Author's Note: Hello. I know that you are waiting on me to update new chapers for this story, The Family Stone and all unfinished work on this FF. I've been busy with my personal life and work. All is hectic in my eyes but I had no time to write new chapters or work on the unfinished works. Some of you followed me on SwanQueenFF on instagram and It's great but I haven't posted anything with the chapters yet. You see from IG posts, I made some Photoshop shots and those pictures that are still in my works but haven't written it yet.
To you, I apologize for my long absence. I hope you enjoy this chapter as I love to write it. But I hope that I can do more. Thank you for waiting and your patience is greatly appericated!
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Emma arrived at her grandfather's mansion in a long walk from Town Hall. She gathered her thoughts about her junior year with Regina in her English class in high school. It affected her to frown when she didn't remember that she was not partnered with Regina at that time. The golden-haired actress almost got lost in the woods since her knowledge of her mother's trail to the mansion. It was not that far from Zelena's farmhouse in a sight.
Her steps paused when her eyes glanced up at the stunning and primal Victorian-style mansion. It was a dark beige on the exterior walls but some peeled off. The vines warped everywhere on the front lawn. There was the fancy and unfunctioned water fountain in the middle of the driveway. It looked almost empty but the cars parked around. It was Neal and her father's cars.
Emma was sure that her son, Henry spent his time enjoying inside the mansion and always wandered through different rooms. She remembered that she was like him at his age and it ended up that her mom was freaking out when she lost her somewhere in the mansion. It was enormously maze in there since her grandfather designed it on his own.
She realized that she haven't come to that place for years since the unexcepted departure to New York City. It caused her to feel bad for her mom because she always received her Christmas letters every year and almost never came to the town. Well, there was a good reason that Emma left because of her child, Henry.
Emma took herself inside the foyer and it was gorgeously luxurious. It was a big foyer that can fit 25 people inside. The mirrors are on sides and the center table was in the middle of foyer. The flowers was Mary Margaret's favorite, Snowbell. The chandelier was the full diamonds with the lanterns. It was enough to spot it immediately when entering the foyer. The walls were the warm tones of red and the top moldings were real gold since her grandfather brought it from the mines many years ago.
It brought Emma to love the foyer because of the beautiful design of her grandmother's picture on the ceiling. No one noticed it for years until Emma found herself studying on her grandmother's face. In the familiarities of the facial, it was her mother's half of hers. Mary Margaret didn't know that her father painted her mother's picture and decided to renovate with few paints to fix it up permanently.
The foyer was leading Emma to enter in the grand hall of stairs. It fronted herself when she saw the two hardwood stairs were sided. It was fully decorated with the pre-lighted garlands and red poinsettias. Of course, the carpet was Emerald green since David decided to renovate it many years when Mary Margaret received the estate from her grandfather as her inheritance.
She stood by looking at the beautiful windows that faced the stairs in front of her. It was the stained glass windows of the Nolans' siblings in each one. The first one was Emma in her young self of senior year, she smiled widely in her red tuxedo for her senior prom. The background behind her was an enormous yard in the Park where the seniors and juniors came upon a gather before the celebration of the prom. Emma had no date at that time and just went alone with her best friend, Ruby. Also, it was a dark time for her because she was not speaking to her childhood friend, Regina since finding it out that Regina was with Graham.
The second window was Everett in his pre-law tuxedo before becoming a successful lawyer. It was his senior year at University of Maine. He was standing inside the audience when he graduated with a B.S. in law. Everett looked so handsomely when he gave an adorable grin. Unfortunately, Emma was not there for his college graduation and felt disappointed because she wanted to be there for her siblings.
Next to Everett's window, it was her youngest sister, Amy and it caused Emma to laugh at Amy's grim face. Her background was the rock-n-roll place that the blonde woman didn't recognize the place. Amy wore Emma's old clothes from her sophomore year in a goth look. Emma remembered that Amy always looked up at her when they grew up together but felt bad for Mary Margaret to be annoyed with Amy all the times. David didn't care about everything that Amy does and just wanted to make sure that they were happy with their life that he gave.
