Family Ties Chapter Nineteen
-G-
AN – Well, here's part 2 of what was originally one chapter, that just got too long. And well done to those of you that noticed the change in overall chapter numbers, hope you like that you'll be getting a few more now. Hope you like this one!
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.
I also do not own Room on the Broom, a children's book written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler. There are a few lines in this chapter and mentions of characters that come directly from that book. No infringement intended, but if it makes you go look up that book then that's great, as it really is quite charming.
-G-
Looking into the mirror he shakes his head and tries to focus. He's been pushing and pretending but he can't do it anymore. He has to recognise that something isn't right. The dreams and the feelings with all the physical reactions. He just doesn't know what to do about it. Washing his hands quickly, he leaves the bathroom and heads back to what he does know.
"Captain?" Sergeant Franco calls and Sean Renard turns to see him walk closer. "You have a visitor; he's waiting in your office." He nods before walking briskly to the glass fronted room, noting that the blinds have been angled so the figure cannot be clearly seen. He scans the bullpen, just to check who is around and could possibly come to help if needed, and then opens the door to stride in confidently. Appearance is often the most important thing in situations of the unknown.
The figure lurking in the corner doesn't immediately turn, waiting until he fully closes the door before revealing their face.
"Sean," he greets and he relaxes a little at seeing the familiar face.
"Meisner," he says back. "I wouldn't have thought you'd come here." He takes a seat behind his desk as the other man sits in the chair in front of him.
"For once, this seemed to be the safest place to meet you. You are aware that they have eyes on you?"
"I had a feeling, after they failed to kill me." He steeples his fingers under his chin. "Is that part of the reason you've come to me here?"
"Things are moving and it seems Portland is the place to be. There are several Verrat agents in the city already and I've been able to uncover an address that is being rented in preparation for members of the royal family to stay in." Meisner sighs. "Either they know more than we do or they have enough information to make an educated guess that this is where they need to be. Have you had any contact with Adalind or the child?"
"No, nothing. If anything, I would have guessed that Portland would be the last place they'd settle. Unless someone here is helping them." He looks to the side and thinks through what he knows of the situation.
"Do you know of anyone that would?"
"I've already checked out anybody that has any link to Adalind or who is someone she might go to. Nothing. What have you found out?"
"Our friends in the castle say that the child is the main focus of all operations. No expense is being spared and the king expects results. Both of your cousins are working, together no less, on this and have people reporting back to them from multiple agencies. They have reason to believe they were in Portland before moving on, I believe you also chased the report of a stolen truck that ended up miles away from where it was reported missing, undamaged and completely wiped clean. A follow up gave descriptions of two women and a child, one matching Adalind identity and giving us more information on her companion. It matches what I know of the woman who helped them flee in the plane." Sean grimaces at the thought that Adalind, and the child, were in Portland and she didn't come to him. He would have thought he would have been the obvious, the only choice and then he would have had control of the situation.
"Do we have any more information about this woman?" He asks as he gets out his own, disappointedly thin, file on his research linked with Adalind and the child. Meisner skins through it but hands it back, clearly seeing nothing new.
"I can send you the description and image we have sketched of her, though we have no name or any other information. I have talked to others in the resistance and most know nothing of her and those that possibly do aren't talking."
"Of course they aren't," Sean mutters. "Send me that information and I'll run it through our systems. We need to get ahead on this, my family cannot get that child. Keep me up to date on anything you find."
"We'll keep each other up to date. I'll chase any leads that I can find but I'm also watching the Verrat. You should do the same." Meisner nods before rising to leave. Sean settles back in his chair and thinks on the witch and the child. This whole situation has been out of his control for too long and it's time he changed that. He is the father of this wanted child and perhaps he needs to start working on that family link to his own advantage.
-G-
Breath flutters across his skin as lips trace a path downwards, over his abs and going lower, and he can't hold still, has to move and has to have more. Gripping her head in his hands he pulls her back up to mesh their mouths together, tongue darting to taste her and take her breath.
