[Milliways] OOM: London, 2006.

[his_sarah_jane]

It had been two wonderful weeks of honeymoon spent in a suite on the capital city of Eiattu. The week that followed back in James' - no, their - world had been a busy one. Sarah had had her first appointment with a doctor in London had been successful. Although it was still too early to determine the gender, so far the child was completely healthy.

Aside from that, Sarah Jane had renewed searching for a flat with new interest. After a meeting with a real estate agent today, she came home absolutely thrilled. They had planned on letting a place, preferably a snug but no two snug two-bedroom somewhere in Notting Hill not too far from the neighborhood they resided in now.

But this? This was perfect. She had quickly fallen in love with a four story town house on Portland Road that her agent had taken her on a tour on. It seemed perfect for a family: enough spare rooms to serve as home offices, a beautiful kitchen, and a patio garden that was absolutely charming. She had all the photographs and papers and blue prints scattered on the table in front of her. And an appointment for viewing again later tonight.

She stared at it happily. Now she only needed James' opinion on it.

Comments

[callitavesper.livejournal.com]

"A bit messy," notes a totally disembodied voice above Sarah.

[his-sarah-jane.livejournal.com]

She hadn't heard the door open. Sarah Jane turns around to look upward, smiling at him. She places a hand on her stomach and raises an eyebrow questioningly.

"What's messy?"

[callitavesper.livejournal.com]

"Your paper and picture trail." He pats a hand on the table.

[his-sarah-jane.livejournal.com]

Sarah laughs for a moment before shaking her head. She stands from her chair to give him a quick kiss.

"It's a house," she explains a moment later, her hand returning to its resting place on the small bulge of her stomach. "A home that I think would be absolutely perfect for raising Valerie in. I know we were looking for something to let, James, but it's perfect."

[callitavesper.livejournal.com]

He presses a hand on the table, leaning on it. "You mean it's something we have to buy."

[his-sarah-jane.livejournal.com]

"A down payment and a mortgage, yes," she answers seriously. "I spent the rest of the afternoon looking in to it and I really do think we could afford it. Maybe things might be a little tight for a while, but just think about it, James. Our own rooftop terrace, a garden, enough space for each of us to have our own office... We could make it into our home."

[callitavesper.livejournal.com]

"How long is 'a while'?"

[his-sarah-jane.livejournal.com]

"Until after Valerie is born," Sarah answers with a nod and a glance down towards her stomach. "Then I can go back to my world and withdraw the money my parents left for me in that fund with my aunt."

Beat.

"At the very least, come look at it with me tonight? I told Lissie that we'd be there half past."

[callitavesper.livejournal.com]

He nods. "All right."

He looks thoughtfully to the pictures. Truth be told, he doesn't have the utmost confidence in Sarah Jane's plan. What if she can't return to her own world? They'll be stuck on his income and whatever extra money they both stumble across. He'd feel a lot more confident paying rent and saving than throw down a lot of money without knowing when either one of them catches a financial break.

[his-sarah-jane.livejournal.com]

She watches him look through the pictures for a moment before selecting her favourite and holding it up to him. It's of the master bedroom: wide windows filter in the sunlight and a hint of a balcony can be seen past, with more than enough space for a bed, wardrobe, and whatever else they'd want to put in there. She had fallen in love with this room in particular. The beige carpet set off plumb coloured walls. It's beautiful, so much more than the mun can describe at this point of time.

Sarah smiles hesitantly, sensing his doubts. They're far too similar to her own to go unnoticed. But what was life without risks?

"We'd be living off of my income too, you know. A journalist gets paid decently these days, James." Beat. "And I have the extra money back in my world. I will be going back there."

[callitavesper.livejournal.com]

"Seems a bit risky," he replies, looking at her.

[his-sarah-jane.livejournal.com]

"I know," she replies honestly, placing a hand on his arm. "But what's life without risks?"

[callitavesper.livejournal.com]

He sighs, a touch defeated. A grin. "Not our life, that's for certain."

