[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]

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?”

[his-sarah-jane.livejournal.com]

"I'd like to consider it inspiration," she retorts. "And a good retreat for when your child decides to make me ill or uncomfortable again."

[callitavesper.livejournal.com]

"My child?"

[his-sarah-jane.livejournal.com]

Sarah Jane only smiles sweetly at him, grabbing his hand and squeezing it for a moment before turning to chat briefly with Lissie. The two women stand by the door of the study for a minute or so. Lissie nods and Sarah turns back to walk over to James.

"If you'd like, Lissie will stay down here while I show you the rest of the house."

[callitavesper.livejournal.com]

James gives Sarah a Look that asks if them being alone is a really good idea.

"I didn't know you were studying real estate," he quips.

[his-sarah-jane.livejournal.com]

"I'm not," she laughs. "But I was here earlier today and Lissie's already told me all the pertinent information. And I know how you tend to despise people trying to sell you things."

[callitavesper.livejournal.com]

"And you think you'll fare better?"

[his-sarah-jane.livejournal.com]

"I like to think I'm rather good at persuading you, James," she answers, squeezing his hand. "Well, shall we start with the bottom-most floor or go see a bedroom?"

[callitavesper.livejournal.com]

"Let's start with the bottom-most floor."

[his-sarah-jane.livejournal.com]

Sarah Jane beams, nodding another thanks at Lissie as she tugs James out of the study and towards the stairs to the bottom floor. The stairs lead out to a nicely painted dining room, with a door at the far end from the stairs that leads to the garage. She points it out to him before leading him into the dining room.

"There's a loo behind all those closets behind the stairs. And the kitchen is that way," she points excitedly. "It's a rather convenient setup. And if we wanted, the garden is on the other side of the kitchen. We'd be able to eat outside just as easily."

[callitavesper.livejournal.com]

"You already have half the house planned out, don't you?"

[his-sarah-jane.livejournal.com]

"Perhaps," she chuckles, leading him towards the kitchen. It's modern and posh and very much like the kitchen they have now. The moonlight shines in through the glass door from the garden.

Then, seizing the opportunity of being alone in a rather small space (well, significantly smaller than any of the others they've been in), Sarah places a hand on each of his cheeks and kisses him soundly.

"Just imagine everything we could do in here."

[callitavesper.livejournal.com]

"Hmm." He closes his eyes, pausing before kissing her back. "Let me see the rest of the house first."

[his-sarah-jane.livejournal.com]

She hums contently before nodding. "Upstairs then?"

[callitavesper.livejournal.com]

"After you."

[his-sarah-jane.livejournal.com]

And so, Sarah leads the way up two flights of stairs until they're on the third floor. They walk past the stairway upward to the end of the hall.

"The washroom is in there," she says, pushing gently on the door to her left. "And that, opposite us, would be the master bedroom."

It's the biggest bedroom in the townhouse, and the room Sarah Jane had fallen in love with the most. The room is painted to offset the fireplace and the two front aspect windows let a little of the street light trickle in. It is everything she had previously described it as earlier.

[callitavesper.livejournal.com]

"It's nice," he says, audibly impressed. There isn't anything wrong with the house, as far as he can see. The only problem is money.

Funny how a man who, not too long ago, never planned for the future is now concerned about finances.

[his-sarah-jane.livejournal.com]

"I think it's much more than nice, James," she responds, pulling him over towards the center of the bedroom. She places a hand on his other arm when she stops, leaning up to whisper in his ear, "I fancy it as perfect."

Then, continuing on the impulse from the kitchen minutes earlier, she kisses his earlobe and starts a chain leading to his lips.

[callitavesper.livejournal.com]

"Mmm, Sarah, I don't think that's such a good idea." Yeah, he does like being kissed, but he also knows them and where a things like that would lead to.