The door to the Trip Trap slammed open, and Holly almost dropped the glass she'd been wiping down. Even Jack broke off his blabbering.
Both of them visibly relaxed at the sight of Gren, though Jack still looked a little wary at how angry he seemed to be.
Gren was furious. He stomped over to the bar, dragging a stool out and dropping onto it without a word. He gritted his teeth, sure that if he opened his mouth to say anything, he'd just start shouting.
Holly shook her head in disappointment, pouring him some liquor and sliding it over. He still hadn't paid her back for Swineheart's fee or her ruined bar. The reminder made him clench his glass so hard that it fractured slightly. He threw the drink down his neck and slammed the glass back down on the bar.
"I thought you were the Sheriff at first," Holly said, her face set with angry lines. "We just had Tweedle Dee in here, talking about how Bigby Wolf tortured him last night. That's what he did after he arrested him here, after he did that to you. Went and attacked some other poor bastard. I don't know how they can justify keeping that animal around. 'For our protection', what a crock of shit."
Gren lost his temper, slamming a fist on the bar. "I swear, if I see him again, I'll tear his fucking head off!"
"I wouldn't recommend it," Jack said lightly, with a pointed look at the missing arm. "Didn't go so well for you last time."
Gren turned a furious glare on him. "Well, maybe I'll just settle for you then, if you don't shut the hell up."
Jack raised his eyebrows. "Hey, it's just some friendly advice!"
What a load of bullshit. Gren ignored him as Holly handed over another drink, and he settled back on his stool. He hadn't realised he'd even gotten up. It was that damn Bigby Wolf, making him feel pathetic and weak. It was those assholes at the business office, looking down on him, not wanting to help people who weren't rich and privileged like them. Everything about this felt like he was back in the Homelands again. Always making him feel like a piece of shit that needed to be gotten rid of.
He stared into his glass, stewing in frustration. Holly didn't say anything. She would later, when he'd calmed down, but she already knew from the way he was acting that there was no good news. She'd probably known it even before he'd gone to the business office. They were used to being brushed off, being told to wait. The only occasion people like Bigby Wolf had time for them was when he needed something.
"Does it... hurt?" Jack asked.
He hadn't even noticed the other man seated at the corner of the bar next to him, staring at the missing arm with far too much interest. Gren scowled at him. He wasn't a fan of having people pry into his business, especially when he was in a bad mood.
That arm still felt like it was there. He knew it wasn't, in his mind. He could see that it wasn't. But he could feel the jacket's fabric against his skin. He could reach out and expect to grasp the glass in front of him. Sometimes he could feel the cold surface of the glass against his skin.
Things had sucked before, the jobs he'd taken to pay for his glamours were shit. He knew his bad attitude didn't win him any friends. But being in the city, with all its noise and people was insufferable. Now, with only one arm, decent work was even rarer to find. He couldn't borrow money from Holly though. She'd probably give it, if he asked, but he already owed her too much.
"Jack, cool it and have a drink," Holly said. She shrugged at Gren. "I guess we should just be glad it was Tweedle Dee he took in and not Woody."
Jack groaned, pushing off his barstool and poking around at the posters on the wall. "I'm bored. I need entertainment."
Holly rolled her eyes. "What are you, a child?" Gren chuckled at that. "Let me see if I have any darts left back here."
While she was occupied looking through drawers for the darts, Jack's attention wandered back to Gren. He had that curious expression on his face again – the kind that leads kids up beanstalks to get eaten by giants.
"Is it true Bigby knocked you all over the bar like a rag doll? Smashed you around until he turned half-wolf and ripped off your arm? I've heard the full story."
Gren's eyes flashed from Jack to Holly.
The bartender gave him an affronted look, and raised her hands innocently. "Wasn't me."
Gren felt a little annoyed with himself for thinking she'd might talk about him behind his back. Holly wasn't that kind of person. She had always respected his privacy. This was just Jack stirring shit up again like he always did. He shot the man a sour look.
"Oh, I heard it off of Woody," Jack said in a pleasant voice, apparently unaware of the hostile glare being directed at him. "If it makes you feel better, he was very concerned on your behalf."
"Good."
Gren liked the big lug, but sometimes he could be thicker than pig shit. Woody was a friend of the sisters though, so Gren gave him more leeway than he generally gave anyone else. The guy must have done something right for them to like him.
"Any luck at the business office?" Holly asked.
