Prompt: AU Prompt: Regina wakes up to find her 3 year old son Henry sick. Not wasting any time she drives him to Dr. Whale only to discover that he is on honeymoon and his substitute is sexy Brit Dr. Locksley. Regina feels a bit self-conscious considering that she threw on the first thing she could find and didn't even get to brush her hair and Robin finds the piece of candy that is stuck to her hair rather endearing.
Doctor
Coffee. The smell fills her lungs. She wonders if it is possible for caffeine to be absorbed into her bloodstream this way, because suddenly, the heavy eyelids she hasn't been able to draw open since she crawled out of bed are lifting slowly. Searching for the clock on her stove, Regina's lips curve into a sleepy smile when she realizes it is 7:15 AM, and that means Henry let her sleep in. He is still asleep in fact, something as rare as an eclipse, and Regina plans on savouring every moment of solace until her 3 year old wakes, bringing turbulence to the calm.
She has the day off. Another occurrence that is as rare as that elusive eclipse. Henry had grown so much the last few months, and Regina found herself feeling guilt that she couldn't be around more, and jealousy at the women at daycare who were able to spend their days watching her son, her miracle, grow and develop. So she had decided to take a long weekend from the veterinary clinic and spend time with Henry. They could survive without her for one Monday, and if not, she would just hear the horror stories on Tuesday. She would simply grin and bear it while being forced into false promises of never taking another day off.
Regina finds herself gliding across the kitchen floor seeking her favorite coffee mug, green with horses covering the side, a gift from her father when she graduated veterinary school. Pulling it from the cupboard, she retraces her steps back to the coffee that has just finished percolating, and remembers how her father told her, "You'll need this when you find a job. A veterinarian's hours can be long and daunting." The memory brings a small chuckle forth, because in all her years as a vet, she has found her days with Henry can be far more exhausting, requiring many more trips to her coffee mug, than any day she spends on call at the clinic. The warm liquid flows smoothly into her cup, wafting up the aroma, and once again she finds herself inhaling deeply before lifting the cup to her mouth, taking a tentative sip of the hot beverage.
A content sigh escapes her lips, and she revels in the quiet relaxation until a tug on her pants brings her back to reality. The smile generated by her lazy morning grows exponentially at the sight of her toddler looking up at her, eyes big and round like saucers, just staring with his lips slightly open. Her brow furrows, head tilting to the side as she takes in Henry's appearance. His hair is damp and mussed with sweat, face and neck covered with a pink flush, and his normal energetic joyful countenance has been replaced with a tired frown.
"Mama, I don't feel good." Henry winds arms around her leg, gripping her appendage in a small hug. Regina's hand immediately falls to the mop of hair beside her thigh. Setting her mug on the counter, she lowers herself to her knees in front of Henry quickly assessing the situation. He is hot, burning up, as she smooths her hands over his head and cheeks, and she is concerned because her hands are still warm from her steaming mug of coffee so he must be running a high fever if he still feels warm in comparison.
"Come with me, Sweetie." Regina rises with Henry in her arms, settling him on her hip, before swiftly traversing to the small bathroom just off the kitchen. Settling Henry on the side of the tub, she shuffles through the medicine cabinet pulling out a thermometer. After having Henry, Regina had invested in a half dozen of these contraptions, sprawling them from room to room, because she could never seem to find the one she owned when she needed it.
Henry allows her to place the thermometer in his ear with no struggle, making it even more clear that he is feeling awful. He always puts up a fight, always. She sits beside him on the side of the tub, letting him snuggle into her side, he left hand holding the thermometer steady and her right wrapping around her son, comforting. When the harsh beep sounds and Regina reads the thermometer, a startled gasp escapes her lips, and sympathy for her little boy surges through her.
"105 degrees," she states while nudging Henry's chin, bringing his eyes to meet her own, "Henry, we're going to go see Dr. Whale, ok?"
Henry loves Dr. Whale. The man bought his friendship with candy and stickers from the moment Henry became his patient. The slow nod and barely there smile in response from her son is an atypical reaction to visiting his favorite doctor, and is another testament to how badly he must be feeling.
Pulling Henry into her arms once more, Regina snuggles him close while carrying him through the kitchen, slipping on her sandals, and grabbing her keys and purse before heading out to the garage. Once Henry is secured in his seat, Regina hops in the driver's side, and quickly searches for the phone in her purse, placing a quick call to Dr. Whale's office to let them know she will be arriving with a febrile toddler in 10 minutes.