"Nick," she gasps as she breaks away. "I want to." She tries to move down again but he holds her tight in his hands.
"I just want you," he breathes out and presses her closer, breasts rubbing against his chest, sending sparks along his skin and heat through his veins, as he twists so their hips align.
"Nick," she murmurs breathily, sending a thrill through him at the sound of nis name in such a way.
"Nick …. Nick … Nicky!" He jerks awake and then rolls off the sofa when he sees his mother hovering over him.
"Mom!" She just stands there as he scrabbles around on the floor, blanket getting tangled in his legs as he hopes and prays that he wasn't saying anything from his dreams.
"Nicky, you ok?" She looks concerned but not too perturbed. He quickly rises to his feet, keeping the blanket to his front and glancing around hurriedly to see if anything else is out of place. The room is still dark, very little light coming in from the crack in the curtains at the window so he guesses it's early.
"Yeah, yeah, just erm, wasn't expecting to wake up that way, with you right there." Seeing his mother first thing after dreaming that? No, definitely not expecting that.
"Sorry, we just haven't had much of a chance to talk, just the two of us and with you heading back to Portland today, I wanted to take the chance to talk to you." He nods and sits back down, his mother moving to sit down next to him.
"Yeah, that would be uh, good," he scrubs his face again before looking up at her. "So …?"
"So, how are you? You said you've had a lot of changes lately." She looks at him, somewhat earnestly, and he huffs out a laugh even as he pulls a face. She must read his mixed emotions because she sighs. "Ok, alright, I know this is strange but we have to start somewhere, right?"
"Right mom," he agrees. "It's just going to take some getting used to, having you around and able to talk to and be involved in my life. It's not that I don't want that, it's just-"
"Not what your used to," she cuts him off with an understanding smile. "We could begin with more business talk and ease our way in?" He laughs properly that time and she smiles back at him.
"What have you been up to? And how did Nana Kelly come about?" He asks and she gives him a brief overview of the activities they've been up to, the ways they've been working with Diana as well as what she's been helping Adalind learn. He also picks up some more details about what she has in place keeping them hidden, and the back up plans that are ready to go if they need to move again. It's impressive, coming from him as her son and then the detective side of his brain, what she has at her fingertips and he begins to wonder if he should have some contingency plans as well. Which makes him think of the tentative foray he's taken into that space.
"I've seen somewhere that could potentially be a safehouse of sorts, that could be useful for if we needed to hide someone's presence in Portland," he starts and his mother looks intrigued. "But I'd need help getting it arranged, as until I sort out the house with Juliette, I don't have the cash readily available to secure it."
"How much is needed?" She asks and he quickly gives her the run-down of costs that would be involved. They discuss the pros and cons of it, but she agrees with him quickly that having such a place would be extremely handy, especially if they can arrange it in such a way that it can't be tied to either of them. She gives him several instructions of how to get a hold of the amount of money needed, from accounts she has already in place, and he tells her the timeframe he's hoping for.
"If you're thinking of hosting certain individuals then you'll need to think about items for a young child, not just furniture but also toys and the like." Her eyes fall to the book, laying somewhat innocently on the arm of the other chair, and she tilts her head. "Though you might be better at that then either of us think."
"She could have hated that book," he mutters.
"But she didn't," his mother states. "She loves it and really likes you …. You'll have to be careful there, Nicky." He opens his mouth but she holds up a hand and he quickly snaps it shut again. "She's a very insightful and powerful little girl and we have no idea what she could do if she got truly upset, or say, would do if someone hurt the person she loves most, her mother." She shoots him such a look that he has to turn away, trying to ignore the feeling of heat on his cheeks. "I don't want anyone to get hurt, physically or emotionally."
"Is this really something you want to talk about?" He grunts out and she huffs a laugh.
"Well, I did miss the awkward teenage years and the mooning over a girl and the like, so I guess I'll take what I can get." She laughs again but Nick turns to stare at her.
