"Atoms let matter do funny things. To understand water, you need to know what its atoms are doing. Every molecule of water is composed of two tiny hydrogen atoms attached to a larger oxygen atom." Neil DeGrasse Tyson's voice drifts into my conciousness when the front door opens. Keys drop to the hall table, boots are kicked into place underneath, socked feet pad across the floor. Monroe's weight settles next to me on the couch, warm fingers stroke over my stomach.

"Hey, are you awake?" Monroe whispers.

"Yeah." I open my eyes slowly, smiling a sleepy smile up at him.

"Sorry I was gone longer than I said."

"Hmm?" I look at one of the clocks.

"You were asleep the whole time weren't you?" Monroe chuckles.

"I folded laundry first."

"You didn't have to." He leans down and kisses my forehead.

"You have to let me do something around here. Before I snap. I'll re-arrange all of the clocks and the fridge and I'll leave my laundry on the floor and I'll-"

"Woah, slow down crazy person. You can do the laundry." I laugh as Monroe helps me into a sitting position.

"Good."

"Are you hungry? Did you eat anything?"

"No and no. I really don't feel like eating anything right now. Plus it's a little late isn't it? I really just want to go to bed."

"Okay, sure." Monroe pulls the blanket off of me and folds it over the back of the couch, helping me up.

T-H-I-S-I-S-A-L-I-N-E-B-R-E-A-K-T-H-I-S-I-S-A-L-I-N-E-B-R-E-A-K-T-H-I-S-I-S-A-L-I-N-E-B-R-E-A-K

I toss and turn for what seems like forever before I give up, tossing off my blankets and leaving the room silently. I check my watch, it's one sixteen in the morning. Rubbing sleep from my eyes, I make my way to the nursery. I sit in the rocking chair in the corner and pull the laundry basket of unfolded clothes and diapers over to me, figuring I might as well do something productive with my time. Folding is repetetive and calming but with nothing else to do it's pretty boring so I talk to the twins.

"You know, we picked out all of these clothes for you two." I grab a pair of tiny jeans from the basket, "How are we even supposed to know if you'll like any of it." At this time the twins are at their least active and I don't even get a nudge in response, "Not like it matters right? You can't exactly pick out your own clothes. Hell, if you're anything like I was, you'll run around stark naked most of the time." I laugh and pick up a pair of socks.

I sit in silence for a while, folding tiny clothes and lining them all up in the dresser. I only look up from my work when a shadow passes the door.

"Monroe?" I set aside a jacket, "Monroe, is that you?"

When I don't get an answer, I stand, all senses going on high alert when there's a yell and a crash from downstairs followed by a series of curses and the sound of Monroe snarling. I run as best as I can to our bedroom and grab my gun, taking the stairs down two at a time. In the living room two bookshelves are knocked over and Monroe is in the middle of the mess of books and broken glass, struggling with a second figure on the floor. His face isn't his own and he's snapping and snarling at them, clawed fingers digging into their upper arms. Their own hands are wrapped around Monroe's throat, holding him back.

"Portland PD! Stand up slowly with your hands where I can see them!"

"No!" The person I now know as a woman shouts from under Monroe, "It's a Blutbad! Shoot it Nick! Kill it!"

I fire a warning shot into the far wall. Monroe breaks free of her grip on his neck, snapping at her with a renewed vigor.

"Monroe stop!" I stash my gun in the waistband of my sweats, moving to try and pull Monroe off of the woman. "Monroe please!" I tug on his arm all the while the woman is shouting at me, "Kill it!"

The sound of wood splntering comes from my right, Garcia and Anderson burst through the front door.

"Monroe! Stop!" I end up pulling Monroe off of the woman only with the help of the two officers.

"Monroe! Monroe." I wrap my arms around my Blutbad, burying my face in his chest, holding him tight.

Garcia takes no time to put handcuffs on the woman and lead her outside. I hold onto Monroe until he relaxes as much as I can expect of him in the situation.

"I almost..." He returns my hug, burying his face in my hair, "But I didn't want you to see that...and you told me to stop. You sounded so scared. I'm so sorry."

"Don't be sorry. You were protecting us."

"Nick! Are you alright?" Hank is standing in the doorway in his pajama pants and a kevlar vest.

Through the open front door I can see a dozen police cars, lights flashing.

"We got a report of shots fired."

I pull away from Monroe, removing my gun from my waistband. I hold out the weapon and my partner takes it from me, flipping the safety and setting it on the hall table.

"We're okay. A little shaken up and the boys aren't happy."

"I want to have Rosalie check you." Monroe goes upstairs for his cell.

I point to the far wall, "One of my bullets is over there. Have they taken her in already?"

Hank looks out the door, "Yeah."

"I want to go in."

"Not until you've been looked over. Rosalie will be here in fifteen minutes." Monroe comes back, wrapping an arm around my waist and steering me towards the kitchen where he sits me down at the table.

"He's right." Hank follows us, sitting across from me. "Do either of you know her?"

"No, I don't think I've ever seen her before." Monroe wanders around the kitchen.

"I didn't get a good look at her." I rub my stomach, trying to calm the frantic kicking of the twins.

"That's okay. You'll see her when you go in."

"How are you feeling?" Monroe sets a mug of mint tea in front of me.

"Better now. The adrenaline is wearing off."

"Good."

"I'm going to check with the officers." Hank stands to leave the kitchen.

I nod, staring down into the green liquid in my cup.