A/N: Thank you so much for the faves, fallows and reviews! Your support and feedback is what keeps me writing. Thank you also for being so patient as I took a few weeks to post another chapter. To all those wondering why Emma Ran and also why she left everything behind, I promise these questions will be answered as the story develops. I know there might be things here that are not close to reality however for the purpose of story world they are Enjoy!

Chapter 3

Broken (Daley)

After Emma closed the door, Regina turned to make her way down the small hall and stairs. The brunette shared a small smile with herself and placed both hands in the pockets of her expensive coat, dark silky locks of hair lingered over half her face as she looked down. For someone as introspective and lonely as Regina, finding comfort in the intimacy of something as simple as the scent that exuded from the fabric of her clothing combined with the cold air that hit her as she walked out of the building was a silent delight. Her steps came to a halt and she closed her eyes, letting the cool wind wash over her. The contrast of the warmth that oozed from her body juxtaposed with the chill outer world somehow made the woman feel closer to herself, to the gigantic amount of things that lived inside her waiting to be shared and to her heavy solitude.

Back in the small apartment Emma's green eyes were still wide and lost in space, her face filled with disbelief, mouth half open. Henry waived a hand over her face.

"Hello? Earth to gaping chicken"

Emma lingered in her trance for a few seconds until her brother's words hit her, she furrowed her brows and turned to him. "Wait" She shook her head "What?"

"That… my sister is urban terminology for coward"

Emma walked towards the couch suddenly feeling weak in the knees and a thirsty.

Henry threw his hands in the air in disbelief "That's it? Are you serious?"

Emma sat and looked up at him, still trying to regain her complete cognitive abilities. Had the gorgeous doctor just dropped by her door completely unexpectedly in all her perfection?

The teen with a deep voice interjected, trying not to let frustration take over. His sister had apparently lost her mind, because for the looks of it she was about to let the perfect chance to get Regina's number slip through her fingers. "You are aware that bringing the book was her saying 'ask me out' right?"

Emma shook her head once more "What?! What are you talking about?"

"That while you've spent the past two minutes drooling, hot and may I add... super awesome doctor is walking away… probably forever" The teen exaggerated submerged in his frustration "I bet she's half way out of Brooklyn by now"

The blonde's mouth felt dry as a desert, she leaned forward and grabbed a bottle of water from the coffee table where the pizza was, she took a big gulp and felt her sanity return to her body… slowly. "Henry you're crazy, she just came to drop off your book… that's all" Emma drank again and shrugged as she placed the bottle back on the surface "She said it herself"

It was Henry's turn to let his jaw fall slightly "Emma… What time is it?"

The blonde reached for her cell and looked at the expensive watch on her wrist; it was the only thing she kept from her mother's possessions "Almost midnight"

The young man was sporting a stellar 'duh' expression on his face "Exactly! Why would she come this late just to give some stranger kid a book?"

"Gee I don't know little brother… maybe because she's nice? Or perhaps because she felt bad for the orphan kid…"

Henry rolled his eyes in annoyance and slouched his shoulders, his sister was doing what she had always done, denying herself of a chance before it even had the opportunity to fully sprout.

"She's a doctor Henry… maybe she just got off work or something… they have long weird schedules, but she sure as hell didn't come here because she likes me, I think you're a little… nuts"

"I'm crazy?" The teen pointed a finger at himself with wide hazel eyes.

Emma smiled "Maybe it was nail polish intoxication" She winked playfully.

He shrugged and nodded as his sister's sarcastic words hit his ears, the boy's mind began to ponder on the possibilities "Acute intoxication you mean"

Emma rubbed her forehead and glared at him, she knew exactly what came after that statement. The inevitable science vomit "Don't do it"

"Excessive exposure to toluene could cause symptoms associated with delusion" His eyes looked into the air as if he was seeing magic floating in it "Euphoria… hallucinations…"

Emma's eyes were knitting together by now as she stared at him "Tol what?"

