Okay, so bit of a different TW for this chapter: There's a bit where Sunny has a lot of internalised self-blame and a bit of self-deprecation. As in, she's blaming herself for stuff that is out of her control.

-

"What the hell happened to you?!"

"I know this looks bad," Sunny raised her hands in defence but lowered them when she spotted her own bloody hands.

"Is this what you've been doing all day?" Snow questioned.

"I was there for thirty minutes," Sunny said as she looked away awkwardly. "It's just... the traffic is really bad today."

It was the truth. A trip that should have taken about a quarter of an hour somehow became tripled on an average day in New York. Sunny wondered for a second what the cab driver must have thought of the state of her... but then again, maybe they weren't paid enough to care.

Snow let out yet another frustrated sigh. "Okay, we'll... discuss that later."

"I do need to talk to you... later, I mean," Sunny told Snow as the other woman walked away.

"What happened?" Bigby asked curiously.

Sunny let out a sigh. "I got myself stuck in the middle of a brawl between your old friend, Woody, and that Jersey guy Beauty mentioned."

The two continued talking as Sunny tried to ignore Toad and Bluebeard, arguing with Snow over by her desk. She didn't know what they were doing in the office, but given her past interactions with Bluebeard, it couldn't have been anything good.

"You look like hell," Bigby told her.

"Well, at least you're honest," Sunny tried to joke. "What did you find at the butcher shop?"

"Well, the good news is I found the shard. Bulfkin is putting it back in the mirror now," Bigby guested over to the winged monkey.

"That's great," Sunny nodded. "I found out from Jersey that Crane used the mirror to find out where the Crooked Man's door is. Said it moves around a lot."

Bigby made a noise of acknowledgement but then frowned. "The bad news is that nearly everyone in Fabletown seems to be under the Crooked Man's thumb," Bigby explained. "There was this storage room out the back. It had been made into some kind of glamour sweatshop. Had a board with all these names and debts."

"Oh god," Sunny said in disbelief.

"This whole thing is a lot worse than I thought," Bigby said in frustration.

"Just how far down does all this go?" Sunny worried, but before Bigby could answer Bufkin called over to them.

"Sheriff, Ms Fei, can I borrow you for a moment?" Bufkin asked as they approached him.

"I don't understand...this piece just doesn't want to join the rest. Do you have any idea why?"

"You got me," Bigby shrugged.

"Well, where did you find it? What has it gone through since being separated from the rest?" Bufkin wondered softly. "Shattering is a very traumatic experience, you know."

"I found it in Crane's coat. The last person I saw with Crane, or his coat, was that psycho Bloody Mary. Maybe she had some-"

"Ah, yes. Miss White was asking about her. That explains it! You-know-who and the Mirror have a very...unhappy history with each other. How would you like it if she tried to use you as a doorway?"

"I trust me. I sympathise," Sunny winced.

"Well, I think I know how to proceed now. It will just take a little extra...coaxing. That's all. Thank you for your help." Bufkin nodded. "It could be a while, Sheriff. I'll find you when it's ready. Besides which...he might not want to come out with you watching."

Sunny let out a laugh, and Bigby rolled his eyes. "Oh, he doesn't like being spied on?"

Bufkin gave them a shrug and grin. Clearly seeing why Sunny found it funny.

Snow approached Sunny and Bigby again. Leaving Bluebeard and Toad to bicker at each other. "Is it fixed? Did you ask about the Crooked Man?"

"Bufkin's still working on it. He said it might be a while," Bigby told her.

Sunny looked over at Bluebeard in annoyance. She knew why Toad was here. She was the one who told him to go to the office when he was trying to pawn random stuff at Jesery's place. She suspected that Bluebeard was here to stick his nose in something that didn't involve him... again.

"We're trying to catch a murderer, and he's worried about funds," Sunny stated bitterly.

"It's unbelievable," Snow agreed. "We're...at war! Don't they realise that?"

Bigby looked over at the man and the frog, then back to Snow. "Do you need some help over there?"

"Yeah, thanks," Snow nodded with a smile. "Go talk to Toad. But, just so you know, we can't pay him."

