Fabletown Business Office

The Woodlands

11:48 PM

Bufkin was picking up the broken pieces off of the floor and began to put the Magic Mirror back together. Snow, now in her normal blue skirt, snowflake dress shirt and tan suit jacket, was standing by, watching him, while you, in your jeans and a white tank top and boots, were sitting on the edge of Crane's old desk, holding an ice pack to the back of your head, looking down at your feet.

Bigby was leaning at the other end of the desk, shirtless, as he was getting patched up by Swineheart. He looks over at Bufkin and the broken mirror for a moment then his gaze turns to you.

"I did as well as I could to take out the buckshots, but there's still some shards embedded in your shoulder. They'll eventually worm their way out on their own but....until they do, you're gonna be sore." Swineheart informed him as he finished patching Bigby up.

"Guys, Doctor Swineheart was appointed Fabletown physician for a reason." Snow said as she walks up to you two and Swineheart. "It's okay, there's only one thing to take away from all this: take it easy." Swineheart said as he looks between you and Bigby. "Both of you."

Bigby stands up straight and stretches his arms while you set the ice pack down on the desk and slowly jumped off the desk. Snow stood by your side, in case you fall over and black out.

"Don't go looking for any more fights. Keep strain off your heart, Bigby." Swineheart instructed.

"How's everyone else? They all make it?" Bigby asked him.

"They're fine. I had everyone that got wounded sent home. Holly refused to let me see where she lived, so I left her and Grendel back at her bar with a dose of juniper and spring water." Swineheart replied, but Bigby still had a worried look on his face.

"They're Titans, Bigby. They'll be fine." Swineheart said. "Just remember what I said. The stitches won't hold up if you continue to act....like you normally do." Then Swineheart looks over at you and said. "You also need to be careful, Miss (l/n). If anything you'll just have a pounding headache....but at worst you could blackout."

Swineheart picks up his medical bag and starts to walk out. "Everything in moderation. And, uh, eat more chicken, Bigby." He said. "Look, we're not the ones that create the situation...we're the ones that have to deal with them." You said to the doctor. Swineheart just grumbles at your statement as the phone rings.

"Business Office." Snow answered. "I know, I'll have to call you back." And she hangs up the phone and turns to you and Bigby. "The town is starting to find out...." She said, nervously.

"Well, I'll leave you three to it, then. Miss White. Miss (l/n). Bigby." Swineheart said and he walks out of the office.

The three of you stand there in the office in silence. You look over at Bigby and did a glance over at him but you quickly look down in embarrassment. "So...to recap..." you said as you push a strand of hair behind your ear.

"Crane watched me through the Magic Mirror uncovering his room at the Open Arms Hotel." Bigby said as he walks over to the sliding blinds and grab his shirt, which was hanging from the top. "Then he smashed it so we couldn't use it ourselves to go after him. And we know this because Bufkin was drinking in the rafters. That about cover it?" Bigby asked as he sticks his head out from the side as he buttons up his shirt.

He ducks back behind the blind as Snow said. "Once he puts all the pieces back together....it'll be easy to catch Crane. So....I guess that's the plan." Bigby walks out from behind the blinds and towards you and Snow as you said. "So that's the plan? Just wait for the mirror?"

"It's all we have right now." Snow replied to you. "What the hell is going on? Just---I don't know what the Tweedles get out of this....I don't know if Crane sent them, I don't know if....I mean, this is gonna sound crazy, but....do you really think Crane did it?"

"I'm just as confused as you are to be honest. I don't know..." Bigby replied to Snow as you stare at Crane's desk in disgust and anger. "It just doesn't make sense."

"He's....he was a conniver, a....a coward, a liar. And I'll always hate him for that. And I'll hate him for how he....held me in his thoughts." You said as you look down then back up to face the others. "But murdering prostitutes..."

Before anyone could say anything, you heard Bufkin yelp in pain.

"Everything okay over there?" Snow asked him. "Yes, Miss White. Just cut myself on a piece of the glass! Nothing to worry about." Bufkin replied as he goes back to mending the mirror.

You turn to Bigby and said. "Thanks for tonight, by the way. That could've gone really terribly....I mean, even worse than it did. I'm glad you were there."

"I just feel bad for Holly, really." Bigby said, remorseful. You nod at this and said. "Time heals everything, eventually. At least, I hope so....for her sake."

