Title: Words of a Drunken Fairy
Author: Layla Aaron
Feedback address: kronos4me@gmail.com
Date in Calendar: 22 June 2014
Fandom: Once Upon a Time
Pairing: Regina Mills/Emma Swan
Rating: FRT/Teen
Word Count: 1,712
Summary: Tinkerbell reveals her true feelings.
Spoilers/Warnings: Once Upon a Time season 3 finale
Feedback: Always appreciated
Advertisement: Part of the FSAC:DD14

Disclaimer: "Once Upon a Time" and the characters depicted are the intellectual property of Adam Horowitz, Edward Kitsis, Kitsis/Horowitz, and ABC Studios. This piece of fan fiction was created for entertainment not monetary purposes. Previously unrecognized characters and places, and this story, are copyrighted to the author. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author. This site is in no way affiliated with "Once Upon a Time," ABC, or any representatives of the actors.

Note: Since the season 3 finale, I've been wondering what Tinkerbell would have to say about the what happened, so I wrote it.

Tinkerbell downed the rest of her shot of rum and grabbed the open bottle still on the counter, pouring herself another shot. The look of stunned anguish on Regina's face at the sight of Robin and Marian reuniting played over and over in her mind. She was drinking to forget that moment, a moment she couldn't help but feel she had a hand in creating.

"I'm sorry, Regina," she muttered under her breath. "So, so sorry." She drank the rum, wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. "This is my fault. I encouraged you to go after him. All my fault. I'm a bad fairy, such a bad fairy."

Pouring herself another shot of rum, she took a moment to peer around the diner. The sight of the happy Hood family left her queasy, and she glared at the trio. Well, not the little boy because he didn't know any better. Even Marian was somewhat innocent in all of this, but she focused her ire on Robin. Still, even he couldn't be held fully culpable for his response to seeing his first love brought back from the dead, as it were. She let out a heavy sigh.

Tinkerbell rose from the stool, more than a little unsteady on her feet, and stumbled toward the door. She threw another glare in Robin's direction, meeting his gaze. She smirked when he looked away first. "Ass," she muttered to herself. She fumbled with the door, finally opening it, and stepped out into the night air.

She staggered down the sidewalk, the bottle of rum in one hand.

"She told me about the tavern and my tattoo."

Tinkerbell stopped, swaying from the sudden halt in her progress. She slowly turned to face the man who'd called out to her. "She, she what?"

Robin cleared his throat, glanced down at his feet, then met her gaze. "She told me about you and the dust and helping her find her true love, seeing me at the tavern, and knowing it was me based on my tattoo."

"Why exactly are you telling me this?" Tinkerbell gripped the fence that enclosed the patio at the diner.

"I..." He paused. "I don't know," he replied with a shrug.

"You're an ass, Robin of Locksley," Tinkerbell slurred. "I gave her to you on a silver fucking platter. Encouraged her to make your acquaintance." She pointed at his arm. "Shoulda known that damn thing would be trouble."

Robin stood silently, head bowed, and for some reason that silence rankled Tinkerbell.

"Oh, for the love of flying fairies, say something, Robin. Don't just stand there, staring at the ground. What are you going to do about this mess?"

The man swallowed. "I don't know. I'm torn and have no idea what to do." He met her gaze. "I wish I could fix this, but I don't know how."

"Do you fucking love her?" Tinkerbell swayed, opening her wings to help her keep her balance while waiting for Robin to answer.

He nodded. "Aye, I do. I love her more than I realized, but I love them both, in different ways and for different reasons."

The fairy frowned at him. "What the hell kind of answer is that?" She waved the bottle around. "I've no doubt that Marian is a lovely individual, but you, you had the most exciting, most fascinating, most beautiful woman in all the realms, and just like that..." Tinkerbell attempted to snap her fingers while still holding the neck of the rum bottle. "You, you let her go."

"It's not that simple, Tinkerbell," Robin murmured.

"Why the hell not? I'd give up these wings to have even half the chance you do with her. All those afternoons I spent with her, laughing and talking, and never once did I act on my feelings because I knew better. I knew I didn't stand a chance with her. But you, you had her and you, you just let her go." Tinkerbell glared at him. "I should punch you for causing her so much pain. You just ignored her after you saw your wife. Didn't give a thought to how much that reunion must have hurt Regina."

"You're right, Tinkerbell," he murmured. Robin swallowed again. "Do it. I deserve that and so much more." He hung his head. "It pains me to admit that I didn't give a thought to much of anything after I saw Marian." He gave a shake of his head. "And I never wanted to cause Regina pain. Never, ever wanted to cause her pain like this," he whispered. Robin lifted his face and stared at Tinkerbell.