"There isn't any way to help-" Sunny tried asking.

"He just really needs to go to the Farm, you know," Snow said. "He's been given more than enough chances."

"Right...okay," Sunny sighed. She felt bad for TJ. It wasn't his fault that his father kept avoiding getting the glamours.

Snow turned to Bigby. "Just break the news and be done with it, okay?"

Snow walked back over to what was now her desk. Sunny tried looking over at Bigby but found her hair getting in her face again, much like the night of Lily's funeral. The combination of the out-of-control hair and dried blood all over her was not a pleasant one.

"Fucking, hair, dammit," Sunny muttered. Not noticing Bigby giving her another curious look. "Sorry, I'm just gonna go deal with this."

Sunny rushed over to her desk. Grabbing a pair of scissors, then headed to the bathroom. She couldn't help but cringe at her own image in the mirror. It was less about the hair and more about the defeated look on her face. She wondered if Snow and Bigby could see it, too.

She worked away at chopping the excess hair. Leaving a pile of leaves, vines and other things one might find on a birds nest in the sink. Yet another 'interesting' trait from her father's side. Leftover hair turned into various types of plants and feathers. Going to a hairdresser wasn't the best idea when this was the case. Her mother taught her to start cutting her own hair from a very young age because of it.

Sunny couldn't help but think back to that dream when the copy was mocking her for not having the courage to tell her mother what was going on. It was true. She couldn't help but feel totally pathetic. Sunny knew what would happen if she did tell her mother what was going on.

The woman wouldn't take no for an answer. She'd drag Sunny, Catroina and Liena back home the moment she found out about this 'community service'. It wouldn't matter if she were pushing sixty and up against immortal beings that could throw her across the room like it was nothing. Jia Fei would go through anyone if it meant keeping her family safe. Sunny felt like she really needed to be more like her mother a lot lately.

It was better that she didn't know. At least that point, Sunny reasoned in her head. Especially given everything that was happening.

The gears were turning in Sunny's mind as she washed the blood off her face. She had originally come to this town to get away from something. She couldn't help but wonder whether this whole job was a much worse option. It felt like it was.

Sunny could just leave and go into hiding, but she remembered her conversation with Holly. She needed to stay.

Once Sunny was done making herself look like she hadn't gone toe to toe with a giant deer man, she made her way back into the office. She made sure to throw away the birdnest that was her hair. As she did, she passed by Toad, who looked a little too happy.

Snow and Bigby were talking as Sunny walked up to them. She was relieved to see that Bluebeard had finally left.

"But glamours are the law for a very good reason. You know that as well as anyone." Snow told him.

"Toad won't be a problem. I'll see to that," Bigby said back with his arms crossed.

"Are you sure? Because he left looking pretty happy," Snow said. Only to get a cheeky smirk from Bigby. "Fine. We'll deal with it later."

"Speaking of which, I wanted to ask," Sunny butted in. "Lily and Faith, what could they have done to make the Crooked Man want them dead so badly?

"If there's one thing I've figured out, is that the Crooked Man is all about control. It's what he does with the loans at the Pawn Shop, the magic he peddles...chains...ribbons. Maybe Faith and Lily weren't doing what they were told. Or...maybe they just tried to leave."

"But that doesn't explain why they left Faith's head on the steps of the woodlands. It doesn't make sense. He and his people stayed in the shadows for so long. There's no benefit to exposing themselves like that."

Bigby seemed to be pondering it for a moment as Bufkin flew over them. "Sheriff! Ms Fei, Miss White! I believe the mirror is repaired.

They put a pin in their conversation to converse with the mirror.

"I have to say, I have been better...but thanks for putting me back together." The glass face rythmed.

"First things first," Snow sighed. "Mirror, mirror, we're glad you weren't slain. Now please show us....that sick creep Crane."

The mirror's face faded away to the sight of Bloody Mary hovering over a shaking Crane. She was pushing him into a cab.

