Title: You've Got a Face With a View
Disclaimer: They are not mine. The title is from the Talking Heads song This Must be the Place (Naïve Melody)
Spoilers: Everything up to Episode Eight.
A/N: I was just wondering how it might go if Audrey decided to look for a place to live. And this is what happened.
Summary: Audrey is looking for a place to rent. It's not going very well. Nathan/Audrey UST, mostly Gen
It occurs to Audrey that she should probably find an actual place to live and not continue to use the room at the little motel on the outskirts of town. She's getting a little tired of the too starchy sheets and the towels are more like sandpaper than cotton. Plus, the owner keeps talking loudly about people out-staying their welcome and he really misses having tourists stay at his establishment instead of FBI/police whatevers that make a mess of the quilts and things.
Audrey can take a hint.
"I'm thinking of finding somewhere a bit more permanent to live," she said while they ate lunch at Moira's cafe. Moira's club sandwiches were better than Danny's, but his clam chowder was incredible, so really, it all depended on what you were in the mood for.
"Really? Something permanent?" Nathan asked sparing her a glance from his sandwich.
"Not permanent permanent," she said. "Just more permanent."
"Uh huh. Mike's complaining finally get to you?"
"I swear that whole thing with blanket was not my fault. And I apologized. And explained."
"Didn't believe you?"
"That it was actually the work of a seriously sad kid who could make things come true when he dreamed and that was the reason the quilt unraveled and cocooned me? Why wouldn't anyone believe that?" she said taking a grumpy bite of her pickle.
Nathan swallowed a grin.
"Anyway, I'm looking for someplace to rent," she said. "Just in case you know about something."
"Well, I don't, but I bet you'll have at least three offers by the end of the day," he said poaching a potato chip from her plate.
"Hey! Hands off my oil and vinegars! And what makes you say that?" she asked.
After crunching on the stolen chip, he said, "Because you said it out loud, during lunch hour, at Moira's. You'll get offers."
Audrey frowned and looked around the cafe. No one was looking in their direction and she opened her mouth to say so, but Nathan just gave her a look and said, "Trust me. At least three offers by five o'clock today."
She had five by four o'clock.
1.
The first place she went to see was recommended by Vince and Dave.
"I think you'll like it for the ah, ambiance," Dave said with a waggle of his eyebrows.
"Geez, Dave, we're showing her the place, not inviting her to a brothel," Vince said.
Audrey ignored Nathan's not so subtle laugh turned cough behind her and asked, "So what's the story with this place?"
"What makes you think there's a story?" Vince asked.
"Because this is Haven and this is a nice house that no one seems to want to stay in?" Audrey said.
"Well, it used to be owned by Sarah and Marcus Larrabee," Dave said unlocking the door and stepping inside.
"Husband and wife?" Audrey asked.
"Brother and sister," Nathan said into her ear and pressing a hand to her lower back to usher her inside. "Famous for their knock-down, drag-out fights about anything."
"Anyway, one day, Sarah turns up at the Herald and says she and Marcus are leaving town, hands us the keys, says we can do whatever we like with the place, hopped into her big Cadillac and left," Dave said. A faraway look came into his eyes. "I always liked that car."
Audrey smiled politely and Nathan cleared his throat.
"Anyway, have a look!"
She walked into the first room on the left which was apparently the living room and smiled at the view of the bay and appreciated the soft carpet beneath her feet. She walked towards the door which led to the kitchen and suddenly shivered.
"Oh, whoa," she said rubbing her arms. "Is this a drafty house?"
"No, not that I know of," Dave said. "They always took real good care of this house after their folks passed."
"Well, there must be a hole somewhere, because that is cold air right there," she said. Then she frowned. She took a step forward. Then a step back. Then another step forward and back. Then to the side.
"Parker, what are you doing?" Nathan asked.
"Maybe she's cha-cha-ing," Dave said. Off everyone's look, he said, "What? It's fun."
"I'm not dancing, guys," Audrey said. "The cold is extremely specific to one spot. Can't you feel it?"
Dave and Vince walked forward while Nathan just raised his eyebrows at her. Audrey made a face. "Crap, sorry. Do you think you could bring your thermometer in here?"
Nathan's face went still. "What thermometer?"
"The one you keep in your truck to test the temperature of stuff before you touch it."
"You know about that?" he asked.
Audrey gave him an amused look. "I wouldn't be much of a detective or partner if I didn't notice those kinds of things, now would I?"
Nathan simply nodded and went out to get the thermometer he kept in the glove compartment.
