Work Text:
Catching snowflakes in the first snowball of the season
Hope Mary Alice Jones stood on the stool Gepetto had made especially for her. The grey, heart shaped step allowed her to be next to her dad as they decorated the gingerbread cookies they'd made earlier that afternoon.
Emma and Killian were trying to cheer their daughter up. It was three days past Christmas Day and it had yet to snow. This made Hope sad. But, to be fair, Storybrooke was in Maine and it was late December. It should have snowed by now.
Emma was trying to make her signature hot chocolate for them all to enjoy together during a festive family film, but their new puppy - Hollie - was running around her ankles. “Careful there, I almost dropped chocolate on you. That would make you very sick,” Emma told the young dog.
“Everything ok over there, love?” Killian asked his wife, turning around to check. He saw that she was struggling so he whispered something in Hope’s ear.
Hope giggled and stepped down carefully from the stepstool. “Come on, Hollie. Dad says you're allowed in my room while he and Mom are finishing up in the kitchen. You can't go on my bed though.”
Hope left the room with Hollie softly padding behind her.
>>><<<
Up in her room, Hope started to wonder about what it would be like at the North Pole. She was a budding artist so she started to draw what she thought. “Santa has elves as helpers in his workshop. They make all the toys, like Mom's friend Gepetto made my stool,” Hope explained this to her new puppy, Hollie. She rolled on her back. Hope giggled and wished it had snowed. “There's lots of snow where Santa's Workshop is. That's in a place called the North Pole.”
In making this wish, Hope's magic manifested and it started to snow.
Emma felt the ripple of magic, noticed the change in weather and sharing a stunned look with Killian, called for her daughter to come back downstairs.
“We're not upset with you, but I would like to know what you were doing just now.”
Hope looked between her parents, then started to pet Hollie. “I was doing some drawing.” She handed the piece of paper to her mom.
Emma looked at it and quickly realised what her daughter had done. “Hope, sweetheart, were you thinking about the North Pole?”
“Aye,” she confirmed.
Killian smirked at his daughter's response.
“I was wondering what Santa's Workshop would be like, so I drew it. Did I do something wrong?”
Killian crouched on the floor and pulled Hope into a hug. “No, not at all.”
Emma quickly joined them and confirmed that what she had done was wonderful.
During the family cuddle, Emma's phone bleeped with Regina's text tone.
“I'd better reply to her. If I felt the ripple of magic, she certainly would have done… In fact, it'll be quicker just to send a group message to Gold as well.”
Emma let her know it was Hope’s magic, and why. Then asked for a favour.
Hope and Hollie spend the rest of the afternoon playing in the falling snow.
Emma and Killian watched on with soft smiles on their faces and a warm drink in their hands. They marveled at what Hope had created in such a short time.
The stunning snowy scene set off the season perfectly.
Hope let out a loud giggle when she noticed Hollie with her tongue out catching flakes on her tongue. She decided to try doing the same thing.
“I need to get a video of this to share with Henry,” Emma suddenly said.
“Already on it,” Killian said, handing Emma's phone to her. She brought up her photo app, swiped to the video tool and pressed record.
>>><<<
Later in the evening when she was tucked up in her bed, Hope asked to write Santa a letter for next year asking if she can visit him in the North Pole. “We can go to other places, so why not there?”
“It's good logic,” Killian agreed.
Emma shared a secret smile with Killian. Little did their daughter know that her Aunt Regina was already working on creating a connection to this realm.