"You will get on that plane to Paris, and you will wait for the day the Crooked Man needs you. Until then, not a peep," Mary gave Crane a sick smirk. "Otherwise, I get to deal with you my way. So please...please disobey."

Mary paused for a moment before turning her head to look directly at them. "Someone's watching." She raised her hand with another grin. Causing the mirror to start shaking.

It faded back. The mirror shook its head in pain. "What...just happened?"

"We pointed you in the wrong direction...and looked at Bloody Mary's reflection," Bufkin told him.

"Oh...her. That explains the sting. I'd rather not have to feel the pain she brings. So...let's not do that again, okay?" The mirror asked politely.

"Looks like we'll have to track him down later," Bigby grumbled.

"Fucking dammit," Sunny couldn't help but mutter.

"We need to focus on the immediate threat. And that's the Crooked Man," Snow stated.

"Hey, Mirror, mirror, keep us sane, show the door to Crooked Man's domain?" Sunny asked.

The mirror showed them the sight of a door with a strange symbol on it. Some kind of wheel with a human twisted up inside it.

"I don't recognise the door, but...that's the Crooked Man's symbol on it," Bigby informed everyone.

"Hold on," The mirror told them. The mystery door disappeared suddenly. The mirror showed them another door where the symbol reappeared.

"Wait a minute, I know that door," Sunny exclaimed.

"That's Central Park. I don't know when it's gonna move again, but we gonna get there before it does," Bigby said as he started walking away. Sunny rushed after him but stopped when Snow's voice called out to them.

"Wait, you two! When you get the Crooked Man...make sure you bring him back alive. He has to stand trial."

"Yeah, of course-" Sunny nodded.

"I know that emotions can run high. And you two have your reasons to handle this a certain way. But we have to make a commitment to working within the law."

"We'll catch him and bring him back here. Alive. Then we can clean him and cook him together," Bigby told her.

"Good," Snow gave them a half smile. "I have enough to worry about here while I prepare the case against him. So I'm going to trust you to handle this properly. That is...if you think you're ready?"

Did they really have much of a choice? It was right there and then.

Things kinda blurred together as they rushed across town. It was pitch dark by the time they got to the Bridge that the door was located under. Bigby was the first to jump forward and open the door.

A flash of colours forced them both to squint. Behind the door was a strange mix of blue and purple light.

Sunny would later deny it, but she hesitated to jump through that door. They had no idea where they would end up. It made her kind of nervous.

Bigby had no such hesitation. Running for the door after only a second. Sunny followed by a few seconds.

Sunny cursed herself when she bumped right into Bigby. She muttered a quick apology, but he didn't seem too bothered. The symbol and the door disappeared behind them.

The place they found themselves in was strange. It really was like something right out of an old-fashioned book. Long halls lit up with medieval-style torches and glass-stained windows. Sunny wondered if they were even still in New York or if they had somehow found themselves in some kind of pocket dimension.

Bigby took a step forward but stopped when a metallic sound came from around the corner. The two of them hid around the corner as whoever it was got closer.

A young man came around the corner and smiled at them. He was dressed in modest clothes and was leaning against a clutch.

"Tim? What the hell are you doing here?" Bigby asked.

"Good evening, Sheriff. I'm here to take the two of you to the boss," He held his free hand out for a handshake. "Thanks, by the way...for leaving off 'Tiny'. 'Tiny Tim'. You'd think I'd have outgrown that centuries ago."

Tim seemed relieved when Bigby took his hand. Sunny stared in confusion as Tim offered her a handshake as well.

"Pleased to meet you, Tim," Sunny greeted with a bit of apprehension.

"Likewise, Ms," Tim nodded.

"Name's Fei, but I think you already knew that."

"I have to admit when they asked me to watch the door... I wasn't sure what to expect when you came through that portal. I know you aren't here on a social call. So thanks for not giving me a hard time."

"I'm sorry, but what is this place? Or...where is it?" Sunny asked Tim.

"I'm not sure. I've only ever come in through one of the portals. I don't think you can get in from the actual street. But you can't blame him for wanting to make it hard to find."

