Emily was pleasantly surprised to see who answered her parents' door, instead of the usual house help. It was JJ's mother.

"Hey, Sandy." Emily greeted her as she put her things away in the front closet. "I'm really happy to see you."

Sandy hugged her. "Have you been able to slow down yet?"

"There's no good way to answer that." Emily said honestly. "Remember at the hospital when you asked me how I was, and I said I was fine?"

Sandy nodded. "Yes."

"You also touched my hands like you knew a secret that I didn't." Emily gave a shaky laugh. "I found out yesterday that I'm pregnant, and when I told the father, he walked out."

"I'm so sorry." Sandy gave her a quick hug. "A better avenue is coming."

"I hope so. My ex's name is Andrew, and we met because of work. Turns out he's being transferred to London on Monday. He even proposed and asked me to go with him."

"Did you say no?"

"I did, and we officially severed ties this morning."

"Better avenues will come." Sandy told her. "I know I'm old enough to be your mother, but you are more than welcome to count on me as a friend. I mean it."

"Thank you." Emily replied.

Sandy motioned to Emily's middle. "Your little one can even count on me as a grandmother. I care about you and your well-being."

Emily hugged her in more thanks and then looked around. "Where have my parents gotten to?"

The ambassador and the doctor were in the kitchen, hard at work on various dinner dishes.

"Hi, chickpea." Elizabeth said in welcome. "How are you?"

Emily griped, "I'm wishing I could have a drink. Sandy knows what happened to me yesterday, but more things have occurred."

"Will you tell us what?"

Emily made herself comfortable on a barstool at the island. "There have been some 'issues' about my apartment building."

She told them everything, including the moving out incentive. It was very comforting to be around adults that weren't associated with the FBI.

"The LaMontagnes have come to my rescue in a very big way." Emily said when she finished. "JJ and Will have invited me to stay until I get a new place."

Sandy brightened. "Oh, that's lovely. When will you be moving in?"

"Tonight, and Will just helped me bring some things over to the house. That's where I've just come from. JJ even seems to be confident that we can beat the moving out deadline."

"But you just need to sleep on it?" guessed Fitzhugh. "Your bed is upstairs if you want it."

"I think I'll be okay. Oh, boy..."

Emily had caught sight of her mother now. She was wearing a very fine expression of 'the cat ate the canary.'

"We anticipated that you'd show up early, and guess what, chickpea?" Elizabeth said. "We have the ingredients for the stuffed biscuits that you're so good at making."

Emily secured her hair with a hair tie from her pocket. "I'll make them, but I'll need a second person."

"I'll help." Sandy said quickly. "How do we make stuffed biscuits?"

Emily's parents watched with fondness as she began explaining the process to Sandy. It looked like she was bouncing back to herself.

Five-thirty soon rolled around.

Emily went to greet the first guests when the doorbell rang. Sandy followed her, but hung back.

She watched as Emily welcomed the LaMontagnes in to the house.

"Hey, everyone." Emily saw to it that they put their things away in the front closet. "Thank you so much for coming."

"We wouldn't miss it." Will told her.

JJ tapped Henry on the shoulder. "Psst! Henry Isaac, where are your manners?"

Henry had been staring around—he wasn't sure if he'd ever been in a house this big before.

"Whoops." the boy gave his attention to their host. "Hi, Aunt Emily. I'm nervous about my big test tomorrow."

"I heard all about it." Emily told him knowingly. "You're going to pass with flying colors, and tutoring will help."

"Did Uncle Spencer come yet? He's going to help me study."

"Uncle Spencer hasn't come yet, but he should be here any minute."

"Okay…"

JJ addressed Henry in a pointed manner. "How about you give Aunt Emily a hug? She needs one. So do you."

Henry happily hugged Emily, quite unaware that such a simple gesture was reminding her that the world wasn't over.

Michael didn't want to be left out. He loved Emily as much as Henry did, so he leaned towards her. His arms were even outstretched.

Emily held him. "Hi, Michael. How are you?"

"I'm happy!"

"Good, because we're about to meet my mama and my daddy in a second, but I have a surprise first."

"Where?" Michael wanted to know.

Emily turned, taking the LaMontagne brothers with her. They finally noticed Sandy's presence.

She had to suppress a laugh at their obvious confusion. "Are you two alright?"

