„So… how long have you been in love with me?" Snow asked looking at the road.

"I don't know, but way longer than I was aware of it." He moved in passenger seat to look at her.

She kept looking straight ahead. "That's how it often is, but I mean for how many years was this secret love going on."

"Uhm, well…" He did not respond immediately. "I think I just admitted it to myself around fifty years ago?"

She turned to face him for a moment. "Really? It's a very long time… Very, very long time. I'm astonished it didn't just fade away with time."

Bigby crossed his arms. "Nope, only got stronger."

"And why me?"

He sighed and smiled. "It could only be you. From the moment I met you."

"Really?" She gave him a quick look.

"Yes. You were completely unafraid of me. I have never before met anyone like this. So I was impressed. And that's why I agreed to come to Fabletown – because you asked. I wouldn't come if it was anyone else."

She took a moment to answer. "I didn't know that."

"I didn't think it was that hard to figure out. Why did you think I came here?" He half-smiled.

She focused on the steering wheel. "To start a new life? Where else would you get a redemption?"

"I wasn't seeking redemption" he stated.

"And you were seeking love?" she asked with clear disbelief.

"You got me there. But it's true that I wouldn't come here if it was anyone else asking. I was curious about you. And yes, I guess I wanted to try living among others."

"No one else would dare to come for you. But I thought that if you were to kill me, you would've done it when we first met, but you didn't, you freed me instead..."

"Like I said, I was impressed" he declared. "I had people willingly coming to try to fight me, but all of them were afraid, and you were there in shackles without any fear. From this moment I knew there was something special about you." She took a breath.

"But you did change, why was that?"

"You all would kick me out if I didn't. Or rather tried to kill me, but wouldn't be able to. Anyway, I would have to go away."

"So you cared enough to want to stay" she noticed.

"Yeah, but don't tell anyone. I have a reputation." She could not tell if it was meant to be joke or not, which he probably did on purpose. She did not let it go.

"But why do you like it when everyone thinks you're so much worse than you actually are?"

"I don't know what to tell you. When I'm feared, I feel like myself. And I've spent to many years working for my infamy, would be a shame to lose it now." She again felt like he did not feel comfortable with being sincere talking about this subject.

"So you don't regret anything? Really?"

"No, I do. But if I lived like my whole life was a mistake, I would be rather pathetic, wouldn't I?" So here it is, the big bad wolf actually was scared of something.

To this she answered "I wouldn't call it a mistake, it's being someone else and then changing" and Bigby didn't say anything. "So what were you seeking in your old life? Just power?" she then asked.

"Just power. It really is that easy." If he was growing impatient with her, he did not show it and didn't even look away. And Snow appreciated that he didn't just tell her to stop asking about this, like he would to most people.

"So when you're feared you feel powerful, like in the old days?"

"Yeah, I guess, you can say that" he admitted.

"But I'm not scared of you, never have been, and you're into it."

"I also like it when you sit on my face, and I don't feel that way towards others."

"You're changing the subject."

"No, I don't" he responded at once with a more lively tone. "All I'm saying is that you are special to me. Are you really surprised? I don't understand. You don't fear me and it makes us equals. If I wanted to be with someone who was scared of me, I think that would be pretty fucked up."

She turned to him again. "You're a monstrous beast and you still have more progressive views on relationships than most men."

„Maybe that's because I'm not a man."

"Oh, you are, you might not be human, but you're still a man" she laughed.

"And when did you start having feeling for me? You've said that you realized what they were while I was away, but we both know it started earlier."

„Obviously. But I wasn't… open to it. I didn't want to be with anyone." Change in her voice was easily noticeable.

"Especially me."

She looked at him directly to ask "And why do you think you were so special?" and moved her sight back on the road.

He took a moment to think over his choice of words. "I don't think I suited your public image."

"And you still don't, but one can only care for so long. The thing was, in the back of my mind I knew I was feeling something towards you, but I pretended it was only sexual, because it was easier to accept for me. Less… problematic."

He again was slow to answer. "At the same time I did not dare to think about you in this context, seemed too disrespectful. And I was very sure you will never want me, so I tried not to give into the thought. I tried not to be in love with you."

"How did that work for you?" She stifled a laugh.

"Like shit. But going back to you – you had to know I'd never reject you, who would? You could always come to me, even just for sex."

"I did not know, for so many years you didn't seem interested."

"Really?" He seemed truly surprised. "I'm pretty sure I was hopeless at hiding it, or so I was told, repeatedly. Looks like everyone knew but you."

"I was in denial" she explained. "And I didn't really want to change anything between us, so even when you made it clear you wanted to date me, I told you no."

"Okay, but for how long were you fantasizing about me fucking you roughly on a desk? You never told me that."

"I don't even remember, for a few years more regularly, but I thought you were hot from the day one. And your whole thing with being a dangerous monster barely compatible with human society only worked for you." To her own surprise she was growing less and less embarrassed while talking about this topic.

"And there I thought I should appear more civilized for you."

"So called civilized men are mostly incapable of understanding women to be human, so please, don't bother." The subjects always made her weary.

"Did you have many trouble with men in Fabletown? I remember Crane, obviously."

"For a woman of my beauty there is always someone trying to creep into her bed, with more or less tact." He gave her a look. "But some are more annoying than others."

"Like?"

"Like a fucking fox." She rolled her eyes.

"Well…"

"Oh please, don't compare yourself to him. It's not funny, it's tiring and aggravating. Like I didn't have enough on my plate already. Try raising six children alone, days without a quiet moment, nights without sleep, and on top of that a fucking fox calls me babe.

"And I can't even go to him and politely ask him to stop" he said.

"That actually might be for the best. For the future – unless someone is at least directly insulting me – don't protect your masculinity by… I don't know, doing something criminal, just talk it off."

"But if someone is insulting you, can I do something criminal?"

She sighed. "I walked into this one myself."