In which we get a little meta and a decision is made about the "official story".

After his shift was over, Nick decided to stop back at the hospital and visit Monroe and Rosalee. He figured that Monroe would stay by his bride-to-be's side until forcibly removed, so he stopped to pick up some takeout for the three of them. He remembered Monroe going on a mini-rant months back about hospital food for some reason or other while Rosalee laughed, her eyes sparkling and full of love. Monroe had likewise looked back at her with pure adoration even as he gently, facetiously told her she was wrong, but he acknowledged her faults and loved her more for them. Seeing the two of them then had, at least subconsciously, made him aware that there was something wrong between him and Juliette, whether he would admit it or not.

When Nick arrived, he found Rosalee was asleep; some color had returned to her face, but she was still pale. Monroe was watching her intently, as if somebody would snatch her away from him if he blinked at the wrong moment. He looked up, and he looked exhausted. Nick didn't say a word, but lifted the take-out bag. Monroe smiled, a sad, grateful smile as Nick pulled up a chair.

"You remembered how much I hate hospital food," the Blutbad commented as Nick handed him a little box of vegetable lo mein.

"I brought Rosalee some orange beef. She's going to need protein and vitamin C." Monroe nodded.

"Fortunately, Fuchsbau are generally quick healers... Not as quick as Blutbaden, but up there..." he sniffled, twirling some noodles around on his little plastic fork.

"You aren't still beating yourself up over what happened, are you?" Monroe shook his head with a sigh.

"It just feels like a test. And I failed. Like, really badly..." Nick put his food down and put his hand on Monroe's shoulder.

"You saved her life and managed not to die in the process. Would you rather you were the one in the bed and her sitting here crying over you? Or you in the morgue and her with a wedding dress she'll never wear?" Monroe paused, a look of horror appearing for a fleeting moment on his face.

"Oh God... Yeah, I think you're right, that would be worse..." Monroe reached out and took Rosalee's hand. Her smaller hand seemed to recognize his touch, and curled around it. Monroe sighed and went back to his food. For a few minutes, the only sounds were the men chewing and the whir of hospital machinery around them. Finally Nick broke the silence.

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure."

"Earlier, what did Rosalee mean when she said she ships Sean and me?" Monroe chuckled.

"Sorry, it's a fan term Rosalee and I adopted. It's short for 'relationshipping', I think, and it's basically being a hardcore fan of a certain couple. Usually they portmanteau the names. It came up because we watch "Once Upon a Time" together, and the main couple is Snow White and Prince Charming. Their portmanteau is Snowing. Then you have 'ship wars', when there are multiple pairings involving the same person, like Emma. Rosalee ships Captain Swan, which is Emma with Captain Hook, while I am a true believer in Swanfire, which is Emma and Baelfire..."

"But how could you do something like that?" Nick asked, somewhat incredulous. Monroe raises his hands defensively.

"Look, Baelfire is Henry's father, and it was destiny for them to be together... and he only left her because August..."

"No, not that. Why would you... ship... us?"

"Oh... I don't, she does. I ship you both with whomever will make you happiest. She thinks you balance each other out... and that you two are really cute together..."

"What would our ship name be?" Nick wondered aloud. "Snick? Burknard? Nicknard?"

"Rosalee calls you Renhardt, but I don't think your names go very well..."

"So you and Rosalee would be..."

"Rosroe."

"No, MonRosalee!" Nick laughed a little. Monroe cocked his head, thinking,

"MonRosalee... I don't think I like it..."

"Too bad, totally using it. I, Nick Burkhardt, ship the hell out of MonRosalee!" Monroe laughed.

"Well, I may be biased, but MonRosalee is my OTP... that means One True Pairing... geez, listen to me, I sound like a teenage girl... anyway, fine, I also ship MonRosalee."

"I ship it, too. And Nickroe is my BroTP," a tired-sounding female voice added. Rosalee's eyelids fluttered open and she smiled. "I smell orange beef and blood..." She looked over at her lover. "Honey, you may want to consider changing your shirt..."

"I will," Monroe assured her, rubbing his thumb on her hand. Rosalee addressed Nick.

"BroTP is One True Bro or friendship Pairing. And you two have the best bromance, like, ever." Nick laughed.

"Noted. How do you feel?"

"Like I've been hit by a train carrying a car carrying a ton of bricks... But at least I think I've stopped seeing sounds... But orange beef... OW."

Rosalee reached out for the food Nick extended and winced.

