This is my attempt on the alphabet challenge and my goal is to upload once a week until the very end. I asked 26 friends to pick one word for each letter and I'm writing a one-shot on it.

This is basically on the pairing Bigby/Snow. I will try my best to keep them in character, but I know I will spill from time to time so please forgive me.

English is my second language and this wasn't edited by anyone else but me. I'll ask again for forgiveness on my grammar and spelling mistakes.

Rated: T

With that please enjoy.

Disclaimer: I do not own Fables or any of the characters.

A is for abduction

Bigby Doesn't like the Word Abduction

July 1990

Bigby was never a patient man. The word itself probably never thought of Bigby Wolf unless someone told him to be patient, and most of the time it came from Snow White. He was calm and collective but his temper always bested him in everything.

The day itself already started off badly with him discovering Colin outside of his office. The pig didn't understand the concept of staying on The Farm and it was pissing him off. Now, he had to call the Fable who worked as the driver of the truck which took nonhuman Fables back to The Farm. However, that wasn't going to happen until Monday morning because it was Friday and the driver doesn't work on the weekends. Then, Ichabod Crane stormed into Bigby's office bitching about a troll in the south side of Fabletown who was stirring some trouble. But what Crane meant by 'trouble' was that a troll was advocating some political issue against Crane and that old coward didn't like that.

Bigby's day wasn't running as smoothly as he would had liked; so, he scowled harshly when Bufkin slammed his door open and flew straight into his face. Bigby caught the green flying monkey and pushed him back roughly. "Bufkin," he growled in warning.

"Sorry, Bigby but we have an issue." Bufkin cried, "A very urgent issue."

Bigby sighed in annoyance and leaned back into his chair. He released a cloud of smoke and waved his hand at Bufkin, "and what urgent issue is that?"

"Well, you see, Miss Snow hasn't returned," Bufkin began and Bigby quickly cut in.

"She went out to meet with a Fable who's opening a store down some blocks," Bigby reminded him. "She'll come back soon."

"Yes, but here's the problem," Bufkin landed on Bigby's desk, "That was three hours ago."

"What are you trying to say?" Bigby growled, "Out with it."

"I'm trying to say she was abducted."

Bigby lifted an eyebrow in disbelief, "that's a serious accusation, Bufkin."

"I know it is!" Bufkin cried in a panic, "I just got a call from the abductor himself!"

It truly took a second for the words to process but once it did Bigby roared and stood up, "Fuck! What did he say, Bufkin?"

"H-he said he'll give us Miss White alive if we give him 100,000 dollars."

Bigby cursed as he got rid of the cigarette he was smoking and sped out his office. "How long ago was this? Who else did you tell and where the fuck is that store, Bufkin?"

"I came straight to you. No else knows and the store is a block over and down three blocks south called Dove's Key and it's run by Shana."

"Next to Cindy's store," Bigby muttered to himself before he turned to Bufkin. "Stay in the office and make sure no one else knows about this!"

"U-understood!" The flying monkey lingered in the hall and watched as Bigby race to the staircase and took them down to the first floor. "Miss White needs to be alright," Bufkin said to himself, "who else is going to protect me from Crane?"

It took Bigby less than five minutes to arrive to Dove's key. When he got there a woman ran out of the shop and looked entirely relief to see him. "Mr. Wolf," she said hurriedly with her hand over her heart, "he got her on the second floor as hostage… he sent me to get you but you're here already and he's armed."

"With what?" Bigby asked as he looked at the building. It was the Fabletown's blue building. Built in the late 1930s with brown shutters and had ten floors. It was also another residence for the Fables with royal backgrounds. There was a fire escape on the west side and two staircases inside and an elevator. Bigby could smell six Fables in the building and one of them being Snow. He pulled the woman closer to the store, away from the streets and the building's windows in case that asshole was looking out.

"He has a gun – a handgun – and a knife," she stuttered and tears began to well out. "It's my fault."

Bigby looked down at her sharply, "Do you know who it is?"

"My ex," she said. "He's always been threatening to do something to me but he never goes through with it. So, I thought I was okay. He said he was going to come over today, to hurt me but I thought it was another bullshit bluff of his. But it wasn't this time."