When they reach the doctor's office, a scowl settles on Henry's face. Ruby, the usual receptionist and Henry's first crush, is on her honeymoon it seems, with Dr. Whale. Regina didn't realize they were an item, and only has a moment to ponder what doctor Henry will see, before he starts crying and yelling out of disappointment.
Luckily, Henry is quickly placated by the 'not Ruby' receptionist giving him a red piece of hard candy. He treasures the treat, holding it between thumb and forefinger, analyzing it like a jewel before popping it past his lips savouring the sweetness coating his mouth. The way he values his small delicacy has Regina grinning at him as he straddles her lap and wraps his arms around her neck in a tight embrace.
That is how they remain, snuggling in a chair, Henry making soft slurpy sounds around his candy, face nuzzled into her neck, until a nurse pulls them from the comforting moment, bringing them back through the building, past several rooms, before reaching a very familiar room meant just for younger patients. This specific room has a corner overflowing with toys and books, yet another reason Henry loves Dr. Whale, and he wriggles in her grasp until she releases him, allowing him to explore the abundance of toys.
While Henry makes his way through each and every toy, quickly removing any order and cleanliness from the area, Regina answers the nurse's questions. The older woman asks her about his fever, his symptoms, and many other pointless questions, considering Henry has been Dr. Whale's patient practically since birth, and his record should be full of these answers. Still, Regina responds to each redundant question until the nurse has her lift Henry to the exam table.
As soon as his body hits the table, Henry seems to succumb to the exhaustion that had temporarily lifted at the sight of new toys and a piece of candy. Now he sits, sluggish, barely moving while the nurse takes his temperature and other vitals. He always squirms, never sits still for exams, and his pliable form has Regina's eyebrows knitting together with concern. His temperature is still high, reading 104.8 degrees on the thermometer, and the nurse takes note of his lethargic behavior before stepping toward the door.
"Alright. As I'm sure you've heard, Dr. Whale is on his honeymoon so Dr. Locksley will be seeing Henry today." The white haired nurse declares with a pleasant smile directed toward Henry before continuing. "He is a lovely addition to our office. He has been practicing here with Dr. Whale for about a month and already has quite a list of loyal patients, and he is great with our younger patients."
"Thank you." Regina responds out of necessity, and the woman leaves her alone to comfort her son. It isn't until now she takes note of her appearance. She was in such a hurry to get Henry to the doctor, she didn't take the time to change from her pajamas. She had slept in a pair of comfy black yoga pants, and a dark red tank top, and luckily with the season just nearing the end of summer, she was perfectly comfortable without a sweater or socks. However, now, in this chilly exam room, she was beginning to wish she had thought to throw a bra on before stepping from the house.
Resigning to keep her arms crossed in front of her chest when the doctor arrives, Regina lets her appearance slip her mind with the slight whimper she hears and tug on her arm from Henry imploring her to hold him closer. She cuddles him close, letting his head rest against her sternum, her hand resting in his hair just above his ear. A soft sigh leaves her mouth, and she is sad that her day off with Henry has to be spent with him sick, visiting the doctor, but she is thankful at the same time that she can be here to comfort him.
Voices sound on the other side of the door, and Regina can pick out the older nurse talking with a man, presumably this Dr. Locksley. He has a deep voice and, to Regina's surprise, a thick accent, British she thinks. As she listens, a high pitched giggle sounds, and Regina can pick out the flirtatious tone of the nurses voice. What was it the woman had said about Dr. Locksley, he is a 'lovely addition' to the office, and Regina thinks the nurse sounds quite smitten. Regina hears a teasing tone in his deep voice respond to the nurse. It sounds very flirty, and she wonders briefly if this doctor and the older nurse have a relationship outside of the office.
She pictures a white haired couple walking hand in hand along a trail in the park, and a smirk finds her lips at the vision, before sadness can creep into her mind. The idea of the older couple, although cute, reminds her of what she will never have. After Daniel died, leaving her pregnant with Henry, Regina relinquished any thought of ever finding love again. She has Henry, and he is enough.
A knock sounds on the door, and Regina loudly states, "Come in" never releasing her hold on Henry. The door opens slowly behind her, and the deep accented voice finds her ears again, clearly this time, not muffled by the wooden door.
"Well, I hear there is a sick boy in this room in need of help." Regina turns looking over her shoulder with a smile as the doctor enters the room, and she thinks her jaw might have landed on the floor, her mouth agape, with the sight that meets her eyes. This is not the white haired old man she had envisioned romantically holding the older nurse's hand as they strolled through a park. No, this man is hott! He is damn good looking', and if Regina wasn't so out of her game, she would be just as flirtatious as that nurse.
