Chapter Text
The thing about being a cop was that it entailed a lot more paperwork than people thought. Meaning that sometimes, you spent entire days sitting at your desk and writing about every single step you have taken in a case.
Nick and Hank have been stuck in a cycle of never-ending paperwork for two days straight now. That meant they spent a lot more time in the precinct in the past two days than the previous two weeks combined.
Their bullpen was busy as always, but their little corner was quiet- only occasionally broken by one of them sighing at the witness reports they had to write down. Their last case had been very public, which was great for catching the suspect, but awful considering the about thirty witnesses they’d had to interview. They had shared the load, but it still meant 15 reports for each of them.
Nick was halfway through his last witness report when he leaned back in his chair and rubbed his eyes. Staring at the screen for so long had made his eyes almost cross, the letters blurring in front of him. He grabbed his mug and drank his coffee- he grimaced. It was stale and cold, but he decided against getting a new one. Maybe he could actually go home early if he finished this last report.
Hank mirrored his pose, frowning at his screen. “Is it bad if I hope for the next cases to happen at abandoned alleys or warehouses?”
Nick laughed but didn’t deny it; his partner had a point.
Before he could respond, Wu walked up to his desk and sat on the corner, looking at him like he was searching for something.
“If you gentleman can spare a minute for little old me, I have something that might interest you, Nick.”
Nick turned his chair around so that he was facing the older man, internally grateful for the disruption. Externally, he arched an eyebrow. “Well, our time is very valuable, but I’ll bite. What do you got for me, Wu?”
“There’s a woman at the front desk asking for you. Says she knows you from New York.”
Nick blinked at him, surprised. “Name?”
“Collins. Liv Collins.”
The name landed somewhere in the center of his chest, old and familiar- and very much welcome. Nick sat up in his chair, losing his slouched posture. “Is she a tall black woman, mid-fifties, that looks like she could stare down even Renard?”
Wu gave it a moment, cocking his head before he nodded. “Yeah, sounds like her.”
Nick got up from his chair, already on his way to the front desk. “Then yeah, I know her.”
After a small pause- in which he was sure Hank and Wu shared a look- before he heard the other two men follow him. Gossips, he thought fondly.
Subconsciously, Nick straightened his jacket before reaching the lobby- an old habit he’d thought he’d outgrown.
His gaze found her with a precision he’d built over the course of a few years and hadn’t lost since. Liv Collins was standing at the front desk in civilian clothes- a dark coat, practical shoes, and with a posture that screamed she was not someone to be messed with. At her temples was a bit more silver than she’d had almost a decade ago and her face had more lines than he remembered, but her dark brown eyes were as sharp and calculating as ever. The eyes of a woman who had never in her life taken any bullshit from anybody and didn’t plan on ever changing it.
When she saw Nick, her expression shifted into something warm and genuine- a big honor, for he knew that her list of people she liked was very limited.
She stepped towards him. “There he is,” she laughed. “My Bambi.”
Nick laughed- how long has it been since he’d been called that? “I’m a little too old for that nickname, Liv.”
“Nonsense,” she brushed him off. “You will always be my Bambi. Now come here and greet your old partner properly.”
They both laughed and he stepped into her open arms, embracing her tightly. Liv’s arms wrapped around him and she squeezed him tightly, just once. Then she held him at arm’s length and looked him over the way she’d done since he’d been partnered to her. “You look good, Bambi. But you need to eat more, you’re too thin.”
“Comes with the job and two kids. Dinner is not always a calm affair.”
Predictably, Liv’s eyes widened and she looked at him with a slightly surprised expression. Nick smirked- he'd always enjoyed catching her off-guard.
“No way. You have kids, Bambi? You’re too young for that!” At his dry look, she nudged his shoulder with her fist. “Well, c’mon, show me! With a face like yours, your kids must be the cutest things ever!”
Nick blushed a bit- Liv had always been a bit brash and always got a kick out of embarrassing him. But he never missed a chance to show off his family- he'd worked really damn hard to get to this point, he’s earned some bragging rights, dammit!
But just as he got his phone out, a voice interrupted them.
“So sorry to interrupt, but I think some introductions are in order?” Hank questioned from behind him.
“Yeah, Burkhardt. Show some manners and introduce us,” came Wu’s voice.
Nick let his head hang a bit. Introducing Liv and Wu to each other was something he’d preferred to prevent- she had way too much blackmail material on his early days for his comfort. Wu would never let it go.
Sadly, Liv was just as sharp as ever and never one to miss an opportunity to satisfy her curiosity. Her eyes moved to Wu, taking in the uniform, and then to Hank- giving him a once over. “Your partner?”
Nick bit the bullet and stepped to the side so that Hank could step closer. “Hank Griffin.” He gestured between them. “Hank, this is Sergeant Liv Collins. My former partner at the SVU in New York.” If Liv was surprised to hear him addressing her with her new rank, she didn’t show it.
Instead, she stepped forwards and they shook hands. “Nice to meet you. Hope you appreciate me breaking him in before he got here.”
Hank laughed. “Ah, so you’re to blame for all the bad habits he hasn’t given up on yet?”
Liv regarded him with the special mix of fond exasperation she seemed to reserve solely for Nick. “If you mean what I think you mean, then no. I’m afraid he came with those.”
And before Nick could intervene, Wu inserted himself into the conversation. “Yeah, that’s what we were all afraid of. Guess that means I win the betting pool. Sergeant Wu, by the way. I have a lot of questions, if you’ve got some time.”
