Author's note: Hello all! I sincerely apologize for the hiatus. It has been nearly a year since my last update. Fanfiction is just a hobby for me, and at times the creative juices are frozen. I simply didn't have the time or the drive to continue this fic for a rather long period of time. (going through a bad breakup didn't help matters, this is a romance fic after all!)
I have revised the first 11 chapters of this fic, so please feel free to reread if from the begining to refresh your memory.
I also wanted to announce that I am now a beta reader, so if you need any help with a fic feel free to contact me, I'd be happy to help!
This chapter catches up where chapter 11 left off (same day). I look forward to writing several chapters in the next few months, so I don't forsee a long wait for you wonderful dedicated readers!
Thank you for your patience with me. Usual disclaimers about not owning CM apply. Enjoy!
"Life's a voyage that's homeward bound." ~ Herman Melville
After learning that JJ was indeed carrying a baby girl, they'd finished the doctor's appointment with a blood test and other prenatal examinations. The couple then stopped at Reid's favorite local deli for lunch. The doctor's appointment had lasted longer than they had expected, so Reid and JJ arrived at the realtor's office about fifteen minutes late.
They were meeting Daniel Morris, a real estate agent whose face graced many billboards in the Quantico area. Garcia always joked that he looked like a less muscular Derek Morgan, so JJ wanted to meet him in person to see how much he actually resembled their coworker.
Upon entering Morris Realty, the couple was promptly greeted by a tall, handsome man with a deep tan skin tone. "Mr. Reid, I presume?"
Daniel looked the same as he did in his advertisements, and that meant JJ was looking at a man that could be Morgan's brother. In fact, both men had the same initials.
"Yes, I'm Dr. Spencer Reid," Reid introduced himself, shaking the man's hand.
"Daniel Morris. Pleasure to meet you." The realtor then turned his attention to JJ, "And you're Jennifer?"
JJ too shook the man's hand, "Yes, Jennifer Jareau. I apologize for keeping you waiting. The doctor's appointment ran a bit late and we hadn't eaten so we stopped for lunch."
"Not a problem! I was beginning to wonder if you were coming, so I came out to the lobby to wait for you. Would you like to join me in my office so we can start to discuss what you're looking for?"
Without waiting for an answer, he led them out of the reception area. The group bypassed a secretary's desk on the way to short hallway through which they accessed Mr. Morris's office.
The office's walls were covered with pictures of smiling couples and families posing in front of houses.
"Hopefully you two will be the newest addition to my wall of happy homeowners," said Daniel as Reid and JJ sat down in the two leather chairs facing the man's desk.
"So what's your story? I remember from our short discussion over the phone that you work for the FBI, Mr. Reid."
Spencer answered, "Actually, we're both FBI agents. We work for the Behavioral Analysis Unit."
JJ continued, "Spencer is a genius, he graduated high school at age twelve and has three PhD's. He's a profiler." She wasn't sure what came over her, but JJ couldn't stop herself from bragging about her boyfriend's accomplishments.
Reid continued the trend, "Jennifer is our unit's media liaison. She holds press conferences and sets up the initial contact with local police departments for the cases that we take."
The realtor wasn't sure how to respond. "Wow, two FBI agents wanting to live under one roof!"
"Yes, we need to find a bigger place because I'm pregnant and we need to move in together," said JJ.
"Congratulations!" exclaimed Daniel, beaming at JJ. "Children are such a blessing. I have a two-year-old daughter myself, her name is Makayla." He turned his flat screen computer monitor around to show them his desktop wallpaper.
"Aww, she's adorable!" proclaimed JJ.
"I wish you two the best of luck together. If I could go back in time, I would have tried harder to be a better husband. My wife divorced me because she thought I was too focused on work. Now I only get to see my daughter every other weekend."
"I'm sorry," replied Reid, not sure what to say.
Morris quickly changed the subject, "Okay, let's get on with business. What is your current living arrangement?"
JJ answered, "We each are renting an apartment, though lately Spence has been staying at my place for the most part. We've started to turn his apartment into a storage area for all the baby stuff."
"And now you're looking become homeowners and combine your lives into one dwelling, correct?"
"That's the plan!" said Reid. "Actually, I also own a cabin in the area that I want to put on the market."
"Oh?"
"My friend left it to me when he moved away. We don't really have any use for it, so I'd like to sell it so we'll have more to spend on our new house."
"Great, I'd have to take a look at it and have a home inspection done before I can start trying to sell it."
"Sounds good. But today we're more interested in starting out house hunt." continued Reid.
"So, I'm assuming you want to stay close to work?"
"Yes, we'd prefer to own a property in Quantico or the surrounding area," Reid answered.
The real estate agent turned to his computer and opened his database of listings. "You'll definitely get more 'bang for your buck' looking in Triangle or Dumfries. Would that be alright?"
"We don't mind a short commute in exchange for more space." said JJ.
"Are you looking for a single family dwelling or a townhome?" asked the realtor.
"We're open to either one. We've been discussing that quite a bit. Each style has its own benefits and drawbacks. Houses are more private but also a lot more work. Most attached homes require a lot less owner maintenance but then there's homeowner's association fees." reasoned Reid.
"Either one…." muttered Daniel as he narrowed down the results in his database. "And how many bedrooms and bathrooms are you looking for?"