"Whooo, that is cold!" Vince said shivering.
Nathan came back inside just as Audrey was saying, "There have been documented cases of cold spots involved with the remains of bodies. Sort of an 'X' marks the spot type of thing." She caught his eye and grabbed his wrist. "Here, set it down here."
He swallowed hard at the actual sensation of her hand on his skin, but didn't say anything as he set the thermometer down on the ground.
"Well, look at that," Audrey said crouching down. The mercury in the thermometer was steadily going down. Something caught her eye and she rubbed her fingers over the carpet. "I thought you said this house had been in the family for years?"
"Oh, yes, at least three generations," Dave said.
"This is awfully new carpet," Audrey said. "Hardly walked on." She met Nathan's eyes.
He pursed his lips and said, "Stand back, guys."
Then Audrey and he went to the baseboard of the wall and started to pull the carpet up from the floor.
"Hey! That will definitely come out of your deposit!" Dave said.
With one more hard yank, a small door in the floor was revealed. Nathan and Audrey gave each other another look and Nathan pulled the door open. He pulled out his flashlight and descended the stairs into the basement, Audrey right behind him.
He swept the flashlight around the basement and it came to rest on a large freezer. "Oh, don't tell me," he said.
"Hey, fellas," Audrey called up the stairs. "What did the Larrabees do in town?"
"They used to own the general appliances store, stoves, dishwashers, that sort of thing," Dave said.
"Including freezers?" Audrey asked as she and Nathan walked over to the freezer.
"Of course," Vince said.
"Of course," Audrey echoed. They shared another look and then, in unison, put their hands on the latch, lifted the lid and looked inside.
"Ah, I don't suppose you guys actually saw Marcus Larrabee leave town with his sister?" Audrey asked.
"Well, now that you mention is," Dave said. "I don't think we did."
"Right, well, that's horrible," Audrey said.
"Yeah," Nathan said.
They let the lid slam down. Then stood in silence for a few minutes.
"I'll get an APB out on Sarah Larrabee," Nathan said. "And cordon off the house."
"Yeah, good plan," Audrey said.
They headed back up the stairs to meet Dave and Vince, who took one look at their faces and cringed.
"I take it you're no longer interested in the property?" Vince asked.
2.
Audrey stood outside and looked at the small detached cottage. It was...cute. With its little yellow shutters and blue trim, it reminded her of a doll's house. She smiled at Mrs. Owen and waved at Eleanor who had been the one to recommend this place to her. Eleanor waved back and drove off to return to the clinic.
"So, this used to be your aunt's cottage?" Audrey asked the tiny lady beside her.
"Oh, yes," Mrs. Owen said with a beam. "I live next door in the larger house. This place used to be the carriage house, but the family had it refurbished back, oh goodness me, back in the early 1940s and Aunt Abby, that's short for Abigail, moved in when my mother got married."
"I see. And your aunt never married?" Audrey asked.
"Oh heavens, no!" Mrs. Owen said. "She was your typical old maid. But, she never minded. She had her figurines to keep her company."
"Her - figurines?"
"Oh, yes! We've kept them all!"
Mrs. Owen opened the door and Audrey stepped in and froze. "Oh, wow. Look at - all of them."
"Aunt Abby made most of them herself," Mrs. Owen said. "Wasn't she talented?"
"She was certainly something," Audrey said nodding and looking around.
"Well, the bedroom is through there and the kitchen's in the back," Mrs. Owen said. "I'm afraid I've got a pie in the oven that I've got to get back to, but just take as long as you like and then come over and let me know what you think."
"Okay, will do," Audrey said not moving from her place by the door. As soon as Mrs. Owen left, she had her phone in her hand and was pressing one on her speed dial.
"Officer Wournos."
"Nathan, get over here."
"Parker? Where are you?"
"My own personal hell, otherwise known as 25 Mockingbird Lane."
"The Owen's place?"
"Yes! Get over here now!"
"O-kay. I'm not too far away, I'll be right there."
Audrey hung up but kept her phone in her hand and ever so casually unsnapped the strap to her gun.
Five minutes later there was a knock on the door and Audrey jumped. "Parker?" Nathan's voice said.
"Get in here," Audrey said through clenched teeth.
"What has you all - whoa," he said when he came through the door and the eyes of at least three dozen ceramic clowns pinned their gaze on him. They were in all shapes and sizes and colors. Some were in the midst of flips, others were holding balloons, and all had creepy grins on their faces.
"Uh..."
"Yeah."
"Are they looking at me?"