Henry walked up to her. "Nana? How are you here?"

"Magic. Are you surprised?"

"I am," Henry hugged her. "But I like it."

"Good." Sandy returned the affection. "So do I."

Emily approached, still carrying Michael.

"What do you think?" Emily rubbed his back. "Nana is here."

Michael said nothing, but only because he was yet digesting the sudden appearance of his grandmother.

Sandy stroked her grandson's cheek. "Do you want to look at books later?"

"Yes, please." Michael said solemnly.

"Sounds like a plan. Do you want to keep hanging out with auntie?"

Remembering that Emily was there, Michael promptly leaned against her. "Mhm."

"Okay, Michael." Sandy smiled at him. "I'm so happy to see you."

Michael just blew his grandmother a kiss.

Emily suddenly noticed one of the house help passing by.

She called out to her. "Margaux?"

The maid walked over. "Yes, Miss Emily?"

"Will you please take everyone over to the kitchen? I think my parents will be putting out snacks by now."

Margaux bobbed her head. "Yes, m'am."

They followed her away. Emily and Michael were alone in the front hall.

She brought him to the window beside the door. "Let's watch for Uncle Spencer now."

He made it to the house not much longer after the LaMontagnes did.

"Emily," he said after he'd put his things away. "You could have said who your dad is."

"I guess I don't think about it because he's been a published author since before I was born. Mother has been in politics even longer. They're my parents." Emily shrugged her shoulders. "Have you heard of my dad through his writings?"

Spencer nodded. "Yes. I just didn't put it together until after you left the office."

"Well, remember—he knows about you by reputation." Emily reminded her friend. "My father is very normal."

"Okay, good."

"Now say hello to your godson."

Spencer grinned at Michael and proffered him a new Rubik's cube he'd had in his messenger bag. "Hey! This is for you!"

Michael gasped when he saw the toy and took it. "Thanks, Uncle Spencer!"

He then became absorbed in mixing up the cube so he could solve it.

"Come on." Emily said to Spencer. "Everyone is through here."

Emily led her friend through the front hall, and over to the kitchen. Everyone was happy to see them.

Spencer approached Henry at the kitchen table.

"You know how important it is to get your noggin flowing before studying, right?" Spencer asked him.

Henry nodded. "It's very important."

"This will help. I got it, just for you."

Just like he had with Michael, Spencer presented his other godson with a new Rubik's Cube. It was bigger than the one he had at home.

Henry was also very appreciative. "Wow! Thank you, Uncle Spencer!"

"You are totally welcome, Henry. Why don't you solve that once or twice before we hit the books?"

Henry took him up on the suggestion. Pleased that he was preoccupied, Spencer then walked over to Emily's parents.

He spoke to Fitzhugh first. "It's a pleasure to meet you, sir."

"Likewise." Fitzhugh returned as they shook hands. "Emily's mother and I know all about the things you've done for our daughter over the years. You're family, Spencer. Calling Elizabeth and I by our first names is quite alright."

Spencer spoke to keep from totally freezing up. "I understand."

"That's what we want to hear. And please just relax—tonight is about having fun."

Spencer loosened up to the best of his ability. "I will definitely do my best."

Nearby, JJ laughed softly. "He's going to be a minute. I've seen Spence wear a path in carpet before, Fitzhugh."

"What happens in California stays in California!" Spencer protested in annoyance. "Dare I bring up North Dakota?"

"What h—" Will tried to ask.

JJ cut him off with an actual hissing sound. The story was very embarrassing.

Elizabeth suddenly called out in a sharp tone, "Emelise!"

She almost jumped out of her skin. "What?!"

"I think that's enough water in the pitcher, don't you?"

Emily had been filling up water pitchers at the kitchen sink. She had been thinking of possible presents to bring the next night for Virginia and Zion. Her mother's tone jolted her back to reality just in time to see that the pitcher was perilously close to overflowing.

Emily quickly shut off the faucet and leveled the water out so the pitcher would be usable.

"Sorry, mother." she apologized.

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. "What's happening in your head now?"

"I ran into one of yours and dad's friends today."

Fitzhugh looked up at this—he'd been watching Michael figure out his Rubik's Cube.

"Who did you see?" he inquired.

"Ginny Lynn."

The reaction to Virginia's name was nothing compared to what Emily had been expecting. At all.

