Author's note:

Wow.

I wrote the first chapter late at night, and in Elisa's P.O.V. at first, and I didn't realize I left some "my" and "I"s in there. Very sorry about that, but if I've fixed it, future readers shouldn't notice a thing. And I mixed up the fairytales; it's hard when they all have similar names. That's what I get for writing at 2:17 AM.

I almost got lazy researching apartment complex in the 80s, but if I researched planes, I could do this too. It's honestly fascinating comparing it with our post 9/11 era.

And I did say no Fables-tie in, but...that might change. I've read the comic recently and there are parts of that were hinted or never really talked about in the WAU game. I put some mentions here and there. We'll see.

I chose one particular ending from the game and I want to see where it goes.

Thanks so much for the feedback and for your patience! Always appreciated.

Enjoy this next chapter!

Sheriff Bigby Wolf's Office

10:35 AM

Smoke filled the room of the office, swirling around and seeping out through the cracks. The lamp on the desk flickered, with the occasional tap fixing it. The office hadn't seen any change in quite a while and Bigby wasn't good at up-keep. The Sheriff rubbed his face and straightened his back, a satisfying pop breaking the silence. Weeks of hunching over his desk and filling out never-ending reports was taking it's toll. Colin constantly reminded him he needed a break from his job.

He hadn't expected much after solving one of the biggest murder cases the Woodlands had ever seen. He knew he would fall back into his old routine of endless paperwork, constant fear from the other Fables, and the occasional longing look at Snow when she wasn't paying attention. Well, the fear had changed. He still put most Fables on edge, but at least earned a little respect. He tried to give the community as much closure possible after the murders and that had meant something. Not a new office or at least a new chair, but something.

Everyone was still trying to settle into their new-found peace. The Crooked Man had taken away it and now that he was a helpless bird in a cage the community could sleep easy; along with this new relationship from the business office that originally ignored their pleas. The Big Bad Sheriff had shown the community and anyone who threatened it who was in charge; Him and Miss Snow White.

God, Snow.

He thought their new leadership would bring them closer together, but in fact had brought them further apart. King Cole was still gone, which left her to clean the mess Crane had left along with all the new cases from the Fables. It was nice to know they had done some good, but it was quickly turning tiresome. And any moment between the two ended with Snow excusing herself to do some more work or Bigby not knowing what to say. He felt something had changed with their relationship, though he couldn't tell if it was good or bad.

She had seen parts of him that he hadn't shown since the Homelands.

Sighing as he finished his cigarette, Bigby tapped it out in the tray and reached for a new one. The sudden intake of the fresh air between cigarettes caught his attention. He paused, and smelled the air. The familiarity of Snow's perfume was gone. The last time that had happened was when they thought she was dead. He felt his blood run cold and his gut ached painfully.

Snow White came bursting through the door at that exact moment.

"Sorry Sheriff," she huffed and shoved more paperwork in his face to add to the growing pile. "I'm in a bit of a hurry, have these signed by five please!"

She almost rushed out the door when Bigby stopped her, almost leaping over his desk.

"Wait, Snow."

"What?"

He honestly didn't know how to phrase this question. He knew it was gonna sound strange no matter how he phrased it. Snow was tapping her foot, so he sighed and just asked.

"Did you...change your perfume?"

Her brows furrowed in confusion.

"Why?"

If she only knew. He struggled again to ask without telling her straight that he couldn't smell her anymore. She would've probably preferred that, not that he could blame her.

"It's just...different. What happened to your old one?"

Realization dawned on Snow's face.

"Oh...well after all that happened with the Crooked Man and Crane and the fact that he used my perfume to further his...fantasy," Her nose scrunched up in disgust.

"I switched to a new one. It disgusted me to keep wearing it. I'm sorry if it's...bothering you?"

He slowly shook his head.

"No, just noticed is all."

They stood in silence, with Snow looking at him a bit perturbed and Bigby slightly embarrassed. This wasn't the first time he regretted opening his big, dumb mouth.