Henry looked down at his sister "Tol-ue-ne" He said enunciating for his sister with a kind of sarcasm that only came from those who expected common warm blooded human beings to share their IQ levels.

By this point in their lives Emma took absolutely no offense to the fact that her almost seventeen year old brother was a proved genius while her brain was as average as the next Joe's. On the contrary this fact always filled her with pride; however Henry's usually confusing dialogs and musings could get a tad annoying. "Really Henry?! Might as well just have said tomatoes instead" She shrugged not knowing what the hell he was talking about.

"Technically speaking, it's a mono-benzene derivate, part of the methyl family… "

The blonde gave him another silent look "Nope"

"Ugh! Alright… it's a liquid found in nail polish with the ability to make you feel 'funny'"

Emma smiled satisfied "Thank you"

"You are not fun you know that right?"

"I am a hoot Henry Swan don't you dare insult one of my most endearing qualities"

"Whatever… you're deflecting while the hot doctor walks further and further away from you!"

"Will you stop it with that? You're seeing things baby bro, she's probably straight… and please stop calling her hot doctor, you're kinda freaking me out"

The teenager smiled "I'm not five anymore you know? Or blind for that matter"

Emma smiled and stood up to face him "You're right…" For a brief moment the blonde's eyes gleamed with pride, her little boy was turning into a man "You're an incredible young man"

The moment was small yet heartfelt, Henry's eyes gleamed as he blushed and a smile took over his face. He loved his sister and knew how hard she worked to make his life a good one. "Now who's the one feeling the toluene's effects?" Henry added jokingly.

Emma punched his good arm and he broke out in laughter.


The morning after had joined the living; and for Henry this was an excellent one. He had received mail; but not just any kind of mail, the boy had received a letter from MIT. After his usual morning routine with his sister, he made his way downstairs and collected the mail just as he always did every morning since applying to the prestigious institution.

It was just another New York morning; he walked to school and saved opening the letter addressed to him for later. Excitement was a tricky thing; the eagerness that came attached to elation was like a drug that filled every cell of your body with a sensation that you simply never wanted to end, and the only thing that could bring it to exhaust was disappointment. Henry had worked so hard to get into the prestigious school, he knew they of course could not afford it, however his brilliant mind and excellent behavior in school lead him to land a few opportunities in which receiving a full scholarship was a very plausible possibility.

The teenager's walk to school had been a blur; by the time awoke from his daydreaming haze, he had already arrived to the familiar building. His best friend Grace smiled and waved from a distance as she walked towards him before he entered the institution.

They were surrounded by teenagers hanging around outside the place; the bell had not rang therefore each one of them took full advantage of their precious freedom before it was snatched by the imminent chimes.

The lovely brunette girl approached her beloved friend with a charming smile.

"Hey" The girl quickly noticed something was off with Henry.

"Hey" He returned the greeting casually and smiled.

"What's wrong with you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Henry you're sweating… a lot" She finished with an amused smile.

He smiled nervously and wiped his hands on his jeans "Really?"

"Yeah… and you're fidgeting" She said with wide obvious eyes.

He shrugged "Well… let's go, the bell is about to ring" The teen gestured to walk into the building and Grace stopped him.

"Wait!" She placed her open palm on his chest.

"What?"

"Ok what's going on?"

"Nothing's going on"

"Not so fast my friend! It's seventeen degrees outside and you're perspiring like pre-pubescent jock… and you and I both know you are not one of those"

Henry pursed his lips and reached into his backpack as Grace observed him. Seconds later the boy pulled out the sealed crisp letter.

Grace's eyes widened and she yanked it from his hands "They wrote back!"

"Yeap"

She looked at it and then up at Henry with still wide green eyes "Why the hell haven't you opened it?"

"I don't know… I mean what if they say no?"

