"This is the place," Rosa said simply, pointing at the picture of a bar Amy knew very well.

"I know."

Three months had passed since Jake had gone, and even though Amy had never gone back, she was sure she would remember that entrance forever.

"We need to get in," Rosa continued.

"Yeah," she said, panic rising inside her, while she searched desperately for something to say or do that would distract Rosa from doing exactly what she knew they had to do. The following of small fishes had finally given them a solid clue that didn't seem at all related to the Ianucci case. But Amy knew it probably was.

"What is it?"

Amy gave a couple of steps back, her eyes focused on the board filled with pictures, paper clippings and clues. It was clear as day, they needed to raid the bar.

And yet…

Her mind went back to that time, so many years before. It had been the first time she had gotten paired with Rosa and their perp had escaped because she, Amy, hadn't been on her assigned post. She'd never told Rosa this, and was not going to. It was water under the bridge anyway. But this… not telling her that she knew exactly what kind of people frequented the bar, not telling her that she'd been there, that Jake had been there… That was something else entirely. Not telling her about this would be wrong, for several reasons.

"Santiago," Rosa said, and Amy found that her eyes had never left her. "What is it?"

"We can't… we shouldn't…"

"If we don't, the Vulture will take over the case and we've been working both our asses off this one. I won't let-"

"Ok, ok. There's something… come with me."

Without another Amy went straight to the elevator, and out the precinct, followed by a completely silent Rosa. She didn't stop for a couple of blocks until they reached a small, mostly empty park.

"I'm going to tell you something, but you need to promise you won't tell anybody."

Rosa nodded, her jaw clenched.

"I saw Jake," Amy stated simply. Let's not make this more complicated than it is. Let's not say more than what needs to be said.

"What? Where?"

"There," Amy said, pointedly.

"Fuck. When?"

"Weeks ago. I was surveying from across the street and I saw him, with one of the Iannuci and some other guys we have already identified."

"So, that's a Iannuci's place," Rosa nodded, and Amy could not tell if she was purposely ignoring the fact that Amy had laid eyes on her deep undercover colleague.

"Maybe," Amy nodded. "So, if we raid it, we might be risking Jake's op."

Rosa nodded. "Shit," she added.

"But we have to," Amy went on, "you are right."

For a moment none of them spoke.

"I can't believe I'm about to say this," Rosa finally said, "but is there a way we can warn them? The Iannuci? So that they won't get caught, and we can still raid the place?"

Amy nodded, as the plan formed inside her head.

"We will need to alert him through the FBI," Rosa went on through clenched teeth. "And then they will take the case off our hands."

"I know…" Amy said, even though she knew something else.

"You're in contact with him." Rosa stated. Apparently Amy's expressions had betrayed her.

"I could get him a message," she finally admitted.

Rosa nodded. "Let's do that. Tell him that we're going in tonight and to stay clear."

"Ok. I'll have to… go… do that," Amy said.

"I'll cover for you."

—

Amy was so nervous she was almost trembling. Rosa was issuing instructions to the three agents that were going to accompany them. The mission was simple. They were going to go inside and arrest everything that moved. The one thing that only Amy and Rosa knew was that there was a back door they had failed to mention. Jake's only chance to go away.

But there was no saying that Jake knew about the plan. Amy didn't know if he had read the message she had sent mere hours before. She had no idea if he would have the chance to warn the Iannuci.

NutriBoom, near you! Get our products to your office in less than 24 hours!

Had it been too cryptic? Too stupid? Had Jake even had the time to read it? Did he still have the phone they'd used that first time they exchanged messages?

But they were there, and there was no time to second-guess. At Rosa's signal they entered the building. Amy ran in the opposite direction, towards the half-hidden alley on the side. She was going to be in charge of the outside, just in case.

From where she was, crouched behind a trash container, she could hear voices, somebody was yelling, and then a door to her left opened and golden light illuminated part of the alley. Four figures emerged, running, and she couldn't tell who was who. Only, that none of them was Jake. Quickly, and silently, the men reached the opposite side of the alley, towards a wired fence. With ease, they pushed it, and all climbed into a car on the other side. Their escape route had been well thought. Whoever those men were, they were safe.

Amy waited for a moment before coming out of her hiding place. The yelling had stopped and, to the other side, the first handcuffed figures were being led to the police van. The first part of the raid was over.

With a deep calming sigh, she approached the open door, her gun pointing at it.

She found herself surrounded by beer crates. There were two doors, one which led to the bar, and the other one to what seemed to be an office, the door ajar.

"What's your status?" Amy called Rosa.

"All clear at the front. Yours?"

"Same. Found an office, I'll start over there."

"Copied."

That had been part of the plan, too. While Rosa supervised the arrests, she, Amy, would make sure there was nothing that could compromise Jake or the people he was now working for.

Quietly, she entered the office. It was very small, filled with carton boxes and half of it occupied by a large metal desk. But she barely registered any of it for the moment she closed the door, no other than Jake was standing in front of her.

"I'm alone," he said simply, and the next thing she knew they were hugging, and it was so good to feel his arms around her, to feel his body, solid and real, and so very much alive and well.

"What are you doing here?" she asked after a moment, finally letting go.

"Got your message," he said quietly.

"But you were supposed to… not be here."

"And miss my NutriBoom shipment? You have to be kidding me."

Amy chuckled. "What happened?"

"I told Leo Iannuci I'd seen an agent guarding this place. He didn't really believe me but cleaned out everything compromising, just in case. And the moment you guys came in, he escaped."

"I saw him… but why come in at all? Couldn't he have his beer at home?"

"He wanted to make sure my warning was real, but he also planned on leaving me behind so that I could see how many cops there were, and what they were after."

"Clever," Amy said.

"I know."

Now that she was properly looking at him, Amy could see the changes. He looked paller, and thinner, and there were dark bags under his eyes.

"Are you taking care of yourself?" she asked him.

"Absolutely. Having the time of my life. Wait, are you suggesting I am not looking my usual handsome self?"

She gave him a punch on the shoulder, but laughed nonetheless.

"You have to go," she said after a moment, sadness engulfing her like a wave.

"Yeah," he said, his hands deep in his pockets. "You'll find a lot of stuff here, but it will all be dead ends. I am sorry."

"Thanks for the heads up."

"My pleasure," he said, bowing down his head.

Amy took a tiny step forward. They hadn't been really appart, the office being so small, but she craved his embrace anyway.

"Be safe?"

"I will be," he said, in earnest.

Amy hugged him again, and it took him a second, but he hugged her back. "You too, Ames. Be safe, ok? Because the only thing keeping me sane right now is the perspective of getting back to annoy the crap out of you on a daily basis."

She chuckled, and looked at him without interrupting the embrace.

"You wish."

"I do."

And then, without much thought, she landed a kiss on his cheek. If it had been way too near the side of his mouth, she would blame it on the fact that she was wearing a vest and the office really was very small.

Jake blinked a couple of times and then he beamed, finally letting go of her. "Cool. Cool cool cool cool cool cool. Ok. yeah. Bye, Ames." And he was gone.