A/N: A FLASHBACK CHAPTER! ENJOY IT!
Flashback – Spring 2008
When Regina just became 26 and at this time, she was living in New York City as a lawyer. To her surprise, Zelena was there to see her and it didn't bother her at all. She invited her to stay at her place. The ladies were not really closer since Regina was young because she always goes out with her best friend, Emma in one year apart.
For Zelena, she felt like she need some girls' night's out with her girlfriends but found out that her friends were avoiding her at the best. She made a decision to come visit her sister up in the city and just appeared at her door in the morning. The redheaded woman was almost certain that Regina didn't want her to stay with her but was invited in her place. It got her relieved few minutes later.
Regina made the breakfast for them and sat down on the counter in the kitchen. Zelena didn't complain about where they would sit and eat their meal. The brown-haired lawyer collected herself to check on her cases as usual while making a coffee. Zelena watched her and took her time around in the beautiful apartment Regina owned.
The furniture was very luxury but comfortable to sleep in. The television on the wall was looking big than Zelena thought it would be. She walked in the living room and in awe to see the beautiful view of the city through the window. When the phone rang in the room, Zelena looked around to see Regina walking toward her phone and listened to her conversation before sitting on the couch.
"Hello, this is Regina Mills speaking."
"Hi, this is Dr. Wilson, a gender reassignment doctor."
"Oh, right! May I help you?"
"I see that you have an appointment for sex reassignment. So, I would like to discuss everything with you. I wonder if you could make it today at 10am unless it is okay with you?"
"Um, hold on. I am going to check my schedule really quickly before I confirm."
"No problem, Ms. Mills." Dr. Wilson on the call spoke lightly. Regina nodded to herself and searched the calendar planner in her briefcase then picked up from the bottom and looked through the schedule. She found out that she was free for three days since she became her own boss. Regina actually sent her associates to do her work while she was working at home.
"Yes, I'm free today. I will meet you in your office and thank you for calling me."
"Great! See you soon. Please inform my nurse, Heather. She will lead you to my office while I am working on other case. Bye for now."
They ended up on the phone conversation. Regina nodded at herself and gathered the paperwork in the folders. Zelena furrowed her brows at the terms – 'gender reassignment surgery' and asked her sister to clarify everything.
"Gender Reassignment surgery?"
"Geez. Um, yes. I have a plan for the genital surgery." The brown-haired lawyer explained while packing the briefcase with the bulk of paperwork then put it away in the home office which it was right next to the living room. The redheaded woman hesitantly nodded and continued.
"Why is that? Are you going to be what?"
"Physically female with a female part. I wanted that since I was young. Do you remember that night when Emma came over to our house and I showed her – "
"Yes! Yes! Yes! I remember it now. You have a penis but why change it?"
"Because I don't want a man's part. I want a woman's part to define myself as a full woman."
"You are a woman. I don't care if you have a vagina or not. You are a woman period." Zelena emphasized her tone while raising her eyebrows at her sister. Regina gave her a small smile and retorted.
"Not always like that. Most of time, I look down and I feel like not myself at all. Do you remember Daniel, my ex-fiancé?"
"Yeah, a jackass. What about him?" The redhead woman rolled her eyes before mumbling under her breath. The brunette woman led her sister to the couch and slapped her arm with a growl. Zelena shrugged and crossed her legs while waiting for other to explain everything.
"We didn't have sex at all. Because I have a penis."
"So? Gay men do that all times."
"Zelena!" Regina was horrified with a yell. Zelena looked at her with a duh look and shrugged then continued with her straight face.
"That's a fact. I learned something from a community college."
"Back to the point, Daniel and I didn't take sex since we started to date each other."
"And, what is your point? Oh, what about Graham?"
"Well, he didn't know and we didn't take sex either."
"What? You didn't have sex with all of those hot guys but jackass?"
"Stop it with that term – jackass!" Regina scolded her sister with her glare. Zelena shrugged and replied.
"Yes, Daniel is a jackass. I tell ya. We are getting off-track with your dating of men. Back to the point, you want a vagina? How much is it costing you? How long do you need to stay in hospital?"