Lastly, it was Neal as an adult. He was very happy when he was standing proudly in the Christmas Festival entrance. His clothes was an elf uniform at the Santa's place. Emma smiled at his smiling face and sighed. It sent her to feel joyful when seeing her siblings being here in the mansion.
She turned around to see the hallways if someone or something was there and decided to wander once again since it was an enormous place that her grandfather inherited to her mother. Emma found herself on her left side of hallway and saw the pictures on the wall. There were the families in generations of Storybrooke History. Each room opened by a door with a view inside the room. The furniture were still there uncovering with tarp. But the Christmas trees settled in each room. It was not a surprise at all because Mary Margaret went ahead with the Christmas trees for each room since Emma grew up.
Emma searched in the rooms but her son and Neal were not there in the left hallway so she came back to the grand hall to continue her search in the right hallway. Every room had Christmas decorations and some furniture replaced with new modern furniture such as couch, desks and many things to settle it down. Again, the boys were not there and it caused Emma to wonder where they were. She came back to the grand hall and decided to go there behind the grand stairs. It led to the grand ballroom, kitchen, living room, family room and game room.
She walked into the hallway and found herself in the grand family room. It was a beautiful view in an open-layout room. The couches were black leather in a curved shape. The flat screen was enough to be 85" on the wall. Emma slacked her jaw when she saw a beautiful picture of her family above the mantle of a fireplace.
The frame was covered with the painting of Emma's family. The golden-haired diva didn't realize that she saw Regina and her family in it. Regina was next to Emma and they glanced to each other but didn't pay attention to the camera. Cora and Henry were smirking because they glanced at them once before catching themselves to pay attention. Zelena was sitting with a big grin while Everett wrapped his arm on her shoulders. They sat on the floor. The rest of family were smiling at the camera.
Emma stared at Regina's baby face and the two of them were in their freshman year of high school. It was taken before the school started. She sighed before taking a look around in the family room. It impressed her when she saw the shelves which it was built in the wall. It was the family pictures. The Mills family was included too.
It led her to the living room but it technically was the men's cave. She realized that she came in and found herself staring at Henry and Neal playing the billboard pool. Her voice brought the boys to startle. Neal almost screamed. Henry whipped his body to hide his hands like he was caught by red-handed.
"Billboard Pool!?"
"Hey Emma! I didn't hear you coming in." Neal spoke. Henry beamed at his mom when she came closer to him and gave him a cheeky kiss.
"Seriously, you all men have that billboard pool for years?" The golden-haired woman asked her baby brother. He nodded before beaming at his nephew. Emma was shocked but went clueless for years. Henry went for his turn to hit some balls. She looked around in the room that the men owned and saw the mini fridge of beers and juices.
"You have a mini fridge. Oh my god, is it Nintendo 64 console?" Emma indicated her finger toward the shelves beside a television. Neal looked up at his sister before hitting a white ball toward blue ball.
"Yeah, we always played it all the times when Everett and I were younger."
"Why didn't you invite me before!?" She whined.
"Well, this room is only for men and boys. Now, you get out." Neal pointed toward the door with a smile. Emma grumbled before kissing her son. She came out of the room and sighed. It led her to another room that it was a grand kitchen before entering in the game room. She wondered how long did she play games in that room when she was a little girl.
In the room, it have a lot of toys everywhere and some have building sets for Lego Constructions. It was useful for her young brother; Everett before Neal was born. Amy always ambushed everything by Everett. David, her father tried to get her away from it and placed her with Barbies that Emma owned many years ago.
Emma felt bad for her old Barbies because Amy broke their heads by half. It made Mary Margaret angry at her for punishing her. But some toys that she owned were makeup stuff on Barbie. Amy was at a fault because she almost burned Barbie's faux wig with a real blow dry. It was now crumbled in a ruined half of wig.
