It was funny, Billy thought, how things had worked out with Ashley. He hadn't known who she was in this world, the human who'd saved him from the cat, who gave him a name and who had . . . woken something inside of him.

He remembered his life before Cinderella, not that it had ever been that interesting – exciting, certainly, there was plenty to get excited about when the world was full of large things wanting to eat you.

But, not interesting.

That had changed when he was around Ashley. Something about her, it was as if his mind began to open up, he thought things he'd never thought before, words, ideas, the whole world had changed.

And, if the world was still full of large things that might eat him, he also learned – a little – how to think and plan to escape those things – or even how to keep them from ever being a danger in the first place.

It was a lot easier with hungry cats than it was with evil queens and mad imps.

They were saying whatever had happened in town with the wraith last night was a fight between Regina and Gold. They'd had a spat, half the town had hidden from the monster hunting Regina, and, now, Billy was just trying to figure out the best way to move the most cars in the smallest amount of time.

Cats were a lot easier.

Still, even if he'd never be the guy fighting monsters, there was something to be said for hauling broken cars. It might not be heroic, but that didn't mean it didn't need doing.

Besides, he remembered how he'd helped Ashley try to escape Gold – Rumplestiltskin himself – when he hadn't even known who she was or what she'd done for him. His part in that had been small and it hadn't been heroic – Ruby was the one who'd done most of it – but he'd still been part of it.

He remembered the mice working together to stop Lucifer, the cat. There wasn't much any of them could do but, added up, all their bits of "not much" could be pretty spectacular.

Sometimes, a small part was enough.

He was musing on this when he saw Tom Rosa come staggering out of the alley near Granny's, covered in blood.

o0o0o0o

David listened as Billy told his story again.

It was the same story.

It still didn't make any sense.

According to Billy, he'd been driving along when he'd seen Rosa come staggering out the alley covered in blood – never mind that Doc said there was no way he could have staggered anywhere with the amount of blood he'd lost.

Billy had stopped and jumped out of his truck. But, when he tried to get Rosa inside it and drive him to the hospital, Rosa had said, "No, the other guys . . . in the alley . . . ."

When Billy, quite understandably, had said, "What other guys?" Rosa had said, "The guys who jumped me."

"'The guys who jumped him?' That's what he said?" David asked him again.

"It's what it sounded like," Billy said.

There had been three men in the alley. Two were known troublemakers. They were unconscious, bleeding, and their guns had found a few feet away from them.

The third man was Dr. Whale. He had stayed conscious just long enough to say his arm should be put on ice but he didn't want any attempt made to reattach it.

The arm had also been lying a few feet away.

No, Billy had no idea how it got there.

His interrogation was interrupted by Mr. Gold. "Problem, Charming?"

"It seems your friend has been beating up people in dark alleys."

"Really?" Mr. Gold looked innocently surprised. "That doesn't sound like Mr. Rosa. Are you sure?"

"There are three men in surgery because of him. One of them had his arm ripped off."

"How extraordinary. Did Mr. Rosa offer any explanation of his actions?"

"He can't," David admitted. "He's still unconscious."

"I see." Gold looked at Billy. "And you, William, isn't it? I take it you were a witness to these events?"

"Just the end of it, Mr. Gold," Billy said hastily.

"Ah, yes, the end of it. Often, the most important part. Would you care to tell about the part you witnessed, then?"

"I – I was just driving along when I saw him come out of the alley. He was covered with blood – I think he'd been knifed or something. But, the other guys were lying there, one with his arm missing. He said they jumped him."

"Ah, now, that, I admit, does sound like Mr. Rosa. I'm afraid he did strike me as somewhat . . . impetuous. If the gentlemen in question jumped him, he might very well overreact. Were they armed?"

"We found guns and a knife – but, Gold, if he fought them, he tore the arm of Dr. Whale."

"Have you offered him your congratulations? Or are you upset that, now, you can't do it yourself?"

David gritted his teeth, wondering how Gold always seemed to know everything that was going on in the town. "Did you know your friend could rip arms off?"

"As I believe I mentioned, Mr. Rosa isn't entirely human. His main differences are in his speed and endurance when he's fighting. But, he does have his claws and, if he was fighting for his life . . . yes, I believe he would be capable of it."

Just then, one of the nurses walked in.

"Mr. Nolan? You asked me to come get you when Mr. Rosa regained consciousness? You can speak to him, now, if you'd like."

Mr. Gold broke into a beneficent smile. "There, you see? Now, you can go ask him yourself."

o0o0o0o

"Two. Questions," Rosa croaked when David came into the hospital room. "Are you sheriff and am I being charged?"

"Mr. Nolan seems to have appropriated the position," Gold said. "But, I believe you acted in self-defense?"

"Four guys," Rosa said. "Jumped me."

"You tore off one of their arms," David growled.

"Had a knife," Rosa said.

"Dr. Whale attacked you with a knife?"

Rosa's pain fogged eyes sharpened. "Doctor? That guy was a doctor?"

"Yes," Gold answered, before David could. "A surgeon. At this very hospital."

"Mills," Rosa said. "He works . . . for Mills?"

"Possibly," Gold said.

"Possibly?" David broke in. "Just yesterday, he was leading a lynch mob against her."

"Ah, yes, lynch mobs. You'll have to ask the good doctor about those. Apparently, there's a long standing tradition of angry mobs seeking revenge in his land. I suppose, with his memories coming back, he was overwhelmed by nostalgia. But, he's quite capable of helping Regina if she made him the right offer."

"Blood," Rosa said. "My blood. That's what they wanted."

"Ah," Gold said. He glanced out the window. It was already late afternoon. "Yes, that would be worth Regina's trouble."

David didn't get it. "Why? What can she do with his blood that she couldn't do with anyone else's?"

"You wouldn't remember, Charming – you were unconscious at the time – but Mr. Rosa has been through our town before. He was looking for a friend, an . . . unusual young woman who had come here some time before him. Like us, she was from another world. Unlike us, she still had access to magic in this world – she had some rudimentary ability to generate it herself. Regina had imprisoned her and was making use of what the girl had to offer, mainly by bleeding it out of her. Literally. I believe, when she heard Mr. Rosa had returned, she decided to see if his blood can be used the same way."

"But . . . magic's back. Why would she need Rosa's blood?"

"It's back, but Regina is still learning how to access it. She's already learned how to use Rosa's friend's blood. I doubt it will take her too long to use Rosa's, assuming she doesn't give up before then."

"Before then? What do you mean?"

Rosa answered. "Night. The magic in my blood only works at night. If she gives up before then . . . we're good. If not . . . . ."

"If not," Gold said. "We may have some difficulties to contend with."