Thanks to everyone who keeps following this story. The comments continue to push me forward so please don't hesitate to let me know what you think.
Jack, the Fuilcre, practically run away from home because his older brother Thomas decided that being a part of a Wesen supremacist group was a good thing. Thomas's entire life had become consumed by the group and caused the brothers to start feuding because they didn't see eye to eye. Jack distinctly remembered the claw like mark that Thomas painted above the entrance to their farm house; adamant that this was the way of the future. Thomas believed that it was time for Wesen to take their rightful place in society; at the top. Not hiding behind their human selves so that people could have a false sense of safety. Thomas wanted the old ways again; when sacrifices were allowed to ward off a bad harvest and all Wesen could live out in the open without fear of been hunted by Grimms.
Jack felt he had no choice but to leave and make his own way for his family. His brother was the eldest and controlled what had been passed down from their father. Besides, there was no way Jack could take on a fight with his brother when his brother was garnering the support of many of the local families. Jack recognized that it was time to get away, before his dissention turned violent. His wife agreed as well; the words of his brother scared her and there was nothing Jack wouldn't do to keep his family safe. They would have to make it on their own. He was hoping to save up some money, enough for a down payment on a piece of land and they'd take it from there.
Nick took another sip of his beer as he listened to Jack recap the story. He'd heard most of it before but he wanted to go over it again. For almost a year they had kept their eyes and ears towards Portland, failing to realize that Black Claw was smart enough to start building their support in other areas. Jack was from a small town called Mount Vernon, about four hours away from Portland. He'd never even been to Portland but he reported that his brother had on a few occasions in the last year. The visits were business related but Nick had a feeling that the business involved more than selling the products their farm produced.
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He was staring to get the hang of it, well sort of. It wasn't just something you got use to overnight. A year and a half ago a full moon was simply a normal occurrence in the lunar cycle. There have always been superstitions surrounding the full moon. As a cop, the crazy drunks and dare devils always seemed to come out during those times but he thought it was all coincidence, the moon provided an excuse for people to act crazy.
As someone navigating the lines between two words, he came to realize how wrong he had been. It turns out the moon, like the stars and the planets, gave off a frequency. Humans pick up that frequency and it impacts their feelings, emotions and desires i.e. they act outside of their normal behavior. Lycanthropes are even more susceptible to the moon's frequency. It doesn't just impact their minds; the frequency travels through their bodies and cause a transformation. It takes over everything. Hank described it "like a Blutbad on steroids." Wu couldn't disagree with that one. But he wasn't a Blutbad. He was human; for the most part.
Being infected by a Lycanthrope and the resulting symptoms was something he was still getting use to. The moon didn't turn him into a raging monster like it did Elizer Baske, for Wu he was more like a hot head; which would explain the sweating. There was very little information in the Grimm books on lycanthropia in humans. Rosalee was a big help in figuring things out but no information also meant no idea how to make it go away. They tried a few potions but they only left him with indigestion; one even triggered his change instantly. In trying to cure him they did figure out that it was tied to his emotions. The werewolf/caveman like creature seemed to emerge when he was in a heightened emotional state. Therefore, if he could control his emotions he could control the change.
Wu had been practicing. With Nick gone from the precinct their Wesen problems had significantly lessened. They called on Monroe and Rosalee every now and then to help out with a case but it wasn't often. When his shift was over he had time to figure things out. It wasn't perfect but he had gotten really good at controlling the change. Rosalee joked that it was almost like he could woge, just like a Wesen.
"Wow I can't believe it man." Monroe entered from the back room of the shop. "How does it feel?"
"Strange, but almost natural at the same time; if that makes any sense."
"No it makes perfect sense. It's not easy for non-wesens to deal with the effects of our world, but I have to hand it to you, you're handling it pretty well."
"Educating yourself was very important." Rosalee commented as she gently rocked April, who decided that she was not okay with being in her cot by herself.
The door chimed, signaling Hank's entrance. Wu wasn't the only one that had to adjust to changes in his life. Hank was still trying to get use to his new partner and dodging the guy from time to time was becoming more of a challenge. "This better be important. I had to ditch Sparky at the station while he was talking to the captain." Hank had taken to calling his new partner 'Sparky' after a dog he had when he was growing up. The thing followed him everywhere.
"Still a pain in the ass?" Monroe asked.
"Do you even have to ask?" There was no doubt that Sparky was a spy for the captain or Renard or whomever was in charge of Black Claw these days. They didn't have any concrete evidence to prove it, but Hank recognized a gut feeling and those had saved his life a few times in his line of work.
