Family Ties – Chapter Two
AN – So, I have most of this story planned now and quite a few chapters written. Just a heads-up folks, this is a slow burn Nadalind story and I am trying to remain somewhat faithful to the show's events as I change others. If there's a mistake, well I'm only human and as happy as I am to re-watch Grimm that would take away from writing time and I hope everyone is happy with me focusing on this. Let me know if you think there's anything glaringly obvious, plot-hole wise, otherwise please just enjoy the ride.
I do not own any characters or stories from the tv show Grimm. Some dialogue is lifted from various episodes in Season 3. No infringement or copyright is intended. It's all for fun, no profit being made here.
-G-
Driving out towards the old warehouse Nick tries to keep his thoughts calm. He has no idea what's coming and what his mother might be involved in and why, after so many years doing it on her own, she would now be contacting him. Still, she has contacted him and he will try his best to help, whatever way he can.
Waiting inside is easier, Nick thinks of it as the start of a stakeout and so sweeps the area, checking exits and what inventory is left. Remembers when he was last here with his mother, the fight and subsequent investigation, his mother leaving, and all the things he's learnt since. He hears the footsteps, soft as they are and so is facing towards her as his mother appears.
"Nicky," she greets and Nick pauses to scan over her and to listen in for any further movement before stepping closer.
"Mom." They hug and he gives himself this moment to just be a boy with his mother before letting it pass and then stepping back, readying himself for what she has to say. "Are you ok?"
"Yes, yes, but I've got a lot to tell you." She nods and takes a breath before her gaze fixes on the bag at his feet. "What's in there? Did you come alone?" He picks up the bag and opens it to let her view the contents.
"Of course, I came alone and I thought you might have had a potentially rough trip so I brought some food and other bits you might need."
"Nicky," his mother practically beams at him as she looks through the containers of food, the bundles of clothes and first aid kits. "You have no idea how much I needed something like this." He shrugs but feels pleased at her reaction.
"You can eat while you talk," he points out but she shakes her head.
"I need to tell you something first and you need to promise me something." His gaze fixes on her face and nods for her to continue.
"What I'm about to tell you can go no further, Nicky. You can't tell anyone. Several people's lives, including mine, will depend on you keeping this a secret."
"This sounds-"
"This could very well change the course of history," she cuts him off and Nick feels his eyebrows raise. "I was contacted by the Resistance to help rescue two individuals and get them to safety. A mother and child. This child, Nicky, she's only a few days old but already her powers are showing. This child has an extraordinary destiny. In the right hands it could do great good, but in the wrong hands, well, great evil."
"Good and evil? Mom-"
"I know how it sounds but that doesn't change the truth. Throughout history personalities appear in the world who people follow. There's no rational explanation why, except we know there's more to this world than meets the eye. Good and evil, power and control, magic and intent, love and hate, light and dark, they all exist and we must fight to protect the balance." His mother sounds as passionate as he's ever heard her and he knows she believes this with her full being.
"So, you want me to?" He asks as moves his hands to his hips, fighting the urge to start pacing.
"Help me protect them," she states then holds up her hand as he opens his mouth, "but first, swear to me Nicky, that you won't tell a soul."
"Mom-"
"No one, not Juliette, not your friends, no one Nicky. Swear to me on our family name, on our blood, on your father and Aunt Marie." She fixes him with such a gaze that Nick feels a shiver run down his spine. This isn't his mother, this woman is all Grimm, a believer in her cause and she'll fight, to the very end, to see it through. He holds her gaze and nods his head but before he can say anything a sound reaches his ears.
"Are we alone?" He queries and then holds his hand up to stall his mother's reply as he hears more noises. "I can hear- is that a baby?" The sounds of soft murmurs and coos came again before reaches in volume to become a cry. He steps in the direction it's coming from but Kelly steps into his space and holds onto his arm, clasping his other hand with hers.
"Nicky, you word that you'll help me protect them!"
"Yes Mom, I swear," he vows and he feels as if something almost passes between them before his mother nods and withdraws from him.
"Ok, then I should probably tell you the woman who had the baby, who we're helping, her name is Adalind Schade."
-G-
Adalind tries not to move, tries to keep as still and quiet as possible whilst holding her daughter. All while fighting the urge to run, run fast and far away and somewhere that won't hold danger around every corner. At this moment that is literal, as she's hidden around the corner from the meeting of two Grimms, one of whom very much won't want to see her.
Kelly Burkhardt. Her saviour was none other than Nick Burkhardt's mother and wasn't that just the biggest coincidence or maybe bad luck in the whole world. Of course, it had to be his mother! And, oh, wouldn't it be the best family reunion when he told said mother she had attempted to murder her sister. Although, she had already confessed to that so that had to count for something, right?
Her daughter stretches in her sleep and Adalind looks down at her face, turned towards her chest and thinks that she would murder any number of people to keep her daughter safe. She might have done some terrible things in her life but this little one is hands down the best and she will do everything in her power to keep her safe and happy and healthy and perfect. She won't be like her mother. Her daughter will know she is loved, no matter what, and that Adalind will always be there for her, no matter what.
It might be a little early for that promise though, first she has to survive the meeting of the Grimms and hopefully, finally find out what Kelly's plan is.
She rocks her daughter gently and thinks it might be time to give her a name, now she has a moment or two to herself and can just stare at her. At her little nose and whisper eyelashes. Chubby cheeks and dimpled chin. She's not biased, her daughter is beautiful. Face that could light up the nights sky.
Diana, she thinks, goddess of the moon and of the hunt.
Mystical and magical and powerful and hopefully able to lead their pursuers on a very long, merry, fruitless hunt indeed.