"Didn't you get updates from Aunt Marie about those?" His words come out harsh and her face falls. He sighs and runs a hand through his hair, feeling guilty. "I didn't mean it like that-"
"But you have a point," she concedes. "I at least got updates on how you were. You believed your parents to be dead and suddenly had to move around a lot with your aunt. You got emotional upheaval and displacement from all that you knew in your life up to that point, while I went on a hunt that took me away from you, in every possible way, but while still being able to know how you were." He shakes his head, even as a small part inside of him is happy that she has at least acknowledged some of the things he went through.
"You are my mom and I am so happy to have you back in my life. That doesn't mean it's always going to be perfect, that I'm not going to have moments where I get mad at you or sad or that you don't feel guilty or whatever you may feel about it all. We just have to work on it."
"That sounds reasonable … and like something the parent should say," she says with a sigh of her own. He turns to her and holds her gaze as he speaks next, wanting her to really listen.
"Mom, I'm a grown man. I don't want to sound mean but I grew up, kind of had to, when you weren't here. If you're going to be sticking around then we get to have more time with each other and uh, re-build what we lost."
"When did you get so wise?" She asks and he shakes his head once more.
"I'm not, I just … when I was younger, I used to dream that it had been just that, a dream, and you'd come back and I'd be a better son and I'd talk to you more and do my chores straight away and you know, just be with you. The fact that I have you back now, I don't want to mess that up with … with things that … I don't want to lose you again." She moves quickly to sit right by his side, arm coming round his shoulders even as he keeps his head down. Maybe he's being silly, or too emotional, but remembering those thoughts from when he was younger, the pain and then the resignation, he doesn't think he's wrong to be on another rollercoaster as they settle into this new version of their relationship.
"Nicky, not a day goes by that I don't think about what happened. Wonder if I could have done it differently, should have done it differently. I made that choice and I have to live with it, and it kills me that it hurt you, is still hurting you. I can't change what I did, I do believe it kept you safe but I can't use that as a solvation. All I can do is say that I'm sorry and I will do everything I can so that I don't hurt you like that again." Her voice breaks as she talks and he looks up to see her face riddled with emotion like he's never seen before. His life is complicated, he's experienced things most people would never believe but that means he has to take the good and the highs when they come. He could focus on what happened in the past, stay in that emotional bubble, or he can accept it and re-gain a relationship with his mother and re-build the family they once were. Or maybe, even better, form a new family that's stronger.
"Thanks mom," he whispers and she squeezes him in a tight hug that he all too happily returns just as hard.
"Okay, enough of the mush," she states as she pulls away and he chuckles quietly. "Tell me more of the Blutbad and Fuchsbau and your plan to tell them." So, he does, as well as emphasising the cases they have helped him with and that Hank and Wu know now too.
"Oh, and man do I need to tell you about Trubel," he mutters which gets him a raised eyebrow and launches him into an even longer explanation. They are so engrossed in their conversation he doesn't hear anyone approaching until the door swings open and Diana runs into the room, launching herself into the space between him and his mother.
"Nana Kelly, hungry tummy!" She looks up and makes her eyes big and wanting. His mother reaches out and cups her cheek gently.
"Oh, we have a hungry tummy, do we? Does that mean I get to munch on it?" She dives down and presses her face into Diana's stomach, pretending to eat her, her pyjama top rising with the movement. The little girl laughs and squirms, wriggling away.
"No Nana Kelly, no eat!" She twists some more before bumping into his side. "Nick, help!" His mother makes a growling noise and brings her hands up to tickle Diana but he scoops the little girl under her arms and lifts her up, swinging her around his side so she stands at his back and his mother can no longer reach her.
"What? Nicky!" She pulls back with an exaggerated pout and Diana giggles into his neck. "I'm hungry!"
"Then let's get you some proper breakfast food, huh? What do you say Diana?" Seeing his mother act in such a way is strange but the joy on Diana's face makes it worth it.
