Disclaimer: I do not own anything, if I do, SWAN QUEEN would be the end game. Alas, it's not... or maybe SWANQUEEN nation could hope and pray that they will come to their senses and give the ship its best chance.

Summary: Post 3B, Elsa had done her thing and the problem was resolved, but Regina still hurt with Marian's return decided to continue on disappearing on everyone in Storybrooke. So a few found a way to give Regina another chance at happy ending. It tweaked Regina's curiosity and Emma was annoyed about it.

Very very low drama meter. It's supposed to be T as I do not plan on writing adult scene but I'd like to be safe and rate it M. No beta.

The Lion Tattoo

One

It has been a grueling three weeks after that debacle we call Elsa. Henry called it operation Frozen, yeah, for someone who loves stories so much, my boy is so bad and unoriginal in naming his operations, well not that I could fault Henry, his one year partial amnesia might have something to do with his inartistic operation naming. Now, Queen Elsa have not ruined the whole town – the towers, houses, they are all standing, intact to a certain level but its the roads that got the brunt of her wrath. Since it was Mr. Gold or should I say Rumple's fault that Elsa was separated from her sister that brought on her wrath to the town, the town council had deemed it penance for him to help in the re construction of it.

Well I am included in the team, Snow or mom said that I have to do penalty as well since I was the one who brought the urn that had kept Elsa in Storybrooke. As if I knew that I'm bringing her along! If I knew that QUEEN ELSA does exist just like all the fairy characters of Disney, I would have brought Anna with us! But noooo... my mother would not accept an excuse! And to top it all off, I will have to work with Regina.

Ah, now that's something else.

I know and I own to my mistake – er not Elsa no, I still stand by my argument that it was not my fault she hitched a ride with me and Hook! I didn't know damn it! – but I may as well own to it since it seemed to the perfect Regina, everything was my fault. And hey, bringing Marian back was, but just like my argument two months before, I didn't know she was Robinhood's supposedly deceased wife! But okay, even if I knew, I'd still bring her with us, but perhaps I would have approached her meeting with Robin – or her – differently. I could have used discretion or warning? And hope to the God almighty that the hurt that befalls Regina wouldn't be as devastating as it looked now.

Oh have I mentioned about it being two months ago? Alright, I can understand that she was that hurt that time and that her not wanting to talk to me or even to see me was normal. But damn it, Elsa came and we had worked together! for a time there I thought she finally understood why I did what I did. I even thawed her heart! And if I haven't seen Frozen movie before, I would have said that we are the destined true loves – though I was dating the one hand pirate that time so it's kind of hard to believe that out of all the people in Storybrooke, I was the one who melted that ice that would have frozen her forever. Even Henry's tears has no effect – so you see, we are at least friends if not sisters or lovers if I was able to do that. Then after the problem was solved, she'd gone missing again. I know – and everyone knows – she was just hiding in her mansion but the whole town missed her. I mean, she does her paper work in her house, she even prefer to see Snow in the mansion to get the paper than see me. I used Henry and still... nothing. The only time I get to see her is when she, Rumple and I magically repairs the road, and she decided to divide the whole town into three so we can work separately. Okay, that was ideal, we could repair a lot faster that way, but that doesn't give me time to talk to her right? When the day is done, she's gone – oh yeah, that's poetic –

Three days was all it took and then, poof! I made a bursting action with my hands, that's it thank you very much. I would have preferred her angry, yelling at me, pushing me with her fingers or even punching me. I prefer that a lot than this silent treatment. I am no good with it.

And so here I am at the rabbit hole, one evening, three weeks later, drowning my woes with cheap whiskey and noisy solitude. I was enjoying being alone, well Hook decided to leave Storybrooke for a while after I break up with him, not that we dated seriously and, gods... there's just too much mascara I can take. He got pissed when I asked him what kind he was using 'cause I need to buy one too, I mean come on, it doesn't wash away. Anyway, I rolled my eyes at the rhyming that pops out of my brain all of a sudden, so I was sitting alone drinking, and then out of the left field someone took a sit on the chair in front of me.

Good thing I wasn't drunk or I would have shoved Old man Marco out of the fucking chair. I smiled at him, "Hey Marco,"

"Sheriff," he slurs. It was obvious the guy is inebriated.

"I think you need to go home Marco, it seemed to me that you are drunk." I said and look at him shook his head.

"Tipsy yes, but drunk no," he shook his head once again. I noticed how he tried hard to make his voice as normal as possible, he failed but I didn't call him up on it. "I'm here to celebrate." he smiled toothily, I left August with Eugene so I could come here and have some drink, and drink I did!"

