"They're twins…" River continued, and Emily paused the woman so they could back up. She had skipped much too far ahead, and Emily could only piece so much together without River's help.

"Woah, hold on a minute," Emily said, placing a gentle hand on River's arm.

"It's the Pont De Bir Hakeim Bridge," Clarke said, making a face as she pronounced it because she knew she didn't get it completely right, but she couldn't see her mom who always helped her pronounce it correctly besides her grandparents who she knew weren't there.

"Clarke, this is incredible," Morgan gushed, then held the photo further away when Brooks reached for it because he didn't want the baby to touch it even though it was framed. Tara and Amelia had now made their way over to the duo as well because the girls enjoyed sharing memories from their vacation together and the little girl smiled seeing how happy her sister was.

"I knew he'd love it," Amelia whispered, hugging Clarke.

"Auntie Tara is going to love your gift too," Clarke said with a smile.

Amelia nodded and ran to get her gift while Clarke started to explain why she decided on this picture for her uncle. "This bridge is what leads you to the Eiffel tower, something you know people literally travel hundreds of miles to see. But what they don't realize is how much history this bridge holds, it's such an important part of everyday life for the people who live there and the tourists who visit. When I learned about this bridge, I thought of you because as much as you like to stand out like the Eiffel tower you also let all of us shine and support us."

Morgan gently put the picture down and wiped his tears away then hugged Clarke before picking the photo back up to look at it again. Clarke had decided to go with a black and white shot—you could see the road, the pillars, the archway, the streetlamps, the sky, shadows, and part of France in the background. Simplistic, stunning. "I—" Morgan cleared his throat as he was still a bit choked up then tried again, "I am so honored to be that person. Thank you so much for this, I love it. And more importantly, I love you."

"I love you too," Clarke smiled. "But you don't need to be so mushy, it's just a photo," she said, giving him a light shove because after all, he was holding her brother.

Tara, JJ and Hayley laughed at that then Amelia went next giving Tara the gift she got her. "It's not a picture like that, but I hope you like it."

"Amelia, come sit next to me for a minute first please," Tara said, seeing as the girl was standing in front of her. She listened and sat next to her aunt and Tara took her hands into her own, "Honey, no one gift is better than another. We're all just happy to hear about your amazing trip, you know that right?"

"She's right, Lia," Clarke added. "I haven't even picked one for Auntie Tara yet," she whispered, using her hand to block the woman from hearing even though she knew it wouldn't work. The team came over around lunchtime meaning Clarke didn't develop many photos yet, only a few—she knew they'd all understand though.

"Now, let's open this up shall we?" Tara said and Amelia nodded. Once the wrapping was undone, she gasped and saw the most adorable and realistic looking water taxi like the one the family went on in Venice.

"I know you and Uncle Rossi like to work on your old cars and these are really old boats," Amelia giggled then told Tara all about the few hours they spent on one.

"River, I can't imagine how difficult this is for you to talk about, but you just skipped over a large number of details we need to go over," Emily said. She had pieced together who River's parents were, that Samuel or Stratton had killed them five years ago which meant that was how long River had been kept captive and then the girl leapt to the children.

Emily had to say the kids being twins didn't come as a huge shock to her. The way they interacted in the video feed the team showed them was too similar to her own twins for them not to be—it went beyond the fact they'd been held captive, there was a bond only twins had.

"I'm sorry," River said, covering her face with her hands. She felt so overwhelmed by everything. She had dreamt of being saved since the first day Samuel took her and now that she actually was, she didn't know what to do with herself. Everything felt so unreal to her.

"There's nothing to apologize about, honey," Emily said, hoping the moniker would help her calm down.

She couldn't imagine what the woman was going through right now and was only here to help. It was clear to Emily from what they had spoken about that Samuel wanted River to suffer the way Stratton was, but she fought against him the entire time. Emily had a feeling it was thanks to the children as they truly have the power to make you stronger than life itself. Hudson and Emerson were not River's children however, the team already knew that from the negative rape kit.

