Reset

“Okay, I’m guessing he isn’t out graffiti artist,” Emma said and then looked at the next one, “Joshua Wheat?”

Henry shook his head, “don’t know him.”

“And Joshua Battle?” Emma asked.

Henry shook his head again, “nope.. although..”

“What?” Emma asked.

“Everyone in Storybrooke has a name relating to their old life,” Henry said, “Miss Blanchard, that means white, Sidney Glass was the man in the mirror..”

“Yes, so Joshua Wheat?” Emma frowned, “eats cornflakes?”

“Think about the old world,” Henry told her, “maybe his family are farmers? Mom’s name is Mills because her family were millers.”

Emma nodded, “so.. Joshua Battle..”

“Doesn’t sound good,” Henry grimaced.

“Sounds like his family were fighters,” Emma agreed.

“What now?” Henry asked as Emma kept one file out and started putting the others away.

“Now we cross reference and look for someone with the surname Battle who works at the cannery,” Emma said as she walked along more filing cabinets.

“Do all towns have these files?” Henry asked.

“No,” Emma said, “firstly the files they had would be on computer but they wouldn’t have files on everyone like you do at Storybrooke. But I suppose with no one ever moving around and so much time to kill Graham was able to create a file for everyone, or maybe it’s part of the curse?”

“Maybe Mom used them to keep track of people?” Henry suggested.

“Maybe,” Emma paused and turned to look at him, “on that note, and remember my superpower, has your Mom asked you to spy on me?”

Henry shook his head, “no, why would she?”

Emma looked him in the eye for a moment and assessed he was telling the truth, “just wondering,” Emma said as she opened a filing cabinet containing the cannery workers’ files.

Henry stood on tiptoes and peaked into the first drawer as Emma picked up a file, “is that him?”

“John Joshua Battle,” Emma read off the tab, “seems like it.”

Emma opened the file and looked at the papers, “he’s been arrested a few times, assault, threats.. generally not a nice guy,” she said as she closed the file.

“What now?” Henry asked.

“This only tells us his cover story, we need to know who he was in the old world,” Emma said as she thought for a moment, “looks like we’re going to have to ask Sean after all. But we’re not going to tell him why, okay, we need to keep it casual.”

Henry nodded, “what’s the plan?”

“Follow my lead,” Emma said as she walked out of the archive room and back into the main office and loudly called over her shoulder, “I’m sorry, Henry, you can’t go.. I don’t even know who this Joshua Battle is!”

“Josh Battle?” Sean looked up.

“Yeah,” Emma sighed, “Henry’s been invited somewhere with some older kids, you know him?”

“Yeah,” Sean nodded, “he’s trouble,” he looked at Henry, “you need to keep away from those kids.”

Henry nodded his agreement and Emma asked, “what do you know about him?”

“Not a lot but his father works at the cannery, real piece of work,” Sean said with a shudder, “he was one of Regina’s guards, brutal bastard.. sorry,” he indicated Henry.

“What was his name, in the old world, I mean?” Emma asked.

“Don’t know his real name but he went by Dark Sword,” Sean said, “he had a black sword, gifted to him by Re.. by the Queen, it could cut through anything and..” he looked at Henry, “he used it well.”

Chapter 55

Emma rushed into Granny’s and spotted Mary Margaret and David sitting in a booth, “hey guys, sorry I’m late,” she said as she quickly hobbled over, “my physical therapy session ran over.”

Mary Margaret stood up and enveloped her in a hug, “it’s so good to see you,” she said and Emma looked over at David who just shrugged and looked confused.

“Yeah, I.. saw you yesterday,” Emma told her when she let go.

“How are you?” Mary Margaret asked as she ushered her into the booth and then sat opposite her, “how’s the leg?”

“It’s getting there,” Emma said, “need a few more sessions, but each session hurts so I really hate going,” she laughed.

“You’ve got to look after your body,” David nodded.

“Yes, you never know when it will fail you,” Mary Margaret said with a fierce nod.

David rolled his eyes, “your mother.. is..”

“Losing my mind!” Mary Margaret interrupted, “I’ll be brain dead by the end of this month!”

“It’s the hormones from the pregnancy,” David said with a small sigh, “she’s getting a bit forgetful and a bit emotional.”

“Ruby!” Mary Margaret cried happily as the waitress came over and she leapt up and pulled the tall woman into a hug.

“It was like this when she was pregnant with you,” David told her quietly while Mary Margaret hugged the oxygen out of Ruby.

“Wow,” Emma said as she stared at Ruby who looked like she was pleading for freedom, “how long does this go on for?”

“Snow, honey, put Ruby down,” David called to his wife who had momentarily lifted the taller woman off the ground, “at least another three or four weeks,” David shuddered at the thought.

Mary Margaret sat back down and Ruby picked her notepad and pen off of the floor, “can still lift you,” Mary Margaret beamed.