Chapter 1 – True Love's Kiss
Once upon a time there was a land where everything that was built upon it reached up and touched the sky. The structures themselves were made from wondrous materials that existed in no other world, being as clear as glass and yet remaining as sturdy as stone. However this was a land that was ripped apart by wrongdoing: brother turning on brother, groups of wild creatures roaming what had the potential to be the happiest kingdom of all, and killing without remorse. The inhabitants of this world, who once lived in harmony with the nature that gave it life, gradually began exploiting it and caused it to become gravely ill. It was into this world that the Fables escaped from their war-riddled Homelands.
Into New York City.
Deputy Mayor Snow White emerged from the Business Office door, pinching the bridge of her nose and clutching a bundle of papers to her chest. The bustling state the Office was in at that moment, Fables being shunted in and out and actually being helped, was an environment Snow thought she would thrive in. Instead it was giving her one hell of a headache. The line snaking down the hallway looked at her with a collectively puzzled gaze as she walked past it towards the elevator.
"My associate is available for your enquiries for the moment, if you'll excuse me. I have a few errands to run around town, but I will be back in a half hour or so. Thank you for your time," she smiled tiredly as she addressed the crowd, who nodded and mumbled their thanks. She heard Bluebeard's booming voice echo along the hallway and scoffed.
Her associate, right. A gentle 'ding' rang out as the elevator reached the floor and Snow stepped into it, straightening her skirt as she waited for the doors to close again. When the thick metal sheets slid shut, finally separating her from anything – everything – else, she collapsed onto the wall behind her and shut her eyes tightly.
It was only the morning after the Crooked Man had been thrown down the Witching Well and already the pressure was getting to her. Snow's nerves were shot and she felt like sinking down to the elevator floor and staying there, but she reminded herself that every Fable in New York City was counting on her. And she would never let them down again. She had been part of the failed administrative system that had been slowly destroying Fabletown for over a century and, with the guilt she felt crawling under her skin, she was determined to make it right. Even if she had a nervous breakdown in the process.
She dragged a hand down her weary face and straightened up as the elevator reached the bottom floor. Grimble, the security guard, had his feet propped up on his desk and his navy cap covered his eyes. Snow rolled her eyes and a knowing smile tickled the corners of her red lips as a loud snort came from the sleeping "man". His true form was in fact masked with a particular spell called a 'glamour' that all non-human looking fables were required to have as long as they wanted to live in New York City. The rule made sense as, in Grimble's case for example, no human could ignore a seven-foot troll that just happened to be strolling through Times Square.
This absurd scene passed through Snow White's mind as she exited the Woodlands building and she laughed out loud as she opened the wrought iron gate, leading out onto the street.
On the other side of the steady flow of cars driving past, under a florist's striped awning stood a figure who turned its head at the sound of her tinkling laughter. As she shut the gate behind her, Snow's gaze fell onto the person in the shadows and her breath caught in her throat. He waited for a break in the traffic before jogging across the road to where she stood and simply looked at her, his expression unreadable as usual. Snow felt her heart rate speed up and mentally cursed her own body for betraying her, as she was sure he could hear her pulse.
She cleared her throat, "Is – is everything alright, Sheriff Wolf?" she stammered out, trying to peel her eyes away from his handsome, rugged face. He sighed and scratched at the stubble that was already growing back despite the fact that he'd shaved only two hours ago. Feeling the need to fill the silence, Snow continued, "Oh y-yes. You wanted to talk to me about something earlier, right?" The enigma before her nodded wordlessly and stared at the pavement, where rain drops were beginning to create patterns on the stone. Snow had known him for centuries, and yet she could never figure out what he was thinking. Ever. He was such a mystery to her and, she had to admit, that was one of the reasons she found herself so attracted to him. Unfortunately, it wouldn't be right to act on her feelings with her being the acting mayor and Sheriff Wolf being the – well, the sheriff. It just wasn't professional.
And yet, try as she might, Snow just couldn't get rid of her feelings. They had built up over years and had grown so slowly that she hadn't even realised they were there. But suddenly, they just were.
"Snow?" a deep, quiet voice interrupted her thoughts. She blinked rapidly and looked up into the concerned eyes of the sheriff. That was a mistake, she found herself becoming lost in their depths. The sheriff's hazel eyes were filled with an amalgamation of emotions that she just couldn't decipher. He'd seen so much, experienced so many things, felt so many feelings. Snow gasped softly when she noticed that the hazel had gradually began to melt into a tawny yellow. His eyes now looked like molten gold and she marvelled at their beauty. But they contained something else in them, a look that was almost predatory, and that awakened deep, primal feelings in her that she didn't want to acknowledge. Snow noticed that her breath had become heavy, and that she had started to pant. From fear or desire, she couldn't tell. She averted her eyes quickly and straightened the papers that she still clutched to her chest.
