CHAPTER 5 – The First Distortion(5)

2031 Nick and Adalind will be gone for three days for their anniversary. Initially, they would have taken leaves from their jobs to fulfill it but with the arrival of the most unexpected visitors from 2011, Kelly and Diana had given a very interesting suggestion to their parents.

"We will fill in for them while they're gone?" Adalind gaped when Diana dropped it to her and Nick.

"Yeah," Diana said, making a very amused expression. "You see we're now on the final details of how to bring you two back to your time. But, since it will still take us a couple more days to accomplish that plus we will still have to wait for Mom and Dad to come back in order to perform it. We thought why not put the two of you on their shoes for the remaining of your stay here. You know, for fun and sightseeing."

"I know no shit about being a DA," Adalind complained.

"So am I," so does Nick regarding being the Chief of Police now.

"And for three days," Adalind added. "That's absurd."

"We also looked," Nick paused for a bit, "not quite aged, don't you think?"

"Don't worry, we'll hold your hands all the way through."

"You're really enjoying this," Kelly remarked abruptly, slowly shaking his head.

"Oh shut up," she retorted to her brother. "Like you aren't."

"I at least pretend that I don't."

"Do we even have a say in all of these shenanigans?" Asked Adalind, interrupting the sibling's argument.

"Do you have anything else better to do?" Diana countered. When she failed to reply, Diana turned next to Nick. When he gave the same response, she said. "My thought exactly."

"Fine, fine, have it your way," Nick said, sighing in defeat. "I just want to get out of this fortress for a change. It's been days."

Due to the seriousness of their circumstances, save for the time that Diana had brought 2011 Adalind outside, their 2031 versions had forbade them from leaving their fortress of a mansion. Both of them are getting sick and tired being stuck in this place.

"Alrighty!" Diana merrily clapped her hands. "Follow my lead."


Filling the role of his future self was a lot of hardwork than Nick could have anticipated. As a homicide Detective, all he has to worry about are evidence and suspects. As a Chief of Police, his responsibilities extend now to overall public safety and political connections. The latter was the biggest pain but thankfully, Bud Wurstner, the Eisbiber repairman, turns out to be the current Mayor of Portland. In the long run, he became a member of his circle of friends and using House Varia's money and influence, his future self arranged for Bud to become the new Mayor.

"You still here?" Hank asked upon entering his office.

When he arrived in the precinct and found Hank there, he was elated knowing that he succeeded into saving him though Diana, who's beside him as an apparition, guiding him in this life, suggested to not react in such a way since it's already 20 years overdue reaction.

Another thing, Hank and Wu were already into the Wesen business. Recap from Diana, he spill the truth to Hank a few months later from when he came from and then to Wu, a year or so after Hank's. Since then, their band of mischiefs had been composed of him, Hank, Wu, Monroe, and Rosalee, with Adalind joining later on.

They are sometimes called the Scooby Gang by their children.

"Yeah, I still need to finish something," he replied.

"Aren't you supposed to fetch the wife in 30 minutes," Hank frowned.

"Tell him, 'Yeah, that's why I'm in a hurry." Diana instructed him to say which he did.

Hank just nodded.

"You have something for me?" He asked next, noting that he came here for a reason and not just to remind him of his dinner appointment with Adalind.

"Jarold was approached by an old friend and his daughter. They're Spinnetods. The daughter is about to enter the return of age in a month or so. They know you built a system for that but are hesitant to approach you directly."

The fate of the female Spinnetods was just cruel. Every 5 years, they are forced to kill in order to live normally. It's tragic enough for the woman itself but it's far more tragic for Spinnetod parents that have a daughter.

That's why when the Nick of this timeline acquired the money and power, he built several systems in Portland which aid the Wesens that are just trying to live a normal life against their racial struggles. One which is the Spinnetod Penalty.

Instead of killing random innocent people, 2031 Nick arranged a system in which during the female Spinnetods' return of age period they will be executioners for the death row convicts and the criminally insane.

