TWAU: Before the Crime

Chapter 5: New Year's Resolutions

"So Bigby, what's your resolution?" Snow asked. Bigby looked up at her in surprise, and took a moment to think,

"To be honest, Snow, I uh... haven't got one" he admitted, looking rather sheepish.

"Aww Bigby, you need a resolution! Mine's to get in touch with Rose every week, whether it be phone, e-mail, text or letter, as long as I get in touch with her."

"Sounds nice, Snow. Do you, do you think you could help me find one?" Snow pouted, and put a hand on his shoulder,

"Of course I can, Bigby. Well, have you got anything you don't like about yourself?"

"Apart from being a massive dog and having the worst history any other fable could possibly have?" Bigby remarked sarcastically. Snow tilted her hair and raised her eyebrows,

"I'm serious."

"Okay, let me think..." he sat at the small table with a pot of Chinese, and picked up the chopsticks. Snow joined him one seat away, with her elbows on the table. He took a mouthful, his face twisted in thought, and Snow took a sip from her mug,

"What about not trying to get into a fight?" She suggested. Bigby stopped chewing, and looked at her sarcastically,

"Yeah, that will happen before Toad gets a glamour." he replied, swallowing his mouthful of Chinese. Snow stifled a laugh, and brought herself together, by sipping her coffee again,

"I know what I'll do, it will be difficult, but how about I try not to turn for any reason, to anything?" Bigby raised. Snow looked up at him, and her face lit up with surprise,

"Bigby! That's brilliant!"

"It's whether I'll be able to keep it up or not."

"I know you can Bigby, I know you, of course you can." they both took each others hand on the table, and Bigby stroked her delicate hand with his thumb, gazing at her with loving, brown eyes, deeper than the soil of the Earth.

The phone rang, startling them both. Bigby sighed as he stood up, threw his Chinese away, and answered the phone, unwillingly of course,

"Bigby speaking," his tone was definitely not enthusiastic,

"Oh, it's you, why should I put you on to her?" there was a pause, "Maybe she doesn't want to speak to you... Oh fuck off Crane!" Crane, she should have known; she put her head in her hand and rubbed her forehead with her fore and middle finger. "Crane, just- Hello? Hello? Son of a bitch." he muttered, slamming the phone down onto its holder.

"Thank you," Snow whispered, making Bigby jump from her presence. She spun him round gently, and made sure Bigby was facing her. Snow grabbed his tie, and slipped her hand down it; she looked up, and she looked scared, and partially upset, "Bigby, don't let him come near me," it wasn't a question, it was a demand.

"Snow, what's... what's the matter?"

"It was the party... it was- it was Crane." Bigby was concerned,

"Snow. What did he do?"

The door swung open, and Snow let out a sob of fear; she hid behind Bigby like a scared child and dropped to her knees, sobbing on the floor.

"Snow? Snow! Snow, look at me! Look at me!" Bigby knelt in front of her, holding he arms, cradling her into his chest, unconscious to the fact that his shirt was already soaked.

"GET HIM AWAY FROM ME!" she screamed, her heart wrenching in pain and fear at the man stood in the doorway. His purple silk simmered from the light outside the window, and he started towards Bigby and Snow, his thin legs pacing one after the other. Colin rushed in from the kitchen after the shouting, and headed straight to Snow, nodding to Bigby. Thank God Colin's here, otherwise I couldn't protect her and defend her at the same time! Bigby rose to his feet, and grabbed the intruder by the collar of his jacket. However, he slipped straight out of it, and swerved Bigby easily, and started again towards Snow, who was hyperventilating in a heap on the floor.