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Hank
When Nick tells Hank about what's happened, the thing that surprises Hank the most is how not surprised he is. Somehow a whole lot of little things suddenly make sense. It's like when Nick finally told him about the Wesen world. Sure, if Nick had told him out of the blue about hexenbiests and blutbads and all the rest of it he'd have thought Nick was playing him or had totally lost it. But by the time Nick did tell him there was so much that he'd seen and couldn't explain that finding out was a relief, just a world seen with different eyes. Like those pictures, the ones that are a face if you look one way, a vase if you look the other and sometimes you just can't see the face. Then someone says 'here's the nose, here's the eye' and you wonder how you could possibly have missed it.
Nick and the Captain. The Captain and Nick. He should have recognised it, the tension when they were together, the way they'd look into each other's eyes. How much Nick has always talked about Renard, the way sometimes Renard spoke to Nick, like no one else was in the room. And, Hank suddenly thinks, he's probably going to have to learn to say 'Sean', because surely he can't call his partner's significant other 'Captain' all the time. That almost seems the oddest thing.
As first, though, it feels like nothing has changed. He's not sure how much Nick wants to talk about it, not sure what he can ask. The next time he and Nick get called into the Captain's office he expects some difference, some change, but the talk is business-like, Renard his usual enigma. And even though on Tuesday he drops Nick off at the end of the day at Renard's house and then picks him up first thing Wednesday, even then he can't quite imagine what's happened in the intervening hours. Nick and the Captain.
On Friday Hank finds himself in Waterside Park looking at something else surprising. A metal pot - okay, actually 'cauldron' is probably the right word, sitting all by itself under a tree. That wouldn't be so surprising in itself but the fact that the cauldron is glowing purple and emitting clouds of violet and green smoke puts it firmly in Nick's world. Nick's taken some time off but Hank doesn't know what the hell to do with glowing medieval cookware so he calls him anyway. And of course he shouldn't really be surprised when Nick arrives with Renard.
It's the first time he's seen them together off-duty since everything happened. Renard is wearing jeans and a gray v-neck sweater, looks relaxed. It's not just the off-duty clothes either, Hank thinks, it's like a tension has been released, a barricade that has always been there suddenly gone. And Nick looks happy, keeps smiling, glancing up at the other man.
"This-”, Renard offers, "- is definitely a zaubertranke gone wrong. A young hexenbiest maybe - or one who is having a really bad day."
Hank looks even more warily at the cauldron,
"And what happens if we leave it? Will it run out of steam?"
"I don't think so. In fact probably the opposite."
"So, what do we do?"
Renard considers, walks around the cauldron, keeping a safe distance from the smoke.
"I think I do know something that will put this out but I'll have to go and fetch it. In the meantime you two stay here, keep anyone who comes along well away. And stay clear yourselves, I really don't want to come back and find Nick's been turned into a frog."
Nick looks startled, "Why me and not Hank?"
"Because the strange things always happen to you, Nick."
And Renard smiles at Nick and Nick smiles back and there is so much in their faces that Hank wonders how he never saw this, never acknowledged it for what it really was.
Renard turns to leave, takes a few steps when Nick calls after him,
"Hey, we're off duty.'
Renard turns back, looks at Nick for a second then reaches for him, mouths meeting in one hard kiss. Then he's gone.
Hank watches the retreating figure, understands the message he's been given and turns to Nick,
"So, come on, tell me all about it."
And Nick grins and does.
*********
Monroe and Rosalee
Monroe finds it hard to believe when Nick tells him. Nick and Sean Renard. It just doesn't seem possible. Monroe mutters about spells and potions and could it be a bluff, a pretence for some reason and how he's never trusted Renard and he didn't think Nick did either. Rosalee pours a glass of wine and sits on the couch, considering. Realises two things - one, that she does believe it and two, she finds the thought of it rather...intriguing. She thinks about it for a while, sipping her wine. When she finishes the glass she calls Nick and invites him and Sean to dinner on Saturday. Then she takes Monroe upstairs and takes his mind off things.