"That's why I am going to discuss with Dr. Wilson today after a phone call." Regina rolled her eyes with an explanation. The redheaded woman nodded and had her finality.
"I am coming with you, that is final. The discussion is over."
"What?! You couldn't do that. I need to be alone and listen to Dr. Wilson. I don't want you to hear whatever he says in a medical way. Please stay here and I will come home after the discussion with Dr. Wilson."
"No. I'm your oldest sister. I want to be with you from now on. I know that we are not really closer but I want to support you. I understand how you feel like to be wanted as a whole woman."
"Oh, Zelena. Thank you. I don't know but it's meant to be so much. Thank you." Regina filled the tears in her eyes before lunging after her sister. Zelena reached her hands on her sister's bottom waist and embraced each other tightly. The brown-haired lawyer released them and nodded with a reply.
"Ready? Let's go."
"That's my girl!" Zelena said with a smile. They left the apartment and Regina led them to Mount Sinai Medical Center where her genital surgery would be at. It's very closer to her apartment. That's why she relocated her new home to be closer to her work and hospital. So Regina didn't need to worry about taking a cab to her home and have covered herself to stay in the hospital for more days if needed.
To the entrance of Mount Sinai Medical Center, it was in the lobby and the people were passing through with the patients everywhere. Zelena took her time to look around in the lobby and it was very white everywhere. It cringed herself at every time. Regina tugged them to the front desk and requested for a nurse.
"Hello. I'm requested to see Dr. Wilson for my 10am appointment. He was told to send Heather, his nurse to lead us to his office."
"All right, I have you on my schedule and before you go with Heather. Please fill it out with some information and log in." The nurse explained to her with a smile. Zelena was standing beside her and waiting. Regina nodded as she filled it out on the paperwork then turned it in. The nurse checked everything and scanned her license and health insurance card then called Heather to lead them to Dr. Wilson's office.
The blonde woman in her 40s walked toward the front desk. She was wearing the scrubs clothes and just got out from the patient's room. Her eyes were brown. The nurse was very thin but looking firm. Zelena eyed her up and down before getting hit from her sister. Regina glared at her and smiled at the nurse quickly then responded.
"You must be Heather, I assume."
"Yes, you are correct. Come and follow me. He will be there in few minutes."
The Mills ladies nodded at her and walked together. Zelena looked through the patient's rooms and nodded at herself when she really liked that hospital than The Storybrooke Hospital with a creeper, Dr. Whale. Regina chatted with Heather about her work as a nurse. Heather was smitten with her work and talked about it before gesturing them to come in the office.
"Dr. Wilson will be here anytime. Please make sure to feel comfortable. I will inform him that you are here for your appointment."
"Thank you, Heather. I appreciate it." Regina voiced with a smile. Other nodded and left. Zelena furrowed her brows when it came to an odd thing on the wall. It was a dog in big clown sunglasses. Regina looked at her sister and the picture then laughed.
"That's my favorite." Dr. Wilson came in to announce his presence. The ladies turned their heads to him. The doctor was very handsome in his 30s. He had his doctor's coat under his blue t-shirt and tan khaki pants with oxford shoes. His hair was messy but a little bit of Mohawk. Zelena practically drooled over his good-looking presence and had no words for it.
"Hello, Dr. Wilson."
"Thank you for coming here, Ms. Mills. I know you are a busy woman. As a lawyer in New York City. Congratulations on winning the case of Oil Tank Factory. Finally, it's about time to close them down."
"I agree. Too much air around in here." Regina chuckled with a retort. The doctor nodded with a pointed finger at her and looked away at drooling Zelena. The brown-haired woman looked back to her sister and found Zelena staring at her doctor then pinched her thigh with a sneer.
"Zelena!"
"That's all right. I got a lot of women who are drooling over my looks."
"Not for me." Regina muttered with a chuckle. Dr. Wilson rolled his eyes and gathered a file from his cabinet then sat down behind the desk. Zelena jumped by feeling a pinch from her sister and glared back.
"Stop it, Zelena."
'Sorry' The redhead woman mouthed. Regina nodded and continued.
"May we continue with our discussion?"
