"That's a nice house."

As he passes behind his colleague's desk, Charles can't help but take a quick glance at what his best friend is doing. And, if at first his comment is rather informal, something he lets out almost mechanically, realization hits him all of a sudden. He stops in his tracks to take a better look at the picture showing on the other Detective's computer screen.

"Wait. Why are you looking at houses?" he asks. He furrows his brows in confusion, though the feeling is soon replaced with excitement when a thought occurs to him. "Are you and Amy moving out?!"

Jake lets out a sigh. He turns around to meet his friend's gaze. "We're thinking about it, yeah." His face softens as he lets out the words and a fond smile comes curling up the corners of his mouth.

"Why?" Charles repeats.

Unfortunately, this answer doesn't seem to have been enough for him to leave Jake alone.

"I thought you guys loved your apartment and didn't want to leave? That's what you said when I told you my neighbor was selling his house and I suggested I'd put in a good word for you so that we could live next to each other and share a ride to work."

"Yeah, well… things have changed since. We figured we could use some more space," Jake mysteriously explains.

His grin grows wider with each new word he lets out, no matter how hard he tries to remain casual.

He doesn't wait for an answer and turns back his chair. He puts his whole attention back on his computer to show his friend that the conversation's over. The room fills with silence for a beat, making Jake think Charles left his side without trying to argue more. He should have known better, though – because he's soon startled by the sound of a loud gasp behind his back followed by the other Detective's voice.

"Oh my God. You're having another baby." Charles exclaims with an enthusiasm barely contained.

"WHAT?!" Jake faces him again. He lets out a fake laugh, taken by surprise. "No, we're not. What makes you think that? Amy's not pregnant. At all. I mean, she just got promoted Captain, it would be a really bad time for it, right?" He nervously starts rambling.

His eyes suddenly light up at his last sentence, an idea popping into his mind. "That's why we're buying a house!" He lies. "To celebrate her promotion and because now we'll be able to afford it."

He hopes this excuse works on his colleague.

It doesn't, though – Charles can see right through him immediately. He stares at his best friend with a knowing look in his eyes – they're shining with the glow of his excitement.

(After the announcement of Amy's first pregnancy and the following birth of their daughter, you'd think the man would have calmed down about the couple's progeny by now. Apparently not.)

(At least he doesn't seem like fainting, this time.)

Jake lets out another sigh. He knows he has no other choice than telling the truth. Otherwise Charles won't leave him alone until he does.

He gestures for the older Detective to get closer, so that no one else can hear him when he speaks. "Okay, fine," he admits in a secret whisper. "We are having another baby."

The man's reaction to the news doesn't wait to come. He can't retain an excited high-pitched squeal, to which Jake answers with a glare to make him shush. But his face quickly softens. A smile of his own comes spreading on his features. It feels good to be able to say it out loud. He's going to be a father – again. His family is growing even bigger, giving a sibling to their precious daughter.

Nothing could make him happier than this.

"But you can't tell anyone." Jake falls serious again. "It's too soon. No one else knows already."

"You have my word," Charles swears. Jake really wants to believe him – he knows the man has good intentions – but despite the promise, he's skeptical. He knows Charles, and how bad he is at keeping secrets. He wouldn't be surprised, then, if by the next day people around the precinct start to randomly congratulate him.

"I'm so happy." Charles squeals again, more discreetly this time. It takes his colleague back from his reverie. "There will be even more Jakes in this world!"

The future father is so happy too, he doesn't find it in him to stop his friends in his ramblings. Instead, he simply gushes about it with him with a dreamy beam and glowing eyes.

Apparently, Jake was being optimistic when he thought Charles could keep his secret for at least a whole day. Because as soon as Amy passes the doors of the elevator and enters the bullpen to meet with her husband for lunch and some house-visiting while their daughter is spending the afternoon at her grandparents', the Detective's comments and insisting looks immediately give him away.

"Jake," the woman calls when he finally appears inside the room.

She's been waiting for him sitting at his desk for a good ten minutes. Charles ordered her to, insisting that she shouldn't remain standing for too long in her 'condition.'

"What condition?" she asked, confused.

"Uhhh…" The man realized too late he'd said something he shouldn't have.

"Did you tell Charles about the thing?" She shoots her husband a glare while she stands up to get closer to him. At that, Jake gives Charles a same severe look. He offers him an apologetic smile in return before concentrating back on his paperwork not take part in what's to come between the couple.

"Hi, babe!" Jake gently grabs Amy by the waist and pecks her lips in a tender greeting. "How's the greatest, youngest Captain in the NYPD doing? You had a good morning?"

"Jake," she simply repeats his name. She's well aware of what he's trying to do, and his compliments won't make her forget about what she's reproaching him.

(She can't help but smile a little at the mention of her still new title, though.)

Jake surrenders, then. He lets out a small sigh. "Okay, that's a funny story, really." He forces a laugh but his body language tells otherwise; his finger comes nervously scratch the back of his ear.

In front of him, Amy crosses her arms over her chest, not amused. She's waiting for him to go on with his story.

"But I actually didn't have to tell him about the thing, because he figured it out all by himself when he learned we were looking for a house to buy."

She frowns, though her expression looks softer than before. "And why did you tell him about that?"

"I didn't. I was looking at houses on my computer and he saw it. You know how nosy he can be." That comment actually makes Amy chuckle. She knows all too well indeed.

Jake also relaxes, a mysterious smile now spreading across his face as he goes on with his speech. "Which reminds me, I have a little surprise for you at the end of our meetings so we should go right now, not to be late on our schedule." He offers her a knowing look and a grin.

There's no remnant of annoyance on Amy's face anymore, all of what might have bothered her before completely forgotten. She only seems intrigued. She used to hate surprises – especially his – but she has to admit he's become pretty good at it with time. She can't wait to discover what he has in store for her, then.

