To JJ's great chagrin, she still had to return to Quantico before she could go home. There were end-of-shift things to be filed, and belongings to gather. Including her car.

But it was just as well that they made a trip to their work building.

There was one person whom she really needed to see before she retied to her house for the night.

"Em?" JJ knocked on her partner's open office door. "How are you doing?"

Emily was dressed for the cold and had her things together. Instead of leaving, though, she was just leaning against the edge of her desk. Her fingers were even splayed over her middle. A faint smile was on her face—she was thinking about what what could be. What she hoped was, already.

But she still appeared to be a million miles away. Fear still gripped a small part of her heart.

Emily managed a semi-calm voice when she saw her partner. "Jayje, I'm back to feeling freaked out. You know what I'm going to do after this."

"Oh, yes. Do you remember what I said to do?"

"You told me keep my feet on planet earth, and to just put one foot in front of the other."

"That's right." JJ confirmed.

"Is the invitation for dinner still open?"

"Yes. Consider it a standing invitation—you'll always have a seat at our table."

"Thank you so much." Emily said truthfully. "I want to ask you something on a different matter, but it might seem odd."

JJ lifted both eyebrows. "We know each other so well that there are no odd moments."

Emily still found herself shuffling her feet. "How fine-tuned are your mother's perception skills about other people?"

"Roz would jokingly call her psychic." JJ replied in surprise. "Why?"

"When we were watching you and Hannah at the hospital, Sandy did something that made it seem like she knew that I've been contemplating the possibility that I might pregnant now."

JJ's curiosity piqued. "Oh, really? What were you doing?"

"I had my hands on my middle, as they are now," she drummed her fingers on her midsection for emphasis. "Because I was thinking about baby names."

"Any that you care to share?"

"Zion and Eden are my present favorites." Emily cleared her throat. "I think Sandy is a mind reader—just before she went to introduce herself to Hannah, she gave my hands a pat. It was very comforting."

JJ made an amused sound. "She's been through a lot of absurd things in her life, but her capacity for loving good people has never dwindled."

"That's amazing…"

"You must also be on the list of people whom she loves dearly." JJ motioned to Emily's middle. "Do you feel more certain that there is a baby in there?"

"Yes." Emily admitted. "I asked for a sign from the universe that everything was going to be okay… and then Sandy did that. Now I'm not as freaked out as I was."

"Fantastic." JJ fixed Emily inwardly-turned coat collar. "Just keep taking it all one step at a time, alright?"

"Okay." Emily hugged her. "See you in the morning?"

"See you in the morning."

While Emily left the bullpen altogether, JJ parked herself at the table in the break area. She was having second thoughts about driving home.

"JJ?"

She jumped; the bullpen was empty, save for herself and the nighttime cleaning staff. At least it had been when she'd last taken stock. JJ couldn't imagine who—that knew her name—would still be around.

"Matt," she chirped when she saw who had taken the seat across from her. "I thought you would be headed home to Kristy and the kids already."

He gave her a brotherly smile. "That's next on my list of things to do, but I just wanted to check on you because I could see your thinking face from the other side of the room."

"You are a very sweet man. I know I've told you that a few times today, but it's true. I really appreciate that about you." JJ said warmly. "My immediate problem is about getting home tonight."

"How's that?" Matt wanted to know.

"I'm worn out from the day, and a few other things. Driving home suddenly feels like a bad idea."

"Where do you live?"

"Number Seventeen on Broadchurch Close, in Capitol Hill." JJ told him.

Matt brightened. "We live in Halifax Gardens. It's three blocks from your house. Come on—I'll give you a lift."

"Really?"

"Really." Matt stood and held a hand out to JJ. "Broadchurch Close is on my way home. It's also about an hour until the train shuttle comes back around."

JJ was finally won over and let her friend help her up. "Let's go, but I just have one question."

"You're wondering how I know the shuttle schedule."

"Uh-huh."

Matt laughed as they walked to the elevators and began the journey down to the main lobby. "I ride the train in all the time, so I know the time tables very well."

"Why didn't you ride it today?"

"Kristy had to go into work early today, so I dropped the kids off at daycare and school before heading out here. Getting four kids out the door before eight in the morning is like trying to get all the monkeys back in the barrel. I still wouldn't trade it for anything because I love being a parent."

