Chapter 11

Sitting in the cafe/coffee house in Old Town Portland, Nick was nervous. It was a first date after all. His off-handed observation to himself was, Well no wonder she left when I never treated her like she was something special. But in all fairness to himself, Nick had never tried to win Adalind over like he had Juliette. Never tried to be charming or a gentleman. No, he was merely sleeping with the enemy. He fumed inwardly at how backward he had been. First fall in love with the unintentional mother of your child, then lose her, and then finally attempt to win her. What a cluster?!

Nick had been stewing while he looked down into his water glass. Then he took a couple of deep breaths. It wouldn't do to be scowling when she got there. Looking up, he swallowed. Adalind had just entered the restaurant. It had been a very long time since he saw her in a dress, and he had forgotten how she affected men around her as any male, with eyes in his head, in view of her lingered over her appearance. Her dress was not the business fashion she used to wear, but a flowing cream material with an uneven hemline just above her knees. Asymmetrical, Nick thought the term was. How could he forget her legs, he thought as he took her in from the textured blue jacket to the strappy sexy wedges that complimented those legs. His mouth went dry with his reaction. Nick mustered a smile and a wave as she pushed Kelly's stroller over to the table.

"Hi," she said giving him a small smile in return. "Were you waiting a while?"

"No I just got here a few minutes ago. I'm glad you brought Kelly," Nick held her eyes as she sat. Adalind seemed a little confused by his comment.

"Of course. Why wouldn't I bring him? That's why we're here, right?" She started. What? Was that a jab at the only reason Nick might want her around was to see Kelly or stating a matter of fact?

"What do you mean?" he asked, but Adalind looked away and fidgeted with her cloth napkin, laying it over her lap. "Adalind?" he pursued. "I miss you. I wanted to be with you too."

"What for? You need someone to play house with? Make dinner, take care of things, and, if you've got an itch you can't scratch, take care of that too?" Adalind continued not sarcastic or snide, but sadly emotionless. What the hell was this? Where had all this animosity come from? Then it hit him. Sean! That bastard must be feeding into every insecurity Adalind had about their relationship to this point. This was Adalind trying to protect herself from being swept under the influence of a man she loved, but whom she believed couldn't love her back. This must be why she had been so resentful towards Renard in the first place. He had used her love for him to make Adalind do things, things she wouldn't have done otherwise. His Aunt Marie, Hank, and even Juliette's coma flashed through Nick's mind. That was Adalind under the influence of either Sean's manipulation or his disappointment.

Letting out a long sigh, Nick realized he must trod lightly or he would crush the Adalind he had come to know and love. "You're right. I have used you, taken you for granted. I was wrong," he started. Her eyes hesitantly met his in brief vulnerability before she looked down again. Nick looked over at their son who was asleep. That precious little being was only part of his heart's desire, but how to explain it right to this woman who had been chewed up and spit out by the only other man whom she had loved and trusted completely?

"The last three days have been a real eye-opener for me. I've been a jerk, Adalind," Nick tried to express with all sincerity. He saw her swallow, but she didn't look up, so he kept going. "So we were enemies in the past, that's no reason to completely ignore the present. Everything you've done and given up not just for our son, but for me. I'm sorry I didn't see it, didn't appreciate you," Nick said and she finally met his gaze in a steady look of hurt and understanding. A real smile dawned for the first time since she sat down.

"Yeah, we've got a lot of baggage," she replied as her smile became a crocked grin. Nick breathed in her change of attitude as a breath of fresh air. He had to get her away from Renard, if for nothing else than the fact that Sean would destroy what Nick had come to love about Adalind, her generous and brave heart for those she loved.

Kelly awoke and Nick looked over at his son, face flushed from sleep. "Can I take him out or would you rather I left him in the carrier?" He asked.

"Sure. I think he missed you," she supplied as Nick lifted Kelly out and settled the still sleepy infant against his chest. This! This is what he had taken for granted, Nick registered soaking up his velvety child and his beautiful mother.

"I couldn't live without him, either," Nick observed glancing down at the even respirations of his contented son and continued, "I can't believe I did that to you, took your reason for living. It was one of the stupidest things I've ever done." When Nick finally looked back up at Adalind, tears glistened in her eyes. Nick had never seen her cry, not once. He had left right after Adalind understood what his mother had been trying to explain to her at the precinct when they took Diana. Having to meet up with the rest of the gang to impersonate the resistance, Nick hadn't witnessed her reaction that day, but he could only imagine it. He found out later she had blown out every car window on the block in her grief. He had always taken that information with a nasty grain of salt, one mingled with hate and resentment. Now, he was sick to his stomach with the memory. "I get it, you know. I do. I understand why you have to get Diana back. I don't like the risk you're taking, but I know why you would risk it in the first place."

She blinked her tears away furiously. "You should take Kelly for the weekend. Tomorrow's Friday. I could bring him by the station around six with all his stuff," she suggested to Nick's surprise. "That is if you don't get called into work." It was a balm to Nick's rawness. Here, Adalind was offering another olive branch and a very significant one after their last few minutes' conversation.

"Thanks. I wish you were coming with him, but you've got Sean to contend with," Nick decided to share something that might make her smile bigger. "The captain thought he could just smooth things over with me this morning, but I took the wind out of his sails when I told him I'm transferring to another precinct because of what he's doing to you." A deliciously sneaky smile crept on her face that turned into a hardy laugh.

"He's going to loose his Grimm over the Hexenbiest that he sent to secure him that Grimm all those years ago," she snickered again. "All that dirty work I did for him was to keep you in line." She nodded and her look held gratitude as she said, "Thanks, Nick. That makes what I'm doing now a little easier to bear." Her phone rang. Looking down, she said, "Speak of the devil." Answering she said in an exasperated tone, "What do you want?..." Nick heard her bite return in force and smiled. "I'm having dinner. Is that a crime, Captain?!... Fine," she replied then ended the call abruptly. "The master beckons. I'll be so happy when this is done!"

"I'll be happy when you're home," Nick stressed.

With a questioning look, Adalind asked, "Are you sure about that? Are you sure you can live with another Hexenbiest? Two of them? Things are bound to get a little choppy."

"I know," he replied holding her gaze. "I don't care. I want you and Diana." Nick then helped since she was gathering Kelly's carrier and bag, preparing to leave.

"Sorry we didn't get to take our time. I could just strangle Sean sometimes," Adalind huffed.

"Thanks for the visual," Nick smirked and Adalind's chuckle sounded like music to his ears. He snapped Kelly's seat into her car and kissed him gently. Turning to Adalind, he craved more time. Looking down at her, Nick said, "I'm sorry for yelling the day you left."

"We both said things we didn't mean," she deflected.

"I never said I didn't mean what I said that day," Nick returned softly. Adalind looked away and he came close trying to meet her eyes. "I'm sorry for the way I said things." He lifted her face and put his lips softly to hers. It was time to proceed gently, he thought ending the sensual kiss before there was heat. "Bye, Adalind," he finished then walked away.