Whew. This was hard to write, but really fun! I feel like I did a good job!

Disclaimer: I don't own Sisters Grimm! Michael Buckley does! But, man, do I wish I'd come up with the idea first...it's genius.

And mucho thanks to my wonderful beta, libaka. I couldn't do this without you.

Chapter 16. Awkward

Canis sat at the kitchen table like he always did: eyes closed, deep meditative breaths, the whole she-bang. Of course, while he did this, he always listened carefully to what was being said around him. He'd realized that since everyone always thought he was asleep or not listening, they would say whatever they wanted. It had become a sort of pastime to the man to do this and be brought up to date on all the latest problems his family was going through. Of course, listening to Sabrina and Puck argue was always rather fun too. But Canis would never admit that to anyone.

He'd been sitting here for twenty more minutes than usual, since Granny had accidentally burned the food and was redoing it, and he was wondering how much more he'd have to take. The children just kept arguing. Why in the world couldn't they just say what they were feeling instead of doing stupid things to get the other's attention. Well, it wasn't really Sabrina's fault, Canis corrected, since she would be perfectly willing to get along with Puck and show him affection in a less violent way. But the boy was so stubborn! He was obviously aware of what he felt, since the Wolf had already told him. Canis thought that that moment was probably the first time he actually liked the Wolf. How he wished he could do the same and just tell Puck to stop messing around already! The boy seemed determined to make Sabrina hate him so therefore he wouldn't have to deal with wondering what a relationship would be like.

Canis wondered if the boy's parents' relationship had affected him so badly that this was the only way he knew how to express himself. Probably. Fairies always were odd creatures.

Canis tuned back into the argument. What was it about again? Oh yes. Puck had pranked her again, and once more, Sabrina had gotten him back. Apparently, Puck didn't like that. Canis wondered why. Wouldn't he want the girl he loved to be able to stand up to him?

"Get over it, Fairy Boy! I beat you fair and square!" Sabrina shouted.

"Never! The Trickster King would never be defeated by a human! And an ugly girl at that!" Puck screamed back.

Canis wondered if Granny used earplugs briefly, then wondered why Puck seemed so determined to hurt the girl. Why would you hurt the ones you love?

Canis furrowed his brow when he realized that Sabrina hadn't answered Puck's insult. He opened one eye a crack, and nearly fell out of his chair.

Sabrina was glaring at Puck through a slight film of tears over her eyes. The boy looked frozen, as if he wanted to flee the room while still wishing to remain.

The girl let out a near-silent sob, and said fiercely, "You know what? Who cares what you think?! You're just a kid who won't grow up! You're childish, obnoxious, and rude! Who cares if you're royalty?! In the end, does it even matter?!"

With that, the girl turned on her heel and fled the room. Moments later, Granny strolled in, carrying a dish that smelled wonderfully. "All ready, everyone! Sorry about the wait!"

She set down the dish, and taking in Puck's white face and Daphne's teary eyes, she asked, "Goodness. What's wrong? Is everyone okay? Sabrina! Are you alright?"

A door slamming was the only response to Granny's questions. Canis sighed to himself. Granny was so determined not to see that her grandchildren were growing up that she missed out on what was really important. They didn't need to be coddled or treated like babies. They needed someone who would support them. And Granny couldn't do that. Canis wondered when the woman would realize that she no longer was connected to young people. She couldn't feel the way they could. Canis wondered when Granny would started calling Sabrina down for dinner. Would the girl get in trouble for something that wasn't her fault? Granny was so determined not to have another Jacob that she tried to punish Sabrina before any crime was committed, only leading the girl to feel alone and hostile. Canis wondered when the girl would strike back at Granny. As shown, she already knew what to say to make her point most painfully.

Granny, still determinedly cheerful, turned to Daphne. "Why don't you get your sister, liebling? She needs to eat." Daphne looked at Granny, terrified, then stubbornly shook her head. She knew that her sister needed to be left alone to heal. Granny turned to Puck, who also shook his head. Canis knew the boy was probably eating himself up on the inside. Too bad the boy only ever realized how hurtful he could be after the fact.

Canis sighed and stood up. He would speak to the girl. He, of all people, knew how to relate to the fact that some people wouldn't look beyond the physical. He was the Big Bad Wolf, Sabrina was human.