"Pancakes!" The little girl cries out, hugging him from behind. They both watch as the older Grimm's face comically falls and she heaves a massive sigh.
"I suppose I could have pancakes instead," she mutters, making Diana giggle some more and bounce on the chair. She clings to Nick and he wraps an arm around her to keep her safely on the sofa. "Will you help me make some?"
"Yes, yes! Up Nick!" She demands and he finds himself obeying, letting her rest on his back as he stands to move. She holds on tight to his shoulders and neck and settles against his back, a small yet comfortable weight that spreads warmth across him. His mother shoots him a smile and he can't help but grin back as they move through the hallway. She might be the focus of too much attention, hunted by those that would use her and hold an insane amount of power inside her, but he's finding this little girl is also very easy to love.
Diana slides down as he comes to a stop by the table, chattering to Kelly about what they need to make the requested breakfast items and he watches what must be a fairly common routine for them. His mother may have said she liked him but the clear affection the little girl holds for his mother is clear as day. She really is like a Nana to her.
Henrietta joins them as Kelly starts the food and the Hexenbiest subtly requests Diana to do and focus on such tasks that show what she can do. There is no pushing of her, no one wanting to cause any harm or distress especially after the events of yesterday. It had taken a long time, the previous afternoon and into the evening, to calm and settle the young girl and Nick thinks he could probably recite that book, forwards, backwards and with his eyes closed at this point.
Still, it had given her comfort and he had a warmth inside him, sat like that with the two blondes and doing such a family orientated activity. And he could literally feel how it made Adalind feel, her own worries settling down in the face of her daughter's enjoyment at the simple and innocent action.
His mother must feel his gaze as she shoots him a look that Henrietta catches and suddenly all the attention is on him.
"Did you sleep well, Nicholas?" The Hexenbiest asks and although her question is innocent, has to be as she cannot know how his night was, his reaction is definitely not. He can't help it, not after the dream he had as well as the wake up call he received. Coughing into his hand he mumbles an answer and quickly tries to shift the focus off of himself. She smiles smugly with the reply before deliberately sweeping her eyes around the room.
"And Adalind has not yet joined us this morning?" Kelly shakes her head and Diana copies the move.
"Mama sleep!"
"If you wouldn't mind waking up Adalind?" She asks and he shrugs, trying to appear casual now that he suspects she's watching him keenly in relation to the blonde.
"Alright," he agrees and make his way out of the room and up the stairs. The door is slightly ajar, probably from where Diana came out, so he knocks but gets no answer. Pushing it gently he steps inside and sees Adalind still in bed, asleep, with a small smile on her face. She looks peaceful and serene and he takes a moment to just look at her. She really is beautiful.
"Adalind," he says softly, touching her shoulder to shake gently. She shakes her head a little and burrows deeper into the covers so he leans over closer to her to try again. "Adalind."
"Hmm, Nick?" She blinks up at him, eyes not quite focused, before smiling at him and then reaching up to cup his face. "I told you, you're too far away," she mumbles before pulling him down and into a kiss.
Heat blasts through him as their lips meet and her fingers thread into his hair. She holds him in place as she kisses him, slanting her mouth over his and taking control, angling him just how she wants him. One of his hands comes up to hold his balance, landing on the bed beside her head while the other moves to hold her jaw and keep her lips right there. She pulls back slightly to suck at his bottom lip and then soothes the action with her tongue, making him groan at the sensation and she jolts at the sound.
"Oh!" She exclaims, pushing him back and looking suddenly, very awake. "Sorry! I thought-I thought I was dreaming." They are both panting a little and she still seems to be slightly dazed. Then she blushes and pulls the cover up as if to hide from him. He chuckles lightly at her embarrassment and takes a step back.
"It's ok, I get it." He pauses at that, wondering if she understands that he means he has those types of dreams too and sees her peek at him from one eye. "I was sent to wake you up, to see if you wanted to join us for breakfast before we have to head out." She nods but doesn't make a move to leave the bed. Her head suddenly snaps to the side and she sits up straight.
