Jane and Lisbon were discharged from the hospital sooner than expected. Jane had fully anticipated the doctor insisting Lisbon needed more bed rest, as doctors often do, but to his surprise, the doctor agreed with him. He believed that being in a familiar environment would increase the chances of her recovering her memory more quickly.

Lisbon stared out the car window, arms crossed, expression unreadable. Jane, in the driver's seat, stole glances at her every few seconds, as if hoping she'd suddenly snap out of it and remember everything.

No such luck.

She drummed her fingers against her knee. "And you're telling me I joined the FBI?"

Jane nodded. "New badge, new office, same job. Except now, you get even bigger cases and twice the paperwork."

Lisbon huffed. "Sounds about right." She gave him a skeptical glance. "And what about you?"

Jane smiled. "Still consulting. I may have charmed my way into another government agency."

Lisbon scoffed. "Charmed?"

"Well… maybe 'pestered' is a more accurate word."

"That sounds more like it."

Jane grinned but didn't deny it.

Lisbon shook her head, trying to piece it together. "So we—" She hesitated. "We still work together?"

Jane's grip on the steering wheel tightened slightly. "Yes."

Lisbon frowned. "Even after all these years?"

Jane's voice was lighter, teasing. "What can I say? You just can't get rid of me."

Lisbon rolled her eyes. "Apparently."

Something about all of this felt off. She studied him for a moment, but his expression was unreadable. He was hiding something. She knew that look—he always had secrets.

Throughout the ride, she couldn't stop glancing at the wedding ring on her finger, her mind swirling with questions.

Who could he be? Did I know him before, or did we meet during the missing years? Where do I even live? And why was Jane in the hospital with me instead of my husband? Oh, he must be on a business trip or something. He's probably a real businessman—practical, honest, predictable, serious...

Before she could let her mind wander any further, she caught sight of the looming FBI building ahead.

Maybe being in the office—being surrounded by her things—would jog something loose.

Because right now, she felt like a stranger in her own skin.

And she had the sinking feeling Jane knew exactly why.

"We're here," Jane interrupted her thoughts.

Lisbon's eyes widened as she took in the sight before her. "Oh, wow... This looks nothing like the CBI building."

Jane smirked slightly. They entered through the front doors and took the elevator to the correct floor. Lisbon stepped into the bustling bullpen, her eyes darting around at the unfamiliar space. It was bigger than CBI's old office, sleeker, more modern—but there was something oddly familiar about it.

Agents bustled past her, some smiling, some nodding. She could tell they knew her. That only made her feel more like an outsider.

Jane walked beside her, hands in his pockets, as relaxed as ever. "Well? Any memories unlocking?"

Lisbon shot him a look. "You think just walking into a building is going to fix my brain?"

Jane tilted his head. "Stranger things have happened."

"I feel like I'm in an aquarium, and everyone is looking at me."

"Well," Jane mused, "you could very easily feel like they're all in the aquarium, and you're looking at them."

A wave of nostalgia hit Jane. He remembered having this very conversation with Lisbon during their first weeks at the FBI. Suddenly, all the memories since then flooded his mind—the time she started dating Pike and nearly moved to Washington; when he confessed his feelings, and she admitted she felt the same; their engagement and wedding; the moment she told him she was pregnant for the first time; their first ultrasound picture; her painful labor and the birth of their son, Ethan; her second pregnancy just a few months later; moving into their new home; Ethan's first steps; her even more painful second labor, after which she was certain their family was complete; the twins' first steps; their first days of kindergarten and Ethan's first day of school; the time the twins cut another girl's hair at school; the time they flooded the bathroom; the day they got suspended for five days after gluing their teacher to her chair; and a thousand other moments where Jane had to pretend to be disappointed in them, even though, deep down, he was a little proud.