"Well… if they in fact said no, not opening it is not going to make the answer go away… it's a letter, not the box holding Schrödinger's cat Henry"

"Your comparison was full of errors actually… the basic principles of quantum mechanics state that"

Grace quickly interrupted the boy holding a hand up closing her eyes briefly "Well you know what I meant, just open it ok? Get it over with whatever it is… just like a band aid, rip it right off" She finished with a smile.

He gave her a small glare and began to open the envelope. After unfolding the paper, he read the letter in silence without displaying a discernible expression.

"Well?!" Grace said impatiently.

Henry's hazel eyes looked away from the paper and into Grace's green ones "It's a preliminary acceptance"

The girl smiled excitedly and began to scream and jump, making every teenager around her stare.

"Ah! Henry you did it you got in!"

"Actually no I didn't, this is more like a partial invitation"

"What?" She asked confused and took the paper from his hands "What do you mean?"

"It means they liked my essay and they are offering an open invitation to take the next and decisive step that will in fact determine if I'll get the scholarship"

"Well… might as well count yourself in, I'm sure this is just a formality"

"Actually not it isn't" He said and took the paper back from Grace "I read about it once when I was researching about them, it's a test to my skill"

"But you already have perfect grades… and passed their admission exam, what else could they want from you?"

"Forget it… I'm doomed" Henry said as he began to walk towards the building, Grace fallowed.

"Wait! What do you mean you're doomed? Whatever it is they want just do it! You can't give up this far into the game Henry" The girl said as she tried to keep up with his pace.

"Grace just forget it ok? I have to do this insanely ambitious project"

"Then do it!"

"It's more complicated than that… it's not just theory and semantics, they would want me to dwell on tangible elaboration and that means money… besides it says I'll need to find a mentor who is willing to work with me"

Grace shook her head and stopped the boy from walking "Ok just stop! Walking…"

Henry rolled his eyes and brought his walk to a halt.

"Are you seriously going to lose this opportunity because of a couple blocks on the road? You've worked so hard to just quit before trying, this is your dream Henry!"

"What am I supposed to do? I can't ask my sister for money, she's already killing herself with three jobs Grace"

"Henry I know the struggle, we come from the same place remember? But I am not going to let you quit now. If you need money... shit I… I don't know we'll find it somehow, and if we have to go to each hospital in New York looking for a doctor willing to help you then we'll do it!"

The teen boy looked down and then up into her eyes discouraged and unsure "I don't know Grace…"

Grace smiled "We can do this Henry… I know you can, you are so close"

She said as she placed a hand on his arm.

Perhaps it was the adrenaline, the fear of losing this chance or simply the fact that it was far too early; but Henry hadn't thought of the fact that he knew the perfect candidate for his current needs.


Back in the emergency room, Regina was having one hell of a morning. Though the degree of its intensity was a lot higher for the woman compared to Henry's. The brunette doctor had been called in earlier than usual due to an emergency surgery that needed to be performed on a critically injured male patient. Several lacerations to the head of this man required for Regina to spend nearly five hours in the operation room.

The gifted woman was known to be one of the best neurosurgeons in the country and even though she regularly received praise, the truth of the matter was that this was simply her passion. Regina loved what she did and she was as excessively meticulous in everything she did as she was insanely smart. She felt accomplished in this aspect of her life; however she was also as simple as she was beautiful and longed for things that money, recognition and wealthy circles could not provide. Things as simple as every skillful move of her hand inside that man's brain spoke volumes of her background, of who she was and where she came from.

Only her dark eyes were visible, as the mouth mask hid the rest of her perfectly symmetrical face. Even though her hair was tied in a ponytail, a small strand loosely hung on the side of her cheek. The woman was completely focused on the life or death task and luckily for the man lying on the table, she was finished and ready to close him up.

Regina extended her glove covered and blood soaked hand to one of the residents assisting her. The young man seemed nervous and intimidated, though he had no reason to be.

"We are ready to suture the incision Dr. Carter" She said waiting for the obviously uneasy man to hand her what she needed.

"Oh… yes right! I'm sorry Dr. Mills" He handed her the surgical suture, needle and thread.

