Changes (Swanqueen Au)

Chapter One (Crazy Blonde)

I drove up to the new hospital, why did it have to be in Boston? I wander up to the desk and tap my foot against the cold lino. "Can I help you?" The receptionist asked with a rather high pitched voice that made me wince. "Uhm, well, yeah, I think so? I'm looking for the uh, the radiation treatment ward?" I stutter, quietly so no one else could hear, I was never one to advertise my disadvantages in this world. "Ah, yes, that'd be ward 27. Up two floors and first door on your right after you leave the elevator." I mumble a thanks before heading to the lift. As the doors began to close I saw a crazy blonde running and yelling "Hold the doors, please!?" Instinctively I held my arm in front of the sliding doors. She shuffled in next to me. "Ah, thanks, not a lot of people would've held the door." I smiled. She motioned to the numbers next to her. "Oh er, floor two, please?" She laughed. "What a coincidence, I'm on floor two too!" I laughed and looked down. The elevator dinged and we both left. I looked around. She had strode off into some room. I noticed a door on the right and pushed it open. If you have ever been in a psychiatrist's waiting room, you would know how I felt then. It was cold, the room, full of death. Even the receptionist, who was calling out names gravely, felt the suffocating atmosphere of despair. There was a mother sobbing loudly, clutching a rather uncomfortable-looking, bald child. I took a seat next to the most normal looking patient. After half an hour of awkward conversations and depressing patients, my name was called. I walked to room two a, where a 'Doctor Swan' would assess my situation. I knocked on the door and heard a friendly 'hello?' I pushed on the door and almost fell. I felt a warm hand steady me. "Gosh, you're so cold. Are you okay?" She genuinely sounded worried. "As okay as you can be with leukemia." I joked. She laughed and gestured to a seat. I sat down and she smiled. "So, Regina Mills? Is this a referral from the doctor surgery or...?" She trailed off. "No, its from the Storybrooke Hospital." I corrected her. She smiled and wrote it down, I suddenly recognised her. "You're the crazy blonde from the lift, aren't you?" She smiled, "Crazy? I wouldn't say crazy." I laughed. A genuine laugh. "So, shall we get started?" I nodded. "When were you diagnosed?" She asked. I didn't know. "I'm not quite sure can I ring my husband? He might know." She nodded. I hated calling him during appointments, but what choice did I have?
"Hey, honey?" I asked timidly. "Don't you 'Honey' me." He hissed. I sighed. "Sorry, but I need to ask you a question." I heard him sigh. "What?" He asked aggressively. I rolled my eyes. "Do you remember what date it was I was diagnosed?" I heard him breath down the phone for a minuet, "Yeah, the 15th of August. Last year." I sighed with relief. "Thanks." I laughed gratefully. He sighed. "Welcome." I smiled. "I love you." I said, he grunted then hung up. I rolled my eyes and turned back to Doctor Swan, "Relationship problems?" She asked laughing. "You don't know the half of it."