Saturday goes as well as can be expected, which is awkward in parts. It's not like they haven't all spent time together before, and maybe that makes it more difficult. They all have roles they're used to assuming - healer, friend, best friend, boss, ally - and it's hard not to fall back into them. Monroe starts a little grumpy but Rosalee is pleased to see his natural good nature (and where did that come from in a blutbad?) reasserts itself as the evening goes on.
Rosalee watches Nick and Sean. She gets the feeling that Sean wants to touch Nick very much but that he's restraining himself, just a slight contact as they move to the table, a brush of fingers as a glass is passed. She notices each touch, feels a slight quiver with each small meeting. Rosalee also thinks Sean is well aware of Monroe's mixed emotions and is doing what he can - she notices him steer the conversation to let Monroe and Nick reminisce. She supposes you don't get to be a police captain without having diplomacy skills but finds herself liking him more for his effort.
At the end of the evening Nick and Sean leave, to climb into the same car, head off to the same house, the same bed. As they reach the sidewalk Rosalee sees Sean lift his hand, run it down Nick's back, sees Nick step closer to him. Mm. She turns back into the house, goes to Monroe and pulls him into a kiss. The dishes can wait.
The following week a hexenbiest tries to kill Nick. It says a lot about all their lives that this hardly seems like a major incident. The hexenbiest is very young and hasn't realised what she is taking on - a Grimm in his full powers, backed up by a blutbad, a fuchsbau, a no-nonsense police detective and, of course, a really angry half-zauberbiest. If the hexenbiest wasn't regretting her actions before, she certainly is after Sean is done with her. Actually he takes her youth into account, just gives her a good talking to, more police captain than zauberbiest, but Rosalee still doesn't think she'll be back in Portland anytime soon.
As they are tidying things up Sean and Nick disappear and without thinking she goes to look for them, finds them locked in an embrace. She doesn't mean to watch them but she somehow can't tear her eyes away. Their kiss is hot, hard, hands pulling each other close and then starting to roam. Rosalee resists the urge to fan herself, backs away on silent fuchsbau feet. Goes to find her own hot blutbad.
**
Monroe still finds it hard to believe - Nick and Renard, now that is a turn up for the books. But Nick seems happier than he's been for years and Renard seems happy too, more relaxed. He certainly seems to care about Nick anyway - and if that ever changes he'll have Monroe to deal with. He's distracted from the thought, though, because Rosalee really is doing some interesting things. Nick and Sean do seem to have an unexpected effect on her. Maybe, just maybe he can get used to the idea, especially as it turns out there are advantages for Monroe too
*******
Adalind
Adalind isn't quite sure whether it's an insult or some warped kind of compliment. The last two men she slept with have decided, against all predictions and expectations, that they love each other. Love. Sean has even actually said the word. She would never have believed it possible. And what's more, as far as Adalind knows one of them had only ever ticked the box marked 'heterosexual' before. Still, if they ever get Diana back it will make the child care arrangements easier.
It's six weeks since they told her, seated side by side on the couch. Adalind has had a life containing many surprises and yet this still rates as one of the most surreal incidents she can recall. She's not sure she handled it that well (okay, maybe it wasn't the best moment to mention again that Sean slept with her mother) but the sight of Nick and Sean looking at each other like that had given her an odd shaft of pain.
Adalind shakes the memory away, looks round to see if everything is ready. Since that day it's always been Nick alone who's picked up and dropped off Kelly but he's running late, it will be Sean picking up Nick's son tonight.
Sean arrives, clearly straight from work, suit and tie, looking tired. But then he sees Kelly and his face relaxes, his smile is real and Kelly toddles over, arms outstretched, smiling back. Sean deals competently with bags and the intricacy of the car seat, comes back for Kelly. Adalind kisses Kelly goodbye, watches as Sean heads down the path holding him. And as he moves onto the sidewalk she sees Sean turn his head, the brief brush of his lips against Kelly's hair.
