Hey everyone how are you? Sorry for the wait, been busy with sutffz. :l

First of all I do want to apologize for the short rushed last chapter. It went through my head a little differently lol. I'll try to do better

Still on the rusty side, but I'm trying to get the hang of writing again, and that's by jumping back in my AU so it's gonna be a little off sometimes I think.

Hope this one is a little better. If not let me know on where to improve please!

Thank you again and enjoy


Chapter 26

there eyes were all on bigby, eyes of horror, amusement, anger, disappointment. But the only eyes he cared for were Red's.

And they were hidden.

Bigby kept glancing back at her direction, hoping to see her eyes that can tell him what she's feeling, what she's thinking. He could no longer tell what emotion she was feeling due to her scent being hidden away with the cloak of her mother,

Gimme a sign Red...Anything

"Thank you for this, after what happened to my daughter, I appreciate this to be kept a secret for her sake, as well as punishing the scoundrel." Red's mother said while soothing Red by petting her on her head.

"Think nothing of it, I understand you are in great deal of distress, so we'll end this as quickly as possible in order for you and your daughter to rest." Said Crane as he starts to scribble down in the book.

It's always gotta be Yvette to be behind crap like this...Bigby thought as he glares at her direction. The protective mother has always been looking for ways to bring him down, and the look of her own glares she throws at him, she believes she caught the chance .

"Now Ms. Yvette, since you were the one who reported Red missing, you should speak first . Please, start from the beginning for the books." Snow said to her as she pulls a chair for her to sit.

Red's mother moved the chair closer to her seat and sat down, bringing Red's hidden face to her shoulder and continues to pet her head. "I suppose I should start the last time we parted " she sighs out. "it was hallows eve as you all know, and we were working late at the bakery. We were closing and I had some Aarons to do so I told my daughter to lock up after me and run straight home, no shortcuts, no detours, and no wandering off."

"Sounds familiar, " Said Bluebeard with a smirk, "Do you always say this to Red Riding Hood?"

"Yes always, there's no need to tell her I know that, My Red learned her lesson centuries ago, but a mother always worry no matter how good your children are."

Red smirks at that, making Bigby raise an eyebrow, not sure on what to think of her reaction to the comment. Red knew she wasn't entirely 'good', she said it to him herself, but to openly smirk about it was...strange...Anf something else about her behavior caught his attention...

Her posture was relaxed, she was leaning her back to the chair rather than sitting properly like she usually does, and her arms were crossed in front of her chest as her legs where stretch out in front of her...like she had no care in the world.

Somethings off...

"it was late when I finally arrived home, like around 4 am." Yvette continues "my apartment was empty and Red was nowhere to be found. That's when I knew he's got her, I felt it in my heart. So I ran to the business office as fast as I could and I found Mr. Crane and miss. White answering phone calls. I demanded to see the Wolf, that was when Snow told me what happened at the Mundy club."

Yvette went quiet, her body trembling and tears threaten to escape her watery eyes. "That was when Mr. Crane and I asked the mirror of the Wolf's whereabouts..." she was struggling with her words now and closes her hand into fist, making Bigby realize in horror what she is going to say next, say what every parent fears to see

"And we see this. This. MONSTER! on top of my daughter! Violating her! In that dirty room! " She was yelling now, her knuckles white tears now on her cheeks as they flow freely out of her angry green eyes. She suddenly stands up and pulls a knife out, making everyone stand up as well. Bluebeard grabs her from behind, Crane moves back away from the scene and behind his chair, while Snow pulls Red away from the line of fire so she wouldn't get hurt .

"You destroyed what innocence she had left Wolf, you stole her vurtue, humiliated her!" She yells at him as she points the knife at Bigbys direction with her free hand.

"Yvette calm down " Bluebeard grunted out as he pulls her back

"You are telling me to calm down?! After what he has done?!" She spat

"Yes, we are!" Snow suddenly burst out "I know this must be hard for you to sit still while the man who...assaulted your daughter, much less with the fact it's the man who did so in the past as well but we must remain calm if you want justice for this!"

