The interior of the brownstone was dark, and dust particles streamed through the beams of light that entered through the clean glass windows.  Tile floors in the entrance reflecting a mirror like surface that was becoming dappled with dust and disuse.  The rich brown walnut paneling which came to and end at the chair rail, looked freshly finished, and the cinnamon paint above as if it had only been painted the day before.

Colored patterns danced across the floor from the stained glass transom over the front door.  The yellows, greens and blues giving a playful character to the entryway.  A warm and friendly presence in the otherwise silent home.

The sound of the key in the deadbolt, then another in the latch broke the stillness of the mid morning.  The door swung inward cleanly, the seal sweeping the floor lightly revealing the silhouette of the two standing in the doorway.

Wilton Wickwood had not been in this house since the day he and Anna had come from the continent to view and immediately purchase it.  His six foot frame although on the slight side, filled the frame of the door, and with Anna along side, he moved through the door, his wand at the ready, and then with a flourish bid his darling wife inside.

The main floor was simple, a parlor which would house simple furnishings, and on the opposite side a small library.  To the rear a kitchen and scullery with a formal dining room behind the parlor.  A floating staircase ascended to the upper floor where the bed chambers were situated as well as the man's and lady's studies.

"Well my dearest Anna, welcome back to London."  Wilton said lightly, knowing of the trepidation that a return home brought for them both.  He for his family business, and she for other professional and family reasons.

Outfit

Being back in London caused mixed emotions for Anna.  It had been years since she had been in the city for more then a few days at  a time to visit the few members of her extended family she actually still spoke to.  The decision to return had been a necessary one, but it had still been made after a great deal of debate and weighing of all the possible options.

Walking up to the brownstone the first time she had felt at home despite all of the reservations she had about the move.  Passing through the door, that feeling returned and once she was inside the nerves she had been feeling all day eased.  It would take some time to adjust again, but she knew the ultimately coming back to London was the right answer.

Taking off her gloves, she placed them in her pocket before hanging her coat and scarf on the coat tree near the door.  She looked at her husband, giving him a slight smile in response to his statement.  He was trying to be optimistic knowing her reservations about leaving the life they had on the continent.  They had fallen into an easy sort of routine over the years, and she was certain that would change now that they were 'home' once more.  Home had become a relative term for her over the years, in her mind home was in Wilton's arms not some city or house.

"I suppose being settled in one place does have it's perks," she offered, trying to see things positively as her fingers started to play with her necklace.  It had been a gift from him a few years back, one that now was usually found around her neck.  "Adam and Vivienne have already invited us for dinner next week."

"Have they?" Adam and Vivienne  were the reason he and Anna were together.  They had known that Wilton was the perfect match for sweet sweet Arianna.

"Well once I get things settled in I suppose I will have to find that bottle of Ogdens that we got in Finland.  After all he did ask for it."  Wilton remembered the last time he and Adam had 'found' a bottle of Ogdens.

Moving into the parlor he moved to the fireplace and setting the logs, started them with a quick "incindio".  He turned to look at Anna.  "Dearest when is the furniture supposed to arrive? I thought it would be here before us?"

The rooms were bare, and Wilton knew that Anna would spend endless amounts of time getting the house exactly as she wanted.  He may be a bit less meticulous, other than the wand shop, but he appreciated her thoroughness.

"And when are they expecting you at St. Mungo's to begin teaching?"  Wilton knew of Anna's new position at the hospital.  He thought it wonderful that after all these years they would recognize her to lead the new minds coming in to Healer training.

"Oh, I'm sure Vivienne will be simply thrilled," Anna replied with a smirk as he went into the parlor.

She made a mental note to have a few viles of something that would ease a headache ready before hand.  One to be placed on the nightstand on her husband's side of the bed and the second to be send home with her uncle's wife.  No doubt if the mentioned bottle of Ogdens' was found it would be necessary and very much appreciated when the men awoke.

"Dearest when is the furniture supposed to arrive? I thought it would be here before us?"

She sighed slightly, following him into the parlor and said, "It was supposed to arrive yesterday...hopefully it's only the parlor furniture that was delayed."  Given the fact that she had spent a great deal of time ordering the furniture and ensuring it would be waiting for them she was surprised to find the merchant had not held up their end of the arrangement.

"They're not expecting me at the hospital until next week, so at least I'll be able to get everything sorted out here first," she continued.  The fourth floor of St. Mungo's would soon be her responsibility, and in some ways the thought frightened her...especially knowing the previous Healer-in-charge had met a rather tragic fate.  "I wanted to be settled before launching into work."

Wilton undid the buttons on his jacket, shrugging it off, leaving him in his vest and shirt.

"I am positive everything shall be here soon love.  Then was can organize things as you wish and make this house livable as our home.  The first one we shall have that isn't temporary in a very long time."

Wilton looked forward to being in one place again.  The long travels had allowed him to collect many different woods, and other magical foci, but without the shop he had no clients in need of the unique services.

"So you say that we have a few days to ourselves.  I... ah... That is... that project you and I have been meaning to get to... I mean starting our family.  Is that something you are sure you want to do as you begin this new position Anna?"

He wasn't afraid, other than for the fact her career was finally moving in the direction she has for so long desired.

"I'm not saying that I don't adore the idea of a family, because I do.  I have wanted one for as long as you have.  It is just the timing is all Love."

Wilton was also determined to stay out of the aurors' way if they were going to investigate the disappearance of his cousin, but he truly doubted that it would be of much importance to them.  Just another wizard gone missing.

The first one we shall have that isn't temporary in a very long time.

Anna smiled at that, the tension the thought of dealing with their furniture situation…or lack there of, easing.  She wondered if he realized just how easy it seemed for him to sooth her worries with a few words.  It seemed though that had been the case from the beginning, even if at first she hadn’t been quite so willing to admit to that.

“I think once we settle into a routine it might be quite nice to not be moving from place to place,” she said.  There were certain things too that were made much easier if one had a permanent home, and it seemed he too had been thinking about that very thing.  They had been talking about starting a family for so long, but it seemed life always had other plans for them and now her biological clock was growing increasingly more difficult to ignore.

"I'm not saying that I don't adore the idea of a family, because I do.  I have wanted one for as long as you have.  It is just the timing is all Love."

She gave him a small smile, crossing to him.  She knew he spoke out of concern for her wellbeing.  After all, settling into a new home and beginning a new job would be stressful.  She would have new responsibilities and it would take a little time to find her way.  Yet, she was quite certain she no longer wanted to keep putting off starting a family.

“I think, my darling, by the time it starts to have a real affect on my work I’ll be quite settled in,” she told him.  “I guess it’s just that despite being a little…nervous about this whole move, it somehow feels a bit like we’re finally in the right place to start the family we keep talking about.  It didn’t make sense while we were still traveling from place to place…”

She trailed off for a minute, and then added, “That day we were in the city looking at houses…when we walked into this place, I could almost see our children running through the halls.  I don’t want to put that off any longer.”