"Where did I leave off?" River asked.

Emily thought back to what she had told her so far, that on the day River went missing she headed to her parents' home, had found them beaten, tied up, and when she tried to call for help Samuel went after her. Then when she woke up from the chloroform she too was tied up and in an unknown location facing her parents and sitting next to another woman she didn't know, she was wearing a lab coat which led River to believe she was a doctor though. All four of them then heard screaming from another room and Samuel came out to untie the woman, who she learned was named Amy, and he brought her into the back room.

During that time, she and her parents tried to figure out a plan however her mom and dad spent a lot of time arguing about why they were here in the first place and ignoring River because once again, she didn't truly exist in their world. When screams from a baby could be heard they all wondered what the heck was going on, especially River because at the time she 20 with no real idea what she wanted to do in life due to having two parents who didn't give a shit about her.

"Samuel and Stratton had issues with my parents for years," River commented while Emily's thought process continued causing her head to pop up in shock.

"You knew Samuel before he took you?" Emily asked.

"Not really," she said, picking at the blanket on her bed. "More like he knew my parents because of my dad's friendship with his father. I didn't know who they were at first, but my dad did and I think my mom put it together. And after, well—" she trailed off.

"The murders," Emily supplied.

"Yeah," River nodded. "Samuel told me more of the backstory although, I'm not quite sure how much of it was accurate or not. It definitely wasn't reason to kill my parents. And what about the twins, all they know is me but I can't raise two children. I only have the clothes on my back. Hudson and Emerson deserve the world, he took their mother from them too," she cried.

"Woah, woah, woah," Emily said, scooting forward to comfort her. "We'll figure everything out, don't you worry. Everyone is going to be okay; you have my word on that. Shh, shh, shh, take some deep breaths for me River, we can't let them see you like this, right?" Emily asked. She knew it was a dirty move but they would be back any minute from getting ice cream and the last thing the kids needed was to see the one constant in life having a panic attack.

Not even three minutes later two kids came bounding into the room with the biggest smiles on their faces clearly on a bit of a sugar high as they jumped up and down until Emily helped them onto the bed. "We getted ice cweam!" Hudson exclaimed.

"Two scwoops," Emerson continued, holding up two fingers.

"And we getted you some," Hudson said, pointing back to Rossi who was carrying a cup of ice cream in his hand as he entered the room along with a lion and lamb stuffy.

"I getted the white kind!" Emerson smiled. "Wif rainbow fings."

"Me too. But umm chochy!"

"My goodness, I hope you said please and thank you to Dave," River said, wiping the side of Hudson's cheek where he had a bit of chocolate.

"They did," Rossi assured. "They are very polite and insisted we bring some ice cream to share with you as well because sharing is caring," he winked.

"Thank you," River said, accepting the treat. She couldn't remember the last time she had ice cream, anytime they had it she made sure the kids split it all because there was only so much.

"And I believe these belong to you," Rossi said, handing the lion and lamb back to the kids.

"Pe'nut butter," Hudson exclaimed causing the adults to laugh.

Emerson poked River and whispered something only she could hear, and she frowned slightly, something only Emily and Rossi caught then answered, "No sweetie. We're going to stay here again tonight."

Emerson rubbed her eyes and tears sprung, she didn't sleep particularly well last night at the hospital and thought these people could bring them back home now.

Before Emily left for the hospital she put a few things together, not just for the kids but River as well. Her obsessive need to stock the kids closets with sizes they couldn't fit in yet finally paid off, as did the gender-neutral option. Emily appreciated and respected her children's opinion with their clothes, but she also bought some she picked out herself because sometimes mother knows best and you won't want to wear pink every single day. Lily was confident she would, needless to say it's a good thing Emily bought her other options—she did for all her children though because styles change and it's just good to have options.