Yvette went quiet on that but still had a hard grip on the knife, suddenly, Red grabs her mother by the arm, getting everyone's attention by doing so and started to whimper.

"Mother, please. " she sniffed as she starts to weep, "let's get this over with so we can go home." She wraps her arms around her mother's arm and began openly cry. "I wanna be far away from the big bad wolf! "

Okay, something is definitely off. ..Bigby thought as he stares at Red in disbelief, they may have last saw each other with bad terms, but he knows Red would never pull a pity stunt like this.

"Miss. Riding Hood, I know this is a difficult time for you," Bluebeard started, "But for the sake of this trial"

Red tilts her head up and looks up at Bluebeard, she pulls the green hood further down to her face as her other hand sneaks into the hood to wipe away the tears from her hidden eyes.

"y-yes, I'm ready to talk now." she meekly replies and takes a deep breath. "Last night, I was at the bakery locking up and heading home, like mother said, but I felt like someone was following me...then, a bad feeling can to me, in the pit of my tummy" she rubs her lower part of her stomach as so. "So i..I took a detour to shake that feeling off."

"Red, what have I told you? " Yvette started

"I know mother I'm sorry, I was just so scared! " She wines, "as I look back I saw Bigby following me. I got scared so I ran into a mundy club to shake him off..but..but he" she started to cry again and covers her face "But he caught me a-and manhandled me!"

Snow rubs her back, soothing her and her sobs as she continues. "He then dragged me in that motel a-and..and..." She fell down to her knees and hugged herself, Snow and Yvette went down with her to calm her..

"So there you have it Icabod. Bigby lost control and the result left a poor girl broken, you sure you still want him as Sheriff? " Bluebeard said out loud so everyone in the room could hear the question.

"we have no choice.." Snow quietly said without meeting anyone's eyes, "however..this, and the massacre in the club last night will not go unpunished.

Snow looks up to Bigby, meeting his gaze for the first time, her eyes were cold and emotionless as she held her chin up high to him. "Bigby Wolf, for the crimes you have committed, you are to be locked up and isolated in the Woodland cells. Where you will be kept away from the mundies, from the citizens of Fabletown, and away from Red Riding Hood, until further notice..."

"Thats it...That's all the punishment the Wolf is gonna get? " Red's mother hissed out in anger

Snow turned to her then, back facing Bigby as she crosses her arms, "Yes Yvette, Bigby will sill remain sheriff but will be locked up and will be released for and ONLY official business and supervised until his time has been fully paid "

Yvette spat at that, "to hell with that! You think throwing him in a cage or drag him in a leash will stop him from coming after my daughter? He's an animal! An animal who stole Red's virtue "

Snow turns to look at Bigby for a moment then to Red and sighed the same time Crane fixes his tie and spoke up.

"We have thought about this and I agree with you Yvette, so there will be a restraining order, Bigby must be away from 100 feet from Ms. Riding Hood" Crane looks back to Bigby and made a face of disgust. "if you are to break this restraining order Bigby, your punishment will be for you to meet your end in the witching well."

"it still does not give me comfort." The huntress huffed out, "you do realize that the deflowering of my daughter means that she is no longer pure for when she marrys, if a man would take her now"

"Mrs. Yvette I understand, but-" Snow started but Crane spoke up first.

"Noble that maybe, but we no longer live in the homeland and the days of old are long gone. Hardly anyones pure anymore to honor that-"

"But we still honor it sir! Even if the world around us does not! Do not say such disgusting, disrespectful -"

"Yvette, I had nothing but respect for your daughter, I would never hurt Red if i-" Bigby tries to speak

"Don't talk to me Wolf, you are the most vile and dishonorable creature of all! If only you can just roll over and die!"

"Yvette! " Snow yells at her in shock, "please stop this. "

"I will not stop! I will not rest until I see true justice -!"

