Emma took a few minutes to just sit on the Queen bed (of course) and try and calm her mind as she watched her happy toddler wander around.
Hope had immediately wiggled down from her mother's arms as soon as they were in the room. She was happily toddling around and playing with the variety of toys strewn about the room. Throwing a few of them into the portacrib set up on the side of the room. Of course it wasn't just a fold out, there was a mattress, sheet sets, mobile, and a baby monitor. Regina had thought of everything.
Emma recalled the earlier moment when Regina and Hope were cuddling and it caused a warm feeling to settle in her belly. It was so sweet how close they were. Hope could only say Regina's name properly and was completely smitten with the Queen. 'Apple doesn't fall far from the tree,' Emma realized.
Then her mind shifted to the low cut gown Regina had been wearing and the warmth in her tummy spread lower. Groaning, Emma lay back on the bed and rubbed at her eyes, but the image remained. She needed a cold shower.
Standing she moved to where her bags had been laid out and began pulling out clothes for her and Hope. Snow had 'gifted' them some kingdom appropriate clothing, as she phrased it. It was basically bags of ridiculous dresses. Even the ones for Hope were a bit over the top. Rolling her eyes, Emma sighed accepting her fate before carrying Hope into the bathroom and starting the shower.
Not long after, they emerged from the room dressed in the borrowed attire and headed back through the corridors to meet their family.
"No yike!" The toddler fussed at her mother pulling at the chest of her dress with a massive frown. The poor kid clung to her mother's side balanced on the blonde's hip.
"Trust me kid I feel you." Emma sighed, cuddling her daughter and nudging her forehead with her own.
Hope just scowled in response. "Off!" She tried again.
"I know," her mother replied in agreement, "I know." Emma rubbed the pouting girl's back in soothing circles as she stepped out into the garden. Emma hated this too. She couldn't even promise a time frame on the puffy itchy hot garment. She felt miserable herself and frustrated by the situation.
Of course her own mother adored the outfits. "Oh! Girls! How lovely you both look!" Swan fawned over them rising to take Hope from Emma's arms, smothering the little girls in kisses. "Look at my little princess!"
Hope frowned at her grandmother and squirmed to get out of her arms. Once she was placed down on the ground she tried to walk and stepped on the bottom of the long skirt causing her to careen forward. Snow caught her before she fell. She then tried to get out of her grandmother's grasp by twisting her body but the huge puffy sleeves got in the way. She growled in frustration and stomped her foot.
"What's wrong princess?" Charming asked as he lifted her up into his arms. She huffed and buried her face into his chest.
"Off" she tried on him. Her grandfather looked to Emma for help translating but she was also struggling with her own uncomfortable dress oblivious to his unasked question. So he kissed his granddaughter on the cheek and set her back down. The child looked up at him with her lower lip pouting out, but she didn't cry, not until she spotted Neal.
Neal, in his spiffy suit. Who was running around with a wooden play sword. Easily jumping and twisting and laughing in his pants and tunic. Hope looked at him and then down at herself and then back at him. "Mma" she called to her mother pointing at him. The look on her face was clear as day to Emma and when her little ones eyes filled up she felt her own begin to water in frustration.
She picked Hope up and held the little girl against her chest, whispering soothing nothings and rubbing her little back. But to no avail. Hope began to sob and Emma felt it like a stab in her heart. She blinked trying to fight back her own tears and then felt a gentle hand on her back.
A pair of brown eyes captured hers questioningly. Emma bit her lower lip at the concern evidenced in them. She blinked again and then looked down at their dresses. Regina's eyes followed and then looked back up assessing. She looked over at Neil and then back to Hope.
"Is the dress uncomfortable sweetie?" She softly asked while running a hand gently against Hope's forehead.
The little girl picked her head up at the voice."Regina?"
"I'm right here sweetheart." The brunette watched as the little girl pulled herself upright in her mother's arms. Hope started babbling and gesturing first at Emma, then her grandparents, and finally Neal, before grabbing at the uncomfortable material of her dress and finishing with "Off!"
Regina smiled at the child. Despite the incoherent speech she felt like she had the gist of it. "You don't want to wear that icky dress anymore, do you?"
The child shook her head violently in the negative in response.
Smirking up at Emma, Regina couldn't help but tease. "She is definitely your daughter."
Emma didn't respond but found herself smirking back, her own tears now at bay. Somehow Regina's teasing always helped her move on from crappy emotions more quickly.
"How about Auntie Regina magics a new outft for you…" eyeing Emma she raised an eyebrow, "both of you?" She adds before laughing when they both nod, matching pouts on their faces.
Raising her hands to begin, she stops when Emma gently rests a hand on her arm. "Wait," the blond pauses and looks at her daughter, "can you… show me how to…" she nods toward her daughter.
Hope looks up at her mom and tilts her head curiously. Regina mirrors the exact same head tilt and if Emma hadn't been so nervous asking she would have joked about it. "I'd just like to, you know, be able to do that, for my daughter." She mumbled the last few words, feeling her cheeks turn pink.
Regina didn't comment, just smiled with one eyebrow raised in response, "Alright. Well the first step is to think about the outcome you want. Envision the clothes in your mind."
"Er, what?" Emma panicked slightly, "I don't think I can."
"Don't be silly, of course you can," Regina encouraged. "Close your eyes and picture Hope in your mind. Good?"
Emma nodded. In her mind, she could see her daughter standing there in her diaper giving her a hopeful smile. Emma breathed in and relaxed slightly.
"Now, envision the outfit you want for Hope."
