Emma felt a pang of guilt somewhere inside her. Their heart to heart had stirred up some old feelings she'd long ago put aside. Their friendship had always been fragile, teetering on subcontext that Emma wasn't sure was real or imagined. Regina's words always spoke to the depths of her. There was a sense of boding each time they parted ways. It was a strange feeling that she could never quite pin point as she'd never felt it before with anyone else. It was as if some invisible force was telling her to stop everything she was doing and return to safety. Not the usual reaction one would expect but considering all the drama and never ending crises that seemed to follow them, it seemed plausible to chalk it up to that. But now it was different. Emma found herself seeking Regina out as her refuge more often than she'd admit. It was easy to tell herself that she was just concerned about her friend. It was easy to believe that but the niggling feeling wouldn't quiet.
When Regina said that she wished it could be easier for them both, Emma agreed and laughed it off, but now she was alone, the words seemed to haunt her. Regina was right. Some things you fight for but it shouldn't be this hard, should it?
#####
"Glad to see you haven't chickened out already Miss Swan." Regina drawled as Emma reluctantly slunked inside the bridal shop. She hated trying on clothes, especially dresses.
"Let's just get this over with shall we. I need to be back at the station before Dad realises I've gone and sends out a search party."
Regina was already picking out a few dresses and draping them over one arm whilst shooing away the assistant. "You didn't tell him you were going dress shopping?" She was surprised.
"No. I kinda didn't want him telling Mom. I can just imagine her picking out some hideous, frilly ensemble and guilting me into wearing it. At least if I have a dress picked out she won't be too offended."
Regina nodded in agreement. "And once again we can see where nature versus nurture won out!"
Emma bit her lip and stifled a laugh as she took the pile of dresses unquestioningly from Regina's arms. "Don't! I feel so bad laughing about my mother's dress sense! She has a pure heart and that's all that counts." She was walking towards the changing room and turned around abruptly, unaware Regina was following closely behind. She smiled wickedly and whispered, "You are evil!"
Regina cocked an eyebrow and laughed as she playfully pushed Emma inside the cubicle stating, "and that's why you love me!" She quickly stuck out her tongue and pulled the curtain shut on a very shocked but amused savior.
They both could hear the other giggling to themselves through the thin curtain and Emma was obviously struggling to figure out where to start with the dresses. She called out, "I can't believe you stuck your tongue out at me! You are such a child!"
Regina fake gasped, "I'm the child! Oh please! I'm not the one that can't even dress myself unless it involves painting on some skinny jeans and grabbing the first clean shirt that falls out of the laundry!" She had been sitting staring at the curtain when suddenly it swooped back revealing a half dressed blonde.
"Fair point. So how about a little help!" Emma motioned to the bodice of the dress that was hanging around her middle. She was just in her bra but Regina could tell she'd still got her jeans on under the garment.
Regina rolled her eyes hoping that it would disguise the fact she had inadvertently been staring at the blonde's chest and got up off the stool. She took the bodice in one hand and turned Emma to face the back mirror. She carefully pulled the bodice up to cover Emma's black bra and began lacing the back up, tugging a little harder every now and then and smirking as Emma protested. "I am supposed to be able to breathe?"
Regina caught her eye in the mirror and shook her head. She couldn't bring herself to say anything as she feared the tremor in her voice would give away how fast her heart was beating. She stepped back and motioned for Emma to turn around, which she did. She tilted her head to one side and made a something's wrong face.
"I look like shit don't I?" Emma huffed with her hands on her tiny waist.
Regina looked harder with a critical eye and finally spoke. "The bodice is too high for your decote. I think you can get away with showing a little more cleavage." She didn't dwell on her statement and just turned Emma back around so she could unlace the bodice again.
Emma grinned slightly. "How much cleavage are we talking because I've seen the stuff the Evil Queen wears and I have to say, I don't think I could get away with that much on show. Not that I have that much to show. Your rack is pretty hard to live up to."
"My what?" Regina hadn't been paying much attention to Emma's ramblings as she was too focused on trying not to stare at Emma's reflection when she bent forward to take off the dress.
"Your tits, they are huge!" Emma giggled at Regina's mortified expression that she quickly tried to cover with her trademark sass brow. Trying to back pedal through the lead up to how they'd gotten onto this topic she remembered the words cleavage and Evil Queen had been mentioned.
"I won't ask why you have been looking at my tits, but trust me, it's an illusion. All part of my allure back in the enchanted forest." She winked enjoying this new found openness between them. They'd never swapped fashion tips or compared sizes before and she'd often wondered if that was really what girls in this world did or it was just something made for tv.
"Ah ha! I knew there was magic involved! Nobody's tits defy gravity like that without some serious prep." Emma was struggling to get the second dress over her head this time and didn't see the satisfied smirk cross Regina's face with the knowledge that Emma had noticed her physique. She was flattered.
Emma turned around this time pretty proud of herself for getting the second dress on alone. Regina reached around her back and snapped the clasp of her bra open and dragged the straps down each arm, letting it hang loose underneath the dress. She knew it was overstepping a line but couldn't resist the chance.
Emma looked at her in shock unsure as to what just happened. "How did you..?"
Regina eyes gleamed brightly for a second but her expression changed to a more serious one in an instant. "You can't tell what a dress looks like with those black straps sticking out. Look how much better it is!" And she twirled Emma around to face the mirror. Emma looked at herself and even with her jeans belt puckering the fabric at her hips and the black bra straps around her elbows, she knew this was the dress. "Oh." She sighed at her own reflection and removed the bra completely from underneath the dress letting it fall to the ground. Regina cinched it in a little tighter by pulling the fabric at the small of her back and Emma smiled.
Regina stared at her friend's reflection in awe. "Looks like our little duckling really was a swan after all."