JJ had a funny feeling when she realized that what Matt was describing was in her distant future. "Hey, how are Jake, David, Lily, and Chloe doing? I haven't heard about them in awhile."

Matt cheerfully updated JJ on the lives of his kids. It was nice to have a momentary distraction.

As they left FBI property for the main road, JJ sent a text to Will. I'm catching a ride home with Matt.

His reply was fast. Thanks for the heads up, cher. Everything okay?

My car is fine, but I don't trust myself to drive—the babies are messing with me.

Fingers crossed they settle down soon. Where do the Simmonses live?

In Halifax Gardens. Three blocks over from us.

How about that? I've got dinner on the stove, and the boys are waiting for their mama :) See you when you get home. I love you.

I love you, too.

JJ put her phone away again and leaned back in her seat. "Thanks for the ride."

"Anytime, JJ." Matt told her. "Were you just texting Will?"

"Yep. He's working on dinner."

Matt just nodded as they drove along. He wanted to ask his friend something, but still had to choose his words carefully. The whole effort made him squirrelly.

JJ noticed and fought back a mad desire to laugh. It was rare that Matt wasn't straightforward.

"Okay, what?" she said.

Matt feigned his innocence poorly. "Pardon, JJ?"

"You've been looking funny at me since Dunn Loring. Spit it out."

Matt still chose his words with exact precision. "It's just that you're acting quite similarly to the way Kristy did, the last time she was pregnant. That was when Chloe and Lily happened."

Everyone on the BAU team knew that the youngest Simmons children were identical twin girls.

JJ finally did laugh. "Gold star for you, my friend. We found out at the hospital today that I'm pregnant—with identical twins, just like your wife was that last time."

Matt jumped in amazement. He hadn't expected his thoughts to be so perfectly on the nose.

"Congratulations!" he told her. "Who all knows?"

"Will and Katherine, Emily, both of my parents, my stepmother, my brother and his family, Olivia, and you."

"Then I'll help keep your secret for as long as you want me to." Matt said seriously.

"That's really nice of you. I appreciate that, as well." JJ said. "Can I ask you something?"

"I'm an open book." Matt returned in kind.

"What are your siblings' names? Are they older than you?"

Even in the dark of the car, a fond grin could be seen on Matt's face. "They're called Abigail and Hosea. Both of them are older than me, yeah."

"How did you, Abigail, and Hosea get your names?"

"Our folks moved here from Korea when they were newlyweds, and made a vow to give their kids names that were easy to say right of the bat."

"Is your family a churchgoing one?"

Matt shook his head. "My parents' names are in traditional Korean, which makes them that much harder to say in English. They picked uncomplicated ones from the Bible to give us pride and to spare us from any mispronunciations."

"Those were smart moves." JJ rested a hand on her lower middle. "We get to think of first and middle names twice over this time. I'm still trying to digest that."

"We didn't know about Lily until the last second. Imagine getting that news."

JJ shuddered. "I can't imagine. How did it go? You can't leave me hanging."

So Matt happily told his friend another memory about his children. JJ was pleased for another distraction.

JJ had just finished putting all of her things away in the front hall of her homestead when she was beset upon by her sons.

"Hey, you guys!" she sat Michael on her hip and hugged Henry. "I missed both of you so much today!"

Michael giggled and kissed his mother on the cheek. "I love you!"

JJ kissed him on the tip of his nose. "Right back at you, big boy."

Michael beamed at his mother's words and then adjusted himself so that he could rest his head on her shoulder. He even gave her a pat on the back. Something told him that she needed it.

JJ did her best not to turn to putty from her son's affection before moving on to Henry. "How was your day, buddy? Have you eaten dinner yet?"

The boy nodded. "Yep."

"Homework done?"

"In study hall."

Henry was being terse because was nervous about something.

JJ put a hand on the hip that Michael wasn't sitting on. "What's eating you?"

Henry stammered, "I… uh…"

JJ tried again. "Did you leave anything at school?"

"No."

"Then did you and Zara King fight?"

"No!" Henry cried in alarm; the idea of a quarrel with one of his favorite people bothered him. "I told you that I have a crush on her, and that I want to marry her some day!"

"Everyone fights with people they love, Henry. That's healthy and normal." JJ continued to study her firstborn. "So if you did your homework in study hall, but you didn't leave anything at school, and things are perfectly normal with you and your best friend, is this about the pre-test for the placement test?"

