When I type it in italics that means usually it's a flashback. Sorry to the people who were confused by that!
"It's almost done, just has to finish cooking." Adalind looked around the setup they constructed for her to make the Verfluchte Zwillingsschwester.
Clearing out the middle of the hotel room for plenty of space so nothing went wrong. Nick had used one of the nightstands for the cauldron to be sat upon. She wondered just how much sleep he truly got because she awakened pretty early but he was already up.
She didn't want to say he had been looking nervous, but more of antsy.
Adalind herself was feeling a whole lot more than antsy, so many emotions to feel. She sometimes felt saddened, which transitioned to anger.
Sometimes she would feel empty of tears to drop, then sometimes she felt too full of them to hold in.
As of right now though. She was feeling a whole lot of hope, hope that would lead to prosperity at the end of all of this madness. She also was clinging on to faith for multiple reasons that she hoped the majority of them came out in her favor.
She had to have faith in getting her daughter back.
Faith in not losing her life in the effort. Faith that Nick wouldn't.
She had to ignore all the "ifs & probably not's" to keep a clear head so her focus was on precisely what it needed to be on, with no distractions, so she can contribute at her best to the task they hope to accomplish.
This meant she had to get that guilt pillaging her insides off her chest right now.
Which of course led her to have some trouble speaking, which is a rarity. She has been chiding herself all morning about this, if only she didn't take it in the first place, she wouldn't have had to deal with this.
She watched as he looked out of the window once again. He either looks out of the window or back at her cooking the potion.
It was a pretty cold day in Vienna, which Adalind was annoyed at because it felt like it was setting the mood. Especially for this impending, most likely argument between them.
Cold day, with a pale sky. It looked dreary & dank.
She looked over at the jacket now. The demise of the very small ounce of trust they somewhat built was all about to go to hell now because of that damn phone. She doesn't think the phone is a big deal even though they were only going to use the burner one he brought for whatever reason. She thinks it'll be the part when she says what she had planned to do will be the kicker.
Part of her wanted to just leave out that part of the reasoning for taking it but she couldn't. That be manipulating the truth by not telling all of it, which would mean she would be breaking the promise to Diana & herself.
She walked over to the side of the bed, picking up the jacket. Letting out a breath she legitimately didn't know she was holding. She moved her mouth to speak but no words came out, this be easier if he was already facing her instead of staring out the window again.
Then she got agitated at herself. You're about to get your daughter back from murderous, greedy lunatics. This is nothing. "Nick" Her voice was reserved. He turned around to face her now. She looked down at her jacket again then back up to him. She decided to not even say anything anymore, just unzipping the pocket now.
He was still standing in the same spot.
She bit her lip nervously but pulled out the phone slowly. Dropping the jacket & holding it up in her hand now. He just stared at it with a blank expression and then back to her.
Adalind was trying to find the right words to start with but she didn't know where to start with them or what to speak.
"I know." He said all of a sudden.
She stared at him from the distance they were at. She had a feeling her face probably showed a whole lot of emotions. Bafflement, and wonder, were the two that came to mind. Especially because that's literally what was going on in her mind.
"You knew?"
He took a second or two to peek out the window before turning back to her. Taking a couple of steps in her direction. "I did yes." He said calmly.
"But you didn't say anything?" She wasn't sure if she was asking it as a question or a statement. He shrugged a little. "How?" She asked. Trying to tell if he was upset or not.
"It was soon after we first entered Frau Pech's house in the first place" He began.
"What are we looking for?!" He called out in the direction she went as he walked into a room that he was pretty sure was a library with all the shelves of books on it. It almost resembled the spice shop's shelves in a way.
She didn't search too much in the kitchen so he assumed she must have doubted anything of note would be there. He glance back to see she was headed down a hallway to the bedroom most likely when he heard her answer his previously asked question. "A cauldron and a book that should say Zaubertränke on it." She exclaimed back.
He let out a short sigh. "Alright." He said to himself.
