AN: I've kind of glossed over most of the repurcussion for Barry. Suffice to say he spent some time in a juvenile detention centre but was released early on good behaviour and now has to report for counselling sessions and regular appointments with a parole officer. All explained in the chapter, hopefully, and not super important anyway.

I'm hoping I still have Harry's voice down correctly. I can imagine him picking up more American terminology but still being mostly British so it's somewhat difficult to decide which words I should be using when. I think I've got it though - someone tell me if I'm off.

Anywho, enjoy the new chapter! It's ridiculously fun to write this. Reviews are appreciated and thanks to everyone who offered to help with my portrayal of Portland! I will definitely be contacting some of you later on for ideas on the sort of "standard field-trips" elementary kids go on.

Chapter #4

Barry isn't the brightest bulb in the box, he knows. He keeps his grades up so he can play on the football team at school but he'll never be able to properly excel at school and he's fine with that. He's got to be careful to hold back in sports too, but he's a pretty decent player as far as the humans are concerned so he still has fun with it.

The little boy his father brings home with the intentions of adopting is a Grimm. It's not the first one they've encountered and he doubts it'll be the last but this one is adorable. Barry isn't even afraid that sounds unmanly to say; the kid is just cute. His bright British accent and pretty green eyes and the constantly crooked round glasses with the scruffy hair just scream "look at me! I'm adorable and you should take care of me!"

He's man enough to admit that he misses having other people around his house. The Colberts were practically raised beside him before their parents decided it was in the best interests of all the young Jägerbar to pick up their brood and move elsewhere. Roddy's a great guy to have around – even if he is a Reinegen – because he's got an amazing taste in music and he doesn't cower away from them anymore. He puts up with occasionally being mauled affectionately and being covered in Jägerbar scent even though it sets his instincts on edge.

But this little kid is a Grimm and he screams predator when you meet his gaze for too long and damn if it doesn't feel good to know that Barry doesn't have to hold back too much 'cause the kid can see the differences and reacts accordingly. Predators always know how to react to other predators and this baby Grimm views them as equals and agreeably allows Barry to haul him close and cuddle.

"Barry!" Harry greets cheerfully in the morning from his special booster-seat at the kitchen table. Roddy's helping to cut up the boy's pancakes while his dad sips at his coffee and reads the paper.

He's been with them nearly a month now and already been enrolled in school where he usually remembers to not mention that his adoptive family is comprised of bears and a rat. There's always the occasional problem where he's asked to draw his family or something and he ends up confused and unable to accurately describe Frank or Barry or Roddy because he sees them all the time and honestly doesn't know what their human faces look like. The teachers have been told he has some sort of brain problem that basically means he has trouble recognizing faces – some, not all, but his family's for sure – and that he associates certain characteristics with them rather than actual physical features.

It works well enough and now all his pictures of bears and rats and such that he declares are his family are met with enthusiastic praise.

"Hey kiddo," he grins and reaches out to ruffle the mess of black hair. "Excited to see Cousin Nick's work?"

"Yeah!" The little one grins broadly and reaches up to shoo Barry's hand away from his head. "Right after school, remember?"

"I remember," he assures him. "Dad, you're getting him at eight?"

"Hm?" Frank Rabe blinks at him and then shakes his head a little. "Right, eight o'clock at Nick's house, I remember." He grins at Harry and the boy looks suspicious. "I wouldn't forget!"

"Promise?" Harry asks.

"Promise," Franks smiles and makes a criss-crossing motion over his chest. The boy nods firmly and returns to his conversation with Roddy over pancakes.

Dad takes the youngest addition to the Rabe family to school while Roddy and Barry go their separate ways. Barry spends most of the time at school in class but at lunch he goes to his locker and takes the extra time to dig out the picture of Harry, Roddy and him lounging together on the couch. It's one of many pictures his dad has taken in the past month but it's Barry's favourite. Harry's laughing and lying back against his chest and Roddy's leaning awkwardly against the side of the couch where he's been squished by Barry and Harry.