Gren glowered. "Not a damn thing. Snow White just said they're 'looking into the matter', whatever the fuck that's supposed to mean. What are they even there for, anyway? They never help people like us."
Holly nodded. "Maybe we oughta take care of this ourselves. We don't know where Lily is, but we know which asshole she was working for."
"So we pay a little visit to Georgie?" Gren smirked. That bastard was exactly the kind of lowlife Wolf should be dealing with, the kind of guy who forces women – women like Lily – into prostitution and debt. "Sounds good to me. It might even make me feel better, knocking that sack of shit around a little. And if the Sheriff gets in our way, fuck him too. This whole thing is complete bullshit and always has been. I mean, what's his job, really?"
"To keep shit from reaching the Woodlands." Holly gave an exasperated sigh, looking up from where she was poking around under the bar. "Jack, I don't know where they are."
"You're a bar, you're supposed to have darts around."
She gave him an irritable look. "And normally, I do, but who the fuck knows where they went to after–"
At that moment, the door to the Trip Trap opened again. In walked the Big Bad Wolf.
Gren tensed up. He fixed the newcomer with a cold glare, ready to defend himself – and Holly – if he had to. He wasn't going to start any shit this time if he could keep his temper in check, but he wasn't going to let them drag him off and interrogate him like Tweedle Dee.
The missing arm burned to remind him of what happened last time. Gren felt a sickening lurch in his stomach, and exchanged a nervous look with Holly before he could stop himself. She looked slightly panicked for a second, clearing the glasses and bottles from the bar, obviously expecting a fight. Gren felt like he might be sick, remembering what had happened here last time.
"What are you guys talking about?" Wolf asked, in a slightly mocking tone.
Holly folded her arms, levelling a cold stare at the Sheriff. "What the fuck do you think?"
She gave a pointed look at Gren's missing arm, and he cringed slightly as the wolf glanced at him, though it barely seemed to register to the Sheriff at all. Instead, Jack started babbling, distracting him. He slung an arm around Bigby's shoulders, grinning like they were old friends or something. Didn't that idiot realise what kind of monster he was dicking around with?
"Every time I see this guy, he seems to lose weight! It's amazing, really. He loses weight, and keeps all the muscle!"
"Jack..." Wolf growled.
Gren threw another glance at Holly. She looked as nervous as he did, but he couldn't tell if she was just worried he'd do something to smash up his bar, or if she was concerned for his wellbeing. He sure as hell didn't feel like starting a fight. He just wanted to be left alone to finish his drink.
Bigby threw off Jack's arm, and approached the bar with that slow, predatory gait of his. Gren forced himself to look down at his drink and avoid eye contact with the Sheriff, but he caught Holly looking down at him in concern. She had been treating him like glass ever since that fucker ripped off his arm. And honestly, it had knocked his confidence. He was genuinely frightened of the wolf, and what he was capable of.
"You know, we were just talking about you," Jack poked, leaning on the bar next to Bigby and watching him for a reaction. "All of us. Here. At the bar. About you."
"I'm really not in the mood right now."
Jack grinned, pleased that he'd touched a nerve. "I'm dying to hear about the body that came out of the East river this morning. It was a Fable, right? Everyone knows."
"Tweedle Dee was just here," Gren said flatly, stopping Jack from dragging this out longer than it needed to be.
"Crane..." Bigby hissed.
Jack seemed to be only one who seemed completely at ease. "He said you arrested him for 'no earthly reason, kept him locked up in the cellar all fucking night!'" He smiled, toying with the wolf. "He said you tortured him, which, I dunno, seems like a breach of your legislative duties."
Gren shot a quick look at the Sheriff to gauge his reaction, which seemed to be increasing annoyance at Jack's provocation. Gren swallowed, trying to prepare himself for the upcoming fight. Holly glanced at him anxiously, before giving the loudmouth a hard glare.
"Jack! Find the off button, now."
"What is it with you two?" he scoffed. "You and Gren are all 'let's get a posse together' when there's nobody around, but as soon as the Big Bad Wolf walks in, your tails go between your legs. He fucking maimed you!" Jack added, throwing Gren an incredulous look. "Aren't you pissed?"
Gren returned the look with cold fury. Where the fuck did that little shit get off judging him for not wanting to start a fight with the wolf? He'd lost an arm last time, what would he lose next time? He balled his fist, trying to control his temper.
"Cat got your nerve?" Jack mocked. "What happened?"