"Can I, uh, ask you a question? It's kinda personal..." Snow said as she takes a few steps forward towards Bigby. "Sure." He said, uncertain.

"It's just....when stuff hits the fan---like it did tonight...it feels like before we came to the city. It feels kind of like home. And I've heard it said....that maybe....in some tiny bottled up way, deep inside....you enjoy it....when things go wrong. Because it gives you an excuse to....just, you know...stop pretending." Snow said, nervously.

"Fuck no, I don't enjoy it! Are you kidding me?! It's horrible what happened tonight. I wish it didn't happen!" Bigby replied to her, angrily. He felt alittle upset that she would ask him that.

"Why bring this up, Snow?" You asked her. She looks over at you with concern then said, as she looks away. "I shouldn't have said anything. Forget that I did."

"Uh, guys!" Bufkin exclaims. "We have a problem...."

"What is it?" Snow asked as all three of you make your way towards Bufkin. "I can't finish the mirror. It's missing a piece." Bufkin replied as he turns to face you three. "What do you mean missing a piece?" Snow asked.

"Yes, it's, uh....it's not here." Bufkin replied, nervously.

"Crane must've taken a shard with him." Bigby said after thinking for a moment. Snow sighs as you said, annoyed. "I can't believe this."

"I saw Crane pick something up after he smashed it. I'm sorry....I didn't realize what it was until now." Bufkin said.

"The mirror can't work unless it's whole." Snow exclaimed.

"Well, that's not entirely true..." Bufkin said.

"Or what, Bufkin? What? We sit around and wait for it to mend itself? We have no idea how long that will take! We're just gonna have to do this the hard way." Snow said, angrily.

"I'm just saying waiting is an option...."

"No. We can't depend on the mirror." Snow said to Bufkin, firmly.

"What exactly is the hard way?" You asked Snow.

"We'll look through his things, his desk, everything. He had to have left something that tells us where he's going. He was a neat freak but he was never that smart." Snow said.

"Smart enough to take a piece of the mirror..." Bufkin remarks. "We can still solve this ourselves....I know that---"

"Nevermind that, come help me look." Snow said to you and Bigby and she begins to walk over to Crane's desk. You and Bigby exchange a look before you make it over to the desk and you look through some of the drawers. Bigby turns to Bufkin who says. "I can still help you catch Crane, you know..."

"Oh yeah?" Bigby said, curiously.

"Yes! I saw him jump on the telephone before he left. He called up somebody. He said he needed to see his witch, or that he needed to get to the witch for that....whoever that is." Bufkin replied.

"His witch?" Bigby said, confused.

"Yes, it sounded like the one he got his (y/n) glamours from." Bufkin replied and Bigby hums at this as he turns and walks towards you and Snow.

"Bufkin said he overheard Crane call somebody before he left." Bigby said to you and Snow. "It sounds like he was going to see a witch....his witch. His glamour witch."

"Wait, really?" You said, surprised.

"None of the 13th floor witches would allow that sort of thing. They must be somewhere in the city." Snow said.

"It's at least something." You said to her and she nods.

"Find anything?" Bigby asked you two.

"No, but there's enough notes and stuff here to take all night." Snow replied. "Maybe check that stuff over there." She points at the stack of letters on the desk.

Bigby walks over to the desk but sees a box off to the side. He looks inside and found a key, the Room 207 key.

"What is it?" You asked him as he pulls the key out and looks at it. "It's the key to his room at the Open Arms." Bigby said as he tries to shake the image of that room out of his head.

"You still haven't told me what was in there..." you said to him. "I want to know." Then you turned around and placed your left hand on his arm, giving him a pleading look. "I need to know." You whispered.

Bigby closes his eyes for a moment then opens them and replied. "Crane was, uh... paying Lily to live out a fantasy. Of you and him. Together. Forgive me if I spare you the details." You close your eyes as you lower your head and he sets the keys down on the table. Snow stood there in shock as she listens, anger boiling in her chest.

"I keep thinking back....I keep replaying moments in my head, interactions with him, when he'd catch me in the elevator, or....bump into me outside. There's only so much you can repress, you know." You said as you open your eyes and stare at him.

"(Y/N)....you couldn't have known." Bigby said to you, softly. "No. I could've." You replied, as you look down. Bigby placed his hand over yours as he gives you an apologetic look. You look up at him and give him a small smile.

"C'mon, let's keep looking." Snow said, making you two jump alittle. You almost forgot your sister was standing there next to you. You give an embarrassed smirk at him and the two of you continue to look at the desk.

