Family Ties Chapter Nine
-G-
AN – I am so happy you are liking this story! Every comment is truly appreciated and I love hearing what you think and any guesses of where we're heading. Hope you like this next chapter.
I do not own any characters or stories from the tv show Grimm. Some dialogue is lifted from various episodes in Season 3 and Season 4. No infringement or copyright is intended. It's all for fun, no profit being made here.
-G-
"Your presence is requested for a meeting," the formal tones meet Sean Renard's ears as he answers the phone.
"And may I ask who I will be meeting with?" He can't keep his tone quite neutral.
"My name is Rispoli and I am a representative of the family," comes the reply and Sean rolls his shoulders as he settles into the conversation.
"Of course, I am always so pleased to meet anyone from the family. Do you have a place in mind?"
"I have recently arrived in Portland and am staying at the Gregorian. There is a restaurant attached that I have reserved a table at, tomorrow night at 8pm."
"Well, I look forward to meeting you. Until then I hope you enjoy all Portland has to offer." Sean puts the phone down and then immediately types out a message. He's heard of Rispoli but doesn't know enough. He needs more information to be able to attend this meeting and leave with favourable results.
-G-
Nick is just finishing a call from work when Juliette joins him in the kitchen. They move around the space in silence and he thinks of what she said yesterday. This relationship has been part of his life for the past five years. They've been through so much, fought to be together and he doesn't want to lose that. But at the same time, should it feel like this? Like he has to keep fighting for it to work? That he has to prove himself to her? Hasn't he already done that? It just makes him confused and not at all sure about where they stand.
"Did you sleep ok?" She asks quietly and Nick turns to her.
"Yeah."
"You sure? You were murmuring a lot but I couldn't quite make out what you were saying," he looks at her then, thinking what she could possibly have heard. Given his dreams of late he doesn't think it's anything he wants her to hear.
"Yeah, I'm sure. Yesterday was just a long day." The wedding had been more eventful than expected but at least nothing had gone wrong with any of the unsuspecting Wesen guests. "I got a case so I'm heading in. I'll let you know when I'll be home."
"Ok, have a good day." Nick goes to leave then spins to give her a kiss but only gets her cheek as she turns her head. He pauses but can't read her so continues on, running into Trubel as she comes down the stairs.
"Morning."
"Morning, what you up to today?"
"I'm going to head to the trailer. Want to do some more reading." He nods and urges her to be safe as he grabs his keys and thinks he hears her asks about Juliette's bike as he goes out the front door.
Driving to the address given he has time to think and his thoughts stray to the women in his life and his relationships with them. Juliette, of course, and Trubel but also his mother and Adalind. Girlfriend, pseudo-sister, mother and what? Enemy become ally? Witch that he now has some weird connection with that makes their relationship a hell of a lot more complicated. And when did he consider what they had a version of a relationship?
Because he did. He was getting to know her and what he was finding out wasn't displeasing. Could he call her a friend? He wasn't sure but he was honest with himself enough to admit that what he was discovering, he liked.
Which turned his thoughts to Juliette and how he hadn't been liking a lot of their conversations lately. Was it just too much change happening in their lives again? He'd brought Trubel into their home, was building a relationship with her that he wanted to be long term and that could be a lot for anyone to take in. He'd seen previously how little Juliette liked change so his disrupting their lives in such a way and her reaction should have been a bit more obvious to him. It had taken her awhile to get used to his Grimm-ness so this could just be another period of adjustment for them.
Only time would tell but he was no longer so sure they had it. Or rather, how long Juliette would give him. He just wasn't sure and the uncertainty niggled at him. It wasn't how he wanted to feel about the main relationship in his life.
Entering the house where their newest crime scene is Wu gives him the details so far and he's happy to sink into the case. Part of him realises he's increasingly using work to escape from other aspects of his life and thinks it's probably not healthy but he can't help it right now. Better to focus on events he can investigate and get answers to, rather than other situations that only seem to be generating more queries than anything else.
Working with Wu and Hank is easy, they have a solid work ethic and can keep up with each other. He's so glad Hank knows and is increasingly getting the thought that it might be beneficial to bring Wu into the know too. Especially when lately all their cases seem to have Wesen elements. Following a lead to the hospital just gives him another example of how often that is happening.