They're bound to die anyway, so why not die for someone else's sake.

"I'll give the penitentiaries a call. See if they can schedule three next month."

Hank nodded and then left.

And it's scary. His partner, or rather his former partner, is not even disturbed talking about this thing. They just discussed about killing three people and Hank didn't even bat an eye. His expression remained straight the entire time like he's just asking to help his friend's kid enter a certain program or club.

"Still processing how ruthless you'd truly become?" As if reading his thoughts, Diana remarked.

Nick sighed, "I don't have 20 years like my future self."


Meanwhile, Adalind was initially having the same type of days as Nick but experienced a 180 degrees change when the afternoon came where the work on her firm started. This is the job she is familiar with and this time, she's the Boss.

When she arrived though, a male employee who is obviously new and unaware who she is tried to hit on her when she went to the vending machine. It didn't progress though beyond the rejected first invite for an after work drinking as he was dragged and reprimanded by the Supervisor.

"Are you out of your mind!?" The Supervisor exclaimed to the guy. "Do you know who that is? That's our Boss, Adalind Burkhardt!"

Adalind flinched a little being surnamed 'Burkhardt'. Another cringeworthy reminder of who she is in this timeline.

Nick Burkhardt's wife.

That title is far more notorious in the Wesen community than her being a Hexenbeist.

However, her reaction to that is nothing compared to the reaction of the guy that hit on her. All of her firm's employees are Wesen and all of them are completely aware of that their Boss' status as the wife of the most feared Grimm in the planet. The guy started crying, panicking, and even attempted to approach her again to apologize but the Supervisor stopped him again saying, "Don't make it worse!"

It didn't help too that at 4:30PM Nick came to fetch her for a supposed dinner. The guy had probably said goodbye to his family and wrote his will.

"What's funny?" Nick asked with a frown when he entered her office and caught her chuckling.

"I just realized that as far as authority and reputation goes, being married to a Grimm has a lot of perks," she told him.

"Well, that depends on the Grimm," Nick gave this reply though, digging into the facts. "2031 Nick Burkhardt has money, power, and influence unlike most Grimms that are typically nomads."

"Still, if I'd known, I should have focused more stealing you from your girlfriend than listening to my mom."

"You succeeded eventually, so there's no point regretting that."

"Oh yeah I did," Adalind said in a teasing tone.

"Aren't we going now, honey," Nick said with difficulty accompanied with a low growl.

"It's babe," she corrected. "I'm the one who calls you honey."

"Fine, babe. We have dinner."

Adalind giggled. She might mean the entire world to the Nick of 2031 but the Nick she knows isn't there yet. Armed with the fact that he'll be stuck with her in the future and for the rest of his life, she couldn't help teasing him whenever the chance presents itself.

"So shall we go?" He offered his hand, inviting her.

"How sweet," she kissed his cheek, accepting his hand.

Nick cringed a bit from the touch and they headed to their dinner. The restaurant their future kids arranged was a blend of Texan and Italian so it has the finesse of the latter while delivering the quantity of the former. The perfect dining place for those who can afford the fancy but are not used to it which is exactly what Nick is.

The dinner went well. Satisfying food-wise but uneventful overall. It was supposed to be a dinner between husband and wife on their anniversary but those people aren't them, at least not yet.

They tried to open a conversation, both attempting to probe into what they had eventually liked on each other that they ended up tying the knot years later. But they can't or rather, they're unable to. Their future selves might have found love in each other and they will be them eventually but as of now, they're two people that just days ago had tried to kill each other.

They left the restaurant after finishing their courses and some wine and are both ready to return to the Burkhardt mansion.

However, when they left and are about to head to their car, they coincidentally encounter a familiar face.

"Juliette?"

"She's Eve," Adalind corrected Nick immediately when he called the teenage girl 'Juliette'. He's not wrong though but he's not entirely right either.

