Disclaimer: I don't own Once Upon A Time nor the characters

Regina watched with tears pooling in her eyes as her son walked off with Emma and the Charmings. and his grandmother was back now and she was easily pushed back into the confines of his mind. They were all going to the diner to celebrate the fact that they were back. Though none of them thought to invite the one person that was responsible for bringing them back. The person who sucke in a cuse to make sure they could get through the well. Hate burned through her body but it was quickly swallowed by the grief she felt. She would be returning to that large house alone. Alone. She truly should be use to that feeling by now.

Without even a glance towards Gold the former queen walked out of his pawnshop. A small part of her wanted to go to the diner. Just to see what they would say to her but then she didn't want to deal with the rejection. She couldn't stand the thought of Henry sending her away again. So she went in the opposite direction and just walked. She didn't want to go home. No, the house was just too big for her to be there on her own. Memories were ready to pounce on her the moment she walked through that door so she simply walked in the other direction of her home. She found herself walking closer to the forest. She certainly wasn't dressed for a hike in the woods but she had nowhere else to go. With that thought that woman walked right into the waiting forest.

Everything was quiet and still inside of the forest. Night was settling around them and the forest animals were getting themselves ready for bed while others were waking up and preparing themselves for the night. The air was getting a bit cooler and it made the mayor, former mayor?, tug lightly at her jacket and hold it firmly around her as she continued walking aimlessly through the woods. Her heels dug into the dirt below her and a part of her wanted to use her magic to get her pair of boots or something but then she pictured the look on her son's face whenever she brought up her magic use. So she refined herself and continued to ruin her rather expensive shoes.

She wasn't sure how long she walked through the trees. She barely felt the cold anymore and it was dark all around her but she felt at peace. It was quiet here and she didn't have to deal with the townspeople out here. She didn't have to worry about the next time she would see her son and how he would react to it. No out here she was free to just be Regina. She didn't have to think of the pains of rejection out here. Here she could just walk and wonder in the solitude that it provided.

The mayor had been so wrapped up in her thoughts that she barely noticed the fact that she was getting closer and closer to the town line. She only paused when she felt the familiar surge of magic around her. Her magic. She frowned paused as she grew close enough that she could simply walk right across the invisible line. The other side was more forest and it looked the same as this one but she knew for a fact that it wasn't the same. There was no magic on that side. No drama, no Charmings and maybe just maybe no rejection. She could cross right over into the land without magic and just be herself. She could be Regina. She could start over the right way and never have to step foot in this town again.

But that would mean she wouldn't be able to see Henry again. That very thought had her taking yet another step away from the line. But she hardly saw him now and a small part of her taunted that he would be much happier without her around and perhaps one day, a long day ahead in the future, she would be happy across the townline. At that thought she took a step closer towards the line.

She wasn't sure how long she stood there staring across the forest trying to make up her mind. Hoping that something would happen, anything, that would help her make up her mind in this sudden chance that sprung to her mind. She was taking another step closer towards the line of magic when she heard a crack of feet hitting sticks behind her. She whirled around and looked into the darkness around her. She could sense that someone else was out here with her and the thought of who it could be put the mayor on edge. "Show yourself."

The silence was around her was crippling as she awaited for whomever was out there to say something. Anything. When she didn't get a response she glared and straightened her posture. "I said show yourself."

This time a soft sniffle could be heard and a small girl stepped out from behind a tree. She was small, perhaps around the age 4 or 5, with a head full of dark brown curls. Since it was dark Regina couldn't tell what she was wearing but she had to assume it was dirty and rough around the edges just like the girl's girls.

Seeing that it was only a child Regina calmed herself and she lowered herself down so she was closer to the girl's height. "It's alright, dear. I won't harm you. Are you alone out here?"

The little girl nods her head slowly at that and she sniffed as she moved closer to the kind woman.

"How long have you been alone? Do you know where your parents are?" Regina questioned with a slight frown on her face. She knew for a fact that she hasn't seen this little girl before. And she knew just about everyone in this blasted town.

