Made of This Chapter Two
-G-
AN – When I said this would be slow updating, I didn't think it would be this slow, so apologies! With my change of job my writing time has been severely impacted but I've spent the holidays in my happy place, writing away, creating stories with these characters I love, so have gotten a little ahead and so hopefully there won't be months in between this and the next chapter. I'm not going to set any kind of schedule, even to myself, but can say I will try to at least be more regular with future chapters. I hope you like it.
Disclaimer – I do not own any characters or stories from the show Grimm. No copyright or infringement intended. It's all for fun, no profit being made here.
Title and song quotes come from the lyrics of Eurythmics' 'Sweet Dreams'. If you don't know that song you don't belong in this fandom (I joke, but still …)
-G-
Who am I to disagree?
-G-
"Uh oh," Hank mutters and I look up to him but see his eyes fixed to my right, where I see what has gotten his attention. Wu is making his way over to us with paper in hand, a very familiar sight. He stops at the end point between both of our desks, where he can see us both, and shares a grimace.
"I hate to say it-" he starts and Hank interrupts.
"Come on man, 30 minutes! Shift ends in 30 minutes! Don't say it." I'm inclined to agree with my partner, having spent most of our shift catching up on paper work as we hadn't caught a new case, that after having made a pit stop at the community day arranged by our new captain. It had been interesting, and good to see most of the officers in decent spirits, their families too, even if I had come away with more questions than a day like that was supposed to give.
Seeing the Hexenbiest, Adalind, again was intriguing and had me thinking. That we shared a connection, association really, with my new captain being her, I think she said, ex and father of her child was thought-provoking, and it made me wonder. Was my new boss Wesen too? I hadn't seen anything that would hint at it, but then again, I hadn't really been in a situation with him where his emotions might get out of control enough to make him Woge. There had definitely been something about the young girl, I'd referred to her as a Hexenbiest and hadn't been corrected, and the way Adalind went into protection mode was something I could respect, as well as find interesting. Some of the Wesen I had met over the years were certainly protective of their children, others confident in their child's Wesen abilities in helping them with certain situations, more so than Kehresite children. The ability to Woge came at different ages too, but some abilities linked to their natures could develop earlier and did have an effect on what children could do, as well as what was expected of them. If Adalind and the captain were both Wesen then, from my understanding of Wesen genetics, their daughter would definitely be too, and so could explain the hint of something I caught when I looked at her. It seemed I would have to keep a closer eye on my new boss than I originally had planned too.
For today, I'd managed to get several outstanding paperwork jobs finished, even as I'd fielded multiple interruptions from others around the precinct as well as when the captain had come back to his office after the community day had finished, and was feeling a little wrung out from having been sat at and staring at a computer screen for several hours. To be able to see the end of our shift, and the ability to actually leave on time for once, and then have it disappear is always a bit of a disappointment.
"Well, unfortunately for you, the criminals of Portland do not know your shift schedule," Wu replies dryly and I can't help but chuckle, albeit slightly humourlessly. "There's a body and you two are my top detectives, so it's yours." He hands over the paper to Hank, detailing what information has come in so far and where we need to go and we both stand, Hank checking he's got his keys and reading through the info packet as I sling my jacket on. I feel a set of eyes on me as I move, but can't see anyone obviously staring as I glance around quickly.
"Since we'll probably be back here soon, is there at least any cake left over to look forward to?" Hank asks as we both start to follow Wu as he moves towards the door.
"Cake? What cake? I haven't seen any cake around here," Wu replies, tone innocent but grin mischievous.
"Ha ha, man, come on," Hank replies and Wu just shrugs. "You got multiple boxes earlier!" The sergeant still feigns ignorance and Hank and I share a look.
"You're treating your 'top detectives' really well tonight, Wu," I comment dryly and also get a non-committal gesture in return.
"Between keeping you guys happy, and eating Angela's cake, that most delicious of cakes that I live and wait for, I know what I'm choosing," he replies and I laugh as Hank grumbles. We get held up at the corridor as another group walk through to the bull pen and Hank takes the opportunity to pass me the paper, so I can read the brief of what we're heading towards.
"… you should Have Told ME!" Every head in the immediate vicinity turns to the voice coming from the captain's office and Hank and I pause in the doorway as we peer towards the glass partition. Captain is clearly inside, his stature is obvious and telling, but so too is another body. I think I recognise the voice and the blonde hair, though she's turned away from me so I can't be sure. I didn't see her arrive at any point but do know from a few mentions from others that captain's 'family' had helped with the tidy up at the end of the day.
