Rita jolted upright, clutching at her chest. She was shaking and feeling her heart rate going crazy. She looked at the clock. It was around five in the morning, 24 hours earlier from when she died. Stirring beside her made her jump again until she realized it was just Lee shifting in his sleep.

She disliked being so damn jumpy.

She slid out of bed and grabbed her phone from the nightstand, taking it with her as she went downstairs and outside. She didn't want anyone to overhear her. She knew it was around three in the morning where her mother was, but she didn't care. She pressed her phone to her ear hard.

"Hello?" Maria's voice answered, groggy with sleep. "Rita?"

"Mum, I need to talk to you," Rita said urgently.

"Is something wrong?"

"Just go somewhere private please."

"What's going on?" Tony's voice said in the background.

"It's Rita," Maria answered. "She's sick." It was a lie, but one that Tony appeared to buy as Rita could hear her mother walking now. After a few moments, Rita heard a door shut quietly.

"You alone?" Rita asked.

"What is going on? Why are you calling me so late?" Maria asked.

"You have to get out of there."

"What?"

"Right now. Mum, he knows you're CIA."

"Excuse me?" Maria spluttered.

"His real name is Ian Grant. You've been undercover with him for years. He's in cahoots with Ivan Zolotov, who we just killed yesterday. Ian is going to get an email tomorrow that tells him you are CIA, and he is going to kill you."

"Rita, this is all such nonsense..."

"I am telling the truth," Rita said fiercely. "And you know it."

Maria was quiet for a moment, and Rita knew she had her.

"I can't leave. Ian leads me to different underground activities. Without him, so much would be going on that we wouldn't know about. I took one for the team," Maria said eventually.

"You don't understand. He is going to kill you," Rita said more forcefully.

"How do you know that?"

"Please just trust me."

"I will when you tell me how you know," Maria said stubbornly. Rita growled in frustration.

"I have a power in me from the alien race I defeated," Rita said. "I can reset the day. I was at your house tomorrow, and Ian was about to kill you before he shot me."

Maria started to laugh at this. When Rita said nothing, she slowly stopped.

"You're serious."

"Dead serious, Mum."

"Thank you for calling," Maria said finally.

"Mum!"

"Goodbye," Maria said firmly. Rita went to speak when the call was disconnected. She stared at her phone in disbelief. Then she charged back into the house. She flung open Barney's bedroom door, causing him to sit upright and point a gun at her. She turned the light on, and he blinked.

"What the hell?" he asked.

"We have to go," she said.

"Where?"

"Mum is going to get killed."

"You reset the day again?!" Barney asked, incredulous.

"Not intentionally. Tony killed me," Rita answered. "Except he's really Ian Grant, and he's an accomplice to Ivan. He finds out Mum is CIA from an email that Ivan had on a time delay, and he is going to kill her."

"Hold on," Barney said, holding out his one hand. His other was still holding the gun. "Your mother is still an active CIA agent?"

"Yes."

"Oye," Barney said, shaking his head.

"She won't believe me. We have to get to her right now," Rita urged.

"All right, all right," Barney agreed, gesturing with his gun. "Go get ready. I'll be ready in five."

"Thank you," Rita said, turning and rushing back up to her room. She turned the light on and began to change. Lee groaned and opened his eyes blearily.

"What's happening?" he asked. He took in Rita dancing around trying to get her socks on.

"My mother is in danger. We're leaving to save her," Rita answered. Lee processed this information, wondering how she knew this.

"You've reset again, haven't you?" he asked, realizing.

"Not my fault. I didn't know the bastard was going to shoot me," Rita growled, putting on her leg holster and cramming her gun into it. Lee sat up at this point, still foggy with sleep.

"Shoot you? Who did?"

"Tony! Keep up," she said, annoyed.

"Forgive me that I'm not privy to the same information you are," Lee said sarcastically. She stopped then, catching her breath.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I keep forgetting that."

"It's fine." He got up and threw his t-shirt on and started hunting for his pants. They went downstairs and found Barney standing by the door, waiting.

"What about Uncle?" Rita asked.

"I'm here," Tool said, coming into view. Barney had told him what was going on, and he was not staying behind.

"It's all right," Barney said to Rita, putting his hand on her shoulder. "We'll get her out of there."