She went into Lily's too big section before leaving and grabbed multiple different outfit options for the kids including pjs as well seeing as the doctor wanted them to stay at least three more days. Then she went into her own closet and did the same thing for River although, she didn't need to worry about the size with her. After that, Emily went into her secret stash of toys and picked out some good ones she thought the kids would like. The mothers created their secret stash for emergency birthday parties so they wouldn't have to run out to the store and get a gift. In the bins were toys for all ages and the kids could pick whatever they wanted for their friends, it was perfect.

Emily walked over to her bag of surprises and hoped this would make things a bit better for the kids because she understood how sucky the hospital was. "Emerson, I have some surprises for you and your brother do you want to see?"

Emerson rubbed her eyes again then nodded but made no effort to move causing Emily to walk over to her which was fine. "Let's see what's in my magical bag," Emily said, reaching in and making a big deal out of it to capture the kid's attention.

She pulled out a brand-new plush baby doll first and Emerson gasped, leaning forward to see it more closely because she had never had a doll before. The kids had their stuffies but toys were another story; besides blocks and puzzles they didn't have any toys. "What else you got in there?" Hudson asked, trying to peak inside.

Rossi chuckled and Emily caught the little boy before he took a nose dive off the bed and situated him in her lap and put the bag on the bed after handing River the doll so she could help open it for Emerson. "I bet I have something you might like, buddy."

"Wet's see!" he exclaimed.

"Yeah, let's see!" Rossi said. He too had no idea what was in the bag but he knew Emily had packed the perfect toys for the kids without knowing them so whatever it was would be great.

Emily reached into the bag again and this time she pulled out a rather large plush dinosaur that caused a gasp from Hudson. She knew the kids were a bit old for the plush toys however, because she didn't spot much of any in the video Emily knew they'd want to sleep with them and an action figure and barbie don't make for the best bedmate. She did bring them other toys as well, but your first toy makes an imprint which was why Emily was doing things a certain way.

"And for you," Emily said to River, handing her a notebook. "You don't need to use it, but it's there if you want to. It's just for you, nobody is going to read it."

The team had seen River writing each day and then she'd either shred the paper or drench it so the paper would tear that way Samuel would never know what she had written. It was important to her that she write though, whatever it was she had to do it each day and Emily wanted her to know privacy was something she'd always have now.

"I also have some clothes for all of you," Emily said allowing River to process her words.

"This has a square on it," Hudson pointed out, scrunching his face while pointing at the tag, something he had never seen before.

Samuel provided them with essentials for living however the makeshift apartment had a laundry machine and dryer so River could wash the clothes and when the kids grew out of things, he sent in bigger sizes without the tags. Three outfits for each child every time they went up a size and some for River as well, something in his mind that made him seem like a respectful captor.

Rossi took the shirt from him and tore the tag then handed it back to him and said, "Now it doesn't."

Hudson burst out laughing and handed him another piece of clothing with the same square on it saying, "Do it again."

Rossi accepted the pj set and tore another tag, laughing when both the kids continued laughing—he never knew ripping a tag off could be so amusing. "Again, again!"

While Rossi became the tag master, Emily handed River the bag containing clothes for her. "I'm not sure everything will fit. I tried to pick things with ties just in case and then I threw in some short and long sleeves, and a sweatshirt. Oh, I also put in a toothbrush, toothpaste, some lotion and a hairbrush because the stuff they give you here is the worst."

"Thank you so much, Emily. Seriously, it's too much."

"I'm also having one of the nurses bring up a bigger tv now and there are some DVDs in there so later on you can all watch a movie," Emily continued, ignoring River's comment. "We'll come back and talk to you more tomorrow, are you going to be okay tonight?"

"Yes. Again, thank you so much."

"You're welcome, River."

Rossi and Emily said goodbye to the kids then they left for the day, grabbing the groceries and some food on the way back to keep their cover intact.