"Trouble for captain?" Hank enquires with a pointed look and I can only shrug.
"Who knows, let's get to our crime scene," I say but can't help but glance back and wonder as Hank leads the way out.
-G-
APOV
"Are we going to talk about it?" I ask when we finally have a quiet moment. Diana is asleep on the couch in Sean's office, exhausted from her day exploring what Portland's police department community ties team had put together, and the door is closed, hopefully stopping anymore interruptions. I've met many people today, quite a few who have knocked on the office door since we've been here and I can already see how busy being the police captain here will keep Sean. Which could be a good thing, but that remains to be seen. Diana and I being with him though has meant we have met quite a few new individuals as well, one of whom is still at the forefront of my mind after our meeting earlier in the day.
I look out through the glass windows that separates Sean, as the captain, from the general hubbub of the police department and see the object of my thoughts. He's sat at a desk, talking to two colleagues before suddenly standing and swinging his jacket on. The action gives a nice play of his chest and arm physique and I'm glad that I can observe him from afar without the chance of being seen. Not that I should be looking at all, or noticing how he looks as he moves, or the head of thick, dark hair that looks like it'd be very nice to run your fingers through. I shake my head slightly and focus back on the room I'm in, with the people I'm with, reminding myself of the discussion I've started that will likely lead to an argument, but one that needs to be had.
"About what?" Sean asks, with a slight frown. "I thought today went very well, you seemed to get on with those you met and Diana liked meeting other children."
"No, none of that, though yes, that was nice to see," I say, even as I think that it had been pleasant to see my little girl get on well with others her own age; and I had managed to get a few numbers with tentative plans to arrange some play dates. "I meant are we going to talk about the fact that the detective you introduced me, and our daughter, to, who also just happens to be a Grimm?" I can't stop my voice from pitching higher as I finish, even as I try to stay calm. With how Sean looks away and sighs I get confirmation of my suspicions that he was already aware of who he was working with. That the handsome man I'd spied a few moments ago, that I'd seen at a coffee shop, had had a moment to consider a flirtation with before his eyes and aura changed, and then met again at Sean's grand day, really was the being from Wesen nightmares. "You knew. You knew, coming here, that there was a Grimm, in the department you would be in charge of."
"I knew," he admits, not meeting my eyes and I inhale deeply as a wave of anger rushes through me.
"How … when … you … you should Have Told ME!" I cry, feeling the fury settle into a scowl on my face.
"Keep your voice down," Sean orders harshly, glancing out to the space around his office and the people he's now in charge of. I look towards Diana, who luckily slept through my outburst, but otherwise don't change my stance or glare. Sean shakes his head as he turns back to me. "Look, I didn't think it would be a problem this quickly, I mean, from everything I've heard, he's not like what we've been taught to expect."
"But you did hear and you didn't tell me!" I object and watch as a flicker of annoyance skittles over his face before he sets it into a more neutral expression.
"As you don't work here and have made it very clear about how you wish for our arrangement to be, moving forward, I didn't think you'd meet him at all," Sean replies dryly and his words only increase my anger.
"Our arrangement, that is the best thing for our daughter, who is also a Hexenbiest!" I snap and Sean looks away. "And you're now working with a Grimm! One you invited to this community day, where you also had us! Your daughter and I. You introduced us! Knowing who, and what, all of us are! You want to gamble with your own life, or mine, fine, but not hers! How could you?" I ask tightly and watch as he looks away again. I know now that I will never truly be able to understand all the reasons Sean has for doing what he does. The elements that once made us look compatible were really just a visage, a front to help draw people in and project a certain image, something I know Sean will never be able to let go of. His need for control and influence, of all aspects in his life, and so also those linked to him, is never going to go away and I know now, that is not how I can live, and certainly not how I want my daughter to grow up. I still, perhaps somewhat naively, thought that he had, after everything we went through, all the pain and suffering and threat, that he had gained the ability to think of his daughter first, before all his manipulations. This whole situation was rapidly making me re-think that.
"You think I would have brought Diana here if there was a chance she could have been hurt?" Sean snaps back and I huff as I look away from him.
