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I ran down the hall of the dimly lit apartment, as I walked into the main building earlier today I ran into Collin, Snow, and Swineheart who informed me about Bigbys failed fight with Bloody Mary. I knock on the door and hold my fist against the door. All I could hear is my heartbeat in my ears, and I felt as if my heart was going to burst from the anxiety of waiting. “Bigby, it’s me…please let me in.” I say this softly to the door, and I feel it open from under my hand. I look at Bigby and notice the bandages wrapped around arm and chest. I feel relief wash over me at the sight of him.”Oh Bigby…” I whisper this softly as he lets me into our apartment. I don’t want to upset him or hurt him, so I enter the apartment silently. We stand on opposite sides of the hall just looking at eachother. I take a deep breathe and take a step closer to him.“Snow and Swineheart told me what happened.” I say this in a hushed voice to him, barely over a whisper. I look at his wounds and then back at him. He looks down at me, with almost shame in his eyes. I move one of my hands to his face and carefully cup his cheek. I take a breath and he sighs, leaning slightly into my touch. This soft moment with him is rare now a days, and I wish he didn’t have to almost die for it to happen. He says my name softly, I move my hand away from his face, and I take his hand and walk him to the large blue chair in his small living room. He sits down, and I let go of his hand. “Come here.” He says this softly and pants down the space next to him on the chair; I sit next to him on the edge of the seat, giving him space if he needs it. I take his large hands in my own and just hold them, occasionally giving them a gentle squeeze. “Why didn’t you tell me you were after the crooked man or Crane, or anything that’s been going on? You know how dangerous these past few days have been already, and now he is involved, he is the most dangerous person in Fabletown, and you didn’t bother to tell me?” I say this with pain in my voice. He clenches his jaw slightly. “I didn’t want ya gettin hurt.” He looks to the side table where a lighter and huff-and-puffs sit but he moves his hand to my face instead, moving a stray piece of hair back behind my ear. He unfolds his hand on my cheek, and I lay my head into his hand. “You almost died Bigby, that would’ve hurt me so much more…” I fight the tears brimming in the corners of my eyes. I move closer to him, and I wrap my arms around his unharmed-shoulder and arm. “I know, I know, I’m so sorry darling.” He grumbles this which a guilt in his voice I’ve never heard before. “Is there anything I can do to help you?” I ask him this quietly and he puts his hand around my waist, pulling me even closer to him. “Stay with me.” I am mindful of his injuries as I rest my hand on his chest. “I didn’t plan on leaving, please tell me what happened now, snow gave me a quick run down, but I want to know more so I can help you.” He lets out a chuckle and I rest my head on his good shoulder. “It was a shit show.” He starts off his story already at a high, so I give him my attention as I listen to what has happened with this case. He finishes explaining it after around 15 minutes. The realization that he was shot with a silver bullet hit me, Snow left that part out. “You were shot with Silver?” I ask him this and he nods and rolls his shoulder loosening it up a bit, I shake my head at him, knowing this will pop the stitches. “Yeah, that bitch Bloody Mary came prepared, but it takes more than that to kill a monster.” He lays his head against mine and I frown. “You aren’t a monster, you are a person like anyone else, and I’m just happy you made it out alive.” He leaves a kiss on my forehead where his lips were leaning. “You are the only one who thinks that.” I sigh and give him a kiss on his chapped lips. He kisses me back, and I realize the lack of tobacco that seems to be on his breath. “You haven’t been smoking?” I ask this as he runs a hand down my face. “Not since you’ve walked into the building, but damnit I thought about it.” I knew exactly what he meant by this, causing me to hold him closer. “I know I haven’t been home a lot because of work but I miss ya so much. I couldn’t smoke it when I knew you were nearby, I needed you.” He admits this to me and I feel his grip on my waist tighten. “Let me help you, you know I’m capable, I know I’m not a princess or a wolf or even a fable but I can help you, I’m