On the contrary, Regina is very out of her element when it comes to flirting, or even being in the company of a man she is physically attracted to, so she finds herself feeling very uncomfortable with the direction of her thoughts. Quickly pulling herself together, and closing her mouth, she feels a slight flush cover her cheeks, and she hopes that the man standing a couple feet from her does not notice.
"I'm Dr. Locksley." He states, holding his hand out to her, his dreamy blue eyes finding her brown depths with a searing gaze. Looking down at his offered hand, Regina removes hers from Henry's hair and grasps this man's hand in greeting, trying not to notice the way his eyes refuse to leave hers or the way his grasp tightens on her hand, seemingly reluctant to release.
"Regina," she responds, finding her voice, allowing a soft smile to form on her lips as she swallows down her nerves with a noticeable gulp. Finally their hands part, and she clears her throat introducing her son, "and this is Henry. The sick boy in need of help." she repeats the words he spoke when first entering the room. His gaze settles on her son, tenderness filling his features, and Regina finds herself examining this man's face while he examines her son.
The nurse was right. He is good with kids, and has Henry feeling comfortable quickly by regaling the boy with tales of his own son. When he first mentions his own boy, Roland, Regina's eyes drop to his hands without permission. She finds no ring on his finger, and wonders if he doesn't wear it while seeing patients. After all, when she was engaged to Daniel, she removed hers while working with her animal patients. The bulk of the ring would hinder her work during surgeries or even basic exams. Perhaps Dr. Locksley has the same difficulty, or perhaps, Roland's mother is not in the picture.
Regina does not have time to ponder his marital status further when his voice pulls her from her thoughts.
"From what I can see, I believe Henry is fighting off a virus." He calmly states, lowering himself to a stool in front of them. "There is a rather nasty bug going around right now, but to be safe I would like to give him a little tylenol and some fluids here, and then check his temperature again in say," he glances to his watch, "a half hour to see if the medicine has any affect."
He looks up at her with a smile that Regina returns before responding, "That sounds fine," and turning her gaze back to Henry she asks, "How does that sound Henry? Dr. Locksley is going to give you some medicine that should help you feel better, ok?"
Henry nods, nuzzling back into her side as the doctor stands.
"Ok. I'll step out and return with the medicine and some pedialyte to get started." He says, and again his eyes feel like they can see right through hers, right into her soul, and she thinks she is being silly, needs to stop acting like a teenage girl with a crush. She smiles and nods, then turns resting her chin on Henry's head as he snuggles into her.
He has not left though, and suddenly she feels self conscious and confused, turning back to him, noticing his gaze is not on her eyes, but has fallen to her neck, her hair maybe, his brow furrowed, and she wonders what he could be looking at.
"Is something wrong, Dr. Locksley?" she questions nervously, uneasy under his scrutiny. His eyes find hers immediately and widen, seemingly bashful at having been caught staring.
"Ah," his gaze finds the same spot again before he continues, lifting his hand in a hesitant gesture, "you have something," and he points again toward her neck. Flustered, Regina brings her hand up to her neck immediately, wondering what she could possibly have there, feeling nothing beneath her hand, and looking at the doctor with a questioning gaze, brows knitting together.
His hands both move towards hers on her neck, startling her slightly, before he pauses, taking a moment to look into her eyes again apologetically.
"May I?" He asks, and she has no idea what he is about to do, but those eyes pull a 'yes' from her mouth, and it frightens her to think that he could probably pull that response from her for any question if he just looks at her with those eyes.
She feels his hands fidgeting by her neck, in her hair, causing a shiver to run beneath her skin, something she is sure he can see as well, if the smirk that covers his lips is any indication. A gentle tug has her wincing a little before he slowly pulls his hands away, now holding a very small, mostly devoured piece of red candy coated with a couple strands of her hair. A mortified gasp is released from her lips, and she wonders how long she has been walking around with a piece of candy in her hair.
"Oh God," she says, lifting her hand to the spot his had just vacated, a cringe of embarrassment filling her expression. "I can't believe," she sighs, "he must have lost it in my hair when I carried him back here." She says as explanation glancing down to Henry, his face full of innocence, before braving another look to Dr. Locksley.
The man before her smiles, dimples making an appearance, and she hadn't noticed those before, but she definitely should have noticed them because his entire face lights up with that dimpled smile.
"I'm glad I could aid you in removing it." He declares, teeth sneaking out to bite his lip as he timidly glances down to the candy, then back to her before finishing, "Red really flatters you though. It is a good color on you." She is not sure if he is flirting, or just making an observation, but it feels like flirting as his lips smirk again before he excuses himself to get the medicine as promised, and Regina releases a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. A smile forming on her own lips as well.