Once again the girl merely shook her head before she moved closer to Regina. She looked away from the woman's dark eyes only briefly so she could look at her skinned knee.

Following the girl's gaze, Regina winced when she took in the state of the girl's knees and the rest of her. She looked around the empty forest around her before she looked back to the small girl with a kind smile on her face. "How about we get out of this forest? I can take you to my house and we can get your knees fixed and get you into some warm clothes? How does that sound?"

The girl simply nods her head and she moved forward and wrapped her arms around the queen's neck indicating that she wanted to be picked up and carried.

Regina was a bit shocked by this touch, she hadn't been touched like this in such a long time, but she found herself wrapping her arms around the small girl and bringing her close to her before she was standing up with the girl in her arms. "Well then. Let's get out of here, little one." she waited for the girl to say something, anything, but all she did was rest her head on Regina's shoulder and snuggle into her warmth. "I'll take that as a yes."

The walk back to town was a silent one. Regina tried her best to get the little girl to speak to her but the little one wasn't saying anything. She merely buried her head into Regina's shoulder and snuggled further into her. So Regina stopped trying and she kept the little girl close to her as she braved the dark and chilly streets of Maine.

Once they arrived at her house she unlocked the front door and turned on the lights. She was finally able to get a proper look at the little girl in her arms. The small girl was gorgeous with big brown eyes, button nose and plump little lips. Her skin was probably a few tones darker than Regina's and her hair was a curly brown that seemed to be gold in some parts. She was wearing a ragged pair of jeans and a dark green light green shirt. No coat and only a pair of flats. The queen found herself frowning slightly at that and she had to wonder who just left the little girl to fend for herself in the woods in such poor attire.

She could feel the little girl's eyes on her so she forced the frown from her face and she said. "Let's get those knees looked at and then we can get some food into your belly. How does that sound?"

The little girl perked up at the mention of food and she nods her eagerly. A small smile coming to her lips.

"Excellent." Regina grins as she carried the girl upstairs to the bathroom. "How about we have a quick bath? Get you into some clean clothes and then get our food? That way you can get out of this clothes?" When the girl nods Regina went to work in preparing the little girl for the night. She started with cleaning up her scraped knees and putting bandaids on them, she wanted to use her magic to heal them but she was unsure of how the little one would react to that, once she was done with that she started up a bath and she took her time giving the girl a proper wash from head to toe. She noticed how the little girl seemed to be utterly relaxed in her care and it warmed the former evil queen's heart. She hadn't been this at ease with a child in what felt like years. It was nice.

Soon Regina had the little girl out of the tub and had her dressed in a pair of Henry's old pajamas with trucks all over them. She couldn't help but laugh at the girl's puckered up expression and she replied. "I promise we will find you something more your fancy tomorrow, little one." That seemed to appease the child and she was soon lifting up her arms showing that she wanted to be picked up once again. Regina had no problem with doing so and she carried the girl into her bedroom so she could braid her wet curls into two plaits. As she did so she started to sing a song her father use to sing to her when she was little. It was in his foreign tongue, the language of the southern lands in the Enchanted Forest, and she was sure that the little girl had come from those lands before the curse was cast. Her suspicions were correct because she could feel the girl swaying slightly in her arms as if she knew what Regina was singing about. So Regina continued singing, moving from one song to another as she made sure to untangle her curls before she braided the long curly locks. She was finishing up the last braid when she felt the little girl resting heavily against her. She looked at her and noticed that she was sleeping. A grin came to her face as she cradled the girl in her arms for a few moments longer before she laid her down on the side of bed so she could change into her pajamas.

Soon she was laying down in her darkened room with the small child still sleeping. She studied the child for a long time and she had to wonder where this little girl's parents were and just why her own heart fluttered whenever she looked at her. Those were things she would figure out tomorrow after a good nights sleep.

I do hope you all like this! Anyone have any guesses on who the little girl is and just who her parents are? Your guesses and opinions would be lovely! The love interest in the story will be added soon. Just don't want to spoil anything for anyone XD