practically immortal because the witches upstairs so let me help so this doesn’t happen again.” I say this, admitting my tragic humanity as I move some of his hair away from his face. “Their looking into making you a fable, I know their trying. They know that Fabletown can’t lose you.” He admits this, almost as reassurance to himself, but avoiding my pleas to help. “Bigby, let me help you with this case.” He takes a deep breath and lays his head on my shoulder almost in defeat. This surprises me, I never get to see him like this. “What if I can’t protect you, what if the bullet hits you instead of me.” He pauses for a moment, “what if you see what I am, what will stop you from leaving.” He admits this softly, and latches onto me in a hug. His hands gripping the back of my shirt. “You will always protect me, I know you will, and I could care less about if I see you wolf out, I love you, I don’t care if you do what you must to protect me and everyone else here.” I admit this to him. “I want to help protect you too.” I whisper this and he places a soft kiss where his lips rest on my neck. “I know you do. You do in ways you will never understand.” I run my fingers through his hair, carefully unknotting it. “Now stop being a hardass then and let me do two things: one help you solve this case, and two take care of you tonight.” I ask him this and sighs giving up. “Fine, but if you get even the slightly scratch then you can’t help.” I smile and kiss his forehead. “Deal.” I leave his embrace and walk into our kitchen and grab an ice pack. I walk back over to him and place the ice pack over his shoulder. “Why weren’t you icing your wound, it’s gonna hurt more if you don’t.” He shrugs. “I didn’t think about it, I was honestly just gonna throw a shirt on and go back on to the case.” I give him a disappointment glare. “And your arm too, you broke your damn arm and you still couldn’t bother to wrap it more securely or ice it, honest to god Bigby I don’t know how the hell you haven’t died.” I say this as I leave the room and grab another ice pack and and a roll of medical wrap. I kneel down next to the chair. “Can I have you hand?” I ask him this and he laughs slightly and moves his injured arm to me. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this protective before.” He remarks this as I carefully begin to unwrap his arm. “I don’t think I’ve seen you this messed up before, but here we are.” I look at his wound and become immediately nauseated. “How are you not in pain?” I ask this as I rewrap his wound with better bandages. I place an ice pack just above the makeshift cast and look back at him. “I don’t know, spite probably, look I’m just surprised I didn’t die at the hands of that crazy bitch.” He grumbles this and I stand back up. I brush myself off and smile down at him. “But you didn’t, so thank you. Now go rest, you haven’t gotten sleep in days.” I say this as I offer him my hand and help him up. We walk towards our room and he sits down on the edge of the bed. He flops over and opens his arms to me. “I don’t want to hurt your injury darling.” I say this as I sit next to him. He ignores this and holds onto me. “Fine you win, good night Bigby.” I say this as I rest my forehead against his chest, his arm draped over me, also elevating his injury and balancing his ice packs, so maybe this did work out. I’m just happy he decided to sleep on his side. “Sleep well Bigby.” I say this softly as I run a hand down his face faintly. He plants another kiss on my head. “You too doll.” I force myself to stay awake until I can tell he is asleep. Then I feel my heavy eye lids fall.
I wake up the next morning, expecting to be alone, but I see Bigby still laying with me, his arms wrapped around me still. I smile lovingly toward him. “Morning, how’re you feeling darling.” He grumbles this to me and I laugh and shake my head. “No how’re you feeling,” I ask him this and he tightens his grip around me, his strength seeming better than yesterday,and I notice his injury is looking better. “I’ll never get how fables can sometimes heal so fast.” I mumble this slightly and he shrugs. “Spite probably.” He grumbles this back and I smile at him, his morning voice is still noticeable, and I think it is amazing. I look him in the eye, “wanna just relax today, and then tonight we can go get Crane, Mary, and the Crooked Man together?” I ask this and he smirks, “Happily.” He replies and runs a hand down my back. “I love you doll.” He says this and I smile. “I love you too.”