A/N: I do not own OUAT or any of the characters in it (although some are public domain). These are meant to be short, but they will vary in length, and they are going to be one per episode with a few exceptions here and there. Special thanks to my beta OnceSnow. Enjoy, and please leave a review.

She feels every blister forming on the insides of her toes and arches...stupid shoes. Wincing as her bare foot has to press against the back of the other shoe to help kick it off, she decides they can both stay in front of the door for the night. And then maybe in a donation bag. They'd been an impulse buy for the night anyway. They hurt like hell, her dress is too tight, her hair's becoming uncurled, and she can feel every speckle of eye shadow and mascara just weighing down her eyes. This cupcake had better take the sting out of, well, everything.

She'd picked a simple yellow cake one with buttercream icing, the pretty blue star giving it some color. Taking her time, she lights the candle.

What do you know about family, that douche had asked, because douches make things personal, try to hurt you in any way they can, and since he'd already called her sexy and couldn't very well make fun of her appearance, the only other thing she'd given him to work with was that she was alone on her birthday. Like all her other birthdays.

Twenty-eight. Boston. Not much different from twenty-seven in Boston, twenty-four in Philadelphia, twenty-one in Baltimore, nineteen in Talla—yeah...keep going backward, she scolds herself, watching the flame on the candle flicker.

"Another banner year," she mutters into her arms, resting her head on them.

Make a wish, she urges herself, lifting her head, taking in the warm glow of the candle, right down to its blue tip. It's like the song—when you wish upon a star your dreams come true. Can't hurt anyway.

Closing her eyes, she breathes in the sweet aroma of the cupcake, deciding to wish for lo—no. No, something attainable. Just...just not to be alone. I wish to not be alone, she wishes to nothing in particular, blowing out the candle.

There's a knock at the door.