There was three letters addressed to Crane. Bigby picks up one and reads.

Ichabod Crane,

Are there any updates on the extra funding I requested? As I explained in my last letter, the conditions here could do with some improvement. I'm seeing some unrest from the residents, and I have to admit I can see why. The Farm should not be a punishment. I'm sure you're busy, but I think this should be made a priority.

Best,

Weyland Smith

You and Bigby state at each other at this as you rolled your eyes and he sets the letter back down and picks up another letter.

Dear Mr Ichabod Crane,

I am writing to ask, again, that you please send someone to fix the air conditioning in our unit. It's burning up in the apartment and Pinocchio says his skin is splintering. I don't know what that means, but I assume it's something gross and I'd really like it if you'd fix the air like we asked you three months ago. At the very least provide us a fan in the meantime.

Sincerely,

Boy Blue

Bigby sets that letter down and picks up the last one.

Mr Crane,

You said you'd pay to have the plaster redone in my building after the last incident in 204. It's falling off the fucking walls! Please FIX IT! I can't rent out that room as it is and I've already been waiting for DAYS! Not to mention you already promised me you'd send someone to fix the big crack in the glass in the front door! Well, guess what? IT'S WORSE NOW!

GET YOUR SHIT TOGETHER!

-Mr Toad

"Did Crane ever do any work?" Bigby asked you and Snow. "Only when Cole was around..." Snow replied as he sets the letter down and sees a drawer. He pulls it but it didn't budge. He looks up at you and Snow and both of you nod at him. He uses all his strength and pulls the drawer open to reveal a book inside. He smiles at you two and grabs the book.

He flips through until he noticed a page was torn. "There's a page here that was torn out." He said. "Oh yeah?" Snow said as you and her look at the book.

"Bufkin? Do you know what was here?" You asked and Bufkin flies over to the desk and looks at the corner of the missing page that only said The Ring of before it was cut of. "It's a ring, at least. Every magical item not retained in the armory is assigned to someone in Fabletown. It must be this witch he's going to see..." Bufkin informed.

"Yeah, we only recently heard about this meeting. Why didn't you mention this before?" Snow asked him, angrily, as all of you glare at the little monkey.

"No one asked me!" Bufkin replied.
"Bufkin!" Snow shouted, exasperated, as you and Bigby just glare at him.

"And I'm hungover, I'm sorry!" Bufkin exclaimed. "He set the meeting at 2:00 AM. Tonight."

And as if that couldn't be bad enough, you hear the door open and in walk Bluebeard. "What's going on? Is the mirror fixed yet?" He asked as he walks into the office. "Bluebeard, this isn't the time." Snow said to him.

"Is the mirror fixed or isn't it? You called me to--"

"I called just to see if you knew where Crane could be, and that was it, okay? And I'm sorry I said anything more than that." Snow replied to him.

"Well, you did, and I know. The cat's out of the bag. So...can we find the full pervert or not?" Bluebeard asked.

"No. It can't be fixed. It's missing a piece." Bigby replied.

"This is none of Bluebeard's business, Bigby." Snow shouted at him.

"None of my business? Crane's the murderer, he escaped, it seems he's foiled your every attempt at locating him, and now it's none of my business?" Bluebeard asked, angrily.

"We don't know if he's the murderer." You said.

"Oh, please, of course he is." Bluebeard scoffed.

"Look, this just isn't the time. He took a piece of the mirror, so we can't use it." Snow said, annoyed.

"The only thing we know is that Crane's going to see a witch at two o'clock." Bufkin squeaks and you, Snow and Bigby give him the death glare. "AM or PM?" Bluebeard asked him. Bufkin looks to you three then lowers his head as he replies. "AM."

"Listen, Bluebeard, you're not a part of this." Snow said to him.

"I don't think you're in any position to turn away help." Bluebeard remarked

"What do you know about Crane, anyway?" Bigby asked him.

"That he has the stones to kill prostitutes, like any common sex-frightened serial killer, and not face a real challenge." Blubeard replied and you just roll your eyes at this.

"Look, we know that Crane is going to see a witch, and it's to acquire a magic ring." You said as you walk over to Crane's desk. "What's the ring?" Bluebeard asked you. "We don't know what it does or who it's assigned to since Crane tore its page out of the book." You replied as you point at the open book on the desk.

