Fables #30

A taxi carrying Bigby races downtown to the Knights of Malta Hospital, where Snow White is currently in labor. King Cole, Boy Blue, and Prince Charming were already in the waiting room when he arrives. Bigby tells Boy Blue he can go vote now that he's back, which Boy Blue replies he already did before he came. Both King Cole and Charming ask who he voted for. Charming already has confidence that he's won, while King Cole stresses, worried. The voting areas, both in the Woodlands and on the Farm, are packed with Fables ready to cast their ballots.

Forty-two hours into her labor, Snow is relieved when Doctor Swineheart holds up a baby girl. It's not time to rest yet, though, as the doctor announces she has another baby coming, and then another, and another. Snow realizes she's going to have a litter. Two more hours in labor, the last baby is finally born. Out in the hall, Bigby sits anxiously, able to hear everything Snow is going through with his sensitive hearing; his claws dig into the couch as he endures the pain she's feeling.

Prince Charming and King Cole have already returned to Fabletown, where some buildings are still under repair from the battle. Flycatcher notices Trusty John crying over his ruined garden and comforts him. That night, the results are in: Prince Charming has won by a landslide. He hosts a celebratory gala in the ballroom of the Woodlands where everyone discusses their new hopes and concerns. Beauty and Beast celebrate their new jobs as the Deputy Mayor and Sheriff, as both Snow White and Bigby will most likely be resigning. Briar Rose is stressed about how impossible Charming will be to live with, until Cinderella tells her that with King Cole moving out, their dear ex will now be living in the Penthouse Suite. Jack tells Kay that he's leaving Fabletown.

Bigby coos over his and Snow's new babies, six in all, and all but one looking like their dad. But Snow, now with a clearer head, can see the problem he doesn't. Because only one of the babies looks human, she'll have to move to the Farm to raise them, and by law, Bigby isn't allowed to step foot there.

Prince Charming talks to Frau Totenkinder about how soon the 13th Floor can start manifesting up glamours for the Farm residents, now that money was no longer an issue. In one word, the answer is "never". She's amused to explain; the reason the glamours are priced so high is to cut down on demand. They're already at their spell-crafting limits, and not many more glamours can even be made at all. Of course, the Prince would know this if he had talked to them about it first before making such grand promises.

The following morning, King Cole sits in absolute depression over his lost mayoral status, wondering if he'd really been so bad. Days go by, Frau visits Baba Yaga in the basement to get any information on the Adversary that she can squeeze out. While elsewhere, a young man, Kevin Thorn, writes about his investigation into the odd happenings over at Fabletown's Bullfinch Street. It was strange how he seemed to be the only one who remembers the big battle that occurred a few weeks ago. Even witnesses who had reported it have since completely forgotten it ever happened. But not him. Why? What made him so special?

In the nursery, while watching over their children behind the glass, Snow and Bigby are surprised when the babies begin floating in the air.