"Thank you"

Regina smiled to herself amused at the poor man's state, though she was used to it, the woman had a reputation to be as polite and pleasant as she was stunning.

After she was finished with the last precise stitch she ordered for the patient to be taken to the intensive care unit to be observed in the course of the fallowing days.

After removing the gloves and throwing them in the trash, she walked to the sink and began to wash her hands. For a brief moment she thought of the night before, and how adorable Emma looked as she opened the door with her silly doodled mustache. The brief daydream made her smile as she scrubbed her fingers. She had only been in Emma's presence twice and for very short periods of time in each instance; however she felt a very nice kinship with the blonde… there was something about the woman that made Regina feel at ease inside.

Thinking back on the day before when Henry had dropped the trick lesbian questionnaire, obviously trying to shed light on Regina's sexual preference was quite endearing… and thinking further back, she remembered meeting Emma for the first time and getting a very definite vibe from her. The idea that the blonde was possibly attracted to her was surprising and unexpected but for some reason it felt good. The whole thing sparked Regina's curiosity and even though she had never been in a relationship with another woman besides an innocent college fling, there was something about Emma that caught her attention… aside the fact that she was to die for.

Regina wasn't expecting Henry's insinuations to hold any truth. She didn't even know what pushed her to drive all the way to their home and personally hand the boy his book when she could have easily dropped it at the lost and found station.


A few hours had passed and Henry finally came to his senses, after having the chance to relax and unwind in his last class of the day; he suddenly thought of Regina and how the woman would be the perfect candidate to become his mentor, after all the woman was a neurosurgeon and incredibly nice; perhaps this could actually work, all he had to do now was go to her and simply ask.

Grace and Henry entered the hospital; instantly noticing the mild rush of people giving life to the sterilized cold building, to Henry's eyes this was a small taste of what could very possibly be for him.

The teen girl looped her arm around the tall boy and leaned into his ear "Pretend you're in pain" She hissed through her teeth and smiled at a nurse who passed by them.

Henry furrowed his brows in confusion "What? No… I'll just ask for her"

Grace shrugged knowingly and rolled her tongue on her lips "Fine… suit yourself Mr. Charming" She smiled at another nurse "This should be fun"

Henry glared at her and walked to the reception "Hello…. Ma'am good afternoon, my name is Henry Swan and I need to see Dr. Mills"

The woman tending to the reception desk was not the same one who had been there before. This one seemed extremely displeased and intimidating; she raised a brow and stared at the teenager making him jerk back a bit "Well take a number like everyone else"

"Alright… but it has to be her, she's the one who treated me before… you see I-"

"Sure sweetheart and would you like some coffee with that? Maybe a pillow?" The woman said sarcastically.

Grace bit her lip trying not to laugh; while Henry's face was a poem.

"No… thank you, I just need to see Dr. Mills please" He finished with a smile.

Grace walked up to the desk and leaned into Henry's ear "She's being sarcastic"

"What? …Her mockery is completely out of context… why associate a coffee or pillow with what I said, It doesn't make any sense, she isn't even conveying contempt"

Grace quickly smashed Henry's foot with hers.

"Ow!" The teenage boy uttered braised by the sudden and unexpected pain. "Why did you-"

"Shut up" Grace said between her teeth and smiled at the woman who was now staring at the contorting boy.

"As you can see ma'am my friend is not feeling well at all, Dr. Mills removed a cast from his arm yesterday and he… God… he is so clumsy, he actually fell on it"

The unamused woman continued to stare at Grace.

"So we would truly appreciate it she could just take a look at his arm, I mean she was her physician so it seems most fitting"

The woman pushed the sign in sheet towards her still wearing a poker face.

Grace raised a brow "Really… so helpful" She wrote down Henry's name and looped her arm on his arm once more "Come on… let's go sit"

A few doors down the hallway, handsome Dr. Mendez walked into the doctor's lounge and made his way to the coffee station. The man smiled and looked over his shoulder at his good friend and colleague Regina sitting on the comfortable couch. The brunette looked tired yet always managed to look dashing in scrubs and a lab coat. She wore dark rimmed glasses and read over a somewhat thick stash of papers.