"Okay. Let's go." She takes his hand and leads him out of the bullpen. She stops in front of the elevator, though, and turns around. She shoots her husband a knowing glance before she starts talking.

"Attention, everyone. Tonight, party at Shaw's. Jake and I have an announcement to make." A fond smile spreads across her face when her eyes meet with Jake's. She holds his hand tighter.

"Is it to tell us you guys are pregnant again?" Rosa asks without even looking up from her computer.

"CHARLES!" the couple shouts in a same exasperated voice.

"Okay, Jake, where are you taking me? We've been driving for so long. I can't be late at work."

Sitting on the passenger's seat of her husband's car, Amy starts to get impatient.

"Relax, babe." He glances at her with an amused smile before quickly putting his whole attention back on the road ahead. "I promise you'll be right on time. We're not so far away from your precinct, I've just been taking some detours so that you wouldn't guess where we're going," he proudly states. Jake takes a hand off the wheel to grab his wife's on her lap, gently squeezing it.

Amy sighs. "You blinded me. I literally cannot see anything. How could I guess where we're going?!"

"Still, I couldn't take risks."

"Your surprise better be good," she complains, feeling a little annoyed. She doesn't really like being deprived of one of her senses like this.

Especially when it comes to her sight – being plunged into complete darkness makes her freak out.

Jake shoots her another grinning look, even though she can't see it. "It is, I promise."

Amy doesn't have to wait for much longer before he finally pulls over. He gets out of the car and rushes to her side to open the door to her, leading her out. He takes a few steps away from the vehicle then stops in his tracks, making her stop with him. Slowly, he frees his wife out of her blind. It takes her a few seconds to readjust to the brightness of the sun but when she does, her gaze gets stuck on what's facing them.

"Wh–… what are we doing here?" she asks, confused. She doesn't turn to look at him, staring at a house she recognizes all too well from the numerous pictures she's seen of it.

(From all the scenarios she created in her head of her little family living inside of it. The hours spent inside the library. The games in the garden. The campouts by the fireplace during cold winter nights.

It had everything her binder requested of the perfect house – located in the perfect area, and only a little above their designated budget. Both she and Jake had fallen in love at first sight with it. Even Ana, when they showed their toddler the images and asked if she'd like living there, seemed really enthusiastic about it. Even though, to be fair, she'd already been enthusiastic about all the previous ones as well.)

Jake beams proudly. "Surprise!"

"I don't understand… I thought it wasn't for sale anymore. So what are we doing here?" Amy repeats her question.

"I saw how disappointed you were that we were too late on this one, so I gave the real-estate agent my number in case something came out. She called me this morning – the previous buyer dropped out. She's waiting for us inside, if you still wanna visit it…" Jake points towards the entrance of the house, his smile turned soft now.

Amy doesn't answer anything right away, at a loss of words. She stares at her husband, her eyes shining with a few happy tears and her heart warming up in her chest. She can't quite believe what she's hearing.

She's definitely the luckiest woman alive for having married the absolute best person in this world.

Her first reaction, when she finally comes back to her senses, is to break the distance between her and Jake and plant a loving kiss on his lips. "Thank you," she whispers when they part.

He answers her with a kiss of his own, smiling against her mouth.

"Shall we?" He offers her his hand and she follows him inside.

The house is exactly like Amy expected it to be – perfect. As the person in charge of selling it takes them on a tour of the different rooms, she and Jake can't stop exchanging knowing looks and smiles. They don't have to say it to understand they're thinking about the same thing. They can easily picture themselves living in there.

"This would make the perfect nursery," the real-estate agent says as they enter another room. "If you ever consider having another child someday."

Amy's hand comes skimming her still flat belly on instinct at the words. She nods at Jake. Memories of that day she learned she was pregnant again and her husband's reaction to it comes back to her mind, making her smile dreamily. They haven't told their daughter yet – wanted to be sure they were sure everything was okay first – but she can't wait for her to know she's going to be a big sister.

Which will probably have to happen before when they had planned, now that their friends all know too.

"We're taking it." The couple barely needs to consider their options when the agent tells them it was the last room for them to visit and want to know what they thought of it. Of all the houses they've been looking at for the past weeks, it's by far the best they've visited ever since that night they decided to move out of their apartment.

(It'd only been a few hours since Amy shared the news of her second pregnancy with him, and Jake was still overwhelmed with tons of happy emotions.

"We should buy a house together," he suddenly said, getting out of his reverie. Laying in bed with his hand stroking her bare stomach and his head gently resting against it, he looked up at his wife.

"Absolutely, let's do that." Amy tenderly ruffled his hair with a beam that soon replicated on the man's features.

The day after, a new binder was bought and already filled with ads of houses for sale as well as expectations for their future home.)

They don't think they're going to find anything better, then. And, most importantly, they don't want to take the risk of losing it again if they're slow to give the woman an answer.

"Perfect. I'll go get the signing papers ready, then."

Finally alone, Jake breaks the little distance between him and his wife. He wraps one of his arms around her shoulders while staring at the empty room/future nursery.

"So, this is another one of our crazy days, huh?"

He lets out a contented sigh, thinking about this new step in their relationship they're about to take by picking their future home. Where their children will grow up.

Where they will grow old together.

Amy turns her head and meets his gaze – just like hers, his eyes are shining with excitement. She offers him a small smile before getting even closer and kissing him.

"Looks like it, yeah," she dreamily answers as she lets her head fall inside the crook of his neck and her hand rest over her stomach with his, their finger intertwined together.

(They have two things to celebrate later that evening at Shaw's with their friends. Amy's pregnancy, and the closing of a deal for the house of their dreams, indicating the beginning of a new chapter in the life of the little Santiago Peralta family.)