She presses a kiss to her forehead, mouthing her name aware as she is that Kelly said to stay quiet as long as possible. Give her the chance to talk things through with Nick so he would ask questions first, rather than shoot.
But babies never go along with adult's plans and Diana stretches again, soft noises escaping that sound a lot louder than they probably are to Adalind's ears. She rocks her again and is rewarded with her daughter coming awake, letting out a cry before blinking and gazing up at her. She mouths 'I love you' and gives another kiss and feels little hands clutch back at her.
"Adalind," Kelly calls and she looks up to see the female Grimm before turning all her attention to the man next to her. It must be hormones, she thinks, or something in the air, something, because he's glaring at her, body tense with rage at her very presence and she has the overwhelming thought of just how fine he looks.
He's in his standard fare, dark wash jeans and button up shirt under a light, sturdy jacket. All clean lines and compact, don't mess with me vibes and she gets that urge, as she always has with him, to create some chaos around him. Between them.
"Adalind," he practically growls and she takes an instinctive step back.
"Nick," Kelly reprimands and he turns his focus onto her.
"I'm sorry but do you really expect me to just accept that she's changed and we're all good here? This is the woman who tried to kill Aunt Marie! Tried to kill Hank, my partner!"
"Nicky, you promised-"
"To help protect them, sure, but we didn't agree on being happy about it! You knew who she was before you got me to swear, before you said anything to me." He's pacing back and forth, glare flickering between his mother and her and Adalind is very grateful they are the only people in the space.
"Adalind told me what she did before she left Portland," Kelly states and Adalind hopes she didn't leave anything out in her, admittedly more cliff-notes version re-telling than the full story.
"Really?"
"I did," she speaks up and gets his full attention for her efforts. "I know what I've done Nick."
"You poisoned Juliette! You made Wu into a human garbage disposal!"
"I did what?" She frowns at him, not sure what he's talking about.
"Those cookies you made? The spell you put on Hank? Wu ate one and almost died too!"
"Well, that's hardly my fault! I told Hank not to share them, they were only supposed to be eaten by him!" Nick steps closer at her words, glaring down at her and she shudders at the intensity of his gaze.
"Oh, and that make is better, does it?" He snarls. "You-" Suddenly there's a rumbling sounds and all three of them stop and look. Nearby metal screeches as it bends and stretches unnaturally and dust falls off bricks as they shake. Adalind looks down to see Diana's eyes glow purple and she rocks her daughter as she coos at her.
"Oh, Diana, it's ok, hush little one, it's ok," The rumbling sounds fade as she talks and she concentrates on moving with her daughter rather than the weight of the gaze of the other people with her.
"What was that?" Nick's voice is calmer and she breathes out before looking up at him.
"That was the baby," Kelly answers and Nick's face is almost comical with his disbelief. "I told you; her powers are already showing."
"How?"
"Because of me," Adalind admits and looks at both of them. "Because of what I did. You took my powers Nick and I was hell bent on getting them back. I didn't think of anything else, was only focused on that one goal. I went through the Contaminatio Ritualis to become a Hexenbiest again."
"You can do that?" Nick looks aghast and Adalind takes a moment to feel pride at circumventing his actions.
"For what it's worth it was a long and painful process, with some very unintended side effects."
"That's why the baby is so powerful already," Kelly murmurs. "You did the ritual whilst you were pregnant."
"Not knowingly," Adalind admits and looks down at her daughter. She wouldn't have put her in danger like that. "But yes, she's been showing her abilities from the start. Before that really." Kelly steps closer and Nick cocks his head between the two of them.
"What do you mean?"
"Even before she was born she was doing things, she saved me when the Verrat came to take me back to the castle. Used magic to defend me." Adalind remembers Meisner in the bed and the pen flying through the air, deadly in it's aim.
"Now do you understand why this is so important? Why we have to put personal feelings aside and work for the greater good?" Nick's frowning again but Adalind chooses to stare at her daughter. She just has to focus on her. She is worth every moment of discomfort and unease if it means she's safe. And if she's knows anything about Nick Burkhardt it's that once he decides to do something, he'll do it. No matter how long or tough it might be, he will see it through.
"Ok, so you need my help to protect them and get them back to the resistance?" He asks and Adalind nods but Kelly shakes her head.
"The resistance can't have her." Kelly snaps and they both turn to face her. "Not the resistance, not the royals, no one. This child must grow up normal, inasmuch as that's possible. How she grows and is raised will make all the difference in who she becomes."
"And you think being with her, that witch raising her, is going to help that outcome?" Nick gestures to her and Adalind steps forward.
"Look, I get that you're mad. I did some awful things to you and those around you. I played the game and I lost. Now I have something more important, someone. And she's innocent in all of this. So, you can keep blaming me for the things I did and we can keep taking shots at each other or we can say that it's over. The past is the past and focus on this little child so she doesn't have to live through anything close to what we've been through." He's staring at her, weighing her words and Adalind knows this is another moment where she has to put her trust in someone and something unknown. "I was told recently that I would have to choose a side and I'm done with that. I don't want to fight anymore; I don't want to be used or abused or be just another player on the board. I want to be her mother. I choose her, over everyone and everything else."
It's as passionate as she's ever been and she doesn't back down from his gaze. The air around them seems to shift and sway and still she holds. He has to know, has to understand that she's not who she used to be. She's more now, because of this bundle in her arms. Finally, after seconds or maybe minutes, Nick nods and Adalind feels like she can breathe again. Something just passed between them, something she can't define but hopes is enough for him to be able to help. He breaks away, taking several steps to put distance between them and turning his focus to his mother.
"Ok, so what happens next?"
"We need supplies and some information."
-G-
AN- So, thoughts?