Despite being entitled “Quite a Common Fairy,” 3×3 is actually part of Regina’s backstory. What if in the FTL flashback Regina goes to Tinker Bell, her fairy-godmother, after her marriage to King Leopold because she wishes to get pregnant with a child of her own, hoping it will fill her life with love? However, maybe Regina is infertile, and so Tink promises to one day bless her with an adopted child. That would help to explain why Regina is smiling from ear to ear and walking arm in arm with Tinker Bell like they’re best friends.
Flash-forward to 2001 when Henry was born and Tink, working for the PP in our world, helps arrange for baby Henry to be brought from Phoenix to Storybrooke. In that way, Tinker Bell is looking out for Regina by eventually granting her wish of adopting a child. In that way, Tinker Bell is also helping fulfill PP’s wish for Henry to become the Truest Believer by placing him in magical town and luring Emma to break the curse.
"That’s how you know you’ve really got a home. When you leave it, there’s this feeling that you can’t shake. You just miss it." Neal Cassidy