Heart to Heart

Submitted 11 November 2003 by Hope.

IC Date:	11 November 2003
Point of View:	Hope
Participants:	Emma Frost, Hope
Locale:	Emma Frost's Apartment, Massachusettes Academy
Summary:	Emma and Hope sit down for a little Heart to Heart.

Hope
The most noticable thing about the lady before you is the honey-gold blonde curls that flow over her shoulders and back, almost to her waist. Layers around the face give way to stray tendrils that frame her face. Her somewhat almond shaped eyes are of the most brilliant green color and are framed by long light brown lashes and lightly arched sandy blonde eyebrows. Her nose is small and button like. Her lips are full and rose colored with a slight sheen of clear gloss. She stands at around 5'6 in shoes and has a slender build, similar to that of an ice skater.
Most of Hope's outfit is obscured today by the long powder blue coat that she wears. It falls to about her knees and is cut in a classic, Breakfast at Tiffany's style with long bell sleeves with slit cuffs, side seam pockets, large buttons down the front, and a tie around belt to make it a bit more form fitting. Angora gloves of the same powder blue cover her hands while a matching angora beret rests to the side on her head. A white ribbed shirt can be seen at the double breasted collar of the coat where it hangs open, the next being tall and folded over once. A thin gold chain holding a locket rests there over the shirt. Stylish calf length boots complete what can be seen of the outfit. Thier soft pale camel hued suede hugging to her leg and ending in a slightly pointed toe and 2 1/2 inch shaped heel. Leather straps circle multiple times around the ankle where it stops in a cute bow on the outside edge. If the coat were removed one would see that she also wears a pale camel tinted suede skirt that terminates just above her knees and a matching leather belt with a small, simple gold buckle. Emma
Hard pink highlights illuminate the nearly platinum tresses of stunning blonde hair, which are caught up in an unprofessional but eye catching loose ponytail. Her soft bangs are swept up revealing icy, blue eyes of nearly luminous quality, set equidistant and perfect on either side of a patrician nose. Her healthy-pallored skin is augmented only by the deep pink rose of her full lips.
Clad in attire for casual occasions, a short-sleeved, horizontally ribbed bodysuit of snowy white stretches snugly over the woman's maidenly, lithe figure, shamelessly emphasizing her full curves and thin waist; this leaves most of her toned arms bared to the world, the adornments simple yet tasteful... and expensive. A gold, self-winding Rolex with diamond numerical designations on the face adorns her left slender wrist, accompanied by several thin bracelets. Her left hand is ringless; her right wrist is home to matching adornments, with only a golden pinky ring to show.
A thin leather belt in black with a small, gold faced buckle is more for looks than function, as stonewashed, designer jeans cling tightly to her shapely hips, thighs, and legs; little zippers on the inside of the cuffs ensure a snug fit to the ankles, where snow-white socks fit into the comfortable, pricey running shoes that fit to her small, feminine feet.
Other accessories include a very small but functional white leather purse, and a gold-inset choker with a thick ribbon of white clasping snugly to her throat.

Hope enters the residence and sets down her small travel bag she'd been using while while in New York. "Aunt Emma?" she calls out inquiringly to see if she's home. Oh how much she needs to talk to her. Everything on this last trip has been such a whirlwind. she begins to walk into the sitting room, undoing the belt of her coat as she looks within.

The Queen had felt Hope's arrival long before the youth ascended to the apartment floor. Emma steps from the kitchen, a mug of hot chocolate with marshmellow cream and a napkin in hand for her goddaughter, to help ward off the chill. It seems Hope has taken to her charmed life quite well. It always pleases her to see the young woman, any time of the day. It is an uplifting experience. "Yes, Mistress Winters?" She offers in a tone a servant would take when offering the lady of the house a beverage.

Hope slips out of her coat and nearly skips to where Emma stands. A small giggle is followed by a dipped curtsey as she takes the cocoa and sets it aside to hug Emma. "I'm so happy to see you. I've had such an amazing trip." Doubtless Emma has already read in the papers about the anonymous young woman that donated several thousand dollars to the charity Halloween Ball for sick children as well as heard from the bank as to Hope's transactions. But the rest remains a mystery without a scan. Moving back just slightly she takes her cocoa and sips, eyes closing as a smile creeps over her face. "This is wonderful. You always know just how to make it perfect."

