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Well, this feels familiar. Though, the Christmas decorations are new.
He leans into his wife’s side, thoroughly exhausted. Adalind hums, hand curling around his, and a bit of tension leaves him. After all, things are pretty good: Monroe, Diana, and Adalind spent the day putting decorations up, while Nick and Rosalee watched Kelly and the triplets. The house now looks a little like a Christmas factory just threw up, but it’s also festive, which is wonderful. The Calverts have gone home now, and Nick has his wife, his son, his step-daughter, who decided to spend Christmas Eve with them…
And his ex-girlfriend is once again sleeping on the guest bed. Which is totally fine and not weird at all.
Eve’s apartment flooded, and while Monroe and Rosalee were hypothetically willing to let her stay with them, but realistically, they just don’t have room. Not now. Not with the triplets. So Eve had offered to stay at the shop, and Adalind had piped up, saying no one should spend Christmas Eve in the back of a store.
So here they are.
Nick rises to his feet, pausing to glance at Diana’s cot as he walks by. Kelly is snuggled up against her, decidedly not in the crib where Nick left him, but he can’t bring himself to care. The only child in him kind of envies it, honestly.
He’s almost to the bathroom when Adalind gasps. He turns back instinctively, to find her staring straight ahead, eyes wide in absolute horror.
Grabbing his gun, he follows her gaze, but there’s nothing there.
At least, nothing he can see. Unfortunately, given his experiences, that doesn’t necessarily mean nothing’s there. “What is it?” He asks, struggling to keep his voice low. If he can avoid waking the kids, he will.
“I think-” Adalind’s trembling now, eyes red, and Nick’s chest is a little too tight. “I think Eve’s having a nightmare,” she manages finally, and Nick stops short, lowering his gun. Then, he glances over at the bed, where Eve is laying, impossibly rigid, hardly breathing.
Adalind’s not looking that way, though, and Nick frowns. “How can you tell?”
A guilty look. “We’ve been kind of… Connected. Since we turned into each other. Sometimes we can just… Feel each other.”
His wife and his ex-girlfriend are permanently linked. Awesome. His life is totally normal.
“What kind of nightmare?”
She bites her lip. “About your mother.”
All the air seems to rush out of the room. And it’s-they’ve never talked about this. Ever. Aside from one apology when she almost killed him, and another when she was dying that might have been about anything, he and Eve never once broached this subject, and everyone else has been more than happy to follow their lead.
He turns back to Eve, heart twisting as a single tear trickles down her cheek. She probably wouldn’t allow it if she were awake. And he should talk to her about this; he knows that. It’s long past time for them to talk about Kelly, and Adalind, and the other Kelly, and the trailer-not to mention nearly making him shoot Monroe, and kidnapping Diana-but he doesn’t even know how to start that conversation. What even is there to say?
“Nick, please.” Adalind’s crying openly now, almost like the feelings Eve has tried so hard to keep inside have decided Adalind is their way out. “Please.”
He’s not even sure what she’s asking, but he nods all the same, making his way to Eve’s side. He kneels by the bed, and clears his throat. “Hey. Eve.” She doesn’t stir, and another tear slips out. “Eve, wake up,” he tries, but to no avail.
What is he supposed to do? He knows from experience what a cop does when they’re startled awake, and he cannot imagine a highly-trained Hexenbiest will be any better.
An idea occurs to him, and he hesitates-it’s definitely overstepping, and possibly just shy of cruel-but Adalind whimpers again, and before he can talk himself out of it, he blurts, “Juliette, wake up!”
She gasps, eyes widening, and sits straight up. Then she glances at him, and over to Adalind. Her eyes linger on Adalind for several long moments, and though neither of them say a word, it’s clear by the time she looks back at Nick that she knows exactly what happened. Her face goes pale, and he can feel her shutting down, trying to push all those feelings back inside.
“You okay?” He tries, and she swallows.
“Fine.” Even. Steady.
Not this time. He reaches forward, ignoring the way she stiffens, and wraps his arms firmly around her. It’s not the first time he’s hugged her since everything happened, but he can still count every time on one hand.
She goes utterly still. “What are you doing?” At least she doesn’t sound emotionless now. She sounds a little afraid, though, which isn’t what he’s going for.
He opens his mouth, meaning to make a teasing comment about it being a hug, obviously, but what comes out is very different. “You know I forgive you, right?” She draws in a sharp breath, and he continues, determined to get it out now that he’s started. “For everything. For the trailer, for Monroe, for Diana, for my son...For my mother…” She shudders, and he holds her a little tighter. “For everything.”
“You don’t have to-”
“Too late; I already forgave you.” He musters a teasing smile. “No take-backs.”
Her laugh is a little watery, but still a welcome sound. He releases her, and Adalind steps forward, wrapping her arms tightly around Eve. Eve doesn’t hesitate to return the embrace, and some distant part of his brain cannot stop thinking of how he never could have seen that friendship coming.
Finally, Adalind lets go, and Nick clears his throat.
“Think you’ll be able to get some sleep now?” He asks, and both women nod. Apparently, Adalind can feel Eve’s calm, which again, is totally not weird at all. “Good. Goodnight, J-Eve.”
She tilts her head to the side slowly. “Nick, I’m not-I’m not there yet. But if I-if I wanted to-someday-”
The pieces click into place, and he smiles. “Eve’s always welcome,” he promises. “And so is Juliette.”
Adalind nods in agreement, and Eve(?) lays down, expression thoughtful. That’s fine; she has a lot to think about. As for Nick? He’s pretty sure that shower he was planning on can wait; he’s ready to get some sleep.