"Stitches, honey," Monroe reminded her, passing her the little box. "Although you're color's coming back nicely... And you look damn good for somebody who took a bullet this morning..."

"You're just saying that because you want to get into my pants..." she said with a wink.

"Oh, damn, you caught me! ...Do you want some help?"

"Could you, please? My arm doesn't want to cooperate..." Monroe opened her box and stabbed a big forkful of beef.

"Open up the hanger and let the airplane land!" The Blutbad joked as he held the fork in front of her mouth as if feeding a child. Rosalee stuck out her tongue, but ate the food he offered.

"Ugh," Nick gagged theatrically as he gathered up his trash, "MonRosalee is the most disgustingly adorable ship I have every seen in my life. I need to get out of here before the cuteness makes me puke." At that moment, a nurse walked by with a clipboard.

"I'm sorry, gentlemen, visiting hours are over. You can come back tomorrow morning at 10 am."

"Can I at least finish feeding her?" Monroe asked, giving the nurse his saddest puppy dog eyes. The nurse looked both ways down the hall.

"Okay, I didn't see you, I didn't talk to you, you were in the bathroom or something... just don't get in trouble, okay?" She pointed at Nick. "He has to leave, though." Nick nodded,

"Yeah, I was doing that. I'll call you, Monroe." Monroe nodded and turned back to Rosalee, offering her another forkful. Nick again saw the shine of love in the Fuchsbau's eyes as he left them in peace.

XxXxX

Sean was on the phone when Nick got home. Nick waved slightly, grabbed a beer, and sat in the living room on the couch. Sean walked in and sat next to Nick, putting a hand on the Grimm's knee.

"That was Wu. Juliette was released to police custody. She wants to bargain. She knows the truth will make her sound crazy... well, crazier..."

"Really? What's her version of events?"

"Well, according to her, Rosalee took a stray dog in and was keeping it at the shop, a mutt of some sort, that bit her defending Rosalee. She says dog must have gotten out the back when you and I came in.

"Sounds reasonable."

"She said it was a crime of passion brought about by her own stubbornness and a misunderstanding... She said she did it because she loves you..." Nick sighed.

"Well, I don't know how she thought that would make me want to come back, but it kinda doesn't... it kinda makes me, oh, I don't know, run far, far away in the opposite direction..." Sean smiled slightly and pulled Nick into an embrace.

"Anyway, I guess that seems reasonable enough for the official story if you'd like to let Monroe know... how's Rosalee doing?"

"I took them some take-out. Monroe was feeding her when I left. They are so cute it's disgusting sometimes..." Sean chuckled.

"And apparently Rosalee thinks the same of us." Sean lightly kissed Nick's temple. "Why don't you give Monroe a call and let him know what Juliette said? Then we can pick up right here?" Nick smiled slightly and pulled out his phone. Monroe answered, still sounding tired.

"Hey, you make it home?" Nick asked.

"Yeah, just... kinda hanging out... Trying to square away any last-minute details I can on my own..."

"She'll be fine."

"I know." The Blutbad's voice didn't sound entirely convinced.

"So do you want to hear Juliette's official story?"

"Sure. How did she explain it?"

"Rosalee took in a stray dog and has been taking care of it, and it bit Juliette while protecting her. It must have gotten out when Sean and I came in." Nick heard Monroe chuckle slightly.

"No, that's definitely what happened. Maybe not 100 percent literally, but close..."

"Any word on when she'll be released?" Monroe sighed.

"Doctor said maybe Friday, if we're lucky... We have to see how she is tomorrow, if she takes a turn..."

"Don't even think that!" Nick scolded his friend, and heard Monroe whimper a little in response. "She'll be fine, and you guys are going to have a long, happy marriage and have adorable kids and I will not have you thinking otherwise... okay?" Monroe sighed.

"I'm glad one of us is the eternal optimist."

"No, I'm a realist. Rosalee is a strong, badass woman, and she loves you, and she is not gonna let a bullet keep her from the man of her dreams... Got me?"

"Yes, sir!"

"Good. I'll call you tomorrow. Get some sleep, and stop worrying. And don't you dare say 'easier said than done'." Monroe snorted.

"I hope that was a fluke and mind-reading doesn't become one of your Grimm powers, because otherwise I'm gonna be in trouble..." Nick laughed as well.

"Goodnight, buddy."

"Night." Nick hung up with a sigh and snuggled back into Sean's arms.

"You're right, you know."

"What?"

"They're going to be just fine."

I give up on trying to figure out how many more chapters. It'll be over when it's over, okay? But thanks for sticking with me!