"Eve?" Nick mused. "Sounds familiar."

"She's Kelly's girlfriend." Diana had told them about her during their first day here.

"Oh!"

"Hi, you two must be the younger Nick and Adalind," Eve greeted.

"You knew?" Nick was surprise.

"Kelly told me," she said. "I'm even helping bringing you guys back."

"You really look like…"

Nick started but Eve interrupted him, "Like Juliette? Of course I am. I'm her daughter."

Observing Eve, Adalind was inwardly impressed. She's very good presenting lies and makes them sound like facts. Diana had told her about what happened to her, at least the brief overview.

Juliette turned into a Hexenbeist because of one of her shenanigans and her original personality died, giving birth to Eve. Originally, she has the complete visage of Juliette but a Cronosian had reverted her to her teens which had been more appropriate to her actual age according to Diana.

"Juliette's daughter? But didn't Diana say that Kelly only dates Hexenbeister."

"I am," Eve proclaimed. "My Dad's side."

Nick asked a few more questions which can't be helped, thought Adalind. Nick is asking details of the current life of the woman who technically he is still with. However, they remained within the parameter of not probing too much and it is obvious that Eve was also oriented to this by their kids. Despite her stories being majority made up, she shared within those parameters. But when Nick finally asked how is Juliette is now, Eve sadly said, "She's gone. 11 years ago with my Dad. Car accident."

"I-I'm sorry to hear that." Nick tried to keep his composure but it's obvious that he's devastated to find out that Juliette is dead in this timeline. At this moment, Nick completely stopped asking. After all, this is the reason why they'd agreed with the restrictions in the first place.

"Let's head back now," Adalind finally voiced out.

Nick nodded then looked at Eve. "It's nice meeting you."

Eve smiled. "Take care heading home."


After that night meeting Eve, time flashed and three days had already passed.

2031 Nick and Adalind returned from their trip and the solution to return him and Adalind back to their original timeline had been completed including a memory erasing spell concocted by Diana.

Thus now, here they are, back in Bremen Ruins where they will pass once again through time and space. And along with their future selves and their kids, Monroe, and Rosalie, Eve was also here to send them off.

"Here, take these," Diana said, handing to them a pair of vials containing a bluish concoction. "These are the memory erasing potions. After drinking it, you will forget everything you saw here."

Nick stared at the vial and sighed. Taking this, he's taking away the chance to take a different path. The path that does not lead to Adalind.

He liked this future, he really do. And knowing the truth from 27 years ago, well 7 years ago from his original time to be exact, he has a lot of catching up to do to make it up to Adalind once the time comes that their romance rekindled. Like what his future self said, he failed her.

"Can I ask you something before we take this?" Adalind said to him.

"What is it?"

"Let's just say that what if our future selves are not asking us to forget, would you let things set its course, the course that will lead you to me? Or, would you do everything in your power to change the future?"

"I really don't know," he said after a brief silence. "To be honest, the biggest reason probably that I'm willing to forget is that the history that created this future will lay the path for me and I don't have to make a choice."

Freewill and decisions are good but sometimes, they could weigh a man down and Nick, given what he'd managed to uncover though partially from this timeline, is unsure whether he has the courage to make the choice.

"You know what, I was thinking the same," Adalind admitted. "I don't know if I have what it takes to carry that kind of burden."

"I'm still wondering though what it would feel like," Nick paused and looked at her. "Loving you."

Adalind smiled. "Guess we'll know in four years."

"You two ready?" At that moment, Diana called their attentions.

To the same spot where they arrived in this timeline, 2031 Nick stood there holding his magical staff.

"So that thing can also do time-travelling stuffs?"

"It does," said 2031 Nick. "In fact, the first thing it did for me as its master is to redo and fix a certain timeline."

"I'm curious but I'm not gonna ask," Nick said. "I have a feeling that it's a long conversation topic."

