The Wolf's Assistant

Goddess of Goodbye

I had to go with Soul, I just had to. If I didn't, I would forever regret it. But I would be leaving a lot behind. A lover, a brother, and friends. Was it really worth it?

I had made up my mind. I had to leave. I had to.

I had been avoiding talking to Bigby all day, I was too afraid that I would just blurt it out.

But eventually I came to him, obviously tense.

"I have something I need to tell you." I said quietly, staring at the ground.

He stood up to face me, staring me down expecting me to say something. I sat speechless for some time.

"I have this friend, Soul. And she is a time lady. She travels in time with this loud box of hers, and she has companions that help out with that... I used to be her companion. And she left a long time ago. So now that we have finally reunited, I think that it's time that I join her once again. She's kind of lost her memory and I need to protect her."
I took my time to make sure I was very clear about every detail, my voice shook from the fear of his reaction.

I heard him let out a sigh.
"So you're just going to leave with some girl I've never ever heard of? Just leave everything behind?"

I nodded, lifting my head to look into his eyes, searching for sympathy.
"I'm sorry, I really am! But I've known Soul for centuries! I can't pass up this opportunity. She's the only friend I've had that I can't outlive! She gave me a reason to be immortal..."

Silence.

"When will you come back?"
He eventually broke the silence, taking a step closer to me.

My eyes softened and sank to the ground once more. I didn't reply.

I could feel the stare of disbelief, and it tugged at my heart the more I thought about it.

"You're not coming back, are you..." It was more of a statement rather than a question.

I sighed softly, closing my eyes.
"No. I'm not. But it's not because I don't want to return. It's because I can't."

He started pacing the room, trying to sort this out.
"What do you mean you can't?"

I watched him pace, and I slowly fell to the ground on my knees. I was trying to speak through my waterfall of tears.

"Because I'm not coming back! This journey will be the end of me! I won't come back alive! Bigby, I- I die on this trip! God damn it! I'm giving my immortality up to the kids and partially to Soul so she won't die! I don't want her to die! When I die on this trip, that's it! I WON'T COME BACK!"

He froze in place, taking everything I had just said in.
I looked up, glaring slightly.

"Say something!"

"I don't know what to say, Nox. I don't want you to leave. You gave me a chance to have a happy ending."

I sniffled, standing up.
"Unfortunately, happy endings don't happen for people like us."

He turned to face me, anger in his eyes.
"Well why not? Why can't we have a happy ending for once?"

I shook my head softly, wiping my face with the back of my hand.
"Because villains don't get happy endings. But you know, for once in my life I didn't feel like a disgrace. I felt like a hero, or at least something like that. I don't know if you felt the same way, but, maybe, you were a good dog for a short time. Maybe."

He was about to speak when I cut him off, going all out.

"That's just how it is for us. We don't get happy endings because of the things we've done. We only deserve devastation and disappointment. Rejection and pain. It may be a princess' happily ever after but it's just a bad ending to the evil queen."