Michael wandered away from the rest when they were coming in from the cold at home. He was tired.

"I've got him." Emily told JJ and Will. "Just take care of Henry."

He was also very tired. Helping him up to bed was going to be a two-person job.

Will answered, "Okay, Emily. One of us will be back down in a few minutes."

Emily found Michael in the living room, flopped over on the couch and still in his winter-wear. He hadn't had the patience to let anyone help him further. Sleep was the only thing he had on his mind now.

Emily sat next to him. "Hey, little buddy. Are you awake?"

Michael gave a huge yawn and a shrug. "Maybe."

"I'm going to help you up here and get you out of those things. Is that alright?"

When Michael nodded in understanding, Emily pulled him on to the couch and followed through on her word. She even draped a nearby blanket over him for warmth. Michael appreciated all of this very much.

He leaned into Emily and hugged her close. "Love you…"

"I love you, too." Emily whispered to him. "Very much."

Michael fell asleep smiling.

Emily kept one arm around him and the other over her middle. This time next year, she would be able cuddle with Michael and the baby. Perhaps even Zion. That would be nice.

"Em?"

The elder LaMontagnes were now standing in the living room doorway.

"Henry is fast asleep." JJ informed her as Will helped her up. "Now it's time to get Michael in his bed."

Will took Michael into his arms as he said to his wife, "I'll take care of him. Don't worry, cher."

He'd been aware all night that JJ and Emily had things to talk about in private. No need to further the delay.

"Thanks, babe." JJ said gratefully.

She kissed Will, and then Michael before Will exited the room for the main stairs.

"Thanks for helping him out." JJ said as they collected Michael's things from the floor. "He gets unbelievably cranky when he's overtired."

"Or he just slows right down." Emily observed. "I found Michael half laying on the couch because he didn't have the energy to finish the job of climbing up. When I asked him if he was awake, he shrugged and just said maybe."

JJ arched an eyebrow. "Then he was very tired."

"Not too tired to say 'I love you' before falling asleep."

"You are one of his weak spots." JJ indicated the things they were carrying. "Here—I'll show you where all this goes."

Emily grew nervous in the short time it took to put Michael's belonging away. JJ picked up on her behavior at once.

"Time to call Ginny, huh?" she guessed.

Emily bobbed her head. "Uh-huh. I'm going to Skype her."

JJ smirked. "You just want to see her face."

"Guilty."

"Just be yourself, Emelise. Find me when you're done—I was very serious about painting your nails."

JJ didn't have to say the words for Emily to know that she was making herself available to talk her feelings out with later.

"Thanks." Emily squeezed JJ's elbow gently. "And Will showed me where my room is."

"Good. We made it and that bathroom up for you this afternoon, so everything is ready now."

"Thanks again. I'll see you when I come back."

Emily's room was on the second floor, beside the soundproofed utility room, and away from the part of the house where the rest of the family slept. These conveniences meant that Emily wouldn't have to worry too much about making a lot of noise while talking to Virginia. They would also be able to talk without being overheard.

After taking off her makeup and changing in to pajamas, Emily finally got to entering Virginia's information into her tablet. She even added a heart after her name.

Just as the device registered the saved contact, the screen lit up with an incoming Skype call.

Virginia was calling first. This made Emily's heart cartwheel. So did noticing that Zion was in his mother's lap.

Emily greeted them both. "Hey, you two."

"Hey." Virginia echoed. "I hope this isn't too late to call."

"Any time is a perfect time to call me." Emily assured her.

"That's good to hear." Virginia kissed the top of Zion's head. "Someone couldn't stop talking about his new friend Emmy. Says he won't sleep until he talks to her."

Emily gazed upon Virginia's mini-me. "Hi, Zion."

"Hi, Emmy." he answered shyly.

"Why are you awake? It's late."

Zion shrugged. "I don't know. I wanted to see you."

His honesty turned Emily into a puddle of goo on the spot.

"I'm happy to see you." Emily said to Zion. "It is time for sleep bed now."

Zion heaved an overdramatic sigh. "Okay, okay…"

Emily thought fast. "If you go to bed now, my little bird, I'll bring a present tomorrow."

This enticement caught Zion's attention and he sat up straighter. "Okay! Night, Emmy!"

Zion blew her a kiss before zooming out of the frame. After a few moments, a door could be heard slamming in the distance.

"That's him take care of. Zion wouldn't stop asking me questions about you, all evening." Virginia explained. "I wore him out and kept him distracted with lots of games. Dollars to donuts, he'll be asleep on five minutes or less."