"I love it," Penelope sang out as they walked in, groceries in hand.

"My gosh she's loud," Rossi commented.

"No kidding," Emily agreed, then called out just as loud. "We're home. Morgan, groceries!"

Rossi laughed when he heard Morgan's name get singled out followed by his moaning and groaning and Hotch's voice say, "Zip it Morgan, go get the groceries."

"Yeah, zip it mobim det da dwocwiees," Lily repeated causing all the adults to pause and look at Hotch knowing he really stepped in it this time.

"Aaron," Hayley whispered, shaking her head.

Clarke bursting out laughing at her sister caused everyone else to laugh except for JJ and Morgan who were still looking at Hotch for different reasons. JJ couldn't believe he could be that stupid and say something like that in front of a room full of the littles and Morgan couldn't believe he got one of his princesses to turn on him. Emily entered the living room when Morgan didn't come into the kitchen and wrapped her arms around JJ's waist, "What's going on in here, babe?"

"Oh, you just missed a good one," she said, leaning into Emily.

"Yeah?" Emily asked, kissing JJ's cheek and smiling at her babies who were making eye contact with her.

"Mmm, our little spitfire."

"Oh boy, that's not a good start," Emily laughed.

"Paired with Hotch giving Morgan c-r-a-p," she spelt out as there were too many listening ears in the room.

"Seriously," Emily said to Hotch.

"I'm sorry," he said, holding both his hands up. "This one doesn't repeat what we say," he said, referring to Harper. "I completely forgot this one does."

"You just spent the last 16 days with 'this one'. How could you possibly forget so quickly?" she asked, and he just looked at her. "Do you at least remember where the garage is?"

"Yeah?"

"Good, go unload the groceries," Emily smiled, then tossed him her keys. "And lock it when you're done, please. Thanks."

JJ laughed and turned around in her wife's arms, "Welcome home, babe. How did it go?"

"It was okay, Jen," she answered, keeping the conversation coded but honest.

"Mommy, do you know where my present for Uncle Spence is? Momma didn't know," Oliver said, running up to her and putting an end to the discussion.

"Umm, I do. Let's go get it buddy," she said.

"Yes!" he cheered. "Uncle Spence, I'll be right back I know where it is now!"

It was now almost 8pm and the littles were asleep for the night while the big kids finished a movie JJ had set up for them outside. It started as a cute date night with an air mattress, a projector screen, some fairy lights, a bowl of popcorn and some candy with Emily and JJ in the backyard of the brunettes first house while Lily slept but it turned into a huge hit minus the candy for the kids.

Morgan, Garcia and Reid were also watching while the rest of the adults lounged around by the electric fireplace. Harper was safely tucked in one of the guestroom beds downstairs and Hayley had the baby monitor just in case—Emily had monitors in all the extra rooms for reasons like this and/or if the kids were in the game room and she was on the third floor because it gave them a way to easily reach her if there was an emergency.

"You two are serious?" Hotch asked, looking at Emily and JJ who were snuggled up in one of the oversized chairs together. "My sister the saint," he joked.

"Don't look at me," Emily commented.

"Jeez, thanks Hotch. Tell us how you really feel about me," JJ said.

"You have to know that's not what I was saying," he backtracked, turning red immediately.

"Of course I do, you're just too easy to mess with," JJ laughed. "I figured after the last two weeks you'd be tougher than this."

"Ooo, those are fighting words," Tara chimed in.

"You have no idea, Tara. These three really go at it," Hayley told the woman. "You should see when they get a few glasses of wine in them."

"Vacation Hotch, that's next level," Tara laughed. They've all seen Emily and JJ have a few drinks, not that either of them drank often or too much by any means but a glass of wine here or there at a family gathering wasn't unheard of, not Hotch though. He'd drink one beer and call it a day or no alcohol at all unless he was on vacation.

"When is this happening?" Hotch asked them, ignoring the side conversation the women were having about him.

