Summary: Renard is approached by one of his inner circle, who fear's his son is being led down a path he cant turn back from, Nick is his last hope for them both.

Notes:

From Blood And Loyalty

Nick was busy singing away to the music while he moved around the kitchen making dinner, Renard's headache ebbed away at the sight as he entered the house. Walking over he was met with a kiss as he entered the kitchen, Nick gave him a look as he noticed the change of clothing. Renard sighed later and he pulled the other man closer to him, before stealing some of the raw veg Nick had been cutting.

"Can I help?" he asked as Nick chuckled.

"You can set the table" answered Nick as Renard stole another kiss before gathering up the things, he needed, adding Nick's beer and his wine to the table too.

Not long later Nick joined him with dinner, passing him his plate Renard was impressed with the food laid out before them. He'd accepted that Nick could cook due to the fact he's been forced to live on his own from a young age, but the level of skill involved with the food upon the table was on par with that of some of the higher end restaurants he'd eat at over the years. He was also taken back at the skill because from the few meal's they had shared, Nick had picked up on the fact that he was vegetarian due to the bloodthirsty nature of his wesen side. Like Monroe he'd turned from that life and kept to a strict lifestyle, he was pleased to see the man he'd come to care for noticed little things like that and adjusted accordingly without prompting.

Sitting down together they ate in a comfortable silence, now and again they'd break it with questions or comments about the food, their days and those they' d come to call friends. The bigger questions hung in the air but weren't being ignored just put aside until they could speak on them, they just prioritised spending time together over shattering the moment. Once dinner was done and cleared away Nick ushered Renard to take a shower and change into sleepwear, causing Renard to give him a look that made him blush.

As Nick cleared away the mess the thoughts of Renard's current state crept into his imagination, he cursed his growing hormones and tried to push the images aside but they just came back more graphic. Eventually he groaned and gave in to his desires as the ache in his groin got the better of him, heading up the stairs he smiled to himself as he headed to the master bedroom. Within he could hear Renard in the ensuite, pulling off his own clothing Nick slipped silently into the room. Nick had to stop himself from drooling at the silhouette of Renard's body through the frosted glass, taking a risk he opened the door and slipped inside.

He was taken by surprise when strong arms pulled him close, and a kiss was place on the back of his neck as he bowed his head. The rumbling chuckle that erupted from Renard's chest made Nick fall deeper for the older man. His hands drifted over Nick's bare skin making him shudder at the pleasant sensation. Nick all but lost his mind when Renard reached between them and relieved Nick of what had felt like an eternity of celibacy.

After the shower they curled up in Nick's bed happily, as Renard traced the few tattoo's and scars that covered Nick's body as he rested on his chest. Nick lent down and kissed him contently as the world outside mattered not at that moment.

Frank Rabe was a one of the better known none Beist lawyer's at Berman, Rautbort and Associates, he was proud of his Jägerbar heritage but also a realist. He was one of the Prince's most trusted agents and was one of the of the group he'd requested keep their eyes and ears open. As a firm believer in his beliefs, that the best way forward for them as a people was to come out of the dark ages and into the modern world. He agreed that some of their older traditions may have been ok long ago but now he could almost understand why Grimm's would hunt them down, speaking of Grimm's or at least the one currently residing with Portland he'd been sceptical but could understand the Princes reasoning.

Frank was pulled out of his thoughts as he heard his front door creaking open, turning away from his fire to look in the direction he saw his son entering.

"Barry?" he questioned as he looked at his watch and was taken back at the very late hour.

"Dad?" he replied back, a shocked look upon his face as he pulled his jacket on him tighter around him.

Frank calmy looked at his whisky in hand and after downing it, he put the glass down and praying he wasn't about to find what he was looking for he walked over to his son and pulled at the collar on his top. The barely visible traces of some sort of body paint clung to his skin, letting out a pained sign as he looked him in the face but before he could speak his son pulled away.

"I'm proud of who I am dad! Unlike you I'm not going to turn my back on who I am" he yelled before storming off to his room making Frank growl and storm over to make himself another drink before pulling out his cell.

"Diane be warned this cannot go well, for one this is a protected city or have you forgotten that we live under his rule and you are walking a fine line. I will not let you take our son with your madness; these are the reasons we left our former home, the reasons why a Grimm killed your father. I won't stand by any more Diane, your actions ended our marriage but I won't let you destroy our son's life. You will be judged for your actions from now on, I will not stand with you anymore" shutting down his phone he knew when she got the message, she'd be blowing up his phone.