A book with the word Zaubertränke on it would be pretty hard to miss he accessed. He was by a place that resembled a library so he assumed he'll probably be the one to end up finding the book.
Adalind tweaked her head to the side a little. "I don't understand."
"Let me finish." He simmered at her.
He found himself being wrong in that thought process because he did a quick, but very detailed search over the library-like room he was in. Finding nothing much besides seeing a rice bag so nothing much that would help. Well, maybe not help, he did find a good amount of different concoctions & some interesting-looking liquids in some of the cabinets there.
So maybe he shouldn't speak too soon.
He did however see a few spellbooks & part of him was tempted to hide them just in case Adalind saw them. The last thing he needed was her learning any more than she already knew.
What she knew is helpful for now but in the future...She may end up being on opposing sides of him once again despite all of this. He had to admit he felt a little bad about the thought though. He knows he should hate her, but he sees her in a little bit of a different light lately.
He knows he probably shouldn't because any lapse in judgment with her may end up being a fatal mistake. The woman can cause hell with just a pretty smile & the bat of an eyelash. He dared say he be impressed if he wasn't always the damn victim of it. It's only been a day as well & she is a great liar.
But then again, she has been so out of it lately. He doubts she could fool him good enough to the ability she usually could or try to.
He walked into a room that appeared to be a spare bedroom by the looks of it. Letting his thinking of her still conquer most of his thoughts as he walked in.
It looked pretty sparse but he searched it anyways.
Poking around at the surroundings of the bed. A nightstand that only had a syringe in it. Probably a good thing he didn't know what that was for. There was a two-sided office desk with space in the middle for a chair to slide under in front of the window in the room. So he went over there to check next. The drawers were pretty slim, maybe only two & a half inches wide so couldn't fit a book & definitely couldn't fit a cauldron.
Well, he assumed it couldn't fit the book they were looking for, he should say. He has noticed that most of the books he usually sees now are rather large in this world he was introduced to by his Aunt Marie two, almost three years ago now.
As expected, it was a whole bunch of nothing.
With that being over with, moved to the closet. Lo & behold, there sat a cauldron right on the floor as soon as he opened it. He let a scoff escape him, even hexenbiest pull the cliché "put it in the closet to hide it" stunt.
He did however remember Adalind's warning of being careful what you touch. So as quick as he was about to grab it, was just as quick as the sudden hesitation to pick it up now. Looking around to see if he saw anything out of the ordinary or anything that appeared "Charmed" or "Cursed".
He did however realize it was pointless to really look. Only hexenbiest could see that stuff most likely so he just gave his best look around that his naked eye could see. Then hesitantly, but steadily picked up the cauldron. He stood for a moment to watch it, wondering if there was anything wrong with it, then what was about to happen?
Nothing happened so he relaxed.
Until he heard a fluster of what sounded like something flying through the air. He instantly snapped around to see what it was, ready to swing the cauldron at whatever it was, cursing at not being able to bring his gun on this trip.
As he looked out the direction he came from, he realized it was the window. He walked over with silent but steady tip-toeing steps. Snapping open the curtain to look out of the said window, he saw it was just two birds landing on a tree branch.
He paused for a moment.
Not sure if he was embarrassed by the fact he let birds startle him, the fact he almost assaulted two birds with a cauldron like it was a great battle soon to commence, or grateful nobody was there to witness that moment but him. At least only he could roast himself on that one.
Settle down Burkhardt he chided himself.
He lowered the cauldron now but took notice of the dresser he didn't search in the corner. Skipping over it since he went for the closet after the desk. Walking over because why not search everything in here?
It was natural instinct anyways. The detective in him. The last dresser in here anyways besides a few shoes around the bed was all that was left. He placed the cauldron on top of the dresser now so he could have both his hands free.
As soon as he opened the top drawer, he was met with the Apple logo. Seeing it was a phone now, he picked it up. He didn't know who this woman was & never saw her but he was a little surprised to see she had a phone like this, not just the landline he passed in that library-like room he was just in.
