You are old. You are barely corporeal and your presence gives humans heart attacks. You are cold and dark and so very tired. You have feasted on millions of souls and you don't care for it anymore. You have grown used to hunger and weary of hunting. You've outgrown the desire for blood just as you've outgrown the need for air.

When you walk the Earth, which you so rarely do, you are commanding. You are dark eyes and tan skin. You hold positions of power. You were chief, empress, queen. Now, occasionally, you are a mayor. Your business trips take you out of town more often than not and you rule your town from afar. People fear you more when you aren't present; when you linger under beds and in doorways.

There is one human, a child, a woman, who does not fear you. You are the night, but she is the moon. She stands on rooftops and balconies. She glows like the sun and growls like the wolf, but is strong and smart and brave. You want her.

You've approached her recently as Regina Mills, the mayor. You asked her to be sheriff, to give up her lonely life and move to your town. The town where you don't live, but where you keep your possessions. She declined. She has a boyfriend.

You scoff silently. What does a mortal child know of love? You have loved. You loved fiercely and completely when you used to know the feeling. Now, well, now love is useless to you and you do not care for useless things.

You watch as the moonlight glints off her hair, the golden ringlets white. She's standing on a street corner, slightly drunk and barely clothed. You think for a moment, that she sells herself, but a man exits the building behind her and throws an arm over her shoulder. He hands her a charm; it's a swan.

They begin to walk down the street, holding hands and laughing. You follow. You're body moves in the shadow, your interest is fierce. This woman, this girl is young. She is so many thousands of years younger than you, but she is beautiful.

You haven't wanted for centuries, but this blonde-haired child stirs something else within you. You will have her. Possess her. Devour her.

They arrive at their apartment and, much to your dismay, the boy pushes her against the door, kissing her fiercely as she fumbles with the door handle. They burst through the door, ripping clothes off as they stumble towards the bedroom. You watch them, nauseous. It has been so long since you were touched, you've forgotten that there is comfort in another's body. Your body is so cold; you think you would freeze her.

She gasps. You are captivated, your eyes follow the curve of her nose, dropping to her open mouth and she is wondrous. She is the moon and her clenched eyes hide her shine.

You frown as your attention shifts to the boy. He is unworthy of this treasure and for a moment you are tempted to destroy him, but you don't. You hesitate. She would never come with you then. She would hate you and you could never keep her. No. You wait.

Later, he is falling asleep in her bed. You watch her watch him. She moves her hand and you are sure she is going to pull him close, but she shakes him. She wakes him up.

"Hey, Neal."

He groans and rolls over, a heavy arm dropping against her stomach. "Sleep."

"No, Neal, Come on," She pushes his arm off of her and you smile. "You have to go."

He grumbles, sliding out of bed bitterly. "Why do you always make me leave?"

She sighs and pushes a hand into her hair. "I don't know. I just…I can't, Neal. I just I need some space."

He pulls his shirt on, frowning. "We barely see each other. You work weird hours and you always need space."

She covers her eyes. "I'm sorry. I'm just…adjusting. I'm used to being alone."

Your heart clenches and your mouth drops open. You'd forgotten about your heart. It had been so long since it had last pulsed and now this girl reminded you.

When you compose yourself, the boy is gone. The girl is lying on her back, spread across the bed. She is naked and smells like alcohol and sex and tears and you want to touch her.

You slip through the cracks in her window and hover in the shadows above her. You should take her. Make her yours. Instead, you come together on her bed. Her brow crinkles as she registers the added weight on her bed. When she opens her eyes, it takes her a second to see you. When she does, she screams.

Flying out of bed, she presses herself against the wall, sheet clutched to her chest.

"How did you get in here?"

You point at the window. It is closed. Her eyes flicker between it and you. She stares at you.

"What? It's closed!"

You smile.

"Move to Storybrooke."

She frowns.

"How did you get in here?"

"Move to Storybrooke."

"Lady, I don't know you. How did you get in here?"

You hold her eyes and disperse, watching as her gaze starts flickering over the smoke now in your place. Her lips press together as she thinks.

"You're magic."

You come together again.

"Yes."

She nods, her lips white and her eyes wet.

"Get out."

"No. Move to Storybrooke."

"No. Get out."

You look at her and make a decision. This girl is terrified, but she's standing up to you. Her instinctual human fear should turn her to dust, but she is light and fire. She will be yours. You knew this, but now, you're willing to wait. This fragile human is worth more. You sigh and disappear.

You watch from across the street as exits her job. Her last bounty was better than usual, so you follow her to the grocery store and watch as she buys meat and vegetables. Good. Her usual diet is atrocious and you'd prefer her to live.

She leaves the store and heads home. The night is dark enough for you to follow in shadow. When she reaches her door, she stops.

"Hey."

Stunned, you walk into the light. She turns to face you.

"Why don't you come in?"

You are suspicious. "Last time I saw you, you made me leave."

"That wasn't the last time you saw me. You follow me. Besides, I was freaked out by the whole magic thing. I've had some time to adjust."

She looks at you expectantly. When she shifts her grip on the heavy bags, you go to her and take them.

She smiles at you as she opens the door. "Thanks."