Rita didn't say a word, just nodded. Then they set off into the dark.

Arizona-Maria's House

"Whoa," Barney said, grabbing Rita's collar as she went to barge up to the house. "Think this through."

"It's almost eight in the morning, and Ian is going to read that email," Rita argued. "If he hasn't already."

"Bustin' in there guns a blazin' is not going to be any good," Barney said. "I know you want to just cap him, but let's not. Not yet anyway. There is a reason your mother hasn't already killed him."

"He leads her to other organized crimes," Rita told him. "That's why."

"Just go knock on the door," Barney instructed. Rita removed his hand from her collar and did so. Lee, Tool, and Barney hung back, watching. Rita waited, but nothing happened. She knocked again.

"Mum?" she called. Frowning, she peered into the window. There was no movement inside. She tried the door, and it was unlocked. She pushed it open, looking back at the guys briefly before going in.

"Come on," Barney said, leading the way when she disappeared.

Rita didn't like the eerie quiet. She knew something was wrong. Lee followed her as she went upstairs slowly. She pulled her gun out, holding it in front of her as she walked. Lee did the same.

She stopped outside her mother's bedroom, making Lee bump into her by accident. She cautiously went inside and gasped at the sight before her.

"What the hell?" Lee asked. Ian/Tony was at the foot of the bed with a laptop in front of him playing graphic scenes, the noose around his neck having left marks. He was in his boxers.

"Oh God," Tool said, coming in and then looking away. "Is that what I think it is?"

"Your mother is very clever," Lee said.

"She made it look like he accidentally killed himself," Rita murmured. She looked at Lee. "So where is she?"

"She's not here," Barney said, coming in. He gave a snort of laughter upon the sight. "How original."

"She believed me," Rita said, holstering her gun.

"We better split before the cops show up," Tool said. "No doubt she sent in an anonymous tip or something."

"Don't leave any boot tracks," Barney instructed. Thankfully, none of them had any dirt or mud on their boots, so nothing was left. They still checked to make sure. When they got back into the truck, Rita wondered if she'd ever see her mother again. That was when she noticed the voicemail. She dialed in, listening to it.

"Hi, sweetie. Just calling to tell you how much I'm enjoying my vacation. Daniel is too. He says hello. We're gonna be staying here for a while. It's nice to just have a vacation, you know? The sun is always bright here. I love you, and I want you to know that I believe in you. You make me proud. Ciao for now."

Barney watched Rita carefully as she lowered her phone and clicked it off.

"From your mother?" he asked.

"Yea. She said she and Daniel are on vacation, and the sun is always bright there."

"She believed you," Lee commented.

"She did," Rita nodded. She felt a lump in her throat. She would have liked to have said goodbye at least. She knew her mother would have ditched her phone after leaving her the message.

"It'll be all right. She's all right," Lee said, putting his arm around her. She rested her head into his shoulder, jostling along with the bumps on the road as they drove.

Weeks Later

Barney knew his time was coming to a close. Forget less than three months. He was barely functioning now. He put on a brave face and let on he was fine to his friends and colleagues, but it was getting harder to do so lately.

"What is it?" Toll asked when Barney approached him. He was working on his rifle, cleaning it and such.

"If we're doing this goodbye thing, we should do it very soon. Like tonight," Barney said.

Toll stopped what he was doing and looked at Barney sadly.

"Yea?"

"Yea," Barney nodded.

"Okay."

"Thanks, Toll."

"No problem."

...

Lee found Rita standing alone by the river. Ever since her mother had disappeared, Rita had not been doing so well.

"Hey," he said, approaching her. He stood beside her carefully. He didn't know if she wanted affection or not. Their relationship had kind of paused since everything had happened.

"I just wish I knew where she was," Rita said, hugging herself.

"In that business, you can't exactly keep in touch with family."

"She took Daniel with her."

"He was ill," Lee pointed out. "He needed her."

"I need her!" Rita shouted. She felt those damn tears coming again and turned away from him so he wouldn't see.

"I think she knows you are the stronger one," Lee said slowly. "That you don't need her as much as you think you do."

"Every daughter needs their mother, Lee," Rita said quietly.

"I don't know how to help you feel better," Lee admitted.