"Updating your will?" The man said and poured coffee into a cup.

Regina looked up and smiled "No… actually it's just research on the eradication of neuropathogens"

"You know there's a couple of kids outside trying to con the receptionist into letting them see you"

Regina furrowed her brows and pushed her reading glasses to her head "What?"

The man shrugged coolly and began to stir his hot drink. "I think they are going to be very disappointed to find you're not on call anymore"

The brunette grew curious and stood from the couch. Her shift had finished about an hour ago; however on her lighter shit days, it wasn't rare for the woman to linger around the hospital until a couple of hours extra just in case she was needed.

Regina walked out of the doctor's lounge and immediately noticed the familiar teenagers sitting in the waiting area.

Somehow seeing Henry always brought a smile to her face; as she started to make her way over to where they were, Grace noticed the brunette approaching a jerked Henry's arm. "She's coming"

The boy quickly stood up and smiled at the beautiful Dr. with the kind smile. "Dr. Mills… Hi!"

"Hi" She said and smiled "What brings you here? Something wrong with your wrist?" She asked with a hint of concern in her voice and face.

"Oh no… no, it's find I was just…" he buried his hands in his pockets "I was wondering if I could speak to you in private"

"Oh, of course Henry" Regina offered with full disposition. She gestured at both teens "Come… fallow me"

Grace stood up and fallowed them, leaving the mean receptionist rife with annoyance and walked away with a smug smile.

Regina had led the trio into an empty lounge area that was usually given to family members of patients.

The brunette smiled and reached for Henry's wrist "How are you feeling?" She asked and gently touched around it.

"Great actually… thank you so much, you're a fantastic physician"

She smiled "Well thank you… it was my pleasure Henry… so, how can I be of help?"

"Oh! Yes… well first of all I wanted to thank you again for bringing my book… you didn't have to do that, but I greatly appreciated the gesture"

"You're welcome"

Henry scratched his head and began to fidget yet again "Well… I um, I have a huge favor I'd like to ask"

"Sure… What is it?"

"I don't know if you remember when I mentioned I wanted to become a neurosurgeon"

"Actually I do remember…" She smiled and continued to listen.

"Well you see I… I'm sure you know my sister and I don't have much" He smiled sheepishly and blushed "I mean you had full access to my medical history and personal information…"

Grace pursed her lips and gently tugged on his arm.

"Anyway, I really… truly want to go to MIT since they have an amazing pre-med program and well, I applied for a full scholarship… I um, today I received an open invitation to participate in the decisive phase of the scholarship program"

"That's fantastic news Henry congratulations!" Regina offered with an honest smile and gleaming eyes.

"Thank you… well… the main requirement is to execute a project under the supervision of a mentor who is also in the medical field… and well I was wondering"

Regina smiled and of course knew where this was all going; she placed both her hands in the pockets of her lab coat, completely endeared by Henry's nervous request.

"If maybe… it wasn't too much trouble… you…"

Grace nudged on the boy yet again as he was starting to sound like a skipping record.

"Could you please be my… mentor? I promise I'm a very organized and will do my very best to require the least amount of your time as I possibly can" He bargained with hoping eyes.

"It would be my pleasure Henry"

Both Grace and Henry were beaming.

"Really?" He asked in disbelief at how easy it all turned out to be thus far.

The brunette couldn't help but to continue smiling, their excitement and happiness were simply contagious; and truth be told this felt incredibly fulfilling for the woman.

"Yes… with one condition though…"

"Of course! Anything you name it"

"I expect to be included in the entire process… Don't forbear from requesting my time or assistance with anything you need to see this through properly. Do we have a deal?"

Henry smiled and shook his head excitedly "Of course. Thank you"

A/N: Thank you! Please drop me a review!