FINALLY!I am so very sorry it took me so long to update this, a big bang ate my brain and then things were bad in RL and then other things and etc. etc. and now I'm here and I'm updating and I hope to have this finished soon because I still haven't watched the second season since I am waiting until this is finished. I really want to watch the second season. There should only be a couple more chapters. I do hope that there are still people wanting to read this. Enjoy...

/ / / 11 \ \ \

Nick drove to the address Gracie had given him as quickly as he could; he was caught in that period before dawn when the roads were busier than they would be again until rush hour. He had had to force Elly to go home instead of coming with him and he'd sent a message to Hank to let him know that he was following a lead and might be late into the station. He'd asked Elly to call Hank if she hadn't heard from Nick in an hour or so.

Gracie hadn't been able to give him much information beyond where she was and that she needed help. Nick parked a block away from the address, checked his gun and jogged to the right building. It was a deserted warehouse, like the scene of the first murders and Nick slowed down as he got closer, his eyes darting around looking for any sign of Gracie outside of the warehouse. There was no one there so Nick headed for the side door that was already slightly ajar.

Nick took one, two steps in and Gracie appeared in front of him.

"He's gone," she said looking scared and yet determined. "But the body is still here."

"Who's gone," Nick asked though he followed behind her, looking around to make sure there was no danger.

As soon as they were out of the short passageway that lead in from the doorway Nick could see that they were alone in the large empty room even though there was a body lying on the ground in the middle of the room.

"The man who killed him, he was here. I was staying here the other night and I came back to get some things I'd stashed. He didn't see me, so I called you."

Nick turned on Gracie. "How well did you see him?"

"I could describe him to you."

"Was he alone?"

"Yeah," Gracie said and Nick felt like dropping down to the, rather disgusting, floor and just resting for a little while. "Just him and the man who is dead. I wasn't sure if he was already dead and then he made this sound. It was horrible, Nick. It was just after I called and then the murderer left."

"I need to call my partner, don't move," Nick said and moved slightly closer to the body. Gunshot wound like the others, definitely dead and nothing Nick could do would change that, he stayed away for forensics and called Hank.

"Nick, what's this lead?" Hank asked after a brief hello.

"I have another dead body," Nick said. "And an eye witness, we can get a description."

Nick told Hank the details of where they were and then called it in to the precinct and got the ME and forensics on their way. He was about to call Renard when his phone rang...Nick's pulse jumped when he saw the name but he hit the 'Answer' button and forced his breathing to slow.

"Captain?"

"I hear we have another body and a witness."

"Yes, Sir, a woman I have talked to before saw some of the murder, looks like the same MO but I haven't disturbed the crime scene."

"I'll have the sketch artist here within the hour."

"Sir," Nick said and it covered his acceptance, agreement and the end of the call.

"Where are you staying at the moment?" Nick asked turning back to Gracie.

"Here and there," she said.

Nick smiled at her evasive answer. "I need you where I can find you and safe. If I organise a place for you to stay for a couple of days will you stay there?"

Gracie looked at him shrewdly for a moment. "With you?"

"No," Nick said. "A female friend. It would look wrong if you stayed with me and were then our star witness. It's only if I can't get you into one of our safe houses."

"Didn't think you were the type," Gracie said. "I'll stay with her."

"Thank you."

"You should probably check though, those places don't have that many beds available."

"It's a person not a shelter," Nick said and pulled away to call Elly.

"Are you okay?" She asked immediately.

"Fine, another dead body but we have a witness and she can identify the male murderer."

"Male? Not your mother? Brilliant…why do you have 'do me a favour' voice?"

"Well…" Nick said and smiled into the phone. "She is homeless. Do you remember me telling you about Gracie?"

"I do," Elly said ending the sentence in a way that told him to keep talking.

"This guy is killing Wesen and she's seen him. I think she needs to be in protective custody but I'm not sure if Renard is going to agree."

"And…"

"If he says no, could you please take her in and keep an eye on her for a few days."

"Does she need an eye kept on her beyond this murderer?"

