A/N: So, here's the end of the story. And I hope you will like it. I have to say to those who know the original version, I've completely reworked this chapter because of the feedback I got from the reviewers. I hope now it's clearer what is working with and in Nick after what happened to him.

Some days later:

Nick felt sour and was angry. Angry about his injuries, angry that he needed help for really anything to do, angry for still feeling helpless. Angry about what he was. Angry in so many ways he couldn't name it.

A couple of months ago he had a little perfect life, doing a job he really loved, living together with the woman, the love of his life. A couple of months ago he'd planned to ask Juliette to become his wife, build a family, maybe having kids.

Now he was lying in the hospital after a fairytale-monster broke into Juliette's house and kidnapped him, tortured him and was about to amputate his extremeties when he was finally found. Nick would never forget this days, he was sure. To be true, he feared the day when he would released from the hospital and would go back to Juliette, in the house where he was kidnapped, where it all begun.

During the first time his new ability scared him, but before Oleg Stark kidnapped him he accepted it to be a Grimm. He felt this ability could be useful, not in the way his anchestors had walked on but to be able to actually see the diversity underneath humankind – and what else these Wesen were then a different sort of human?

Now this feeling had changed. Nick felt not longer amusement and curiousity but … he hated what happened to him. Maybe because he really didn't know the reason. True, Stark wanted him dead after he found out he was a Grimm but before. Was this story the Siegbarste had told him true?

So not only the pain from his broken bones and hurt stomach or the concussion or even the bruises kept him awake, it was also not to KNOW what happened before and led to the situation he stucked in for several days.

With another surgery (or two or three) in mind Nick would have a long time to think about his situation. And one thing was for sure: he still wanted to be a cop, but he wasn't sure if he would find again the strength to be a Grimm. But what he surely needed at the beginning of his inner process of regeneration was to be certain.

That it was why he begged Juliette helping him out of his bed and into a wheeling chair so she could drive him over to the other room where Hank was still in.

Hank, Nick always had trust in him. He thought about his partner as a true policeman, as someone he could look up to. But after what Stark had told him in that cabin Nick simply wasn't sure anymore.

"Hey man, how you are doing?" Hank said when Juliette rolled the wheeling chair into his room. "Juliette, you're lighting up my day!"

"Nick was worried about you", Juliette said, putting her hand on Nick's shoulder. "Don't stay too long. You should lay in your bed."

"I know", Nick smiled looking up to her. "But … could you … please?"

This wasn't for her ears. This could end up ugly and Nick didn't want her to see the not so bright side of his job. He always tried his best to keep her out of this. And mostly Juliette seemed to be thankful for his attempt.

"I'll be back in a few", she said and kissed his cheek. "You are prickly, you need a shave." She laughed and left him, nodding in Hank's direction before she left the room, closing the door behind herself.

"You are looking better, man", Hank said.

Nick nodded. "You too."

Hank's impact with the tree after his impact with Stark was a direct ticket to the hospital. A concussion bound him mostly to the bed. But this time here was limited. Tomorrow Hank would released from hospital. After that … Nick wasn't sure if he would try to ask his partner. This, the hospital, they are both injured and weak, this was a sort of neutral zone. Back in the precinct or in the car … no, that was out in the field. And Nick had to be sure if he could trust his partner!

"I still have to thank you for saving my life, man", Hank said.

"No problem." Nick's voice still was cold and neutral. He looked into Hank's face without any expression. "What about your memory?"

Hank shook his head. "Nothing. I remember being with Wu and the watch-guy in the woods searching for you but … nothing else. The doctors are saying maybe it will come back, maybe not. It's fifty-fifty now."

Nick nodded.

"Everything okay, Nick?" Hank finally asked.

Nick lifted his chin but then … he shook his head. "Do you know why Stark was after you?" he asked.

Hank startled. "No", he anwered. "I mean … I think he was pissed because all he'd killed were involved into the case that brought him into jail. But ..."

