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“Do you think he’ll like it?”
Adalind hears the words, and registers the familiar voice asking them is Trubel’s, as she enters the Spice Shop, but frowns as she thought Trubel wasn’t in Portland; she hadn’t been by the loft or contacted Nick. And Adalind knew that had worried him.
“I’m sure he’s going to love it,” Rosalee replied. “It’s such a thoughtful gift Trubel.”
The door closed with a clatter behind Adalind as she couldn’t quite juggle it and Kelly’s carrier and baby bag, and the other two women looked up at her noisy entrance. Rosalee had a customer smile in place that softened into warm welcome whilst Trubel went from alert to awkward as they both saw her.
“Am I interrupting something?” Adalind asked, filled with nerves suddenly. “I can go…”
“Don’t be silly Adalind,” Rosalee says, moving around the counter to come and help her lift Kelly and smile at the baby boy who waved up at her. “We had a lunch date. Trubel just popped by.”
Adalind follows after but can’t take her eyes off of Trubel who’s looking anywhere but at her. Rosalee scoops Kelly up out of his carrier and gives them a few minutes of distraction as he squeals and gurgles, thoroughly captivating all three of the women.
“Well, if you had plans I’ll get out of the way,” Trubel eventually says.
“That’s not necessary,” Adalind replies quickly.
“I don’t want to intrude.”
“Trubel,” Rosalee admonishes. “You’re always welcome. Besides, Adalind could probably help.”
“Rosalee,” Trubel hisses.
Adalind looks between them confusedly. “Help with what? Is everything okay?”
Trubel huffs out a breath and looks away which worries Adalind but Rosalee doesn’t look concerned but then she is distracted by Kelly, cooing and making faces at him. The silence stretches and there’s definitely awkwardness now.
“Should I call Nick?” Adalind asks tentatively. “He’s been worried about you.”
“No,” Trubel snaps. “Nick can’t know.”
“Can’t know what? What’s going on?”
“Trubel, you are blowing this way out of proportion and Adalind can help,” Rosalee chided gently. “Just tell her.”
Trubel blew out a breath and looked around the shop, seeming to struggle with her thoughts before she turned resolutely to Adalind. “Ok, fine. But Nick can’t know, not yet anyway.”
“I’m not promising not to tell Nick anything until you tell me what it is,” Adalind replied, not liking all the different scenarios that were running through her head of why they wouldn’t be talking to Nick.
“It’s nothing bad Adalind,” Rosalee reassured, starting to sway with Kelly. “It’s actually very sweet, which is why I think Trubel is having trouble saying what it is.” She turned a pointed stare on the younger woman.
“Ok, ok,” Trubel flung her hands up. “I had this idea, a sort of thank you present to Nick, for everything he’s done for me. But also a way of honouring Grimm legacies. So I thought about making a marker for his mum, to celebrate her, what she’s done for him and the Wesen community, the resistance. She deserves more - Nick deserves her to have more - than just a plain old burial site at HW.”
Adalind gulped and felt tears threaten her eyes, as she remembered all the things Kelly had done for her, for Diana. Her eyes then flick over to her baby Kelly, who somehow senses his mother’s emotions as he looks at her and reaches out for her with swinging arms.
“That’s so nice,” she manages to say and then moves to take Kelly, snuggling him close, needing the contact of her baby boy. “What can we do to help?”
Rosalee gives her a look, understanding flashing on her face, and then smiles reassuringly. “Monroe went to pick up the marker earlier. He should be back soon, so maybe hang around and have a look? I know we were going to go out for lunch but as the timing works out…”
“That sounds great, we can go out another time, any other time really. I’d be honoured to help.” Adalind turned to Trubel. “I think Nick will really love this,” she says softly. “He’s been worried about you, where you’ve been lately. But when he finds out you’ve spent your time doing this for him I think it will mean so much.”
“I hope so.” Trubel shifts uncomfortably, obviously nervous. “I haven’t been able to do it all myself, HW have had me travelling a lot, but Rosalee and Monroe have been helping out. Once we’ve got the marker sorted just need to figure out how to gift it to him in a special way.”
The silence between the women was contemplative now but Adalind found herself struggling with thinking of anything she could offer.