Yeah no, Nick had to stop this right now before it escalated.
“Liv, while I’m happy to see you again, I’m sure this isn’t just a social call, right?”
Nick studiously ignored the dismayed and suspicious looks Hank and Wu shot him- focusing instead on Liv.
The tall woman gave him a small nod, expression returning to her usual stern expression. “That’s true. I’d like to talk business. With you and your captain, if you’ve got time.”
Nick caught Hank’s questioning look and Nick gave him a small shrug in return. “Let me see if Renard has a few minutes.”
Renard, it turned out, had exactly as much time as he needed to satisfy his curiosity. He greeted Liv Collins with his usual professional distance- expression formal and calculating. Nick could see that the taller man was calculating the amount of extra work Liv would bring with them.
They settled in his office, Renard behind his large desk, Liv and Nick sitting down in the chairs. Hank- who had followed them in and who had met Liv’s pointed look with a squaring of his shoulders- positioned himself near the door.
“I’ll be direct,” Liv said. “I’m not here on vacation.”
Nick suppressed a snort. Liv had never been anywhere outside of New York in her life if she could help it. She only left the city for work.
She slapped him without looking at him, knowing exactly what he was thinking.
“Over the past ten months, we’ve seen a significant spike in disappearances in New York. Different demographics, different neighborhoods, but a pattern.” She pulled out a thick folder and laid it on Renard's desk. “We’ve identified seventeen confirmed missing persons, but it’s likely there’s more that we haven’t flagged yet. The people who have been taken are the ones people notice the least. Homeless. Transients. People without fixed addresses or family to file reports.”
Nick leaned forward slightly, interested despite himself. He’d genuinely liked working in the SVU, despite the horror of the cases. And knowing Liv, there was a lot more to come.
“The women we’ve found have turned up in the sex trade. Working corners in Queens, New Jersey, Connecticut. The three we’ve managed to talk to were scared, controlled, and showed behavior consistent with trafficking victims.” She let that sit for a moment, giving them space to breathe. “The men are harder to find, more hidden than the women. The few we have located-“ She paused again, arranging her face into something more blank. For Liv, that meant this had hit her harder than she was letting on. “-we found them in dumpsters, in the river or parks. Beaten to death and then discarded.”
Nick frowned, something sounding off to him. Why would they use the women as sex workers and keep the men hidden, only to beat them to death a few months later? If they had no use for them, why take them at all? Unless-
“Are there signs of repeated trauma on the bodies?” He asked her.
Liv nodded, giving him an approving glance. “Yes. Healed fractures, fresh injuries. Signs of malnourishment. But developed muscles. All signs of damage you accumulate over time.”
Bingo.
“Cage fights,” he said.
Liv pointed at him, pride shining in her eyes. “Exactly! That’s my working theory. They must have some use for the men as well, otherwise they wouldn't bother taking them. Cage fights make the most sense with what we know and see from the bodies. Someone is running an underground fighting circuit in my city and is using trafficked victims as fighters. Betting on the outcomes.”
Renard’s expression was unreadable, but his clenched hands gave his tension away. At the door, Hank was watching Nick and Liv like he was trying to solve a puzzle. He probably wasn’t used to seeing Nick talk about theories with someone else.
“You said you wanted to talk to Nick specifically,” Hank said. “Why?”
Liv folded her hands, looking at Nick head on. “Because I need someone on the inside.”
The room went quiet.
“We’ve tried,” she continued. “I’ve sent in three officers over the past six months. All three had their covers blown within a week.” She paused, then frowned darkly. “Either someone in my department is giving out information, or...” she trailed off and Nick picked up her train of thought.
“... Or whoever is in charge knows the officers because they are or used to be in the force.”
Liv nodded at him. “Exactly. I’m not sure which scenario it is, but it means my officers are useless in this situation. I need someone outside the NYPD I trust. Someone with undercover experience. Someone who can fight.”
“You want to send Nick into a cage fight operation. As a fighter,” Hand said, voice deliberately flat.
“Yes,” came her steady response.
“There are a lot more options than asking your former rookie, Sergeant Collins. Like the FBI. Precincts closer to New York than Portland.” Renard said steadily, expression now giving away to a slight frown.
“Yes,” Liv said slowly. “But not everybody who could go in knows about the Wesen world.”
This time, the resulting silence felt very loud. Nick could almost hear the way Renard went still. He could definitely hear Hank’s clothes rustling as his posture shifted. Nick stayed calm; Liv was not someone he needed to be wary of.
The tall woman looked at their reactions and smirked. “Don’t worry, no need to pretend not to know what that means. I’m a Wesen myself.”
Nick blinked, finally caught off guard. He hadn’t known that. Since becoming a Grimm, he’d often wondered if any of his former colleagues or friends were Wesen. For some reason, Liv being on that list wasn’t as surprising as it should be now that he thought about it. She’d always seemed stronger and faster than should be possible.
He wondered if she would cower in fear when she found out he was a Grimm.
Renard regained his voice first. “And how, exactly, did you-”
“A royal leading a precinct is not as big a secret as you think it is. After I found out you were Nick’s captain, I did a little bit of research and found out that Nick and his partner have been solving very unique cases this past year. Very Wesen related cases, might I add.”
Liv returned Renard's cool gaze without fear, meeting him head on.
“So, I figured that either you help them with Wesen cases and tell them what to look out for, or that Detective Griffin is a Wesen and tells Nick about it.”
