Have you ever seen a friend, shot full with bullets? And have them pass out on your lap, knowing if you were there you could have prevented this? Let me tell you. It feels horrible. My head shot up when I heard Bigby groan. Finally he woke up.

"Hollow-point bullets are a nasty business. The silver slug deformed and shredded on impact." Swineheart said as he tried to get another piece of silver out. I winced as I looked at Bigby's chest. It was bloody, to say the least. His face was crunched up in pain.

"He'll be okay, though…" Snow said. Swineheart wasn't listening though.

"Snow let him do his job." I said softly.

"His internal organs are positively riddled. If I don't extract every single scrap of silver…he's liable to suffer some long-term toxicosis…" Swineheart explained. Bigby groaned and lifted his head. "Easy there. Try not to move." Bigby tried to talk but chocked on his own blood. He spit the lump of blood in his throat out and rested his head again.

"Bigby…" Snow started. I looked at her and saw she was also covered by Bigby's blood. I wasn't any better. Had some of my own blood on me as well. Bigby moved his broken arm, making the bone sticking out his arm more visible.

"We can't keep meeting this way, old boy…I'd figured I'd be done before you were conscious. But there's little I can do for the pain. Just stay still and let me finish." Swineheart said.

"My arm…" Bigby said while looking at it.

"Yes, very ugly. But not life-threatening. I can't say the same for these bullets peppered throughout your vital organs." Swineheart said while holding up a part of a silver bullet. Bigby started moving his arm more, making me cringe.

"Bigby, stop moving!" I said. Bigby grunted and looked in my eyes.

"Look, I'm a bit engaged saving his life at the moment…but if the fractured extremity concerns him that much, he can set it himself." Swineheart said. Bigby started to try to pull his bone back in place but his first try failed. Snow gasped while I just winced and looked away. His second try did work. He had bend forward, his eyes flashing yellow when his bone went back in place. He sat back and panted from the pain.

"Hm. Not bad. That'll do, I suppose." Swineheart said. This guy wasn't moved by much was he? He's lucky to be alive. And he won't be next time if he keeps going like this." Swineheart looked at me as I turned my angered eyes towards him. "He didn't listen to me before. Maybe he'll listen to you."

"He's too stubborn to listen to anyone." I said while crossing my arms over my chest.

"Well he should stop being so stubborn then." Swineheart said. "There are limits to what even I can do."

"This…is the job…"Bigby said. That's what I used to say to hunting.

"Quiet. Just relax." Swineheart said. Bigby winced a few times as he tried to keep calm. I walked up to him and slowly let my hand rest on his shoulder. To my surprise he moved his head so the back of my hand was touching his cheek. Snow came over as well and bend over to watch Swineheart work.

"Excuse me, Miss White, but…perhaps it's be better if you gave me a few minutes to finish with him." Swineheart said.

"I-I think I should stay. At least until he's…out of the woods." Snow said.

"Believe me, Bigby couldn't be in better hands. And I need the space to work, so…" Swineheart trailed off.

"What about Lexy?" I looked up and we both glared at each other.

"It seems she's the only one who can keep him relaxed at the moment." Swineheart said.

"Don't worry, Snow. I'll be okay." Bigby said through a wince. Snow looked at me with a glare and I glared right back. The memory of our previous conversation returning to me.

Flashback

While we dragged Bigby in his apartment, Snow kept glaring at me. Once Bigby was put in his seat I turned to Snow.

"Let's talk." I said and went towards what I believed to be the kitchen. "Alright you've been glaring at me the whole time, so talk." I said once Snow closed the door.

"Why are you back?" She asked while she crossed her arms.

"I don't need to give a reason to you." I hissed.

"You do understand that this is your fault right?" Snow snapped.

"How so?" I asked as I looked at her.

"I saw you fight with Mary, Lexy. If you were there you could have stopped all this. Bigby wouldn't be on the brink of death right now. This is your fault." Snow said. My angered face turned emotionless as I glanced at around me before I looked at Snow.

"I agree this is my fault. And I will have to live with that. But blaming me for it isn't going to help this case or Bigby." I growled before I pushed past her but she grabbed my shoulder and turned me to face her.

"When all of this is over, I want you to leave Fabletown." Snow hissed. "You're a threat to us. A hunter isn't supposed to be accepted here." We stood there for a second before I nodded.

"Whatever." I said and walked out the kitchen.