Emma scrunched up her features and concentrated. At first nothing happened, then in her mind she heard Regina's teasing voice say, "she is definitely your daughter." Then a crystal clear image filled her mind. Unfortunately it wouldn't work for where they were, as all she could picture was Hope in a small red leather jacket, a little white tank top, and jeggings. If that wasn't bad enough, in her mind, Emma watched as her daughter looked down at the outfit and then with a hand on her hip shot her mom a look of exasperation (almost like a tiny Regina).
Shaking her head, Emma frowned, "I can't do it. All I see is Hope in a little red leather jacket."
The Queen snorted. "I suppose we shouldn't be surprised. You do have very specific fashion tastes."
Emma knew she was teasing, but it didn't sit well and made her more on edge. "I was wrong; you should do it."
"Relax, Emma. I know you can do this,." Regina gently encouraged, placing her hand on Emma's arm and gazing into her eyes.
Emma felt herself nod in response, her mouth suddenly dry.
"Let's try a different approach. Having an idea of what you want can help. There," she gestured at Emma's little brother, "Look at Neal's outfit. See how the pants are designed, see the tunic, and the laced boots? Now, picture a smaller version in Hope's size."
"What color?" Emma asked, with her eyes closed.
Regina looked at the blond with incredulity, but realizing it was just how Emma was, she smiled and shook her head slightly. "How about white?"
"Material?"
"Ultra soft cotton."
"Any designs?" Neal's was embroidered with her father's crest.
Regina tilted her head and thought for a moment, ""How about a swan?"
Emma snuck a peak at her and they shared a smile. Then Emma closed both eyes again and settled on an image. "Ok, ok I think I got it."
"Wonderful! Now you concentrate and use your magic to place that outfit onto Hope. You can send her current attire back to your room as well if you feel capable or we can do that afterwards, but you do need to remove it first. See that in your mind, just like if you were changing her in real life." Regina explained.
"C-can you help me?" Emma softly asked.
"Of course Emma," Regina, deciding to also take a different approach, moved behind the blond and pressed the front of her body against Emma's back.
Not expecting this Emma tensed up for a moment and bit her lip at the warmth now coursing through her body. She could feel the familiar signature of Regina's magic against her skin, even more so once Regina placed her palms against the tops of Emma's hands.
"Now, send your magic towards Hope gently, and picture what you want to happen. Just like you were changing her outfit."
Emma raised their joint hands and took a steadying breath. She could feel the press of Regina behind her and it grounded her. Regina's magic was comforting and it gave her courage. She went over the steps in her mind once more, playing it out, before she sent their shared magic towards her daughter. A puff of purple and white smoke engulfed the child.
When it cleared a smiling Hope was revealed in white pants with a silver stripe down each side and matching white leather boots. Her little white tunic was emblazoned with a silver and dark purple swan. Her ponytail was gone and instead her hair was pulled back in a simple French braid. The child clapped her hands happily before running over and hugging her mom.
Emma sputtered and laughed, hugging her back. "I did it."
"She looks lovely, very regal." Regina extricated herself from Emma and rubbed Hope's back. "Well done!" She beamed proudly at her student.
Emma's smile just grew even as she felt her cheeks redden. She turned from Regina and watched her daughter run off with newfound freedom. Somewhere behind her, Emma recognized the moans of her own mother but chose to ignore them. Catching Regina's eye roll, she guessed the brunette was choosing to take the same high road.
"And now for her mother!" Regina gestured at Emma, whose smile immediately turned downwards at the thought.
"I… I think I'd rather just suffer in this actually." Emma tugged at the uncomfortable and itchy garment.
"Are you worried about hurting Snow's feelings?" Regina asked gently.
"Er, no…," Out of the corner of her eye, Emma spotted Zelena watching them and was not in the mood to get caught by the wicked witch messing up her own clothing with a magical mishap.
Regina shot the blonde a concerned look, before tracking Emma's gaze back towards her sister. The brunette's eyebrows rose questioningly.
Emma sighed, "I just don't want to end up …naked."
Regina's lips twitched with concealed humor but she managed not to laugh out loud at Emma's voiced concern. Based on their past experiences, she couldn't deny that it wasn't a far off possibility, especially when Emma got too caught up in her thoughts and insecurities.
"Perhaps that was enough training for one day." Regina said as she flicked her wrist. Dark purple smoke engulfed the blond.
When it dissipated, Regina choked back a gasp. She had truly outdone herself and was finding breathing a bit difficult at the moment. Her eyes tracked up and down Emma's figure, taking in the details of her new ensemble.
Emma stood gazing back at Regina in a very form-fitting suit. Gone were the itchy puffy sleeves and pounds of fabric. In its place was a sexy and handsome ensemble in a lightweight and breathable fabric that hugged Emma's body accentuating her musculature. Her hair was intricately braided from one side of her head around to the base of her neck on the other side, where it culminated in curls cascading over her shoulder.
The outfit mirrored Hope's. It was white with silver and dark purple accents, including on the laced up leather boots. The white pants were tight, signature Emma, with decorative silver cording running down the sides. Her white jacket was long, tapered at the waist and flared out over her hips with delicate embroidery decorating the edges. The jacket was fastened at the waste with pewter buttons decorated with embellished swans. Her undershirt had a plunging neckline, which, though not characteristic of the time, made the whole ensemble unbelievably sexy. A beautiful pewter brooch in the shape of a swan, with dark purple jeweled accents, held the one-shoulder cape in place.
Regina swallowed hard. Her gaze and Emma's locked. The Queen's hand unconsciously went to her stomach in a self soothing gesture; a reminder to herself not to follow her desire to surge forward and take Emma into her arms.
Emma watched Regina's pupils dilate, turning her eyes almost completely black. She licked her lips, heat pooling in her belly as she was suddenly overcome with an urge to close the distance between them.
They stood gazing at each other, wanting to bridge the small distance between them, but not knowing quite how.