"You can't."

"Do you even want me around?" he asked. He had to know. If she was done with him, he might as well know now.

Rita knew she had pushed him away, and she hadn't meant to.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I just...I don't know what I want right now."

"Okay," he nodded. "I'll see you later."

Rita felt bad as she watched him walk away. She really had messed everything up.

...

Barney sipped his beer and smiled as he watched his friends interacting with each other. Caesar and Tool were cooking, which was causing some competition with each other. It was friendly competition so far. Yang had come with Trench, and they were talking with Gunner. Toll and Doc were talking and observing. Every so often, Barney would join in on a conversation, but he was mostly fine with just watching. He wondered how many knew he was sick aside from Tool, Lee, Rita, and Toll. He noticed Toll kept looking over at him, but Barney just smiled in return.

"You don't look well," Trench commented, sitting down beside him at the bar. Galgo, Luna, Mars, Thorn, and John entered at this point, laughing amongst each other. They mingled with the others easily.

"Thanks," Barney replied.

"Is that why we're having a big to do? Are you dying?" Trench asked. Barney looked at him.

"Why does having a gathering mean someone is gonna die?" he countered.

"It's just very unusual for you."

"Just enjoy yourself, Trench," Barney said. Trench raised his beer in return and got up to join the others. Lee came in and looked as though his dog had died. Barney waved him over.

"You're saying goodbye, aren't you?" Lee asked accusingly.

"I'm not doing so great, Lee."

"I thought you didn't want to die from the cancer?"

"I don't."

"So what are you gonna do?"

"Don't ask me that," Barney answered. "Please."

Lee looked at his friend somberly and suddenly didn't want to know what Barney had planned.

"Okay," he agreed. "I won't."

"Where's Rita?" Barney inquired.

"Doing her thing."

"She'll be all right, Lee," Barney advised. "Just give her time." He and Rita had spent a lot of time together in the past weeks. He wished he had found her sooner and got more time with her. Life was mean that way.

"I am," Lee argued. "I think it's safe to say it's over."

"Always so negative," Barney tutted.

"She doesn't return my calls, doesn't want to see me, and barely texts me. I think that's a pretty big indicator it's over."

"She has had a lot dumped on her. She's processing."

"For three weeks?"

"That's nothing," Barney scoffed. Caesar was waving him over then. "I gotta mingle. When you're finished brooding, you can join us."

Lee scowled at him as he smirked and left him sitting there.

...

Rita was standing outside Tool's place when her phone rang. She didn't recognize the number, but she answered it anyway.

"Mum?" she asked. She had a feeling.

"Rita, luv, can you talk?" Maria asked.

"Yes," Rita answered, feeling immense relief. "I'm so glad you're okay. Where are you?"

"I'm safe. We're both safe."

"Why can't I know where you are?"

"It's just better that way. I'm sorry."

"Did you kill Tony?"

"The police said he died accidentally," Maria answered.

"Mum, he really hurt me," Rita started.

"I found out. I always feared what he was capable of doing to me he'd do to you. I'm sorry I didn't know to stop it. I'm sorry you got so hurt."

"When did you find out?"

"I found his photo collection as I was packing to leave."

"Oh, Mum," Rita said, gripping her face.

"I burned them."

"Thank you. I...I didn't know he did that."

"I'm very sorry," Maria said again. "I should have paid better attention."

"I've done a lot of healing since then. I promise," Rita assured her.

"You should never have had to," Maria replied.

"Will I ever see you again?" Rita asked.

"You will. I just have to lay low for a while."

"I know who my father is. I'm here with him. Barney Ross," Rita blurted out. She heard Maria inhale sharply and exhale slowly.

"That's a name I haven't heard in a long time."

"He still loves you."

"Well, that's good to know."

"I wanted him to see you one last time. He's dying, Mum. Cancer."

"We've had our goodbye," Maria said. "Even if it was a long time ago. It still stands."

Rita knew better than to push it. She had to let it go.

"I love you," she said instead.

"I love you too. I'll be in touch," Maria promised. They hung up, and Rita looked at the door in front of her. She knew she had to go in there and put on a smile for everyone. She knew why Barney was doing this, and she respected his wishes enough to not tell the others. She just hoped he would on his own.