"What happened?" Holly exclaimed. "I'm tired is what happened."
"Tired of what!"
"Of trouble, Jack," she snapped. "I am sick and tired of it, so just stop revving his motor, or wait outside, or fuck the hell off. I don't care which."
Jack rolled his eyes and turned back to the Sheriff. "Bigby, look, two Fables are dead, and shit, Gren's sister –"
"Holly's sister," Gren corrected through gritted teeth.
"Holly's sister, has been missing for quite a few days now, and we haven't heard word one from anyone."
Gren glared at the back of the man's head. That piece of shit didn't care at all about Lily. He was just trying to start something again. That was the only reason Jack got involved in anything.
"Actually," Holly said softly, and Gren glanced up at her. "Have there... been any updates...?"
Wolf frowned, actually looking uncomfortable for a second. What did he have to feel uncomfortable about? Was it bad news?
"Holly... I came in here, because I have... questions about your sister."
Gren's stomach plummeted in realisation.
"Oh shit..." he said. "The body you found..."
Holly looked at him in alarm, turning wide eyes on Bigby. "Who was it?"
The wolf's silence was enough of an answer. She turned away from them all, squeezing her eyes shut. The thing Holly had been fearing for weeks – fuck, the thing she'd been fearing from the moment her sister got involved with that asshole Georgie – it had happened. Lily had been murdered.
"Boy, I sure walked into that one," Jack said flippantly.
"If you say one more fucking thing," Gren warned. "Just one more thing..."
Jack made a face like a child and walked off. Gren seethed with anger. He couldn't look at Holly. It hurt to see her so destroyed like this. He'd been trying to stop this from happening for weeks. Every day spent waiting at that business office, trying to get someone – anyone – to take notice and help them! But all that happened, every single time, was that he got turned away, brushed off. And now, Lily was dead.
"God fucking damn it!" he spat, spinning round on his seat, shooting a glare at the Sheriff. "Of course, the dear princess, Snow-fucking-White is all safe and sound! Where were you when we reported this weeks ago, huh? Where are you whenever we ever fucking need you?!"
He jumped to his feet, anger flooding him and wiping out the fear he'd felt when Wolf entered. All he could feel now was the white-hot rage of having someone he cared about taken away. All he could see was the look of disappointment on Holly's face every time he returned from the business office empty handed.
"If you gave one ounce of a shit about her, she might've been saved. She might've been cared for! She might've been–"
Holly's glass shattered in her fist. Gren broke off. His anger vanished as he saw her hunched over the bar, taking deep breaths to stop herself from losing it. He stood there, staring at her helplessly. The anger wasn't helping, and he didn't know what else to give.
"All right," said Bigby. "Clear out and give her some room."
"I ain't leaving her with you," Gren said. "No way."
Holly pushed herself off the bar, ignoring his gaze and giving Bigby Wolf a hard stare. She walked past them all to the furthest corner of the bar, sinking into a chair away from them. Looking so small and fragile, it was hard to remember that this was just a glamour. He hated seeing her like this, he hated the bastards in the Woodlands for doing it to her. But he couldn't feel the same anger now, and instead sorrow took hold of him.
"Fucking Lily," he hissed. Gren scowled at Bigby. "You told her, you can leave now."
Wolf turned to the door, and for a moment, Gren thought he might actually do as he was told. Instead, Snow White walked in – the wolf must have heard her before Gren did.
"What the fuck is it now?" he snapped. Couldn't they just leave Holly the hell alone? They do fuck-all to help, then drop this bombshell on her, and now they're hounding her for information on Lily. They only cared now that she was part of an investigation that involved the Woodlands.
Snow approached her carefully. "Holly–"
"Get the fuck out of my bar," Holly said in a hard voice. "It should've been you. It should've been you, and it wasn't."
Snow White offered something out to her. Gren couldn't see what it was at first, but the flash of bronze and the softening of Holly's face told him that it was Lily's brooch. She'd had it ever since the sisters left the Homelands, back when they had been close. Even though those days were long gone now, it was something Lily had always held onto. A little reminder of better days.
Holly sighed, meeting Gren's eyes for the first time since the news broke.
"Gren... take off for a bit, would you?"
"Are you sure?" he asked, unwilling to leave her in the care of these two. They just wanted information from her, they didn't care.
Holly nodded though, and he had to respect her wishes. He looked away, leaving her alone in the bar, but taking Jack with him. It was the least he could do, and that was little enough.