Rosalee and Monroe sped down the highway, having a pleasant conversation after briefly discussing the odd happenings between the blutbad and Nick during the traffic jam. The movement of the cars had quickly sped up an what had caused the jam remained a mystery. But Monroe was still highly suspicious of a Mauseherz being involved. They drove about an hour after being freed from the traffic jam when they passed a sign that caught Rosalee's attention. "Evergreen Lake... that's why that sounds familiar."
"Pardon me?" Monroe asked, looking up from adjusting a plant that had fallen over.
"This lake coming up, Evergreen?"
"Oh yeah, I know it. The things I used to do there... that you don't need to know. You were saying?" Rosalee smirked.
"Well I was reading in a magazine the other day that there's this fern that grows along the bank there, and can only be found in a few places in Oregon. It has something to do with the minerals in that lake that allows them to flourish."
"So we need to take a little pit stop? I'm all for that." Monroe nodded as they passed a sign that read "Evergreen Lake, ½ mile." Little did he know, Nick and Juliette would pass the same sign several minutes later.
"Yeah, the guy I'm taking them to wants to cross pollinate those with those orange flowers next to you. He's going to be really excited. Plus, I think we both could agree some fresh air would do us some good."
"I like the way you think."
It took 5 minutes down a narrow mountain road, passing 'beware of bears' signs and campground directions until they pulled up at a parking lot before a lake. The afternoon sky shimmering atop it's smooth blue surface. The heavy trees bordering the shores dancing amongst the small waves created from Kayakers.
"This place is even more beautiful than I remember. Wow." Monroe awed as he took in the sight, his sweatered arms resting on his hips.
"I'm sure its easier to see without going through Woge with blood driving you through the woods." Monroe smirked.
"Boy, you sure do know the blutbad." Rosalee smiled as the two headed towards a trail.
"Not as well as I might like to." The brunette smiled over her shoulder. Monroe nodded to himself, suppressing a smile.
The two wandered the path till they found a thick patch of the plant, and Monroe helped Rosalee gather the fern per her specific instructions, before placing them in a baggy and heading back towards the parking lot. Where unbeknownst to them, Nick and Juliette were also pulling into. But the Blutbad and Fuchsbau paused to overlook the lake, watching a small pod of ducklings float by. Admiring their cute little faces and tasty looking bodies.
"If I wasn't a vegetarian..." Rosalee smirked.
"I've never actually been too fond of duck."
"Seriously? Even in, ya know, full Woge?" She nodded.
"We ate a lot of rabbit and mice growing up." Monroe raised his brow.
"Boy, wish I could say the same. You know those little gold fish crackers you can buy? Yeah, that's what rabbits were to us. My Grandpa got my dad hooked on the whole "eat thine enemy" sort of thing. Once this guy did a hit and run and almost killed me and my family while we were in my dad's truck. So he sniffed him out, and the dude was Thanksgiving dinner a day later." Rosalee gave him a funny look. "Sorry, come from a family of Big Bad Wolves. But I may be big, but bad no more." The brunette looked over his layered sweaters matched with his mustard corduroy pants and smiled. When the sound of a door slamming caught their attention.
"We should probably get going." The two headed back towards the parking lot down a small muddy trail. "You can hang out here for a second, I'm going to go get some water from the restroom to water the plants."
"Need any help?" Monroe asked with his hands in his pockets as he stood before the lake.
"I'm good." She said as she headed back towards the car.
"All right." Monroe answered as he wandered towards a small dock. He smiled to himself, he and Rosalee got along great. Really great if he didn't mind saying so himself. He looked out the serene view, a flock of geese were taking off from across the lake, a doe was hopping across a trail, and several kayakers were silhouetted against the afternoon sun. It was a beautiful view, and Nick Burkhardt thought the same thing as he stepped out of the Volvo.
"Told you it'd be worth it." Juliette said as she looked over at Nick.
"Wow." He said with a smile.
"See look, right over there. That's the island." She pointed to a small wooded lump that sat across the lake. Pointing directly over a tall sweatered man's head as he overlooked the same view. "I gotta pee, I'll be right back. You should go down and take a look." Nick nodded to her and he headed down a cement path towards a little dock.
