It was one of those mornings he could forget the world outside, Monroe decided after he took his seat on the opposite side to Rosalee. All his sorrows and worries seemed to fade away when he looked in Rosalee's pretty eyes.

But still there was this little wound in his heart. A thorn that jabbed with every beat. The place where he felt his friendship to Nick, who simply disappeared that night at the container yard. It was hard to believe that a Grimm could vanish into thin air, and after all, what Monroe knew that was Nick had but turned into dust. They lost his track at a container where they found his gun, cellphone and badge. Nick himself was gone, no one knew where or why or who had taken him.

Monroe tried his best to leave this chapter of his life behind. He had searched for his missing friend during the first weeks, called also some of his relatives in Europe because he feared that Royal, Nick had mentioned that night, had probably kidnapped his friend. But he didn't find anything and when the time went by, Nick's belongings in his attic were packed together and moved into the spare room. Other important things were more important for him as his relationship with Rosalee again changed that night at the container yard.

A month after the incident, Monroe made his proposal, anxiously hoping for any serious answer. And Rosalee said yes to him, the weird Wider/Blutbad with this tendency to unusual friendships. She said yes and kissed him and hugged him and was happy. That made Monroe happy, but his heart was still bleeding. And so was Rosalee's.

You will really realize how much a person means to you after this person is gone. That was and old wisdom he'd learned from his grandfather. And in this special case it was the truth. A truth Monroe wanted badly to turn.

"Coffee smells good," Rosalee told him with one of her bright smiles that always made him feel like a teenaged Blutbad before his first date.

Rosalee was hurt, too. True, she never said a word about Nick but it was clear. She missed the Grimm, his so non-typical acting and the fact that someone simply could have stolen him right in front of them made her sad.

Monroe wasn't sure at all but he thought Rosalee also had made some calls back then when Nick's case was still warm and it was possible to find and rescue him.

"I'm glad you like it. It's a roast the most people don't know," Monroe said with a smile.

Rosalee smiled back. "Sounds promising."

He just was about to start to explain to her this new roast and how it differs from the others when there was a knock at his front door.

"Ahm?" Monroe wasn't sure if he should go or simply ignore it. He wasn't awaiting anyone or anything, no delivery, no mail. "Probably a salesman," he decided, "or are you awaiting for someone or something?"

Rosalee shook her head and took one of the bagels out of the basket. "These are smelling good," she said.

Again there was a knock at the front door.

Monroe turned around, slightly disgruntled. The curtains of his front window where still closed so he couldn't see anything.

What if it was important?

He still hesitated, turning to Rosalee. The Fuchsbau looked at him, a line on her forehead. Obviously she thought the same.

A third knock, and this time there also was a familiar voice, saying, "Monroe? Rosalee? Would you please open the door?"

Juliette! And, according to the sound of her voice, she wasn't in the best mood.

Monroe stood up. "Sorry," he said.

Rosalee shook her head and stood up herself. "Could be really important. Maybe she found something," she answered.

Monroe sighed.

This would be the best news ever he decided while he went to his door to open it.

Juliette wasn't looking too happy, just the opposite. Tears had drawn deep lines into her cheeks. She didn't wear makeup and her hair wasn't made up. And she was holding something in her hand.

"Morning, Juliette," Monroe said. "Though ... I don't think it's been a too of good one for you, right? Come in, please." With that, he stepped aside to let her in.

Juliette entered his house. The moment she passed the door she began to weep and nearly broke down entirely.

"No, no, no!" Monroe said, grabbing her and lead her to the couch.

"Juliette, what happened?" Rosalee asked, shock plain on her face.

Juliette sank down on the couch, shivering and sobbing in uncontrollable despair. She held something up to them while she buried her face in the other hand.

"What is that?" Monroe asked, frowning.

Rosalee's face was pale. She took what looked at a white pen and stared at its long side. "Oh my God!" She sank down on the couch next to Juliette and embraced her. "Is it Nick's?"

Juliette nodded and cried even harder.

Monroe stared at the pen, but blanched when he finally realized that it was not, in fact, a pen.

"You're pregnant?"

Rosalee looked up at him with the look she sometimes gave him. He knew from the first time on that it was a warning to shut up. And mostly he took this advice very seriously. So he sank down on the chair opposite to the couch and sealed his lips, docile.

"When did this happen?" Rosalee asked a little while later when Juliette slowly calmed down.

"The night before he disappeared," Juliette answered throaty. "We – we never really planned something like this. True, we were kidding about it, but ... I don't know what to do now!"

Monroe exchanged a look with Rosalee.