She knew Nick in such a different way to the other two. First as an enemy combatant, then as someone to get back at, then as someone she needed protection from, next becoming a parent with him and now as something more, something she knew was deep and totally impossible and impractical but one of the purest things she’d ever felt. Their time together was private, kept between themselves and with Kelly. How could she possibly contribute? What was her place here really? Whatever she said about Nick either would already be known by the other two or wouldn’t be believed because the others hadn’t seen it.
“I really want to make it special for Nick,” Trubel murmurs softly.
“It will be, and I think,” Rosalee glances between them both now and then down to Kelly. “I think if all of us are involved it will mean even more.”
The door to the Spice Shop bursts open suddenly, causing Adalind to flinch back instinctively, shielding Kelly, and Monroe hurries in with a wild look on his face, a big box held tight to his chest.
“Nick’s behind me!”
“What?” Trubel gasps. “How can he be here now of all times?!”
“Calm down,” Rosalee says sensibly. “He’ll be coming by to look at the books, that’s all. He doesn’t know anything else so if we’re calm he won’t be suspicious. Monroe, go put the package in the side room-“
“What, no! He goes in there!” Trubel panics.
“Last I checked Nick didn’t have x-ray vision,” Rosalee replies with a snap. “Just go put it down! If he walks in here and sees you holding it with that look on your face he’ll know something is going on Monroe.”
“You’re right,” Monroe says as Adalind nods her agreement. “But how do we keep him away, just in case?”
“If we need to distract Nick, have Trubel out here,” Adalind adds. “He’ll want to talk to her over anything else. And Kelly can always entertain him too.”
“But what if I give something away?” Trubel worries.
“There’s nothing to give away,” Rosalee says calmly. “We’re all just hanging out at the Spice Shop, like we’ve done many times before.”
“I’m putting this in back, with the other deliveries; that will camouflage it.” Monroe nods to himself and then scuttles off just as the front door opens and Nick and Hank stroll in.
Nick’s eyes immediately scan around the room, widening as they hit upon each occupant. His stare locks on to Trubel but he moves to stand by Adalind, a hand coming up to catch Kelly’s as their son squeals at the presence of his dad.
“Hey... Everything ok here?”
“Of course, why wouldn’t it be?” Trubel grins, but the pitch of her voice and the speed she delivered her words instantly have Nick frowning.
Hank stops next to him and looks around the room, eyebrows raising. “Well that sounded believable.”
“Guys…” Nick said slowly.
“Rosalee and I had lunch plans,” Adalind said quickly as she saw Trubel look nervously at Rosalee. “And Kelly of course.” She moved so Kelly’s weight was thrust against his dad and Nick automatically lifted his arms to take him. “Trubel was a pleasant surprise. Isn’t it great she’s back in Portland?”
“I’m about to close up the shop for lunch hour,” Rosalee says. “We thought we’d have a girls lunch with Trubel. Do you guys want to grab what you need and we can all head out together?”
Kelly batted at his dad’s face, distracting Nick as Adalind had hoped. Rosalee instantly started peppering Hank with questions about what they needed for their latest case and Trubel jumped on the questioning. Nick tried asking a few questions of Trubel and where she’d been but she downplayed her answers and kept pivoting back to Hank. Whether it aroused Nick’s suspicions or he just figured she didn’t want to or couldn’t talk about HW, Adalind wasn’t sure but Kelly soon had enough of his dad’s split attention and made his displeasure known, causing Nick to focus in on him. For a few minutes it seemed like it would work, Hank talking about their case so far, Nick chiming in occasionally but most of his attention dedicated on Kelly.
Adalind loved watching the two of them together, how Nick held Kelly, how Kelly looked up at his dad; she could happily just watch the two of them for hours. Nick’s eyes caught hers and she couldn’t help but grin at him and his slow smile in response warmed her heart and caught her breath.
A loud crash from the back of the shop has Nick instantly passing Kelly to Adalind and stepping in front of them with one hand keeping them behind him, his other hand drawing his gun.
“Didn’t you guys say you were alone?”
“It’s okay,” Rosalee said hurriedly. “It’s just Monroe. He’s probably messing up my order and delivery system again.”
“It’s Monroe?” Nick asked, relaxing his gun back into its holster but not lessening his stance.
“Why didn’t he come out and say hi?” Hank adds, unwittingly adding to the suspicion of the situation and Adalind sees Nick frown and tense.
