I'm sorry it took this long for me to write a new chapter; I really hope you'll like it…


Regina had visited Emma every chance she got. The blonde was slowly recovering and Regina being there was definitely helping that process.

The two days before Emma's social worker would be by went by quickly. Today was the day. Regina had gone by the hospital to visit Emma, but now it was time for her to go home.

"Emma, I need to go home. You're social worker will be here soon." Regina told the blonde. The latter pouted.

"I don't want you to go," Emma whined. "What if he doesn't accept your offer and comes to take me away?" The girl asked sadly.

Regina sat down next to the younger girl and pulled her into a hug. "I'll do anything to keep you here. He won't take you away from me, I promise."

Emma sighed and shook her head. "You can't make promises like that. That is a promise you might not be able to keep."

"Don't think like that, my dear. I know good things haven't happened a lot in your life, but I'm going to make sure that will change." Regina smiled at Emma and kissed her sweetly. "Now I really have to go. I'll be back after your social worker leaves, I promise." With that she left the hospital and hurried home to fix the last few things before her visitor arrived.


At four o'clock exactly the doorbell rang. Nervously, Regina flattened out her dress and opened the door. "Good afternoon, Mister…" The brunette started, but couldn't remember if the social worker had ever given her his name.

"Stevenson. Jack Stevenson," the man supplied. They shook hands. Regina opened the door a little wider and gestured for the man to enter her home.

"So, Miss Mills, why are you so set on keeping Emma here?" The man asked, an annoyed tone as he spoke.

"Emma is a very bright student at the school I work for. She's smart, but she's misunderstood. I don't believe that she would do anything that would give people a reason to kick her out." She stated matter-of-factly.

The man rolled his eyes. "She's a compulsive liar and a manipulator, Miss Mills. You shouldn't believe her silly stories; they aren't true. The girl is so caught up in her lies, she doesn't know the difference between what's real and what's not."

"If that is true, then I would like to help her. I am a therapist, after all." Regina hoped that this would work.

"I would like to see your diploma, if that's possible. I've seen enough cases with that kind of lie." The man told her.

"I understand, Mister Stevenson, you don't want anything else to happen to Emma." Regina smiled at him, while handing him the file she'd prepared the day before.

"I'm making sure you're qualified. I wouldn't want to loose my job, because of that brat." Regina had to take deep breaths in order to keep her calm.

"In the file you will find my university diploma as well as a copy of the contract for my current job to show you I have experience with children Emma's age. I also help a girl a little older than Emma that got into trouble after her parents died. She's doing a lot better now." Regina told him.

He nodded. "Would it be possible to talk to the girl?" He asked.

Regina bit her lip. This would really help her case, but she couldn't betray her patient's confidentiality. "Normally, I'm not allowed to give you information about my patients, but I will give her a call and see if she's willing to speak with you."

Emma's social worker nodded again. "Do you mind if I look around the house while you make that call?"

"Not at all. Emma's room would be the one on the left on the first floor. She would have her own bathroom, so she can have her privacy." Regina explained.

While the man walked upstairs, Regina called Ruby. "Hello Ruby, how are you today?"

"I'm doing great, Regina. How are you?"

Regina sighed. "I told you about this girl I'm helping, right? Well, her social worker is here to see if I would be fit to take her in, but he would like to talk to you to see if I'm qualified to handle her case. I know what I'm asking isn't very easy, but it would really help me out." She explained.

"Don't worry, Regina. I'll be there in a few."

Regina smiled gratefully. "Thank you, dear."

After hanging up, Regina walked upstairs to see if Emma's social worker had found the right room.

"The room seems to be more than okay. Could you give me a tour of the rest of the house?" The social worker requested.


Fifteen minutes later

Regina and Emma's social worker entered the study once more after the tour of the house, just as the doorbell rang. "That should be my patient. Please, make yourself at home, while I go open the door."

"Ruby, this is Mister Stevenson. Mister Stevenson, this is Ruby Lucas." Regina introduced them.

"Miss Lucas, thank you for coming. I just have a few questions, if you don't mind." The man didn't sound very interested either way.

"Of course, sir. You can ask me anything." Ruby smiled confidently.

"You have gotten into trouble a while back?" He asked.

"Yes, after my parents died I just didn't care about things being wrong or not. I wanted to enjoy life. I started drinking, got into fights and skipped school, mostly. One day, I needed some money, so I tried to steal some from Regina. She caught me and just talked to me. She really helped me. I wouldn't have gotten back on the right track if it hadn't been for her." Ruby explained.

"How did she help you?" Emma's social worker asked.

"Just by talking to me. She understood me like no one else had and explained to me why I needed to change my new, awful, habits. She's the only person I trusted after my parents died. I came here every day, until she got me to actually talk to my Granny. She convinced Granny to give me a job. I'm so grateful to her for everything she did for me." Ruby looked at Regina and smiled.

"Anything else you want to tell me, Miss Lucas." The man's annoyance continued.

"Can I just say that there is no one better to help Emma than Regina. Emma's a good kid. She just needs the right person to be there for her." Ruby said.

"Thank you for that, Miss Lucas. I don't need to hear any more. Could I talk to Miss Mills privately for a moment now?" The man said.

"Of course, sir." Ruby stood and said goodbye, before leaving the house.

The man turned to Regina. "Anything else you would like to add, Miss Mills?"

"Just that I hope you'll make the right decision for Emma. She's a very bright girl that just needs someone to take care of her." Regina said, nervously biting her lip.

"You do know that you would be Emma's sole care taker. If something else happens with her, it will be your full responsibility. She will be eighteen in three weeks, meaning that the system won't be responsible for her anymore, unless I put her in a correctional group home where she will need to stay for at least two years."

"I understand, sir. I still believe she would be better of with me." Regina tried.

"I'm going to have to agree with you, Miss Mills."

Regina smiled widely. "Emma can stay here then?"

The man nodded. "I'm sure you can give Emma the news. I need to go to my next appointment."

Regina nodded and thanked the man, before escorting him back to the car.

As soon as he was gone, Regina hurried back to the hospital.

Emma looked up anxiously as the door opened. As she saw Regina, she immediately asked. "So… What happened?"