CHAPTER 10 – The New World(2)

Juliette sat uncomfortably as she waits for Hank to arrive. She can't believe that after three years she would reconnect with him but in this manner.

It all started so normal this morning. She had her coffee, she went to work, and before going home, she decided to purchase now the necklace she'd been eyeing for months. However, as if luck is so against her, two masked men with shotguns robbed the jewelry store and shot the guard.

The two robbers got away and the case was filed as a robbery-homicide. Luckily for her and the only other customer in the shop that time, they managed to hide on a corner and went unnoticed until the situation passed. But now, they are brought here to give their statements and stand as witnesses if necessary.

"I thought I'd seen it wrongly but it's really you." Arriving, Hank said.

"Hey Hank," she greeted back.

"Juliette, it's been a while."

Yeah, it truly had been a while. Three years, three years since that day. Until now she could still not understand everything. Where did they go wrong? Where did she go wrong? After everything they've been through, he'd left just like that.

It all started when his Aunt Marie visited and hospitalized afterwards, Nick started to change from that point. Then, when she was discharged, Nick ended things with her and went with his aunt.

It all happened so fast and the only explanation he'd left is that his family is cursed with something bad, violent, and to where he's going he can't take her with him. Juliette found it so ridiculous at first, found it as a lame excuse. But when he left without taking anything, his share of their house, their joint account, and the fact that he transferred all his shares of those assets to her, she was struck by a sudden dread.

During the years of their relationship, he'd been completely open to her but when it comes to his family, everything seems to be extremely vague paired with the fact that his parents died in an accident.

With that realization, could it really be that Nick and his family are involved into something extremely dangerous?

Just what kind of people are Nick's family?

"Yeah, it had been," she replied to Hank with a sigh.

Examining her expression, he breathed deeply and said, "Nick told me what happened. I'm sorry that it has to end that way but from someone who fully understands his reason, believe it if I say it that he truly doesn't have a choice."

Juliette's eyes widened and stared at Hank, "You know why he left?"

"Unfortunately I do," he said, his tone is bitter, and even terrified. "If I was the one in his position, I would truly not want to drag you to it."

Juliette sighed. Actually she didn't need that confirmation from Hank. She might not know the full detail but she knows that Nick wasn't just making excuses to leave her. He truly has a heavy reason.

When he left, she could not accept it and entertained other possibilities, like another woman. So she hired a private investigator a week after he was gone.

The verdict was no other woman was truly involved and it also confirmed that Nick had started dealing with several dangerous matters where attempts to his life and other threats of physical harms and involved.

From then, she truly began to fully distance herself from Nick and the people around him and moved on with her life. But right now, she's unwittingly dragged to this place where Nick is a vital existence.

"But enough of that and let's deal with this matter first," Hank dismissed, lightening his expression. "By the way, where's the other witness? According to the initial report, there were two of you."

Juliette involuntary shuddered at the mention of her. She could not understand it but the moment she first laid her eyes on her, she couldn't help but feel insecure. "I don't know but she should be on her way here," she glanced to the entrance and coincidentally, lo and behold, "Oh, there she is."

Hank followed her gaze and whistled, "Is that her?"

Yeah, that's her alright. Blonde, majestically dressed, ethereally beautiful. She's the kind of woman Juliette might have to spend the rest of her life envying.

She heard her name is Adalind.

However, she looked tense. She glanced left and right as if she's avoiding somebody.

"Well ladies, I just have to get your statements and you can be on your way," Hank said after Adalind sat beside her. "But, we might have to call you back later in case we needed something else."

Hank knew Juliette's full name so he skipped asking her and proceed to Adalind.

"And you name is?"

"Adalind," she said and paused briefly, "Adalind Burkhardt."

Juliette lightly flinched while Hank's typing fingers froze above the keyboard. "Burkhardt?"

"Yeah," she said. "Is something wrong? I'm sorry but I'm in a hurry. Can we get this over quickly?"

"Uhn nothing," Hank slightly stuttered his reply. "And of course. It's just that you have the same last name as my partner. Detective Nick Burkhardt." He said, glancing to his desk. "Are you by any chance related…?"

However, before Hank could finish his sentence, a mature woman's angry voice interrupted, "Adalind!"


'Fuck!' Adalind mentally cursed when her mother alongside Sean angrily stomped towards her.

When she woke up this morning, she thought the day will just be like the others over the last three years ever since she and Nick eloped. But no, fate has a fucked up sense of humor and concocted this present carnival where the people she didn't want to associate with are in the same place.

Seriously!?

Next week is her and Nick's anniversary and as a gift, she wanted to buy a new watch for him. So without telling him of her shopping, she went out and visited her favorite jewelry shop to buy the watch. Then today, of all the days in the calendar, is also when those damn robbers decided to rob that shop.

And guess who the only other customer there was the time it was robbed?

Juliette.

Her husband's ex.

As witnesses, they have to testify and of course, it will be handled by Nick's precinct. And, since a guard was shot and killed, it also fell to the homicide division.

Guess again who will take their statements.

Her husband's partner, Hank.

Who until now remains oblivious of her existence and that his partner, who is like a brother to him, had hid his marriage for two years.

To make matters worse, it is also today of all the days in the calendar that she forgot her phone at home. She can't contact Nick to tell him that she's here right now.

And that's not the end of it. To dump the situation from 'worst' to 'worst of the worst', her mother happens to also be here in the precinct. Adalind noticed her arguing with Sean in his office when she arrived.

She was hoping for a miracle that the giving of statement will be over before they could notice her. But alas, she was asking for the impossible.

Adalind immediately stood and distance herself from them.

"You finally show yourself after all these time," her mother glared menacingly at her. "Where have you been?"