"Look Yvette I know you are upset, but I didn't...If I can only talk to Red in private " Bigby said as he reaches towards Red's direction for her hand but Yvette quickly raises up the knife in her hand and stood in front of Red.

"Do not test me Wolf!" Yvette finally snaps and gives him the most threating glare he has ever seen on her, "Don't think that I am afraid of you, I've killed your brothers and I have no shame in killing you too."

"Y-you what?!" Bigby spoke out in shock, he had no love for his brothers, but to hear that the mother of Red Riding Hood killed them herself, it shocked Bigby to the point of almost forgetting Red and everyone else in the room.

"Mother..."Red's voice broke the silent tension as she reaches out for her mother's hand and whimpers pathetically. "please...I've had enough, let's go home, I suddenly feel tired.."

Everyone kept there attention on Red now, ignoring the confession of murder. Yvette puts away her knife and hugs Red close.

"of course darling, of course..." she cooed at her then started to lead her out, "This is not over Snow, I will have his head on my wall sooner or later "

"Until our next meeting Yvette.." was all she said as she crosses her arms.

Bluebeard stood in front of Bigby and held him back as Bigby stepped forward towards Red, still desperate to talk to her despite the things that happened, the words that been spoken and the sentence passed. He still needed to talk to her, to see her face.

"I don't think so Sheriff" was all he said as Snow reaches for the handcuffs and starts to cuff his hands together on his back.

Red...please , Bigby mentally pleaded, hoping for her to turn around. As if she read his mind, Red slightly turns her head to look at Bigby over her shoulder, finally revealing her face to him. And what Bigby saw was not the emerald greens he was obsessed with, but the big yellow eyes and wide toothy grin of the Cheshire Cat.

xxxxxxxxxx

Empty

there was no one at the door, Red peaks out and looks around the hallway, but sees no one anywhere.

"Nice place you got here." said a voice in the living room, startling Red.

Red held a hand over her heart and turns around to see the purple haired fable named Cheshire Cat lounging around on the only green armchair.

"Cat! how in the hell? never mind, I want you out!" Red snaps at the fable as she points at the front door.

"Relax Red, I'm not here to fight" Cat said to her in a calm and bored sounding voice, She streches her body in the chair and kicks her feet up to the coffee table, kicking the antique sewing kit while unzipping her purple striped hoodie "I'm here to talk"

"About what" Red hissed while glaring her eyes like daggers.

Cheshire Cat gives Red a hard look, studying her like she was a puzzle, "I guess I can sorta see the potential in you" she said to herself more than to Red.

"What are you talking about? " Red asks losing her patients.

Cat just yawns and pops her neck as she pulls off her gloves and starts cleaning her nails.

"So heres the oh so big secret Red, for awhile both the Mad Hatter and Georgie Porgie wanted to have you under there little thumbs. So they gave the Pied Piper a job to get you in debt, a pretty shitty job since hes an idiot but hey, it still worked. "

Red's face lost all its color, Her green daggers became frozen with shock. "You...What are-"

"Shh let me finish, so anyways they wanted to have you stuck in an impossible debt for you to pay so you can look for the tweedle brothers to get a loan from our boss The Crooked Man, Georgie's plan for you was to convince you to work for him so you can 'pay off' the debt" Cat threw air quotes at the pay off part as she continues.

Red felt sick, she felt like she was gonna faint. She reached for the two seater couch and dropped herself down to have a seat, fearing of falling if she kept standing.

"Georgie's plan, What was Hatter's plan?" Red asked with a shaky voice.

"Well, Hatter being the drug dealer he is, his plan was to get you addicted to his latest drugs like Lily and all the other girls working at the Pudding -N- Pie, that way you would stay trapped in this twisted spider web they have you going. "

Red felt bile coming up, she held her stomach and covered her mouth, fighting it down. "Lily? Lily is a drug addict? be-because of the Mad Hatter?" She fought the words out, feeling her eyes watering for Holly's sister, for her friend..

"Yeah, they kinda force you to take it if you don't do it willingly, kinda sucks huh" Cat looks at her nails andcontinues to clean them as if the subject of the conversation was nothing.

