A tide change in the family's night began when Dagmar, Valentine, Phoenix, and Lilith encircled the LaMontagnes on their side of the table. Not in a threatening. But nevertheless in a way that implied something was about to happen.

Dagmar said to JJ, "We're going to borrow your husband for awhile."

JJ was amused at once. "Knock yourselves out."

Will gave a kiss to JJ and rose to his feet, already curious. 'Rolling with it' was a default setting around this part of the family. He liked it.

Lilith called out across the table. "Emily? We're also borrowing you."

Emily kissed Virginia and then also stood. "Okay. I'm game. Where are we going?"

"To talk. Don't worry about it."

Emily and Will followed the others out. It looked like they were in for some sort of adventure together.

"Stop acting like you're off to the gallows." Lilith said to Will as they headed in the general direction of the bar. "Everything will be fine."

Will sighed. "If you say so…"

Emily was feeling only a small dash more comfortable. "I'm still game for whatever this is, but four against two hardly seems fair now."

Lilith chuckled. "You really don't have to worry about anything. All that's going to happen is a chat. Really."

But no real topic was brought up until after they'd settled into a booth together and drinks had been distributed.

Will wondered briefly just what style of interrogating their company had up their sleeves. Because that's exactly what this was. And Emily was facing it with him. They would both remember today as one more unique bit of bonding.

Phoenix brought things to order. "Our original plan is out of the window now, so we're just going talk over fun drinks in a booth. Is that cool?"

"Yep." Emily stirred the contents of her virgin Shirley Temple with a stirring stick. "Please ask us anything. Will and I have been friends for a long time now."

The sergeant nodded. "We've also had a few adventures, too. I guess you could call us open books."

"Then what exactly do you two have in common?" Valentine blurted. "Just say what comes to your head."

Their answer came in unintentional unison. "JJ."

Luckily, Valentine kept a straight expression. "Naturally. What's the nature of your bond with each other?"

"Emily is my sister."

"Will is my brother."

For a second time, the response had been together. Unplanned.

Valentine arched an eyebrow as everyone around her snorted into their own drinks. "Are you doing this on purpose?"

"No." but their answer was united for a third time.

Emily spoke on her own. "Will and I act like siblings because I saved his life when the Face Cards were loose. Talk about being in the thick of it."

Will nodded. "My team handled it. Emily's, too."

Emily downed a sip of her drink before tacking on her another memory. "Felt like a week had been crammed into a day. I also helped Will out of a compromising situation."

Lilith spoke up saying, "How compromising? We remember that day from a civilian standpoint."

"Emily and I wouldn't be having this conversation if she hadn't done what she did. The total kicker is that JJ and I got married the very next evening. Our son was our best man."

The younger women stared in surprise. How could so much information be delivered in so few sentences?

Emily backed Will up. "He's telling the truth. I was even at the wedding. Ask us another thing."

Dagmar took a stab. "Tell us how you two met."

Will snorted into his drink. Memories of himself and JJ being messed with by Emily in Florida had come to mind first. Not working together in Louisiana.

Emily gave Will a playful punch in the arm. Florida had also crossed her mind.

But they sobered up again when they were met with four imploring looks.

Will explained it. "She and I were thinking a memory that would not be fun to share until all us, JJ included, can properly hang out at a bar."

"A small morsel is that I'm responsible for the last push that got the LaMontagnes together." Emily offered. "Every last crazy thing I've been through with both of them really did lead to me encountering Virginia and Zion when I did."

"It's also thanks to Emily that I'm happily married to my first love." Will added.

Lilith held her hands in a time-out signal. "How exactly did you two cross paths?"

Emily looked closely at her. "Are you telling us that Amaya hasn't said what we do?"

"Not in so many words. Just that we had to earn it because the answers are good."

Will pointed to himself and then Emily. "I'm with Metro PD. She's JJ's partner at the FBI."

Now the others had been shocked into astonishment.

"Any more questions?"

From there burst forth an entire slew.

JJ's heart jumped when she realized that she was alone with Amaya and Virginia. She had admired both of them for years already, but here they were... part of her family tree. It was a wild thought.

But what felt wilder was that the women before her both represented a lost part of her husband's past. More missing pieces were coming together.

Virginia read JJ like a book. "Don't worry. Both of us are very normal."

"Or whatever that means in this family." joked Amaya. "Right now is your chance to tell us whatever you'd like, without Will around."

JJ chose a topic that would rather just get out of the way first. "My life hasn't been quiet since I was a kid. It's been chaotic at times for as long as Will and I have been together. Same for him. Because of all the horrors and losses in our lives, we long ago adjusted to an adult orphan lifestyle."

Amaya's brow became knit with concern. "My son obviously had no reason to remember me, or that his little sisters exist, but..."

Virginia picked up the torch with her own thoughts. "I know a dash of the issues where both of your parents are concerned, but I thought you were on good terms with Sandy."

"She and I used to be estranged." JJ said honestly. "Things are much better now."

"Keep going."

JJ did her best to keep it together. "My sister died when I was eleven. There was a horrible divorce after. In the end, my father almost left without telling me good-bye. He would have succeeded if I hadn't caught him. In the driveway. Clifford didn't come back into my life again until right before Emily met Virginia and Zion."

The next question from Amaya was tentative. "Does he have a new family?"

JJ bobbed her head. "Yes. They're my friends now. I truly love each of them."

