Chapter 20 Adalind

She lay in bed, unable to fall asleep, despite feeling weak and drained from taking the suppressant. Adalind was now committed to Nick's help because she could no longer help herself, and for some reason, that wasn't as scary as she had anticipated. Still at that moment the door opened, her fear of Nick returned, as he stood backlit by the hall light. "What happened with Juliette," she inquired quickly. When he didn't answer right away, she continued more agitated, "She drank it, didn't she. It worked. I saved her and now you're here to get rid of me." Adalind tried to scramble to a safe distance from him.

Nick just shook his head and sat down on the bed next to her, "Adalind I'm not going to hurt you."

"Well, why not. If she's better then, wouldn't you want me out of the way?" Adalind was trying to figure out what made Nick tick. Why was he so noble at times and not at others? Then she recalled that this Nick didn't remember his old self.

"First of all, Renard is alive. He's very sore after being shot with about twenty rubber bullets, but he'll survive. Juliette, however, was not at his place. I don't know where she is right now. I called her twice but, we're not exactly on good terms right at the moment, so no she hasn't taken the suppressant. Second, do you really think I could ever hurt you?" Was that pain in Nick's eyes for Juliette or another reason, Adalind tried to comprehend. Nick sighed and once again lifted his eyes to hers, then Adalind understood how unfettered this new Nick was from their twisted past.

Feeling the need to bridge the gap between them further, she said, "I'm sorry I left you defenseless when I took your powers. If it makes you feel any better, I've been paying for it ever since." Then looking down at her belly, she caressed it lovingly and continued, "Not all the consequences are unwelcome, just inconvenient."

"Yeah, Karma has a little name we like to call her and she's very good at her job," Nick replied. Startled by his words, Adalind glanced up to see a mischievous twinkle in his eye. Nick Burkhardt was teasing her, not being snide or taunting, just plain playful teasing. Registering this new side of him that she was completely unaware of, Adalind realized this must be Nick at his core without all their baggage. She smiled, liking him for the first time. Watching her rub her stomach, he asked, "Can I feel him again?" She nodded. "I understand I was involved in stealing your daughter. I'm very sorry for that," Nick continued. She couldn't help but see his sincerity. "If I knew where she was, or how to reach my mother, I would reunite you. I hope you know that." Adalind drew in a quick breath. Never had she dared to hope for so much from Nick, of all people.

When he reached out and touched her abdomen gently, Nick glanced up again to meet her eyes. Adalind had never experienced these unguarded green eyes that made her look away and swallow. She didn't deserve such trust and openness as she saw there. Feeling ashamed, she couldn't meet his eyes again. The big bad Hexenbiest was speechless. Adalind felt absolutely rotten for all she had done to him, made worse for the fact that he couldn't remember. "What other things have happened to you?" Nick asked again when she didn't answer, "You know, you said you've been paying ever since you took my powers?"

Finding her voice, she supplied, "Well first of all, Victor played me. Obviously he didn't have Diana, but he put me up to taking your powers to get her back. Then when I showed up at his door, he had me thrown in the dungeon of the Family's castle there in Austria."

"Wait, you were in a dungeon?" Nick inquired with a look of consternation.

"Yes, pretty much for the moment I arrived in Vienna. Victor was trying to squeeze every bit of information I had about the resistance out of me. I was tortured basically. Almost drowned, made to run a maze like a rat, but the worst was when I believed I held my baby and it was actually a piglet," Adalind finished shaking her head.

"I had a vision of a dungeon," Nick started in with a focused gaze. "I was in the hospital right after losing my memory and my head began to feel like it was splitting open, that's when I saw it. Stone walls, old and moss-covered, and an ancient metal door. Oh and rats everywhere," he finished. Adalind sat shocked, remembering her vision.

"That's why I saw Monroe in a hospital room," Adalind reasoned out loud. "What could it mean?"

Nick took her hand, and for once Adalind didn't withdraw. He said, "I think we're more connected than either of us might have realized." Nick was warm and it alarmed her that it felt good to let him keep her hand. This was totally uncharted territory.

It was much later that night when Nick returned to Bud's. After what she had just shared with a Grimm, Nick no less, of course Adalind was wide awake when she heard a commotion in the living room. As she emerged from the bedroom, she heard Nick ask, "Where's Adalind? I need to talk to her."

"About what?" She inquired coming into the room. Hank and a young woman with short-cropped dark hair were there also. Adalind had seen this woman once before at Nick house, on that day that she could never live down. However she didn't have time to dwell on that further as she registered a dark, haunted look on Nick's face.

Taking a couple breaths, Nick said reluctantly, "The Royals have Diana."

"What?! I thought she was with your mother," Adalind's stomach dropped. Her baby girl was in Kenneth's evil and ruthless hands.

"My mother's dead," Nick responded in a clipped, hard voice

"Kelly's dead?!" Adalind swallowed a lump in her throat for the woman who both helped and hurt her, but ultimately gave her life for Diana.

"Oh Nick!" Bud exclaimed.

With as lost an expression as Adalind had ever witnessed on his face, Nick continued, "I didn't even have a chance to know her. Hank had to explain who she was." Nick turned away from them all, running his hand over his face. Then turning again to Adalind, Nick's eyes were deadly as he continued, "I'm going to kill whoever did this."

"That would be Kenneth. He took over when the King recalled Victor to Vienna and Rispoli, he's in charge of the Verrat," Adalind quickly informed him.

"Where were the Royals staying?" Hank inquired.

"Here at the penthouse at the hotel Deluxe. You think they're still there?" She queried.

"Well, they couldn't have known that they'd get Diana tonight," he responded taking both of her hands in his.

"Nick, I want her back," Adalind replied letting her raw emotions touch her eyes.

He nodded intently, "I know. I'm going do everything I can to bring her home to you."

"Can you get into the penthouse?" Hank questioned her.

"I think I still have the key," Adalind said.

"Alright, get ready. We need you to drop something off," Nick instructed. Trusting Nick and his friends once more, a small voice whispered to her, I hope I don't regret this again. Adalind shoved that voice aside. Turning to go get dressed, Nick caught her arm, "Do you have a phone? I won't send you in there unless I can hear everything that's happening. I'm not going to risk you." There was something soft in his eyes as Nick looked at her, despite the pain he must be in. Adalind shared a similar pain for Diana and even for Kelly, so she merely nodded.

The memory of that caring look Nick gave her, had Adalind almost distracted, as she entered the hotel room. Shaking it off, she had to remain alert. After placing her gruesome prop in the closet, she opened the doors again and let out the biggest scream of her life.