epilogue

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VCTF HQ -

"Hey George," John said as he began scooping up his scattered papers from the table. "Let Bailey know I'll be back in a couple of hours, would you?"

"Where are you off too?"

"McCray's. Nine million papers to sign."

It took a few seconds for John's words to fully make sense. When they did, George stared at him in astonishment. "McCray, the lawyer?"

John nodded absently and continued picking up his case files. Sam had bought him a portfolio organizer for his last birthday, but he had clearly never learned exactly how to use it. George was torn between amusement at watching his friend randomly jam papers into its orderly pockets and concern at realizing that John was still intending to buy the house.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" George asked, trying to balance sympathy with reason. "I mean, it's not like you're going to get those kids back for more than a weekend or so at a time."

John looked up from his haphazard filing and shrugged. "It's not really about them," he said. "I've lived in apartments for most of the past fifteen years. I think maybe it's just time that I finally settled somewhere. Besides," he gave George one of his old cocky grins. "Rent in this city is killing me. I'll actually be saving money on a mortgage."

"Can't argue with that," George had to agree. A one-bedroom in Midtown was running at least $900 a month these days. As he watched John's bright smile fade into something slightly more thoughtful, George didn't have to turn around to know that his friend's line of sight ended on the office door of a certain forensic psychologist. No, he thought, this may not be about Jamie and Megan, but it's not just about skyrocketing rent rates or a sudden nesting impulse either. Although he was positive that Sam would never move out of the firehouse while Jack was still on the loose, the psychopath wouldn't be able to elude them forever. When that day came, George suspected that John was hoping she might find a particular lt yllw 3BR, 2BA w/snrm, hdwd fls, & fncd bkyd to be just what she'd been looking for.

The erstwhile hacker grinned and shook his head knowingly as John collected the last of his notes and sprinted for the elevator. As long as the house also came with a particular SWM, 6'2", brown/blue, George suspected that it would be a pretty easy sell.

***** *****
the end