"I had to inform my mother about everything." Captain Renard informed Nick through text. "She heard that Adalind was pregnant. Our two families have been friends for generations. Knowing that Adalind had had a crush on me for years, my mother became suspicious. I gave her your number. She's going to be calling you to discuss her involvement in the baby's life."
"Adalind is the one who has the say in those matters."
"I thought it would be wiser for you to bring the topic up with Adalind, and then you can inform my mother what Adalind wants."
"Spineless bastard." Nick mumbled to himself.
Believing that the best way to bring up a touchy subject was to have delicious food available, Nick decided to bring home all of Adalind's favorite foods.
Of course Adalind, being a person of high intelligence, knew something was up right away.
"Alright, Grimm, spill it."
Giving a heavy sigh, Nick braced himself and said, "Sean's mother Elizabeth wants to be part of the baby's life."
It was Adalind's turn to sigh. "She is the baby's grandmother. I guess it would be cruel to shut her out, just because her son is a royal bastard."
Elizabeth called Nick the following day.
"Is there a time when I may speak with Adalind?"
"Adalind's willing to have lunch with you. I'll give you her number and the two of you can set it up. Just please remember that she's been through a lot."
"You as well, from what my son tells me."
"What exactly has the captain told you?"
"That your girlfriend left you without a single word as to why. Leaving you to handle all of the responsibilities the two of you shared. You had to deal with a broken heart while handling your duties as a detective and as a grimm. He also told me that Adalind found out Sean had been sleeping with her mother, as well as other women, within minutes of witnessing her mother killed. And that you and Adalind have been taking care of each other ever since she stormed out of his office after he didn't respond properly to her pregnancy announcement."
"I guess I should be glad he was honest about his own bad behavior. But I'm a little annoyed at how much of my personal life seems to be known by everybody."
"A grimm taking care of a pregnant hexenbiest is an extraordinary thing. The two of you are a marvel in the wesen community. The fact that the baby isn't yours makes you a rarity among men."
"A lot of wesen assume that the baby is mine. And Renard thinks it's best if no one says any different. He said that it's safer for the baby, and for Adalind, if his father's side of the family doesn't know that he's fathered a child."
"In this case, he's right. Infertility is common in the royal family. They might not hesitate to take the child and claim it for themselves."
"I would kill every single one of them if they tried."
There was a darkness in Nick's voice that made Elizabeth certain he was speaking the truth.
Sean had told her he believed Nick was falling in love with Adalind. By the sound of how protective he was of her, Elizabeth didn't doubt that there would be no one in the world safer than Adalind and the baby she carried.
Threw a series of texts, Adalind and Elizabeth arranged to have lunch together at a cafe.
Adalind wanted Nick to be there. Elizabeth knew she was on shaky ground, due to the antics of her son, and so was willing to give into any request, so she would get to spend time with her grandchild.
Because his friends were nosy, Monroe, Rosalee, Freddie, and Hank joined Nick at a table a short distance away from Adalind and Elizabeth's.
"That woman seems really young to be Cap's mom?'
"The benefits of biester magic." Rosalee said. "They have spells, potions, and other things to keep themselves looking ageless. It's one of the few things about them that other wesen envy."
"Don't ask what some of those spells and techniques are, or you won't sleep for a week." Freddie visibly shuddered. Then he looked at Nick. "On the plus side, you know you'll always have a beautiful wife."
"Although separate bathrooms might be a good idea." Hank suggested. "I'm pretty sure I would still be married to my third wife if we had just had separate bathrooms."
"You could always get her a place like your trailer." Monroe pointed out. "A place for her to perform her hexenbiest beauty regiment without you seeing all of the gory details."
"I'm a cop, and a grimm. I think I can handle gory stuff. Plus, Adalind wants me with her when she has the baby. After seeing her push a person out of her body, I should be able to handle her doing anything."
Except for leaving him. Nick didn't say it out loud, but he was already certain that he wouldn't be able to handle Adalind wanting him out of her life. He was too fully invested in their life they had built together. He would go insane if that fell apart.
"I'm not going to blame you or punish you for Sean's mistakes. My mother is dead. I haven't heard a word from my father since I was four. Nick's parents died when he was twelve. You're the only grandmother this baby has. And there is a lot of wisdom you can pass on."
It didn't escape Elizabeth's notice that Nick and his side of the family was already considered part of this baby's family.
"I want my baby to be surrounded by love. So as long as you can be respectful of how I decide to raise this child, I want you to be a part of their life as much as possible."
"I would like that," Elizabeth smiled warmly. "I know what it's like to have others trying to control your or your child's life. I also know what it's like to fear for your family's safety. So if there is anything you need, I can help."
Adalind's eyes moved to where Nick was sitting, and the two exchanged smiles. "I am well protected. At least at night. I have a grimm who will kill anything that gets through the door."