The war is over. Almost twenty hours ago the Grimm and his friends and allies had defeated the Royals and had destroyed what was left of the uprising. The Wesen world was fated from now on to remain in the shadows. A celebration had been declared to be in order and so here they are celebrating at the house of Monroe and Rosalee. Nick should be happy. He should feel free. Instead he simply feels empty and tired. He is oh so tired. He is in the back of the room watching as Hank talks with Wu and Sean Renard laughs at something Rosalee said. Monroe is in the kitchen while Bud helps and his brood runs about. Eve is holding Remus, the two year old son of their hosts. Her eyes meet Nick and she smiles slightly before the child captures her attention once more. Trubel is sitting on the floor playing a game of Uno with Diana, who with her dark hair and eyes is her father's daughter through and through. Martin Meisner had departed shortly after the battle saying he had personal business to attend to.

Yes he should be happy. But two people are missing from the picture. He can close his eyes now as he pictures his son and the mother of said child. He can see them as clear as day. It has been ten years since Kelly Burkhardt and his mother Adalind Schade were killed in an explosion and resulting fire that had destroyed his home and burnt out the remainder of his heart.

He can still feel the heat and the desperation in his bones. It had taken the combined strength of Hank, Wu, and Monroe to hold him back. He remembers the desperate yells that had escaped his throat. And he still lives with the rage and hate and aching loneliness that echo within him. That morning before he had left Adalind had smiled at him and said she had some news to tell him after he got back. They were in the middle of fighting a war and all it took was her smile to make his burden and troubles seem lighter.

Three year old Kelly with his love of dinosaurs and planes and cars; with his dark hair and eyes which made him the mirror image of his father with the smile of his mother. Nick had lost so much that day and threw himself into hunting down and killing all involved. It had taken him ten years but finally the family he lost could rest now.

Almost three years after the fire Nick fell into bed with Eve, who had slowly but surely gained the memories of Juliette back. She would never be who she once was but it was for the best. If Nick closed his eyes he could see blonde hair and blue eyes. Any warm body would have done. But with Eve he did not need to hide. And now seven years later they were together. It was not what he wanted or needed but it would have to do.

Eve was still quite cold and guarded but she would smile and had rebuilt and forged new bonds with all who had known her before. In fact she had been pressuring him to maybe look into having children of their own. The first time she had broached the subject the resulting fight had been so devastating that he had not spoken to her for a week. Nick made it clear afterwards he would never give into her demands. Kelly had been the only child he would ever have. The closest thing he had to a child anymore was a girl named Diana.

Diana Renard was the spitting image of her father in everyway except her small stature and bone structure that Adalind had given her. She was a powerful Wesen who had abdicated every claim she had to the thrown to live with her father. Almost sixteen years old Diana was stubborn, sharp minded, and older than her years. She had a gift for potions and was stronger than Eve and any other Hexenbiest any of them had ever seen or encountered. She was also the last link Nick had to his son and Adalind. And because of that he guarded her and loved her like she was his own. Diana knew that she was always welcome under Nicks roof.

Nick is older and wiser now than he once was. Now almost forty-five year old Nick wants nothing more than to rest his weary bones and go sleep for what feels like an eternity. But he knows that he can not. As a Grimm he has a responsibility and a duty to keep the peace. And his dreams at night are always haunted by images of her and the night they exchanged those three stupid words. The fights and the make ups and the ups and downs; Nick Burkhardt is haunted by Adalind no matter what he does. So he will go home and sleep and do his best to forget and move on.

The rest of the evening is pleasant and he laughs more than he has in years and for the first time in forever Nick is happy. The clock is approaching nine and the hot summer day is ending as the sun sets. He is sitting on the couch beside Eve watching and Wu and Monroe go head to head at Yahtzee. It is hilarious to watch but the mood is broken when out of the corner of his eye he spots Meisner.

The man looks exhausted and weary. His body is tense and he looks like he wants to run and never look back. his eyes are locked on Nick and he takes and deep breath and then straightens his spine and looks like he is readying for battle.

Tension descends upon the room and everyone turns to look at him. Martin speaks in a sorry and soft tone, "I want you all to know first and foremost that I am sorry. If there had been any other way I would have taken that route. But lives were at stake and …. "

In the following moments several things happen. Diana shoots up to her feet and gasps. And suddenly a little girl who could be no more than four rushes out from the kitchen where Nick can now hear the murmur of several voices. The little girl has bright blue eyes and white blonde hair. Freckles dance across her face as she reaches up for Martin and cries "Daddy I want to go up. "

Meisner immediately picks her up and stands. Upon doing so the child faces the crowd and the breath is knocked out of Nicks lungs. The delicate child smiles and waves at them is Adalind in miniature. A sense of dread fills him as he suddenly hears a hauntingly familiar voice call out "Abigail!"

Nick surges to his feet and moves to enter the hallway that connects to the back door. Meisner moves to block him and Nick wants to push him out of the way but the child in his arms suddenly looks scared. It is all too much and he growls out "MOVE!" in such a way he knows if Meisner did not have the girl in his arms he would rip him apart.

Martin then angrily replies back "Not until you listen to me…"

Nick then looks over the shoulder of the man blocking his way and feels the air ripped out of his lungs. He stumble against the wall and uses it to barely hold himself up. A pale hand touches Martin on the shoulder indicating he should move. And all the occupant in the room grow pale and gasp as three figures fill the entranceway to the room.

One is a teenaged boy who looks to be around thirteen. He is tall and lanky with dark brown hair and eyes. Eyes that are currently looking at Nick with hunger and curiosity and worry and eyes that are the duplicate of his own. Beside the boy is a girl who looks about ten. Bright blue eyes survey the room around her. Her long brown hair is held back by a bright blue headband and she is clutching the arm of the boy with both hands with fear and trepidation clear in her expression.

Behind the children stands a short woman with blonde hair carelessly pulled back and bright blue eyes sitting in a face that gives nothing away. All of them are in rumpled clothing and look like they have been up for days.

The woman moves to stand in front of the children and it is only then that Nick moves away from the wall. He moves until he is before her. There is barely any space between them. No one makes a sound as his hand shakily comes up to hover beside her cheek. He knows that if he touches her and this is real it will shatter and heal and break and save him. And he knows that if this is all a dream it a sweet torture from which he never wants to awaken.

He breathes and moves his hand and it cups her fair skin and her eyes close as she leans into his touch. And in that moment nothing else exists but Nick and Adalind. Love and anger and hate and rage and breathlessness and relief fill and rattle his bones. Her eyes open once more and they are watery and filled emotions he dare not even try to name.

But the moment is shattered when the little girl runs up and starts tugging at Adalinds hand talking a million miles a minute, "Mommy I am hungry. Who is this? Why does he look like Kelly and Emma. Can you and Daddy make me waffles?"

Nick feels like he had been kicked in the gut when he looks at the boy and the girl. Questions and anger swirl in his mind. But his body acts on instinct as his hand moves from Adalinds cheek and trails its way down her neck and shoulder and continues down her side. She shivers and Nick wants to smirk. Instead he looks over at the children behind Adalind and whom Meisner are standing in front of protectively.

Everyone in the rooms erupts in this moment. And Nick tunes them all out. And his fragile and weary heart, oh so weak and brittle, kick starts into fifth gear.