AUTHORS NOTE: Nearing the end of this story, team. I know. It's saddening. I am, however, hoping to finish all my Taggart stories over the Easter Holidays so that during my six weeks hiatus you're not left guessing!

DISCLAIMER: I don't own the characters

[Scheming while House Hunting]

"It's seven am on a Saturday morning and you have me awake," Robbie grumbled that morning as he leant on the frame of Stuart's front door on the day they mentioned before with a mug of coffee in his hand from a Starbucks that he'd passed on his way over here so that he'd be at least a little bit awake for the stupidity that was ahead of them. "I don't even see why you need our opinion on your house. It's where you guys are living not me or the others," he grumbled moving into the house.

Stuart handed the man a roll and sausage that Jackie was cooking with Ewan in the kitchen, Jackie as prompt as ever had arrived a good thirty minutes early, and glared. "Robbie, I did tell you that if you were going out last night that you didn't need to come with us today." He pointed out again before hearing a knock at the door and leaving to go answer it.

"The man would have made me feel as guilty as hell if I hadn't have come in," he said with his mouth full of bread and sausage causing both Jackie and Ewan to tell him to finish eating before he talked causing him just to roll his eyes as he took a second bite of the sandwich, it appeased his queasy stomach. He really shouldn't have gone out last night.

"Hello baby," Jenny said wrapping her arms around Robbie's neck and pressed a kiss to his temple. "Oh my baby went out last night and isn't in a seven o' clock mood!" She teased as she accepted the roll and sausage that Ewan offered her before sitting down across from the man that was now glaring at her because of how happy and chirpy that she was at this stupid time in a morning. "You shouldn't have gone out last night, silly!" She teased before starting to eat the breakfast in front of her.

"I hate you." He teased as he finished and accepted another cup of coffee of Ewan because he'd need as much as the caffeine as possible. "How the hell are you this awake at a stupid hour?" He demanded to know before hearing two squeals from behind him. "No!" He cried out burying his face into his arms. "How can they be so awake too?" He cried out into his arms so the people around him only really heard the sentence muffled but they laughed all the same as the two girls ran straight for their Uncle Robbie and wrapped their arms around him.

"Girls," Jenny said causing them to turn around and look at her. "Your Uncle Robbie had a tough night last night and he's feeling a little bit rough today so how about go tease Auntie Jackie for a couple of minutes and see if she has a roll for you so that we can get ready for the trip." She told them and smiled as Robbie looked up at her gratefully when they moved away to get a roll and sausage of their Aunt Jackie. "You, however, had better get supping that coffee because we have a long trip ahead of us." She warned before standing up and taking a cup of coffee so that she could move into the living room where Burke was hiding out. Robbie just smiled. It was so obvious that the woman had a crush on their boss but was too afraid to say anything about it.

"I should have stayed in my bed," he grumbled before downing a cup of coffee and then smiling. "I'm ready when you guys are."

"I don't like it." Robbie said seriously as they stood in the small apartment as he paced around the living room casually causing everyone to turn round and look at him. This was the third apartment they'd been in and Robbie had found something to bitch about each one. If Jackie was being difficult then they'd all understand but Robbie had been pro the move since the beginning so now he was starting to wind everyone up.

"What the hell is wrong with this one?" Burke demanded to know because the two gay men were starting to lose their patience with their friend and his attitude. "It's got three bedrooms, a living room that is big enough and a kitchen, even though it'll probably never used, that would make Gordon Ramsey bloody jealous." He growled before moving towards the man. "You're really starting to annoy us all now, Robbie."

"It just hasn't that effect that I thought the place would have! Are you saying it's speaking to you guys like?" He demanded to know causing the group to look at him before they all nodded in agreement. None of the houses had spoken to them. They'd all found something wrong with each apartment that they'd found. "Maybe it's the apartment idea. You're moving out of a house to a teeny apartment? I think we should move on to looking at houses."

"When did you become a real estate agent?" Stuart said rubbing his temple as he suddenly had a headache. Maybe they should have done this part on their own then bring the rest into when they'd found one that they liked. Ewan looked over at Stuart and smiled.

"I do believe that a house is us, Stuart. I even want us out of the city because I don't mind travelling in for work." He said leaning in and pulling his partner in for a hug then smiling as Stuart smiled up at him, his laughter tired even as he tried to be happy. "So shall we take a look at houses instead?"

"Let's look at houses then." Stuart said following the women out the house leaving Robbie and Ewan behind before they gave each other skin, stupid grins on their faces.

"You're simply awesome for going through that with me," Ewan said grinning at him and Robbie just laughed at him slightly. "I thought Stuart wasn't going to buy it."

"Why didn't you just mention to him that you wanted a house in the first place?" Robbie said as they started moving down the stairs, his hands tucked into his pockets as he stared over at his best friend's partner. "It would have been a lot easier."

"No. Stuart likes to think he's made the decisions and I enjoy giving him the power. I think it makes this move easier on him because I know he's struggling to deal with the idea of being away from you guys. That's why I'm glad that you're all here today. It just makes it easier on him, you know." He said softly before wrapping his arms around Ewan's shoulders. "I'm glad you're here too." Ewan admitted before seeing Stuart glare at them in frustration. "This day is going to kill us all." He chuckled and Robbie just laughed before telling Stuart to calm the hell down because they were moving as fast as they could.

TO BE CONTINUED...