Hey there!

Sorry it took so long to update and I realize it's not super long, however real life (who is a cruel and heartless) snuck up behind me during the week and beat me around the head with a wet kipper! Hopefully things will start to level out soon, but in the meantime thankies for your patience and support, please continue to read and review xx.

Side Note: I feel I should mention this, although I think some of you will already know, if you're a fan of Grimm on Facebook and live in the US - they're running an awesome competition, check it out - makes me wish I lived in the states.

Disclaimer: I don't own Grimm - sadly.

Not long after he'd gotten home, Nick had come straight out again. Making his excuses of work to Juliette he'd hot footed it across town to Monroe's house in response to a call from an almost angry sounding Blutbad. Whatever it was, it could not have been good and he was right.

Not long after he'd arrived he'd found himself sat opposite a shaken Ellie, who proceeded to describe the phone call from Tom Steiner, whilst Monroe paced around behind her. Nick thought it was odd, he'd never really seen the clockmaker so tense before, usually he was so laid back. It was only after he'd been told several times, by both parties, to sit down that he did.

"Did he say he knew exactly where you were?" Nick asked, slowly, remembering how overly emotional the Godmother had become at the last round of questions. Ellie nodded, but then spoke,

"Yeah but I don't see how, I mean I didn't even know Eddie was here until yesterday so I don't see how. Maybe he just thinks I'm at home..." she paused glancing at the detective and pushing her glasses up her nose, "Sorry, I'm probably being stupid."

"No you're not. I told you to call me if anything happened and this is what I meant." Nick added softly, "What else did Tom say?"

"I don't know, just that... I ..." she paused again, her eyes beginning to fill, "I was a stupid whore who'd ruined his marriage and taken Cindy away and turned her against him and now I was gonna pay if it was the last thing he did..." her voice trailed off as her eyes stared down at her feet.

Monroe let out a low growl and Nick sighed. This was exactly what they'd all be hoping wouldn't happen, but it was. This Tom Steiner was out for blood. Excusing himself, Nick stood up with phone in hand and made a few calls into to precinct, telling them what Ellie had said and trying to figure out a solution.

Behind Nick, Ellie pulled her knees up to her chest on the sofa, tucking her head down. Monroe reached out a hand to try and comfort her, resting it on her shoulder. He wasn't sure what to do, he didn't really think he was very good at comforting. Normal relationships were a bit of a mystery to him and when someone was upset, he never really knew what to say.

"Ok, we've got a plan." Nick said, tucking his phone into his pocket, a grim smile crossing his lips. Ellie looked up at him, eyes red, waiting…

"Monroe, if it's ok Ellie will stay here with you tonight," The Blutbad nodded, "We'll have a patrol come past every couple of hours and anything unusual then call 911 immediately, but we think she'll be safe here because it's not common knowledge where she is. We're also going to have a patrol stationed outside your house, if they see him then that's it! Plus we've got people trying to trace the call so we can figure out where he is."

A weak smile crossed the Godmother's face,

"Thanks. I don't mean to be such a nuisance."

Nick moved across to her and knelt down in front of the sofa, looking into her face,

"You're not a nuisance, it's my job to protect you. I promise you, you will be safe here."

Standing up, he pulled Monroe to one side under the pretence of getting something from the kitchen.

"She will be safe right?"

"Yeah sure," Monroe nodded, "I promise she's not going anywhere and," reading the detective's face added defensively, "neither am I. Plus I put another deadlock on both the front and back door. She'll be fine."

"Alright, I'll come back tomorrow and check in if that's alright?"

"You're actually giving me prior warning? Wow that's a first." Monroe added with a wry smile. Nick rolled his eyes,

"Well if you're like that I'll come back at 7am!" he added as he made his way back through to see Ellie.

Monroe watching him talking softly to her, even reaching out a hand to comfort her. Part of him wished he'd made the effort to keep in contact with her, there had obviously been something seriously dodgy going on. Maybe that's why Ellie had stayed so close all these years, to keep Cindy safe from her husband, but then why hadn't Cindy left him? He sighed to himself, the workings of relationships truly baffled him.

Soon after, the detective disappeared and the pair of them were left alone again. Ellie was sat on the sofa, with her knees still pulled up to her chest as Monroe pulled dinner out of the oven. Insisting by text that it was his turn to cook, he'd make some stuffed peppers during the day and had put them into the oven just before Ellie had turned up. He'd turned the heat right down and they might be a little overcooked but they were still edible.

Putting them on the table he glanced over at the Godmother, who turned her face towards him. Another weak smile crossed her face but it didn't spread to her still teary eyes.

"Sorry I must seem really pathetic. I'm a grown woman reduced to some crying teenager." she said softly, gently pulling herself up and moving over to the table.