Henry loosened up slightly. "I aced that."

JJ gave her son another hug. "Great job!"

"Thanks, mom." he sighed nervously. "I just get butterflies in my stomach when I think about it—the big test, I mean."

"That's totally understandable." JJ reassured him. "I know something that could cheer you up."

"What?" Henry asked.

JJ winked at him. "Tutoring from Uncle Spencer."

This promise did indeed snap Henry out of his funk: he had worshipped his godfather for his entire life, so getting help from him for a school test sounded like the best thing ever. Henry conveyed these feelings by giving his mother a hug of thanks before turning around and racing upstairs. No doubt to start a new study session.

Will walked in on the tail-end of this.

"Oh, boy." he sighed as Henry dashed past him. "What was that about Spencer?"

"I told him this morning about how nervous our boy is for the placement test, so I invited Spence over for tutoring and a meal. Henry is going to need all the help he can get. I also invited Emily over because she's going through some intense things that I can't name." JJ explained. "There just hasn't been any time to run this by you because of our crazy day. It's also been a hot minute since the kids have seen either of them. What do you think?"

"I think that I love you and your big, beautiful heart," Will kissed JJ's chest at this. "And I also love that you reached out to Spencer and Emily. Is it alright if I add a suggestion?"

"Go on."

"We should extend the invitation to the rest of the team, and to the Baltimore clan."

JJ brightened. "I really like that."

"Good." Will eased Michael from JJ's arms and into his. "We can talk about it while we eat."

"I like the idea of that, too, but I'm going to go freshen up first."

"Okay, cher. Everything will be ready when you come back down."

Much later, the LaMontagne patriarch and matriarch both collapsed on their bed. Dinner had been had. The kids were asleep. Tomorrow's lunches had been packed. The house was locked up. The home security system was in place. It was finally time to be still.

"Our lives will never be quiet, but I'm okay with that." JJ reflected into the quiet. "If they'd never been exciting, we would have never met."

"I'd probably still be in Louisiana." Will realized. "After everything we've been through, that kind of reality is unfathomable."

"As it should be."

"Mmm…"

Will's answer had been more a sound than a word. Something was heavy on his mind. JJ had been hoping for sex—or even just making out—but it was plain that her other half needed help talking though whatever it was he was ruminating on. This would be good.

"Okay, William." JJ sat cross-legged and facing him. "What's going on in your head?"

He propped himself up on one elbow and locked eyes with JJ. "Ever since we decided to try for our last kid, I've been entertaining the notion of… looking for… her…"

JJ's eyes widened. "Babe, are you sure?"

"Yes. I was looking for a sign that going down this path was a good idea, and then everything with your family went down. I just didn't think of it all that way until we were home again."

JJ struggled to keep her face neutral—here was the second time in a night that someone had cited the family she'd been born into as the sign they'd been looking for from a higher power. What was her life?

And on top of everything, the very person they were discussing at that moment had always been somewhat of a tricky subject.

"A lot has happened today. For everyone." JJ finally said. "I will follow you anywhere, for better or for worse, but I just want you to be sure. A lot of good could come this endeavor, but so could a lot of bad. Not every rock needs turning over."

Will realized that JJ wasn't challenging him, but giving him one last chance to think this through. Either way, after his answer was given, the bell wouldn't be able to be unrung. It would change their lives. Forever.

"I am absolutely sure, Jennifer." he answered earnestly.

"Okay." she turned off her bedside lamp, sending the bedroom into darkness, and she laid with him. "Say the words, William. Say them."

He spoke without preamble. "I want to find my mother."

"Then that's what we'll do." JJ kissed moved closer and kissed him on the lips. "I love you."

Will slipped a hand under JJ's shirt to feel her baby bump. It awed him that his wife had made the impossible—or so the doctors had said—possible yet again. Now their youngest children were growing bigger every day. Defying the impossible seemed to be one of JJ's favorite past-times. For that, and many other things, Will would continue love Jennifer Alexandra LaMontagne forever. Absolutely no force anywhere could or would change his mind.

He kissed her; he just couldn't get enough of her tonight. "I love you, too. Forever."

And they laid together in bed.

Holding each other as they imagined what it would be like when they finally found the lost member of their family.

Will's mother.