I frowned, "Eugene?" I tried reciting every Stroybrooke character I know in my head, including their cursed name but I am sure it will take me three days to do it and that's without an alcohol brain and I don't think I would figure out if there's anyone named Eugene in here... unless Eugene from the Disney movie Tangled came to Storybrooke without me knowing! Damn, I can't have another thief in the midst! Most dangerous men of all, they like stealing hearts more than Cora or Regina.

"Granny," he answered my query with a grin. Oh...

"So what's the occasion?" I asked smiling.

He waved his hand in dismissal, "No special occasion sheriff, it's just I earned a lot this week and it's much more than I earned in my entire stay in Storybrooke and Enchanted Forest combined. So I thought I should give myself a pat at the back and celebrate." he frowned, "That Granny though was a stickler, she wouldn't even come and have drink with me."

I grinned, "I'm sure Ruby is somewhere." I saw his eyes widened and then he started giggling. Whoa – who would have thought Marco giggles.

"Even if she is, I doubt I'd want to celebrate with her, she's part of why I'm celebrating." Now that answer made me raise one light brow up.

"She is?"

"Yes," another wave of hand in dismissal, "Actually she's the one who started this, what the young generation say now a days...ah... funk?"

"Oh yeah, what funk?" Huh, well Ruby could be a trend setter indeed. Not hard to believe.

"Well," Marco gulped the remnants of whatever it was he's drinking before continuing, "She had me do this tattoo on her right wrist."

"Oh, a tattoo? Really? I never pegged Ruby to be a girl to have permanent marking on her body."

"Who said anything about permanent? I used henna. She made sure of that." A henna tattoo, well... I know of it, had one or two when I went to vacation on beaches. But it's freezing in Maine and that would beat the purpose of having a henna tattoo.

"A henna tattoo in a cold season?" I asked and he nodded his head, "So she had a tattoo so she can hide it under those parkas? Unless she decides to dress up her usual and weather the weather." there goes poetry again.

He shrugged his shoulders, "Well, she paid good for it so I don't care why she want one." he smiled, "And that Robin looks like he'd pee his pants as he watched." Now, that's something. There must be a story behind why dear Robinhood needs to watch. I mean he is talking about Robinhood right?

"Robin as in Robinhood of Locksley? The two timing Robinhood?" I asked suddenly irate.

He nodded, "One and the same sheriff."

"So why is there the need for him to watch you do a tattoo on Ruby?" I asked, my back suddenly stiff. Well, after good ol' Robin dumped Regina the very moment he saw Marian without even looking back, or without even making an expression of remorse for the woman, more perfect and gorgeous than his lady, I decided he isn't a good man. What good man does that to Queen?

"Oh don't get angry sheriff, he was not there for that purpose. He just needs to be there because I have to copy his tattoo."

"What?"

"Well, Ruby wanted a replica of his tattoo so she brought him to me and I copied it. Exact color and dimensions." what the heck, of all the arts in the world, why his? "Oh, and then he came with Mulan and I did the same henna on her, and I thought I saw a knife pointed at his throat courtesy of Tinkerbelle, and did the same tattoo on her wrist. By the time Queen Elsa came to my shop with a frozen Robin, I already memorized it and has no need of him." Well, well, well... what is happening? Is this just some trend?

"So who else jumped in the wagon?" I'm having a nice vision of how the women Marco said, minus Mulan and how they convinced the thief to go with them to Marco, and the image was enough for me to look for each woman and pat them at their backs for a job well done.

"Well, that's just it sheriff, nothing has come up to me for the tattoo yet after Queen Elsa. I'm hoping the fad continues, it's good money." I nodded at the old man and then saw him stood. "Well, I think I should get another drink,"

My eyes widened, "Oh no Marco. I maybe off tomorrow, but I am still the sheriff and I say, you have enough and you – should go home." I looked around and saw no Leroy. "Leroy isn't here so I wouldn't want to pull position and get someone in the station to fetch you and give you a warm up time at the station now would we? I'm sure Tink would love to have company tonight seeing her constant companion is nowhere to be found." Or maybe, Leroy got shitfaced earlier than usual and is now snoring at the station.

He grinned, "No sheriff, 'ayt, I should go then and fetch August. You know... that Granny is good with kids."

I smiled, "Of course she is."

"Good night then sheriff," he waved good bye and slowly walked out of the bar. So what's so special with Robin's tattoo?

-0-

The next day, I found my self at Granny's with a hangover, and a large steaming cup of coffee. The diner's temperature today is a bit odd, I was sure it was winter and the mere fact that Elsa is around trying her hardest to control her freezing power made it sure that Storybrooke will be in constant winter until she's able. There's not much patron at this early hour, so the hot temperature was – yes – odd, not that I don't appreciate it. Cold temp would be bad for my head right now, hangover plus allergic rhinitis care of hypercold weather doesn't bode well for me.