"But...?"

"Some things went down that led to Clifford and I having an epic falling out." JJ sighed. "We are not talking."

Amaya said, "I am so sorry."

"Will has been at my side for all of it. I don't know where I'd be without him." JJ made a broad circular motion without one hand. "All of this is to say that the events of the divorce put a strain on how I got along with my mom. It was in place for way too long. But everything is behind us now."

"That's wonderful." Amaya said honestly. "Is all of what you just told us the events that led to yours and Will's choices about your lives together?"

"Yes." JJ nodded. "It isn't like Will and I aren't willing to accept anything now, but all of the sudden change is going to take a lot of getting used to."

"Which is perfectly alright. I'm happy to love you and Will both for who you are at this point in your lives. Never would I dream of changing any of that."

Amaya then changed lanes a tad.

"You know, JJ... I've been watching you and Will interact. Now I have the impression that you two have been in each other's lives for a long time. How old were you when you met him?"

JJ chuckled. "Will is a little older than me, but we met when I was twenty-nine years old. Now I'm in my forties. Our journey together has been the craziest."

"And would you do it all over?"

"Absolutely." JJ responded without hesitation. "We have never been happier together. Every last adventure has been absolutely worth it. And I mean that."

"Wow." Amaya's heart bloomed. "How very wonderful to hear."

JJ smiled at her and then looked over to Virginia. She was watching her. Thinking.

"You're probably wondering why Emily as close to Will and I like she is?"

Virginia nodded. "Yes. But she hasn't said."

"Then ask her about Florida." JJ decided. "Tell her I said it's okay."

"Alright." Virginia said brightly. "I will."

Amaya voiced another burning question. "JJ... Does the small age gap between my eldest children and I bother you?"

JJ shook her head. "You and Senior made people for Emily and I to love. The only thing that matters to me is that you're happy now."

Amaya beamed. She was adoring JJ even more with each passing moment.

But Amaya promptly turned to Virginia, initiating a quick talk with her. It was in another language. JJ was quite surprised when she recognized what it was. And that the Rainers were arguing.

It ended after a final point to which Virginia blanched. Her mother's words caused her to concede the match.

She still undid the brakes on her wheelchair and backed away from the table.

"JJ," Virginia said to. "I've just been told to scram."

Amaya made shooing motions. "I mean… unless you want to hear me ask her questions about your brother that'll make you squirrelly…"

Virginia just shuddered and exited the room.

Amaya laughed when she looked back to see JJ regarding her with an arched eyebrow.

"Yes?" the older woman asked.

JJ said blankly, "That chat was in Arabic?"

"Mhm. I'm fluent in several foreign languages. You know that one?"

"Only verbally." JJ admitted. "The reason why is classified."

"And here I was, thinking I'd only ever hear something like that in a movie. You are are so fascinating."

Amaya joined her on the other side of the table and they moved their chairs to be facing each other.

"Before we move on to those questions, I would like you to have this." Amaya handed her a small velvet box from one pocket. "You obviously already married Will, but I still try to maintain some traditions when I can."

"I love that. Oh, wow…"

JJ had opened the box to reveal a breathtakingly beautiful ring. A platitude of diamonds were embedded in the band, but in the middle sat a bright ruby gemstone. How perfect.

Such emotion welled up in her. Of all the birthstones Amaya could have chosen...

In a very motherly way, Amaya caressed JJ's cheek with her thumb. "Are you alright?"

JJ wiped at her eyes and held the box tighter. "Yes. I promise. What's the story behind this ring? It's exquisite."

"Bought it for myself right after I first moved up here. The antiquities dealer told me that it was made in the forties." Amaya tapped the box with one finger. "I had it on when I found out that Phoenix and Lilith were to be girls."

"Now you're giving the ring to me." JJ's heart skipped a beat.

"I'm passing it on to you." Amaya said gently. "Luckily, my life has been brought me such joy. That ring was also on my finger when you and Emily led me to Will. Now I'm hoping that it can bring you the same kind of joy."

"I think it will." JJ smiled at her. "Virginia and I share a birthday. She's a year older than me, though. Has that been mentioned?"

"No." Amaya shook her head. "But I love that.

JJ slipped her new ring on a free finger to find it was a perfect fit. "Ruby is my birthstone. I love this, Amaya. Thank you."

Amaya squeezed JJ's hand gently in acknowledgement. "Welcome to the family."

JJ had already been part of it for years, but she recognized that Amaya was making it official, so she hugged her and thanked her.

Amaya spoke again when they pulled apart. "Now—as I understand it, you and Emily met Will on the same day because of work. He told me about that. What I'm curious about is why you both cherish Emily like you do. Is there another matter? Am I even in the right ballpark?"

JJ thought at once of the unique bond she had with Will and Emily. Memories of Emily's clever maneuvers of putting things into motion also crossed her mind. She cherished all of it. And had a deep affinity for both people in question.

But JJ still said, "You're on the nose again. Wow."

Amaya winked. "One crazy byproduct of having the life I've led is powerful perception."

JJ laughed. "Then… To put it this way, Emily is the reason that Will and I were able to totally get over ourselves and say things like 'I love you.' We owe her so much. And then some."

"What on earth did Emily do?"

As the story was easier to share than the other one—at least in public—JJ was happy to tell it.

Amaya listened to every word.