A small pause. Nick could feel Hank's gaze burning into the side of his head. Nick felt a bit awkward, not sure if there is ever a good time to tell someone he was a Grimm.
“Am I correct, Captain?” Liv asked Renard, who looked at her with his signature superior air.
“Sorry to disappoint, Sergeant. But I’m afraid it is not Detective Griffin that is telling Nick about the Wesen. Neither am I.” He paused for a moment, then continued with an amused twinkle in his eyes. “Detective Burkhardt is more than capable of identifying any Wesen he comes across.”
Thanks for throwing me under the bus, Renard. Distantly, Nick wondered if this was the others man’s petty revenge for Diana preferring Nick to read her bedtime stories over him. It wasn’t Nick’s fault that the older man was too prim and proper to do different voices. Nick even tried his hand at multiple accents. (Adalind had stopped listening in on them for that exact reason- she couldn’t take him seriously anymore if she had to listen to the increasingly ridiculous accents.)
Liv blinked and whirled in her chair to look at Nick. “You’re Wesen?! But I’ve never seen you Woge or smelled anything suspicious on you!”
Nick sighed. “No, I’m not a Wesen.” Even though he had his own theories about how Grimms came to be that would contradict this statement- this was neither time nor place for it. At her incredulous look, he continued. “I’m a Grimm.”
Liv reared back and her features shifted. It seemed to be a deep and instinctive reaction to a Grimm revealing himself. White fur grew all over her visible skin, only interrupted by black markings that varied between sports and stripes. Her dark brown eyes changed to a glowing amber color. A Pflichttreue.
Nick wanted to say something, but his old partner seemed to find something in his face, for she quickly returned to her human form. Instead of fear, she regarded him with calculation- as if he’d just given her a piece to a complicated puzzle.
“A Grimm, huh? Can’t say I expected that. Since the captain is still alive, I’m guessing you’re not following in your ancestors' footprints?”
He gave a relieved laugh, happy that his Liv seemed to accept his nature. “No, that’s not really my style.”
She gave him a brusque nod, then returned to the case files.
“You being a Grimm works even better than you being Kehrseite. A Grimm as a fighter would draw the kind of attention and money that might bring in the person in charge. And it gives you an edge in the fights, if the stories about Grimms are true.”
“So, you want to use him as bait?” Hank cut in, tone now considerably more heated than before.
“I want to use him as an asset. I trained him for undercover work myself; I know what he’s capable of. If you can’t see past your friendship to see this as the opportunity it is, then that’s on you.”
“Opportunity? This is his life we’re-”
“Okay, that’s enough.” Nick cut in, interrupting the two. He took a breath, then turned to his captain. None of them really had the power to decide anything.
Renard reacted to his attention with the way he always did when someone acknowledged his power- which was not at all, except for a slightly raised chin.
“I understand that this case is serious and that the situation is urgent. But I will not send my detective off into another state for a dangerous undercover mission without his permission and some conditions. Detective, what do you think?”
Nick pondered for a moment, taking his time. There really was no ideal answer in this situation. If this had been a few years ago, he wouldn’t have hesitated to agree, jumping on the next available plane to New York. But as it was, he wasn’t alone anymore.
“I understand why you’re asking, Liv. And I’m not saying no, but I can’t just decide this on my own.” Liv nodded slowly, following his words. “Leave me the case file here. I’ll read it and give you an answer tomorrow, okay?”
The tall woman nodded, standing up. “Alright then. I’ll take my leave now, leave you to it. I’ll be waiting until tomorrow afternoon. Nick,” she said. “It’s good to see you. Despite the circumstances.” As she was leaving, she squeezed his shoulder gently. For a brief moment, he was transported back to being 24, being a new detective and a slightly younger Liv using this gesture to show him affection without words. He gave her a wordless smile, and she left- taking some of her tension with her.
For a moment, the three men sat in the silence she left behind- each lost in their own thoughts. Nick felt his fingers itch towards the file she left behind.
“No.” Hank said, decisive as he left his position at the door, coming up to stand next to Nick.
“Hank-” he sighed out, but his partner didn’t let him continue.
“You haven’t even read the file yet and you’re already going to say yes. This is madness, Nick.”
“I haven’t decided anything, Hank. I just want to read the file.”
His partner looked at the file in question and glared at it so hard that Nick almost feared it would burst into flames.
“Nick.”
He sighed, fed up with this conversation that wasn’t going anywhere.
Getting up from the seat, Nick picked up the file. “I’m going to read the file. Then I’ll talk to Adalind. And then I’ll make a decision.”
With that and a last glance toward Renard, Nick left the office and went toward his car. The witness report would have to wait.
He left behind a frustrated partner and a captain that watched his departure with an expression that gave nothing away.
---------------------------------------------------
When Nick arrived home, he spent about five minutes just sitting in his car without moving. Even from the inside of his car, his hearing gave him enough details to know that Adalind was already home and in the kitchen- listening to the Pop radio station he hated. The file kept drawing his attention. He sighed and got out of the car, taking the damned thing with him.
The house they’d bought after things have calmed down a little was a bit more on the outskirts of the city, but the close proximity to Monroe’s house and space was well worth the longer drive to work. They now had rooms for everybody (even an extra one if their attempts at another baby would one day work out), an office for Adalind whenever she worked from home, three bathrooms, an attic and –admittedly his favorite room- a basement.