Adalind sits on the couch, where Nick and Sean sat. The pain is back. She wonders just what she let slip through her fingers. Can't decide just who she's regretting.
*********
Elizabeth
Elizabeth hadn't expected this, even though she'd seen the possibilities. Sean and his Grimm. Oh, she knows Sean well enough to know that there was something but she'd never thought her beautiful, damaged son would find a way. But apparently they are together, openly and acknowledged by their friends. Astonishing. What's almost as astonishing is the way this news has reached her - New Orleans is an odd place to hear in passing about your Portland based son's love life.
She turns again to the hexenbiest in front of her,
"And you're certain about this?"
The young woman looks sulky, stares at her shoes like a six year old.
"Yeah, the zauberbiest made it very clear that him and the Grimm were together and that I'd made a mistake trying to kill him. He wasn't very nice."
Elizabeth regards her thoughtfully. This girl, Anna, has caused her problems - she's a powerful hexenbiest but doesn't seem to have received much training. Elizabeth is building a good client base here and she doesn't want rumours to start spreading about out of control zaubertranken or potions gone wrong. From Anna's description the miscast zaubertranke in Portland could have left Waterside Park a glowing crater if Sean hadn't dealt with it. Elizabeth sighs, she's either going to have to drive the girl well away or she's going to have to teach her something - and in the interests of her own safety she thinks it will have to be the latter, she needs to give Anna at least some of the basics. She is very young. But first Elizabeth thinks she needs to visit Portland.
Most mothers would probably call ahead, expect to be met at the airport, bags carried. Elizabeth isn't like that - she prefers to arrive unexpectedly, to have the chance to look at a situation for herself before appearing at the most impressive moment. She arrives at Sean's house unannounced, lights are on, two cars in front. She walks up to the door but doesn't press the buzzer, instead she slides round the side of the house.
Elizabeth stays well back. She can see clearly through the big windows, the living room is dim but the kitchen is brightly lit, the Grimm standing at the counter. She can't see his hands but his movements are clear enough - he's cooking dinner. And that simple fact in itself answers almost every question. She watches, waiting for Sean. Takes a step closer when he appears.
He looks different, even from here. Elizabeth is a healer, she knows that people in pain - mental, physical, emotional - hold themselves differently, move differently and that when the pain goes it can be seen. She's seeing it now. Sean looks relaxed, laughing at something the Grimm says. Nick, she thinks, correcting herself.
Nick turns, putting whatever he's making in the oven and Sean moves to him, reaches for him. Elizabeth watches as they kiss, watches as they hold, watches as Nick undoes Sean's shirt, watches as Sean takes Nick's hand and leads him out of sight towards, she guesses, the stairs.
Elizabeth makes her way back to the front of the house, walks up the street. She will ring Sean to warn him of her arrival, like a conventional mother after all. She'll maybe give it an hour though, just in case.
*******
Elizabeth stays a few days, marvelling at the change in Sean. She sees him with Nick, with Nick's son, sees him with people he now sees as his friends, not just Nick's. She gave him life - twice - and protection, gave him as much knowledge as she could, as much chance as she could to help him survive a world of Wesen and Royals. But Nick has given him happiness.
They talk, the night before she leaves, about Diana. It's the one remaining open wound and one that Sean has come to feel more because of Kelly, not less. He loves the child, she realises, this half-zauberbiest outcome of Adalind's plotting. That's almost as surprising as him loving Nick. Elizabeth vows again to find Diana, to renew her efforts. But first she has to go back to New Orleans. She has an apprentice waiting for her.