"I don't know what to think," I mutter, looking towards our daughter once more. She's still laid out on the couch, Sean's overcoat stretched over her and still asleep, probably exhausted after her busy day, meeting so many people and doing all the activities the community ties team had put on. It had been a good day for her, would provide good feelings and memories, and I want it to stay that way. I don't want her waking to see us arguing; Diana was not to see conflict between us, that we have agreed upon. Diana knows that her father and I are not together, and never will be again, but we both made promises to put her first and co-parent to ensure her well-being and happiness.
"Look, Adalind, I know we haven't had the smoothest relationship, especially lately, but I love our daughter and I hope you believe me when I say that I wouldn't put her in danger like that," Sean says softly, walking closer as he speaks. I look up at him and can't help but frown.
"I want to believe that," I say. "But your actions don't always match your words. And this is a lot to trust, to go on, based on your word alone." He frowns at that and tries to reach out to touch me but I side step the action, so his hand misses touching me. He's used his physical presence and touch more times than I can say to help arrange situations to his liking, and I refuse to be used like that anymore. I also know to be wary of his words, that Sean chooses what he says carefully, so he can always have control.
"You act as if I haven't done what's best for our daughter," he starts and I scoff and shake my head. He will never be able to fully erase the doubt that lingers in my heart, that he wasn't behind or involved with the situation around our daughter and her birth, and then everything that happened after. Not unless he agreed to do the knot, the magical agreement that would give his word about what happened or else face certain consequences, and that he steadfastly refuses to do. We will probably be in this stalemate in regards to our past for the rest of our future, that of being co-parents and nothing more. "Adalind," he warns sharply but I keep my anger close and readable on my face.
"Our daughter has already lived through enough, as have I," I state, memories flashing more vividly through my mind but I push then away. Now is not the time to re-visit any of that. Part of the reason for this move was to put distance between the past and create a new environment where we could all have fresh starts, far away from the trouble of old and that could help lead to better lives, especially for Diana. "This was supposed to be a fresh start, and to get her away from anyone that would hurt her or use her."
"And it still is that," he argues back. "You do not need to come here, so you shouldn't have any run ins with him and neither should Diana. Today was a … slight miscalculation on my part, I can admit that, but chances of you seeing each other again is slim, if not practically non-existent. And he is different, I know that much, so he doesn't pose a threat, but I will be keeping an eye on him, just in case. I am, also, his boss." He steps close again but leaves space between us and just looks at me. Sean admitting he is wrong is rare and I know the clauses in our co-parenting agreement, I wrote most of it myself, so I know the terms and conditions, that his place of work has been agreed to be a last resort placement for Diana, or myself, to be. And Sean does do his research, another habit from his power-play days but also part of what makes him a good police officer, now captain. Details are things he tends to know, look into and remember. Sharing that information, that is something he does need to work on but I know how old those habits are, so how hard they will be to break.
"You still should have told me," I repeat as the fight goes out of me, all of a sudden feeling tired and just wanting to be home. This conversation needed to be had but I also know it won't be the last.
"I apologise and will try to do better," he promises and though he looks me in the eye as he says those words, the way he blinks makes the doubt linger. Sometimes, he forgets, with all the time we've spent together, that I know him better than he thinks.
"For Diana," I say and he nods and smiles. It has been my mantra for years now, and will remain so, for as long as I have strength, I will fight to keep my daughter safe. Even if it's from her own father. "Well, I guess I'd better get Diana home and let you get focused on finishing up for the day yourself." I offer my own smile before turning to Diana and removing Sean's coat. She mumbles but otherwise doesn't stir and I resign myself to carrying her to the car. Tipping her into my arms is made easier with Hexenbiest magic and though Sean offers to help I politely refuse, hugging her tighter to me, and start to make my way home with my daughter in my arms.
Letting Sean get the office door, I take my leave and begin carefully walking towards the exit, holding Diana close. My eyes scan the area for the detective I've met several times now and feel relieved at not seeing him present. Sean's reassurances and the detective's, Nick's, own words may have painted a pretty picture and the fact I walked away from those encounters may give some proof towards him being different but I'm not sold on it just yet. Not when he also knows about my daughter. Age hasn't always mattered to Grimm's in the past.
If there's the smallest twinge of disappointment that I don't get to even have a glance at the handsome detective, well, I push it down and try not to focus on that. Being pretty doesn't make anyone less dangerous, and as a Hexenbiest, I know the truth in that statement all too well.
-G-
AN – A glance into Adalind's head and some hints about her, and Diana's, pasts. Let me know what you think and thanks for reading!