"All right. Now, you have a genital surgery on the date, let me check." Dr. Wilson explained before looking over on his schedule then confirmed right away.
"March 2nd at 8am. So, let me explain on the operation and the aftercare."
"Sure." Regina nodded.
"The goal of the operation is to remove the scrotum and use the skin of the penis in its inverted form to make a vagina." It caused Zelena blush and looked at her sister who was taking everything in a mental note. She didn't understand why Regina looked so calm to do so and slowly looked back at the doctor before listening everything.
"The scrotum is easy enough to remove and we'll do that first although we may use some of the skin to form labia if there's isn't enough from the penis. The next step is to cut into the penis. We basically peel the skin away, remove the flesh around the urethra which we then shorten, and then use the skin flaps to perform the inversion. This takes time but is very successful. We should also be able to form a neo-clitoris out of the sensitive tip of the penis so, in Regina will be able to experience sexual stimulation and pleasure. The surgery itself should take about five hours. So, any questions?" Dr. Wilson asked with his smile.
Zelena widened her eyes at the reveal of the information about the genital surgery. Regina nodded while writing the paper. She looked back at the brown-haired lawyer and half-whispered.
"Five Hours!?"
"Yes, but the longer it depends on the surgery itself." The doctor explained straightforward. Zelena bulged her eyes and continued.
"What?"
"Zelena, I'm not dying. It's just my genital surgery. Get on with it, Dr. Wilson." Regina interrupted her sister's panicked face. The doctor nodded then continued.
"After the surgery, Regina will stay here for four days but if she prefers another day to stay for her recovery. It's fine with me and the chief of the hospital. I'm sure you already discussed with her before you had a discussion with me, am I correct?" The brown-haired lawyer nodded with an agreement. Zelena felt like she needed some air when it came to the genital surgery information.
"Ok, the sutures will be dissolved ones, there should be no need for more invasive procedures afterwards although I want to keep on appointments on the weekly for two months. Before I instruct you, do you have a partner or someone to take care of you when you are home?"
"Well, Zelena just got here but I don't know what her plans are." Regina looked back at her sister with a hopeful expression. The redhead woman blinked several times and nodded with a retort.
"I'm here for her. I don't have plans with me. So, please continue with your medical advice."
"Great. I hope you would be comfortable with this procedure. Now, the new vagina will effectively be an open wound and therefore it will attempt to heal itself by either side fusing together. You'll need to use a dilator with lubricant regularly to keep the vagina opening clear. Obviously the area is particularly sensitive to infections, so don't hesitate to come back in if something doesn't feel or look right. There will be some bleeding and discharge for a few weeks but they should both slow and stop within a couple of months. And after you'll need to continue using the dilator for at least six months to a year to stop the vagina from healing over and to reinforce its new shape."
Zelena and Regina blushed when the information overwhelmed them at same time. Dr. Wilson looked back and forth but wasn't sure that which one blushed more than other one. It was Regina who was blushing very easily than her sister. Zelena didn't want that procedure but for her sister's sake, she was going to do it for her with dilator for six months but swore to herself, she didn't want to do it in a reality because it was feeling awkward and it was her sister.
For Regina, she felt awkward because her sister would do that procedure once she was home after her surgery. It would be definitely more awkward for both sisters. Dr. Wilson continued to do so with his positive attitude. Zelena scratched her red locks with her hand and continued.
"When it comes to the sex, ummm… she should withdraw the sex until it heals or what?"
"I don't recommend sex for at least three to four months after the surgery. Although some couples find using the dilator can be pleasurable after the initially painful few weeks. And yes, at first she will need to take things slow but I would anticipate that by this time next year, the vagina will be able to withstand anything your own vagina could."
It ended up with Zelena in full crimson face of blush. Regina was pale white as a sheet because she would have a sex with someone unless her new vagina closes up for good. Dr. Wilson nodded at himself and gathered the information in the file then handed to Regina. The ladies shook their hands and excused themselves to leave. The doctor went back to his patient to check everything.
Flashback
A/N: HEH! Please review and don't forget to read The Beauty of The Ballet: Chapter 18.