Monroe meanwhile, had his eyes closed, arms behind his back as he took a deep whiff of mountain air. The sweet smells of the trees brought back memories of years past, and the smell of...the smell of a Grimm. "Which I did not smell here... ever before..." Monroe took another whiff before spinning about. The henley garbed Grimm's boots just landing on the wooden deck when their eyes met.
Nick's arms fell to his sides. "You have got to be kidding me."
And at the same time, Monroe groaned a "Seriously? Are you stalking me or something?"
"I should be asking you that question."
"Yeah, except for the fact that we got here before you." Nick clenched his jaw.
"Then what are you doing here."
"Rosalee wanted to stop to get some plants."
"Wait a minute, you're with Rosalee?"
"Um yeah duh. Who else's car did you think I was squatting in the back of?" Nick hadn't taken the time to think of the answer to that question during his panic in the traffic jam.
"I don't know." The two stood awkwardly silent, Monroe towering before the Grimm.
"So, I see your phone is working fine. Nice artwork back there." Nick looked away from him.
"I don't know what to say to you. Other than I'm supposed to excuse you because you were just being a blutbad."
"You could at least acknowledge me."
"What do you think I was doing back there?"
"Hiding in the back of your car from the big bad wolf next door that's what."
"Look, I just didn't want Juliette to see you."
"I came over for dinner once, she's knows who I am. It wouldn't have been that-"
"Yes it would have. Because then, I'd have to explain why I was avoiding you, and I couldn't tell her that."
"You're digging your own grave man."
"I'm going to tell her."
"If I had a Mauseherz for every time you said that I could make bank off a Lausenschlange." Nick looked away from him.
"Look, I just need to find the right time."
"Stop using that excuse, there's never going to be a right time for you to say 'hey guess what, my life is plagued with monsters trying to kill me and I have to kill them, and they might, very possibly, kill you. So let's set a wedding date and pop the champagne.' Man up dude, stop being a little Grimmlet and tell her already."
"What did you just call me?"
"A Grimmlet."
"What's a Grimmlet?"
"I don't know I made it up, but the way you're annoying me right now it seems pretty fitting." Nick, who hadn't eaten anything since breakfast, had a headache from being dehydrated, and was annoyed with any Wesen at the moment, especially the one standing before him, had little to no patience left in him and found himself shoving the blutbad.
"Wow, what the heck dude?" Monroe said through a glare as he caught himself.
"Why don't you just go take a swim." Nick snapped.
"I think you're the only one who needs to cool off." Monroe reached to shove Nick back, and used more force than he meant to. A lot more. Like, Nick falling backwards into the water more. "Oh crap." Monroe got on his knees and reached an arm out for him as he came to the surface. Right at that moment, Juliette and Rosalee both were coming out from the bathroom and spotted the sight.
"Oh no, someone fell in?" Rosalee asked.
"Oh no, that's Nick. He was feeling dizzy earlier, he must have passed out or something!"
"Come on." Rosalee said as the two wom hurried down, and in the two women's eyes, Monroe was saving the weak Nick with his gray tweed heroic arms. Not that he had actually, accidentally, pushed him in. They watched as the blutbad hauled the coughing, and completely drenched Grimm from the water.
"Nick are you okay?" Juliette shouted, Nick still in the blutbad's arms.
"I'm fine." He coughed.
"Thank goodness you were here, Monroe." The blutbad smiled at Juliette.
"Yeah, well I..." But he trailed off when he caught sight of the look on Rosalee's face. And Rosalee was too, speechless as she took in the sight. Monroe stood, silhouetted, with a coughing Nick in his arms. The way the sun was shining behind him, his big muscles beneath his grey sweater holding up the rescued Grimm. He looked... so heroic. And she liked it.
"You can put me down now." Monroe looked away from Rosalee and nodded quickly.
"Of course. Sorry. You'll be fine, won't you Nick?" He said as he eased Nick to his feet, realizing how much his arms were burning after holding up Nick longer than he needed to before the impressed Fuchbau. Nick, whose dark hair was plastered to his face, gave him a stare.
"Just fine. Probably wouldn't be like this if it weren't for you."
"He's right Monroe, thank you. I've got a blanket in the car, come on. Did you pass out? I knew I was right being worried about that lump of yours." They could hear Juliette saying, her arm around the soaking wet Grimm as they headed back to the car.