But now, what if there were no more stories like that? What if the woman he loved—the woman who had always been there for their children, who had nursed them back to health, defended them, and endured long lectures from teachers on their behalf—no longer remembered them? How would they react when they realized their own mother didn't recognize them? Jane quickly shook off those thoughts, forcing himself to stay optimistic. She'll remember everything soon. It'll all be fine.

"Your office is just down here on the left," Jane said, pulling himself back to the present as he led her inside.

Lisbon's office was bigger than her old one at CBI but still had the same no-nonsense feel. The walls were painted a neutral shade, and the glass panels let her keep an eye on the bullpen. A sturdy, dark wooden desk sat at the center, covered in neatly stacked case files, a notepad with scribbled notes, and a half-empty coffee mug—because apparently, some things never changed.

A tall bookshelf lined one wall, filled with case files, law enforcement manuals, and a few personal items. A small wooden cross sat on one shelf, next to a framed photo of her and Cho, taken on a case long ago. A decorative but slightly dusty FBI plaque hung beside it.

To the right, a couch with a small coffee table. Jane still had his old leather couch in the shared office, but now that Lisbon had been promoted, he rarely used it. Instead, he spent most of his time in her office, lounging on her couch. At this point, the couch practically belonged to him. A few plants in the room made the space feel warm and inviting.

As Lisbon looked around, her back turned to Jane, he quickly swiped the framed family photo from her desk and tucked it into a drawer before she could notice.

"Lisbon, I heard what happened. If you need time off, that's completely fine," a familiar voice said from the doorway.

Lisbon turned to see Cho standing there. Though her last name was officially "Jane" now, everyone at work still called her "Lisbon" out of habit.

"Oh, hi, Cho—I mean, boss, of course." She smirked slightly before shaking her head. "Thanks for the offer, but I think it'll help my memory more if I stay here, in a familiar environment."

"You sure? Wouldn't you rather rest and spend time with your kids?"

Jane shot Cho a sharp look, while Lisbon turned to him with wide, shocked eyes. Her voice was barely a whisper when she asked, "I have a child?"

Jane gave a half-hearted shrug. "Yeah, maybe a kid or two... or three children."

"Children? Three of them?"

Jane nodded. "Ethan, Elle, and Emma."

"W-where are they?"

"They're staying with Van Pelt and Rigsby right now."

"Van Pelt and Rigsby?" Lisbon blinked, then frowned. "Wait—they're together?"

"Oh, yeah," Jane replied casually. "Did I forget to mention that? They've been married for a few years now."

Lisbon let out a small laugh. "Really? I guess I shouldn't be surprised—he was always looking at her like a lovesick puppy. But, huh. Kind of weird to marry someone on your own team, right?"

Even Cho looked confused now. Jane, on the other hand, looked more desperate than ever.

Lisbon continued, "Well, to each their own. I could never do something like that. Anyway, back to the topic—why are my kids with Van Pelt and Rigsby? Can't their father watch them? Where is he? Why isn't he here?"

Cho raised an eyebrow. "He is here."

Lisbon furrowed her brows. "What do you mean?"

With her back turned to Jane, he frantically waved his arms at Cho, silently pleading with him to stop talking. He does notice Jane's movements but doesn't read into them, as he doesn't understand what the consultant is getting at. He doesn't really care either, having stopped asking questions long ago.

"He's here," Cho repeated.

Lisbon frowned. "You mean here in town? Or here in the FBI building?"

Cho, now more confused than ever, realized that Lisbon had no idea what was going on. Meanwhile, Jane was still desperately flailing his arms behind her, hoping Cho would catch on.

"In this room," Cho finally clarified.

Lisbon stared at him, completely baffled. "I'm married to Cho? And I have kids with him?" she whispered to Jane in disbelief.

Jane didn't think it was possible to feel more desperate—until that moment.

"You're married to Jane," Cho said, his voice as flat and emotionless as ever.

Lisbon burst into laughter. "Yeah, sure," she said sarcastically.

Jane sighed. This is going to be a long day.