The night before the incident at the container yard was also their first night back together. Monroe knew Nick and Juliette also celebrated, so to speak. But he never thought it would lead to something this serious.

"Didn't you use contraceptives?" he asked, only to get another of Rosalee's warning looks.

Juliette looked up to him, sniffed and nodded. "I do and so did Nick. Something must have been going wrong that night."

Another look from Rosalee. This time not her warning look but her, "There is something weird" look what Monroe only could return to her.

How was this possible? How could this happen?

"Do you want some tea to calm down a bit?" Rosalee asked. "Or a coffee? But only a little. You know, it's not good for the baby – if you want the baby."

Juliette nodded. "Tea sounds great," she whispered and took the test back from Rosalee. Juliette's fingers went white so hard she held that little plastic stick.

The third look from Rosalee was the, "I need you" one Monroe usually loved. But this time he wasn't sure what to think about this whole situation.

Juliette pregnant and Nick still missing. What should they do now? What did Juliette want to do? Did she want the child? And how she could manage having a life as a vet and be the mother of a newborn? As far as he knew, Juliette was specialed in bigger animals, not house pets. The kick of a horse, cow or an attack from a pig could hurt more than her in her condition now.

He stood up again and followed Rosalee into the kitchen, still trying to fully comprehend this news.

"How could that happen?" he asked when they were both together, away from Juliette.

Rosalee stood there with her back to him, hands on her hips she stood very straight, her head lifted up. Finally, she shook her head. "I don't know," she said and turned around. "But we have to do something now. We are friends of both of them, especially of Nick. He would want that we help Juliette."

Monroe looked at her. "But Juliette said they used -"

"I heard that," Rosalee snapped. "Seriously, I don't know. Maybe it has something to do with Nick being a Grimm. We already knew he was stronger than the usual Grimm."

Monroe started. "You don't think he's dead, do you?" he asked. "Nick is alive! I will never believe anything else as long as we haven't found his body!"

"It's been two months now, Monroe! Nick is gone!" Rosalee said sharply. "If this Cracher Mortal poisoned him -"

"I'm with Monroe, Nick is alive," Juliette's voice peeped from the doorway.

Monroe turned around to find her standing there, eyes still wet and red from all the tears. But also with a very serious face now.

"I'm sorry," Rosalee said behind his back. Monroe knew her long enough to hear that doubting tone in her voice. She wanted to say sorry but she still couldn't believe it.

Somehow, she was right, Monroe had to confess. Those zombies weren't dead and with that they were in need of water and food. True, their systems were nearly shut down so they were only in need of tiny pieces. They also could barely chew or gulp. But they needed food and water nontheless. After two months, probably without any supply, a zombiefied Nick would probably starve to death. And without any news, no one knew where he was. It was possible that he was dead, just like Hank said only some weeks ago.

Hank was the first to give up the hope of finding Nick, Monroe remembered. He was just starting over with a new relationship. Worries about his lost partner was surely the last thing Hank Griffin needed right now. But it also was kind of sad to see him leaving.

And now Rosalee. Monroe didn't notice any change in her thoughts before she told him now. On the other hand, they both prefered to avoid talking about this loss.

Juliette looked more calm now, but also very serious. "This is Nick's child. I will bring it to birth and I won't give up the hope of seeing him again, even for just one time, so he could have something to look forward to. No matter how long this will take! Nick IS alive!"

"He is. I know he is. And if you really want this child, I'm sure we will be able to help you when you need us," Monroe said, shrugging then he corrected: "Well, I will be always there for you."

Damn, he was just about to marry Rosalee. The probably weirdest thing would be to parent the child of a Grimm. But Nick was more than only a friend to him, Monroe had realized a while ago now. Nick was almostf family, the reason why he made it out of his house again, how he met and fell in love with Rosalee, had fun, had a sort of family. Nick was this family, with all his normal and unusual problems, his selfishness sometimes, his weird appearances, his emotions and, of course, the trailer with all the strange, ancient stuff in there. For the past year or so, Monroe had started to think Nick as a brother, a little brother who always got himself into trouble and had to come to him to fish him out. That was the reason why he take care of him after he broke up with Juliette, why he let himself getting involved so much into his relationship problems.

And Monroe knew Nick thought about him in a similar way. He would probably never use the word "brother," but their relationship was of this kind.

"I'm in if you want me," Rosalee said. "No matter what I believe or not, you are my friend, Juliette. And so was Nick. It would be an honor to help you."

Juliette glanced between them, still very serious, then she nodded. "I will never hear about that again," she said. "Whatever you may think, I will keep my hopes as long as we haven't found a body."

"Very well," Monroe answered.

Something was weird about Juliette. But he couldn't quite put his finger on it ...