I forgot this in the first chapter and this will count for all remaining chapters – I don't own Van Helsing or The Brothers Grimm. If I did I probably wouldn't be writing this right now. This chapter is dedicated to Lady Nessa and MagRowan for putting this story on their favorite and alert lists. Thanks! And of course, to my editor and friend, DrkHrtWritr27.
Will laid in bed, staring at the ceiling. The trip to Rome had been quite long and he was exhausted, but he couldn't sleep. The room was foreign and sinister looking from the long shadows that were cast across it by the full moon as it peaked through the thick, black clouds. Will missed his old room. He missed his old life. The one with Papa and Mama and Lottie. The one where Jake was just a mush-brained baby, who didn't know the difference between beans and money.
Not like he did now, though.
A bolt of lighting sliced through the sky, and the deep ringing of thunder soon followed.
Will watched it with wide, solemn eyes. Back home he and Jake had shared a room. Little Brother had always been afraid of the lightning, and would crawl into bed with Will. The elder brother put a stop to that habit after Lottie's death and Jacob hadn't complained, but Will could tell he wanted to.
As another flash of lightning came, followed almost immediately by thunder, the door of Wilhelm's room flew open and Jake came dashing in and leaped into bed with his brother.
"What do you think you're doing?" Will asked sternly, glaring down at the lump in his bed where his little brother was.
Jacob's head emerged from under the sheets and he looked up at Will with glossy eyes, which were somewhat dulled by his glasses. "The lightning," he began, "It scared me. I…I know you don't like when I come in but…you know…we're not in the same room anymore. And…and we're in a new place. I'm scared."
The last part was said in a whisper as small tears began sliding down the younger boy's face. Will sighed and rolled his eyes before giving Jake a hug.
"It will be alright, Jake," he comforted, "Nothing is going to happen to us. Mama and Papa and Lottie are watching us. And Carl and Van Helsing and the others are here, too."
Jake sniffed and snuggled closer to Will, who put his arm around his small shoulders. "I miss them." He admitted softly, refusing to look his older brother in the eye.
"I do too."
And with that the two Grimm brothers settled down in bed and watched the lightning cut across the sky, hugging each other in hopes to keep the other with them just a little longer, so they wouldn't be left alone.
And that's how Carl found them the next morning.
Wilhelm's hair was tangled and sticking up and Jacob's glasses were sitting in an awkward position on his small nose. They were wrapped in the other's arms and that made Carl smile. He knew they wouldn't admit it, but they really did love each other.
The Friar gently bent down and shook the eldest awake first. "Will," he said softly, "Wilhelm, wake up."
The boy groaned, but his eyes slowly opened. He scanned the room, taking in his still-new surroundings.
"Is it morning already?" he asked, trying not to yawn.
Carl nodded. "Yes, it is. I'll come back for you two in fifteen minutes and than you, Jacob, Van Helsing, and I will go out for breakfast. So please be ready!"
Will nodded dutifully and began waking up his brother as Carl left.
"Jake!" he yelled, "Wake up!"
The younger Grimm woke up with a start and fell out of bed.
"What? Where's the fire?" he asked, whipping his head around to find the source of the commotion.
"You have fifteen minutes to get ready or you get no breakfast," Will said sternly, trying to imitate their mother, "Now scoot!"
With that, Jacob hurriedly got up and scurried into the hall to his room.
In fifteen minutes, both boys were ready to go. Within moments, Carl and Van Helsing entered Will's room. The Friar looked ecstatic, a wide grin split his face and he seemed to be glowing with happiness. Van Helsing looked like he always did—emotionless.
"Tell me again, Carl, why exactly do I have to do this?" Van Helsing asked, not caring about hurting the boys' feelings, as he seemed to have done.
"It's a special bonding occasion!" Carl said bubbly, "If we're going to be, in a way, working together, we should bond! I thought spending the day with each other was the perfect way to do that!"
The three looked at the Friar with bulging eyes.
"I thought you said we were only going to have breakfast with them!" Van Helsing complained.
The Friar blushed. "Well, a little more time couldn't hurt. Come now, boys, let's get going."
The Grimm brothers followed Carl obediently, as did Van Helsing.
"Why me?" Will and Van Helsing whispered at the same time.