Ever since they moved in fully, he’d turned the basement into a new trailer. He stored what was left of the trailer there, restored what he could and even started his own books- but more focused on the Wesen and their biology and history instead of on how to kill them. By now, it had turned into a space where he could work in peace. Sometimes, Adalind joined him down there, just reading a book while he worked or correcting his entries. Sometimes, Diana and Kelly joined him. Kelly only supervised, because the two-year-old had inherited exactly zero of his caution.
Most of the time, it was Diana who came downstairs with him. She always asked –never going alone- and they had rules she had to follow when he was working on a case instead of the books. She would work on her homework; she was in first grade now. Thankfully her rapid aging seemed to have stopped after the suppression potion, making her look and act like a normal seven-year-old. A very smart seven-year-old, but still. Other times, she would just paint and tell him all about her day.
Nick loved these moments. It allowed him to bond with her in a way he could have never anticipated when she moved into their home about a year ago. Both of them needed some time to get used to each other, and occasionally Nick was still afraid of overstepping- but by now they have found something that was theirs.
The house smelled like garlic and something savory when he entered. Nick had barely stepped a foot in the kitchen before a small blur came at him and crashed into his legs.
“Da-Da!” Kelly squealed.
Nick bent down and swept his son off his feet, throwing him up and down a bit, reveling in the shrieks of joy the little boy let loose.
He stepped further into the open kitchen, Kelly in his arms and babbling about his day in the serious manner of a two-year-old. Diana was at the kitchen table with a book, only looking up at him when he stepped closer to drop a small kiss on her head.
“Hey Diana. Good book?” He asked her.
“Not sure yet. But I like the main character, she’s really cool.”
He set Kelly down when the boy started squirming and watched as he ran off again.
“Hmm... maybe it’ll be better after reading a bit more. Some books start really slow and only get really good about a third in.” The blonde girl nodded thoughtfully and went back to her book.
Nick smiled and stepped closer to Adalind, coming up from behind her and wrapping his arms around her, leaning his chin on her shoulder.
“Hi,” he whispered.
She placed a hand on his arms and leaned back into his chest. “Hi.”
They stood there for a moment, enjoying each others presence. Then he took a look at what she was cooking, happy to see she was making her famed Bolognese.
Adalind turned around in his arms and gave him a peck on the lips.
“You’re home early. Everything okay?” She asked him. Of course, she could sense something was on his mind within a minute. Sometimes, he wanted to curse her perceptiveness.
He sighed and raised the hand with the file. “Not sure yet. I’ll go to the basement for a bit.” Adalind accepted this with a nod but before she could turn back to the stove, he grabbed her hand gently. “Hey, can we talk later?”
The Hexenbiest looked at him and he had to fight not to squirm under her scrutiny.
“Always,” she said, and gave him a small smile before she focused back on dinner, effectively dismissing him.
As Nick made his way toward the door to the basement, Diana tugged at his sleeve.
“Can I come with you?” And how could he ever say no to that? He gave her a smile and nodded.
She brightened and grabbed her book, scrambling after him.
As they made their way down the stairs, he reminded her of the rules. “Tonight I have to work on a case, so no peeking at what I’m doing, okay?”
The girl nodded seriously and upon reaching the basement, they each went toward their space.
Nick sat down at his big table and switched on the lamp that was attached to it. He kept an eye on Diana as he opened the file, watching as she settled into the comfortable armchair and cracked open her book again.
Nick gave one last fond smile before opening the file and getting to work.
Seventeen people missing, six women and eleven men. Four of the women had been spotted as sex workers a few weeks later and the pictures all showed terrified women of all ages. The youngest was 19. Only three have talked to Liv and her detectives, but only one of them had been brave enough to take their offer for help. She was now in WitSec, but hadn’t been able to give them much information.
One moment, she was leaving the homeless shelter and the next, some people grabbed her and she was being transported to an abandoned warehouse. A man who had introduced himself as Harlan had inspected her and two other women. Shortly after, she had been transported to another facility where they had prepped her for her future work. She had never seen the other two women again.
Out of the eleven men, only four have been found. All of them dead and with evidence of severe abuse.
Nick stared at the pictures of the bodies, then and the pictures of the seventeen missing. Seventeen people with names. Seventeen people who had been invisible enough that they were just taken without a trace. How many others shared this fate, but hadn’t had any people who cared enough to report their absence?
He worked in silence, reading through every scrap of information and evidence Liv had found. Occasionally, the silence was broken by Diana asking him about the meaning of a word in her book, or her laughter when something was funny.
Liv had been right; there was one person who coordinated everything. Who had the contacts and means to start something like this. And who must have some ties to the NYPD, because one of the undercover detectives was one of the best the NYPD had. Not someone that would make a rookie mistake and get caught within a week. The other two had been experienced as well. And all three undercover cops were dead. The speed with which their cover had been blown was too suspicious, especially since it happened three times, all within a week.
At long last, Nick closed the file with a sigh and leaned back in his chair.
“Bad case?” Diana asked him quietly.
He turned around to her, regarding her with serious eyes. Diana was very mature for a seven-year-old. (especially considering that, technically, she was only about three or four years old.) She didn’t like to be coddled and preferred it when others were honest with her. But nonetheless, she was still a child. And a child shouldn’t be burdened with these things. So he smiled gently at her and got up, crouching down next to her armchair.
“Something like that. Now, wanna tell me about your book?” Diana watched him for another moment, before accepting his answer and proceeded to tell him all about the characters in her book.
At some point, they moved so that he was sitting in the armchair, and she was sitting on his lap, pointing out all the characters in her book.