End flashback

"Hey, Doc? How much longer?" The pig asked.

"Colin, leave him be." Snow said warningly.

"It's finished when it's finished." Swineheart answered.

"Cause I once watched a vet sew a turtle together in ten minutes flat." Colin said. For some reason I had to smile.

"Was that turtle as big as Bigby?" I asked. Colin snorted and gave me an amused look.

"Colin, you're not even supposed to be here right now." Snow said.

"Oh really?" Colin said as he turned towards Snow. "Where am I 'supposed' to be? I'm here to take care of my friend."

"With what? Your hooves?" Snow said, pissing Colin off.

"Hey, listen lady-"

"Please keep it down back there, thank you…" Swineheart interrupted.

"Could I get some quiet in here?" Bigby groaned.

"Yes, that would be helpful." Swineheart said as I nodded in agreement.

"Sorry." Snow said. Finally Swineheart pulled out the last piece of silver.

"This isn't a habit you should keep to, having visits with me. And, well…this time…" Swineheart said while wrapping Bigby into some bandages. "This time was no joke. Eat as many metal shellings as you see fit, but take just one more silver round near your heart…and the only place I'll be visiting you is the morgue." I took my hand of Bigby's shoulder and went to the kitchen. I put one of my hands against the counter to keep me upright. My other hand was covering a side of my face.

This is my fault.

The door opened behind me and I looked back at Swineheart.

"Miss Lexy." I groaned and turned back around. "I know this is hard on you but…" He stopped talking when I gave him a glare. "…His body will eventually give out. Take care of him. Please." Swineheart said.

"Yeah, like I did a good job the last time." I said and rolled my eyes. I sighed and shook my head. "The idiot isn't going to step down, you know that right?" I said. Swineheart sighed and nodded.

"He needs sleep, mostly. Just keep watch." Swineheart said. "And make sure he doesn't get into further altercations."

"I can hear you guys, c'mon…" We heard him saying through the thin walls. I couldn't help but smile a little as I could almost imagine the kicked puppy look he would have given us.

"'Guard against,' as they say." Swineheart said. "Miss Lexy." He nodded and walked out the kitchen. I sighed and held my hands to my face. Damn, I'm tired. I turned when I heard the door open again. This time a limping Bigby walked in. He opened the fridge and took out some alcohol. It was silent the whole time he was drinking.

"Don't turn into Gren." I said while hugging myself.

"Don't worry about me, alright? I'll be fine." He turned his back to me and stretched his shoulder. I glared at his back before I shook my head.

"You died." I said. I saw Bigby turn around and look at me. "We lost you for…maybe 2 minutes? If you were a human you would be actually dead." I looked up at him and glared. "So don't tell me not to worry about your stupid ass." I hissed.

"Lex-"

"I'm sorry…" His eyes looked at me with so much shock that I had to turn away from him. "If I didn't run off, like a child, you wouldn't be like this."

"Hey, don't do that." I turned my head a little when I heard him step closer to me.

"You died." I held my hand over my mouth when my voice broke.

"Lexy…" I jumped a little when his hands were on my shoulders. He turned me around and hesitatingly pulled my hand away from my mouth. "I'd never leave you." My eyes widened before they got teary.

"But I did-"

"Hey." I gasped when his hands cupped my cheeks and tilted my head so he could look into my eyes. "Don't do this to yourself." He smiled and looked me straight in the eyes. "We just need to stay together so we don't get our asses handed to us." He said. He pulled me closer into a hug and I hugged him around his waist.

"Don't do that again, stupid." I said. He chuckled and put one hand on my head while the other held my waist.

"No promises." He said into my hair. We pulled back and we were both surprised how close we were. Only then I noticed his firm hand on my waist, the warmth it gave me. His hand on my head slowly drifted to the back of my neck. My hands had placed themselves on his bandaged chest. Our noses were barely touching. His warm alcohol scented breath touched my lips as they trembled. His brown eyes had darkened as they switched from my eyes to my lips. Mentally I scolded my heart for beating so wildly and recklessly. Slowly I let my hands drift over his chest, to his shoulders and to his neck. My breath came a little shallower as I felt the muscles tense and relax underneath my fingers. I faintly noticed his shallow breath and his beating heart going wild. We pulled each other closer so our foreheads were touching.

"This is really wrong." I whispered. He grunted but pulled me closer by my waist.

