Sean looked down at the photos on his desk in concern. The reapers had made a mess of the two brothers that they'd found. He was still waiting on the ME's report to see if they were Verrat. Due to the fact that their hands had had an unfortunate misfortune of coming across an iron. He was hoping the ME could tell if there was a tattoo under the surface layer of skin. The fact that his cousin had been in Portland increased the possibility of Verrat. The question was why would reapers kill two Verrat and leave their calling card?
Going after Grimms were more their style, but were they after Nick or Kelly Burkhardt? Kelly was already, god only knew where, and these killings had just happened. He looked through the glass windows of his office to see Nick tapping away at his computer. He'd assigned Hank and Wu on the murders for the moment while Nick stayed at the station but he knew he couldn't keep that up.
Sean logged into his computer and went searching to make sure that his cousin had left and who had been with him. He looked up when Wu and Hank arrived at his door. He waved them in.
"So," Wu reported. "The two now deceased brothers flew in from Vienna with a group of ten people. Including the man that came to see you sir, Viktor too many names to remember. They have all left the country except for the two brothers-"
"And they won't be leaving any time soon," Hank added. "ME has found a drug that she doesn't know in their system, some type of sedative, and has looked into seeing if there is a tattoo on their hands without any luck. She thinks that there might be something there but not what the design is."
"They were killed two days before we found then," Wu mentioned.
"Two days?" Sean questioned with a frown.
"That's what the ME reports," Hank said with shrug.
They both knew that there were creatures out there that could preserve the body for that amount of time.
"They were well preserved for being dead that long," Nick added from the doorway and Sean waved him in. "I didn't notice any flies, now that I think about it."
"Yeah," Wu stated with a frown. "That's a little on the strange side."
"Portland strange or just strange?" Hank asked the sergeant and he shrugged.
"Back to the point," Sean cut in.
"Not much to go on, sir." Hank reported. "They came into the country with enough cash money so they didn't leave a paper trail and the motel was paid for by Viktor's company for the week."
Sean tapped the table in thought.
"Nothing on the killers?" Sean asked.
"A very rough image on CCTV that we think might be the killer and nothing else," Wu said as he looked at his notepad. "No witnesses, fingerprints or anything to trace."
"Ghosts," Nick muttered.
"No one heard two men being murdered?" Sean asked in disbelief.
"ME believes that they were drugged before being murdered," Hank said.
Sean frowned at those words, that was not the reaper's style.
"And no one found the bodies for two days?" Sean pressed.
"They had a do not disturb up," Wu reported. "The staff didn't smell anything and only found them when they went to clean the room."
"Keep on it," Sean told them. "And keep me informed."
"Right, sir." Wu agreed.
Wu and Hank left, leaving Nick and Sean alone.
"Does this seem a little strange to you?" Nick asked.
"Yes," Sean answered.
"Could there be a personal connection between the brothers and the reaper or reapers?" Nick mused. "Could they be working with another Wesen? One that could preserve the bodies?"
"Possibly," Sean mused. "The reapers could have followed them from Vienna. Any time a Royal is on the move it causes waves."
"Then why leave a Grimm calling card?" Nick added. "Would your cousin care if two of his entourage were killed?"
"Not in the least," Sean answered. "They would have just been his hired muscle. The confusing thing is the fact that the tattoo was obscured and the men were drugged. Unless that happened before the Reaper arrived but that still brings up why they were targeted."
They fell into silence as Nick leaned into the wall near the door.
"They could have left?" Nick commented. "You can't keep me chained to a desk until we know."
Sean nodded in agreement, Nick could look after himself.
"One more day then," Sean comprised. "Then you can go play with Hank again."
Nick just barked a laugh and gave him a grin.
"Thanks, boss."
xXx
"How does it feel to get out?" Hank asked as he drove.
"Better than looking at a computer screen," Nick replied. "Did you have fun with Wu?"
"That man has some strange taste in music."
Nick chuckled as they drove to a reported homicide with suspected domestic abuse. They pulled up behind a marked car and Nick glanced around. It was a plain neighbourhood with nothing that stood out. The houses were of a cookie cutter design with only a slightly different colour scheme to separate them out. By the twitching of a few curtains, cop cars weren't a common occurrence but by the fact there were no crowds, they were expected at the same time. They walked towards the front door when Nick's eyes were caught on a young girl on a swing set with a uniformed police woman close by.