"Away from you obviously," she retorted. "Three years would have made that clear."

Adalind's fury began to rise. She didn't want to confront them not due to fear but because she might not control her rage. In her past life, she'd loved them, dealt with their bullshits, but in the end, what they've gave her are heartaches. Worse, in her effort to please them she'd hurt Nick, repeatedly.

Nick wasn't the only one who bore great resentment to his former self. She too carry one for that 'her' who listened to these two, and unlike Nick, she wasn't given the relief of forgetting.

"We are not fooling around Adalind," it was Sean's displeased tone this time. "Do you have any idea how much trouble you've caused us?!"

"I bailed out, Sean," Adalind glanced to the bastard dismissively. "Not my problem now."

"Adalind," her mother closed to her and grab her arm. "Be reasonable," she threatened in a low voice. "You think you'll survive what's coming on your own?"

"You'll be surprised, mother," she replied in an equally low voice before forcefully freeing herself from her hold and stepping back to make distance again.

"Excuse me," Hank suddenly inserted, looking at Sean, "I'm sorry to intrude Captain but Ms. Burkhardt here is a witness to the robbery-homicide we were investigating and we needed her statement but whatever this is if it needed to be settled first, we will wait."

Sean frowned, his expression a mixture of disbelief and confusion. "Ms. Burkhardt? Who the hell are you talking about?"

Hank gestured at Adalind.

"You might be mistaking, her name is Schade not Burkhardt."

"Not anymore!" Adalind declared proudly, her gaze darting swiftly to her husband's desk.

The faces of everyone who understood her meaning froze. Their expressions masked with utter disbelief. And they would've stayed longer in that state if it weren't for the sudden arrival of a certain someone.

"Adalind?" Nick's worried voice said.

Hearing her husband's voice, the rage in her heart dissipated. Then leaving them still under their stupefied expressions, Adalind run to her husband's arms.


Returning to the precinct, this scene was even beyond the last thing Nick was expecting to confront upon his return. But as farfetched it is, it is truly happening.

His wife, for some reason, is in the precinct and surrounded by the last people on Earth she wanted to associate with.

"Nick," she run to him and wrapped her arms tightly around him. Her breathing is fast and her heart is beating loudly against her chest.

"Adalind," he soothingly rubbed the small of her back. "Why are you here?"

"I'm so sorry. I didn't want this to happen but it goes out of hand."

Nick's gaze immediately sharpened to the people in front especially to Renard and Catherine. "We'll talk about it later," he said softly. "Go home now. I'll handle it from here."

Adalind pulled away, looked up to him, and nodded.

However, before Adalind could comply, a new complication entered the fray.

"Nick! Adalind!"

He turned around and found Bud approaching, and tailing behind him are two huge burly men in black suits, each carrying a toddler in their arms.

'Oh you've got to be shitting me!' Nick wanted to curse and skin the Eisbiber alive. Adalind also made the same surprised and displeased expression.

Why did he bring the twins here!?

"Adalind, are you okay!? The kids told me what happened! Oh Nick, I'm so sorry this has to happen." Bud breathlessly said, attending back and forth between him and Adalind. "I am so ashamed. Don't worry, I'll fix this. I'll fix this!"

"Mayor Wurstner, calm down," Nick steadied his panicking friend, lightly holding his shoulders.

Bud stopped and breathed deeply. Then Nick glanced to the two securities that are carrying his kids.

"Why did you bring the twins here?"

"Oh that!" He exclaimed then lowered his voice, "They sensed that their mommy is distressed and ordered me to bring them here. I could not stop them. They threaten to turn me into a real beaver if I don't obey them."

Nick sighed. That being the case, Bud can't be blamed for this action. The twins both possess extraordinary powers that far surpassed the Kelly and Diana from the previous timeline so their threats to the poor Eisbiber are not empty.

"Down! Down! Down!" Both his kids demanded to the burly men, tapping their tiny palms against their faces.

The two complied, and their feet touching the floor, Kelly and Diana rushed to Adalind immediately.

"Mama! Mama!"

Adalind bent down and opened her arms to welcome their two little angels. The two then squeal with delight when their mother engulfed them into a huge hug. "Oh my babies, did you come for mommy?"

"Mama okay?" Kelly asked, while Diana said at the same time, "Dana, potet Mama. (Diana will protect Mommy.)"

"Oh, I'm sorry I made you two worry," Adalind said apologetically. "Mommy is okay now."

Assure that their mother is truly safe, their attentions immediately shifted to Nick, "Dada!"

It is now his turn to bend down and welcome them.

"Dada! Dada! We potet Mama! (Daddy! Daddy! We protect Mommy!)" The two bounced up and down in front of him.

"Yes, you two did well," he praised, lightly tapping their heads then pinching their little noses. "Daddy is very proud of you two."

"Yehey!" The twins rejoiced before staring expectantly at him.

Nick internally shook his head helplessly at their expecting faces. "And you can have all the ice cream you want."

"Yehey!" Their celebratory moods resumed.

He then carried Kelly while Adalind took Diana before handing them over to Bud's men. Nick then instructed to Adalind and Bud, "Treat them for ice cream and buy everything they point their fingers at."

Adalind and Bud nodded. After that, Nick kissed Adalind and the kids goodbye, "I'll see you all at home."

"Dada ba-bye."

But seeing Adalind leaving, Catherine snapped from her trance and angrily chased after Adalind. "Adalind, get back here!"

But when she was about to pass him, Nick grabbed her arms and pushed her back. "You're not going anywhere near my wife," he threatened.

It's been three years and all of his preparations are nearly completed. Having to deal with them today is unplanned but with the unexpected turn of events, it must be done now.