He picked it up & saw it was turned off, so he press the power button. Wanting to see if it even still came on or if it was dead. Which it wasn't because it did pop on.
27% It said. Barely any life left. It didn't even have a passcode on it & the call logs were all empty, excluding numbers that were labeled "no longer in service".
"Burners." He said to himself.
She probably used this phone for a few contacts & erased it repeatedly.
Turning it back off now, he had a thought about how he told Adalind no phones. The only one he brought was the burner he was given, he touched the outline of it in his pocket at the thought. He placed it down & thought about why he told her no phones.
She didn't ask too much when he said "no phones" which he was glad for. True, he didn't want anything from Portland that could connect back to any of his friends or Juliette in any way so he left it there & told her they shouldn't be making any calls back to Portland for everybody's safety. Just in case they ended up in a position with a phone and get captured, he didn't want the royals searching through it.
But the second reason that was really on his mind was that he didn't trust her at all. It was funny too because he truly believed & trusted the fact that all she wanted was Diana back. Problem was, she had much of no reason to not sell him out to the royals to do it. Sure he offered to help her & maybe if he knew her more he would know how much such an act mattered to her honor.
But all he has seen is a very distraught, hurt Adalind who has told him to his face that she would go to many lengths to get her back. Completely understandable of course but that didn't change the fact he needed to keep one eye on her. Not that he already hasn't but she was desperate & desperate people are willing to do a lot.
He couldn't fault her though because she just was doing what any mother would do. Which is anything for her child. He already saw an example of that with the fact she asked him for help knowing he rather her be in a grave at the time.
Dammit, she never made it easy. On one thought he thought about the evil she has done or tried to do in the past. The second thought was focused on what he had been seeing the past few days since his mother brought her to him. Somebody who was all about their child, none of her past transgressions or anything else that he usually has to worry about with her besides the banter.
This brought him back to staring at the phone.
If she got it, she could contact the royals & make some type of agreement to bring him in & let her stay. Would she trust them to follow through though? He doesn't know, she is desperate like he said before. He starting to now realize that he will be having to protect her from herself. She'll do anything for her child back which he couldn't fault her for, even if she deemed selling him out was a way to do it.
But she isn't thinking completely straight, she may get too reckless in this quest & screw herself over in the process. He then realized he better keep her in his eyesight even more now & placed the phone down on the dresser, picked up the cauldron then went to find her in the other room.
Nick finished telling her that part of it all, he may have thought about the memory but he only told her the parts she needed to know. He left out most of his thoughts on her that he had, and the birds. Definitely the bird's moment.
She bit her lip. "Oh. So that's why it was just sitting there." Adalind was disappointed in herself now that she thought about it. Had she been that off her guard she didn't find that weird that a phone was just sitting on a dresser. Yes, it was Frau Pech's home so it's not out of the ordinary but still. Should have triggered something.
She shook her head. "I still don't understand how you knew I took it though."
He laughed a little, he wasn't sure why at all. "Remember when we had to run from the murderous blade?" He asked her rhetorically. She tilted her head to let him know to continue. "It was when I picked up that chair"
As Nick through the chair with the blade stuck in it for the second he probably bought them. For that split second his head was turned that way, he saw the room from earlier. Seeing the dresser but he couldn't place why it should bother him. No time though as they had to escape the blade.
Which led to them being outside as they just escaped it. Nick almost got his eye stabbed by it when it came through the door in one last attempt to kill him.
He backed away from it & as his heart rate settled. The fatigue of the past days set in rather quickly. He had his hands leaning against the door to prop himself up, he wasn't even sure why his head dipped. Felt like he didn't even control it, that's how tired he really was & he just took the time to let himself recharge. Now his mind started thinking about that moment when he saw the room & the dresser when he through that chair.
Why did it catch his attention besides him being in there? The phone he remembers but still he put it back.
Then he realized, he never put it back in the drawer, he left it on top. He was mad at himself for being that sloppy. Wait but it wasn't there anymore, that's why it caught his attention. But if it wasn't there then...