"Anyways, signed and on my desk at five. See you later Sheriff."

She left his office with a semi-loud slam from the door that made him flinch just a little. She didn't even sprinkle in her nice pleasantries that she saved for everyone, even if she was in a bad mood. It seemed their was a rift between them now. He never knew how to talk people, even after centuries of living among them. His wolf tendencies never made him a people-person. He was just working up the courage to ask her out. He leaned back in chair with a defeated sigh. It seemed their relationship was doomed to be a professional one and nothing more.

He heard harsh panting in the hallway, along with a new scent.

A shiver crawled up his spine and he growled to himself. One part of him wanted to go find it and the other wanted to beat his head against a wall. He leaned back on his chair with his head up and clenched the desk. He took a deep breath and let the smoke fill his lungs, but the smell still seeped in. . He pushed his chair and made a charge for the door, swinging it open. A woman jumped back immediately, looking at him in shock.

"Sheriff! W-Wait, please! I'm Elisa and I need your help."

Mundy Neighborhood

9:20 AM

Lugging her suitcases out of the taxi, she almost regretted not finding an apartment first. Having to carry around her personal possessions during a possible crime scene while her brother was hurt, kidnapped, or dead was not appealing. But it wasn't like she could make any pit stops. Her family's story wasn't a popular one, so their immortality and endurance only went so far. She needed to see if he was okay and if not...she'd go from there.

Standing in front of the apartment her brother Benjamin now resided, Elisa wiped her now clammy hands on her jeans. She took a deep breath and shook her head, trying to get the panic out of her. She had been in a number of situations with Cindy, good and bad, but all dangerous. Their time together taught Elisa that now was not the time to freak out and barge through her brother's door; for all she knew, the person who hurt him was on the other side waiting for her. They knew where she was and that she would come running. Someone had been paying attention and that made her sick.

Looking at the building, Elisa wrinkled her nose; it looked like every other run down building in the area. Graffiti was tagged on the walls and on the street. Windows had cracks and blinds that didn't cover much of the rooms they were in. She never really understood why her brother just hadn't relocated to the South Bronx with their brothers and all of the other princes. Their royal title and lands didn't amount to anything here, but maybe they could have gotten him something. Something other than a shitty apartment. All of her brothers were offered a home and a sense of community, after all the horror in Homelands. Why didn't Benjamin take it?

"To be fair, I didn't take it either," Elisa thought to herself, the bitterness of hypocrisy creeping up.

She had her reasons. Her brothers had told her time and time again that they had done enough traveling during their curse. They were fine with staying in one place for a time, maybe even for an eternity. They wanted to set down roots, and that was okay, but Elisa wanted more. The freedom she was given traveling and meeting Cindy were deserved, in her mind. Elisa did all she wanted for once and for herself. She had suffered a lot in the Homelands. But to say the hardships she went through were worse than her brothers' was insensitive.

It seemed no one had gotten a fairy-tale ending.

Even though this part of the city was rundown, it still gave her a sense of awe. She hadn't been here in centuries and so much had changed. The Mundies were always changing, and she felt that even in her immortal life she'd never catch up. The little cobblestone buildings had changed into these tall, concrete skyscrapers. She could barely see the sky. Minus the smoke, trash, and the horrible stench, it was still amazing. Even if it was different. She stood in front of the apartment complex's door, her finger hovering over her brother's buzzer. If the person who sent that letter and hurt her brother was still there, she wanted to be cautious. She pushed the button beneath and was grateful someone answered.

"Hello?"

"Hi, I'm so sorry to bother you. I'm the sister of the tenant above you and I think he forgot I was coming today. Do you think you could buzz me in?"

"Sure thing, hun."

"Thank you."

The click of the door signaled her entry, and she pulled the handle open. The voice stopped her before she could enter.

"Hope everything's okay, I heard quite the commotion yesterday." That practically sent her blood pressure though the roof.

"Yes, he's a bit clumsy. Thank you for letting me know."