Sunny and Bigby continued to give him confused looks. Bigby's was a bit more intimidating than Sunny's concerned one.

"I'm supposed to bring you right on in, so...if you'll come this way... Look, this is the one thing I have to do. Please, don't make this hard on me," Tim asked politely.

"Fine. Lead on," Bigby told him.

Tim led them down the hallway.

"Thanks for understanding. This is all I'm here to do, and...I don't want to mess it up," Tim said as they walked. "I know I'm probably the last person you'd expect to be a...guard. Or an escort, for that matter. I was a little surprised, myself, when they asked me to do it. I thought it was a joke, actually."

"I understand," Sunny said with a frown. "You have a job to do. But you gotta ask yourself if you wanna be involved with this guy."

"Whatever you may think of him," Tim explained to her. "He doesn't treat me like some...broken little kid. I think he gets what it's like. He gave me a job. And I'm lucky to have it. This is the only option I've got.

"I'm sorry that it's gotten to this point," Sunny said to him with gloomy eyes.

"I'm just worried that if you, Bigby and the boss all go up against each other...the rest of Fabletown is gonna get caught in the middle. And if you're here, it can't be good."

"Don't you realise you're not just minding the door?" Bigby called back. "You work for that crooked bastard; your hands get dirty too."

"It's not so bad," Tim tries to say.

"Not so bad? Are you fucking blind, Tim? He's a murderer," Bigby growled.

"So you're telling me you agree with everything Crane does?"

"Of course, we don't," Sunny grimaced.

"A lot of us depend on him. Some of us never get to the front of the line at the Business Office. But he's there. We need you...but we need him, too. What we don't need is a war."

"You think so?" Sunny mused. She was surprised by how earnest Tim was. He really did seem to believe in the goodness of the Crooked Man. It made her wonder about how much he really knew. Did he know about the unpaid glamour workshops or the woman pressured into sex work? It didn't seem like it.

"Hey, Sheriff, hold up," Tim said as Bigby got further ahead of them. "I gotta go in with you. Can't you just wait up?"

"Bigby," Sunny called as she continued walking in step with Tim.

Bigby turned around and gave them a look. He stopped and waited as they caught up with him.

"Thanks," Tim gave him a soft smile.

The three of them reached the end of the hall and stood in front of a large double door. There was talking coming from inside that sounded like Jersey, Georgie, and some other voices Sunny didn't recognise.

"Go ahead. You got a job to do," Bigby told Tim.

Tim opened the door to reveal some kind of parlour room. Inside were a lot of recognisable faces, Dee, Dum, Jersey, Georgie, Vivian. Towards the back of the room, sitting on the couch, there was one new face. The Crooked Man.

"Sheriff Wolf, and Deputy Fei, sir," Tim announced.

Jersey gave Sunny a dirty look as he started approaching her. On reflex, she clenched her fists. Ready to defend herself. The Crooked Man raised a hand. Making Jersey stop in his tracks.

"Thank you, Tim. I know the Sheriff and his deputy aren't the...accommodating sort," The Crooked Man said. "But you handled it. You did well. You can go now."

"Thank you, sir." Tim nodded his head and closed the door behind him.

Sunny looked at The Crooked Man. From a distance, he would have looked like any older man. He wore a black and grey striped suit and several gold necklaces. His right eyelid hung loosely. Giving the impression of a wound.

"You see? Everyone in Fabletown has a role to fill. You just have to pay attention to what they need to help them find it," The Crooked Man said as he slammed the end of his cane on the floor for extra emphasis. "Why don't you two have a seat? We have a great deal to discuss."

Sunny stared draggers at the man as Bigby lit a cigarette. "Alright, fine. Let's talk."

Note to readers: Please don't use office scissors to cut your magically growing hair. Sunny is in a very strange head space right now and you should not lead by her example. /j

Tim is actually a really good example of CM's manipulative nature. You see it a lot more later on the court scene, but here it feels like a calculated decision to have Tim there.
Like CM didn't hire Tim to do this cuz he likes him, he did it to make himself seem more sympathetic.
I just think that's neat in terms of character and storytelling.