Sitting down on his chair deflated he didn't know what to do, he was worried about the path his ex-wife was leading his son down. She was his mother but her anger and hate was blinding her to what she was doing to his life, Barry was a good kid but he was only a few years into his heritage and he just wanted to fit in. She'd started taking advantage of that, Frank had been worried about her actions affecting his position beside the Prince but now he was worried about his wife's actions now a Grimm was living alongside them.

At seventeen she'd witnessed her father's death at the hand of a Grimm called into the village because of her father's actions, she'd refused to listen to those who'd told her that he'd brought his punishment upon himself. You see her father had been a local pastor who'd led his church, over those years young teens both male and female (mostly couples) had gone missing. The numbers where not high enough to cause alarm so life went on, but one year after a renovations outside town turned up the body's of the missing males the rumours started.

That's when a young girl not from the town turned up with injuries and a story to tell of monsters living around the church, she was laughed out of town until news of a stranger asking question spread through the town. Weeks later the stranger turned out to be a Grimm and the girl's brother who traced the killing to her father. He'd been doing it as part of their traditional ritual's, so the Grimm had returned the favour but spared his ex-wife.

As the church burned down the body's of the women were dug up and her family ran out of town. At the time Frank had been dating Diane and had offered her a way out, so they married young and left that life behind them, but it seemed in vain because now he believed she was no better than her father.

He knew he needed to do something before his son would fall into the same fate Diane was flirting with, sighing he knew he needed to gather up a few things and pre-emptively deal with it now before it did get worse.

Renard was sat in his office working on his budget for the month when Wu once again knocked on his office with another visitor, reluctantly Renard motioned for him to enter expecting another of the mayors lacky's here to bug him again. He was surprised to see Frank enter with a smile on his face that seemed forced, he was cordial and after Wu closed the door Frank bowed before him.

"I'm sorry Sire to come before you here but I must speak about something that's weighing down on me before it's too late" sighed Frank as Renard became concerned about what would worry his loyal Jägerbar agent.

Frank sat down and for a moment his nervousness worried Renard as he waited for him to speak. If it had been anyone else, he'd have had little patience for them but Frank was one of the handful of people he trusted with his life. Eventually Frank found his voice and began explaining.

"As you are aware Sire, I divorced my wife of almost twenty years Diane a few years ago. For the sake of our son, I've stayed cordial with her as we shared the responsibility of his upbringing between us, lately though I've began to doubt her ability to be trusted with him. He's been distant, cold and secretive, all things that you'd associate with him being a teenager, but recently I've had reason to fear it's more. In two weeks, Barry will turn nineteen" at those words Renard's interest grew as did his concern about what Frank was skirting round.

As both the ruling Royal and being of Wesen heritage he was aware of the important rites and rituals of his people, as well as at same time being an advocate of dropping some of the more dangerous and out dated practices of the Wesen world. The Jägerbar's Roh-hatz was one of those practices and with Frank's blessing he'd used that as a large part of his promise to his people, as he came out of the shadows and took the reins of his Canton.

"Last night he'd been away from home, I believed he was at his friends until he slunk home in the early hours. As much as he tried to hide it, I saw the fading evidence of Roh-hatz ritual paint. Sire I believe Diane is overstepping her place, her father was slaughtered by a Grimm for these very actions but I fear she is leading Barry down a dark path" as Frank's words settled with him Renard let out a sigh and stood.

He turned to his window that looked out into the bullpen and closed the blinds, after that he walked over to his file cabinet and passed Frank a file. Taking it Frank began looking through it before sagging into his seat with his head in his hands.

"As you can see Frank it may already have begun, my Detectives beyond this office are working on a break in that may also be a missing person case" Renard explained as Frank listened his face filled with worry.

"I need to stop this before it goes to far and I cannot right the wrong path my son is heading down" Frank spoke up his voice filled with fear and worry.

Any other time Renard wouldn't have care but Frank was a friend and after cursing Nick under his breath for opening up his frozen heart, he'd come to understand what the worth of that was. This ment as the prince or not he needed to help him.

"As this Canton's Prince I cannot interfere" spoke Renard as Frank's face fell, making him feel crappy.