They were interrupted when Adalind called them to dinner, and they made their way upstairs. Nick kissed Adalind as a thanks for cooking, promising her that he’d handle the dishes afterwards.
Dinner was a loud affair. Kelly kept trying to grab some of their food, his own only of interest to him in how far he could throw it. Diana told them about her school day, and Adalind told him how she absolutely demolished one of her former colleagues in court that afternoon. Her unashamed smile was so self-satisfied that Nick almost felt a little bit of pity for the other woman. Almost.
“How was your day, Nick? Did you do a lot of paperwork again?” Diana questioned him. Adalind froze a bit, obviously curious what Nick had wanted to talk about in private, but she knew that he’d tell her as soon as the kids were in bed.
“Ohh yes, a lot of paperwork. But I got a visitor today.”
Diana perked up; she always found his work more fascinating than her mothers. “Who was it? Was it a happy visit or a bad one?”
It saddened him a little that Diana already knew the difference and thought to ask, but he powered on.
“A little bit of both, I think. But I haven’t seen her in a long time, so it was really nice to see her again.”
At that, Adalind sat her glass down a little bit too hard. He had to bite back a smile as he saw her frown.
“Her? And who was this woman that visited you?”
Call him a selfish man, but he loved it when she got a little jealous. Even though she had absolutely nothing to fear, he was hers in every way. Nick sent her a teasing smile and wink.
“Her name is Liv and she was my partner when I was a detective in New York.”
Silence fell and he suddenly found himself faced with twin looks of confusion. Sometimes it was eerie how much Diana resembled her mother.
“What?” He asked them, unsure if he’d said something wrong.
“When did you live in New York?” Adalind questioned him.
Had he never told her that? Looking back on it, he’d never really talked about his time before he came to Portland.
Diana was looking at him with huge eyes, obviously curious about that.
“I moved to New York when I turned 18. My aunt and I were moving around a lot, and I jumped at the chance to stay somewhere for a change, you know? I started at the academy there and next thing I know, I was partnered to Liv as a detective.”
There was a lot more that happened in-between, but there was no need to go into detail for now. If Adalinds look was anything to go by, he’d be quizzed on it soon enough anyway.
“So she is kind of like Hank?” Diana asked him.
He laughed, because those two were not similar at all. “Kind of. Back then I was still very new to it all, so Liv taught me everything she knew. Hank and I are equals, we learn from each other.”
Diana seemed to accept this explanation and proceeded to question him about New York. She seemed to have an inexplicable fascination with those Baseball caps she sometimes saw in the TV and wanted to know all about baseball.
After dinner, Nick got Kelly ready for bed. He arranged all the plushies the way his son preferred and then read him a bedtime story. For the past three weeks, Kelly only wanted to hear ‘Goodnight Moon’. Nick could recite it after the third time. But that was what his son wanted to hear, so that was what Nick was going to read.
When he was fast asleep, Nick planted a kiss on his head and watched him for a moment, just drinking in the sight of his son sleeping peacefully, without a care in the world.
Nick closed the door gently behind him and made his way towards Diana’s room. Adalind was just leaving her daughters room and he caught her before she could leave.
“There’s a file on my desk in the basement. It’s about what I want to talk to you about. If you want, you can read it. I’ll join you there when I’m done up here, alright?”
The Hexenbiest gave him a long look before she nodded, giving him a quick peck on his cheek before she left. Nick entered Diana’s room and found her already in bed, two books in her hands. The face she made when she was concentrating was the same Adalind got when she poured over her cases.
“You know that I can read you one book today and the other one tomorrow, right?” He chuckled.
Diana looked at him with big eyes as he took a seat on her bed. “I know, but I can’t decide which one I want to hear today.”
Nick accepted the books she handed him and gave them both a quick scan. Both of them were books he’d probably read to her over ten times already. “How about this one?” He asked her as he held up the book with a bright yellow cover. Diana nodded decisively and settled in comfortably, looking at him with eager eyes.
At seven years old, she probably didn’t need a bedtime story anymore. But she liked it and he liked reading to his kids. Because of his jobs, there were times he didn’t see them a lot, so he tried to make the most of the time he did get with them. And if that included reading bright yellow books with different voices and made-up accents, then that was fine for him.
It didn’t take long for her to fall asleep, and he adjusted her blanket before leaving quietly.
He took his time cleaning up the kitchen. Nick wanted to give Adalind enough time to read the file before telling her about Livs request.
When he couldn’t stall anymore, he grabbed a bottle of wine and two glasses, making his way to the basement.
Downstairs, he found her sitting on the couch with her feet under her, the file on the ground before her. She looked up as he entered and he didn’t try to read her expression for now. He poured both of them a glass of wine and settled down next to her. Wordlessly, she took one of the glasses and took a long sip.
“Nick, why are you showing me a case file about human trafficking in New York?” She asked him with an arched eyebrow and scrutinizing glance.
Nick took a sip of his own wine, steeling himself.
And then he told her. About the case, what Liv said, her assumption that her department might not be safe. When he told her about Liv’s request for him to go undercover, she pursed her lips.
She was quiet after he finished. He gave her the time to think it over; there was no need to hurry.
“Let me get this straight. Your old partner shows up here and is asking you to go undercover in a Wesen trafficking ring. As a Grimm. To fight.”
“Yes.”
Adalind fell quiet again. The wine glass in her hand was twirled around absent mindedly while she stared at the dark liquid. Nick just watched her and didn’t try to fill the silence. He already knew what he wanted to say, but he wanted to give her a chance to make up her own mind.