The other three jumped when Canis stood, remembering his presence. Granny smiled at him, Daphne blinked at him, pleading silently for him to make this all better, and Puck just looked at him, horror on his face. Clearly, the boy had realized that if Canis was awake to go upstairs, he'd been awake the whole time.

Canis silently left the room, and made his way upstairs. He stood in front of the girls' room, giving Sabrina time to try to get a hold of herself, since anyone would've heard him clumping down the hall. He did it on purpose this time.

He opened the door, and saw the girl curled up on the bed, head buried in her arms, blonde hair spilling over her shoulders and down her back. He silently moved to the bed and sat down next to her huddled form, waiting.

He didn't have to wait long. With a muffled sob, the girl sat up and threw herself into his arms. This had only happened once or twice. The first time was after he'd revealed himself to the family as alive and well. Sabrina had knocked on his door quietly that night, and he'd let her in. The girl had hugged him and cried for hours, apologizing over and over again. He'd already forgiven her, since there was nothing to forgive, but she'd needed to time to forgive herself. He knew she never really had to this day.

Canis gently placed his hands on her shoulders, smoothing back her hair and rubbing her back. The girl clung to his neck, crying into his shirt. Canis rocked her back and forth, hoping that this would help. He'd never rocked anyone before she had come to the house. Her father and uncle had been too afraid of him to hug him, and Puck felt that Canis was too quiet to ever really be comforting. Granny hadn't wanted his comfort. Daphne didn't need it, since her sister often took on the burdens for her. But Sabrina needed him and held no fear of him since he had, as the Wolf, fought Rumpelstiltskin for her.

After some minutes, her tears died down and the girl sat up, still curled in his lap. She wiped at her tears, accepting Canis' handkerchief when he silently offered it. He nodded, and she blew her nose.

When she felt more put together, the girl spoke. "I don't get it. Why is he so mean? Is there something seriously wrong with me being human?" The girl looked up at Canis, begging him to answer.

Canis sighed. "No. There's nothing wrong with being human." The girl nodded, and put her head down on his shoulder. Canis rocked once and continued. "He's afraid. I doubt the boy has ever been beaten, not once, but multiple times, by someone less than an eighth of his age. That's probably terrifying, especially since he finds himself respecting you for it."

Sabrina sighed, blowing at her hair. "But it still hurts."

"Of course it does, child. Relationships hurt, don't you know that? But they can also heal, so I suppose that's why people like them so much."

Sabrina gave a watery laugh. "Not everyone gets married you know."

"I didn't mean just romantic relationships. It hurts when Daphne is angry at you, doesn't it? Or when Granny yells at you?" The girl nodded. "All relationships can hurt or heal. It hurt me when Basil died, since he had only just begun to trust me. It hurt when your grandmother didn't listen to me and erased Jake completely from Ferryport, not just his latest mistake. It hurt when Jake and Henry left, since even though they feared me they were family. It hurt when I realized that I still had the potential to hurt my family. When we were under the school, it hurt terribly to realize that I could not protect you, least of all from myself."

Sabrina nodded again, and hugged him. "Yeah. It hurts to realize that you can't do anything." Canis nodded gravely.

"But it felt wonderful when your grandmother first took me in. It felt wonderful when Hamstead treated me as a friend even after I had attacked him. It was nice when your grandfather would have philosophical discussions with me, or when your father and uncle would ask me not to tell your grandmother where they were going. It was nice when your sister made me promise not to get hurt and showed concern for me. It was nice when Charming, even if I do dislike him, tried to help me under the school." Canis smiled at Sabrina. "And it was nice when you trusted me and came to me for help."

Sabrina smiled shakily back. "So what makes relationships worth it is that even though they do hurt, they feel really nice anyway?" Canis nodded.

"I guess that makes sense. It does hurt when Granny or Daphne or Puck don't listen to me and just assume the worst. But it's nice when Granny tells me she's proud of me or when Daphne hugs me. I guess Puck's nice in his own ways…" She looked up at Canis with a wrinkled nose. He raised an eyebrow back. "Oh alright. Puck's nice too when he wants to be. He helped a lot in New York City after I was feeling down for a bit."

Canis shifted Sabrina so she was more comfortably situated on his knee. Sabrina smiled up at him again, then looked down at her clasped hands. "But why does he always want to fight? I don't want to fight all the time! I'd like to be his friend, but he won't let me!" her eyes filled again.

