Chapter 9

He's back

Grimm had a cane now. They did a number on his legs. Stephen told me that he and the guys attacked him. I'm still not sure how to feel about it. He walked a bit stiff. It was the welcome back ball. Briar wasn't sure how to plan this, seeing as the guest of honor was injured. So she made it relaxed and fun.

"Stop eating so much." Cerise took my cake roll.

"If I eat, I look busy and people don't bother you when you're busy." I took it back.

"She's right. You're going to have to see Grimm again." Raven hugged me.

"I don't wanna." I whimpered.

"I know." Cerise gave me some punch.

"Cocoa, I've been looking for you." Grimm found us. Why did we stay inside?

"Hi." I stayed put.

"I'm sure you have lots to tell me. Let's go for a walk." He reached through our triangle and grabbed my hand. Ow, my fingers. He took me out to a stone bench away from the crowd and sat down. I smelt roses and pine needles.

I coughed, "Uh."

"Why did you disobey me? It was very simple. You weren't suppose to see Mr. B. Nimble outside of his class and cancel the therapy." He waited.

"You're mean to me. I don't like you. Da- Mr. B. Nimble is nice and doesn't yell at me." I said with fading courage. It took a lot to say that to his face.

"I have been nothing but good to you! apologize right now." His face was red.

"No." I tried not to cower. Suddenly, my ankle hurt and I was on the ground. He hit me with the cane.

"That's it. I wanted Cocoa to say what she just did and go back to the party, but you had to hit her. YOU hit her." Stephen growled.

"Ah, you again. Are you going to attack me?" Grimm laughed.

"Mint, take her back to Raven or somebody." My character told his daughter. She helped me up and we went as fast as we could.

Stephen's POV

The guys had stayed behind and turned visible. Grimm paled. We'd let Sophie and the girls fight, but Cocoa needed them now. Our enemy cleared his throat.

"I can't fight. As you can see. Why don't we talk?" He sat up a bit straighter.

"The minute you pull something, all bets are off." I told him.

"I miss my daughter. She was a good girl. I loved her very much. I'm not sure why, but she started acting out..." Grimm surprised us with that.

"I don't like where this is going." Lok, my adopted brother, whispered.

"Me neither, but shh." I wanted to hear why he was crazy to try to understand him.

"... She started wearing short skirts and revealing tops. It was horrifying. We argued a lot after that. Then she ran away. When I got her back, I made sure she knew what the rules were. I have no idea how she died of poisoning, but she did." He finished. That couldn't be it. Ok, maybe it could, but I don't think so.

"And that's why you kidnapped Cocoa?" Lucas asked in disbelief.

"Yes. Why?" Grimm looked at us like we were dumb.

"I was wondering where your wife was." Lok said, his blond hair swaying with the frightened bouncy steps of its master.

"She had an affair so I killed her. I think that's when Marcy started acting out, too." I stepped back. He killed his wife.

"You... what?" Lucas's fingers edged toward his pocket knife. With a trembling hand, I stopped him.

"Can I hit him?" Harrison asked me.

"Go ahead." I told him. He hit Grimm with a weak punch.

"...I knew you were sick, just not that sick." Kurogane, my adoptive father, pulled Harrison back. The small boy could not resist the stronger, Japanese man's grasp.

"I wouldn't hurt him." Grimm faked shock.

"You hurt Cocoa because she wouldn't apologize." I reminded him.

"That was different." He honestly thought that was ok.

"You don't hurt kids. At all. Period." I was starting to get sick of him.

"She's almost an adult." He shot back.

"That's not the point. You made her afraid of you," He stared at me blankly, "We're not getting through to him. Get ready: 1, 2, 3." We all flipped him off and left. We'd tell Jack what happened and he could do something.

Stephen's POV End

"Grimm WHAT?!" Daddy yelled. Stephen came back as I told him that Grimm hit me with his cane.

"Jack, keep it down." Uncle Badwolf checked the door. He was let out because the Wolves heal quicker than normal people. We were on a balcony. The party was still going on.

"NO, I won't keep it down. He knocked Cocoa-bear to the ground because she wouldn't apologize for saying the truth." Daddy shot two long jets of flames into the air.

"Uh, we have something to tell to you." Stephen almost squeaked.

"Is it bad?" Daddy rubbed his temple.

"He told us he killed his wife for having an affair. After that, he said he had problems with the way his daughter dressed and she ran away. Then he "made sure she knew the rules were" and she died of poisoning sometime later or we think so." Stephen hugged me.

"You're fucking kidding me. BW, call the police. I can't even right now. I love you, Cocoa." Daddy stormed off.

"He just needs to cool off. It'll be alright. I'll get you cookies. Does that sound good?" Cerise asked.

"I want Mr. Dragon. And cookies. He's in the wagon. Here." I gave her my key. She took it and ran to my dorm.

