Disclaimer: *Sighs* Nopes. I went to talk to our dear Terry to ask him if I could own the Brothers Grimm because I had a few ideas. In the beginning, he was very enthusiastic, but when I explained what kínd of ideas I had... Well... He kind of got a huge nosebleed, then a heart attack, and was dragged to the hospital by his security guards. So now I still don't know if I do or do not own them... Which is a pity.

A/N: Okay, here I go being all pathetic... But please, please review! Reviews make my day so much better! Tomorrow I get my school grade thingy, you know, after your exams, and I'm being all stressed out... Please distract my mind with some reviews to this chapter! I'm begging you... *Puppy dog eyes*

There were moments Jake wished he had never promised the mayor to depart at dawn, because dawn meant morning and morning meant early rising. At half past five in the morning, to be precise, Jake and Will were both standing on the still dark square of Gottingen, rubbing the sleep out of their eyes. The previous day had gone by without too many further arguments: Will had found his brother asleep, tangled in the sheets and with his glasses fallen off the bedside table. Carefully, the blonde had returned the leather book to its owner by placing it in his brown travelling bag: Jake would certainly notice it there… Plus what he had done with it.

Jake, on the other hand, now tried to be as nice as possible to the younger Grimm, although there wasn't a reason for it because the latter didn't give him the same treatment at all. Will decided to take advantage of Jake's weaker state and ordered him to clean and clear their room, saddle their horses and pack their luggage. Jake listened obediently, much to Will's satisfaction as his mood got a little better when he could close his eyes for a while as Jake worked. It was way too easy to get Jake in his pocket.

But then, of course, he too had to come out of his bed, and so it happened the Brothers Grimm were shivering in the cold gloom of an icy November day. Jake glanced at his brother, who was now stretching his back. He wondered why he didn't shout at him anymore, or hit him like he always did. Perhaps Will was still tired, or just too angry to talk to him. He guessed he would never know.

Jake closed his eyes shortly and clumsily pushed his glasses back up his nose. Oh yes, he had found his book in his bag, but he had been too scared to open it, assuming or rather fearing Will would have burned most pages. He decided right there he would only open that book again for a good reason, for example when a new story was told in another village. Now he could try and use his memory to see what to make from the Case Of Gottingen – that's how he had named it secretly – and the mysterious… Thing.

'Jake?' Will's wondering voice disturbed his thoughts. He turned to him, nearly dropping the brown bag as his motion was just a little too quick, but steadying himself and smiling as convincible as possible. The blonde shortly frowned, but then asked: 'Shouldn't the mayor have been here a long time ago?' Jake's face straightened. He had no idea. 'Oh. I can't remember he was co–'

'Good morning! What a beautiful day to hunt a monster,' the deep, happy and very familiar voice of the mayor rang. When the brothers turned their heads towards the sound, they saw the man wobbling towards them in a black suit, completed with a red reindeer shawl, his cheeks puffy and red from the cold. Will cleared his throat. 'Very beautiful, indeed,' he mumbled, looking up at the grey sky from which rain could start to fall every minute.

Jake's eyes, too, wandered towards the cloudy expanse of air. He faked a short grin as the mayor himself glanced at the shades of grey and replied: 'Yeah, it's… Perfect.' A warm smile welcomed him – only it was not from the person he desired to see that smile: it was not his brother's.

'Good, good,' the mayor said in a rather nervous voice, but he anyway flashed his teeth to the Brothers Grimm, grinning. Then he asked: 'Are you sure you want to do this? It would mean a lot for me and the citizens, of course, but we wouldn't want you to risk your lives…' What a nice man, Jake thought. He was even concerned about him. If he would've been like Will, he wouldn't give a damn.

'Yes, we are very sure,' he reassured the man once again before Will could speak. 'Trust me. You can put your faith in the hands of the Brothers Grimm. Besides, what are lives for if they can't be risked? We shall not disappoint you.'

2