick?"
"Monroe, hey."
" We're all here in the spice shop. Hank has some news for you." Nick knew that 'we' excluded Trubel and Eve, the two had gone off to seek help from some of Meisner's connections.
Hank has some news. He mouthed the words to Adalind who was leaning against his shoulder.
Hank described the scene at the precinct. The officers that were joining the team and the new police Captain that looked like he walked off the cover of a GQ magazine.
"The guys name is Michael Bernick. We tried searching for him online but nothing concrete turned up. I've emailed you a picture of him." Nick wasn't familiar with the name either but there are a lot of things that he doesn't know about Black Claw and their connections.
"Has Renard made contact with any of them?" The question came from Adalind and Nick relayed it to the rest of the group. The answer was a collective no and frankly they are all a bit surprised that he hasn't. Maybe he wasn't too concerned about losing the readymade family; he had a whole city to look after.
Nick assured the group that he, Adalind and the kids are okay. They did the same for him and he felt some comfort knowing that his friends were still alive despite their connection to him. They made promises to call again with any new developments and ended the call. It was best to keep communication short. They had to take every precaution.
Nick leaned back into the couch, his chest still exposed but his lower half covered by a purple and green blanket. He ran a hand through his hair and turned to face Adalind who watched him with curious eyes. She hadn't heard the entire conversation and was a bit anxious about the information imparted during the four minute conversation.
"Have you ever heard of Michael Bernick?" The question hit Adalind like bricks on pavement and Nick registered her reaction immediately. "You know him?" He instantly sat upright. She gave a nod, unable to speak around the shock at hearing that name again for the first time in years.
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Hank and Wu left the spice shop with no new information but an unquenched curiosity about their new captain. Monroe returned the phone to his pocket and the store sign from closed to open. He moved back to the counter and squeezed Rosalee's shoulder as he went by. They were all worried about what would come next. In the time that Nick had been gone they'd had no unusual or negative encounters, no one had been posted outside their home watching their movements. Everything calm and normal. Except it wasn't.
"How are you feeling?" the question broke the tension left behind by their friends and reminded them that there were other things taking place in their lives.
"Good. I haven't had any nausea since lunch time so we are doing great." Rosalee smiled with reassurance before returning her attention to the spices she was labeling. "It was good to hear Nick's voice today. He sounded well, less … anxious."
"Yeah, I thought so too." Monroe placed a series of items on the shelves. "It sucks that he can't be here with us. We haven't even told him about the baby yet." It surprised Monroe how much that weighed on him. In the last five years Nick had managed to become his best friend and it felt strange not sharing something so important with him.
"Hopefully …" the chimes signaled the arrival of a new customer. Rosalee cut her words short and she looked up in anticipation to greet their new arrival.
"Hello Rosalee, Monroe." Sean Renard, the new major of Portland, was standing in their shop. He'd been there before, stood in that same spot before without the awkwardness that greeted him in that instance. Before, he had almost been a friend. Now he was the guy on the other side of a very high fence. Monroe and Rosalee paused in their actions to look at him. He looked good, well put together, but then again he always did. He certainly didn't look like a man who had lost his 'family' and unintentionally killed the leader of the corrupt organization to which he belonged.
"What are you doing here?" Rosalee could feel the anger radiating off her husband and she placed a steady hand on his shaky one to remind him to keep his cool.
"Look. I know you do not want me here, so let's just get to the point. I want to know where my daughter is." Monroe wasn't intimidated and neither was Rosalee. Actually she felt sick that it would take him so long to show any concern for his daughter
"Sorry, but we can't help you there. Herbs and spices are more our thing. If you need something to help you sleep at night I can suggest for a few options." Monroe smirked at his wife's words and thought 'that's my girl'.
"Look. I don't care about Nick or Adalind or their son. I just want my daughter."
"Maybe you should have done a better job of holding on to her." Monroe could see the anger rising in his face, but Sean was a master as keeping his cool.
"I will find her. I just thought it would be best for everyone if we were civil about it."
"Well, sorry we can't help you." In the thickening quiet they stared at each other until Sean apparently decided that what he was doing was not going to work. He turned and walked out. The chime from the door opening broke the silence and signaled that it was okay to release the breath they were holding.
"I hate that guy." Monroe walked over and closed the front door. He turned the open sign to closed, figuring it was best that they called it a day.
"Me too."
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