*******
Wu
Wu likes his life. He loves his job, loves the uniform. He likes knowing about Wesen, being part of a secret world (although he occasionally wishes it involved slightly less bloodshed and weirdness). He loves his cat and his hobbies. He likes living by himself, being able to eat doughnuts at 4am or pizza for breakfast if he chooses, watching what he wants on the tv. He's glad the Captain and Nick have found each other, if that's what they want (and they clearly do) but it's not for him. He does really like being in the know, however, enjoys a superior smile when precinct gossip turns to Burkhardt and the Captain.
Wu likes the Captain's mother too, even though generally he couldn't say he was that keen on hexenbiests. When Officer Tate rings through, says he's got an Elizabeth Lascelles on the phone and she's asking for Wu personally he's pleased, warmed by his inside knowledge of the Captain's life. Elizabeth sounds tense when he hears her voice, says she needs to speak to Sean urgently. He's in a meeting with the Commissioner, a 'do not disturb', although Wu would go in and get him if Elizabeth asked. She says it will be fine to wait a few minutes and he promises to get Renard to ring her back as soon as possible. After he passes on the message he watches warily, sees Renard reach for the phone.
The call doesn't last that long but after a while Wu starts to get concerned - Renard put the phone down five minutes ago but he's just sitting at his desk, staring into space. Wu taps the door, puts his head round,
"Everything ok, Sir?"
Renard looks in his direction but Wu doesn't think he's seeing him,
"Get Nick."
Nick is in the Interview Room but Wu pulls him out and Nick must hear the concern in Wu's voice because he takes the stairs two steps at a time and by the time Wu reaches the bullpen Nick's already in Renard's office. Renard's saying something and then Nick moves round to his side of the desk and holds him, draws back to put a hand to Renard's cheek and then kiss him. Wu has seen them off duty plenty - away from work they're tactile, touching and holding but he's never seen them embrace at work, never seen them kiss here. What can Elizabeth have said?
*********
Anna
The flight to Portland is full and what started off as a fairly fun new experience is turning into a hot, cramped stretch of boredom. Anna wriggles, kicking the seat in front of her. Elizabeth gives her a Look, she's good at those, and then when Anna kicks the seat again puts a hand on her leg. Anna remembers she's feeling a little sulky anyway - she knows she doesn't look her age but what possessed Elizabeth to get her documents saying she's thirteen? Anna had been happy to have a passport, however fake, until she'd seen that. Eighteen would have been good, sixteen ok but thirteen? Thirteen is a child and Anna thinks being a child is dangerous. Anna is also fiercely pretending she's not nervous, last time she was in Portland she'd tried to kill the Grimm and Elizabeth's son had not been happy - are they really going to welcome her with open arms?
When they're finally released from the plane Anna is so relieved that she forgets to be worried at first. By the time they walk out to the hall she's virtually hiding behind Elizabeth. Elizabeth spots her son first and Anna sees the Grimm. The Grimm is smiling, looks nice actually, she hadn't remembered what he looked like. The zauberbiest (Anna can't quite brave using his name yet, even in her head) is trying to smile too but he looks tense. They both say nice things though, welcome her, the tall man bending down to her.
The house is lovely, full of paintings and beautiful things that Anna would like to touch. All the beautiful things are on high shelves and she soon realises why - Kelly, Nick's son, who is into everything and who seems to take all the adults to entertain him. Anna knows the pretty blonde woman is Adalind, she tried to hug her when they arrived and Anna wasn't sure about that at all but Kelly fascinates her. She's never had contact with a small child before and him - and his toys - are intriguing. It takes a while but eventually she can't resist and finds herself sitting on the rug with Kelly, who seems delighted to play with her, laughing and fetching more toys.
Anna is happy Kelly seems to like her but she still keeps half an eye on the people in the room - she knows that's the safest way. What surprises her is Nick and (be brave) Sean. They touch a lot, brief contacts as they pass, sitting together on the couch. It's not quite how she imagined a Grimm and a zauberbiest. When they go to fetch food from the kitchen she watches, sees the kiss between them. Anna knows she's not always good at reading other people - Elizabeth says she just hasn't had the time to learn - but for the first time she realises they are maybe nervous too.