"Good job, blutbad." Rosalee smiled. And Monroe realized how much of a lifesaver he must have seemed to her if she hadn't seen him push the Grimm. And he also realized, the idea of her praise for such an act made him feel... well... very un-blutbad like inside but in the best way possible. She rested a hand on his shoulder. Monroe flicking his eyes to it with an unsuppressed smile. "I'm sure Nick will forgive you now." Monroe raised his brow.
"You know, he does owe me a few." She smirked as the two Wesen headed back towards the parking lot. Where they could hear Juliette saying something about a battery.
"Uh oh." Monroe said as they neared.
"It won't start." Juliette groaned, glancing up at Monroe.
"I'm trying to get the car to start to get the heater on for him but its like its dead. Did you ever get the battery changed Nick?" Juliette asked him as she turned to face Nick, who had taken off his wet shirt and put on his red sweatshirt once more. He sighed with a guilty look on his face.
"I'm sorry I forgot." Juliette sighed before Monroe poked his head inside.
"Why don't you guys just ride with us? I mean, if you don't mind of course."
Rosalee nodded. "Great idea, I'll go try and make room."
"Thank you guys so much. We don't even have much point to stick around, all the kayaks are rented and by the time we get one the sun will have set. So again, thank you."
"No problem." Rosalee smiled.
Juliette shut the car door, leaving Nick alone in the car. Looking like a tired child who had spent too long swimming at the pool, bundled in a sweatshirt with hair all in his face.
"Its no big deal. We just gotta drop those plants off a few miles up and we're good to go." Monroe said, glancing at Nick.
"I'll go help her out, you, drink that Gatorade. You need the sugar." Juliette pointed to Nick before joining Rosalee in rearranging the plants. He nodded, and Monroe smirked at him through the glass.
"You know all those secret agent blutbad missions you owe me for? Let's say we're even." Nick simply stared before Monroe went and helped make room in the other car. Once settled and Juliette had called a tow-truck for their Volvo, she and Nick gathered all they needed from their car and squished into Rosalee's. Juliet sitting in the front seat with a large pot on her lap, and flowers at her feet. And squished in the back, like two kids who had spent too much time at camp together, Monroe and Nick sat side by side.
"Do you mind?" Nick mumbled as they drove out of the park, Juliette and Rosalee engrossed in a conversation about the plants surrounding them.
"I'm sorry my elbow doesn't exactly have anywhere else to go." The two men sat silent for several minutes before Monroe's phone buzzed. He gave Nick a funny look. It was from Nick.
3:07 PM
you pushed me in.
Monroe raised his brow and texted him back.
From Monroe 3:07 PM
It was an accident.
3:08 PM
sure. I believe you.
From Monroe 3:08 PM
I see my sarcasm is rubbing off on you.
The two men sat silent as they texted back and fourth, their phones inches away from each other.
From Monroe 3:10 PM
So, did you see Rosalee's face when after I pulled you up?
3:11 PM
no.
From Monroe 3:11 PM
Well she was impressed. Totally digging the whole savior thing.
3:12 PM
what.
From Monroe 3:12 PM
She thought I'd saved you, didn't exactly know I accidentally pushed you in.
3:13 PM
thats obvious.
3:13 PM
p.s. definition of accidentally: not on purpose.
From Monroe 3:13 PM
So you did got to kindergarten? Nick gave him a silent stare before looking back to his phone.
From Monroe 3:14 PM
All I'm saying is she seems to you know. Possibly...
3:15
like you.
From Monroe 3:16 PM
I don't know. I mean, some Wesen do courtship differently.
From Monroe 3:16 PM
I'm pretty good at reading canine Wesen, but- His text was interrupted by another from Nick.
3:17 PM
so...
From Monroe 3:17 PM
What?
3:17 PM
it was a date then.
Monroe raised his brow and fixed the Grimm who was fighting a smirk, with a stare. "Seriously?" The blutbad said out loud. Monroe smiled to himself as he glanced to Rosalee before texting Nick again.
From Monroe 3:18 PM
Here we go again...
Thank you so much to all who read this story! And thank you for all your wonderful reviews! I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it, I hope to write another Grimm story soon! Please review, and thank you!