Once Upon a Time Princess Eva: Book 1

True North Part 2

Third POV
The sheriff's office was a cluttered sanctuary of order amidst the chaos of the town. Papers were neatly stacked on desks, and the low hum of the air conditioner filled the space. Emma sat behind her desk, the soft glow of her desk lamp casting long shadows across the room.

Henry entered, his face serious as he approached Emma. "Any luck?"

Emma looked up, her face lined with frustration. "No."

Henry perched himself on the edge of her desk, his gaze intent. "I know who they are. Brother and sister, lost, no parents. Hansel and Gretel."

Emma's eyes widened. "And do you know anything about their dad?"

Henry's voice was laced with a resigned knowledge. "Just that he abandoned them."

Emma's expression softened. "Right, sounds like a familiar story. Whoever this guy is, he could be in Loas by now."

Henry shook his head, his voice steady. "No, he's here."

Emma's curiosity was piqued. "Just how do you know that?"

Henry's gaze was unwavering. "'Cause no one leaves Storybrooke. No one comes here, no one goes. It's just the way it is."

Emma's eyes softened as she pulled out a file from her drawer. "Right, I forgot. Well, if he's around here anywhere, I'm gonna find him." She sat behind her desk, her determination as palpable as the ticking of the wall clock.

Henry leaned forward, his face earnest. "Can you tell me about him?"

Emma's expression was reflective, a mix of nostalgia and pain. "I don't know anything yet."

Henry's voice dropped to a whisper. "Not their father, mine. I told you about your parents, now you're even living with your mum."

Emma's face faltered, her thoughts drifting back to her past. "Mary Margaret isn't... she's... never mind."

Henry's gaze was earnest. "Please."

Emma sighed, her voice tinged with melancholy. "I was pretty young. I just got out of the foster system, and the only job I could get was at this 24-hour diner, just off the interstate. Your dad was training to be a fireman. He always got the worst shifts. He'd come in and order coffee and pie, always complaining that we didn't sell pumpkin pie. But he always came back the next day anyway."

Henry's eyes widened with curiosity. "Did you get married?"

Emma shook her head, her gaze distant. "No, nothing like that. We just... we hung out a few times outside of work, and life happened. His got better and mine— got worse. I got into some trouble."

"And went to jail," Henry filled in.

Emma nodded, her expression pained. "Yeah. And before I went, I found out I was pregnant with you." A sad smile touched her lips. "I tried to contact him. I found out he died saving a family from a burning department building. So, you think I am the savior, Henry. He was. Your father was a real hero."

Henry's eyes softened. "Do you have anything of his? Something you can remember him by? Something I can see?"

Emma's face fell. "I... I don't." A sudden realization struck her. "Henry, I'm sorry. I gotta go. I may know how to find this guy."

Emma quickly stood and left the office, her steps echoing in the empty hallway. Henry watched her leave, the weight of her words hanging heavy in the air.

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The repair shop was a sanctuary of metal and grease, the smell of oil mingling with the acrid scent of welding fumes. The fluorescent lights flickered overhead, casting a yellowish hue on the grimy walls. Michael was hunched over a car engine, the rattle of tools and the occasional hiss of steam the only sounds breaking the monotony.