"Well, they used to be looking at me," Audrey said. "So, I think it's definitely your turn."
"Holy- Wait, did the one in corner with the red hair move?"
"Crap."
"Audrey?"
"Okay. On my count, we turn and run and slam the door," she whispered as his hand came to slowly curl around her upper arm.
"Right."
"One, two, THREE!"
Nathan pulled her out the door and they slammed it shut. They heard the sound of ceramic breaking against the other side and looked at each other, Nathan's hand still wrapped around Audrey's arm.
"It was too cute for my tastes anyway," Audrey said eventually. "I've never really liked shutters."
3.
"It's a boat."
"It's a house boat," Duke said.
"It's a vessel designed to float and move about on water," Audrey said. "It's a boat. Docked at the harbor."
"So?"
"So, I'm not living at the harbor," she said.
Duke crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the light-post. "And what exactly is wrong with living at the harbor?"
"It's, it's," Audrey waved her hand around, "fishy."
"Figuratively or literally?" he asked
"Both, actually."
"I live at the harbor," Duke said leaning forward.
"And somehow her point is made for her," Nathan said walking up behind them. He tossed the keys to Audrey. "Harbormaster says to go on and have a look."
"Who owned it previously?" Audrey asked stepping onto the boat.
"Travis Brower," Duke said stepping just in front of Nathan who gritted his teeth. "Fisherman. Did pretty well, always had a good catch during the season. One day last fall, he just up and set sail on this little 15-footer he had. Haven't heard from him since. No one's been inside either."
Audrey wrinkled her nose. "You can tell. It really smells in here."
"Oh, it just needs a woman's touch," Duke said. But he made a face when he breathed in.
"Or an entire case of Lysol," Nathan said.
Audrey opened the door to the bathroom and nearly gagged. She looked around and wrinkled her brow. "Did he clean his catch in here? What's with all the scales?"
Duke and Nathan crowded around her and peered over her shoulders at the sight of hundreds of fish scales in the sink and floor of the shower. The scales were larger than what you'd normally find on a fish, at least three inches wide. The mirror also had several cracks in it. Nathan made a fist and held it up to the center of the cracks. Audrey met his eyes when it became apparent just how the damage had been made.
"Right, yeah, no," Audrey said. "I'm not living in the home of the lamest member of the Justice League, thanks."
"Oh, come on," Duke said. "What? You think Travis turned into a fish?"
"I honestly don't know what to think," Audrey said. "But I'm not living in a place that smells like the inside of a can of Bumblebee Tuna."
Nathan chuckled as he gave Duke a triumphant look and followed her out of the boat.
"He didn't turn into a fish, that's crazy," Duke said following them out. "And I'll have you know that Aquaman had valuable skills."
"He could talk to fish," Nathan said. "Yeah, real valuable."
"Oh, I suppose you're more into the whole mutant thing?" Duke said. "You know, all untouchable and unfeeling?"
Nathan's face went blank until he heard Audrey groan.
"Wow. This is totally the reason for the whole feud, isn't it?" she said. "It always comes down to DC versus Marvel."
She rolled her eyes and headed down the dock. Nathan and Duke just shot each other annoyed looks and followed her.
4.
"You might like this one, Agent Parker," the Chief said walking up the steps to a small townhouse situated on the end of a row of three, Audrey and Nathan following behind.
"Dare I ask what happened to the last folks who owned it?" Audrey asked cautiously. "They turn into eagles and fly away? Dissolve into puddles? Get cursed into becoming statues?"
"No," the Chief said giving her a funny look. "They moved out to the edge of town. Bill Hays had a small plot of land and they finally got their house built."
"Oh," Audrey said, but Nathan gave her a look that made her feel less of an idiot. She walked inside past the Chief and blinked. "It's nice."
And it was. A little on the small side, but the walls were painted a soft blue and the kitchen gleamed. The furniture looked close to new and it felt rather cozy.
She walked towards the stairs leading to the second floor where the bedroom was located there was a loud yell and an even louder thump against the wall. Audrey paused on the stairs. Another loud yell was followed by another louder thump against the wall. This time the thump was strong enough to rattle the pictures hanging on the wall.
Without a word, Audrey turned around and looked at the Chief. He shrugged. "It's just Jeff. He really gets into the football season."
"Really?"
A guttural voice suddenly yelled, "Argh! Ref! You are BLIND!" punctuated by another thump to the wall.
Audrey leaned away from the wall. "Ah, sounds like Troubles have claimed another victim."
"That's not the Troubles," Nathan said.