Bluebeard turns to Snow and points at her. "This farce was your ridiculous plan, I mean, who put you in charge in the first place?" He asked, angrily, as he starts to walk away. "Fixing the mirror was the most logical thing!" Snow shouted.

"You're a secretary! He's the Sherriff and your sister is the Deputy and none of you were chosen to run this office!" Bluebeard shouts as he turns to face Snow. "Who elected you to make these decisions?" He asked Snow.

"Nobody, but that doesn't--"

"Who elected her to spend my money?" Bluebeard asked you and Bigby. "Well I've been doing that unofficially for years now!" Snow shouts back at him.

"Snow can obviously handle this, so let's drop it!" You said to Bluebeard.
"Well then....excuse me for having the commonwealth in mind." Bluebeard said. offended.

Snow turns around and stares at the broken mirror for a moment then turns to face all of you. "Alright, let's look on the bright side. We know that Crane is going to see the witch that's been supplying him black market glamours." She said.

"Thanks to me." Bufkin chimed in with a smile.

"....and that he'll be there at two. So that gives us..." Snow looks down at her watch and said. "A few short hours to find out who it is and where they live and get them all at once."

"And a few shorter hours the more you babble about it." Bluebeard sneered as he folds his arms across his chest. "We're not the ones babbling, Bluebeard!" You growled at him.

"Yeah, yeah, just point into the direction you want us to check first." Bigby said to Snow. "Since Lily used the glamours. she'd have know who the witch was....and I don't think Holly has burned her things yet. It would probably have an address, or a phone number or something..." Snow said.

"And Bigby and (y/n) are free to go there if they like, but I think the question you should be asking is just what do the two Tweedles know about this?" Bluebeard asked her.

"It doesn't matter what they know. After tonight, they'd never go back to their office." Snow replied.

"They're not smart enough to try and go anywhere else--" Bluebeard said.

"The Trip Trap is the better option to track down the witch." Snow argued.

"Look, chances are we'll swing by both anyways so..." Bigby said but Snow interrupts him. "No. chances are you won't have the time."

"What if we split up?" You asked. "I mean, Bigby goes to one and I go to the other..."

"I don't think that's..." Snow started to say but you talk over to her. "Snow, I can handle it. I'm not a baby. If we split up, we might actually have some time to catch Crane before two o'clock." Snow gives you a worried look and you say. "It's worth a shot."

"I don't care what you three do, I'm going to his apartment." Bluebeard announced as he turns away. "What? You can't just go up there." Snow yells at him.

"And why the hell not?" He asked her as he turns back to face her.

"We already looked for the key, remember? I don't know where it is." Snow exclaimed as she walks up to Bluebeard.

"Then I'll pick the blasted lock! I've already wasted enough time for the mirror to find him. I won't waste anymore!" He shouts.

"You can't just go up there alone, alright?" Snow said, angrily. "I've no interest in nicking his drapes, my dear, if that's what concerns you." He replied.

"What concerns me is you traipsing through possible evidence." said Snow.

"Oh, now it's evidence!" Bluebeard exclaims. "Before you had no interest and now it's a crime scene!"

"Bluebeard, just stay out of it, alright? You'll just mess things up further." Bigby said.

"They can't get anymore messed up!" Blubeard growled at him. "We need to find the witch, Bluebeard, since that's where he's going." You said.

"Or the sniveling weasel chickened out! And is upstairs right now in his pitiful penthouse, crafting a fort out of couch cushions! Look, this is how a smart person would do it, so this how we're going to do it....wherever you two go, I'll go to the other." Bluebeard said as he paces around then steps in front of you and Bigby.

"I don't like you going anywhere unsupervised!" Snow shouts at him then she turns to you two and whispered. "He's up to something. I don't know what it is but we don't have time to really worry about it now." Then she looks between all of you and turns to you and Bigby and asked. "Where are you two gonna go?"

Both of you think for a moment before Bigby speaks. "The witches identity must be in with Lily's stuff. I should go see Holly." You nod and said. "I'll go to the Tweedles office, see if I can find anything they might know." Snow gives you a concern looks as Bluebeard said. "Perfect! And I'll go to Crane's apartment." And he begins to walk out of the office.

Snow sighs and turns to you two and said. "I'll check in on you guys later. I hope you guys know what you are doing." She walks over to the desk and picks up the phone and makes some calls. You and Bigby glance at each other and began to make your way out of the office.