"We're going to talk to the kids first," JJ answered.

"And then we have a few things to take care of," Emily continued.

"I know I shouldn't be surprised but I am," he said.

"I'm not," Hayley said, rejoining the main conversation.

"Really?" Hotch asked her.

"No way. It's Em and JJ, honey. Would you really expect anything else?"

"Kind of," he answered honestly causing everyone to laugh.

"It's going to be great," Rossi smiled.

The next day Emily and JJ sat the kids down to have an important family discussion, one they had never had before. It was never one they felt they needed to have before today for many different reasons. Other conversations were had but never this one and while the twins wouldn't ever remember it, Lily was at an age where she'd forget having the conversation however wouldn't forget the result.

"What's going on," Amelia asked, starting to get nervous. Forever their little worrier even with the anxiety drops Emily slipped into her orange juice at breakfast; they did calm her down, but she still rationally knew her moms didn't sit all of them down for no reason.

"Mommy and I want to talk to you all about something but we want to start off by saying nothing is wrong, okay?" she said, making eye contact with Amelia then Clarke and Oliver knowing their big kids may jump to worst case scenario before something super exciting like the littles.

"We gonna get a swide im'pace of stairs?" Lily asked, now sitting on the edge of the couch in excitement. She had been talking about this even before they left on vacation and nobody could figure out where she got the idea from.

Emily scootched her back on the couch and shook her head. "No bug. We've told you, that's not happening. You already slide down the stairs on your bottom anyways." And they weren't fans of it either because the twins attempted to copy Lily if Emily or JJ didn't carry them down which made them very nervous, especially Brooks because he had a bad habit of finding ways to end up on his head somehow. The mothers could see him tumbling if he wasn't careful all because he wanted to slide like his big sister.

"Oh dawnit," she said, attempting to cross her arms in disappointment. The sass on that girl, sometimes even Emily wondered where she came from. Emily just pinched the bridge of her nose and hoped JJ would continue while she processed her little peanut because laughing right now would throw off the entire conversation. "But are you weally pawitib?" Lily asked.

JJ covered her mouth to hide her laugh and nodded, "Yeah Lily, we're positive."

Once it was clear Lily wasn't going to ask any more questions, Emily and JJ began their discussion with the kids. This wouldn't be anything necessarily new per say, although there would be one aspect that would be different. That being said, Emily and JJ were putting the second half of what they were telling the kids into motion before they went on vacation because the mothers wanted to get it taken care of before of everyone went back to school. This was certainly a unique way of doing things and definitely a first but hey, creativity at its finest.

Lily and Oakley fired off what everyone was thinking with Oliver adding in a few hear and there, then Amelia also asked her own questions too Clarke however listened to her siblings questions and the answers her moms gave until Emily looked at her and said, "What are you thinking, Clarke?"

"I'm kinda just surprised you're asking us. I mean, I'm totally down for more chaos just like everyone else but as the last one to be adopted I'm not really sure how normal these talks are," she answered with a laugh, briefly looking at Amelia and Oliver who she had spoken about this with in the past. The conversation went a bit differently of course but she essentially wanted to know if it was okay by them if she was there and/or if they knew she was coming to which they answered yes to both. "I think it sounds like they really need a place to call home," Clarke continued.

"And we have a really great one to share," Amelia added.

"Brynley Grace do not dump that out," JJ said, interrupting whoever was about to speak next and stopping the little girl in her tracks.

She looked at her mom and accepted the challenge, tilting the cup of water as the blonde raced over to her daughter in record time before she could dump it all over the carpet. Brooks took on cheering his twin on, squealing as Brynley tipped the cup while waving his stuffed cow around in the air.

When JJ successfully saved the carpet from having water poured all over it and now had Brynley giggling upside-down in arms she asked the kids, "Should we go tell grandma and grandpa the good news?"

Pure chaos and to think, they were about to add more…