"Diana?" She queries quickly, clearly wanting to know where her daughter is.
"With my mom," he replies and sees her relax with that knowledge. "I'll see you downstairs." He offers and then leaves the room, pausing to take a deep breath and settle his own emotions before being in front of his mother and Henrietta and their assessing gazes again.
-G-
She flops back on the bed, covering her eyes with her hands and blowing out a breath. Oh, why did that have to happen? Why couldn't she control herself? She'll just blame it all on Nick, it's all his fault, obviously.
Shaking the embarrassment away, she throws the covers off and quickly gathers some clothes, pausing to check the bed and deducing that her daughter is still in her pyjamas. Well, if she gets messy at breakfast that's one less change and they need to pack up anyway, as she's sure Kelly said they would be leaving today.
What a time it has been. They have learnt so much, and yet not enough. Her daughter is still in danger, from so many directions and she worries, all the time that she's not doing enough. That she won't be able to keep her safe and something terrible will happen.
But they are not alone and they have powerful allies now. Kelly and Nick and now Henrietta.
"Mama pancakes!" Diana announces as she enters the room and she smiles at her before dropping a kiss on her cheek.
"Did you help?" she asks and gets a vigorous nod in reply. "Good girl."
"Did you sleep well dear?" Henrietta asks with a smile and Nick jolts at the table.
"I did," she replies, looking at Nick but he doesn't meet her gaze and Henrietta just smiles serenely. "Did you?"
"I find myself most refreshed and ready to meet this new day." Adalind nods as she gathers some food, politely declining her daughter's offer of pancakes and settling instead for yogurt and fruit. "I shall be sad to say goodbye to you but I know we will meet again soon." Diana looks up at her words and frowns.
"Goodbye?" She asks and looks at all the adults sat around the table.
"We have to say goodbye to Nick and Henrietta today," Adalind explains and her daughter pouts. She looks down at her plate before sliding off of her chair and moving to Nick's side.
"Up?" She asks and he obliges her, lifting her so she can sit on his lap. "Buzz off?" She quotes with a tilt of her head and Nick laughs.
"I have to go, yeah, but I'll be back for my witch," he replies, one hand reaching for the toy doll sat on the table and then bringing it up to tickle Diana. She laughs and wrestles him playfully for the doll.
"My witch!" She cries and he gives it up to her without much of a fight. He grins down at her, making herself comfortable on his lap, before looking up and meeting Adalind's eyes.
"Your witch," he replies though his tone is soft. His eyes linger before he looks down again and asks Diana where the other characters from the book might be and she looks up to see both Kelly and Henrietta looking between them, with very different expressions on their faces. Kelly looks worried which she understands but Henrietta looks almost gleeful and smiles widely at her.
"Charming," she comments. "However, we do have some matters to attend to before we depart." Adalind nods.
"Sean," she says and Henrietta repeats his name in confirmation. "You'll arrange a meeting with him?"
"Nicholas and I will organise a time to talk to Sean, we will be as forthright as possible with the facts whilst also not giving away information we do not wish him to abuse. Until we know what his reaction will be, keeping yourself and Diana safe is the utmost importance." She blows out a breath before meeting the older Hexenbiest's eyes.
"What do you think he will do?"
"It has been a number of years since I have spent any significant time with Sean, though I regularly see Elizabeth and hear of his well-being through her. Having taken them in when they needed a safe place; I will always hold a soft spot for them. However, Sean is very much a product of his making. Although Elizabeth tried her best to warn him away, especially after her experiences with them, the royal family has always held a draw for him. Perhaps it is in him being denied what he views as his by birthright, or simply a lust for power from both sides of his family, but Sean has always worked towards being in a position of authority and he has never missed an opportunity to gain command within the wider community, as well as the sphere of the royals."
"So, you think he will use her, to gain back his position with the royal family?" She asks slowly and Henrietta gives a delicate shrug.