"No, she's a good person, just on the streets. I wouldn't send someone like that to your house."

"No you wouldn't," Elly said. "But I spent some time very close to living on the streets and unfortunately it is a possibility."

"You? Really?"

"Before I decided to become a Wieder," Elly said. "It's not important at the moment. I'll make a stew, come over when you're done even if she doesn't need to stay here and I'll feed you instead."

Nick laughed and thanked her. When he hung up and turned back to Gracie she was watching him closely.

"So," she said. "You and Juliette broke up?"

"How did you know?" Nick asked.

Gracie smiled. "Just a hunch, she is willing to take me in?"

"She is a good person. And she's making stew."

Gracie laughed and moments later the door opened and Nick turned to find Hank walking into the warehouse.

"Gracie, this is my partner Hank," Nick said nodding at his partner.

From what the forensics team and the ME said the body seemed to be the latest in the series of murders. The sketch artist arrived back at the station so Nick left Hank to the preliminary work and took Gracie, after stopping for some food, there to sit down and describe everything she could remember.

Nick and Renard had a quick meeting about what Nick knew and where they were going with the overall investigation. Nick didn't know what to say to Renard, he didn't know if he should mention something, should he drop the word regent to gauge Renard's response? There were so many possibilities and Nick didn't know what to say or do so in the end he was awkward and the conversation ended with Renard looking at Nick funny and Nick trying to work out the subtext of everything that was said to see if he could get a firmer grasp on what a Regent did. Nick walked away from the conversation not entirely sure what he had said to Renard but he did have a slight headache and was not sure what Renard was thinking.

Renard agreed that Gracie needed protection, and agreed to Hanson going as well, so Elly was off the hook. Nick drove Gracie to the safe house while they tried to find out who the newest murder victim was and how he related to the Samuel Bertram case and the other murder victims.

Nick and Hank worked until after dark.

"Hank, Nick," Renard said from behind them and Nick jumped, knocked a folder off the table with his elbow and then spun around to look at Renard with a wide eyed stare. He berated himself when Renard frowned at him.

Nick could handle Wesen and criminals with guns but he wasn't maintaining his calm and composure now. Nick knew he needed to wrap his mind around what Renard's new position meant to him and to do that he would need to confront Renard. Nick knew he could not do that now so he needed to push it out of his head until he could get some time alone with his Regent.

"Sorry, Captain." Nick said and paused for a second to take a deep breath before he did something else to embarrass himself.

"It's fine," Renard said. His eyes flicked to Hank and back. "I think the two of you should go home, start fresh tomorrow."

Hank stood up. "Yes, Sir."

Nick nodded and waited for Renard to step away before he dropped down and started to pick up his papers.

"Are you okay?" Hank asked and crouched down to help him.

"Just tired," Nick said with a quiet smile. "I'll go-"

Nick stopped and grabbed his ringing phone.

"Hello? Hey Elly, it's late you don't need to…yeah I do but…what I'm saying is…right, I'll be there soon."

Hank was smirking at him when he hung up.

"She made stew." Nick said by way of an explanation.

Hank laughed as he stood up, put his jacket on and continued laughing all the way out the door.

Nick drove past his house on the way to Elly's, even though it was out of the way, and found no one home. He sighed and continued onto Elly's knowing he would be fed and she would convince him to crash in her spare room because it was late. He smiled when he opened her door; she was on the couch watching something in German. He showered and came back down in some of the clothes he kept at her house. As soon as he sat down she handed him a beer and a bowl of stew.

"Thank you," Nick said before he settled.

"What happened?"

"I have no idea what to say to Renard, and I am not sure how to act."

"What are you going to do?" Elly asked.

"Tomorrow, when there is a moment, I am going to say something. I would like to wait until the case is over but I don't want my mother to be gone if I have more questions."

Elly handed him a second beer and changed the channel to something Nick could understand. Nick fell asleep on the couch halfway through whatever they were watching and when he woke up in the middle of the night there was a blanket over him and a large glass of water on the table in front of him.

/ / /