Chapter Text
~o~
Officer Nichole Burkhardt was the first one on the scene; a grisly double homicide in a quiet neighborhood on the West Side.
The neighbors had gotten worried when the elderly couple at the end of the block hadn't been seen for a few days. Portland PD had dispatched a unit, and Nikki had been the first to go inside. What she'd seen had made her blood run cold.
It was her first body watch, but what struck her wasn't the blood. That, at least, she'd expected. What she hadn't expected was the smell. The stench of rotting flesh had gotten into her nostrils, so that every breath she took was a fresh experience in hell. She'd tried breathing through her mouth, but she swore she could taste the decomp, and that was even worse.
It had gotten so bad that she thought maybe she'd be sick, right there on the front porch. She bent over, hands on her knees as she tried to fight back the sensation.
A hand appeared under her nose, holding out what appeared to be a tin of Vick's Vapo-Rub. She followed the hand up the arm to the face of the man holding it. He was handsome, with aquiline features and kind eyes. She recognized him as one of the detectives but instead of disdain or a gloating smirk, his face only held the sympathy of someone who'd been there and done that.
"Put it under your nose," he said. "It'll help with the smell."
She snatched the container out of his hand and dipped her finger inside, then smeared the gel under and just inside her nose. She took a tentative breath, and nearly gasped for joy when all she could smell was menthol.
"Thanks, Detective," she said sincerely as she handed him back the tin.
"Sean Renard," he said by way of greeting. He dipped his own finger inside and rubbed some on his nose. "Just a little trick I learned from an old partner."
She followed his gaze as it flicked to her own partner, standing at the curb trying to keep the crowd at bay. She frowned at him when he smirked, as though he knew exactly what had happened and was taking some sort of glee from it.
"The coroner should be here soon," Renard said, drawing her attention back. "I'd suggest a shower and a fresh uniform when you get back to the station house."
Nikki nodded. "Thanks."
"No thanks necessary," Renard said with a smile. "Just doing my job. Officer...?"
"Nichole Burkhardt. Nikki."
"Officer Burkhardt," he said, smiling and nodding to her as he passed by on his way into the house.
She didn't think it was his job to look after green officers, but she just nodded in gratitude and let him go about his business. She spent her remaining time on body watch thinking up ways to get back at her partner. And if thoughts of a certain green-eyed detective occasionally invaded her mind, she accepted them as a way to pass the time; anything to keep herself from dying of boredom.
~o~
Sean Renard climbed the steps of the precinct, his mind miles away, in a house painted with blood and the unmistakable stench of death.
He'd known instantly who—or rather, what—was the cause of all the carnage. Not even the menthol rub could disguise that smell. And he could hope all he wanted that he was wrong, but that wouldn't change the fact that, as Portland's resident Royal, the job fell to him.
Feral blutbaden were always hard to deal with, but this bunch seemed particularly vicious. This was the third home invasion robbery he'd investigated in the last month, and the crime scenes were getting nastier with each one.
He was still relatively new to Portland, so his network wasn't as well-developed as he'd like. This was when he'd really like to have a Grimm, even if they were often more trouble than they were worth.
Although, he was fairly certain that Portland's Grimm wouldn't fit that mold. He'd been watching Nikki Burkhardt ever since he'd arrived in town. She was a remarkable officer, and a beautiful woman, and he'd felt himself drawn to her even before their first meeting just the day before. But from what he could see, she was totally unaware of her heritage. That frankly mystified him; he'd thought all Grimms learned their craft from the previous generation, but a few discrete inquiries had told him that this was not the case with Nikki.
Which left him with a problem. Or, an opportunity.
As if speaking of the devil made her appear, he spotted the very person occupying his thoughts.
Nikki walked down the steps, dressed casually in jeans and a slim button down shirt that matched the color of her eyes. He tried to ignore how that tugged at something deep inside him. Mostly, he was successful.
"Detective Renard," she greeted him as they came level on the steps.
"Officer Burkhardt," he said, smiling. "You look better today."
Nikki blushed. "Thanks. And thanks for your advice. It really helped."
Sean shrugged. "The longer you're on the job, the more you learn." He looked at her, weighing his next words. He wanted to bring her in on this case, not only because he'd heard that her instincts were sharp, but also because he needed to gage her reaction to the nature of the case. Deciding to just go ahead, he made an offer. "Do you have a few minutes? I'd like to get your input on the case."
"Me?" She asked, genuinely surprised. "I'm just the Uni that stood the body watch. What could I possibly have to offer?"
"I've asked around about you," he said, opting for honesty. "Everyone says you have good instincts, as well as some... unique insights. I'd really appreciate any help you can give."
She appeared to contemplate him for a few moments, likely trying to decide if this was just more hazing, or a genuine offer. She must have decided that his offer was on the up and up, because she smiled and shrugged.
"Sure, why not."
"Shall we?" he asked, extending his hand for her to precede him down the stairs.
...continued...