"You have any idea what made those marks?"
"No. But I took pictures," the doctor hands them over several photos. "I've never seen anything like it." Nick shares a look with his partner and knows they're thinking the same thing. They take the paper, thank the doctor and Nick begins to give directions to the new home of where they need to go next, the trailer.
Hank greets Trubel and they quickly fill her in on what they're looking for. Having three sets of eyes looking through the books is faster than two and it seems to be no time at all before Trubel is getting their attention.
"Hey, check this one out. The Gudachtnis Esser? Looks like some kind of memory eater." They crowd round as she reads the book entry and taps at the drawing as she speaks. "…Justice within the confines of the law is, therefore, impossible."
"That doesn't sound good," Hank mutters and Nick nods.
"Is this going to be a Grimm thing more than a cop case?" Trubel asks and all he can do is shrug. He has always tried to follow the rule of law. He believes in the system and that everyone, Wesen and human alike, should be held by the same standards and therefore, the same consequences if they should break those laws. But this isn't like anything written down and so can't be treated the same way. He's definitely learning the differences of dealing with things like a cop and like a Grimm. His phone rings before he can verbalise his thoughts.
"Burkhardt. When? Ok, got it." He hangs up as he turns to Hank. "They just picked up a suspect driving the victim's car."
"It's got to be the Gedachtnis Wesen, right?" He and Hank share a look, communicating without words like only longtime partners can and both rise to their feet.
"Alright, we're thinking you should come with us," Hank states as Nick leads the way out of the trailer.
-G-
Adalind moves slowly around the kitchen, taking the few minutes of quiet for herself. Connecting with Diana is amazing but so draining and Kelly is a harsh taskmaster. She understands it needs to be done, this is for her daughter and will help her as she grows and they understand more about what she can do. But still, it is incredibly tiring and stressful so having time to herself, where she can think and really just breathe, is something to relish.
She can't think too badly of the mother Grimm, however weary all this is making her because she doesn't know where they would be without her. Kelly has got them to a safe, as can be, place and is keeping her on task. Diana needs to know; they need to know what she is capable of if they have any hope of continuing to hide as she grows. If her abilities are like this now Adalind truly has no idea of what she could do when she is older.
Most Hexenbiest come into their powers as they grow, getting a glimpse of what they can truly do at puberty before becoming more refined as they age. She's never heard of anything like this happening before but her daughter's life so far has hardly been the norm. She is as extraordinary as the circumstances around her.
So, she has to be kept safe. Away from those that would use her and turn her into something to be feared. Adalind wants her daughter to have choice in her life. If she wants to rule the world, fine, she can do that. Many Hexenbiests want power and spend their life in pursuit of it. All she wants is for it to be her daughter's choice, and not someone using her to get what they want.
Moving around the kitchen, she makes herself a coffee before putting the timer on again, knowing Kelly will want a cup. She would love to be able to add creamer and syrup, something of a guilty pleasure she loved in her coffee but such things aren't necessities so aren't present in the kitchen cupboards. It was a pleasant surprise to discuss the perfect cup of coffee with Kelly though, and that their tastes, when able to have them, run similar was a moment between the pair.
In between all the magic training and surveillance recon. Because that's another thing she's been impressed to learn. She knew Grimm's saw the world in different ways but Kelly teaching her how to assess her surroundings and what to look for in people around them has certainly been a step up from her people watching and habit learning in order to manipulate those she targeted.
At first, she thinks the treble in the air is her, moving around but not fully paying attention to what she's doing. Then she hears Diana's cries and the house shakes as she drops her cup and runs up the stairs.
She crashes into the doorframe in her haste, legs unsteady as the room seems to move around her but Adalind's focus is her daughter. Sitting half up in her cot, face red and tears trailing down her face as she cries out.
"Oh, honey, hush," Adalind scoops her up and though the shaking lessens, she can still feel a tremble beneath her feet. "Mama's here, it's ok," she soothes and rocks her but her cries continue. Swaying from side to side, she hums at her daughter as she hugs her close. One hand comes up and strokes her cheek and Diana tilts her open mouth and sucks her pointer finger in. The cries fade as does the movement around the room and Diana settles as she sucks down hard on Adalind's finger. Continuing to sway she murmurs to her daughter, meeting her gaze as she hears footsteps approach.