"Wow." Emily remarked. "He sounds very predictable."

"You have no idea."

Emily settled herself on her bed. "You beat me to the punch with a video call—I was about to do the same. Did you use your son as an excuse to call me?"

Virginia turned a slight shade of red. "Maybe so."

"You definitely did." Emily teased her gently. "I've also figured out just who you are, Ginny Lynn, and by that, I've leanred what you write."

Virginia's embarrassment turned to curiosity. "Been googling me?"

"No, actually. There are some people in my family that have been longtime fans of yours."

"I thought it was just you and your parents." Virginia said in confusion.

"Oh." Emily laughed. "My team is like my family, and we've been through a lot together in the thirteen years I've been part of the unit."

"Life-altering experiences really do bond everyone who goes through them together. I have comrades from combat like that. What happened to you?"

Emily didn't hold back with her answer. "I periodically attract 'over your head' trouble, and I have had encounters with actual bad guys. One of them engaged me in a fight to the death. Literally."

"Are you saying that you actually died?" Virginia squawked.

"Yes, but the doctors brought me back to life again. Then I hid in Paris for the longest seven months ever, under an assumed identity so I could heal in peace. My monster has been dead for eight years now because he met his match in us."

"And you're alive. You're here." Virginia praised. "I think that's extremely incredible. Did your team help you through everything?"

"That time, and many others." Emily confirmed. "How are you not freaking out?"

"I've seen combat, and I was a detective in the Deep South for quite some time."

This factoid impressed Emily. "What brought you up here?"

"It's a long story, but I was recovering from something and chose to relocate to where the rest of my family was." elaborated Virginia. "The whole thing ended up forcing me into early retirement."

"Do you miss that part of your life?"

Virginia shook her head. "Not as much as I thought I would. I enjoy writing, and being Zion's mama a lot more. Everything that I've been through in the past has led me to today."

Emily found herself more awed than ever by Virginia's resilience. "You're amazing."

"Right back at you, gorgeous." Virginia began guiding them out of the rabbit hole they'd fallen down. "Wasn't this first about how you figured out who I am because your family clued you in?"

"Yes." Emily blushed. "My bad."

"It's nothing to apologize for—I'm just glad you made the connection. What did your family do?"

Emily told Virginia about the chain reaction of reactions that had followed her name-dropping the pseudonym of their favorite author.

"Marvelous." Virginia said when she was done. "Just marvelous."

Emily grinned wryly. "There is one thing I'm curious about. Why do you play your name so close to the vest? All this, and I still haven't heard what your last name is. My parents told me I had to earn it."

"That doesn't surprise me. They've always been respectful about preserving my anonymity."

"My parents are nice like that. They also said I had to earn it with you when I asked if I knew the reason why..."

Emily stopped to choose her words as carefully as she could.

Virginia was able to guess. "You mean why I have a limp? It's okay to talk about."

"Okay." Emily said nervously. "It's new territory for me, being with someone who is different…"

"And I haven't dated since before my move up here. That was well before Zion. We can tackle this new world together." Virginia said confidently. "As for my literary career, I decided to operate with a pseudonym for the sake of my anonymity."

"Then why tell me your actual name at our first meeting?" Emily prodded. "According to my nephew, your doing so means that I met a unicorn."

Emily held back the part about Henry's marriage prediction. She liked Virginia very much, but she didn't want to freak her out.

"A unicorn, huh?" Virginia said in amusement. "I'll have to remember that one."

"Henry will really like that."

"Good. I can't wait to meet the rest of your big, crazy family." (A smile flitted across Virginia's face when she heard Emily's breath hitch at these words) "You also made a very big impression on Zion, and he's hard to impress. But I can't keep talking in circles, can I? My full name is Virginia Lynn Ace Rainer."

Emily smiled at her. "I love that."

Virginia beamed with relief. "Do you mean it? My mom was a teenager when she had me, and that alone led to a lifetime of mocking about how she chose to put a word into my name. I guess I've always been touchy about it."

"It sounds cool and complete." Emily said sincerely. "Why did your mother choose the word ace for your name?"

"She told me once that it's because ace can mean excellent."

Which you most totally are, Emily thought. "Has she ever called you Ace?"

"No. It's always Ginny. She doesn't use Virginia until I've been pushing her buttons for awhile."

"My mother is the same way about calling me by my own full name."

"What is it?" Virginia asked curiously. "Elizabeth and Fitzhugh have never said."

"I'm Emelise Adele, but Emily is the name on my open service record. Those closest to me call me Em. Or just E."