"I cannot say for sure," she replies. "I know of the draw of power, from being a Hexenbiest and have heard tales from Elizabeth of the sense of grandeur being part of the royal family can bring you. But I have also seen the bond of parent and child, overcome many an obstacle and turn back the lure of temptation. It would be wrong to not give Sean a chance to prove what kind of father he would be."
"Even if that chance puts her in danger? Just so he can think about being a daddy?"
"Daddy?" Diana echoes and looks around. "Daddy?" She asks, face scrunching in confusion. Adalind sighs before turning to fully face her daughter and running a hand through her hair.
"Yes, honey, daddy. Mama is here and I love you, so much, but daddy isn't here. He's a little confused and so Nick and Henrietta are going to help. They're going to talk to daddy and help him, do you understand?" Her little girl looks around again.
"Nick, Henri, daddy?" She repeats and Adalind nods.
"Nick is going to help with your daddy, yes, and so is Henrietta."
"Ok mama," is the simple reply after a moment and she settles back into Nick, playing with her doll. She had expected more questions, as she hasn't mentioned having a daddy to Diana before but the young girl seems quite content at the moment and she's happy to leave explanations until she absolutely has to give them.
"Well, I guess we leave it at that until we know more," Kelly says and she nods her agreement quickly.
"We'll keep in contact as to how our endeavours go. I trust you have secure methods of communication?" Henrietta asks and Adalind nods as Kelly chuckles. Nick shoots her a look before turning to the older witch.
"We're all good on the communication front," he states and receives a nod in acknowledgement.
"The I believe it is time to finish packing and take our leave," she says and Adalind doesn't think she's the only one that is sad at that statement. Diana snuggles closer to Nick and she doesn't blame her daughter for the action at all. "I shall collect my belongings and then perhaps we can share blessings before we go?" She nods, the thought calming and thinking it will give Diana a nice memory to link with Henrietta and magic, a better one than the previous days connection anyway.
She stands with the older Hexenbiest and begins to clear the table as items are gathered from around the room.
"You're going to keep those?" Kelly asks sharply and she looks up to see Henrietta gathering the vials from the Anzahl der Zellgeschenke and placing them in her bag.
"They need to be properly cleansed," she explains and then looks at the Grimm. "Unless you would wish for me to leave them here, where they cannot be safely disposed and could potentially leave evidence for someone to find and use to track you?" The two older women stare at each other for several minutes before Kelly seems to give in but she clearly shoots Nick a look as Henrietta looks away. He nods and she relaxes back.
"Diana, let's give Nick some space, ok?" She pulls her daughter up and away from using Nick as a seat and settles her on her hip. "Shall we do one last bit of magic, to say goodbye to Henrietta and wish her safely on her way?"
"And Nick?" Her daughter adds in and she smiles.
"Yes, and Nick, we won't forget him."
-G-
He watches as the witches leave the room, talk of a blessing circle before they have to leave. He turns to his mother who's opening her mouth to speak but he beats her to it.
"I know," he notes. "I'll query it some more when it's just the two of us."
"That's our blood, Nicky."
"I know, mom, and I'll-" He's cut off by his phone and he looks at the caller I.D to see if he can ignore it but seeing Monroe's name, he knows he can't. "I have to answer this," he states and stands with his phone in his hand.
"Hey man," Monroe's voice greets him as he answers the call. "Just wanted to see how everything was going, you know. That you're alright, maybe get a check in as your friend to see if, maybe you might be, oh, I don't know, that you're still alive!"
"Monroe-"
"It's not like you went off, to parts unknown, with like, no back up, with a frigging Hexenbiest no less, and then didn't let us know other than a text, that you're ok! Not cool dude! Anybody could have sent that text!" His voice comes through the line really loud and Nick moves through the house quickly so he doesn't disturb anyone else.
"Monroe, I sent that text. I am ok. I'm sorry I haven't checked in; it's just been busy and there's a lot happening." He reels off quickly.
