Hello there, I am sorry for the delay. Work got busy and our country is under a heatwave now so I wasn't even able to focus or come up with words I wanted to use. I hope you will like this little chapter. The next chapter will be more dramatic, I promise :-)


„What are you doing here, mother?" Regina asked the woman when walking around the chair where Cora was sitting. Cora didn't stop watching her daughter's every step and when the brunette sat down on her chair she cleared her throat.

„Rumours travel fast and even faster when you are a CEO of this hospital," Cora began moving her chair closer to Regina's table so their conversation could be even more intensive. She loved looking into the other person's eyes while talking to catch people's emotions and feelings. What she could see in her daughter's eyes was just coldness.

„Rumours? What rumours?" Regina asked having no idea what her mother came to talk to her about some rumours she had no intention of hearing.

„I know what happened to Emma Swan. Poor boy. It must be horrible to lay sick in one of our wards and having his mother as a patient in the other one," Cora said almost sympathetically. Regina felt like a sharp knife went through her heart. The image of Emma lying on the bed appeared in front of her eyes. She knew that medicine could do wonders but now the situation made her doubt that. It was too much even for her so how hard it must have been for Emma, she thought.

„Emma is going to pull through this so is Henry," Regina answered trying to find a little bit of assurance in her own statement.

„So now it is Emma, not miss Swan?" Cora's eyes widened at the way her daughter addressed the blond woman.

„Don't you want to tell me something, dear?" the older woman added looking suspicious at her daughter. Regina tried so hard to stay calm and unreadable but Cora knew her daughter very well, she could sense every shift of her feelings.

„What would you like me to say? That I fell in love with the woman and that she will ruin my life? Well, I have to disappoint you. Emma Swan has no other role in my life than a simple distraction. Henry Swan is my main interest," Regina lied. She didn't lie about Henry thought. She cared for the kid more than she was supposed to. Yes, she crossed the line when it came to keeping their relationship as simple as the doctor-patient one but for her it meant another step towards herself. Regina was always the one who kept a certain distance from her patients because she was afraid of getting hurt by them. Once she got involved with one of her patient's parent and it ended badly. It has taken quite a while before she could say that she overcame it. Now she felt like there was someone who managed to tear down some of the walls around her heart but on the other hand she felt pressured by her own mother into ignoring all of it.

„I don't know why, but I don't believe you," Cora said opening a file that lied on the table.

„I know you paid for the kid's surgery," she added showing Regina the bank report. Regina took it from her and went through the report briefly.

„I know that you used your second bank account," Cora was good at pushing people into confessing. Regina was tough and having so many years of experience with her mother she knew how to defend herself with her chin up.

„I decided to help the boy, Emma Swan was just a side effect," Regina came up with a great excuse hoping that her mother would buy it.

„Just make sure that it stays that way, or else you would have to look for a new job in a different hospital," Cora threatened to her daughter. She thought that she was giving her the best chance at her career. Keeping Regina from relationships especially from the ones where the other person wasn't good enough for her.

„She is not worthy of you, my dear Regina. You deserve better," Cora said rising up from the chair. She walked to Regina kissing her in the hair.

„Don't worry mother, I know what I am doing," Regina said, her voice shaking. As much as she tried to hide it, Cora noticed. She decided to leave it for now. When Cora left the room Regina placed her head into her palms and closed her eyes. She knew that her mother always wanted the best for her when it came to her working career. The downside of it all was that her persuasion was usually based on threats. She didn't want to lose her job, she loved it too much, the pay check was also more than great and thanks to her work here in the Boston hospital she gained the reputation of the best paediatrician in the city .. maybe even in the country. Was loneliness the price she had to pay? Was the loss of people she might care for the price? Completely lost in her thoughts she almost missed her pager. Regina took the pager out of her pocket to look who needed her attention. It was Henry. The brunette fixed her hair, got up from the chair and prepared herself for the check up.

Seeing Henry was her favourite part of her round. When she is done with the round she will go to check on Emma. Planning her next steps the brunette left the office and went straight towards Henry's room.

„Hello Henry," Regina said, entering his room with a smile on the lips. She couldn't bring his mother to him so at least she tried to cheer him up.

„Hi, Gina. Can I call you Gina?" Henry asked, tears in his eyes. He missed his mother. During the last few days he and Regina became closer to each other. Henry was only searching for someone to hold him, to support him. Regina was the closest person he had now so it felt natural to call her Gina.

„Yes, of course, Henry. You can call me Gina," the brunette agreed walking towards his bed, stroking his hair. She checked the kid's vitals and took his temperature and blood pressure. Everything seemed to be fine and there was nothing that would prevent them to move forward with the treatment. The surgery went well and Henry was ready to begin the procedure which would make him better.

„Can I see my mom?" Henry asked ignoring the fact that the brunette was busy with finishing the report and making notes into Henry's file. Her eyes rose from the papers and met Henry's. Considering pros and cons of Henry's visit at Emma's bed she decided that a quick visit won't do any harm. She wanted Henry to know that his mother is in good and capable hands of doctor West and that the medical team is taking a good care of her. She didn't want to admit it to herself but she herself wanted to see Emma. Not as a doctor but as someone who cared probably as much as Henry about her condition.

„Ok, kid, I will take you there. You will see your mother, but only for a short moment, ok?" Regina offered and Henry accepted with a light nod. Everything was better than just laying here and not seeing his mother at all. Even if he had a short moment to touch his mother's face, to kiss her and say her that he loved her would be worth it.

Regina asked the nurse to bring a wheelchair, they put Henry on it attaching his IV to it. Once he was covered with a blanket they started towards the elevator.

„Thank you, Gina for taking me there," Henry leaned into the chair and bent his head backwards so he could see Regina's face. He smiled and the brunette returned the smile.

„You are welcome, kid," the doctor answered and pushed the little boy into the elevator. Henry was happy. He was going to see his mom and Regina called him „kid" just like Emma does.

TBC