Author's Note: Not sure if you guys noticed but I posted two this morning (they were both super short chapters) and here is a third for today. There are a total of 36 chapters for this story (like the other BT versions). Just a couple more days and they will all be posted! I hope you are enjoying, and as always: happy reading. Dark rolling sea.

CHAPTER THRITY-ONE

Mike and Andrea stood on the sidewalk outside the realtor's office. Mike took in the area and smiled a little. Andrea had been quiet on the walk over.

"You ready for this?" Mike asked quietly. Andrea smiled at him and nodded slowly. He could tell there was something else, but she was content to keep it to herself for the moment. He let it drop. "Let's do this then."

They walked into the office of Shelby Conners. Mike looked around and saw a woman sitting in at a desk in the corner. She looked up and smiled.

"Are you Commander Slattery?"

"Yes," Mike said as he walked towards her, she stood up. They shook hands. Shelby glanced at Andrea.

"My friend Commander Garnett is accompanying me today," Mike said with a smile. Shelby smiled at Andrea and the two shook hands.

"Wonderful. I have a couple houses picked out for you. I have a two bedroom, two three bedrooms, and I'm not sure if it's too big or not but there is one four-bedroom house."

"Let's look at them all and see which one catches my fancy," Mike replied.

The headed to the first house, the two bedrooms. Mike walked in first and Andrea slowly followed behind him. She seemed reserved but Mike figured it might be that they were in public.

This house had a small kitchen and one full bath. The two bedrooms were tucked away at the end of the hallway, the entire house a single story. He looked around while Andrea wandered to another part of the house. Shelby Conners seemed to hover by the door giving them space.

Mike finally met up with Andrea in a back bedroom out of ear shot of Conners. He stepped up behind her and wrapped his arms around her pulling her into his chest. He leaned down next to her ear.

"What do you think?"

"Not a big fan," Andrea said with a tight smile. Mike nodded. He hadn't really liked it either.

"Might need more room too," he whispered against her ear before he kissed her temple.

"Might," she smiled.

They broke apart and walked back out to Shelby in the main room. She was on the phone, so they paced around the house a little longer, but Mike knew this was not the one. Finally, Shelby put her phone away and Mike turned to face her.

"Next one, please. I don't think this is the one for me."

"Understood," she smiled. "This way."

The next house was a three bedroom and had a better layout. The kitchen was bigger and had an open space concept with the dining room and living room. The master bedroom was on the main floor with an ensuite full bathroom. There was a half bath in the hall as well. The upstairs contained the other two bedrooms and another full bath between them.

Mike walked around and looked at things. This one had potential he thought. He looked out one of upstairs windows at the quiet neighborhood around them. He turned around to find Andrea watching him. She still seemed sad and reserved. He made a note to talk to her when they got back to the hotel.

"What about this one," he asked. She looked around.

"Potential," she said. "I'm not blown away, but I'm not turned off."

"I felt the same way," Mike replied with a smile. Andrea nodded.

"Next one?"

"Yes, Ma'am," he said with a wink. She smiled briefly and shook her head at him. They found Conners and made their way to the third house.

The next house was two houses down. Mike stood on the front deck looking out at the quiet street while Andrea went inside. He smiled and then joined her inside.

In this house all three bedrooms were upstairs with a single full bathroom. Downstairs saw a large living room and open kitchen with built in dining area. There was also a den/home office, and a full bathroom. Mike compared the last house to this in his mind. It was close but then he thought he liked the other one a little better.

After spending a while puttering around, he made his way upstairs. The bedrooms were a little smaller in the house, especially the master suite. He found Andrea in one of the smaller bedrooms staring out a window. He approached her from behind and wrapped his arms around her waist, resting his chin on her shoulder.

"Thoughts?" he asked quietly.

"I like the second house better. This one is…I don't know. I like the bedrooms on the second house better."

"I agree," Mike sighed. He held her a moment longer. "Ready for house number four?"

"I guess," she said. Mike froze and licked his lips.

"Are you okay?" he asked softly, still holding her.

"It's…let's just look at house four and make a decision," Andrea said. Mike paused a moment before he gave in and let her go.

"Okay, but you can tell me if none of them are right. We don't have to get one today."

"It's not that, Mike," she said with a sigh. Mike started to worry, maybe she didn't want to take this step with him now that it's not talk.

"You still want to do this, right?" Mike asked a little worried.

"Yes," she answered quickly as her hand came to his cheek. "It's not that I promise, Mike," she whispered.

"Will you talk to me back at the hotel?"

"Yes, can you wait till then, please?"

"Okay," he said. They worked their way back downstairs and found Shelby Conners, before moving onto the four-bedroom house.

Mike was stunned on this house. There appeared to be three stories, and the outside was ornately decorated. He stood and looked around.

"Takes the breath away a little, doesn't it?" Conners asked. Mike glanced at her and nodded slowly. He looked at Andrea who was standing on the covered deck her fingers tracing over an intricately carved gargoyle.

Inside was a grand staircase leading to the second floor. The first floor held a spacious living room, enormous kitchen with eat-in dining room. There was a second large room along with a den. There was a full bath on the first floor.

The second floor held three of the four bathrooms with a full bath shared by them. There was another staircase leading up to the master bedroom which encompassed the entire third floor, with an ensuite full bathroom. Mike fell in love with the place, and the more he walked around the more he liked it.

He was in the third-floor master bedroom looking around when Andrea popped in. He turned and saw her looking around in awe. He stood and crossed his arms over his chest.

"This it?" he asked softly. She looked at him and smiled.

"It's gorgeous," she whispered. "So much space though."

"Maybe we can fill it," Mike whispered as he stepped closer to her and wrapped his arms around her. She looked up at him, studying his face.

"You're serious," she said, and Mike smiled. He was serious, whether they filled it with their own children or adopted, he knew he'd love to have children around.

"I think I am," Mike said, before he leaned down and captured her lips passionately. "We already talked about having one."

"Yeah," Andrea said with a smile. "One, Mike."

"They don't all have to be biological," Mike said with a shrug, swaying them a little.

"We can talk about it. But I do love this house. It has personality."

"I agree," he said with a sigh. He hugged her close. "So, this one?"

"This one," she said. Mike nodded. He liked it.

"I think Tom lives on the next cross street and Jed is down a few houses from him."

"That's good," she whispered against his chest. "So, let's do this."

"I'll get it done," he said.

He kissed the top of her head before letting her go and walking down to the first floor. Andrea followed him down. They found Shelby Conners in the kitchen.

"This one," Mike said as he walked up to her. "I want this one."

"We can do that. It's part of the program so I'll just need you to come back to the office and sign some paperwork."

"When can we move in?"

"Once we get the paperwork filled out and it gets approved, which doesn't take long, it's all turned over to you."

"Let's get it done then," Mike breathed out.

They spent the next hour filling out paperwork and getting things done. Then Mike and Andrea headed back to the hotel where Mike was still a little worried about Andrea's mood. He decided once they were in the room he'd see if she'd talk to him about what was bothering her.

To Be Continued…