The blonde woman rolled her eyes when she heard her son's screaming victory in the room and snorted before departing the game room until she felt hungry. She entered in the kitchen and surprised herself that her mother and Cora stood there behind the counter. Emma didn't realize that she smelled something good from the kitchen and announced herself.
"Hi mom. And, Cora."
"Oh shit!" Mary Margaret jumped at her daughter's voice and sent her a glare. Cora sneakily giggled before waving her hand at her. Emma smiled before finding herself a high chair and pointed over at the food platter.
"What is it?"
"Sandwich. Turkey." The pixie cut woman cut the sandwiches for her boys. Cora was making lemonades and looked up at the blonde actress with a reply.
"I didn't hear you coming in here."
"I was wandering through from the entrance to the game room where I found my son playing against Neal. Mom, I didn't know that the room existed since I found out from Neal."
"Man Cave?" Cora and Mary Margaret said in unison. Emma nodded.
"Oh, it's been a while since Neal suggested an idea to your father few years ago then they remodeled a room. Do you remember that room when you were a little girl where your grandfather read the books?"
"It used to be a library?"
"Yes, it was but now moved to another room which it is in West Wing across from the grand living room."
"I haven't yet entered that room but thanks for a tip." Emma smiled before getting a bite on the sandwich which her mother handed it off. Cora looked at her for a moment before asking a question.
"Emma, you and I have to talk. You know what I'm talking about." She sent her a look before smiling at Mary Margaret. The pixie cut brunette rolled her eyes as she heard everything before waving herself away to find the boys in their 'man cave'. Emma was halfway finished with her sandwich before nodding.
"So, I know that you and Regina are getting back together. But are you sure that you really wanted this relationship since you had left? Not that I am excepting that everything are good with you both but I put myself to question on this relationship. Did you and Regina discuss about this before getting back together? For me, I support you and Regina all the way but I have a feeling about this situation." Cora awkwardly commented.
"Cora, I appreciate that you asked me before I put my thoughts on this relationship I have with Regina. I have been thinking about it for a while since we saw each other for the first time. I mean, we haven't been spoken to each other for years since I gave a birth to our son, Henry. It is basically that our intentions to be a family that we never had before but it is for the best if we stay together for ourselves. You know, I love Regina so much and I regretted that day when I left her without explaining why I did."
"Em, don't blame yourself! You and Regina spent your time apart and found what you girls really wanted. I applaud for your bravery to return back here after 10 years. I have been seeing Regina growing up and moved up onto the ladder for being a lawyer and owned the firm in New York City. I am damn proud of her accomplishments. I never know that I haven't told her that. Now, I am not regretting that Regina had decided to come back here and became a mayor after Henry Sr. decided to retire."
"But I do feel that way because I didn't come back to tell her how much I love her." Emma chorused before blushing away. Cora shrugged with a nod but didn't say words. The golden haired actress sighed and continued.
"Since I came back, the memories flashed in my eyes. And, I saw Regina up there on the stage and I feel like I am drowning in the sea. I tried to tell myself that it was a good thing to keep a secret away from her. It was unfair to her because of my son, I mean, our son we produced."
"Too much information." Cora muttered under her breath before chuckling. Emma rolled her eyes with a mirth of laughter. She waved her hand to forget everything she said but pranced it out with her feelings.
"When I told her about Henry, the weight has been lifted away and I felt so good to let it go. But in my eyes, I feel regretful that I kept it away from her and all of unknown secrets that I held for years."
"I know what you meant. The truth could be hurtful but it would free them without keeping secrets from them." The oldest matriarch of Mills family said with a sad smile.
"Emma, you vented your feelings out but would you tell me why did you drop out from New York University?" Cora raised her eyebrows at her and Emma paused to chew her sandwich in her mouth but her eyes widened at the tone that Cora gave out. The golden-haired actress felt horrible and hesitated to explain it out. Her mind reeled in a loop with few worst scenarios in her head.
Author's Note: Do you think that Cora will accept her lack of a reason? Or what will she do? Find out soon.