And then Ruby came in to start her day. I looked at my friend as she removed all the clothes that covers every skin in her body... er ... I mean not all of it as in all, just the winter clothes I mean... and then she went to the back of the diner and returned with a big smile on her face, which fades when the bell tinks and Tinkerbelle came in. I saw Ruby eye the smaller woman with one brow raised, and then Tinkerbelle returned the gesture. What the heck? Are they fighting?

I turned to my coffee and let them be, though I can't help it if I can hear them from where I sat.

"One cup of hot chocolate and Black coffee." Tinkerbelle ordered. I frown, alright, Tink had started being my night deputy since Regina had defeated Zelena, she chose not to be a nun and be confined in the monastery, she had been a lost and wild fairy for long, she doesn't know how to follow rules to a T anymore. And that was enough time for me to know that the green fairy does not drink coffee no matter how many days or nights she fails to sleep. She is a big chocolate drinker.

"You don't drink coffee." I heard Ruby voice out my thoughts, and she sound a bit annoyed.

"What is it to you? I'm paying so give me a cup of chocolate and a cup of black coffee." The smaller woman replied more annoyed. Well, she is a paying customer.

"You're not..."

"I'm not what?" Whoa... this sounds like there's going to be a fight sooner than later, and I am still damn OFF! I stood and slowly walked towards the bar. My supposed intervention was halted by Granny who yelled at Ruby to served her customer what they wanted and the taller woman has no other choice but to comply. I was beside the fairy when I saw her grin at the seething werewolf.

"Hey," I greeted and Tinkerbelle turned to look at me. She smiled cautiously and nodded her head in greeting. I noticed her lack of winter cover, and then remembering Marco's story last night, I looked at her right wrist, and there it was, the henna tattoo and it was clear that it was of a lion. "Nice tattoo." I said smiling.

She smiled at me, "Yeah," that's it? I know the fairy doesn't like me much but, I've been trying to be friend her, besides, we work at the same department and I'm supposed to be her boss. Before I could start another conversation with her, I watched Ruby came with two cups of hot beverages, surely it was Tink's order. She put it in front of the smaller woman, hard and that's thanks to the cover, nothing spilled.

I looked at Ruby's right wrist, and there it was, a henna lion tattoo that's so much like that of Tinkerbelle's. "Hi Rubes,"

"Ems," she greeted me with a genuine smile this time.

"Nice tattoo,"

"Oh yeah it is. I had Marco made this."

"Oh really?" I thought feigning innocence was the best way to tackle this problem. "Well, ah, Tink has the same tattoo..."

"Copy cat!" Ruby suddenly blurted out and glared at the silent fairy, "You got your order, what are you still doing here?"

"Whoa –" Ruby is really pissed, what the heck is happening? Did Marco used some magic in his henna ink or something? Before Tinkerbelle retorts with a backhanded answer, the door to the diner opened and came in Regina. I sighed, after three weeks I finally see her. I smiled forgetting my hangover and stood to step close to the woman.

Tinkerbelle beats me to her and my brow rose when the fairy shyly handed Regina the hot coffee cup and pulled Regina to her usual booth. I saw Regina's stunned face especially when Tinkerbelle hurriedly pulled out a chair and let the mayor sit. Whoa – now what on earth... I have to sit again in front of the bar and watched with rapt attention.

"Tink..." Oh god, I missed that voice, "Thank you, I..."

"Don't say it, you're welcome." The once aggressive demeanor of Tinkerbelle suddenly shifted to this shy looking, blushing, cute fairy. How the heck does she manage to do that? I saw Regina smile at her, and yes, I'm jealous. I've been a receiver of that smile two months ago, and damn it if I don't get Regina to do it for me again. We share a son for Christ sake!

And then I saw Tinkerbelle actually maneuver her right wrist so that the henna tattoo is displayed. Regina did notice the move too, she looked down and then she frowned and looked at Tinkerbelle. Her word or words was halted by Ruby coming to their table depositing Regina's usual breakfast. Did Regina ordered yet? I didn't notice if she did.

"Ah, I didn't order yet." Regina said as she looked up at Ruby who was beaming at the mayor. If my eyes could bulge out of its socket, it would have. I know Ruby always beams, but she isn't glowing like this for anyone!

"I know, but I'm sure you didn't come here for just coffee?" Ruby said as she turned her focus on the fairy and grinned at her. Wow... I might be on the rusty or dense part of the courtship thing, but I at least know a competition when presented before me. And this is very clear...

The huffed Tinkerbelle gave the standing brunette was an indication of that. For the love of all holy, these two are fighting over Regina? Really? I was so engrossed in thinking this over that I was surprised by the sudden sound of a chair being pushed and Regina standing up, and leaving the diner.

"Shit," I said as I stood myself. I heard Tinkerbelle and Ruby's shout fest and ignored them as I followed the retreating mayor.

-end one-