[his-sarah-jane.livejournal.com]

"Exactly." Sarah stands on her toes to kiss him tenderly. "We ought to be going now, wouldn't you say?"

[callitavesper.livejournal.com]

"Mmm, yes, ma'am."

[his-sarah-jane.livejournal.com]

She kisses his nose, giggling. Sarah Jane doesn't believe she can ever tire of his cat-like purring. One more kiss on his lips and she pulls away, grabbing at his hand.

"Can I drive?"

[callitavesper.livejournal.com]

Uh.

"--yes?"

[his-sarah-jane.livejournal.com]

She beams at him in return. Hee, Aston Martin!

Grabbing her purse and papers from the table with her free hand, Sarah Jane then leads them towards the door. A few minutes later, they're out the door and on their way with Sarah in the driver's seat. She isn't a horrible driver, just occasionally reckless at times. Still, they get their with decent time.

Lissie is, as promised, waiting at the front of the house. Sarah nudges James' arm to point him in the direction of the house.

"That's it," she whispers. "Isn't it lovely?"

[callitavesper.livejournal.com]

Occasionally reckless is still enough to make James a bit tense. The tenseness doesn't seem to relent when he looks at the house, but a vague sense of approval mingles with it.

"It's nice."

[his-sarah-jane.livejournal.com]

"We're not that far from Portebello Road either," she tells him, slipping her hand in his and tugging him forward. "Wait until you see the inside."

When they reach Lissie, Sarah smiles broadly. "Lissie, I'd like you to meet my husband, James. James? This is our real estate agent, Lissie Banks. She's helped to find this house."

Lissie nods, holding a hand out to James. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Mr Bond. I've heard a lot about you, enough to say that I'm certain that this home will be the perfect fit for your growing family."

[callitavesper.livejournal.com]

“Have you really?” he says coyly, though not impolitely. He’s certain that she’d say that even if the house were some dump in the city slums. “Well, it’s a pleasure to meet you as well, Ms. Banks.”

And most sincerest wishes that the house lives up to her scripted promise.

[his-sarah-jane.livejournal.com]

Lissie smiles politely before gesturing towards the building. "As you can see, this is a lovely period town house within a pleasant neighborhood. I haven't ever had any complaints over a property I've sold around here. You're within walking distance of Holland Park and the tube. As I overheard your wife state, Portobello Road is right nearby. A lovely neighborhood, really."

The small introduction done, Lissie walks towards the building and reaches in to her purse to pull out her keys. "The prior owners, a lovely elderly couple by surname of Anderson, have recently moved to a home in Little Baddow for a more peaceful retirement. They've left their home in wonderful condition, with some furniture still included."

She opens the door and gestures for Sarah and James to walk in. Sarah Jane beams up at him brightly, excitement clear on her face. Clutching his arm, they walk into a hallway with a closet off to the side and stair case further back. They walk further inside, stopping at the entrance to a rather well sized reception room.

[callitavesper.livejournal.com]

James observes the reception room, impressed but still waiting to be impressed enough to buy. If he’s to take a huge financial risk with this house, he has to be absolutely certain it’s worth the buy. Bond is stubborn, so convincing him might be harder than convincing most.

[his-sarah-jane.livejournal.com]

The real estate agent continues to talk as she leads James and Sarah through a tour of the house. She talks more about the previous residents as well as an overall history of the building and neighborhood.

The next room they come across is the study, after passing by the stairwell (which leads both up and down) and another closet. It's simply furnished, with an old rolltop desk left inside. The colours are basic, but what is most impressive of the room is the window overlooking the garden below.

Sarah grabs James and rushes him towards the window, pointing outside. The garden has been kept despite the absence of residents and is rather pretty and full, with enough room for a bench or two and a table. "Isn't it lovely, James?"

[callitavesper.livejournal.com]

“It is,” he replies, leaning in close to the window. He looks back to her over his shoulder, smirking. “It’d be a bit of a distraction, though, wouldn’t it?”