"Did you know anything about an illegal deal between the DA and the judge?" Nick interrupted, and suddenly his voice were clear and hard. "Were you involved into anything illegal back then?"

Hank stared at him and finally began to shook his head. "No", he said, "I mean … come on, man! You knew Judge Patterson yourself. He was hard but fair. He'd never allowed any kind of illegal deal on his court. If DA Robinson had done something he'd turned her down and kicked her out of the DA-office!"

That was true, Nick knew Patterson. Not very well but he was called by the DA for one or two times before this happened. And he knew the reputation of the judge.

"But ..." Hank sighed and moved in his bed. "Look, Nick, that was … difficult, you know It's hard to explain."

"Did you do something?" Nick asked, again all focused on his partner.

Hank sighed again, looking aside he began to nod. "Yeah."

Nick's face hardened. "What?"

Hank shook his head. "It's over, Nick. Stark is dead now and you are safe. This isn't necessary."

"It is!" Nick replied hard. "I have every right to know why this man kept me under his force during several days, tortured me and finally tried to kill me! I have to know, Hank!"

Hank looked at him with sympathy in his eyes. "I wished I could have helped you earlier, man", he said.

"Then help me now!"

Hank sighed again and … began again to nod. "Look, wherever Stark killed someone there also was a robbery, mostly in the same timeframe", he began to explain, "and so it was with the family Stark tortured and killed here. There was a robbery. We had the whole thing on video. That guy who did it … he just looked close enough to Stark to give him an alibi."

Nick frowned. "What did you do?" he asked.

Hank shrugged. "I knew if the jury would see the tape they would set Stark free. So ..."

"You got rid off the tape", Nick finished.

"I only misplaced it", Hank answered, just when the door opened and Captain Renard came in.

The tall man with the characteristic profile looked surprised at Nick, then nodded in Hank's direction. "I wanted to look after my best team. Seems like I only have to visit one of you to also see the other." A small smile lifted one side of his mouth. "Nick, don't you think you should better stay in your bed and let the others do the visits? Besides, you are looking much better."

"Thank you, sir", Nick said and smiled back.

He felt … different now. Knowing the truth, knowing that Stark was wrong about this conspiration but also Hank failed on duty … it felt weird, wrong. But he also was reliefed not to be completely wrong about his partner.

"Hank will be released tomorrow", Nick said to Renard. And suddenly he wanted to get out of here, as soon as possible.

Renard looked at him with amusement. "Well, then one half of my best team will get back to duty soon. But you should take your time, Nick. You know what the doctors told you about your injuries."

That it was possible that there would be some surgeries needed to get back the complete power about the arm Stark was about to amputate when help finally arrived.

This reminded Nick on the other man involved into this.

Renard still looked at him, worried now. "Look, Nick, you are save now. Sooner or later you will return to duty, can do your job. But this takes time, especially after what happened ..."

"I'm fine, sir." Nick said.

Hank looked at him again. "Maybe a visit with the ..."

"I'm fine!" Nick repeated.

Renard sighed and moved to Hank. "Do you remember anything what happened after you left Wu and Deveraux behind?" he asked.

Hank shook his head again. "Sorry, no."

Renard looked at Nick. "What about this clockworker? He wanted so much to be part of the search-party and disappeared then."

"That was a weird guy!" Hank said. "He sniffled and said he could smell Stark."

"Well, neither of us, not Stark and surely not me had showered during the days", Nick said.

Renard seemed amused again. "But he's still the wild card as we don't know where to place him."

"He left the party to search of his own and had an accident", Nick said. "As far as I know he bumped down a hillside and is all bruised up now."

"You had contact?" Renard asked.

And Nick took a deep breath. "We are friends, Monroe and I", he answered. "I called him after I got my new cell."

"So he wasn't anywhere near that cabin?"

Nick shook his head. "Nope."

"What about the rifle?" Hank asked. "I remember him carrying this weird big rifle. That thing looked like ancient."