"How is little April?" Hank nodded at the baby held in Rosalee's hand.
Rosalee rolled her eyes but smiled. "Already trying to have her way and her daddy can't help giving in."
"Hey, I'm not the one holding her when she should be asleep in her crib."
"That's because you pick her up all the time. Now even when she is dying to sleep she doesn't want to stay in the darn thing."
"Okay, maybe I do that sometimes…"
"You do it all the time." Hank and Wu chorused with a laugh. Monroe leveled a wounded look at all three.
They talked for a while about April, their jobs, love lives; throwing a few jokes in here and there. They'd developed by light batter over the last year. Lack of Black Claw activity forced them to find other things to talk about. Hank would joke that he was bored with all the quiet but the truth was he missed his friend. They all missed Nick. His absence had been a stark reminder of how much he was the glue that connected them.
"We heard from Nick." Monroe reported after they had exhausted the everyday topics of conversation. Wu and Hank looked at the two people in front of them, certain that this wasn't just the usual check in phone call with Nick. There was something more. "It was a short phone call, but…" Monroe's short pause was deafening as the group looked at each other. "He met someone who had information about Black Claw. Apparently they're still recruiting, just not in Portland."
"But not too far away either." Rosalee added.
It was the first bit of Black Claw news they'd had in what felt like forever.
"Nick is sure about the information he received?" Hank didn't doubt his friend; he just needed confirmation that this was actually happening.
Monroe nodded. "Pretty sure. Actually he sounded downright excited."
All eyes turned to him. They might be reluctant to admit it but they missed the excitement of chasing after the bad guy. Solving wesen related crimes and thwarting the efforts of those who would seek to rein chaos. They got to be real live heroes. Not that they considered themselves heroes but they certainly weren't the villains. It had been exhilarating to join Nick on the Grimm side, to experience the world in the way that Grimms did. They all understood why he would be excited but they were not going to admit that a part of them was excited as well.
"So what now?" Wu wasn't sure what to make of the news. They had learned that Black Claw was still out there recruiting but what could they do about? Should they even do anything about it? Nick was the one the usually figured out the next move, they followed his lead.
"We wait." Monroe didn't think there was anything else they could do.
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Having power came easy to him; sewn into the fabric of his DNA. Even as a kid he craved it, manipulated to get it and used it in any which way that he saw fit. It greeted him from both sides of the coin that was his heritage. The Hexenbeist mother and the Royal father; both born with power and willing to do as they saw fit.
Being Mayor was simply an extension of that power. It was not an office that he aspired to but it fell in his lap and he was not about to waste it. He was careful, always had been. Keeping power also meant being able to pretend like you had none. You give the people around you a false sense of importance; that their part in the act matters, and they are willing to do anything for you. Not because they believe in the plot, no, simply because they think they have a stake in it. He learned that lesson from his mother. It served him well as a police captain and would continue to serve him as Mayor.
Sean had to admit that for a while he lost sight of that innate desire and sense of control. He'd been tainted by the most unexpected source, a Grimm. At first having a Grimm close by seemed like a good way to extend his power, especially when it came to his royal family members. Being somewhat of an outcast didn't give him much leeway with them. But controlling a Grimm certainly would. The plan was figured out and put in place. Somewhere along the line, the control shifted and he was the one under Nick's thumb.
Conrad and Rachael rescued him. They reminded him of who he was, what he was and what he carried inside him. A Zauberbeist. Powerful.
Conrad was gone and in his place stood someone with the potential to accomplish more. No one knew that Conrad was lost by his hand. Sean kept that information to himself. He couldn't understand what took place that day. How he lost control of himself and killed the man that was pulling him from ruin. He questioned his reaction to Conrad killing Meisner, questioned the feelings that welled up inside when he saw that Conrad was about to kill Nick. There had been a sense of regret, a sense that things had gone further than he intended. There was a split second thought that he should do something about it. Suddenly he did. The sword was in and out of Conrad before Sean was even aware that he had moved.
His insides curled at the memory that for a split second he thought he should save Nick and that he actually did. A moment of weakness, one he would not repeat. Conrad's death haunted him for awhile, before he could shake off Nick's influence, and focus on the future. There were opportunities in front of him. He was the new Major of Portland. Portland was his to rule. He'd been born to a royal father but for the first time Sean Renard felt like a king.
Despite the thrown he sat on, being Mayor was not enough. It allowed him to stretch his arms wider and made others take note. Even the remaining fractions that were loyal to his father's family, they all took note and sought him out. But there was another reason that they felt the need to connect themselves with him. Sean Renard wasn't just the Major of Portland, he was also the father of a very powerful Hexenbiest child. One with more power than ever seen before. With her by his side Sean would have full control.
