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Caught

"I know you're in here, Georgie!" Cinderella called, gun at the ready. He would pay for his crimes against her friends. "Why don't you come out and we can get this over with?" She purred, confident of her victory. She had told Briar to run and get Bigby while she detained the businessman. She had captured him in his own club, The Pudding and Pie. What the pudding and pie was, she'd never know. This place didn't sell desserts. It was in the after hours of the early morning and Cinderella asked all the women to leave so that she could speak with Georgie "privately." Of course, no one had any idea of her true intentions. To them, she was a soon to be victim of their sweet Georgie Porgy. When she revealed her actual intent, he fled to the shadows of the back room and she pursued him. "Really, Georgie, I'd like to wrap this up quickly." She sighed, lowering her weapon momentarily.

"He never comes here, you know. That wolf they all fear." Cinderella looked around the darkness, but couldn't see a thing, so she tried moving in the direction of his voice. She knew he was talking about Bigby. What other wolf could he possibly mean. She still had no idea why he would bring that up at a time like this. "Women never really interested that mutt... except one."
"What of it?" She felt a bit snippy. Did he intend to use her feelings for Bigby against her? It wasn't as though she was secretive about them, but her goal had been to hide them in plain sight. She flirted innocently enough because she knew no one would take her silly. That was her character. A silly shopkeeper with a free spirit and a knack for fencing.
"He must have loved her from the beginning, don't you see? No other woman would satisfy him. You didn't stand a chance." His voice echoed from another location. Where was he?

"What's new? I never thought I had one to begin with! They deserve each other. I'm happy for them." She stepped silently. creeping in the direction of his voice.

"Except you're not, Ella. You're jealous. You would kill to be in her shoes, wouldn't you? To be the object of desire for the man you've loved for so long." His tone was playful and dangerous. "And you're a terrible person for thinking that because she's your best friend, isn't that right? Of course you would never harm her. But what if I could arrange for someone else to do that for you?"

Cindy laughed. "Please. I would never wish for her to be harmed. Even if I did, she isn't someone that can be so easily killed. Anyone knows that. You must be mad."

"Perhaps... but it puts you in quite the dilemma. You can't escape him and you can't meet anyone else. Yet, those two seem destined to live happily ever after. And you? An eternity of loneliness, longing, and pain. I feel bad for you, Ella, I really do. It's so tragic."

"Fuck off, you prick." She hissed, ready to shoot this clown in the face. Suddenly, she heard a snap of fingers and the lights turned on. She realized she was in the center of the stage, looking out into the club filled with empty tables and chairs. The lights were so bright, she was stunned for a moment. There was breath on her neck and she could feel her hair prickle where the air huffed.

"Can you see them? Everyone watching you? Attentive to your every action? Even in this empty club, the stage holds power." His voice was barely above a whisper. His finger traced the curve of her spine starting from the base of her skull until it reached her tailbone and she turned around quickly to shoot him, but her grabbed her wrists forcefully, making her drop the weapon. A small gasp escaped her pearly pink lips. She tried to refocus herself, struggling against him. "Let. Go. Of. Me." She warned in a low voice. She was frightened. Not of him, but of herself. She didn't like how she felt when she stood on the stage where her friend had been forced to strip herself and like it. That wasn't her. That wasn't who she wanted to be. Before she knew it though, she was being thrown against a wall by Georgie. He was kissing her thoroughly and her mind was was going wild. This was his power. This was how he kept his girls. Seduction. He learned them like he had learned her and showed them what they wanted, seducing their minds with the lights and glamour of a corrupt and degrading business. Those girls would fall for him like She might have fallen for him if she wasn't already in love with Bigby. She loved that he was a distraction ready to take her mind away in a direction that was anywhere but her beloved. She wanted it so badly she began kissing him back with a growing passion. She imagined coming to work here like the other girls had. She could dance and she would be a hit. She could see the desire and attention she had been craving from Bigby for so long in the eyes of clients. She would have Georgie when she really needed to forget. And she would be as close to happy as she could get. Except it was a lie. Those men weren't Bigby and they never would be.
*Smack!* The once orphan turned princess turned shopkeeper punched Georgie as hard as she could across the face. He cursed loudly, nursing his bruising cheek. As if on cue, the doors burst open and Bigby entered in all his rugged glory. He saw Cinderella standing on the stage and Georgie fallen to a heap on the floor. He quickly put the pimp in cuffs and escorted him into the police car where he was taken to the station. Bigby stayed behind after the car left and let the other officers take care of the felon.
"Hey, good work." He said to Cinderella with an honest smile. Upon closer inspection to her face, his own grew increasingly worried.
"Hey, are you alright? Did he hurt you?" She shook her head.
"No. Not at all. Why do you ask?"
"You're crying." He said, his voice a pitch softer than usual. She touched her cheeks, confirming his statement to be true when she felt the warm salty water on her fingertips.
"I-I see." She sighed. She turned to Bigby, her features tired and desperate and slow with drugs. "I love you." She said, looking him in the eyes. They lowered slightly. Like he already knew but didn't have the heart to say anything.
"And I know you only have eyes for Snow- don't get me wrong, I think you guys are great together and you deserve the love you have for each other it's just-" She hiccuped, her voice cracking. "I'm so miserable, loving you. Because I can't get over you when I'm working with you so closely and I'm always thinking about you and wondering how you are and what you're doing and imagining what a world would be like if Snow White hadn't been the one and I was and you have no idea-*hiccup*- how much I wanted a distraction. I wanted to surrender to drugs and prostitution just so I could stop thinking about how much I love you for just a moment!" She sobbed. "But I couldn't. Because I had a job to do. For you. And I realized that the distraction would never really make me happy." She cried hard. Bigby silently wrapped his arms around her tightly to comfort her.
"I can't be happy if I love you, Bigby. But I can't stop loving you now. I need to forget." She whispered, pulling herself away from him. It tore her heart to pieces, or what was left of the shreds. "I'm going to get a Forgetting potion from Darius. I'm going to forget everything about you. I can still be a Tourist and work for you. I like doing that-but, Bigby- promise me you won't let me get here again. Don't let me fall in love with you again. Please, I'm begging you. I can't- I can't-" The wolf held her tightly, wishing she didn't have to go through this.
"I promise." He said quietly, kissing the top of her head as she sobbed into his chest.

