Chapter 1

I woke up earlier and took a shower, leaving home a few minutes later. I had a really bad headache this morning. And I wasn't in a good mood. Snow's perfume were really strong yesterday's night and I couldn't stop thinking about her. She took three days off the work and didn't explain me why. I was worried but I just couldn't question her. I couldn't do anything but wait. I was hoping she would come or maybe call me. Yesterday her smell was so different; I could feel she was sad and lonely. I picked up one of my cigarettes and started to smoke. I really needed try to block her and those thoughts or I would get crazy before the midday.

She became so special. So different. I couldn't explain why, but even when we came from the Homelands, I was always looking after her. And I saw her becoming strong. I saw how she stopped being just a little princess and began to be a warrior. But she couldn't change everything. None of us could. Her smell still was the same. The one I can't ignore or block. It was strange because I'm the son of the Wind. How could be possible someone bind me like that? She became everything I could care about. When our eyes find each others. When she laughs, which is kind of rare, but it's really good to hear. I become smoothie after we first met. But no one had really noticed it. It's okay, after all I'm still the big bad wolf and everyone hates me – as Colin keeps remembering me.

I went to my office's room and Ambrose had cleaned it. I sat at my chair and started to read some files at my desk. I light up and started to smoke another cigarette. Yeah, I really have nothing to care about. The most important thing was just Mr. Toad walking around without his glamour. I would need to advise him one last time. The good part of Snow's absence was that. I didn't need to care too much if I was being polite or not. I took my papers and left the room. When Mr. Toad realized I was closer, he ran away to his house and tried to hide. That poor bastard. I kept trying to understand why the gables try to hide or lie to me. I went to the hotel and knocked his door. Nothing. I knocked again. The same. Then I punched the door and I heard TJ talking.

"It's ok, TJ. I need to talk to your daddy and I'm really busy so I'd like to not spend more than five minutes here." I tried to be nice, the child haven't anything with his father's incompetence. TJ opened the door whimpering. He was afraid and it made me feel like a monster. Since the general amnesty I was trying to be more… friendly. It's not so easy being hated by everyone and sometimes it's good to be not so feared.

"Will you hurt daddy?" He was really scared and shaking. I felt terrible and I crouched, decreasing the height between us.

"Of course I won't, TJ. Everything it's okay." I smiled and TJ got scared a little. Fuck. I forgot my tooth is a little bigger than normal. Also, frogs haven't' any. So it's really easy to scare went to one of the rooms and little later, Mr Toad appeared following him. Mr Toad asked to TJ to go to another room so he couldn't hear what I had to tell.

"What do you want, Bigby?" Mr Toad really didn't appreciate my visits. I wish I could them him I didn't like it either.

"I want you using a fucking glamour or I'll send you and your boy to the Farm. You know I don't make the rules and I'd appreciate to be walking around as the wolf I am but that's not how things work here. Don't make me come here again with me same complaint, do you understand? " I could see angry on his eyes but it wasn't my problem. I'm the big bad wolf. A frog can't terrify me. Please. I don't think anyone could. I got up and left.

Snow's smell was dancing with the air. I got another cigarette. It was almost midday and I was a little hungry. I saw beast when I was going to the bakery. He smiled at me.

"Hey Bigby" He said friendly stopping his walk. I did the same.

"Beast, how's your day?" I said trying to show some happiness.

"It's being really good one, thanks for asking. I hear Snow isn't going to work for a few days. Is she okay?" I didn't know what to answer. I mean, she never told me why she left and never told me what she was thinking. Beast noticed my expression. "I'm sorry to ask you, Bigby. You both are close, I think. I thought she would tell you. Anyway, I hope she's okay." He said and I realized truth in his voice. I smiled a very small smile.

"Thank you, Beast, I hope the same. Snow and I really are close, but I think she will want some privacy forever and I can't say it's not reasonable. How is Belle going?" I couldn't keep thinking about Snow. Beast smiled a very large smile. He looked as a perfect human been, so I realized their marriage was going well.

"She's great, thanks for asking!" He was proud to talk about her. "Our marriage is really good, you see? Even after centuries, we still love each other and life is good. I couldn't believe a beast like me would found love with such an amazing princess like her." Uh, it hurt. I mean, I always saw myself as Beast. Big, bad, alone. But he found someone to love him. I wasn't jealous. I just thought how ironic life could be. Beast saw my expression and got a little nervous. "I mean, Bigby, obviously… If I found someone who could love me, why can't you?" He smiled. "We're not so different."

"Yeah, I just ate almost all the fables." I tried a joke and he laughed.

"I mean it, Bigby." He was trying to comfort me but I knew he wasn't lying to make me feel better. "If I found love, why couldn't you?" I sighed. "All I can say to you is: try being more human. But remember you can't change what you are. If she can accept that, you'll see that stories don't keep true love alive." I smiled and he did the same. "I should keep going. I have to pick up my wife. And, you know, Bigby, you should come to visit us someday. You're different here, we enjoy your company" I agreed and we said goodbye to each other and I kept my way. I took another cigarette before I went to the bakery. Then I smelled someone who made my blood get warm. Charming. The biggest son of a bitch I could ever know. He broke Snow's heart. And then he did the same to Cindy and Sleeping Beauty – I really prefer the 'nickname' than call her Aurora.