"Hey partner," Wu greeted Hank with a lopsided grin and the man groaned. "This one seems straight forward. Husband has a long list of domestic abuse and it looks like he went one punch too far and the wife grabbed a gun. Her name is Shelly Martin and has been married to the victim, Daryl, for five years. Wife admits to killing her husband but has said nothing else."
"The child?" Nick asked and Wu flinched.
"Yeah," Wu uttered. "Her name is Violet and is four years old…she saw the whole thing, we have child services on the way. Wife is in the living room, under watch."
Hank and Nick walked into the house to see the body of the husband sprawled out in the entrance hall near the stairs to the upper floor. They toed around the forensics with care and through to the living room. A blonde-haired woman sat staring at the carpet in handcuffs with a policeman watching her. She didn't look up as they entered.
"Mrs Martin," Hank greeted. "My name is Detective Griffin and his is Detective Burkhardt."
The woman very slowly looked up and they could see the bruise already coming up on the side of her face. The red tint to her eyes and the blank look of someone pushed too far.
"We're just going to ask you a few questions," Nick added and nodded to the policeman and he walked away.
"I killed him," Shelly stated without emotion.
"Did he hit you?" Hank asked. "That's a nasty bruise."
"I killed him," She repeated and looked back down at the floor.
"Can you tell us what happened before you killed him?" Nick tried but the woman just stared at the floor.
Hank pulled Nick to the side of the room.
"I don't think we're going to get anything out of her," Hank whispered.
"Yeah," Nick agreed and looked over to the woman.
He couldn't sense anything around her or see another form as he focused. He would say that this was just a simple human case. Of a woman pushed too far by her abusive husband.
"I'll get the uniform to take her back to the station," Hank replied. "We'll get a shrink to look at her."
Nick gave him a nod and Hank walked out of the room. Nick approached the woman and crouched down in front of her.
"Mrs Martin," Nick broached gently. "We are going to have an officer take you back to the station with your daughter. Do you have any other children?"
The woman slowly looked at him and Nick frowned at that blank look. It was a look he'd seen on people high on drugs and yet not the same. He chalked it up to shock.
"Did you have any alcohol or drugs?" Nick asked, just to be sure.
"I killed him," She uttered.
Nick's frown deepened.
"Mrs Martin," Nick tried again. "We need to know if you have anyone that we can call or other children?"
Suddenly and without warning, Shelly yelled out before swinging her cuffed hands at his head. Nick quickly brought up his hands to try and block but he was already off balance and went down hard on his back. The woman screamed as she swung her hands around and Nick just tried to fend her off. He winced as the woman's nails scratched at his arms before Hank and another officer pulled her off.
They had to lift her off the ground as she yelled and screamed. She kicked out at anyone as two more officers ran into the room and grabbed her legs. Nick slowly got to his feet as Shelly just suddenly went limp. The four officers cursed as they laid her down as medics were called.
"What the hell?" Hank exclaimed and looked at him with large eyes. "What did you say?"
Nick just shrugged as he touched the side of his face and looked at the scratches on his arms.
"She just went nuts," Nick replied. "I asked if she had any other children or someone that she wanted us to call. I think she might be on drugs."
"We'll run the tests," Wu replied as he looked him over. "You might want to get those scratches looked at, it looks like you went a round with an angry cat."
"Thanks," Nick drawled.
They watched as the woman was lifted up and taken away. She was completely silent and unresponsive again.
"Did the husband have scratches?" Nick asked with a frown. "Or any defensive wounds?"
They walked back into the entrance hall and Nick crouched down. He looked at the body of the man over. They could easily see the cause of death as they looked at the nasty gunshot wound to his chest. From the placement of the shot, they knew that the man would have died quickly.
"No scratches that I can see," Hank remarked as he crouched down on the other side of the body. "Just the gunshot wound."
Nick pulled on gloves and picked up the man's right hand, his knuckles were reddened and split. He turned the hand and looked along his arm but couldn't see any scratches or defensive marks.
"Normally, I would say that this was a clean-cut case," Hank muttered. "Now, I'm not so sure."
"Maybe the tox report will give us something," Nick suggested.
"Hey guys," Wu announced from up the stairs. "We've found something that you'll want to see."
Wu showed them to the main bedroom upstairs. Nick froze when he saw the scythe in the back of the cupboard behind some jackets and shirts. He looked at that weapon and ran his eyes over the inscription and felt a chill run down his back. It was displayed on the back wall of the cupboard like a trophy. This just made the case more interesting, maybe the Reaper hadn't left town after all.