"But you are one of the few people I consider a friend, so I can not let you do this alone" Frank looked up at Renard as his mind barely registered his words.

"You need to go to this address and tell him I've sent you. He will help but know this if he finds any wrong done, he has my approval to act" Renard's words made him swallow hard understanding what he was not saying, taking the address he thanked him and got up to leave.

Nick sat at his dining room table writing within his journal, like his family before him and theirs before them as was the tradition's of the Grimms. With all that had gone on over the last few months, Nick hadn't had a spare moment to document it all. But now with his life taking the turn it had he had not only a moment to breathe but a whole lifetime to find a place alongside those who once feared him.

The knocking at his door brought his attention from his book and to the visitor on the other side of the door, he knew it wasn't Renard for he was a creature of habit and he'd have text or called ahead to inform him of his arrival. Monroe and Rosalee were out on a date, while Serena and Sam were doing their duty to Renard since he'd been texting both regular, Nick got to his feet and stashed his journal away within the safe he'd had hidden in his bookcase before opening the door.

Nick relaxed and smiled when he saw Bud stood on his porch, he was still a little nervous but he wasn't as panicked as he once was in his presence. Nick invited him in and offered him a coffee which Bud turned down politely, Nick retrieved his things from his hallway closet and passed them to the grateful Bud. He thanked Nick expressing the relief since he'd been unable to work as well as he should without them, he offered Nick his card and informed him like Rosilee he'd happily help out around if he needed it. He'd not try to argue over price with him but reminded him that he was their protector, and that this was how they showed him thanks. This moved Nick who was still getting used to having a family's affection again.

Bud shook Nick's hand as he headed out the door, he smiled at Nick before telling him he needed to come to dinner with his family. Nick was more then happy to agree as he watch Bud get into his van and leave. Nick was about to close the door when he saw another car pull up, he waited in the doorway as he watched Frank get out and head towards him. Cautiously Nick lent on his right shoulder against the doorframe, arms folded and his legs crossed as Frank tried to look cool and together but it was clear he was worried about something.

"Nick Burkhardt?" questioned Frank as he looked Nick up and down, Nick was dressed in acid washed jeans, his usual boots and a dark vest top with a local band upon it. His tattoos were visible as was the small stud in his ear, standing up straight he greeted the other man.

"I am, can I help you?" Nick asked pleasantly as he tried to keep his body language natural.

"I'm Frank Rabe" said Frank as he stood before Nick and after checking his surroundings for a second, he woge briefly before returning to his former state, Nick nodded and invited him in so they could talk.

Inside Nick offered him a coffee which he took gratefully before sitting down on his couch, Nick joined him with his own drink. Sitting down on the couch in front of him Nick spoke.

"So, Mr Rabe what brings a Jägerbar to the house of a Grimm?" Nick asked sympathetically as he realised it was something for him to be here, but as he seemed to get fidgety Nick began getting concerned.

"The prince advised me to come see you" as he spoke up, Nick could see from the look on his face that was hard for him to say but if Renard had sent him, it was serous.

"If Sean had sent you to me then he trusts you, I'm presuming your one of his inner circle?" Nick asked as Frank looked at him surprised.

"I am, but I'm presuming you know that" Frank answered confidently.

"Not by appearance I only know you all by name, but I know Sean trusts you" Nick smiled as he enjoyed his coffee.

"You must understand that this is not easy for me to ask this of you, but I need help. I've stood by the prince as he set out to modernise our community, he rightly believes that some of our traditions are the reason why Grimm's sort us out and those traditions have no place in this day and age." Frank sighed as Nick watched his actions.

"The Roh-hatz?" questioned Nick as Frank nodded his head.

"My wife and I are separated and we have raised our son between us. But were as I am a believer in the modern world, she is traditional. This ended our marriage but it would seems she's convinced Barry our son this is the right way. He's come home in the ritual paint; the prince passed this file to me. The break in was not far from her home and the woman's description is that of a Jägerbar, please Grimm Barry is the last of three boys too turn nineteen we have six days before it's too late" Frank all but begged Nick for help, getting up Nick took the cup and put it on the side.

"Give me a chance to change and then I need you to take me out to any possible place she could be using" spoke Nick calmly and clearly making Frank nod.

Nick left the room and headed to change from his happy home loving persona to the Grimm of Portland, in hopes of helping Frank save his son from his ex-wife's deadly thinking.