Elisa continued on before they could say anything else. She moved her suitcases inside and carried them up the steps, taking them two at a time. She was out of breath by the time she reached his door. She pressed her ear to the door; nothing but the TV and the occasional clink of some pot or kitchen appliance made any noise. She wasn't the spy Cindy was and it wasn't like she had a weapon. Her suitcases were too light. So she held her breath and knocked on the door. Fast footsteps and the door retching open startled her, and she finally saw her brother.

"Benjamin!"

"Elisa? Is that you? Oh my god!"

Suddenly Ben had her wrapped in a strong hug, well, strong enough for one arm. A cast was pushed gently against her gut, and she hugged him back softly. They were both surprised seeing each other. Pulling away, Elisa was able to get a good look at him.

Tears welled up in her eyes seeing her big brother. His brown hair was still shaggy, a baseball cap on top to keep a semblance of class. His eyes, the same green as hers, had bags underneath. The dimple on the left side of his face was even more apparent with his big, dopey grin. She hadn't realized that she missed him so much. He was her older brother, and as much as she wanted to crumple after a centuries of being apart, she held fast and tried to get it together. The cast was sobering enough.

"What are you doing here? Last I heard, you were in Europe."

"Yeah, well-"

"Come in! Come in!"

Elisa picked up both her suitcases and stepped into his threshold, placing them next to a coat rack. He had a standard kitchen with a tiny table and two chairs. He pulled her into one and disappeared into a living room. She could see it was a decent enough apartment for one person. At least it was nicer on the inside than the outside. Her brother reappeared with a bowl of popcorn and set it on the table, plopping down on his seat.

"Not much, but it's what I got. I was just about to watch a movie. So what are you doing here? Are you visiting? Have you seen the rest of the gang? I thought Cindy kept you pretty occupied, with all the letters and pictures I've seen."

She smiled a little. He flung out all these questions, talking a mile a minute; he hadn't changed a bit. But she needed to get right to it.

"Yeah, it was fun for a while...What happened to your arm?"

"Oh, this? I ran out of glamour. I put it in an arm cast when it turns back to...you know, the wing. I haven't gotten my paycheck yet so it's this and a story about a tumble down the stairs. You know, popcorn isn't a great 'Welcome back!" meal, why don't I make you something else? You hungry for anything in particular? Asian? Cold pizza? A fancy salmon dinner with a violinist?"

He was all smiles. Her brow furrowed as he moved about his home without a care in the world. She wanted to ease into the letter, but if he was going to act energetic, she was gonna put her foot down.

"Ben, I didn't just come back on a whim. Someone sent me this."

She held out the note and watched him read it over. He gave a low whistle and handed it back.

"Now that's freaky. But as you can see, I'm fine. No need to be worried."

That caught her attention. Did he really think this was nothing?

"Ben, you're not seriously just writing this off, are you?"

"Ever heard of prank mail, El? This person obviously just wanted to get a rise out of you."

He tossed it on the table like it was nothing. Elisa swiped it back and nearly shoved it in his face.

"But look at the wording! 'It's a shame that wing can't fly, especially now since I've broken it'? How would someone know that Ben?"

"Someone was just feeling poetic writing this. Elisa, who would write this or threaten to hurt me? You're being paranoid. "

"No, I'm not! And I don't know, but it's not a prank. Something is going on. Why aren't you taking this seriously?"

Her brother finally sat down across from her, annoyed at her pestering.

"You're back for a minute and you're already lecturing me? I missed you, but definitely not that."

That stung.

"What does that mean? I'm trying to look out for you, like I always have-"

"Oh, so that's my fault?"

"I never said-"

A knock at the door interrupted them. Her brother's head had snapped as soon as he heard the soon. Elisa looked back at her brother, confused as to why he wasn't getting it.

"Aren't you-"

He quickly looked back at her and shook his head desperately. So she was right. Someone had been here and with no good intentions. A few beats went by and they could hear the footsteps receding. Leaning back into her chair, Elisa looked at her brother, just in time to see a red dot on his forehead.

"BEN!"