Between seeing Rebel off, and JJ gathering everybody up in the conference room, Emily stole into the kitchen area to call TJ. He picked up quickly.

"Oh, thank God, Mia." he said with a breath of relief.

"Slow Monday, huh?"

"Kind of," he sighed. "But guess who gets a trip to New Jersey from tomorrow morning until Saturday?"

"You do. Another playground design like Palm Springs?"

TJ nodded, even though Emily couldn't see him. "This time, I get to oversee a playground design and installation at a new elementary school in Hoboken. It'll take a few months, but the only condition I had was that it not keep me away when Batman and Robin come."

Emily laughed—it seemed that every day, TJ was coming up with more and more nicknames for the twins, just because they hadn't come up with actual solid names yet. They were getting more ridiculous each time.

"Batman and Robin, huh? One of these kids is a girl, you know! Oof!" Emily let out a soft grunt as she felt a kick by her navel. "She just kicked me with her heels!"

"Woah, really?"

Emily let out a puff of air as she felt more kicks. "I think baby girl just learned a new trick!"

"Robin goes both ways, you know."

"Yeah, and so does," Emily searched for a name in the massive list of names that she'd amassed. "Harley."

TJ shuddered. "You know as well as I do that that's a Batman villain I don't like."

"We will get this name thing down, eventually." Emily sighed. "Listen, I wanted to call because I have a surprise for you."

"Don't tell me—you're going to bring home a swan?"

Emily groaned and stomped her foot, which brought on a barrage of tiny, upset baby kicks.

"Now they're both kicking me with their heels."

"I'm sorry, Mia. What were you calling about?"

"I can't believe my parents told the story about the swan—it was Italy, and I was twelve! But… the swan is kind of a metaphor for what happened just now, though. Rebel and Sadie are in town."

"Wow. We were just talking about them this morning at breakfast."

"Yes, and the swan from yesteryear is a metaphor because Rebel is pregnant and scared. She also got kicked out from her home in New York."

"Oh, my God. Did you tell her there's room for her at home?"

"Yes—JJ and I had a long talk with her in my office."

"You mean she showed up at the FBI?"

"I'll explain the rest later, but I just wanted to call you and tell you that I'm bringing her and Sadie home, and that they're staying with us until Sunday because she has a house here, that she bought, herself."

TJ was taken aback. "I beg your pardon?"

"I'll explain it all later tonight, my love." Emily said again. "Can you get on the horn and call Isobel about it? I have to get back to work now."

"I'll call her now. Talk to you later, Mia."

"Bye."

Emily hung up and pocketed her phone. Looking around, she saw that everyone was in the conference room, waiting for her. So, kicking babies and all, she headed over.

"Alright." she said, sitting at the head of the table and looking around at everyone. "I know all of you saw JJ and I talking to Rebel Rose Kelley in my office, so we are going to explain what's happening."

"She also brought a potential case to our attention, or at least a name that's worth keeping tabs on." JJ added.

"Why don't you start from the top?" Rossi suggested.

JJ looked over to her partner. "You want to start, Emily?"

The brunette nodded, and proceeded to recount what had happened during Rebel's and Sadie's visit, with JJ filling a few things in.

The team hung on to every word.

"Wow." Tara said when they were done. "She's been through a lot, and she's really brave. I did lead her rescue in Central Park, but I've totally got her back for whatever else she needs."

The others all made similar statements of agreement, and Penelope spoke up.

"What did you say Rebel's ex's name is, Emily?"

"Ryan Kilpatrick, and he's from the same neighborhood in New York."

"Backwater End, right?"

"Yes."

Penelope paused for a minute, jotting the information on a Post-It, and then she looked back up.

"Would you like me to compile a file on him and bring it to you?"

"Two, actually—one for me, and one for JJ, but hold off on that for a little bit longer. We still have one more thing to talk about."

Spencer interjected, "Does it have anything to do with how you told Rebel when she was leaving that you'd see her later?"

"Yes. That's exactly it."

"Rebel moved to DC." JJ said. "Her new address is 26 Old Promenade."

Everyone looked at Emily in surprise.

"She's your next door neighbor." Stephen remarked. "That's neat. Has she moved in?"

Emily shook her head. "Not just yet. She left New York so fast that she's got six days before she can officially move in yet."