To calm her down Bigby asked for her ex's name, "what's the name?"

"Shana," she rushed out quickly until Bigby said he wanted her ex's name. "Calvin. That son of a bitch's name is Calvin. Miss White was just about to leave too when he pointed the gun at us – at her." She wiped her tears and pointed at the store, "in the back there's a door. It goes into the hallway and there's a staircase that leads up to the apartments."

"How do you know this?"

"I live on the fourth floor."

"But he's in the second?"

"Yes."

"Room number?"

Shana pulled at her hair as she tried to remember the room he took them in, "Room 214."

"Stay out here," Bigby growled as he walked quickly into the store. He could hear Snow and smell the anxiety in her musk, but her voice was calm and stern. She was speaking to the man. Probably convincing Calvin to put his weapons down and find a proper solution for this damn mess. Bigby opened the door leading into the hallway while he muttered threats toward Calvin and what he was going to do with him when a shot was fired.

"Snow," Bigby whispered harshly and ran down the hall and up the flight of stairs. Another shot rang throughout the building and Snow's cry of pain rang in his ears.

Bigby felt a twinge of raging yellow enter his eyes. The sound of struggle and glass shattering onto the floor was followed by him kicking the apartment door open, but he arrived too late.

Snow glanced up at him with blood tricking down her arm and a bruise on her cheek. Her hair was out of its neat bun and her clothing was rumpled. A broken lamp was at her feet and she was missing a heel.

And that was it.

Bigby felt relief that Snow wasn't hurt badly but he saw that there was no Calvin. Instead, there was a broken window and a clearly upset Snow. "What are we waiting for?" She scowled and pointed out the window indifferently, "Let's see if he's okay."

Bigby's breathing relaxed and he glanced out of the window closest to him. On the ground in the middle of the alleyway was a completely knocked out Calvin. Shana was at the entrance and was filled with anger as she blocked the view Calvin's fallen body from the main street, away from Mundies' prying eyes.

He was rather impressed by Snow but that wasn't something new, "You alright?"

"Peachy," Snow flinched when she touched her cheek with her good arm.

"Can you walk?"

Snow threw her other heel off and walked out of the room, "You tell me."

Bigby scratched his stubble cheek and followed Snow out of the room and down the stairs, "How's the arm?"

"He has bad aim," Bigby could see the opening of flesh and the smell of her blood sang loud but the wound was shallow. "I'm fine," she said suddenly and stopped in the middle of the shop, "so, stop giving me that look, Bigby."

Unsure how to answer her Bigby changed the topic, "Stay in here while I go see how Calvin's doing. I'll send Shana in here and call Dr. Swineheart."

"I said I'm fine, Bigby." Snow pushed herself up onto the counter next to the cash register.

"Still," Bigby said, "call Dr. Swineheart." The sheriff walked out the store and around the corner where he saw Shana over Calvin's body, kicking him in the ribs before Bigby called to her. "Go inside and wait with Snow for me, and make sure she calls Swineheart."

"Fine," Shana said but gave Calvin one last kick before she left. Her tears dried and shoulder back as she marched into the store and apologized to Snow for the actions of her ex.

Bigby grabbed his packet of cigarettes and lighter from his back pocket and lit the roll of tobacco before he squatted down next to the moaning Calvin, "You awake sunshine?"

Calvin opened his eyes and cursed at the sight of Bigby's unpleased face. "S-sorry," the once noble prince stammered.

"For what?" Bigby asked but the glare Calvin was receiving paralyzed him in place. "For what," Bigby repeated as he pulled Calvin up and pushed him against the wall of the alleyway.

Calvin cried out in pain but answered Bigby when he was pushed further into the brick wall, "For threatening Miss White!"

"You didn't just threaten her," he snarled.

"Hurting," Calvin whimpered, "for hurting her too."

Bigby wasn't satisfied with Calvin's answer but to control his anger the wolf cuffed the Fable and forced him to walk back into Dove's key. Shana was grabbing a glass of water for Snow when Bigby entered the store and forced Calvin to sit against the wall. "For the love of God, don't fucking run," Bigby growled at Calvin who nodded his head furiously in agreement. Bigby huffed at Calvin and turned to walk back to Snow, "Called Swineheart?"