He sticks it up and grins at the picture. One of the girls from the cheerleading squad stops to coo at the little boy in the photo on her way past him to the gym's changing rooms. "Aww, he's cute!"

"My new brother," he explains proudly. "My dad adopted him."

"What's his name?"

"Harry," he grins again and his watch beeps once. Right, lunch. "Gotta go," he says and heads to the cafeteria. Ever since his mom got taken away, his dad has insisted that they do their utmost to – not suppress – but modernize their instincts. That means he has to make sure to be well-fed at all times so he isn't tempted to get violent instead. The thought of the adorable, defenceless little Grimm in his home makes keeping to the schedule easy. He likes the kid too much to risk anything happening to him.

After school Barry has newly granted permission from his parole officer to stay out later to be able to pick up his brother. He pulls up in his giant truck and goes into the office to sign in to pick up the boy. Harry comes running into the office a few minutes later with his jacket unzipped and his hat practically falling off his head.

"Barry, are we going now?"

"Yup!" he lets the boy barrel into his legs and readjusts his hat while he's there. Harry squirms away but leaves the hat where Barry's put it back in place. His eyes are bright and excited and he smells like crayons and the apples they must've had for a snack. The secretaries all make amused noises and laugh at the scene. "Come on, your cousin is waiting."

Harry consents to having his jacket zipped up but runs anxious circles all the way to the truck where Barry has to lift him up to get into his seat. His dad had gone all-out in making sure every single one of their very expensive cars had a car-seat installed properly. If they could make car-seats for the ATVs, Barry's pretty sure they would each have one too (not that he's been allowed to take Harry on one but whatever).

Harry talks endlessly on the way to the precinct. Barry figures he didn't talk much living with a Fury – they usually hated things like lying or disobedience from people who weren't their own offspring and a small child would learn to adapt pretty quickly. It's like the kid had just bottled it up for so long that now he doesn't pause when he knows he won't be stopped.

"I want to be a cop, like Nick," Harry's telling him as they pull up. "He has a gun!"

Barry laughs. "You don't get to shoot it all the time."

"I know," Harry says reasonably. "But it would be cool anyway. Hey, does Nick have crayons?"

"I'm sure he does," Barry unbuckles his little Grimm and holds out his arms. "Come on kiddo, jump."

Harry does and laughs as Barry swings him around before putting him back on his feet. The Jägerbar is just pleased that Harry likes the rather more physical affection his kind are fond of and he makes sure Harry holds his hand before they make their way through the parking lot. Harry peers around with wide-eyed curiosity and the low thrum of a Grimm hunting (Harry doesn't realize he projects a little when he's particularly devoted to something) buzzes when they get in the door and give their names.

"Nick!" The detective looks up from his desk at the call of his name and grins when the little boy darts over with his backpack flopping against his legs where it's slipped down the whole way. His partner – Barry remembers him – watches with a hint of bewilderment at the scene and keeps an eye on Barry as he approaches at a more sedate pace. "Your work is huge."

"You think?" Nick asks and then, over Harry's head, "Hey Barry, off to counselling?"

"Yeah." He has to go at least once a week but preferably three – according to his parole officer. He goes for all three sessions because he doesn't want to jeopardize the official adoption that's still being processed. He likes Harry too much – his instincts like Harry too much – to give him up now. "We're a little early, sorry."

"Don't worry," Nick assures him over Harry's squirming little form as he attempts to take in as much of the bustling precinct as possible. "I've got him."

"Alright," Barry waves and tilts his head at Harry. The Grimm turns and blinks at him slowly before smiling. "See you tonight, little man."

"'Kay," Harry says in a softer tone – abruptly shy now that his brother is leaving. "See you."

Barry ruffles his hair one last time, takes in the gentle hold Nick's got on the boy and the core of steel that's the Grimm line peering out the back of his eyes, and grins as he turns around and leaves the adorable little menace to the detective's capable hands.

end chapter.