The end of the world with you.

The Mills Mansion

Emma uneasy heightened at the sight of Regina's house - or should she say, mansion. The predominantly white exterior featured towering glass windows accented by dark black details. Noteworthy was the balcony with a grand arched window above the entrance, promising an expansive view of Storybrooke. Emma had harboured concerns that Regina's home might ne in disrepair upon arrival, possibly forcing them to seek somewhere else for shelter but, the mansion stood unscathed.

"You didn't tell me that Regina was loaded, Em." August muttered, undoing his seat belt and retrieving his backpack nestled between his feet.

She shrugged, "Didn't think it was important."

He chuckled, "Well, I could get used to this."

The group opened their doors and disembarked out of the truck. Regina emerged, holding Henry in her arms. Emma stood there, and her gaze lingered as Regina scrutinised her with wide eyes, seemingly on the verge of saying something but, Shane interjected before she could utter a word.

"Christ Swan, we thought we almost lost you there." He remarked, hoisting one of the larger bags onto his shoulder.

"Yeah, we were really worried." Andrea added.

She responded with a nonchalant and a flat laugh, "Yeah, same here."

The group vanished beyond Regina's front gate, and from his mother's arms, Henry injured, "Did it bite you, Emma?"

Both mother and son stared at Emma with the same expectant eyes, and Emma swallowed, "No, kid, August saved me just in time."

"I'm relieved to see you remain unscathed, Miss Swan." Regina added, cooly.

Emma have a mod and watched as the two Mills turned, approaching the front of the mansion.
The mayor took a moment to fish the keys from her pocket and unlock the entrance to her home. Bags of supplies from Emma's apartment formed a stacked pile in the foyer before the door to the mansion was closed.

Shane broke the silence with a slow whistle, prompting the group to glance around at the rest at polished wooden flooring, dark wooden oak furniture, and freshly painted walls. They all commended the mayor on the impeccable condition of her home, while Emma remained frozen, struggling to find the right words. The foyer alone dwarfed Emma's entire apartment, causing a churn in her stomach. She could only see as far as the dining area, but everything appeared immaculate, and she could only imagine what the rest of her home looked like. She berated herself; of course, Regina's home would look like this - she is the mayor. 

Henry wasted no time in dumping his backpack by the entrance, toeing off his shoes in a haste. Regina had called, instructing him to wait to ensure the house's safety, and August volunteered to accompany the boy to check the rooms for the mayor. She hesitated briefly and then nodded slowly, "Very well."

Henry grinned and seized August's spare hand, urging him up the stairs as quickly as possible. It was cute, watching the kid's enthusiasm to return to what he recognised as home. It stirred a sense of longing in Emma, making her wish she could relate to that familiar sense of belonging.

"Come. I'll provide you all with a tour, and then we can discuss sleeping arrangements, yes?" Regina stated briskly, sauntering through to the kitchen, leaving the group no option but to follow.

The mayor guided the rest of the group through various rooms in her mansion, offering a brief tour and indicating where they could store some of their packed items. She then led them up the spiralled staircase to the the guest bedrooms, where August had joined. The rest of the house mirrored the immaculate condition of the foyer, and Emma found herself in awe.  Since stepping inside the mansion, she had been itching to remove her shoes, acutely aware of her work and dirty sneakers treading on the polished wood. She carefully skirted around the rug placed in the centre of one of the guest rooms that Regina was showcasing.