JJ knew exactly what she wanted in that regard, "We definitely need at least three bedrooms and two or more bathrooms would be nice. We'll need a master bedroom, a nursery, and a guestroom. And Spence needs a library, so that will have to be in the guestroom unless the house has a den or something." She gave Reid a glance.
"You can't make me get rid of all those books!" he laughed.
"Do you have any 'must haves' or 'deal breakers'?"
JJ once more took over, "We really need a safe neighborhood, and we'd like to be close to schools, daycares, parks, that kind of thing."
Reid added, "We also need a place to park our cars. And we have a lot of stuff, so extra storage space would be a real bonus."
"I'm assuming you want a turn-key?" said the realtor, "No fixer-uppers?" he elaborated.
Reid answered, "I'm not much of a home-repair guy. Some small cosmetic changes like painting or new flooring are really the only renovations we can handle. "
"Oh, and your budget! That's really important! I should have asked that first."
"I think we're most comfortable staying around $250,000." replied Reid.
"Alright, I have five properties I'd like to show you. Are you interested in seeing some today?"
"If you have the time today, I think we better see them all," answered JJ. "Our work schedule can be pretty chaotic, and if we get called away on a case, we could lose out on a dream house!"
"You two are my only scheduled appointment this afternoon, so you really lucked out!"
Morris first took them to a 3,100 square foot house in Triangle, Virginia. JJ was almost afraid to get out of the car. The front lawn was shrouded in huge trees and the house itself looked very outdated. Inside, they found four bedrooms, three bathrooms, and more pink shag carpet than one person could handle in a lifetime. After less than twenty minutes, Reid and JJ decided that there was no way that they could make the house work for them.
The second property that the real estate agent showed them was a newer townhome. It had three bedrooms, three bathrooms, and a one car garage. JJ loved the granite countertops in the kitchen and bathrooms. But at 1,500 square feet, they weren't sure if the townhome had enough room for the two of them plus a daughter. Reid said that they'd keep it on their list.
At $222,000 the last Triangle property that Daniel showed them was the lowest-priced. JJ was immediately enchanted by the pre-school half a mile down the road. The townhome was part of a complex with its own pool and playground. While it had a good deal of shared outdoor space, the place had almost no yard of its own. The property had almost the exact same layout as the last one they had toured, except that it was even smaller and only had two bathrooms. As much as the couple loved the neighborhood, they ultimately had to put the place down as a 'no' in their book.
The realtor also had two places in Dumfries, VA to show Reid and JJ. The first home was a little more than they wanted to pay, but he couldn't resist showing them the option. Reid loved the large bedrooms, three bathrooms, and unfinished basement. JJ couldn't believe how large the fenced-in back yard was. But between the price, lack of parking, and isolation, the couple really found it hard to see themselves living there.
When Daniel pulled up alongside the second place that he wanted to show them he was shocked to see the "For Sale" sign had been uprooted and deposited in the dumpster. He then called his secretary who confirmed that the townhome was no longer on the website.
He shut the phone and turned to Reid and JJ, "I'm sorry, they must have taken it off the market in the last few days. It was still online just a few hours ago!"
At this point, there was only one place that they had deemed a 'maybe'. JJ was beginning to get tired, and she was starting to worry that they wouldn't be able to find the perfect place.
"I wonder…" said Daniel to himself. He again called his secretary, "Is there any chance that I can take our lovely couple to that new construction yet?"
When he finished his call he said, "Okay, I have a surprise for you two. There's a new complex being built in Triangle. I haven't been able to tour it yet, but the model unit just opened this week."
When they arrived at the construction site, JJ was immediately delighted to see that it was across the street from a park. The price for the base unit was to be $230,000. The example that they toured was 1,750 square feet, had a two car garage, and had three bedrooms and three and a half bathrooms. They were charmed by the hardwood floors and modern kitchen. The living room had a fireplace and all of the bedrooms had huge closets. Reid also loved the brick colonial façade.
The new construction seemed to be the best place they had toured. And with the complex still being under construction, if they were to purchase a unit they would d be able to select many finishing touches.
That night, Spencer brought up the subject. "So, Jennifer, how about that townhouse?"
"Do you mean the ones that they're still building?"
"Yes. I think that was the best place we saw today."
"I agree, but I'm worried about the timing. They said that the units won't be move-in ready for a few months."
"We can stay here for a while still. I can put everything in my apartment in a storage unit. Plus, Gideon's cabin still needs to be sold."
"But I really don't want to have to deal with the stress of moving being eight or nine months pregnant!"
Reid wrapped his arms around her, "Trust me, you won't have to worry about anything. You know the team will be willing to help us move."
"That's true. Well I guess there aren't many other cons against the place. Are we going to make it official?"
"I think we should. I'll call in the morning" said Reid.
"We're getting our own place!" JJ started giggling.
"Yeah, we are!" Reid kissed her.
"Home is any four walls that enclose the right person." - Helen Rowland
I hope you liked this! Again, sorry about the long wait.
Real estate is kind of a hobby of mine. I enjoy watching House Hunters and reading about houses on the market in my area. So Reid and JJ found a place of their own! Exciting! Triangle, VA and Dumfries, VA are towns near Quantico.
Please review!