Fables: Cinderella, Briar, and Snow


Party girls don't get hurt
Can't feel anything, when will I learn
I push it down, push it down

I'm the one "for a good time call"
Phone's blowin' up, they're ringin' my doorbell
I feel the love, feel the love

"Briar, Darling! You look simply irresistible." The orphan turned princess beamed as she greeted one of her closest friends with a warm hug. They were meeting a few blocks away from the club for parking reasons. Cindy had been the first to arrive, and now they were looking out for their last third, Snow White. This was the first time in years the three princesses got an opportunity to hit the town and enjoy each other's company. Briar was busy with her ballet and working for Georgie and Snow was running the whole town. "You will make good competition for getting numbers tonight." She teased, nudging her arm lightly. "Now if only Snow... oh! There she is over-" She noted the pale skinned beauty getting out of a car not too far down the street. She exited from the passenger's side of the vehicle and went over to the driver's side to lean down and stick her head in the window and give Bigby a kiss before he drove off. Not before giving the girl's a quick smile and wave. It hurt more than Cindy would ever dare let on. Thankfully she was a talented actress. She was Cindy, the party girl/fashionista/self-made shop owner, rather than Cinderella: lethal spy/assassin/hopelessly in love with Bigby Wolf. Bigby, of course, was still hopelessly in love with Snow White, who still wasn't even sure about how she felt about him. The blonde's face hardly moved from it's bright, fixed smile.
"There she is!" Cinderella cheered waving the fair princess over. "Snow, you look smoking hot! It must have been hard for the wolfman to let you go, huh?" She teased, forcing the lump in her throat as far down as she could. The raven-haired beauty blushed as she approached her friends.
"Well, he knows it's important for me to be able to do this with my closest friends." She shrugged, hugging Briar and Cindy before they all made their way to the line.
"Oh, shoot. The line is so long!" Briar groaned, running her fingers through her own blonde hair.
"Ah ah ah! Never fear, ladies. I know the bouncer." Cindy assured her friends, strutting up to the large man with a confident, yet sultry grin. After a couple seconds of working her magic, he let her and her friends go inside. The music was loud and thumping. She could hardly make out what Briar and Snow were trying to say. She motioned to the bar so they could all get their drinks. The image of Snow kissing Bigby was burned into her mind and all Cindy wanted was to erase it. They ordered shots and cheered each other.

123, 123 Drink.
123, 123 Drink.
123, 123 Drink.

Throw 'em back, 'til I lose count.

I'm gonna swing from the chandelier, from the chandelier
I'm gonna live like tomorrow doesn't exist
Like it doesn't exist
I'm gonna fly like a bird through the night, feel my tears as they dry
I'm gonna swing from the chandelier, from the chandelier

But I'm holding on for dear life, won't look down won't open my eyes
Keep my glass full until morning light, 'cos I'm just holding on for tonight
Help me, I'm holding on for dear life, won't look down won't open my eyes
Keep my glass full until morning light, 'cos I'm just holding on for tonight
On for tonight

They did shots first before moving to the dance floor. Briar had no trouble fitting right in. Her experience working for Georgie gave her some very attractive dance moves that had men swarming. Snow stuck with Cindy, not interest in entertaining the attention of the silent offers and interested looks she received. Cindy almost wished she didn't so she could not think about her and Bigby for just moment. She brought her over closer to Briar while she made her way back to the bar and ordered another round of shots for herself. She needed that image to go away. She turned to the overpowering music thumping in a deafening beats and the sweaty heated bodies moving to the same rhythm. She watched the bright lights, smiling as she began to lose herself in strangers and liquor. She found swaying hips and eager lips to take her attention.