"I'm sorry sir. We will continue the search."
Sean barely acknowledged the suit clad underling that worked in his crew. The message was the same as before. There was no trace of Adalind anywhere. Or Nick. Or Diana. He had people keeping an eye on all Nick's friends but that led them nowhere. Sean was sure they were together. There was no way that Adalind didn't disappear with Nick.
"I have an idea." Michael stood from his lounging position and presented himself before Renard. Sean lifted his head to acknowledge the younger man. "Why don't we make coming home very attractive for Nicholas Burkhardt?"
Adalind's older brother reached out to him immediately after his victory in the mayoral election. He'd been in contact with Conrad prior to that and was a strong supporter of what Conrad was trying to accomplish.
"Drop the assault and escape charges against him. Remove his fugitive status. We'll pull the watch on his friends. Make them feel absolutely comfortable. It's been almost a year without incident; let's show them that there are no hard feelings on your part. All Nicholas' ties are to this city, I bet he is itching to return. We'll even offer his old job back."
Renard eased back into his chair and contemplated Michael's words. "Would dropping the changes make me look weak?"
"No, actually it may show you as a forgiving man, someone more concerned about the well being of others more than his own desire for retribution."
"I have to think about it." Sean trusted Michael to an extent. He was a Zauberbeist after all, their desire for power outweighed loyalty.
Michael unbuttoned his perfectly tailored jacket and took the seat directly in front of Renard. "You displayed a wife and children before the world. Then over night they seemed to disappear. There are questions."
Sean released a heavy breath. "I know."
"You believe Adalind is with Nicholas. If he returns, it means Adalind and Diana are close by and that is enough to pacify those that would question you."
The mayorship carried its own weight. Having power was one thing, keeping it was another. He had to maintain the support of certain factions in both the human and Wesen world. That meant supplying them with the assurances that they needed; at least for now, until he had no need for them anymore.
"I need to think about this." Sean didn't think Nick would drop his guard just because he was no longer a fugitive. In truth, Nick and Adalind held the cards, they had Diana. That fact irked him more than anything else.
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Hank pored over the case files spread out on his desk. His thoughts going to the fact that this would be so much easier with Nick around. Wesen was all over this one, but he had no way to prove that and he was reluctant to drag Monroe into it. There was no doubt that Sparky was Wesen; Hank's instinct was all over that one. But the guy kept that information to himself and not once did he use that to help out with the cases that came their way. Sparky was a dud, his only purpose seemed to be staying close to Hank and report his moves to the new captain. Michael Bernick; he was still in disbelief about that guy's connection to Adalind. You would think things couldn't get more complicated.
His phone buzzed and distracted him from the picture of the mutilated remains that graced his desk. Hank pulled the device from his pocket and smiled at the picture that popped up when he opened the message. The smiling face of his girlfriend greeted him with a message that expressed a strong desire to see him later in the evening.
Hank had to admit that it took him awhile to try dating again after Zuri. Her betrayal did a number on him, not because he was over the moon in love with her, but because she was another one in the list of women that used him to get to Nick. The first one was Adalind. Hank tried not to think about that too much. Adalind had changed, he'd seen it for himself and she was a part of Nick's life now. Forgive and forget they say. And he did. Getting pass Zuri hadn't been so easy. He thought they really had something special but it turned out the something special they shared was Nick.
It was hard for him to admit but Nick being gone meant that Hank's life didn't revolve around his partner. His work and personal life somehow become intertwined with Nick's, not that he didn't love the guy, but Hank needed some space. The past few months allowed him to breathe, to get back into the things he enjoyed doing. He started dating again after the Zuri effect wore off and actually allowed himself to really fall for someone.
Things might be quiet on the Wesen take over front, but he wasn't taking any chances. Hank introduced his intended girlfriend to Rosalee and Monroe after about a month of dating. He needed to know now before things went any further and he needed to know if she had any ties to anyone that could possibly be interested in Grimms. Turns out she was a regular human, just like him, with no ties to the Wesen community. To say he was relieved would be an understatement. With Nick out of the picture things were actually looking up for him. Outside of Sparkly, all was good. Hank was happy, not that he hadn't been happy before. This time he could enjoy the happiness.
There was no new information in the past week since Nick's report of Black Claw activities in small towns outside of the city. Despite the quiet time and being able to focus on other things in his life, Hank would make any moves to have his partner back. Nick was family; even when family drives you crazy, you still want them around.
"Griffin. My office."