The green fairy pulled her hand back, preparing to deliver a sound punch to his nose, until she realized she still held the bottle of rum in that hand. "No sense in wasting good rum on you, outlaw," she muttered. Tinkerbell set the bottle down on the pavement as carefully as she could. She rose to her full height and pulled back her arm, balling her hand into a fist as she did. With as much power as she could muster in her inebriated state, she punched him, catching his jaw with her fist.

He staggered back, bringing his hand up to his jaw, rubbing it. "Damn, fairy. That's quite a punch you pack."

Tinkerbell smirked. That will leave a mark on his pretty mug. Her smirk slowly faded when she realized she felt no better than she had before she'd slugged him. "Damn it!" She stamped the ground with her foot and glared at the man.

Robin raised his hands. "No more. One was sufficient," he said as he took a step back from the irate fairy.

"Damn it, damn it, damn it!" she growled. "That didn't help." She resumed glaring at him. "Why didn't it help?"

"I don't know, but..." Robin paused mid-sentence, staring at an alleyway.

Tinkerbell followed his gaze. She let out a soft gasp when Regina stepped from the shadows of the nearby alleyway. The fairy swallowed hard at the glimmer of tears brimming in her eyes.

"Leave us, Thief," Regina ordered in a soft tone.

Tinkerbell watched the man nod then slowly turn from them, casting a glance over his shoulder as he walked away. She rested her fists on her hips, dropping them to her side when she saw teardrops wind their way down Regina's cheeks as the woman watched Robin walk away from them. She lifted a hand, traced the path of the tear with her fingertip. "These are, they are salt in my wounded heart, Regina," she whispered.

"You're drunk, Tinkerbell," the dark-haired woman murmured. She slipped an arm around the fairy's waist. "Let's get you some coffee, and then perhaps we can talk, hmm?"

"I'm not drunk, Regina," the fairy slurred then bobbled her head from side to side. "Well, not exactly sover, but not drunk."

***

Regina smiled through her tears. "You just said 'sover' instead of 'sober,' Tink. I think that qualifies you as drunk."

The fairy stopped and leaned back then leaned closer. "Your smile is so beautiful. Your face should always be wreathed in smiles, and I'm a bad, bad fairy for removing it. I, I should never have pointed you toward him or pushed you to make his acquaintance. If I'd known..." Tinkerbell's words trailed off.

A soft yet bitter laugh escaped Regina. "Things would have been much different, if we'd known, Tink. Much different." She guided the fairy toward her house. The brisk walk in the cooler air seemed to help the fairy recover some of her balance. Some coffee might help too, but Regina imagined the other woman would nurse one hell of a hangover the next day. While they walked, the fairy's words played like a never-ending tape on loop in her mind.

Once inside her house, Regina led the drunken fairy to her kitchen, and settled her at the table while she made coffee. She set a cup of steaming coffee in front of Tinkerbell with a soft plonk! then sat down beside her. "Here, drink this. You need to sober up before you unleash your right hook again."

Tinkerbell turned her head and attempted a glare. Regina could only smile at the green fairy until the other woman began sipping the coffee. When Tinkerbell grimaced at the bitterness of the brew, Regina laughed softly.

"You're a cruel woman, Regina, depriving me of the fine buzz of a fine rum," the fairy murmured.

Regina nodded.

"Speaking of my fine rum, you did manage to...?" Tinkerbell trailed off when she spied the bottle on the counter. "Ah, yes, you saved it from the clutches of that dastardly Killian." She leaned in closer and winked conspiratorially at Regina. "Although, I stole it from him, so technically," the fairy paused then continued, "he'd be retrieving what's rightfully his."

Regina smiled again, a soft chuckle escaping her. "Drink your coffee, Tink." Her expression grew more serious, and she reached over to cover the other woman's hand resting on the table. "I, I want to talk to you about what you said back there."

The fairy lifted her gaze to meet Regina's, then turned her hand over to clasp Regina's hand. "I meant it, Regina. Every last word of it."

"You ended up losing your wings because of me," Regina whispered.

"Aye," Tinkerbell replied, nodding. "And even though I've just got them back, I'd willingly give them up again to have the opportunity to be the one…"

Regina pressed a finger to Tinkerbell's lips. "Please don't say anything that rash. I'm not worth it."

Tinkerbell grabbed Regina's hand, gave it a squeeze. "Stop saying things like that, Regina."

A mirthless laugh escaped Regina. "It's true, Tink. Villains don't deserve happy endings or second chances, which means a fairy shouldn't want to give up her wings for me." The words sounded hollow even in her own ears.

Without a warning, Tinkerbell launched herself at Regina and pressed a kiss to her lips. When Regina let out a soft cry, the fairy took advantage of the moment to deepen the kiss. She tangled the fingers of one hand in Regina's ebony hair, tugging the other woman closer. "Let me be your happy ending, Regina," she whispered against her lips.