"Happening with what?" He closes his eyes as he knows his answer will not appease the Blutbad.
"I can't tell you right now," he says and listens to the splutters of disagreement on the other end of the phone. "I will tell you when I get back." He states, quietly yet firmly and interrupting Monroe's flow.
"When you get, you'll – wait, what?"
"Look, I have to go but I will be back soon and then I will tell you what's been going on, ok? Just, give me a bit more time?" The sigh that comes through the line is loud but rings with his friend's acceptance.
"Alright man, but I want to see you soon. Sooner than soon. Let us know the exact minute you get back into Portland. And I know the watch you wear so I know how accurate that thing is and I expect the same with you, you hear?" He can't help but smile at his friend words and, even though he can't see him, checks his watch in honour of his friend. He did help him select it, after all.
"Got it Monroe. I'll see you soon." He ends the call and heads back into the living room to see Adalind, Diana and Henrietta standing holding hands. He feels the magic in the air and wonders at what they are doing but sees that his mother looks calm so doesn't get worried. Henrietta seems to be guiding whatever is happening and he watches as she takes several deep breaths, Adalind and Diana copying, before they all open their eyes and drop their hands. Diana beams up at the older witch as Adalind looks at her daughter.
"It has been an honour and a pleasure to meet you both," Henrietta starts. "I will hold true to my words, will keep my vow and will answer your call if I can provide you aid."
"Thank you," Adalind says and Diana jumps forward, giving the Hexenbiest's legs a hug. She looks surprised, glancing from Adalind to Kelly, before bending down to hug the young girl back.
"Goodbye, dear child. I hope to see you again soon." Diana nods before going back to Adalind, arms up in the unspoken gesture to be picked up and held.
"Are we ready to go?" He asks and gets a nod in reply from Henrietta. His mother and Adalind both pull faces and Diana shakes her head.
"No go!" She states and her eyes flash purple. Kelly steps to Adalind's side and strokes her hair.
"They have to go, so do we. But we'll see them again soon," she promises and Diana nods slowly in understanding. His mother steps to him and grips his shoulder squeezing tightly.
"Travel safe," she says, looking him dead in the eye and he nods. "I'll take your bag to the car." She bends down to scoop up his overnight bag and then offers the same to Henrietta, which the older woman declines but does follow her out of the room. Then Nick realises his mother has made it so he can have a moment alone with the two blondes left in the room.
He steps closer and glances between both Diana and Adalind. In this moment they look so similar, blue eyes big, blonde hair in waves and both focused on him.
"Stay safe," he murmurs "And let me know if anything, absolutely anything, changes or you need me."
"You too," Adalind whispers back and Diana leans out towards him. Instead of taking her from her mother, he wraps his arms around them both, feeling them press into his chest. The air seems to thicken slightly, magic and something else, something heavy, filling the space and he takes a deep breath to try to dispel the sensation. He squeezes tight before kissing the top of Adalind's head and then stepping back.
"I'll see you soon," he says and she smiles at him. Turning and leaving them is harder than he thought it would be and he has to keep moving, walking out the door and not looking back so he actually does leave. His mother shoots him a look and he nods before opening the car door and taking his place behind the wheel. She raises a hand in a wave before disappearing back inside and he's glad Adalind and Diana stay inside, not wanting to risk anyone seeing them just to give him another glance at them.
"This is not a permanent separation, Nicholas. If I am certain of anything, from our time together this weekend and what my senses tell me, then you will not be without your Hexenbiest for long." Henrietta offers and he nods, thinking that he's leaving behind some of the most important people in his life. It might be strange to think it, after everything they've been through together so far, and others might not understand but it's like he can feel it inside him. A weight or sensation settles and he know that his life has been irrevocably changed again by the same blonde who was the catalyst the first time. This time he doesn't want her to step away from him, he wants her close and safe and he'll do whatever he can to make that become their new, shared, reality.
-G-
AN – Thank you for continuing to read!