Hank returned the cell phone to his pocket, tidied the paperwork on his desk and obeyed the captain's order.
"Close the door please."
"Yes, sir" Hank wasn't intimidated by Captain Bernick. The guy was pretty similar to Renard but somehow managed to be more refined. A pretty boy. Yet Hank and seen him in action and knew that pretty didn't mean passive or weak.
"You were partnered with Nicholas Burkhardt for about five years." Here we go again. At least the guy got to the point.
"Yes, sir."
"I've been reviewing both your files." Captain Bernick was seated at his desk with his eyes completely focused on Hank. The guy always gave his full attention in a conversation. "The two of you together had an impressive case record, best in the precinct."
"Thank you." What did he want?
"How are things going with Detective Conway?"
Hank wasn't sure how much he should reveal and Bernick was giving nothing away. "They are going, sir."
The Captain took a contemplative breath before proceeding. "The precinct hasn't been doing as well in the past few months. Our closing rate is down significantly from last year." Because you hire idiots like Sparky. "I can't have that. Not on my watch. Detective Griffin, I don't like to lose and right now if feels like I am."
What was Hank suppose to do about that?
"I am offering Detective Burkhardt his job back. Whatever issues he had with the previous Captain will play no part in my dealings with him. I tried contacting him via the information we had on file, however, that's been unsuccessful."
Hank tried to be as stone cold and Bernick. "What about the charges against him?"
"Dropped." The word said with finality. "If you have contact with Detective Burkhardt, please let him know that I'm happy to welcome him on my team. Detective Griffin, your record together speaks for itself. I intend for this precinct to be the best and I need good detectives to achieve that. That's all." He smiled, a signal to the end of their conversation.
Hank left the office dazed as he tried to wrap his mind around the Captains words. That was the last thing Hank expected when he walked into that room. What was he playing at? When were the charges against Nick dropped? Renard had to give his approval on that one. Why would he do that?
"Hey Hank, there you are. We need to talk." Wu's words gut through the fog and the two walked quietly out of the precinct and into the parking lot. Hank wasn't sure he could handle anything else after that conversation.
They stood outside, just at the corner of the building where Hank was parked. "A buddy of mine just gave me some pretty interesting information. They dropped the charges against Nick. The assault on Renard, escape from police custody, all of it. Gone."
"I know."
Wu looked utterly surprised. "How do you know?"
"The Captain told me. He wants to offer Nick his job back."
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The spice shop was the usual place to meet up and discuss any new information but Monroe and Rosalee had gotten into the habit of closing up earlier than they use to. They weren't kidding when they said that children change your life. With the spice shop closed, Hank and Wu made their way to Monroe and Rosalee's house. They tried not to disturb the couple too late at night but this time it couldn't be helped. New parents needed time to sleep but a fresh case got Hank and Wu sidetracked and tied up their time for a while. A late night visit was unavoidable.
"Are you sure about this?" Monroe asked after Hank relayed his entire conversation with the Captain.
"Pretty sure I heard correctly." Was Hank's response.
"What do you think this is all about?" Rosalee sat beside her husband in a slight state of disbelief. "Is this good news?"
"Why would Renard drop the charges?" Wu had just as many questions as everyone else.
The four of them talked it over, brainstorming any possible reason for the charges being dropped. The one that struck true all around was that it was better to keep Nick close, where they could get to him, rather than out of their reach.
"Should we tell Nick?" They shared every bit of information, no matter how small, and this definitely wasn't small. Monroe waited for their response but everyone seemed uncertain.
"I think we need to. He promised to keep each other in the loop. Nick deserves to know." The three gentlemen nodded at Rosalee's words.
"I'll get the phone." Monroe left the living room to return a short time later with the latest burner phone in hand. "How do you think he will take it? Do you think he will want to come back?"
"Only one way to find out." Hank knew Nick's return may not be the best idea, but selfishly he hoped for it.
As Monroe started to dial the numbers on the keypad there was a knock on the door and he paused. The call to Nick would have to wait for a few minutes. Even though he knew it was Bud at the door, there were some things that they didn't share with their friend.
"I'll get it." Monroe handed the phone to Rosalee before moving towards the door. "Don't say anything to Bud about this. As far as we know there is no new information." Everyone nodded in agreement.
Monroe pulled open the door; ready to great their friend, who had remained fairly active in their lives the past few months. Bud was a sucker for April and Rosalee predicted that she would be one very spoiled little girl.
"Hey Bud …" The words died in his mouth at the realization that it wasn't Bud standing on his door step. Unless Bud grew a few inches taller, lost some weight and started to look a lot like Nick.
To be continued...