The glimmer of a smile
flashed across the man's chiselled features,
"You seemed to like them so much, I thought I'd put on a bit of a show." Snow chuckled with embarrassment and tucked a loose ebony curl behind her ear.
"Wh-what did you want to talk to me about, Bigby?" a real smile spread across the sheriff's features when she used his first name, lighting up his face and making him even more attractive. Snow hadn't thought that was possible and she felt her knees weaken slightly. Before he could reply, Snow's shaky legs gave way and she found the ground rising to meet her. It never came though, due to strong arms wrapping around her torso protectively. She gazed up into Bigby's face while he averted his gaze and brought her to her feet. She felt her body trembling and, with the sheriff still holding her close, she wondered whether he could feel it too. Although she was standing upright now, he didn't let her go and she didn't make a move to step away.
"What happened to make you fall over like that?" he mumbled, their faces close enough that she could hear him without trouble. She said nothing, but drew her face closer to his and lifted her hands to his strong neck, resting them lightly on either side of it. The papers she had been holding were long gone, scattered around the two figures on the street like flowers petals in a meadow but, for once Snow didn't care. Bigby's breathing quickened slightly, and Snow hesitated for a brief moment.
Stuff it, she thought and gently pressed her lips to his. The sheriff stiffened, but soon relaxed into the kiss and returned it tenderly. Snow felt his big hands move from her waist to her face and she welcomed his gentle touch. His thumbs stroked her jawline lovingly as they pulled apart and stared at each other. Snow's eyes widened and she pulled away first, hurriedly gathering up the papers from the sidewalk.
"I'm so sorry. I don't know what came over me. I –"a hand on her shoulder made the excuses that had been tumbling from her lips fizzle out and she looked at its owner with flushed cheeks. Bigby was smiling at her warmly and began rubbing small, comforting circles into her back.
"You don't know how long I've waited for that, Snow." Snow's jaw dropped at the confession but she said nothing, the possibility that the man she had been quietly obsessing over actually returned her feelings was far too good to be true. Bigby continued softly, "Ever since I first met you Snow, back in the Homelands. I knew that you were – I don't know, the One I guess?" he rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably. Snow continued to gape at him. "Now this is going to sound ridiculous but, from that moment on I realised that I, well I loved you." He cringed at the statement, hoping that this sudden outpouring of emotions wasn't going to chase her away. Snow stayed silent and Bigby looked away, convinced now that he'd made a terrible mistake. "I – never mind, just forget I said anything." He took his hand off of Snow's back and made a move to get up, but slender fingers caught his wrist. He looked down in amazement to find Snow smiling up at him, an emotion he couldn't recognise in her icy blue eyes. "Bigby," she began slowly as she got to her feet, "I don't think you ever realised it, I mean I am really good at keeping my feelings to myself, but over these last few years I have been attracted to you in the strangest way. It even felt like my soul wanted to be with you. But I didn't think you'd want me back," Bigby raised his thick eyebrows and his mouth fell open slightly. Snow White sighed deeply, "I guess what I'm trying to say Bigby is that," she paused for a moment and her smile widened, "I think I love you too, and that I have loved you for a very long time. We were both just too blind to realise it." Snow laughed hesitantly, the musical sound bringing a genuine smile to Bigby's lips and he wrapped his arms around her waist again and swung her into the air with joy.
"Down boy!" she laughed giddily and when he put her down again, Snow planted a kiss on the sheriff's cheek. Colour rose to his face and she giggled. "I've never seen you blush before, Bigby." Snow gasped jokingly and the sheriff looked down at his feet, scuffing a shoe into the pavement. The former princess felt her heart expand with a love she had never known before and she reached a hand out and tweaked his nose. He wrinkled it and gave her a mock glare. Snow simply giggled again like a naughty school girl as her gaze fell onto her watch. She gasped in horror when she saw the time. "WHAT?! We've been out here for FORTY MINUTES?!" She looked up at her companion pointedly, but Bigby only shrugged.
How long were we kissing for? She thought in astonishment. Bigby snickered as if he knew what she was thinking and Snow glared at him before rolling her eyes. He could probably smell the pheromones rolling off of her. She bent down to gather her papers, the sheriff helping her of course, and when she straightened up she began walking over to the gate leading to the Office. When she didn't hear footsteps behind her, she turned around with a puzzled look. "You coming, Sheriff?" he scratched his stubble absentmindedly before shrugging. "Why not?" he replied and walked over to the gate, holding it open so that Snow could enter first.
"For someone who was literally raised by wolves, you are quite the gentleman," Snow raised an eyebrow playfully as they made their way up the front steps. "What can I say? My mother was big on manners," he winked back at her as they walked past Grimble, who was still snoring contentedly at his desk. Bigby pushed the elevator button and a comfortable silence fell between the two. There was no need to say anything, both were quite content simply with each other's company.
But as the doors whooshed open and they stepped into the compact box, a single thought dominated Snow's mind.
I'm in love with the Big Bad Wolf.