Beside Stephen, Luke furrowed his brow. "Then where have they been, if they've already been in town for two days?"

"They've been at a hotel, downtown, but they're staying with TJ, Isobel, and I until Sunday. Rebel said her siblings are bringing the rest of their belongings and her car, then, and they're going to help her move in. She isn't on good terms with her parents right now, otherwise, I'm sure she'd ask them for help."

"Would she mind help from anyone else?" Tara asked, curiously. "I want to help her."

"Me, too." Luke and Stephen said in unison.

"And me." Rossi chimed in.

"Same." Penelope said sincerely. "If anything, I can at least make some housewarming food."

"Actually," JJ said. "We're glad that you all are so willing to help because she really needs it, and we told her about how this team is like a family. Emily and I agreed to look after her the way that mothers do, since she's currently on the outs with her own. I already know that Will will want to help keep tabs, on them, too. Henry will throw himself into whatever new project we give him, and Michael will probably be enamored with Sadie."

"And I just called TJ about this." Emily tacked on. "Long story short: he's on board, and calling Isobel about it. Everyone is in; JJ and I just wanted to check in with the rest of you."

Rossi smiled. "Rebel and Sadie are going to be your housemates—they're stuck with us for life. One of you just say the word, and we're there to help with anything they need."

Again, everyone else made various but sincere statements of agreement.

"Is there anything else?" Luke asked.

"No." Emily said. "We just wanted to let you know what was going on. Please go back to work."

Everybody dispersed, even JJ. Everyone, but Rossi. Clearly, he had something on his mind.

"Okay, Dave. I see you." Emily said when she saw him standing to the side. "Will you be a friend and help me up?"

"You got it."

Rossi approached Emily and pulled her to her feet.

When Emily wasn't in danger of teetering back, she said, "Is this about Rebel and Sadie, and a conflict of interest?"

"I don't see it as a conflict of interest because there's technically no case happening right now. Should anyone start kicking up dirt, if Ryan Kilpatrick does show up, we'll close ranks."

"Thanks. What was it that you wanted to say?"

"Is there a for a sale sign in the yard at Number 26?"

"Uh-huh. There's even a big sticker across it, saying that it's been sold."

"What's the name of the real estate company, or the broker on the sign?"

Emily thought about it. "It says Amalie D'Agostino along the bottom."

Rossi grinned, a spark alight in his eyes. "That's what I thought."

"I know that look in your eyes, my friend—is Amalie ex-wife number four or five?"

Rossi rolled his eyes. "I was only married three times: Carolyn was first, Hayden was second, and Krystall was third!"

"I know, I know. I'm just kidding." Emily laughed. "How did you meet Amalie?"

"She and I go back. All the way back."

Emily's eyes widened in surprise. "You mean to Long Island?"

"Mhm. We grew up together, and we went to the same schools and everything. Amalie was my best friend."

"What happened? She sounds like the one that got away."

"She was, Emily. She was." he sighed. "I went to war, and she joined the Peace Corps. I met Carolyn after that, and I didn't see Amalie for years until I bought the house on Foster Street."

Emily blinked. "You live on Foster Street now. Did she move to town, get into real estate, and then sell you that house?"

Rossi nodded. "That's what happened, and now it looks like she owns Rebel's house, too. I just haven't seen Amalie in a few years because life got in the way again."

"Of course." Emily nodded sympathetically. "What are you going to do now?"

"Call Amalie and have a meeting with her. I'm going to help Rebel out with her house—she's a nineteen year-old single mother who does not need to go into debt before she's twenty-one. I'm going to pay off her mortgage for her."

"Oh, Dave, that's really wonderful and really generous!"

"Any friend of yours is a new friend of mine." the old man winked. "All Rebel needs to know is that she and her kids have an anonymous benefactor looking out for them."

"Got it. Oh…"

Rossi looked at Emily in concern, especially when she put one hand on his forearm for support, and the other on the underside of her middle, massaging it.

"Everything okay, kiddo?" Rossi asked.

"Uh-huh." Emily nodded. "The kids just don't seem to appreciate it when mama is on her feet for too long. They're letting me know it by kicking me with their heels—getting nailed with two pairs of heels really sucks."