He knew what she was thinking. With Juliette, she would have told him ‘no’ immediately. But Adalind got him in a way few people did. She knew who he was and why he was even considering it. And he could see her make internal calculations- how she weighed what she wanted against what he needed.
“How long?” She eventually asked.
“Hard to say. Could be a few weeks. Could be longer.”
“Months, then.”
“Seems more likely, to be honest,” he said, needing her to understand that he was honest about this and that he’d thought about this.
“This is incredibly dangerous, Nick. You’re essentially signing up to be a glorified punching bag. They’re going to target you just because you’re a Grimm.”
He nodded. She wasn’t wrong. Sure, if everything went right, he would also be doing some punching, but the fact was, he would spend a considerable amount of time being the target.
“Nick,” she said and finally looked at him then-, and she wore the face she only got for him, the one that had nothing careful in it. “If I asked you not to go-”
“Then I wouldn’t go.” He told her, no hesitation in his voice.
And Adalind already knew that; he could see it in her face. The Blonde closed her eyes briefly.
“I know.”
When she opened them again, they were alive with emotion. He could see sadness there, but most of all love and determination. “I’m not telling you not to go. I’m also not going to tell you to go, because I could never do that. That’s something you have to decide for yourself. But I’ll tell you this.” He watched her take a deep breath and his throat felt tight when she grabbed his hand.
“I know you, Nick. If I asked you to stay, you would. And it would eat you alive knowing that you’re sleeping here at home while out there, innocent people are taken advantage of and forced to fight for their life. Now that you know about it, you can’t just forget about it. That’s not who you are. And sometimes I hate that about you- just a little bit-, but most of the time I love you for that. Your loyalty and compassion are some of the things that made me fall in love with you. I knew that loving you also means having to love your moral compass. So, I’m telling you this: We will be alright. If it takes a couple of weeks, we’ll be fine. If it takes a couple of months, I’ll be annoyed and worried, but we’ll be fine.”
He was speechless. How did she manage to surprise him at every turn? Nick couldn’t help it, he surged forward and kissed her.
“I love you,” he whispered against her lips and felt her smile.
Before things could escalate, she pushed him gently away.
“Not yet, I wasn’t done.” She took a breath and then poked him firmly in his chest. “But while I am here keeping the kids and additionally Monroe in line- and you know he’s not going to take this with as much grace as me- you will also have to follow some rules. Don’t be reckless. It’s okay to be selfish sometimes; so, if it comes down to it, you choose your own health and safety. I know you’ll probably not even consider it, but I’m going to say it anyway: Be honest with yourself and pull yourself out if you can’t go on anymore. There’s no shame in that.”
Nick could only nod, but he couldn’t make himself promise something he wasn’t sure he could hold.
“Okay, then I guess there is only one thing left: Do you want to do this?”
He didn’t do her the disservice of answering too quickly. Instead, he took his time to reflect on everything he’d seen in that file. On what he’d leave behind here. And then he thought about what Adalind said, how right she had been when she told him that it would eat him alive. And he knew what he’d have to do.
“I don’t want to do this. But you’re right. I can’t just leave this behind. So, I’m doing this.”
She nodded and they were quiet for a moment.
“All right,” she said, setting her wine glass to the side. The blonde came closer to him and put his glass away before settling in his lap. “Then we should make the most of tonight.”
Nick pulled her closer to him and pressed a few light kisses on her neck. “You’re right. Why don’t you let me show you how much I love you?” He whispered against her neck. His grip tightening was the only warning she got before he switched their positions.
And then it was only the two of them, alone in their private little world.
------------------------
Nick didn’t even need to say anything to Renard before the man sighed. He’d come in extra early so he could talk it over with his captain before Hank had a chance to interfere. But before Nick could say anything, the Royal had raised his hand and only regarded him quietly- with the expression of a man who had already made peace with a situation he didn’t like.
“I can’t send Griffin or Wu with you,” he said. “Do you understand that?”
“I do,” he nodded, well aware of all the risks.
“Your backup will be Collins and a few people she trusts, which you don’t know. In a city you haven’t lived in for seven years.”
“I’ve worked with less. And I trust Liv.”
Renard looked at him across the desk with a resigned air, already aware he wouldn’t be able to talk Nick out of this. As captain, he could deny the request; but he knew his detective and –despite their differences over the years- was well aware Nick would find a way around him if he wanted to. Better do this the right way then.
“Okay then. Call her.”
-----------------------------
Liv arrived within an hour and with full confidence. Hank arrived only a step after her, expression a thundercloud, but instead of unleashing his thoughts, he stepped into Renard’s office without a word. Nick winced; he knew they would have to talk after this, but he set it aside in favor of planning.
Together, they went over the operation’s architecture- what Liv expected, who would be in the know, what Liv could offer Renard and Hank in terms of information during the operation. She didn’t go into details concerning his cover identity- that was something they would work out later in New York.
Hank absorbed all of it with his face set in stone, but let them talk before pitching in.
“I want updates,” he said, when Liv had finished. “Every time Nick makes contact, you tell me. Every time he misses contact, you tell me. That’s not optional.”
Liv looked at him, then at Nick and nodded. “Agreed.”
“And I’ll tell Adalind and Monroe whenever he makes contact. The deserve to know he’s still alive.”
Nick could see Liv’s jaw tensing, but she agreed, nonetheless. “Alright. But no one else. And just to tell them that he’s alive- no details.”
Hank nodded, falling quiet again.
Renard nodded, then asked Liv about plane tickets to New York.
