𝑶𝑪𝑬𝑨𝑵 𝑬𝒀𝑬𝑺 - Rumplestiltskin [1]

TWO

2|DOCTOR

Her long black hair was thrown back into a tight bun before she straightened out her long white coat. She grabbed her name tag from her locker before setting the lock. The tag hanging lazily from her left breast pocket.

"Dr. Richards." A young nurse greeted her as she checked in for the day. "How are you?"

"Hoping for a quiet day." She joked, smiling widely at the woman. "Who are we starting with today?"

"Patient Doe needs his IV changed, Bella." A hand came up behind her and rested on her shoulder gently.

"Thank you, Dr. Whale." Bella shrugged off his hand, turning around to raise an eyebrow at him. "And what did I say about touching my shoulders all the time?"

"Sorry." Dr. Whale gave her his usually playboy grin while rubbing the back of his neck. She rolled her eyes and wandered away to the coma patient known as John Doe.

"Mary Margaret, good morning." She said cheerfully to the teacher, startling the woman. "What are you doing here so early?"

"Ah, the children and I are putting up decorations." Mary Margaret informed her, folding her hands in front of her and smiling at the younger woman. "I thought you had Thursdays off?"

"I was asked in today due to a few staff being ill." Bella shrugged, looking around at all the school children who decorated the dull white walls with colourful paper cut outs. "It's lovely to see some colour in this dim place."

"The children were very excited to visit the hospital." The teacher nodded in agreement. "I better get back to the children, will I see you tomorrow at Granny's?"

"Of course! I'll see you then." The doctor walked away to see her patient. After doing her usual rounds, Bella sat impatiently in her office filling out paperwork.

"Knock, knock." Dr. Whale said jokingly from behind her, walking into her office like he owned the place. "I was wondering if you wanted to get drinks after work?"

"I'm afraid I can't today, I have a date with a friend." Bella casually waved him off, barely looking away from her work. "Maybe another time."

"Right, another time." He said slowly, before nodding to himself and walking out her office, not saying anything else.

She quickly finished off her paperwork and changed out her scrubs, grabbing her bag and heading straight home. Her date was with her bath and TV. Bella ran the hot water and set up the TV next to the bath, adding the bubbles and stripping out her clothes. She sank into the hot liquid, washing off the stress of work while a trashy reality show played in the background.

~•~

"Good morning." Bella sang as she sat beside the blonde woman while Mary Margaret sat beside Henry Mills. "I'm Bella, by the way. Henry, it's been too long."

"Emma." The blonde woman introduced herself before glancing at the teacher.

"Bella! Are you helping us too?" Henry asked her excitedly. "We could really use your help."

"Only if you finally tell me who I really am." Bella joked, grinning at the boy before remembering the real reason they were here.

"He woke up." Mary Margaret revealed, staring at Emma with hope.

"What?"

"I knew it." The boy cheered, feeling very smug that he was right about his book.

"I mean, he didn't wake up - wake up." The teacher tried to justify her statement. "But he grabbed my hand."

"He's remembering." Henry stated, smiling so widely at the three adults.

"What did the doctor say?" Emma asked, trying to find an actual explainable answer for what happened.

"That I imagined it. But I'm not crazy, I know it happened." Mary Margaret explained causing Bella to growl at the mention of Dr. Whale.

"We have to go back. You have to read to him again." Henry tried to convince the adults.

"Let's go." His teacher agreed quickly while Bella gracefully stood up.

"Fine, but I want coffee first." Bella wandered over to Ruby, smiling a toothy smile at the woman.

"The usual?" Ruby laughed when she saw the doctor's eyes light up. "And here is a warm croissant for your travels."

"Ruby, I could kiss you." She leaned over the counter and kissed her best friends cheek before paying and grabbing her things. "Wait up." She called to the three racing to Emma's yellow buggy. "So, who am I?"

"I don't want to tell you." Henry revealed, placing the book on his lap and opening it to a picture of a beautifully tanned princess. "Because your true love isn't a prince."

"Maybe I don't want a prince, maybe I want a villain." Bella teased, leaning over the boys shoulder to see who her love was. "Rumplestiltskin? Wow, I have got terrible taste."