Hope is a kind hearted woman - she makes up for Emma's shortcomings. Therefore, the queen isn't going to say much about Hope's generousity for a good cause, so long as it doesn't enter far into the double digits. The hug is returned with more fervor than usual, for she has missed Hope entirely more than she ever expected while the girl was away. She steps away as Hope draws back, an actual smile finding her lips, even though it's still slight in comparison to the population. "It warms my heart when you are present, Hope. Your smile can brighten the darkest days, your laughter chase away the chill. I am all ready planning Christmas - though, I cannot help but wonder if your family wants us there, or if they would like to come here...?"

Hope smiles shyly and looks down at her mug at Emma's compliments. You'd expect her to even scuff a toe and say aw shucks by the way she looks right now. "I'm sure they'd like just about anything. As long as we're all together. That's what Christmas is all about anyway. Family." She looks up and smiles brightly to Emma, making it obvious that she considers her in that group that she calls Family. She moves towards the living room, taking Emma's hand as she walks. "But first I have to fill you in on everything that happened in New York. Oh my gosh. I have to go back there on Sunday. My friend Geneva is getting married and I get to be in the wedding. Oh but I need your help to find a dress and..." she blushes a little "and ...well. I'm not sure if I'm supposed to bring a date or not."

"It is perfectly acceptable to attend a wedding without an escort," Emma clarifies on etiquette, while being lead to the livingroom without any hesitation. "Are you in her entourage - a bridesmaid, maid of honor? If so, you must coordinate with the bride on colors, then we can get a dress suited to fit you, dear. Just be careful of that bouquet when it's tossed," she warns with a smile. "Do tell me, Hope. What happened in New York?"

Hope smiles as she sits, sipping her cocoa. "Well she said I should try to find a white sheeth dress. Perferably floor length. I'll be a bride's maid." She can't help but to giggle a little. "Oh and I want to get her something for her wedding day too. She needs the blue part , you know..something old something new something borrowed something blue. I was thinking Tiffany's you know cause of the blue boxes and all but I'm not sure." She takes a deep breath in mid rattle before going on. Yep she's shy but when she's comfortable with someone and excited she tends to babble. "Oh and I went to the Halloween Ball in Rockerfeller Center. Your friends from LA helped me with my wardrobe and make-up. I got to be a Elven Princess like in the Lord of the Rings books. Oh and I finished the last book of the Trilogy of the books and donated charity and oh..." She grins a liitle here and blushes looking down. "I ran into that charming Irish Boy again."

"You'd best be wary of that bouquet, then," Emma replies with a little laugh of her own, while perching neatly upon the sofa next to her goddaughter. "I do hope you have pictures of the ball...?" the Queen inquires of the Princess expectantly. "I was so disappointed I could not make it."

Hope nods enthusiastically "Oh yes...I do. They're in my bags. I can get them out before dinner and we can go through them. I wish you could have been there. You could have met Connor." There's something that Hope's not quite telling here. Not because she wants to keep it from Emma but because she's confused about it and a little embarassed. "And you don't have to worry about that bouquet. I'm not going near that thing. Heck I can't even begin to think about that stuff. I can't even ki..." She trails off a little at the end as if realizing that she said more than she had planned.

The Queen tritely crosses her legs at the knee, while observing Hope... expectantly. Yes, she slipped and Emma caught it. The grin upon her lips is assuming. "You cannot even... what...? Did I hear... kiss...?"

Hope rolls her eyes and sighs, though there is a sheepish smile on her lips. Nodding slowly as she sips more of her cocoa that is now cooling she says "Yes..kiss. I..I can't even kiss a boy let alone thnk about marriage. I mean..wow..that's just...and what happens after you /get/ married and...phew!" Yeah it's a big scary and confusing concept to her but it is revealing of her naivete and her beliefs. Apparently she's old school thinking as far as people not gettin jiggy with it till they're married. A good thing for a young lady like her though.