“Because-“
“He-“
Rosalee and Trubel’s simultaneous replies and then panicked looks at each other cause the tension to ratchet up in the room and Adalind saw Nick’s shoulders bunch up.
“What’s going on?” He asks slowly, deliberately.
“Hey guys!” Monroe bounds into the room and his maniac energy is not what is needed to calm the situation right now.
Adalind makes eyes at Rosalee from behind Nick but the fauscbau can’t do anything back as Nick is obviously looking between her, Monroe and Trubel.
“Sorry for the noise, we were just in the middle of ordering the deliveries, but we’re almost done.”
“I thought you guys were going for lunch?” Hank asks.
“Oh, we are-“
“Of course, I meant lunch-“
Now it’s Monroe and Rosalee who speak together and cause more misgivings.
“Seriously guys, what is going on?” Nick asks exasperatedly.
“We should help get the books you need,” Trubel says quickly and grabs Hank’s hand and almost drags him to the basement door. “That’ll help you and then we’ll head to lunch as planned!”
Nick follows their progress with his eyes and then turns to stare at his friends but he doesn’t move from his position in front of Adalind, one hand still keeping her and Kelly behind him and that says more about where his head’s at than anything else could.
“Is someone going to explain?” He asks, voice slightly forceful now.
Adalind wants to help, to say something that will distract him and get them all out of this situation but she can’t think of any words. She bounces Kelly as he lets out a little whimper, picking up on the tension in the room.
“Nick, relax, you’re worrying Kelly,” she murmurs, shifting closer so Kelly grabs a hand onto Nick’s jacket, seeking his father’s touch.
“Then someone better tell me what’s going on,” he replies, his tone taut, but reaches for Kelly with a relaxed stance.
“Dude, why do you think- what do you mean-“ Monroe stutters whilst forcing a grin at his friend.
“Monroe, not helping,” Rosalee mutters.
Nick raises his eyebrows and looks between them as he returns Kelly to his carrier, obviously wanting to put his full concentration on his friends. So far he hasn’t looked too closely at Adalind and she’s grateful for that, as she doesn’t want to withhold information from Nick but also doesn’t want to spoil Trubel’s surprise. It’s such a meaningful thing the younger Grimm is doing.
Trubel and Hank suddenly reappear, with a couple of books each tucked under their arms and by the way Hank glances around the room quickly Adalind can guess that Trubel has told him what is going on here and enlisted his help as well.
“So I grabbed the books that looked most relevant,” he says quickly. “And Trubel remembered a few she thought might be good too. Maybe we take these back to the car? Let the ladies get to their lunch.”
“Take them-?” Nick asks. “When have we ever taken them? What is going on here?” He looks around again and his eyes are wide with confusion. “Guys, I do not like whatever is going on here so will someone please just tell me what is happening?”
The door to the Spice Shop opens again and Bud bustles in, his gaze locking on Trubel’s and somehow missing the other occupants of the room.
“Oh you’re here! Brilliant! I have the stand for Ni-“
“No!” Trubel snaps, her eyes wide and horrified, crossing between Bud and Nick.
“Bud!” Rosalee cries.
“Ni-Nina, the stand for Nina, My friend Nina, everyone remembers her right?” Monroe gabbles.
Nick’s eyes flick between them all before turning to Bud and locking on. “Bud, what are you doing here?”
The eisbiber gulps and pales and then manages a shaky smile. “Nick! It’s so good to see you and you have Adalind and the little one. So good. So lovely to see you together. I was just passing, thought I’d say hello and here you all are. How nice!”
“…’Just passing’?” Nick asks slowly.
“Well, in the neighbourhood and thought, there’s the Spice Shop and who is in the Spice Shop, you know, to myself, and I thought I’d see who was in and here you all are and isn’t it great? So I-“
“What stand Bud?”
“Hmm?” He replies but he’s starting to sweat and he’s rubbing his hands together nervously and Adalind knows he won’t be able to hold out against Nick if he questions him further.
The others are all throwing glances at each other but no-one seems to know what to do and no-one is stepping up to do anything to distract Nick.
“You said ‘stand’. What stand and who is it for?” Nick asks deliberately.