He then remembered when Adalind had to go get the other ingredients for the spell. She must have gone to those cabinets where he saw all those liquids. Which means she was by that room. He remembered then when she came in to tell him she was ready, she had a rice bag, the one he saw earlier & it was tied by what looked like a strap.
A strap that was similar to one he saw on a pair of shoes in that bedroom. So that meant she did go in there. Which meant she saw the phone on the dresser, the phone that no longer was there now.
Fuck. Adalind took it. She was going to screw him over after all. He somewhat blamed himself since he was sloppy enough to leave that out. So much for "protecting her from herself" he mocked mentally. He now realized he is going to have to watch his back even more now. Right on cue though he felt her hands touch his shoulders.
He had to keep himself from startling at her touch as his mind just figured out what she did but he turned her way almost. "You okay?" She asked.
He was about to call her out for knowing what she did but then he heard that it sounded pretty genuine. Which was odd for someone who was about to screw him over. He held his tongue, deciding not to speak.
He then realized she had her hands on him. His shoulders actually, like she was trying to be consoling. Now that was odd for a few reasons.
One: She despised him, they may have agreed to not feed into it for the sake of her child but still didn't mean they had to pretend like they cared for one another. Yet earlier he was speaking about protecting her from herself & now she was trying to console him & asking if he was alright. She could just be making sure he was okay so she could trade him in though. He probably is worth more to the Royals alive than dead.
Still, it didn't feel that way.
Two: For someone who was about to fuck him over, she has not been acting like it as he just told himself earlier. Could just be a setup but being nice would set him off to know she was up to something & even though she was struggling to stay on her guard. She wouldn't be that sloppy. She was hurting, not stupid.
Three: This is probably the oddest reason out of them all. Why the fuck did he kind of like it?!
She awkwardly took her hands off of him though. He looked down from her hand now, the possibilities of everything adding to his fatigue. "Let's go." He said as he also grew tired of feeling the blood drip down his hand to his wrist.
He did however start trying to come up with the benefit-of-the-doubt scenarios for her in his head. Maybe he looked too fast & it was still there. He was on the run from a murderous blade at the time.
As he walked by her though he turned his head for a moment to see the room again from the outside window. Remembering how he slung the curtains open when he thought birds were going to attack him. But he could see in there from here now because of it. Well, it wasn't there, he felt some disappointment at the non-sighting of it. Whether it was because he was hoping she wasn't screwing him over or was it because he wish she wasn't at all and it kind of stung him inside a little that she was.
But he thought of something else.
What if she did see it but put it back in the dresser? That was still a possibility but he noticed in the side view mirror her looking down at her jacket pocket. Some would say that's a reach to assume but he didn't have the luxury of blowing it off as nothing. He did remember she had that weird bone key thing though. But that was in her other pocket he remembered.
He did however see a look on her face though. It looked a little like guilt. Maybe? He wasn't sure.
He decided he'll get rid of it when she fell asleep later than call her out on it when she noticed. He thought about doing it now but he didn't want her knowing he was on to her, that way she would think she was in the clear & wouldn't prepare for him knowing.
But on the drive back to the hotel, he saw how she was. She looked so troubled, flushed with so many emotions.
It was then that the slight anger of her most likely taking the phone was gone because he remembered what he said earlier. She was doing this all for Diana. Looking at her now & she didn't even notice because she was so lost in her pain-filled thoughts, he realized that. She may hate him, may not, but this wasn't about that at all.
She was going to do this for Diana. Whether it was the right thing to do or not by giving him up. He then started seeing how she needed some sort of distraction from it all so he decided he would provide that which he did.
However, though, he still was going to get rid of it if she had it. She can't trust the royals & she is vulnerable right now. This all would be for nothing he realized if she never even had it but that was the point of checking when she fell asleep.
He stopped speaking for now though. He watched her process the information he just told her. Well, what he decided to tell. He left out once again some of the thoughts he had on her at the moment. Leaving in how he saw her face look guilty or what he saw in the car.