"It is," 2031 Nick admitted. "Now, could you two please stand over there?" He pointed onto the same spot where he took Adalind's power. "I'm gonna return you two on the same moment that you left in 2011. The potions Diana made will take effect fully 5 minutes after consumption. Within that time make sure that you two had parted ways. For safety reasons."

2031 Nick was staring solely to Adalind during the entire length of his explanation, obvious that all his worries are for her.

"Now, drink those up."

Nick and Adalind opened the vials and drank its content.

The moment it entered his system, Nick immediately felt the gradual fading of his memories. Starting from his arrival, to meeting Rosalie, and are heading now to the memories of his future self and his family.

"Wait, I have something to say." By that same time, Adalind rushed and grasped Adalind's hands. "Listen, uhm, things when you get back aren't going to be nice and, you will be alone through all of it. But, as much as it might about to break you, you have to stay strong. And, when you find your happiness, hold onto it and never let go."

"You mean never let him go," Adalind indicates at Nick.

2031 Adalind smiled, "Sort of like that."

"I will."

"Addie," 2031 Nick called to his wife. "The clock is ticking."

"Okay," 2031 Adalind nodded and let go of Adalind. "Have a safe return."

His wife parting from them, 2031 Nick then raised his staff and a black swirling portal appeared behind them, unceremoniously swallowing them.

SWOOSH!

There was a brief but total darkness after that and when his surroundings reappear, they are still in Bremen Ruins but this time, the ambiance of the place is far more familiar.

They are back in 2011.

"Are we back?" Adalind asked, her eyes scanning their surroundings.

"Yes," Nick replied, utterly certain. Looking around, there are still traces of their previous wrestle. Even their physical conditions reverted back including the blood stains on their lips.

"So…I guess I should be on my way now," Adalind said uncomfortably.

"Yeah, that's a good idea," Nick agreed. The potion's effect is nearing closer and closer to full effect and when it does, they both know that the animosity against each other will kick in again. "Adalind wait…"

However, when she was about to leave…


Back in 2031

After making certain that he'd sent them to the right place and the right time safely is only then that Nick's tense mood relaxed.

"Everything went well?" Everyone curiously and nervously asked.

"Yeah," Nick nodded. "They're back just fine."

All sighed in relief with Monroe being the loudest.

"Let's go home."

Then, Diana suddenly exclaimed. "Wait Dad!"

"Yeah?"

"Here, take this," she said, passing him a vial. "You too Mom." To Adalind as well.

"What is it?" They both asked.

"It's the antidote for the memory erasing potion."

"Why are you giving this to us?" Nick wondered.

"Well, after that forgetting each other thingy from 27 years ago, I know you wouldn't want to forget memories with Mom ever again. So I made these." Diana explained. "It will negate the effect of the potion your past selves drank earlier or rather, 20 years ago."

Nick's eyes brightened with understanding. "We will regain our memories of that time-traveling trip?"

"It will," Diana assured with a smile.

"Alright then." Nick opened the vial and drank its content. So did Adalind.

Fragments after fragments of lost memories instantly returned with great clarity. He remembered the adrenaline of arriving here, the revelation that he's in the future, the shock and horror of finding out that Adalind is his wife, and the deep shame and regret knowing that he'd abandoned her several years earlier.

Then there were their times here together. Their children forcing them to stay in the same room despite their objections, their disgust of their future selves over the top display of affection, and then to that awkward dinner they have during their anniversary.

All of it returned to him.

However, there's another memory that wasn't part of his stay in the future. Instead, it was a memory during their return, the last minute or so before their memories were completely erased.

Staring at him lovingly, his wife said, "So our first kiss really was here."

"Adalind wait…"

During that night, when their memories of the future was about to fade, he rushed to her in the last minute, took her face to his hands and kissed her.

It was uncomfortable and nerve-wracking back then and the act was simply a final scratch on a curiosity. But despite that, he never regretted doing it.

Their first kiss.