𝓬𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓻𝓮𝓭 𝓲𝓷 𝔂𝓸𝓾 - 𝓫𝓲𝓰𝓫𝔂 𝔀𝓸𝓵𝓯

1

   1995.

THE FABLES live much longer than the mundanes and have been in the world as we know it for centuries. For Ivy, it was sometimes tiring to live that long. But she enjoyed following the evolution of the humanity. And she thought it only got better, in terms of rights. I mean, in the mid-nineties, she could wear whatever clothes she wanted, for example. And for someone who has lived from the Modern Age to the present day, she was very satisfied with her life in 1995.

Well, not completely satisfied. Ivy was tired of making healing potions and being at the mercy of Swineheart. Not that he was terrible, but, like every doctor, he could be a bit arrogant. Besides, it was a boring job, and Ivy knew she could do much more than that. 

And that was why she sometimes abandoned the doctor and broke into the sheriff's office, pestering him about his cases and asking him to let her do something. He never did, of course, but she kept doing it just to annoy the wolf. Which, of course, was not a good idea.

And there she was again, wandering through the corridors of the office, approaching the huge queue waiting to speak to Snow White. Poor Snow.

And of course Jack was there.

- Ivy! What a pleasure to see you here - he began, running his hand through his blond, ponytailed hair.

"Jack and the Beanstalk" had haunted Ivy for centuries. At first she thought it was just a crush, but it had been so long ago that it had become an obsession. She even went out with him once, he is handsome and so insistent that it didn't seem like a bad idea at the time. But it was a mistake, cause now he won't leave her alone.

She said nothing in response, but the blond continued:

 - I was wondering if you already have a date for the Ball.

- I do. - she smiled. However, it was a lie. 

Jack closed his face.

 - Is it Bigby?

She wishes.

Ivy shrugged and walked into the sheriff's office, who was sitting at his desk, smoking and staring at a stack of papers. He just looked up at Ivy and said nothing. He was used to her intrusions. Besides, he had smelled her ever since she came out of the elevator.

- What's good today? - she asked, sitting down in the chair in front of the desk.

 - Paperwork.

Ivy propped her face up on one hand.

 - Not even a phone call?

- No, Ivy. - Bigby stared at her. - You have to stop doing this.

 - I'm bored.

- You act like you're five years old. - he muttered.

"Only if it's five thousand", she thought.

She leaned back in her chair, annoyed by the smell of cigarettes. She hated cigarettes. But she knew that Bigby smoked to camouflage the many smells he smells. He might be glamorized to look human, but he was still a wolf.

 - All right, I'm leaving. - she stood up. Bigby thought about asking  her to the Ball, but didn't. He had the guts to do anything but that. 

Ivy left the building, thinking about where she could eat, and ended up going to some diner. She was relieved that the next day Swineheart would be going to the farm and did not request that she go along, so it would be her day off. Maybe she would pay someone a little visit...

*****

Bigby arrived at his apartment desperate to take at least one nap, but of course Colin would be sprawled out on his couch. Again.

- Colin. - Bigby called out, and the pig looked at him sideways.

- Bigby. - the pig replied, ignoring the lecture he was about to get again. But Bigby gave up the sermons and just asked Colin to get off his couch. If he sent Colin to the farm again, he would escape again. This was already routine.

As long as Snow White didn't know, Bigby didn't really care.

He sat down on the sofa, leaned his head back and closed his eyes, giving a tired sigh. It seemed that the less physical work he had to do, the more tired he got. If that made sense.

He was grateful for the work he had, though. If it weren't for Ivy, he would still be living on scraps in the forests, or worse.

 After they met in the forest and she healed him, he continued there, while she went her way to where the other fables were going. But Ivy never forgot that Wolf. A while later, she went looking for him, so that he would go into exile with the other fables. Eventually, she convinced Crane to give him the job of sheriff.

Bigby was almost dreaming when his phone started ringing, and he cursed for not taking it off the hook. As much as he ignored it, the person on the other end of the line was very insistent.

- What. - he growled, answering the phone. As he heard what the person was saying, his angry expression lost place to one of panic and despair.

He put the phone down and stormed off, ignoring Colin's questions. The only thing Bigby could think of were the words spoken, echoing in his head like a broken record:

Ivy is dead.