You're a party girl. Party girl's don't get hurt. You're not hurt. You have the music and the drinks

Cinderella danced with whoever asked, kissed whoever she wanted, and always had a drink in her hand. She wasn't worried about alcohol poisoning despite Snow's concerned insistence. A Fable as popular as her wouldn't be killed so simply. The last thing she remembered that night was spinning. Spinning in a circle, watching the lights dance around her until her memories turned black.

Sun is up, I'm a mess
Gotta get out now, gotta run from this
Here comes the shame, here comes the shame

1,2,3 1,2,3 drink
1,2,3 1,2,3 drink
1,2,3 1,2,3 drink

I'm gonna swing from the chandelier, from the chandelier
I'm gonna live like tomorrow doesn't exist
Like it doesn't exist
I'm gonna fly like a bird through the night, feel my tears as they dry
I'm gonna swing from the chandelier, from the chandelier

The next morning, Cindy awoke to an unfamiliar apartment. It wasn't hers. And it certainly wasn't Briar or Snow's. By the looks of it, no one too rich lived here. The musky smell gave her the impression that a man lived here. Did she go home with someone last night? She wouldn't have been surprised if she had. She yawned, sitting up in the bed and stretching. She was wearing clothes much too large for her petit frame, but she was, nonetheless, clothed fully. So no sex, then? She heard some scuffling coming from the other room and got to her feet, tiptoeing her way to the door. She was about to peek on the other side when the door opened completely. A tall, gruff looking man stood before her. She came face to face with his chest and when she gasped in surprise, the familiar scent threatened to burn her skin off.

"You're up..." Bigby stated. His tone was straightforward, but soft, tired, holding pity. She had known he knew about her feelings as soon as she did. Bigby had a super sense that way. He always knew how people felt, when they were sad, when they were lying, when they were in love...

"How did I end up here?" She managed. Nothing made her feel more ashamed than being in front of Bigby after everything she had done the night before.

"Snow had to take Briar home and didn't want to leave you alone. I volunteered to take you for the night." He explained.

She felt like a child caught in a lie. Of course, she had every right to get drunk and act as she pleased. None of that, however, changed her feelings. And Bigby knew, but he was too nice to point any of it out. But that didn't matter because he knew and she knew he knew and it was humiliating beyond comparison.

"I should leave..." She whispered, trying to move past his large frame. He moved to let her go, knowing better than to stop her. She imagined a world where he did stop her and invite her to stay for breakfast and coffee. Then she returned to reality.

"Be sure to give Snow a call. She was really worried about you. She said you weren't yourself last night." His voice was gravelly and rough as though he had just woken up and needed a glass of water.

Cindy began grabbing her things, unable to face him directly. "That's funny, I'm a party girl after all-"

"Cinderella." He stopped her. His request for her to stop lying. "I'm sorry." His voice was honest, yet resigned.

She nodded, wanting to say so much, but she knew it would change nothing. She didn't know how to respond. She just knew she needed to leave. She couldn't take it anymore. This was too much. "Yeah... me too." Her voice cracked before she fled the apartment and hit the streets.

When will I learn? Push it down, Push it down.

Cindy and Bigby.
They kissed. They really kissed. Hands tangled in hair, grabbing and greedy and needing closeness and they kissed.
The wolf's arms were strong, his hands rough around the shop owner's slight, soft body.

This was all she could hope for.
This was all she could ever hope to have.

Because it was good.
Amazing.
Fantastic.
Unreal.

For Cindy, her furry hero was before her, wanting her as she had always wanted him and wasn't this ok? Didn't she earn this for all of her restraint and pain? Despite that he was her boss and Snow White was her best friend, hadn't she deserved this?

This passion and desire and safety?
This love?

Even if it was fabrication.

And his apartment was really her own.

And his eyes held more hunger than affection.

And he was the illusion of her drugged mind.

And his lips belonged to a man name Georgie.

But she deserved it. Because she was in love with a man in love with her best friend. Because she flirted with him anyways. Because he never flirted back. Because she didn't care. Because she couldn't stop caring.

And she could have this Bigby. The imaginary one. It was all she could have.
It was all she could ever have.