Dembe was resting comfortably, reading a new book, while Raymond sat at the kitchen table, fumbling with wrapping paper and tape.

"Why don't you just give it to her?" Dembe asked finally, and Red shook his head.

"It's a birthday gift. They're supposed to be wrapped. With bows…and shiny, girly…things."

"That's for children, Raymond."

Red looked at his friend. He picked up the small box and grabbed his coat and hat.

"I'll be back. Don't go anywhere."

Dembe chuckled.


Annie finished her coffee when Red placed a box in front of her.

"Happy belated birthday."

She smiled and opened it. "Oh, my God…"

"It's the only photo I ever had of your mother."

Annie dabbed at her eyes with a napkin, grabbed Red's hand and kissed it.

"Thank you so much!"

"I would've given it to you sooner, but the whole-''

"Ballerina Bitch thing?"

Red looked up from his newspaper and shrugged.

"Yes. That."

Annie looked at the picture and touched her mother's face. She was beautiful.

"Did you love her?"

Raymond sighed and folded the newspaper, put it down.

"Yes."

"Did she love you?"

"I don't know. I was one of her many assignments." He paused. "But I know she loved you. More than anything."

"Not more than anything," Annie said, her voice trailing off. She put the photo down and looked at Red, sadness in her eyes. "I lied to Jimmy about her death. I didn't want him to know…what she did." She paused. "I just keep thinking that, if she did love me more than anything, then why would she do that? How could she do that?"

Raymond took Annie's hand and looked at her.

"I love you more than anything, Lizzie."

She missed being called that.

"Thank you."

He cleared his throat. "You are…my heart."

Annie smiled, let a single tear fall from her cheek.

"This is the best belated birthday ever."


Annie stood quietly watching him. He was in the kitchen, apron on, cookbooks out, every dish in the house dirty. He stirred this and tasted that, cursed that.

"Honey, I'm home."

He turned and looked at her, and she had to laugh. Whatever he was making, he was covered in it.

He sighed. "I'm trying to make you a birthday dinner."

"You're going to burn the house down."

She put her purse down and turned all of the stove eyes off. Something smelled horrible, and none of it looked edible, but Heaven love him for trying so hard.

She leaned in to kiss him, pulled back and picked a piece of pepper out of his hair.

"Go take a shower and I'll deal with this."

Jimmy sighed. "I'm sorry."

Annie kissed him. "It's okay. Thank you. I know how hard you tried, and I really do appreciate it."

He nodded and took the apron off, went to take a shower.

Annie looked at the mess and smiled, shaking her head.


Red sat waiting when a doctor told him that he could see her.

He took off his hat, sat on her bed, and took her hand.

"Why are you doing this?" she asked sleepily.

"Because you deserve it, my Dear." He patted her hand and then stood up. "Your funds have been restored. More so," he shrugged, picking up his hat.

"You'll need physical therapy afterward, but you'll have nothing but the best. You'll be back to La Bayadere in no time."

He smiled and opened the door.

"Goodbye, Misha."

He stopped and turned. "And I expect tickets for three. Balcony, please."


Annie placed the photo of her mother on her nightstand.

Jimmy looked at it and smiled. "You look like her."

"She was so beautiful."

"So are you," he said, kissing her shoulder.

Annie looked at the photo once more and then turned the lamp off. She and Jimmy got comfortable and sleep found them quickly.

A part of him always had to touch a part of her before he could fall asleep. Annie curled against him, her arm around his waist, his hand holding her hand; she was comfortable, but sound sleep did not find her.


In the dream, she was wet, and freezing. She looked around and saw an old pay phone. She went to it but found that the line had been cut.

In the distance, there was a large, dilapidated beach house.

A French door on the side of the house was unlocked, and she entered. She saw a fireplace. All of the furniture, including a grand piano, was covered with white sheets. Somehow, she found herself in an old kitchen. She grabbed a box of matches and a blanket from a linen closet.

She lit a fire and wrapped herself up in the blanket, rocking back and forth to try to get warm.

She heard wind chimes and the high tide of the ocean. She looked outside and saw a woman dancing on the beach. She opened another side door onto a balcony and peered out, but saw no one.

She went back inside and lay down in front of the fireplace and finally started to get warm.

As her eyes fluttered sleepily, she heard a word, a whisper.

When she woke, she was in her own bed, with Jimmy lying beside her, sleeping soundly.

She snuck out of bed and went into the living room and sat down. She eyed the fireplace mantle, and then got up and grabbed the bottle of wine that Red had given them for Christmas.


Dembe put his gun away and closed and locked the door as Annie threw off her coat. She went to the bar just as Red entered the room and turned on a lamp.

"What's wrong?"

He walked to her. "How long have you been drinking? Where's Jimmy?" He paused, watched Annie gulped down half a glass of brandy. "How did you get here? Please tell me you didn't drive. The roads are horrible."

Annie ignored his questions and sat down on the couch.

"What is May?"

Red sat down beside her.

"May? The month?"

"No, not the month. Something…something else." She paused. "There was a beach, and a house. And wind chimes. And a woman…a woman dancing."

Dembe looked at Red.

"A piano," she continued, "and I was so cold. So cold…"

She began to weep then, and Red took her in his arms. He held her tight as her entire body shook. Dembe unfolded a blanket and covered her with it, and Red pulled it tightly around her as he smoothed her hair. "Ssshhh…"

"Daddy…"

She only called him that when she was drunk.

"She was dancing…"

Red rocked her back and forth until she stopped crying, and she finally fell asleep in his arms. He nodded to Dembe, who picked her up and carried her into another room.

When he came back, he saw Red fixing himself a drink.

"Raymond…"

"I know."

He sat back down and sighed.


Annie breathed in deeply. Her head was pounding, but the scent of Red made her feel safe. She opened her eyes to see Jimmy across from her, asleep in a chair. She sat up in her father's bed and pulled her knees beneath her chin.

She remembered the dream, and saw her mother clearly, dancing on the beach. A pang of sadness hit her. Across from her, Jimmy awoke and hurried to her side.

"What the hell happened last night? Reddington called me this morning and said you were here. How did you make it? The roads were horrible. Why did you do that?!" He kissed her forehead. "I was worried to death!"

Annie managed a smile. "I'm okay. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you."

Jimmy shook his head, let the words slip out. "Why can't things just be simple, like they used to be?"

Annie sighed, glanced at her engagement ring.