"I don't see any sci-fi stuff around here so it's not a prop," Wu remarked as he looked the weapon over. "The edge looks sharp as well, I wouldn't like this swinging towards me."
Hank and Nick shared a look.
"I'll call it in," Nick told him and Hank nodded.
Nick made his way out of the house and pulled his phone.
"Renard," Sean answered.
"So," Nick stated. "This case may be a little more complicated then we first thought."
"How so?"
"We have found a scythe," Nick reported.
"Reaper?"
"The wife isn't," Nick commented. "The husband could have been but he'd dead now. The wife did go crazy when I tried to talk to her."
"Are you alright?"
"Just a few scratches and a wounded pride," Nick answered. "So, normal really."
"Is the wife Wesen?" Sean asked.
"Not that I could see," Nick mentioned. "She's on her way to the station with her daughter. Maybe you can see more than I can?"
"Not without tipping my hand," Sean replied. "Call me if you get anything else…and Nick. Watch your back."
"I'll have Hank do that," Nick commented and Sean sighed.
"Try to stay out of trouble then," Sean amended.
Nick laughed and hung up and glanced around before moving back into the house.
xXx
Monroe looked across the dinner table at Nick then snorted. Nick glared back, the rumour of him being taken down by a slip of a woman had gotten out quickly at the station. The ribbing had followed and Nick's headache had only kicked up as the day had gone on. Hank had been quick to fill the others in on the altercation when they had arrived at Monroe's house for dinner. Nick had not been impressed.
"Don't start again," Nick snapped and Monroe barked a laugh.
"Still don't know how a slip of a woman got the upper hand on a big, bad Grimm." Hank laughed.
Nick groaned as he looked around the table and found no support there and he grumbled under his breath.
"She was quick," Nick defended.
Rosalee gave him a soft smile and patted his arm as Monroe and Hank laughed. Juliette looked a little put out but gave him a smile when he looked at her. It felt good to be around his friends again, not that spending time with Sean after they had spent time away from each other wasn't good. But it felt good as he laughed along with the others.
"Nick," Juliette broached when he went to step into the kitchen to help Rosalee wash the dishes. "Can I talk to you?"
"Ah," Nick stuttered as he held the dishes.
"I'll take these," Monroe offered and he palmed the dishes off to the Blutbad.
"In that case," Nick remarked. "Sure."
Juliette led him outside and they stood on the porch. Nick looked up at the thin moon hanging low in the sky and the forest across the road. He'd missed the smell of the woods as he stepped over to the two seats and sprawled out in one. Juliette hesitated before stepping closer to him and Nick tensed.
"Nick," Juliette broached, nervously. "I know that things between us fell apart and with my loss of memory and well everything else…"
"What do you want, Juliette?" Nick asked as he sat up in his seat.
Juliette paced away and Nick pulled himself to his feet and stepped over next to her. He placed his hand on her shoulder and she turned around.
"Look," Juliette said in a rush. "I'm sorry for what happened and I really like Monroe and Rosalee. I shouldn't have told you to leave and now that I remember everything and Hank said that you're not seeing anyone and I was wondering…"
"Whoa," Nick cried and held up his hands. "Slow down."
Juliette blew out a breath and looked up at him.
"Could we try again?" Juliette whispered.
Nick froze as he looked down into Juliette's face.
"Look Juliette," Nick defended. "Hank was wrong when he told you that I wasn't seeing someone."
Juliette froze this time.
"But he said that you weren't seeing another woman," Juliette said quickly.
"I'm not," Nick answered and Juliette pulled back.
"If you don't want to see me then just say it," Juliette snapped in anger.
"I am seeing someone," Nick stated and rubbed the back of his neck.
Juliette just looked at him as the anger drained away.
"Then you're seeing…" Juliette trailed away.
"A man," Nick replied mildly. "Which is why Hank didn't say that I was seeing someone."
Juliette just stood there and Nick was sure that she was in shock. This was something that he hadn't shared with Juliette even after all the years they'd been together. It wasn't something that he wanted many people to know.
"How long?" Juliette demanded. "When we were still together?"
"No," Nick replied.
"Do I know him?"
"Ah, yes."
They both fell into silence at that as Juliette looked up at him. He tensed when she reached out and touched his face.
"She got you a good one," Juliette remarked and Nick groaned.