"Everything ok?" Kelly asks as she steps into the room.
"Yes, I think she might be starting to teethe," Adalind replies, feeling the inside of Diana's mouth.
"Alright, I'll pop some spoons in the fridge, that always worked well with Nicky." Kelly nods and turns around and Adalind appreciates having the experience of an older mother to help, also liking hearing the small titbits of Nick, mighty Grimm that he is now, when he was young, before another thought comes to her. From what little knowledge she has, and the even less research she was able to do about babies, she thought teething started later. Diana is only 5 weeks old, its too early for that milestone, right?
Worry settles in her gut and Adalind heads downstairs to question Kelly, holding her daughter close as she goes.
-G-
Watching Trubel being thrown through the glass table sends a wave of anger through Nick, the room seeming to slow and cool as he pushes his way inside. He doesn't take much notice of the splintering of the door as Hank follows him in. The Gudachtnis Esser has already Woged, tenacles attached to Trubel and Nick shouts as he barrels towards them. He releases her before Nick touches him, stumbling to his knees as he retracts.
"Oh, God, you're a Grimm. Oh God. No, oh God, no!"
"Get down," Hank orders, gun drawn. Nick helps Trubel sit up as he looks her over.
"Trubel, do you know who I am?"
"Yeah, Nick, I know who you are. My head hurts." She raises her hand to point at the other body in the room. "Better check him over there. I kicked octopus head off, and I hope I wasn't too late." As she shifts around he notices blood at the back of her head and he reaches out to check.
"Ow, what are you doing?" Grabbing a cloth from a nearby table he presses it against the wounds at the back of her head.
"You're bleeding," Nick states.
"Get off-"
"No, no arguments." His voice is firm as he uses the cloth to gently press and stem the blood flow. The Wesen continues to whimper at their feet as Hank stands guard and the man whose house they stand in stirs. Seeing the state of the two men Hank tilts his head at Nick as he continues to aid Trubel.
"She know who she is?" Trubel frowns up at him.
"Yeah, Hank. I'm a Grimm."
"Yes, you are," Nick murmurs and Hank smiles down at her.
"You know, you scared the hell out of us."
"Sorry." Trubel lowers her head slightly and presses back into his hand. He places his other palm on her shoulder and makes sure to hold her gaze.
"As long as you're ok, that's what we care about."
-G-
Leaving the Wesen in his cell, still whimpering after stealing Trubel's memories, he settles into his chair so he can hammer out the report and get home to check on Trubel. The younger Grimm had seemed ok, other than the wounds in the back of her head, but Nick still wants to get home early enough to spend some time with her this evening.
He and Hank discuss the case as they work together, writing the details down and checking with each other. Making sure the Wesen particulars don't make it, or else do so in vague enough terms that the report will be accepted. Sometimes having a Captain fully in the know really helps, as he can sign off the reports that they really can't fudge too much so they can still complete their cases.
"All the stuff he got from people's memories … what do you think he got from Trubel?" Nick shrugs and shakes his head as Wu joins them.
"I don't know, But we caught ourselves a spy, wanted in the U.S, Canada and the U.K."
"A spy you say?" Wu comments. "You know why the spy crossed the road? He didn't, he was never really on your side." Nick and Hank both groan at the joke but movement catches his eye and he turns to see the captain.
Renard steps out of his office just as Nick presses send on the report. He scans the floor before catching Nick's eye then looking towards Wu, and striding towards them both, paper in hand.
"Everything ok?"
"Yes sir, just finished the report so should be in your in-box."
"Good, good. Before you go Sargent, can you look into this address? There's some inconsistency with the report associated with a car theft."
"Yes sir," Wu replies as he takes the information. Renard nods before returning to his office.
"123 MoreGrimm Drive," Wu mutters as he reads and walks away but Nick turns to him in shock. He knows that address. That's the address of where his mother got the truck from. Where she and Adalind had entered the country after fleeing the Royals. What had the captain said? A report associated with car theft? Why was the captain interested in that? Unless … he's never asked but an unsettling thought is suddenly in his gut. Renard is a Royal. He and Adalind had a thing. Could he be the father? Could he be looking for them? In which case, was he with his Royal family? Or working on his own?
-G-
AN – So, share your thoughts please!