"Hello? Yes, I'd like to report something." Uncle Badwolf hovered near the door. He didn't want me to hear everything that happened again. I couldn't go back to the party.

"You're cold. I'll make a blanket." Raven made a blanket out of magic. It was lavender, fuzzy, and had white swirls on it.

"Mine." I wrapped it around me. Today was ending bad. I hate today. Grimm was judging my work too hard in our writing class and then he took me from Raven and Cerise to yell at me.

Apple opened the balcony door with a glass of juice in her hand and saw us,"What in Ever After?"

"Raven, deal with that. I was talking to a student. She's comforting Cocoa. Where was I?" Uncle Badwolf asked the operator.

"Raven, what happened?" Apple asked her.

"Look, Cocoa's really upset right now..." Raven started when Cerise came back with Mr. Dragon and the wagon.

"I brought the wagon too. He's too big to run with. Apple!" Cerise growled. Then coughed to hide it.

"Tell me." Apple's face contorted with worry. I climbed in the wagon and snuggled with Mr. Dragon.

"You don't mind, Cocoa?" Raven asked me, not getting near me or the wagon.

"No." I sighed, wanting to sleep.

"Cocoa, where was the last place you saw Grimm?" Uncle Badwolf was still on the phone.

"Uh, he took me to a stone bench. Kinda off the path. I smelt roses and pine needles." I wasn't really paying attention.

"It's ok. I know where that is." He put his hand up.

"I'm back. What happened? Damn it." Daddy saw Apple and breathing in, he shot more fire into the air, now through his mouth.

"Why won't you tell me what's going on?" She repeated.

"Grimm abused Cocoa." Raven finally told her. Everyone was quiet as she processed the news. Her face melted from frustration to a mess of shock and fear.

"I don't understand..." She whispered.

"We don't either. But Cocoa's hurt and that's all I need to know." Cerise didn't mean it in a bad way. She meant she wanted to protect me and that she would.

"How long have you known?" She tried to calm down.

"Cerise's known for a few days, Raven and B-Mr. Badwolf've known since the fall carnival. I'm her counselor." Daddy told her. We heard sirens, the police had come.

"Come on, Cocoa. We gotta go. Stephen, will you go watch Grimm? We need to know where he is." Uncle Badwolf asked him. He started reading my stuff.

"Ok." He left, floating off the balcony. We went down to meet the police and they asked where Grimm was. Lok said he was in the forest. I repeated what he said and most of them went to go get him. Everyone was scared now. Why were the police here? I felt hot like it's a heat wave hot. I moved my blanket to my lap, but it didn't work. I got up to get some punch and tripped on something. I tried to get up, but couldn't and blacked out as the heat worsened.

Mr. B. Nimble's POV

"Cocoa? Ow." Dexter tried to help her up, but pulled his hand back after he touched her.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"I think she has a fever. Her skin's hot." He said. I touched her skin. It wasn't a fever. It was the Nimble Fire. All Nimbles get some variant of the Fire to protect them. It was a blessing given to us by the Good Witch because of the first Jack of 1920 started a forest fire and died. I don't know how to treat the Nimble Fire. I was young when my Fire started.

"What's wrong with her?" BW asked me.

"Her Fire started. The Nimble Fire is an ability that we get so we don't get burned. And we get some fire manipulative abilities as well." I explained.

"So, what're we gonna do? She's not awake." Cerise sniffed at her cousin.

"We go to the hospital. I'll call my mom." I dialed her number as I followed to the ambulance.

"Jack? What's wrong? You forgot to call yesterday. Jack Junior was so upset." Mom asked. Oh, shit. I drank so much, I forgot my nephew's birthday. Grimm coming back really stressed me out.

"Tell him I'm sorry, but I adopted a girl and her Fire's starting. Like right now." I could not get off track now.

"Oh! Are you going to the hospital? The first few days are intense." Mom said.

"Yes, I'm going there right now." I crouched to fit in the back.

"Good. I'm coming as soon as I find Jazz's fireproof clothes. Jane, your brother adopted a kid! A girl. Help me look for Jazz's old clothes." I sighed. Thanks for yelling that, Mom.

"Oh my god?! Really? Jazz, Junior, Uncle Jack adopted a girl. Her Fire started so we have to go the hospital." Mom didn't say anything about the Fire.

"Mom, I have to go." I told her.

"Ok. Bye bye, we'll see you soon." She hung up.

"You're going to fine, Cocoa." I held her hand.

"Ghh." She moaned. I didn't think this would happen to her. I didn't know it could happen. No one in the family has ever had to adopt someone before. I was born sterile. That's why Junior was named after me. He was going to be the next Jack, but now I have Cocoa. I'll see what she wants to do.

"Sir, come with me. You need to wait until the doctor can see her." We were here already? A male nurse led me to a waiting room. I sat down, wishing I could drink now more than ever.

Mr. B. Nimble's POV End