"You were really fucked up, man." Colin said just when Bigby started to lean in. I turned my head away and Bigby leaned his head on my shoulder. We let go of each other and I looked away while Bigby put his hand on his head. "You looked like when you take an action figure and bend its limbs the wrong way…" Colin said while giving us a knowing smirk. "Did I interrupt something?" He asked teasingly.

"Shut it." I said while rubbing my cheeks. They were probably as red as the blood on both me and Bigby.

"I'm just sayin', I was worried about him, is all. The guy hasn't had a night's rest in days…" Colin said as Bigby passed him. I followed Bigby's movements with a concerned feeling.

"We'll all get some rest when this whole thing is done." Snow snapped as she glared at me. I ignored her and patted Colin on the head. I let the conversation between Colin and Snow behind me when I heard Bigby grunt. He was about to put his shirt on but I stopped him.

"You need to get that blood off." I murmured. I took a towel and took a bottle of water. I poured the water over it and started to clean Bigby's chest.

"Thanks." He huskily said. I nodded and tried to keep my attention on cleaning. His hand brushed my arm, making me shiver. When I was done cleaning him up I helped him put on his shirt and did his tie. He held my hand while it tightened his tie. He bowed his head and kissed my cheek before he let go of me. I scowled at my heated face.

"The Crooked Man, Bloody Mary, the Tweedles… This is bigger than what I thought it was." Bigby said to a question of Colin that I didn't hear.

"Yeah…The Crooked Man came out of the shadows for a reason…For him to attack us so blatantly like that…he either feels invincible or desperate." Snow said.

"Well, if those are my two options… I don't think I'd pick desperate." Colin said

"Whatever it is, it was stupid." I said while crossing my arms.

"What do you mean?" Snow asked Colin.

"You traded Crane. To save Bigby and Lexy. I'm just sayin'…that's not exactly somethin' you do when you're playin' with house money…" Colin said.

"So he called my bluff. It's not like I'm gonna let Bloody Mary just murder-" Snow looked surprised before she turned back to her uptight self. "It was a split-second decision and I don't care how it looked."

"Yeah, uh…Thanks, Snow. For all that back there." Bigby said before he turned to me. "You too Lex. You could actually put up with Bloody Mary." I smiled at him and shrugged.

"'Thanks?' You're not pissed that Crane's flown the coop? Or that the Crooked Man thinks he's got Snow under his thumb?" Colin said.

"We're all mad about it, Colin…But it's not like we had a strong choice in the matter." Snow said.

"What else could Snow do? If she didn't hand him over, my ass would be down the Witching Well, Lex would be 6 feet under and Crane still would have been taken." Bigby snapped.

"Okay, okay, I'll take your word for it." Colin said.

"All I care about right now is…just what does the Crooked Man want out of this?" Snow said as she walked away from us. "I thought he was just a… loan shark. But clearly, he's operating in other circles. It can't just be about Crane, right? Getting him out of town? Is this all about the murders?" I rubbed my forehead. She asks too many questions, it hurts my head. "Crane can't be useful to him anymore…So what could this have to do with Faith and Lily?"

"Crane was a puppet, and the Crooked Man worked the strings. This is all about control of Fabletown." Bigby said.

"But then what do prostitutes have to do with it? Lily…and Faith?" Snow said.

"I don't know how it all works out yet, but I know it does…somehow." Bigby said.

"The Crooked Man…declared war against us last night. At least that's what I thought, when it happened. But now I see this was has been going one for years. We just haven't noticed it, because our way of doing things is broken. We need to do things the right way." Snow said.

"What does that mean? The 'right way'?" Colin asked.

"What do you think I mean?" Snow snapped.

"I don't know, but it suspiciously sound like 'your way.'" Colin answered. "Bigby's the one on the front lines. You can't give him a leash, he doesn't work that way." Colin said.

"I agree. Bigby's not your dog you can order around." I said.

"Look, I know things haven't gone great recently, but…we're still doing our best." Bigby said.

"That's not good enough." Bigby looked down sadly. "So…starting now…we do everything cut and dried, by the book, straight as an arrow." Snow said.

"Pure as driven snow…" Colin said.

"I'm not saying I'm the arbiter of-"

"Sure you're not." Colin and I said at the same time. I saw Bigby struggling a little and helped him sit down, while Colin stood next to the chair, in front of me.

"This town has enough monsters. What happened last night…what you turned into…it can't happen again."

"Bigby's not a monster." I growled. Snow glared but I glared right back.