"You met her?" cried JJ, Spencer, and Henry as one.

JJ even dropped the book she'd been looking at.

Will didn't even try to hide his amusement with what was unfolding.

Even Sandy had a chuckle.

Indifferent to the chain reaction, Michael held out his completed cube with a proud, "Ta-da!"

Elizabeth and Fitzhugh laughed at all of them. They were more amused than Will and Sandy were.

Emily just shook her head at the mayhem.

"What just happened?!" she cried.

"It looks like our friend is the favorite author of three people in this room." Elizabeth answered.

"Well, she did say that she's a writer…"

"Is she ever." JJ blurted. "Em, Ginny is exactly a year older than me—we have the same birthday—and she's been a published author since age sixteen. She writes thrillers for adults now, but she's been working on a long-running book series. I've been reading them for a very long time."

Emily was more a reader of science fiction and classic literature. Virginia had never even crossed her path in the literary world.

"What are the books about?"

"A woman who goes through the rigors of training to become an FBI agent, only to realize that she'd really been recruited for a mysterious greater good."

Emily wasn't sure how to respond. The plot that JJ had just described sounded like what had happened to her when she first joined the BAU. But Virginia was her girlfriend—Emily's heart did a loop as this hit her—so she was eager to learn everything she could.

"That sounds pretty cool. What's the first book in the series called?"

Henry spoke up, excited that he knew a morsel of information about this very interesting conversation. "Aunt Emily? I also read the books, and the first one is called Serena's Gambit."

"That's an interesting title. Is it the book that your mother dropped?"

"Uh-uh. She dropped the new book that just came out." Henry looked around. "Who has it now?"

Spencer did, and passed it over.

"Here." Henry handed the book to Emily. "This is Ginny Lynn's new book. It came out last week, and I'm almost already done."

That was really saying something. Light In September was a hardcover book, and very thick. Emily wagered it at over two hundred pages. She also noticed the name at the bottom of the cover, in raised gold letters. Ginny Lynn. Yet, she had introduced herself using the name she been born with. Emily had a feeling that this wasn't something Virginia often did.

She handed the book back to Henry. "Thanks for showing me."

He beamed. "You're welcome!"

Sandy joined the conversation again. "You know something about Ginny, don't you?"

"I know her name."

Once again, JJ, Spencer, and Henry spoke in surprised unison. "What is it?"

Emily was taken aback. "Don't any of you know?"

"We don't, actually. The dust jackets on her books don't even have pictures of her." JJ said. "I've always had my guesses about what her first name actually is, but nothing has ever been confirmed. Not even once."

Emily wanted so badly to just leave the room to call Virginia, but she stayed on the path. "So the fact that she told me her name and approached me first means what?"

Henry interjected again. "Aunt Emily, it means you met a unicorn! What if you marry her?"

"Slow your roll, nephew! I only just met her today!"

Spencer stood up, tugging on his godson's shirt sleeve. "Time to study. Come on, Henry."

"But—"

Will intervened. "You heard your uncle. Up and at 'em, son."

Henry got to his feet as he voiced his disappointment. "Aw, man."

Fitzhugh beckoned to him. "I'll show you and Uncle Spencer a study space. Where's your backpack?"

"By the front door."

Henry and Spencer followed Fitzhugh out of the room.

"Wait for me!" Michael cried, immediately dashing after his brother. "Wait!"

Will sighed, calling, "Watch out, Michael Jesse—I don't want you to crash!" as he followed behind in close pursuit.

Emily sat at the table, in the seat beside JJ. Their mothers were opposite them.

"Why is my life never quiet?" Emily groaned.

Elizabeth winked at her. "Where do I start, chickpea? India? Ukraine? Perth? Seoul?"

Sandy looked curiously from one Prentiss to the other. "Did you live in all of those places?"

"Elizabeth," JJ said swiftly before any awkward stories could be told. "How long have you and Fitzhugh known Ginny?"

The ambassador thought about it. "Since she was about seventeen—she found Fitzhugh through a mutual friend, and came seeking advice for her next book."

"Where was I when Ginny wandered into the picture?" Emily demanded.

"Saving the world with your government work." Elizabeth said matter-of-factly. "There's also the part where you have a number of years on her."

"Hey! I am not a dinosaur!"

