The Wolf Among Us: Season Two

Episode 3: Chapter 3

Sorry for being so horrendously inactive as of late. I sorta fell out of the habit of writing but I'm trying to force myself back into it. Enjoy!
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A bittersweet pain struck the sheriff as he walked back to his apartment. While Snow definitely didn't reject his hopes, she definitely didn't confirm them either. What if he had asked her too soon? Maybe she was in the midst of thinking about the situation and he interrupted her. Should he have left like he did? Maybe he should've stayed or said something different. He knew that worrying wouldn't help. Snow had asked for time and he planned on giving it to her.

A similar storm of emotions was brewing just a few stories above back in Snow's home. Unlike Bigby, who was ready for a relationship, Snow struggled to barely even be open enough to have simple friends, let alone a romantic partner. She was being confronted with her biggest struggle and she would have to make a decision soon; either continue her life shutting out everyone for the sake of self preservation, or risk being hurt once more for the chance at happiness. The problem was that she simply wasn't ready yet. She needed time to think, after all, a hot headed decision is what began her first and only relationship and she wasn't going to let another one begin her second. She just needed to think.

***

Over the next few weeks, the atmosphere of the Business Office just seemed to go back to normal. It was as if nothing abnormal had ever happened between the sheriff and the deputy mayor. Strong tension resided inside of the two, obviously, but they took all precautions to not show it. The only minor change is the beginning of preparations for the annual upcoming Remembrance Day.

Bluebeard has made his annual donation to the Fabletown coffers every year since the community's founding on Remembrance Day. He did so so that his donation would be announced in front of all of Fabletown, reminding them of his strength and power in the community. However, with this year's Remembrance Day approaching, that means that the community coffers were running dry after last year's donation, making preparations a struggle.

Extensive protective spells had to be placed around the Woodlands on the night of the celebration due to the extravagant tendencies of the Fables. Remembrance Day was a day of celebration to remember the Homelands and build faith and hope towards reclaiming the Homelands from the Adversary. In the eyes of the Fables, how lavish you were directly correlates with your patriotism for the Homelands. Naturally, the nobility of the various kingdoms were the most ostentatious. While the peasants still expressed longing to return home, they had less to return to.

Remembrance Day was also important because it was one of the few times King Cole abandoned his penthouse to be seen by the public. Every year he gives his speech empowering the Fables through addressing their bravery in fighting the Adversary and closes with a reminder to the Fables that we will one day return home. Remembrance Day was used to forget about the troubles of modern life in the Mundane world and instead remember the familiar lifestyle of the Fable's true homes.

With the main focus of the Business Office being planning Remembrance Day, that gave the sheriff little need to involve himself in the Business Office at the time which gave Bigby and Snow some time apart, allowing Snow to think.

"Hi Gabrielle, I'm headed out for the day. Do you think you can handle it on your own?" Snow asks, glancing down at her watch to see that it was already noon on the last Saturday before Remembrance Day.

"I'll be just fine, go enjoy your well deserved break." Gabrielle smiles sweetly, looking up from her small stack of papers.

"I don't know what I would do without you." Snow laughs before leaving the Business Office. Her heart feels heavy in her chest as she paces past the Sheriff's Office, wondering if her words in their last conversation had deeply upset him or disappointed him. A self reminder that she didn't owe anyone anything seemed to fix the problem, at least temporarily. She would have an answer as to if she would be open to a relationship with him soon, she just wasn't decided yet. She just needed a little while longer, a week or two tops.