"Don't start," Nick muttered and Juliette smiled.
xXx
"Okay, Nick." Hank snapped, "spit it out!"
Nick looked over at his partner in question after they'd left Monroe's house.
"You have been quiet since we got in the car," Hank remarked.
"Juliette," Nick explained.
"And?"
"She wanted to start a relationship again."
A horn sounded when Hank pulled down on the steering wheel sharply and he cursed.
"What!" Hank squeaked then pulled the car over. "That's why she was asking if you were seeing another woman."
"Yes," Nick answered as he ran a hand over his hair.
"Sorry, man." Hank uttered. "I didn't think."
"Cop answer," Nick muttered.
"Yeah, sorry." Hank offered. "So where am I taking you?"
"Sean's apartment," Nick said instantly. "Home."
"Yeah, okay."
xXx
"ID please," Phillip Bolin asked when they walked into Sean's building. "Photo ID, Detective."
Hank looked at the man as he showed his badge, which hung around his neck.
"You want to see photo ID?" Hank uttered. "Is a police shield not enough for you?"
"Sorry, sir." Bolin said, without sounding the least bit apologetic. "With the trouble we've had lately, we are taking photos of everyone's ID for our records."
"Just to let us into the building?" Hank demanded as Nick pulled his wallet.
"Just do it Hank," Nick told him as he held out his driver's licence.
"You live here and you have to show ID to get into your own apartment?" Hank demanded.
"Sorry, sir." Bolin replied. "Won't take a moment."
Hank slammed his ID onto the counter and glared at the security man. The man gave him a smile then looked at Nick and his eyes caught on the bruise and scratches.
"I haven't seen you for a while, Detective Burkhardt," Bolin drawled. "Did you have a fight with Captain Renard?"
"I don't see how that has anything to do with you," Hank snapped.
"The apartment is in the Captain's name, detective." Bolin stated with a smirk.
Hank glared at the man as Bolin took a photo of their IDs before handing them back. He pressed the button for the doors that led into the lift.
"Have a nice night," Bolin offered.
Hank stormed off and Nick followed after.
"That man is an ass," Hank snapped, once they were alone in the lift and on the way up.
"Yes, he is," Nick agreed.
"I hope he isn't like that with the Captain," Hank said with a smirk.
"Could you imagine if he was," Nick countered with a laugh.
"Oh, yeah." Hank agreed. "I bet that he would have him pinned under one of his brooding glares in no time."
They shared a look at that, since both of them had been pinned under one of those looks from their Captain. They stepped off the lift and Nick unlocked the door to the apartment.
"No more hotel rooms?" Hank asked as they walked through to the kitchen.
"Lucky," Nick answered. "Sean said he had a late meeting. Do you want a beer and to watch some TV?"
"Sure," Hank replied. "I've seen the size of the TV."
Nick just snorted as he grabbed out two beers.
xXx
Sean looked down at Hank Griffin sprawled out over his lounge, asleep and wondered how he'd come to be in this situation.
"I'd heard that a Prince can wake sleeping beauty from her sleep with a single kiss," Nick whispered in his ear as he wrapped an arm around his waist. "Want to give it a try?"
Sean snorted in amusement and looked down into Nick's smiling face.
"We don't want to scare the bloke to death," Sean countered, dryly and Nick chuckled. "Leave him there, he looks comfortable."
"And he'll freak when he wakes up and realises where he is," Nick added with a smirk.
Sean just wrapped his arm around Nick's shoulders and led him off towards the bedroom in answer.
xXx
Hank woke slowly to the sounds and smell of cooking as he laid out on a comfy but small bed and blinked his eyes open. He started badly and flinched back when he looked into the pale eyes of Sean Renard seated in the chair across from him with a paper in his hands.
"Good morning, sleeping beauty." Renard purred.
Hank may or may not have made an unmanly squeak and Sean's lips twitched up.
"Don't tease the man," Nick called out. "Not when he'd slept on a lounge and hasn't had coffee."
"Nick!" Hank yelped and twisted around to see Nick in the kitchen, cooking. "Oh, man. I'm having one of those surreal moments."
Nick grinned and flipped a pancake in casually.
"We'll feed you at least," Nick commented.
"And I won't even remark on the fact that we could hear you snoring from my bedroom," Sean added and Nick sniggered.
"Oh!" Hank exclaimed. "That is so not fair."
"Coffee?" Nick offered in apology.
