(I do not own Once Upon a Time)

Regina opened her eyes to find herself in an unfamiliar alley. She had no recollection of how she got there, which was rather worrisome due to her history of losing memories. Night had fallen and a crescent moon hung gleaming high above. Suddenly a little girl's distorted laugh echoed around her. "Who's there?" Regina called into the surrounding darkness as she performed her usual pyrokinetics.

"Behind you, behind you," came the child's voice along with more bubbly laughter. Regina spun on her heels to find a girl no older than six standing in the shadows. The girl had long brunette hair that covered one eye while her visible eye seemed to glow. The golden light blocked all other color from Regina's point of view and she had… an almost slitted pupil. The girl wore a simple black dress. Both dress and hair swirled in a phantom breeze. One of the child's hands was moving in a constant circular motion as if stroking an unseen animal. The other was completely still, but clutched a stuffed dog.

"Who're you?" Regina demanded never once lowering the ball of fire in hand.

A smile played across the girl's lips followed closely by a giggle. "Let's play together! Can't catch me!" She called as she took off running. Regina, on instinct, quickly gave chase, but as she rounded a corner she found no sign of the girl. Regina felt a small tug on her clothing. She turned to find the girl grinning up at her. Regina made to grab her hand, but with otherworldly grace the girl avoided her.

The child laughed and sprinted in the other direction. Again and again Regina lost sight of the girl, and then missed her by a hair when the child reappeared. Regina's mind insisted she was totally insane, but once she had started chasing the girl she lost the will to stop. But finally Regina rounded a bend to find the girl waiting patiently in the shadow of a building. Regina reached out for her, but the child melted into the darkness.

Regina jerked awake to find her heart racing and her breathing uneven. She shook her head to clear it, but as she did she thought she saw a small figure slink from her room by the light of the crescent moon.