"It's fine." The clockmaker replied, seating himself opposite. Neither of them said much after that, the conversation skirted round the evenings events. It was late already, and afterwards the two of them ended curled up on the sofa together, reminiscing again…

"It's funny," Ellie said softly, resting her head on his chest, "You used to terrify me when we were kids with Grimm stories, but Nick is so nice."

"Yeah, he's a good guy." Monroe added, his arm around her. "Just a little new at the whole thing. Besides," he paused, gently poking her in the ribs making her wriggle, "You used to ask me to tell you those stories."

"Well you always obliged. But you're right, he does seem a little naïve. I think he almost jumped a mile when he first saw me."

"You don't know half of it, he turned up here next morning asking me about it… that's when I found out it was you… and about Cindy." he added, his voice tinged with sadness.

Ellie laughed softly, gazing up at him;

"So then you came found me at the precinct. Sneaky!"

It wasn't long after that the pair of them went to bed. Ellie bedding down on the sofa again and Monroe climbing the stairs. He had been reluctant to leave her there, but she had insisted and so he'd gone up to his own room.

Later, when he lay in bed, drifting in and out of sleep part of him wasn't sure he'd made the right choice but there was nothing he could do. Something inside his chest felt strange, but now wasn't the time to deal with it, he mused, rolling over.

…

Monroe was thrown from his sleep by a gentle tapping on the door. Immediately he wondered if something was wrong; if Steiner had called Ellie again.

Then the door slid open a couple of inches, and in the half light he could see Ellie's face peering round the door.

"Eddie?"

"Yeah? What's wrong?" he replied, sleepily, trying to comprehend what was going on.

"Nothing it's just…can I stay with you?… I can't sleep and I'm scared." there was a pause while she waited for his answer, in the silence you could hear a pin drop, then the Blutbad patted the bed next to him.

"Come on, it's alright."

He heard her pad quickly across the room, sliding in between the sheets next to him.

"Thanks," she said softly.

He'd thought she would stay on the other side of the bed, so he was surprised when she came right up next to him, snuggling into him like they were a couple and resting her head on his chest, her hand on his stomach and pressing her body right up against his.

It felt slightly strange, but for some reason not in a bad way and he surprised himself by tucking an arm around her to keep her close. Then he realised she was just wearing a vest and underwear again. That made him feel awkward. Why oh why did she have to be wearing so little?

The pair of them lay there, both silent but both awake, lost in their thoughts in the darkness. A few minutes passed and then Ellie spoke, barely above a whisper,

"I'm sorry about this, I really am… it's all my fault Cindy's dead, I should have done more to protect her."

"Are you crazy? It's not you're fault, you said you tried to protect her. You seem to have spent your whole life trying to make her happy." The Blutbad paused, "Didn't you ever try and make yourself happy?"

Ellie said nothing, her grip on his shirt tightening as if she was clinging to him for dear life. To Monroe it seemed like she was so lost, her whole life spent trying to make someone else's dreams come true, to give someone else a fabled happily ever after and now she had nothing. That was no way to live.

"Look I know I'm no expert but I know you can't spend you're whole life trying to make someone happy and not taking time for yourself. You have to make yourself happy first and then you can focus on others. I can't believe I'm giving a Geschenkgeber advice." He smiled, gazing down at the petite figure next to him. She looked up at him, a soft smile on her lips as she raised herself up slightly. Monroe could smell her soft scent. It smelt of cinnamon and vanilla and powdered sugar and coco powder, everything sweet. She was lying across him now, her body pressed on top of his, her face just inches above his own.

And then she kissed him.

It was gentle and soft, like her lips and the feeling that had sat in his chest stirred. It wasn't a long kiss but when she pulled away she stayed so close to him that he could feel her warm breath on his skin.

Monroe tried to make his face passive, but he was sure that a stunned look had crossed it.

"Ok…" he said slowly, confused …

"You told me to do what makes me happy," The Godmother replied, "This makes me happy, do you mind?" but it wasn't really a question about that one kiss, it was a question about many things. In his heart, Monroe realised he didn't mind, he never had done and never would do.

Another kiss.

This one was harder, more forceful. There was passion behind it, waiting to erupt and this time he returned it until it became one kiss after another. Hungry, deep, passionate kisses. Inside his chest, the feeling grew, it was instinctual, wild and lustful something he hadn't felt in a while. It pushed it's way out of him as he ran his fingers down her skin, pulling off her clothes and rolling her over, pinning her gently under him and gazing deep into her eyes, feeling her body underneath his as they let the darkness consume them.

Ta-da... is it time for an awkward turtle moment? That is the first time I've written (well published) anything like that so hopefully I have done it nice a tastefully. Please review xx