Canis gently brushed back her hair. "You met Oberon and Titania, yes?" She nodded. "Well, look at how they interact, and apply it to Puck and his relationships."

Sabrina cocked her head. "He's cruelest to the ones he likes?" Her eyes bulged. "Oh my god."

Canis snorted at her shocked look. "Please don't tell me you only just realized."

Sabrina looked at him, eyes wide. "Please don't tell me it's that obvious to everyone else." Canis shook his head.

"Do you really think anyone has really looked at the boy's relationships?"

Sabrina shook her head. "Wait. How do you know then?"

Canis gave a slightly evil grin. "I have great hearing, eyesight, and sense of smell. His heart rate goes up when he's around you, he blushes the tiniest bit when you're nice to him, and all the other symptoms of a-"

"Please don't say it!" Sabrina cut in. "I really don't need to know that the boy who picks on me more than anyone else actually lo- you know. And after going to the future, this is the last thing I need!" Canis raised an eyebrow. "I met the future us….and we were umm. Yeah." Canis smiled.

Sabrina continued, a blush rising further in her cheeks. "If that's the way he shows that he likes me, there's no way I ever want to date him!"

Canis let out a bark of laughter. "He's still learning. And you could just train him, you know."

Sabrina blinked. Canis sighed. "You know. Like Pavlov's dogs." Her eyes widened, and she let out a burst of laughter.

"Oh my god! I can just picture myself holding a piece of food and teaching him to be nice!" She wiped at her tears again, only these from laughter, not sorrow.

Canis smiled at the idea. "Perish the thought." Sabrina grinned unrepentantly.

"Now then." Canis moved Sabrina to the bed. "Let's get you cleaned up so you can eat." He handed her a brush and went to the bathroom.

When he returned with a cold hand towel, the girl had brushed her hair back and pulled it into a low ponytail. She tugged at her clothes, brushing at the tear streaks. Canis handed her the towel, and she leaned forward and placed it over her eyes to cool the redness.

As she talked to him, cheering up bit by bit as she came up with humorous ways to train Puck, Canis watched her and smiled. When he'd first met the girl, he'd wondered if there was any of Veronica in her. The mistrust and anger was all Henry. As time went on, however, he'd realized that the suspicion and anger was all from her treatment over the past year, and therefore a little bit righteous. Underneath the harsh exterior was a kind, lonely, little girl. She had Veronica's optimism and sense of humor, and even deeper she had her Grandfather Basil's strength and determination. She was a survivor.

Sabrina handed him the towel, and he hung it from the headboard to dry. He glanced at her critically. Red eyes, gone. Messy hair from crying, brushed. Tear-streaked shirt, dried and unnoticeable.

He glanced at himself. Oh dear. Sabrina giggled. She reached and tried to dry his shoulder. It was useless. He sighed and wandered to his room to change it quickly. He returned to see her sitting on her bed, waiting patiently for him.

He inclined his head, and she jumped up and walked over to him. She took his arm when he offered it, and the two made their way back to the kitchen. Before they entered, Sabrina stopped and grinned at Canis.

"You know, despite the fact that you claim to be cold-hearted and a loner…." He raised an eyebrow and she leaned up and whispered in his ear. "You make a great grandfather."

She skipped into the kitchen, startling the three in there with a happy hello. Canis stood, shocked to his core. Grandfather? HIM? He rubbed at his nose and eyes when he felt a part of him begin to cry for joy. The other part of him was blushing madly at the compliment. Who'd have ever thought that the Big Bad Wolf was grandfatherly?

When he got a hold of himself and entered the dining room, he saw an awed Daphne, Puck, and Granny staring at him as Sabrina filled her plate and began to eat a full meal for the first time since she'd come to Ferryport Landing. He sat down next to her, and she offered him the bowl. Accepting it, he glanced around the table. They were still silent, staring at the upbeat girl next to him and at his stoic face in bafflement.

All Canis could think of was the phrase that Sabrina had uttered the first time she had come to him for a shoulder to cry on and realized afterwards that he was in a hideous old nightshirt:

"AWK~WARD!"

Here it is! I feel like this shows a different side of Canis that I feel is actually there, even Michael Buckley doesn't emphasize it. I like Canis! He's cool.

Please R&R,

Tam