“Already covered, we leave tomorrow morning,” she answered with the face that told him she’d bought those two tickets before he’d even called her this morning.
“So soon?” Hank asked.
“Yes. They recently lost a fighter, and I don’t want to give them time to find someone else.”
And as quickly as Liv had appeared, she was gone. She’d pick him the next morning to get to the airport.
After she left, Nick turned to Renard.
“Be careful, Detective. Don’t make me tell Adalind something happened to you- she'll find a way to blame me.”
Nick huffed a wry laugh – Adalind would definitely blame it on Sean, however irrational that would be- and left Renard's office with a grateful nod.
He could hear Hank following him, so he walked directly to the staircase where it was a bit quieter- just in case his partner needed to shout at him. They passed Wu on their way- and from the inquisitive expression on the man’s face, Nick would guess that they’d have an audience.
When Nick arrived at his destination, he turned around and leaned against the wall- content to let Hank work through his frustration first.
His partner paced in front of him for a few moments, then he turned to Nick and pointed at his chest. “You know I hate this.”
“I know.”
“And you know this is- objectively, Nick, from any angle- an absolutely terrible idea.”
This time, Nick didn’t answer. He couldn’t, because he’d have to either lie or be honest and agree- both options would give Hank reason to storm to Renard's office and demand they cancel the entire thing.
They held eye contact for a while before Hank lowered his finger with a resigned sigh. “I know I can’t talk you out of this. You’re way too stubborn for that. But I need you to promise me that you’ll be careful and watch you back. Because I’m not there to do it.”
“I promise, Hank.”
His partner was quiet for a moment. Then he gave a tired huff of laughter. “You know, if anything happens to you, Adalind is going to kill me.”
Nick shrugged, moving back into the bullpen. “She’s a Hexenbiest, she might literally. If not her, then Monroe.”
Hank followed him, steps still heavy but lighter than they were a few minutes ago. “That’s not comforting.”
He smirked at his partner's faux distress. “Wasn’t meant to be.”
As he’d predicted, Wu was waiting for him in the hallway.
“So, you’re leaving, then? Back to New York?” He asked, aiming for teasing but unable to hide the worry in his expression.
Nick gave him a friendly pat on the shoulder. “Yep. Your life should be a bit more boring for the next few weeks, so make sure Hank doesn’t fall asleep on his desk.”
Wu gave him a bark of laughter, before he waved with the file in his hand. “That sounds like a small vacation for us. Maybe you’ll take all the weirdness with you.”
And then, after a small nod and a squeeze of his shoulder, Wu was gone. The easy acceptance and camaraderie were something Nick had always appreciated about Wu. The man was perceptive enough to know when to say something heartfelt, and when to lighten the mood. And Nick really wasn’t in the mood for another heart-to-heart. God knew, he’d have his hands full enough with Monroe.
Nick groaned, and Hank turned to him with a raised eyebrow. “What? Already regretting your decision?”
“No. I just realized I’ll have to tell Monroe.” And Hank, his traitor partner, just laughed at him.
-------------------------------------
Nick left the precinct in the early afternoon, intending to enjoy a nice evening with his family before he had to go. He pretended not to see Hank’s almost haunted look when he left.
He drove for a bit before arriving at his destination, before getting out of his car and knocking on the door.
Monroe opened the door with his mouth half-open with some kind of greeting, when he read something in Nick’s face and stopped. Wordlessly, the taller man stepped back from the doorway, making space for Nick. “How bad is it?”
“I need to tell you something. Do you two have a moment?”
Monroe closed the door behind Nick, then called over his shoulder: “Rosalee! Nick’s here.”
They sat down in the living room, and Rosalee pressed a steaming cup of coffee into his hand, a mug of tea in her own. They were quiet as he told them, but Monroe’s face went through approximately six distinct phases of distress, each one increasing in intensity.
When he finished, he sat quietly- waiting for the inevitable explosion.
“Okay,” Monroe said. He stood up, sat back down. Stood up again and started pacing in front of the couch. “Okay. No, you know what? Not okay. Not okay at all, Nick. This is-” there; Monroe fumbled for a bit, wringing his hands. “Nick, a Wesen fight ring? Do you have any idea what they will do to a Grimm? They won’t go easy on you, they’ll hit you even harder because you’re a Grimm.”
“Monroe”, Nick tried but was quickly interrupted.
“- and you’ll be alone. I won’t be there; Hank won’t be there... I can’t help you if something goes wrong.”
“Monroe.”
“-and sure, you’re a Grimm and I know you can handle yourself, but there are limits, even if you don’t want to admit it. This is just- this is madness, Nick! The chances of you-”
“Monroe.” Rosalee put her hand on his arm and he stopped. The Fuchsbau looked at Nick. “When do you leave?”
“Tomorrow.”
She nodded, face visibly concerned but quickly overtaken by her steady and calm default expression. “Okay, come here.” Rosalee crossed the room and hugged him- gentle and warm. When she stepped back, she kept a hold of his arms and looked at him with the clinical precision that was the complete opposite of her gentleness, but suited her just as well. “Your ribs are your biggest vulnerability. Protect them. And not just for practicality- a broken rib can puncture a lung and end the operation or you.”
“I know, Rosie.”
“Your dominant hand. Protecting it will be hard but try to switch to your left when you feel anything crack in your right. If you can’t, change how you’re hitting. Never let them know.”
“Yes, Rosalee.”