"We need monsters to fight monsters." Colin said.

"Colin, if I really believed that we needed him to lose his flippin' mind at a moment's notice… Then that would mean I'd lost all faith in our ability to help this town." Snow said.

"We were under attack, Snow. What did you expect me to do?" Bigby said.

"There are degrees." Snow said.

"Degrees? I only ever do what's necessary." Bigby said.

"Really?" Snow sounded as if she didn't believe him. "Well if that's the case…please explain to Colin why tearing Dum's throat out was necessary."

"You can't let up until the fight is finished." Bigby said and I nodded in agreement. "He was…he was still a threat, and that's all there is to it."

"Sure. Look, Bigby. I care about how this is done just as much as I care about it getting done." Snow said.

"So for that you wanna give him a handicap? Like the bad guys will worry if shit gets sloppy? Everybody wants Bigby to smile and shave and take a shower now and then…Hell, I'm practically the President of the 'Bigby, Don't Be Such a Dick' Club…" Colin defended Bigby.

"Relax, Colin. I can speak for myself, okay?" Bigby said.

"He'll get the job done. Just let him do it." Colin said.

"I'm going to-" Snow put a hand on her head to calm herself down. "I'm going to let you 'do it', okay? It's just that…now that I'm Deputy Mayor, I need your respect." Snow looked down at Colin and glared. "And this situation…has to end."

"What situation?" Colin asked.

"All unglamoured Fables – starting today – have to go and stay at The Farm." Snow said.

"Oh, give me a fuckin' break!" Colin shouted before he turned to Bigby. "Are you gonna let her talk to me like that?"

"It's been the rule for a reason, Colin…" Snow said. "And Bigby knows it's for the best of the town."

"If Snow says that's the way it's gotta be, that's the way it's gotta be." Bigby said. I pulled my hand away from his shoulder and shook my head.

"What. Are you kiddin' me?" Colin said.

"If you would simply get a glamour…" Snow said.

"'Get a glamour?' With what money? You think I can work? I don't even have thumbs." Colin shouted. The phone started ringing and suddenly Snow picked up.

"Wolf's residence." Snow snapped.

"What the hell?" I said while looking shocked.

"That's rude." Colin said to Bigby and me.

"Oh, Bufkin, what is it? ...Okay I'll let him know. Thanks. Guess who's waiting in your office right now." Snow said. Bigby just shrugged at her, not knowing who would be at his office.

"Nerissa." Snow said.

"Nerissa?" Bigby said

"That broad from the Pudding N' Pie?" Colin asked.

"Yes. Apparently she told Bufkin that she has something she needs to talk to you about…but that she'll only tell you. What do you think that could be?" Snow asked.

"She knows something…She's helped me a little with the case, maybe she has something else." Bigby said.

"Maybe she does. I should get back to the Business Office, I've left Bufkin alone for too long taking calls." Snow said while she walked towards the door. "And I should probably change out of these clothes. Consider the discussion tabled, but not over. Let me know when you're done with Nerissa." Snow ordered while she left the apartment.

"Aye aye, Captain." Colin said mockingly. "She's a piece of work. Hey, you're not really gonna send me to The Farm, are ya? I mean…She seemed real serious about it. But I can still hang out here…"

"Look, uh, maybe a few will get sent up, but you're my friend, Colin. I wouldn't do that to you. Don't worry about it." Bigby said to Colin.

"Thanks, Bigby." Colin said. "I guess Lexy did change you for the better." He said when he turned to me.

"Shut it." I said with a teasing smile. "Anyway, I should follow the queen's example and change clothes." I pulled at my clothes and rubbed my eyes. "And maybe take some sleep. I feel like I'm going to drop any second." I said and yawned.

"You can crash here if you want." Bigby said while giving me a small smile. I smiled back but shook my head.

"That's sweet, pup. But I don't think you have women's clothing hanging around here." I smiled teasingly at him. "Or is there something you need to tell me." He rolled his eyes but smiled anyway. We left the apartment but before I could go off to my apartment I was held back. I looked back at Bigby who looked down at me.

"When you're done resting, come to my office." He said. His eyes almost begged me to agree. Was he this scared that something would happen to me? No, that's just wishful thinking.

"Sure." I said before walking to the elevator and went up to my apartment. When I finally reached my bedroom I undressed and pulled on clean clothes. I sighed and fell down on the bed. Soon Abby accompanied me on the bed and rested her head on the pillow.