"I did, and he'll be here in less than five minutes." Snow sighed when Bigby tilted her head slightly and looked at the bruise on her cheek. "This is unnecessary. You should be taking him into custody."

"And I will once Swineheart arrives," Bigby looked over at Shana and asked if she had a spare piece of cloth for the wound on Snow's arm. Shana nodded and went to grab it as Bigby asked Snow what happened.

Snow frowned as she explained how she was about to leave when Calvin arrived, "he was looking for money and thought since Shana was opening an antique store she had some money to give him. However, when Shana said she didn't have any Calvin pointed a gun at us, called Shana a liar, and made us go upstairs into that apartment. When he finally believed Shana didn't have any money he said he'll ransom me since I was the deputy mayor assistant. He called the office hoping Crane would answer and instead Bufkin did."

"And Bufkin told me."

"It's mostly likely he told you than Crane since – just as I told Calvin – Crane would be the last person to answer that ransom. So, when I told him that he sent Shana to find you."

"Because I'll answer the ransom?" Bigby asked.

"Yes," Snow responded as Shana gave Bigby the piece of cloth he asked for and she flinched when he pressed it against her skin. "I tried to talk Calvin out of this. He looked terrified holding a gun rather than pointing it at me. I stepped forward, he flipped out and fired the gun. I then hit him over the head with a lamp, he shot again and it grazed my arm. Another shot was fired and it missed. I took the gun away, he punched me in the face, and I kicked him out the window and then you arrived." Snow pressed the cloth onto her wound herself. She was touching Bigby's fingers until he pulled away a moment later.

"Snow," Bigby began but Swineheart entered the store in a wheeze.

"Miss White," Swineheart heaved as he walked over to her and gave a curt greeting to Bigby, "I came as fast as I could." The good doctor placed his bag next to Snow and went to look at the wound on her arm, "Now let me see that."

"I'll be taking Calvin in," Bigby said and grabbed the sulking prince. "I'll be back to look over the crime scene and getting your statement, Shana."

"Okay," Shana wringed her hands as she watched Dr. Swineheart look over Snow's injury, "Thank you."

Snow watched as Bigby left and her own words of gratitude lingered on her lips.

Later that night

Bigby was flipping through paperwork from last week's case when Snow knocked on his door. He looked surprised but quickly hid it and got up from his seat. He straightened his tie and opened the door. Snow with a light purple mark on her cheek asked if she can come in.

"Of course," Bigby said and moved out of Snow's way. Bigby smelt nervousness from her musk and wondered if she was concerned over Calvin; but, Bigby realized it had to be something else since they both knew Calvin was in jail at the moment. "Is something wrong, Snow?"

Snow smoothed her cobalt pencil skirt and shook her head, "no, nothing's wrong." She pivoted on the heel of her shoes – a new pair given that the ones from earlier today was ruined by the kick she gave Calvin. "I just wanted to say thank you for today."

Bigby attempted to be suave and answered her in a cavalier way, "It's nothing. I was just doing my job."

"I know," Snow answered with a smile, "but if there's one person I can depend on to help me – beside myself of course – it's you. I can always rely on you and I want to thank you for that." She saw he was going to say something but she interrupted him with a pat on his shoulder, "that's it. Goodnight, Bigby."

She walked passed him and his eyes followed her until she was out of his office and the door was closed behind her. He stared at the door with his hand reaching out for her, but once he smelt her musk. The nervousness was diminished and in its place there was a hint of gratification.

"God, that's just disgusting, Bigby." Colin came out from his spot behind the desk, "standing there smiling like an idiot. Just ask her out and be done with it. I'm sick of all this sexual tension between you two and so is everyone else." Colin plopped down on Bigby's chair and snorted, "Dancing around your feelings like teenagers."

Bigby ran his hand down his face, "can't wait to send your ass back to The Farm."

Thank you for reading, and if you are able, please leave a review.

Next week one-shot: B is for brief.

"After all, it was difficult to feel pain when she was already numbed."