Her living room is different from her bedroom. Where her bedroom is small and the bed is large, her living room is almost empty, the only furniture a rug and a television set. You put the bags on the kitchen counter as she dumps her things at the door. There is no place to sit.

She walks to the kitchen, glancing at you confused. Pausing, she asks, "Do you ever breathe? I mean, you're still as death."

You smirk and shake your head. "I don't need to breathe, so I don't."

She shrugs walks to the groceries. You don't move away as she starts unloading the bags next to you. She doesn't seem uncomfortable, but you can smell her fear. This show she's putting on is fragile. Her "adjustment" is not a solid thing.

As she starts dinner, she starts talking. It's just inane chatter about her day, but you're captivated. You listen as she hits a grown man, as she spills a soda in her car, as she talks her boss into giving her more money than the contract was worth. It isn't until she's handing you a plate that you remember that you don't eat food.

You start at the frittata on the plate and wonder how you can turn it down without seeming rude. She has settled on the rug, the plate in her lap. You walk over and sit, placing the plate beside you. She swallows.

"You don't like it?"

"I don't eat food."

Her eyes widen and she turns red. "I didn't even think about that. I'm the worst! I'm so sorry, that's so rude!"

You grin at her dismay as you reach out and place a hand on her knee. "It's alright. You can save it for later."

She smiles, her eyelashes fluttering. "I'm really sorry."

"Don't be. There's no way you could have known."

She takes another bite, watching you watch her. Yours eyes flicker to her mouth as she swallows and you forget you're still touching her.

She looks into your eyes and smiles, her head tilting slightly.

Suddenly, you remember. Another pair of light eyes and another head tilt. Henry was so young, but you loved him so much. You had forgotten how weak humans were and their children more so. He had tried so hard to keep up, but when you turned to smoke to make that jump, he had fallen. So caught up in love, you hadn't looked back until it was too late.

You blink. She is looking at you with concern and you remember when you hadn't fed for weeks and Henry kept bringing you rabbits.

You jerk away, turn to smoke, and flee. You can hear her calling after you, but you keep going and don't look back.

You are in an alley the next time she sees you. She pauses at the entrance, unsure, but eventually she decides to speak to you. You have been watching her; your panic did nothing to dissuade your heart that she is necessary. She has left the boy. He continued to badger her and she left him.

As she approaches you, you can't help but wonder what she wants. What do you want?

"Hey."

"Come to Storybrooke."

"No. How have you been?"

"Fine. Come to Storybrooke."

"No. I'm sorry if I upset you."

"You didn't. Come to Storybrooke."

"No. What happened?"

"I felt my heart again. Come to Storybrooke."

"Regina, no."

You frown and fade yourself into non-existence. You become darkness and night and old magic. You push forward intent on filling her veins and making her love you, but you can't. You surround her completely, a hand brushes her shoulder, lips drag against her ear, but you can not make your way inside.

She giggles. You are so surprised at the sound you come together with a rush of air. Your feet hit the pavement and your eyes are wide. She is rubbing her ear, jostling her glasses with the movement.

"How can you kiss my ear if you're just air?"

You stare at her. This is a question you have never asked. You have just done. Suddenly, you remember the first day you discovered you were the air and the night and the cool, crisp winter. There was a girl falling from a window and you were never going to catch her in time. You ran faster than was possible, but you weren't going to reach her and then you did. You floated her down to the ground and left her resting in the snow.

She shrugs. "I guess it's just one of those things, huh? Anyway, I have to go. I'll think about your offer, really, but I don't know if I could be sheriff of a town that you aren't even in. I mean, what's the point of moving somewhere to be with you if you're never there?"

She tilts her head, her ponytail swinging to the side. Your mouth opens, but no sound escapes. The wind blows and she shivers. You remove your coat and hand it to her; you don't feel anything anyway.

She takes it from you without hesitation. "You know, I'd come to Storybrooke if you promised to stay there, too."

"I love you."

She smiles. "I figured."

"You're not afraid?"

She rolls her eyes. "Regina, you're some sort of dark death magic. I'm terrified. You're also respectful and smart and I've seen videos of you online and you're pretty cool. I just…" She looks toward the street, looking very young. "I'm tired of being lonely. I'm sure you are, too."

"You left the boy."

"Neal? There's a difference between being alone and being lonely. He wasn't home and he didn't do anything for me, but you…You make me want."

You step forward, grabbing the lapels of her jacket and press your lips against her. Her hands clutch the back of your shirt and you feel warm. For the first time in thousands of years you feel. It's too much.

You pull away and step back until your back is pressed against the far wall of the alleyway.

"You'll die."

She shakes her head. "I don't care."

Your eyes fill with angry tears. "I care. I care about you and you'll die. You'll die of disease or old age or a weapon and I'll be left alone again. I can't do that again. I can't."

She steps forward. "Can you make me like you?"

You gasp and shake your head. "You're so young."

"I can handle it."

"You can't. I couldn't and I shouldn't have been alone."

She smiles at you and your heart beats. "I won't be alone."

"I could help you."

"You could teach me. I can help myself."

She reaches towards you, hooking a couple fingers into the front of your pants. She pulls you toward her and your chests press against each other. She kisses you softly and your eyes flutter shut. You pull your head back slightly.

"Will you go to Storybrooke with me?"

"I'd go to the end of the world with you."