"What?" Audrey asked. There was another thump and a highly inventive epithet was yelled. "Are you sure?"
"It's not the Troubles," the Chief said.
"He's always been like that," Nathan said.
"I'll introduce you," the Chief said going out the door before Audrey could say anything. "He's really a nice guy."
"Nice. Right." She cringed when there was another thump, this time knocking a picture off the wall. "What is that?"
"Football."
She looked at Nathan. "Beg pardon?"
"It's a football," he said. "The same football Jeff used to win the '78 state championships. He now owns the sports goods store."
"Of course he does," she said heading out the door. Nathan followed, closing the door behind them.
"Hey, Agent Parker," the Chief called from the stoop next door. "This is Jeff Harper. Come and say 'hey'!"
Audrey waved at the middle-aged man with the football jersey, sweatpants and team logo painted on his balding head.
"Go-o-o," Nathan whispered in her ear.
"Black bears," she muttered. She elbowed his stomach before walking over to the Chief and missed the look of quiet surprise on his face and his hand coming up to touch where she'd made contact.
5.
"Are you sure?" Audrey asked as she followed the other woman up the small flight of stairs behind her store.
"Of course," Marion Caldwell said looking over her shoulder and smiling. "It's time I moved on and I think a change of scenery might be just the thing. Conrad found a great deal on a camper van and well, I've always wanted to travel."
Audrey smiled back. "And I take it he'll be joining you?"
Marion blushed as she opened the door to her apartment. "Yes, he is. It's something of a new beginning for both of us."
"It sounds great," Audrey said. Her eyes widened as she took in the room. "Wow. Look at that view."
She walked over to the tall windows that looked out onto the bay and she felt the corners of her lips turn up into a smile. "It all looks so peaceful from up here."
"It is," Marion said coming to stand next to her. "I had the insulation re-done a couple of years ago. You won't hear a thing from the shop below and they won't hear you. It could gale outside and you'd never know it." She looked down. "Which is making a few things make a bit more sense."
Audrey patted her arm.
"Anyway," Marion continued. "I've turned the shop over to a friend to run for me and I'd love to know that this place was in trustworthy hands. And you can't get more trustworthy than an FBI agent."
"Well, I think I'm more Haven PD these days than FBI," Audrey said.
"Either way," Marion said. She glanced at her watch. "Oh, I've got to meet Ann downstairs. Have a look around and see if you like it. If you do, it's yours for as long as you need it."
"What about rent? What's the charge?" Audrey asked.
"Oh, well, it's all already paid for, so, let's say bills and any repairs?" Marion said. Audrey made to argue, but Marion held her hand up. "If you take it, you're doing ime/i a favor." Audrey nodded. "I'll be back in a little while. Take as long as you need."
Audrey smiled and looked out the window at the view of the town. Then she walked around the apartment, her feet silent on the large throw rugs placed here and there. The kitchen had a lived in, but comfortable feel to it. The bedroom was large but not overly so, the double bed made Audrey itch to fling herself into it and bounce like a child. She actually gasped when she saw the bathroom and its amazing shower and bathtub. She imagined herself covered in bubbles with a glass of wine in one hand and a book in the other. It wasn't something she'd ever had the experience of doing before and the idea that she possibly could did things to her stomach.
She wandered back out into the living room and stood in front of the windows again.
After some time, she heard the door open and someone come inside.
"It's a great place, Marion," she said not turning around. "You have no idea the wicked things I'm considering doing in your bathtub."
"Feel free to elaborate," a male voice said.
Audrey turned her head and saw Nathan with a smirk and a blush on his face. She rolled her eyes and asked, "How'd you find me?"
"Ran into Conrad," he said coming to stand beside her. "Said you might be here."
Audrey nodded.
"Like it?"
"I love it, actually," she said softly. Then she sighed.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
"What am I doing here, Nathan?" she asked.
"You're looking for your past, Parker," he said. "Trying to make sense of things, like everyone else."
"Yeah, I guess." She shook her head. "Maybe this is too much. Too permanent. I might be gone from here in a month."
"Might be."
"On the other hand," she said with a sigh. "That is one heck of a bathroom."
"Sure is."
"Planning on using more than two word responses, Wournos?"
"Not really."
She glared while Nathan smirked. He turned to face her and her glare fell away. He lifted a hand and brushed a strand of hair off her cheek. Then he said, "Come on, Parker. Don't you want to know what happens next?"
Audrey's cheek tingled from where he'd touched her and something tightened in her chest.
"You know something," she said. "I really, really do."
She turned to face the view once again and they stood and watched the sun go down.