"I'll think of something for you." Virginia decided. "It'll be something no one has done yet."

"Then you will be my Ace."

Virginia beamed all over again. "Okay. No one has ever called me that before, but it sounds right when you do."

Emily just sighed happily. She was falling even more in love with Virginia by the minute. Even in her own dressed down state, Virginia was just as breathtaking to Emily as she had been in the café. She had even been the one to start the Skype call tonight. Was this a sign that they were meant to be?

And... both women already wanted to say, "I love you," but they were exercising terrific restraint.

"How is the baby doing?" Virginia asked when they had both been quiet for too long.

Emily rubbed a hand on her midsection. "Chugging along—I didn't know that he or she was there until recently."

"No? And why's that?"

"Things have been ridiculously crazy at work. It looks like I missed the whole morning sickness part altogether."

"That's lucky. When I carried Zion, I was very sick every day until the fifth month." Virginia shuddered at the memory. "I would really love to be a mom again."

Emily felt light, but in a good way. "Really?"

Virginia nodded. "I've been thinking about starting IVF—that's how Zion came about. How far along are you?"

"Eleven weeks. Valentine's Day will make twelve."

"I will definitely remember that. Any food you're having aversions to? Or craving?"

"No aversions," Emily said after a beat. "But all damn day, I've had a serious hankering for popcorn dipped in strawberry yogurt."

"That isn't so bad." Virginia reflected. "I went through a crazy amount of pickles when I was pregnant. Now I can't even stand the smell."

"And Zion?"

Virginia rolled her eyes. "They're his most favorite snack."

"I promise to shake things up." Emily said in a dutiful way.

"My boy could stand some variety." Virginia spoke approvingly. "Talk to him about things you've eaten from around the world, and he will worship you—Zion thinks my palate is run-of-the-mill. Toddlers are talkative and judgmental. What can I do?"

"Roll with it, and cross your fingers that he finds me impressive?" Emily asked hopefully.

"That's that." Virginia twirled a long lock of her purple hair tantalizingly with one finger. "I can cook very well, though. What would you love to have after a day at the office?"

Emily thought about it. "Pasta-stuffed peppers. Roasted potatoes also sound great. I also like Caesar salad."

Before Virginia could make any particular comment about how cute Emily was being with her thought process, there was a disruption. She sighed heavily.

"What is it, Ace?" Emily asked, thinking Zion had woken up.

Virginia held up a cat for her to see, supported in the palm of her hand. "This is River, my tortoiseshell cat. It's all fun and games until she climbs in to your lap to demand attention—she's a little heavy."

Emily was amused by this. River noticed her after a moment, and when she did, she meowed cutely. This was promptly followed by so hard a sneeze that she fell out of her mistress' hold. Virginia just sighed.

"She's beautiful." Emily said. "Odd, but beautiful."

"Two of her best qualities. River's been known to yowl until one of us plays with her. She even plays fetch." Virginia sighed again. "I'm sure she would bark if she was capable, but at least she's the sweetest cat I've ever had."

"And what is River doing now?"

"Going upstairs to check on Zion. She loved snuggling my belly when I was pregnant."

"Awww."

"To this day, River curls up in Zion's lap when he talks to her about his day. She even purrs. It's part of their daily routine."

"That is ridiculously adorable. Anything else I should know about the occupants at the House of Rainer?"

"So many things, but," Virginia tapped her nose. "There was a point not too long ago when I had to make heavy use of a nasal feeding tube."

"What?" Emily sputtered. "When?"

"I will answer this tidbit tomorrow. Does eight o'clock work?"

Emily made a huffing sound because of the cliffhanger, but delivered the answer Virginia was looking for. "Eight works perfectly. I can't wait to see you again."

"I can't wait to see you again." Virginia returned.

"One more thing—I fell for you at the café, too."

Virginia's heart cartwheeled yet again. "Wow, Emily! I wish I could hug you for that!"

Emily winked. "I won't say no to a hug tomorrow night."

"Plan on it."

"I will." Virginia sighed because the conversation had come to an end. "There are some things I should get to before I turn in. Boring things—you know the type. Good night."

Emily understood. "Good night, Ace. Good night."

The first thing Virginia did do, after ending the Skype call however, was compile a list of all the food items Emily had named. Even the popcorn and strawberry yogurt. She also looked up recipes for non-alcoholic drinks to make at home. Those ingredients could be added to the shopping list later. The idea to serve chocolate molten lava cake had just popped into her head. Getting that right was more important. Drinks could wait. Everything about this dinner was going to be perfect.