As Nick crosses the room Kelly calls 'daddy' and Nick sweeps him up for a kiss, making Kelly shriek with laughter. And when he's back on the floor he runs across to Sean, demanding the same. He calls Sean 'dad' she notices.
Anna sits with Kelly and thinks. Elizabeth had said things were up to her, that how fast or how slow things went were her decision. Kelly senses her distraction, pulls her sleeve. She realises he's trying to say her name, although he's only getting 'Na'. Anna looks round the warm, comfortable room, the trust, the toys, the affection. She's never had this, envies Kelly. Makes up her mind, she can take one step.
"Na!', says Kelly.
Anna takes a breath,
"Try my full name, it might be easier."
Around her she feels the room still,
"Diana. Try it Kelly, try saying Di - ana."
And oddly Kelly, instead of trying the name, launches himself at her and gives her a very big, slightly sloppy kiss.
*********
Nick
Nick can see Sean is distracted. Even after all this time together, even when they're dog-tired, they still rarely undress without taking notice of each other. He walks across to Sean, stands in front of him and wraps his arms around the bigger man. Sean sighs, reaches his arms round Nick.
"I imagined this day a lot but I don't know I ever imagined it quite like this."
Nick leans back, looks at him.
"I thought Anna - Diana - did very well considering. Can't be easy for her, even though she's obviously attached to your mother, finding a whole family is going to take time."
"Especially given I chased her out of town the first time I met her, didn't know my own daughter."
They've been round this before but Nick thinks it will always be a painful memory to Sean.
"Not really surprising though, given how old she looks."
Sean sighs again,
"My mother thinks physically she's about 13 or 14 now but when we met her she looked - and acted - more like twenty. She's not even 6 - what happens if she carries on ageing like this? I've missed her babyhood, her childhood..."
"Hey -”, Nick puts both hands on Sean's face, "- that doesn't matter so long as we make what we have now work. And I'm sure your mother and Rosalee will work together to see what's going on, find something to help."
He pulls Sean's face down to his, kisses him long and hard. When he pulls his lips away he says,
"There you are, our first kiss."
Now he has Sean's puzzled attention,
"I'm sure I distinctly remember kissing you before - quite a lot and in a great many places."
Nick laughs,
"Yeah, but it's the first kiss with our whole family under our roof - Kelly and Diana."
"Not to mention Adalind and your nearly mother-in-law."
Nick hasn't ever considered Elizabeth quite like that, scary thought. He's glad to see that Sean is looking more relaxed though, there'll be time tomorrow to worry about what happens next with Diana. Nick pulls him closer, kisses him again.
"Sean?"
"Mm?"
"Do you think it would be inappropriate to have red-hot passionate sex for the first time with our whole family under our roof?"
Sean huffs,
"We have thick walls and a catch on the door - let's give it a go."
*********
Sean
Sean and Nick hadn't thought they needed to get married - legally they could of course, but neither felt it could add anything to the strength of feeling between them. Diana - and Kelly - changed that. It had been easy enough to prove he was Diana's father, thank you DNA, but Adalind hasn't taken the same step to prove her relationship. Sean has been surprised how easy it is for him to feel like a parent to Anna, knows it's been more difficult for Adalind and thinks it's probably simpler this way. Not to mention it would look like he slept with Adalind when she was about 17. He shifts slightly, resists the urge to fidget.
From the corner of his eye he can see Anna sitting with Kelly. They love each other, half-brother and sister, virtually inseparable when they're together. Both Sean and Nick want to give them the chance to be family, that's why he's standing here now. They both have dangerous jobs, dangerous lives, had to ask themselves what would happen if either died, how they can be guardian to the other's child. This was the answer.
The short ceremony starts and Sean's wandering mind re-focuses - vows, rings, the warmth of Nick's hand in his. And then, watched by their children, their family and friends he gives his husband a first kiss.