“I know you, Nick. I know how you fight. You let yourself get hit so you can get close, but that’s going to be dangerous if you do it with every opponent. Fight smart and use their weaknesses. Your instincts as a Grimm will give you an edge, but you have to listen to them.”
At that he fell quiet and finally admitted something to them he’d never admitted to anyone else.
“What if I can’t turn them off again?” He asked quietly, and Monroe stopped fidgeting, stopping at once. “My instincts are telling me to go for the kill, but I don’t really want that. What if I can’t stop once I’ve let them in?”
This time, it was Monroe who stepped closer and placed a warm hand on his shoulder. “Listen, man. I think this undercover thing is one of the worst ideas you’ve ever had, but I know you. I’ve known you for over five years now and never once have you let your instincts cloud your morality. These things are a part of you, tools you can use. Trust them to save you, and trust them not to screw you over, okay?”
Nick nodded, feeling the fear that hovered in the back of his mind recede. Nick looked at them both. Two of the best people he knew, the best friends he could have ever asked for. “I’ll be careful,” he said. “But can I ask you a favor?”
Rosalee smiled at him in the gentle way- the one that told him she saw right through him and let him get away with it because of her graciousness. “Don’t worry Nick. We’ll help Adalind with the kids.”
“Yeah dude, was that ever a question?”
Nick smiled and not for the first time since meeting them- asked himself what he’d done to deserve these people.
--------------------------------------
Nick was the first one home, for a change. He welcomed it, got dresses in comfortable clothes and started to making dinner. Adalind’s favorite- Curry with chicken, rice and bread. One of the few dishes he could accurately make. He lost himself a bit in the process of it, humming along to the radio and just savoring the atmosphere.
When Adalind came home, Kelly on her hip and Diana trailing in behind her, she stopped short at the sight of him in the kitchen.
Diana and Kelly greeted him joyously, but Adalind’s face did something complicated when she realized he’d made her favorite dish and bought her favorite wine. Surprise, then recognition. She stepped closer to him and embraced him, leaning her head on his shoulder.
“Tomorrow?” She asked him quietly.
“Tomorrow,” he confirmed in a low voice, not wanting to risk Diana overhearing them.
They stood there for a moment, basking in each others presence. Then, she took a deep breath and stepped back. “Well then, we’re not going to waste it. Let’s have a nice dinner and after, we’ll tell the kids.”
God, he loved this woman.
True to her words; they told the kids after dinner. Kelly didn’t understand, which was a small mercy for Nick, but a nightmare to be for Adalind- she’d be the one to deal with the boy's tantrums when he realized Nick didn’t come home.
Diana sat very still with her hands in her lap and her face being forcibly blank. Internally, Nick winced. The young girl hadn’t adopted this expression since she’d taken the suppression potion for a chance to grow up relatively normal.
“How long?” She eventually asked.
“I don’t know, sweetheart. A couple of weeks, maybe a few months.”
The girl's lower lip began to tremble, but her eyes stayed dry. “Do you promise to come back?”
Briefly, he entertained the idea of lying to her; then thought better of it. “I promise you that I’m going to do everything I can to come back to you.”
Diana seemed to weigh this, not satisfied with his evasion of that other promise, but eventually nodded. “Okay,” she said, quietly. “Can you read me a story tonight?”
"Always,” he answered and though her resulting smile was only a shadow of its usual one- he cherished it.
-----------------
Liv’s car was at the curb at six in the morning. The sky was still grey, light thin and undecided if it was going to be a sunny or a rainy day- the kind of morning of a day that could go either way.
Nick shared that feeling. This, what he was setting out to do, could also go either way.
Adalind walked him to the front step. They had decided not to wake the kids for this; their goodbyes had been included in the goodnight ritual. Diana had made him read two books and when she’d reached for a third one, Nick had told her quietly that he’ll have to leave in the morning, no matter if she made him read the entire book stock of the house. She’d accepted that with a quiet frown that had only lessened when he started a chapter of the third book.
Nick put his meagre bag into the trunk of the car and turned to the blonde. Adalind’s expression was forcefully composed, but he knew her well enough to see the turmoil in her eyes and the slight clench of her jaw. She stepped toward him and straightened the collar of his jacket- an unnecessary action, but he bore it with grace. If she needed some normalcy, who was he to deny her?
“Don’t be an idiot. And even more importantly, don’t be a hero. Get in there, do your job, and then get the hell out of there.”
“I will.”
“And remember to eat. I know you, you tend to forget when you’re focused.”
“I won’t forget to eat.”
“And try to come back with your face intact. I quite like it.”
“I promise to do my best to keep all damage below my neck.”
She slapped him lightly and he used the opportunity to wrap his arms around her. For just one moment, it felt like it was only the two of them in the entire world. “Come back,” she said, very quietly, and her carefully constructed composure cracked slightly. Just enough for him to detect her fear. “I know you can’t promise me, and I’m not going to force you. But for my own peace of mind, I need to say this. I love you.”
In response, Nick kissed her, deep and slow. “I love you too. And I promise to do everything I can to come back to you,” he whispered against her lips.
And then he turned toward the car, got in and watched wordlessly as she disappeared in the rearview window.
Despite the growing distance, he could hear the moment she stopped holding her breath. The sound that followed was small and brief- and absolutely heartbreaking. Then he heard her exhale forcefully and close the door to their house.
Nick kept looking forward, willing his hearing to stop focusing on what he was leaving behind.
On the way to the airport, Nick noticed the sky darkening in preparation for heavy rain. He hoped it wasn’t a sign of the coming weeks.