Red felt like a fool, she felt ashamed, all of this worry, all of this hiding, this heartache, was exactly what they have wanted. And she has been hitting every landmine they lay so she would land right at their doorstep, all just a game to the unknown player. but it brings her to a question...

"Cat...Why are you telling me all of this?"

The fable didn't hesitate to answer Red, she looks up from her nails and smiles at her.

"Because the boss saw some potential in you"

"What kind of potential? for what?" Red asks

"That Red Riding Hood, is something you have to find out yourself. He wants to meet you and discuss that actully. Don't worry, The Crooked Man is nothing like Hatter or Georgie, hes a business man with class. You won't be fooled into anything. In fact, The Boss even said that he would pardon your debt and Granny's medical bills if only you hear him out"

"But why me?!" Red burts out in anger, standing up abruptly "Out of all the fables why did you guys have to pick ME to screw around with?!"

Cheshire Cat grew silent then, her adnormal large smile fading into a straight line. "Because you are the only one who can do this job..."

Cat gets up and fixes her hoodie while looking down "Sure we have Alice, and Hatter, and Even Bloody Mary" she continues, "but no one can do what you can do...We don't have what you have.."

"And that is..?" Red eyes her movements

Cat starts ruffling up her short hair and slowly pauses, her eyes getting lost in thought for a moment...

"Your cloak is very special Red, why don't you wear it anymore? " She suddenly asks..

Red pauses for a moment, thinking back to the days of old, the days when she would wear it before she would wonder off into the dark forest, when her grandmother would hang it out to dry in Autumn as the wind would pick up and make the falling leaves dance around it, she even thought of the fading memory of her father wrapping her tiny form around the red cloak to sheld her from the winter frost...

Yes the cloak was special to her and it still is special, even though it brings her horrible nightmares, even though it gives her beautiful sweet dreams, tells her whispers of the past, her father, the white deer, the wolf...

"I don't wear it anymore..." She started to speak "Because it's...it represents the things that are dear to me...and the things I hate the most...I want to preserve it as long as I can so it won't get tainted by this world..""

Cat studies her for a moment, Red's words sinking in and then scoffed "Thats the dumbest thing I've ever heard" She commented it.

Cat started heading towards the door, fixing to head out but pauses in front of the door "But, it does sound nice...homey even " she finally admits.

Red couldnt help but smile at that. "Thank you Cat...but what does it have to do with the Crooked Man?" Red asks again, still careful around the fable.

Cat reaches the door but pauses and sniffs the air..

"Do you want to find out? " she suddenly said.

Red hesitates but reluctantly nods. Suddenly, Cat quickly picks up the antique sissors on the coffee table and reaches for her hair, Red was backing away but Cat was too fast and cuts a small piece of lock of her hair.

"Your mother's coming up the stairs " She says as she takes out a wooden tube and stuffs her hair in "She will no doubt take you to the Business Office, I'll handle it for you. "

Cat pulls out a card and hands it over to her, "Go to this address and find Alice, she will take you to the Crooked Man and all will be explained "

Red grabs the card and glances at it, "I can't go now, I have to l..check on someone " she hesitantly said to her while thinking about Travis.

"Once I go to the Business Office and meet the Wolf he's gonna spill everything about your Mundy friends " Cat informed her while closing the lid and spinning the puzzle "And they will kill them to keep Fable town's secret. " Once the puzzle stopped spinning Cheshire Cat's body molded into Red's identical one making Red gasp

"So I suggest you go visit the boss man, or everything will be too late...for everyone...


So I hope this chapter was better than the last one for you guys. You guys like the bomb I made up about Bigby's brothers? Can't wait to share that part with you guys

Baby Info Time!

Thank you all for your love and comments.

I'm very excited /scared but happy, though I can do without the morning sickness :/

To answer some questions :

I'm 11 weeks pregnant and I am hoping to have a boy. :) though I wouldn't mind a girl,

Until next time!

xoxo