That part looked like it affected her. When he said, she gave him a look of shock, but her eyes were so soft & kind as well. Maybe because he helped her have somewhat peace of mind & she was grateful for that. Well hopefully peace of mind, she did sleep well though so he thinks that he must have done enough for that at least.
"You really are a good detective" She spoke kindly as her eyes still looked. A small smile on her face that was sweet. "But you didn't get rid of it?" She said it as a statement but it was really a question.
"Well I had to check if you even had it at first"
He hadn't expected to have such a deep conversation with her moments earlier. Especially about his mother & Aunt. It caused him to space out for a little while. Feigning at trying to fall asleep but his mind was racing at old demons he hadn't banished from his past yet. He probably never will.
That is a scar he will never be able to get rid of even with his mother being alive. He was thrilled she was of course but abandonment is hard to get over. Aunt Marie was like a mother & she was unbelievable to him. But even when his actual mom was still alive he always felt like she passed him off to Aunt Marie most of the time. He was a child but he felt like a burden already.
He understood now it was for his protection but some things will forever just run deep in you. Whether it's good or bad. Painful or joyful. He wiped his face of emotion though, rubbing his hand down it slowly. He just knew his eyes probably were a little red.
He looked over & did realize she was asleep though. He stood up quietly as he could, taking gentle steps over to her jacket. It wasn't zipped up though & it was hanging out of her pocket. He doesn't think she called anyone though. She had the perfect time to do it when he showered & he made sure he could be in a position to hear her if she did.
She hadn't though.
He was going to get rid of it until he thought about what he was just being a little emotional over. Not having his mother in his life & how it felt to feel like a burden at such a young age. Like his mother would rather pass him off than have him. Like he said he understood now but when you're a kid, that's how you see it & how it will feel.
Diana was already a special child who he was pretty sure had some understanding already. So imagine how she could end up. That amount of pain could damage her.
He then figured, Adalind most likely was keeping this phone as a last resort if needed, well it wouldn't matter soon as they were going to go later in the day. But still, she could do it. He looked at the phone again then at her sleeping form. Remembering something he said to her earlier when she asked if he thought this plan would work.
"I don't think this plan is going to go off perfectly. I don't think it's going to be easy. But I know...I know we are going to get her back. I promise" He made a promise to her that he would get her back. He looked back at Adalind.
She has gone & is going through hell over & over again for Diana. He could tell now that this wasn't a phase either. That's who Adalind is. Well if she wasn't before, she is now that she had something to care about. Truly care about.
He looked back down at the phone again now. Remembering how his mom told him how important this child was, how she couldn't grow up in that castle. Nick didn't know much about the situation but every kid deserves the chance to grow up with a normal life & which was going to be impossible with her being a part of this Wesen world. But she damn sure didn't deserve to be manipulated into thinking she had to be something she never had a choice in.
He shoved the phone back into her jacket pocket. If before or at the end of all this, Adalind needed to screw him over to have Diana back, then that's what he would just let happen. Maybe he wouldn't get out, but he would have a chance to save himself later at least. Probably impossible but the Royals would keep him alive for information then maybe he could find a little opening at some point & make an escape. Unlikely but you never know.
Adalind was resourceful too, he was well aware of that. So even if she had to stay in the castle for a moment she would find a way out sooner or later. If she has a little inch, she is the type who knows how to take it a mile & he was willing to be that inch.
He didn't have the whole "this child is influential to time" stuff on his mind. He had Diana as a growing person & Adalind on his mind. As hard as that was to believe sometimes.
He walked over & finally tried to get some sleep.
Now he officially was finished telling her everything & this time he told her mostly everything that was going on in his head at that moment he was telling her about. She wasn't crying but her eyes had a teary glow to them.
The phone was still in her hand. "All of that..." She swallowed as if she was swallowing emotions. "All of that for Diana?" This is what Nick was talking about though. She knew it was for her too, but she only said, Diana.