"He lost it", Nick answered, but making a note to himself to ask Monroe what happened to it.

Renard nodded. "Then that it was. Stark is dead, everyone else is safe now, true, some of us still have a long way to recover, but ..."

And again the door opened to let Juliette enter the room.

The captain looked at her and nodded. "I'm glad you are better now, Miss Silverton", he said.

"I'm fine ...now", Juliette answered, putting her hand on Nick's shoulder. "And it's time now to go back to bed for you", she said to him.

Nick nodded.

Still he felt helpless while Juliette drove him back to his room, helping him back into his bed. But … something changed inside him. The reminder he gave himself was still working.

There was also Monroe he had to talk to. There were so many things now … so many …

Juliette left him after the ways too early dinner. That finally gave Nick the time he needed and was looking for. He picked up his brandnew cell from the nightstand and managed somehow to dial Monroe's number. He was nervous waiting for an answer but finally:

"Yep?" Monroe's voice said. "What do you want?"

"I only wanted to make sure you're okay", Nick said. "I just saw Hank."

"How is he?" Monroe asked.

"Well, he will released tomorrow. But he still cannot remember what happened at the cabin", Nick answered. "So I kept to our statement. I killed Stark."

"With two broken hands. This stunt you have to repeat, you know that, right?" Monroe didn't sound too worried not to get the attention he usually should have. It wasn't Nick who shot Stark in that night, it was Monroe, half broken, all bloody and dizzy after the fight, who catched the rifle before it fell on the ground and shot Stark before the Siegbarste could kill Hank.

After that Monroe got the rifle and the bag with the rest of the poison and some more bullets and left the scene before the backup was there. Nick felt for his also injured friend but he knew it was better for all of them that Monroe was long gone before anyone else could see him.

"Everything's okay with you, dude?" Monroe asked.

"I'm good. How about your back and the bruises?" Nick asked.

"The next Siegbarste you have to fight, man, be sure. I will do that never again. Besides, you owe me a new shirt and bag. And it wasn't necessary to use nearly half of the poison! You guys only had to dip the bullets into the bottle not pour all the stuff into my bag. Do you have any idea how rare this poison is?"

Nick laughed. "I will buy you a new bag and a new shirt, no problem. And you will get a present-basket from me and get a big kiss if you like."

"Gesh! I'm fine with the basket!" Monroe answered. "And I still have your keys but brought the rifle back to the trailer, together with the poison. I will come for a visit soon so … you are okay with me knowing about the trailer?"

Nick thought about that for a moment.

True, Aunt Marie had warned him not letting any Wesen know about the trailer. But Monroe wasn't any Wesen. Monroe was …

"You are welcome to the trailer everytime you want", Nick said. "Every help with this is welcome."

"I really hope you KNOW what you have there. I mean, that trailer is incredible! It's … it's like the Smithonian of Grimmology!"

"Well, I think we should wait in getting you a key for it yourself a bit, don't you think?" Nick teased. And it felt good, so damned good to talk to Monroe. Much better, much freely then everything he could talk about with Hank.

"You are really okay?" Monroe sounded a little worried and Nick realized that he was listening to the teasing and complaining with a big smile on his face.

"I owe you my life", he said. "Monroe, I … I mean this ..." There wasn't the right words for what he felt. He couldn't name it.

"It's family, Nick", Monroe's voice was warm and soft. "It's okay, man, it's okay."

"You are a great friend", Nick said slowly, thinking about the words before he pronounced them.

"And I think you are a good friend too. A little selfish from time to time, and we really have to work on your schedules and some of your behaviours but … you're a good friend, dude. I'm not saying this easily."

"I know."

It was like he could see Monroe smiling if he would close his eyes now.

"Good night, Nick."

"Good night, Monroe."

A tear ran out of Nick's eye but he smiled.

He was a Grimm – and he was friend with a Blutbad … a best friend.

The End