Bud audibly gulps and then starts to stutter an answer but as there’s not any recognisable words coming out it gives Adalind a few extra seconds to realise that everyone in the room seems to have dejectedly accepted that Nick is about to find out what is going on. Well. That may have been how it was before she was here, that Nick had the last say in this group, but not this time. Trubel looks crestfallen and Adalind can’t help but want to give the other woman a chance to do this the right way for Nick.
Nick takes a step closer to Bud, maybe his Grimm side sensing the weak link in the room, and though it’s not threatening it’s definitely intentional, but it brings him closer to Adalind and she suddenly gets a dangerous idea. Nick needs distracting and there’s a ways she can thoroughly distract him…
“No,” she interrupts and all eyes swing her way.
“No what?” Nick asks.
“No, Bud is not going to answer your questions. It’s a surprise.”
“A surprise? What kind of surprise? For who?”
Adalind takes a deep breath and steps forward, right into Nick’s personal space. “Doesn’t matter. Trubel and Bud are going to go now with Monroe, Rosalee is going to get ready for our lunch and you and Hank are going to get back to work.”
Nick’s eyes narrow. “Are they? And I don’t get to talk to my friends or ask them why they’re doing this because…?”
“You’re going to be distracted,” she replies softly before leaning up into him and kissing him.
He jolts but doesn’t pull away and Adalind pushes herself more firmly into his chest, her hands sliding over his stomach and up, before curling around his shoulders and pulling him down into her. Nick doesn’t back away but he doesn’t respond either, just lets her kiss him and Adalind decides that isn’t enough. If she’s taken the chance of being physically affectionate with him to distract him in front of the group then she’s going to get a response out of him, not just casual acceptance.
Threading one hand into the hair at the back of his neck she begins to scratch slightly, mimicking the motion of her fingers with her lips, before sucking slightly on his bottom lip. Then she pulls back whilst still holding on slightly before flicking her tongue out to caress his lips at the last second, meeting Nick’s heated stare from under her lashes. She leans back in and nips at him, once, twice, and she hears his growl as his hands shoot about and grip her hips, pulling her snugly against him.
He meets her kiss this time, lips opening instantly so his tongue tangles with her own, lapping at each other as they move closer. His hand delves into her hair and she finds her head angled back so Nick can press a deeper kiss down into her and Adalind moans at the delicious pressure. She shifts restlessly against him as she takes his kiss, the pressure increasing as he dominates her mouth. Shivers of pleasure erupt all over her as Nick re-adjusts his grips, hands strong and controlling and pulling her further into him and she just wants to get closer.
She breaks off the kiss as the need for air pulls at her lungs but Nick doesn’t let her go far, burying his head into the side of her face, kissing down her cheek and into her neck. She pants to re-fill her lungs before wanting to feel him again and tilts her head so she can flick out and lick his ear, he hums against her skin but doesn’t return to her lips, simply sucks harder at her neck and she feels the pull and pulse much lower down her body.
A loud cough interrupts them and Adalind’s thoughts are suddenly filled with where she is and why they’re there instead of what she can do next with Nick.
She gasps and pulls away from him, red heat flushing her cheeks from embarrassment, instead of the pleasure of what they were just doing.
Rosalee is standing by the counter, very deliberately looking down at Kelly in his carrier and not anywhere else in the shop, though by the smile tugging at her lips she’s very aware of what they were just doing and how far they got carried away.
Nick coughs slightly as he moves back a step. “Where are the others?”
“Monroe, Bud and Trubel have gone on an errand together, I’ve got myself and Kelly ready for our lunch with Adalind and Hank is waiting for you outside,” Rosalee replies calmly.
Nick huffs but good-naturedly rolls his eyes at the realisation that there’s no-one left for him to question, then turns his stare on Adalind. “This isn’t over.”
“Hmm?” She blinks up at him, trying to look innocent, but it’s hard to do when her heart is still beating fast from the effect of his lips and hands.
“I’m going to find out what was going on here,” he says lowly, then steps back into her space, bending slightly so his next words are whispered against her. “We’ll see what you tell me when we finish this at home later.”
Adalind gulps as her heart rate trebles at the implication in his words and the look in his eye.
He doesn’t say anything else, just walks straight out of the shop and Adalind lets out a long gusty exhale as she turns to Rosalee who is doing her best to hold back a smile.
“Well,” she says. “That’s one way to distract a Grimm.”
/