"You said it, Emily, not her." Sandy said smoothly.

JJ spoke to Elizabeth again. "You know Ginny's name, don't you?"

"I know her full name. Unicorn that she is, and friend that I am, my lips are sealed. You'd have to earn it."

"But how—"

Emily swooped in. "Mother, do you know what the deal is with Ginny?"

Elizabeth read in between the lines. "Do you mean the limp?"

"Yes. Do you know how she got it?"

"Yes."

Emily sighed at her mother's short response. "But you're not going to tell me, are you?"

"Nope."

Emily rubbed her temples. "I have to earn that?"

"That's right. Best of luck."

Elizabeth stood now, speaking to Sandy.

"I want to show you something upstairs."

Both mothers departed. Emily and JJ were the last ones in the kitchen.

"It's official." Emily told her partner. "Our families have bonded because of the friendship that the two of us have."

"I wouldn't change a thing about it," replied JJ. "Especially because it led to a road called Ginny Lynn."

At once, Emily squirmed in her chair. "She told me when we were talking that she wouldn't have changed anything about how she got to today because it led to our meeting."

"Wow. She likes you."

Emily turned a slight shade of red. "Ginny asked me out."

JJ gasped in surprise. "Really? Is this what happened when you cut out of Quantico early?"

"Quite literally by chance, but yes. I was even asked to drinks."

"Please tell me that you told Ginny that you have a very solid reason to skip drinks altogether."

"I did." Emily said calmly.

"And…?" JJ prodded her.

"Ginny didn't even seem bothered at all that I'm pregnant because she immediately changed lanes and invited me to dinner. At her place. I accepted."

"Oh, my God..."

"I'm glad because I really like her already." Emily went on. "The feeling is mutual on her part, and… uh… I wanted to kiss her good night."

"Wow." JJ reflected in wonder. "It makes me so happy to see you this happy when you're talking about someone you care for. Things are already looking up. What time is your date?"

"Ginny didn't say." Emily realized with a start. "I should ask her later. Apparently, she had to get home for an international conference call."

"I'll help you pick out an outfit when you have your ducks in a row. I'll paint your nails, too." JJ decided. "A trip to the boutiques also wouldn't hurt."

Emily did her best not to sigh. JJ loved shopping more than she did. "What on earth for?"

"Valentine's Day, for starters. You're already glowing when you talk about Ginny. Something tells me that you two are going to be hanging out again by then."

JJ had Emily there—she had already been imagining this, too. Perhaps her phone call would turn into a FaceTime video. That would be easier.

"Yeah, probably. Do you have any purple nail polish? The darker, the better."

"I have several dark shades." JJ answered. "Why?"

"Ginny's hair is dark purple."

"Get out." JJ said, breathless with interest.

"It's totally true. We flirted, but now I want to flatter her or something. Do you think that's too much?"

"No. I think it's just right, and very flattering." JJ decided. "Now—there is one other matter that Will wanted me to talk to you about."

"And what might that be?"

"Clearing everything out of your apartment. If you had help, do you think to could be out by tomorrow?"

Emily nodded. "Yes, but I'd need somewhere to put it all. I also need to start finding a new place to live."

JJ patted Emily's hand. "We want you to stay with us."

"Oh, JJ, I couldn't—"

"You can, and you will. For as long as you need." JJ said firmly. "It'll do you a lot of good."

Emily felt a deep surge of affection towards her best friend for the umpteenth time in twenty-four hours.

"Thank you, Jennifer, from the bottom of my heart." she said. "I just have one condition."

"Yes?"

"That I not stay at your house for too long. I have to be somewhere before I start nesting."

JJ laughed. "You've got a deal."

Emily stood and looked around. "It is too quiet in this house."

JJ also stood, and realized that Emily was right. "Spence and Henry will have started studying by now."

"But that leaves my parents, your husband, and your baby boy. All most likely in the attic."

"Where your childhood pictures are. You want to go run interference before they get to inconvenient material?"

"Exactly." Emily motioned for JJ to follow her through a door at the end of the kitchen. "Come on. There's a back entrance to the attic over this way."

JJ hurried to catch up. "Wait, really? How old is this house?"

"Old."

And as they ventured up into the attic, Emily told JJ all about the history of her parents' home. It felt very good to talk about something so perfectly normal.

Just for once.