"How can I help?"

"Will you walk me back to my office, please?"

"Of course." Rossi put a hand in the small of Emily's back and began steering her gently out of the room. "I've got you."

Once Rossi saw that Emily was comfortable in her office, and that she didn't need anything else, he went to his office and closed the door behind him. After a quick search through his phone contacts, Rossi found Amelie's number in his phone and dialed.

Amalie D'Agostino was back in DC at her office in the business district, in the midst of filing important papers. She was an older woman, but not so old that she had to be in retirement just yet—although it did sound more promising than it used to—and even for someone her age, she still appeared to look surprisingly young, and was a sharp dresser. She'd been in real estate for almost her entire adult life, and she enjoyed it because it was perfectly normal, and she made enough money to support herself and her family.

Amalie D'Agostino was content with her life, but even still, she found herself wishing for one last adventure, one last… something, just like the good old days.

This was what she was thinking on that Monday afternoon, as she sorted through files upon files concerning a few properties she had yet to show, and why she didn't see the name that was on her Caller ID as she hit the speaker button.

"Amalie D'Agostino." she said in greeting.

Rossi felt a rush of joy in his chest at the sound of his friend's voice. "How are you doing, Milly Jay?"

Amalie's breath caught in her throat: her full name was Amalie Juliette D'Agostino, but only one person had ever called her Milly Jay.

"Dave Rossi, is that you?"

"Yes, it is! How are you, Amalie? It's been too long."

"It's definitely been too long, and I'm great. Is there anything wrong with your house?"

"No. Actually, I wanted to ask you something about one of your other properties."

Amalie glanced at the stack of manila file folders in front of her. "Which one?"

"It's too difficult to explain over the phone. Can I take you out to dinner later?"

"Yes."

Amelie's response had been so fast that she immediately started to backpedal.

"I've got four kids, Dave, and they're all over eighteen, but I still need to get away and have some time with grownups that aren't them."

"Well, I'm glad to be your knight in shining armor. Remind me what your kids' names are?"

"Enrico, Pietro, Stefano, and Gabriella. They're good kids, and the lights of my life, but they all have a silly streak."

"But they have good, strong, Italian names." Rossi approved. "There won't be anybody objecting to you going out with a friend, will there?"

Amalie knew what Rossi was getting at, but she still sighed heavily.

"It's been just me, for about seventeen years. Giancarlo hurt us, and he did some other stupid things that got him sent to jail. He died in there."

"I'm sorry." Rossi said hastily about his friend's husband.

"It's okay, Dave. You didn't know because we haven't spoken for awhile, and I just don't really talk about it." Amalie sighed again. "He was a mean son of a bitch, and he got what he deserved."

Amalie softened up, and even though Rossi couldn't see her, he knew she was smiling.

"What about you, Dave?" she asked, her voice kind and warm. "Anyone in your life?"

"No." he admitted. "I'm very much a bachelor these days."

"You?" Amalie joked, feigning surprise. "Haven't you been married four times?"

For the second time that hour, Rossi rolled his eyes. "First Emily, and now you…"

This piqued Amalie's interest. "Who's Emily?"

"Someone you'll meet soon." Rossi leaned back in his chair. "Where do you want to eat tonight? You can pick."

Amalie thought about it. "How about Al Forno? Can you get reservations there?"

Al Forno—Italian for 'in the oven'—was a very nice restaurant at the Watergate Hotel. And it was definitely a place in town where he had enough full to get day-of reservations.

"Yes. I definitely can."

"Excellent!" Amalie chirped. "Pick me up at seven?"

"Do you still live on Grand Prairie?"

"Never left."

Rossi smiled more. "Then I will see you at seven!"

"Great. See you then."

Amalie hung up first, then Rossi.

He turned and looked out of his office window. It wasn't much of a view—just the parking lot, six stories down, and the line of trees that divided the FBI property from the highway on the other side. But he wasn't paying attention to that because his thoughts were on Amalie, wondering if there was a chance of finally getting a happy ending with Amalie D'Agostino.

He really hoped there was.

Meanwhile, back in her own office, Amalie was wondering if this was the beginning of the new adventure she'd been hoping for. She wondered if she would be getting her happy ending with David Rossi.

She really hoped it was.