"I could fill you in," Emma offers coquettishly, while tossing her hair. The teasing demeanor is discarded for her sophistication. "One day, you will get over the trepidations, though it will not happen until you are ready. There is nothing wrong with a kiss, so long as it is friendly and welcome. From the right person, it can take your breath away, and stir the soul."

Hope gets that shy girlish smile about her as she tucks one foot under her and leans in closer to Emma. "Oh..it did..I mean..,just the moment and all..it..it took my breath away but..it just...I couldn't. I mean..." She sighs and glances down at her bracelette a moment. "I think.....I think I used to love...or maybe I still do love..someone else. " She looks up at Emma. "From my life before. I can't explain it. It doesn't make sense especially considering who he is but...it's just something I feel when I'm around him or think of him but I can't remember it."

*Now* Emma employs her formidable psionics to dig to the root of the matter, though keeping it surrepticious and hidden from the young Ms. Winters. Time to figure out who this person is. "...It 'did'. Sounds as if someone may have all ready been kissed."

Hope laughs lightly, a soft sound. "Well I know I /have/ before..I just don't remember it. Or at least I was told I have. Mr. Summers told me. He said that he kissed me in the park." She hmms as if realizing a connection. The first kiss she ever got was in the park and the one that almost happened was in the park too. "But...this time..with Connor...it didn't. It's just..that moment...right before it should have...it was like...all the sounds got dimmer around me and the lights softer and kinder.....like...like...I was in my own little snowglobe away from the world. But...I couldn't. How can I if I love another?" Poor thing...she seems utterly perplexed. Upon scanning Emma will see that the Summers in question would be Alex.

"Are you certain you're in love, dear? Love is a very precarious thing. Fascination and lust are more common feelings, particularly of a woman your age. And Hope, you are an equisite young lady - beautiful within and without. You are without equal, and the gentleman to ever win your affections is truly a remarkable man indeed," Emma offers, while sliding an arm around the Princess's shoulders.

Hope leans her head on Emma's shoulder and snuggles in to her. "You're so sweet to me. Sometimes I wonder how I got so lucky to have our paths meet. But this man...he's...he's not like other men. " she says hestitating, never having noticed the mental probes. "He's....well...he's not really a man at all. In a sense." Bitting her bottom lip she hesitates again before going on. "Aunt Emma? Do you believe in ....vampires?"

"I would be a fool to believe such things could not exist in a universe as large as ours," replies the open-minded Emma. She's seen mutants like vampires, and other peculiar things in her lifetime. So why not vampires?

Hope glances up at Emma to gauge her reactions. Of course Emma has seen the horrible memories of the vampire attack that Hope lived through and the terribleness of it all but right now the image that stands out in her mind is that of Amadeo, or Armand to others. "Well...that's what he is. But not in the whole Dracula way." She bites her bottom lip before going on. "Have you read the Anne Rice books? Or..seen the movie? The character that Antonio Banderas plays? Well...it's real...all of the ones in those books are real and he's one of them."

Emma purses her lips a moment, while sorting through not only Hope's claims, but the memories she had locked away. Those memories will remain locked, too, if she has anything to do with it. "I am afraid I've not read any Anne Rice, dear. However, such a thing with vampires, according to legend, isn't uncommon. According to legend, they have abilities much like a mutant has, and one of those common is the ability to invoke an emotion. I'm not certain this gentleman you speak of has done such a thing, but it is merely an observation since I know nothing of vampires beyond the supersticion."

Hope tilts her head and thinks about this. She's not all that familiar with love so she isn't sure, which is why she defers to Emma's wisdom. "Oh.." she says softly. "I..I hadn't thought of that." What if it were true? Can someone make someone else feel like that, truely like that? "But...i s that possible? I mean..can someone with powers really make someone else fall in love with them? Wh..what I mean is...the feeling. You know...that builds up in your chest like it's about to bubble up and out of the top of your head. Or that weird stutter in the heartbeat?" All of this is such a mystery to her and it's obvious that Hope has no clue about what people can really do with powers.