"Yeah, doesn't really matter now though since you didn't sell me out...I don't think?" He questioned her. She just shook her head in a "no" form immediately.
"I felt bad about it, I really did." She said & Nick felt like she spoke through a lump in her throat. "I thought about it at first but then it was just supposed to be a backup plan if this went wrong and..." She took a breath & closed her eyes. "I don't know. It just, no one has ever-" It reminded Nick of last night when she said that but didn't finish. She moved her hand but no words came out.
"The part I didn't see coming though" He began & she looked up back at him. "You telling me. Why?"
"Because of a promise. I made it to Diana...and myself. I want to be a good mother. The only way to be a good mother is to be a good person though. I just never realized how much I ever wanted to be or if I even could be, which I'm still not sure about but I didn't until-" She stopped talking again.
"Just last night & some other things...people...leading up to it. Made me realize what Diana will need in her life & what type of people she should be surrounded by."
Nick surveyed her. He has never seen her so...well human before. He eluded to it earlier he remembers but when you get past all of her wrongdoings that she did for other people. Theirs a person in there. Who looks like she is absolutely beautiful inside but was surrounded by the wrong people & influences her whole life.
He finally accepted. He may have despised her choices. But he doesn't hate her. Not even sure if he can say he dislikes her anymore either. He doesn't know what yet, but he knows those probably aren't the words anymore.
"You can get rid of this" She held out the phone to him. Wiping her eyes with her other hand. He looked at it. Then back up to her & she joined his eyes as he did.
He walked up to her.
She thought he was grabbing it out of her hands but he enclosed both his hands around hers. Wrapping her hand around the phone because of it. "Keep it. May need it." He said tenderly.
She looked at the way his hand clasped around hers. Loving the warmth of it but loving the warmth of his simple words more for some reason. She didn't know how they were going to pull this off, but she wasn't going to be the reason something happened to him anymore. She however didn't know what was wrong with her arms.
It was like they had a mind of their own all of a sudden. They slowly inched forward. He looked down at them coming towards him & she could see the slight nervousness & the surprise in the way his body reacted. She leaned forward & finally wrapped her arms around him. Hugging him in what felt very awkward, very unexpected but very raw & real.
She slowly let her head come to his shoulder with the hug now, nervous even more now herself as she turned her head to the side. Letting her head rest against his shoulder. He didn't wrap her up yet though. He was tentative.
Eventually, though, he did. He felt like a breath was let out that he never knew he was holding & like a weight was softened on his shoulders. He rubbed her back gently, but firmly.
"I'm not going to sell you out" She knew they had already been over this but she felt like she should say it. Just because she never did technically. Her face felt stricken by this moment still though. Not in a bad way though, in an unreal way.
So much has changed in so little time & it kept not feeling wrong & that made it feel all the better.
Which made it stranger. But she liked it.
"You're going to be a really good mom Adalind." He said sincerely.
They separated slowly. She craned her neck to look up at him. Arms still wrapped around him, his still around hers. They heard hissing in the background though. Adalind balled up her lip for a moment. They both weren't even blinking anymore.
Both of them realize, there is no more hate. But there is something else. Not sure what it is, or they weren't ready to even try to understand it.
"It's ready" She finally said.
AU Notes: The flashbacks were based on Chapters 4 & 5 but I know you guys know that. I like to have minor details in previous chapters matter in later chapters like what happened here so watch out for that hehe!
Also thank you all for the reviews. I read them all & try to take into account all of your opinions the best I can! Also, love the fact that you guys aren't scared to offer constructive criticism. Hope everybody enjoys this chapter. Also hope my spelling was too awful this time Haha!
Eventually, when this story comes to an end, I'll address everybody who commented. Especially who did at these early stages of it.
Haven't written in a while & you all make me enjoy it again I have to admit. So thank you to you all as well for getting me back into an old favorite hobby of mine!
Lastly, hope this story isn't dragging or anything, it's about to pick up massively.
