Waiting on babies to be born, especially on the day of, was by no means an easy task. It was a universal rule.

But… after the day that Behavioral Analysis Unit and their families had just had, being at the hospital to meet the newest members of the Jareau clan just made sense. It was also a chance to slow down.

Finally, after many hours, Archer came through the doors and into the waiting room. He was in a happy daze.

"Daddy!" Kaida crowed, running to him.

"Hey, my girl!" Archer scooped his firstborn up with ease. "How are you? I heard you had a big day!"

Kaida gave a serious nod. "Yes, but Aunt JJ and Aunt Emily took care of everyone. I'm glad for that."

"Me, too, kid." Archer set Kaida on her feet. "I have news for everyone."

"Oh?" came a voice. "What is the word?"

Everyone else in the group had gathered around them. JJ was the one who had spoken.

Archer addressed his gaggle at large. "The babies have been born..."

Everyone cheered.

"Wait." Emily put her hands in a 'time-out' position. "So is the first baby healthy?"

Archer nodded.

"Then I almost hesitate to ask about Jareau baby number two." Haley said with a dash of trepidation.

"Well…" Archer gave a nervous laugh. "He has turned out to be a she."

It was as if a record scratch had happened.

"What?!" everybody cried as one.

"We're as puzzled as the rest of you," Archer shrugged. "But Kaida is definitely a big sister to a little boy and a little girl."

Sandy looked over at her granddaughter. "What do you thi—oh, dear. Easy does it."

The events of the day compounded with an extremely unexpected development was too much. Her legs crumpled beneath her. Sandy steadied her. The last thing they needed was for Kaida to completely pass out. But Archer was happy to hold his daughter again.

"Cho is asking for Kaida, JJ and Emily, her parents and Sandy, plus Max and Elizabeth." he said. "I just want to thank you all for everything."

When the others left, all of the older adults agreed to be in the second round of people visiting. They were content to wait.

Archer led the wait to Cho's room. It wasn't far.

Kaida lit up when she saw her mother and called out in a stage whisper. "Hi, mom!"

Cho's heart leapt. The last she'd heard, Kaida had been in peril.

"Come here, precious girl." she said softly. "Come sit with me."

Kaida obliged her mother, taking heed of her new siblings. Jostling them would be bad.

Archer also moved to the bed. He kissed his family. All was well.

Emily watched the scene with fondness. Happy endings were her favorite. But... something was different about today because it involved her family. Her peace was tenfold.

And JJ was proud of her brother. He had always known that he had wanted a family of his own. Then Rosaline's ending happened. It shook Archer. Deeply. In the aftershock, it took years for Archer to want to follow through on his dream. But Cho never gave up on him. She waited patiently. Now they had three kids together.

"JJ, Emily!" called Cho. "Please come here!"

The couple approached the bed.

"I don't know what to say," Cho said tiredly to them. "Other than thank you for keeping Kaida very safe when things got out of hand."

Emily said simply, "Kaida is our family."

"And we do anything for family. Anything." JJ added.

"Okay, then. Would you like to hold the babies?"

JJ nodded. "Yes, please. We would love to."

Emily ended up with her new nephew. As he slept, the little boy snuggled closer. His trust in Emily for safety was absolute. And Emily felt her heart melting. In light of recent events in New York, she sometimes recoiled if people touched her. That sucked.

Yet… just like Zooey had, this baby was reminding her that the world wasn't over. How? Just by being small and innocent.

The agent looked back at Cho and Archer. "What is this little boy's full name?"

Cho smiled proudly. "Hikaru Archer Dashiel."

"I like the family name theme." Emily had recognized where the middle names had come from.

"It's your family, too."

This realization gave Emily a warm feeling. "I know Kaida also has family names. Are you continuing on for the twins now?"

"That's right." Archer confirmed. "Our boy's middle names are for myself and for my father. The name Hikaru means 'to shine.' We really love it."

"So do I."

"And me." JJ said, then indicating the other baby. "What about Hikaru's twin?"

Cho spoke sheepishly. "Archer and I are stumped as far as first names go."

"Hm. Then perhaps Emily and I can come up with something." (JJ already knew about names from her sister-in-law's first language because Cho had been part of her life for decades now) "She knows a lot of languages because she's lived all over the world."

"It's true." Emily confirmed. "I lived in Japan for quite awhile in my twenties. Now let's try to think..."

She and JJ tossed ideas around.

"What about Sayuri?" Emily asked after a few moments.

"Oh, that is a nice one." JJ agreed. "It means lily."

Archer and Cho both considered it, coming to the same conclusion at the same time. They seemed to be having a conversation with just their eyes.

Archer spoke on his Cho's behalf after a few moments. "Then Sayuri, it is. What a beautiful choice."

"It also fits nicely with her middle names." Cho informed them. "Before we fill in the blanks there, we do have something big to ask you two."

"Yes?" Emily and JJ asked together.

"Would you do us the honor of being the twins' godmothers?"

JJ and Emily didn't even have to hesitate. "Yes."

Cho beamed. "Then we would love to introduce you to Sayuri Emilia Jennifer."

Both women in question looked at each other, and then at the older couple. Neither of them had been expecting this. It was a huge honor.

"You have her middle names for us?" JJ breathed in awe. "Really?"

"Yes." Cho said confidently. "We've always known that all of our children would have names from the family. The twins are our last, so…"

"We are finishing with a flourish." Archer said merrily.

"We're honored." JJ told her brother.

Emily bobbed her head. "Yes. Thank you very much. It's a perfect ending to a long, long day."

"You both must be so tired." Archer said.

He lifted his new children from the others' arms and handed them off to his wife.

"Thank you for coming." he said to JJ and Emily.

"Both of Cho's parents, mom, and Emily's parents are waiting to come have a visit." JJ said. "We'll go het them now."

JJ and Emily waited while the other adults went for a visit. Technically, they were still staying at the Prentiss house. And at present… neither had the energy to get back there on their own.

It was a good thing they did wait. Because a hitch developed.

"Well, I see we picked up a hitchhiker." Emily joked when she her mother carrying a fast-asleep Kaida. "Did her parents ask you to take her?"

Elizabeth shook her head. "Uh-uh."

Maximo added. "We volunteered to keep her. For as long as needed."

JJ smiled. "That's incredibly sweet."

Cho's mother, Sakura, nodded. "It is. And Sandy just made a kind offer of her own."

JJ turned her eyes on to her mother. "What did you say?"

There was a twinkle in the old woman's eyes. "I'm just going to go get Kaida some overnight gear. What all did you get her during your shopping day?"

"Everything but the kitchen sink…" Emily muttered.

"Then I will see you in a little while. Have a good night." And made her exit.

Cho's father said, "We're also going to go. Perhaps we will see all of you around."

The remaining adults bid Cho's parents good-bye as they also left.

Maximo looked at JJ and Emily. "Are you two ready to get out of here."

"Yes." they said in unison.

JJ and Emily turned in after putting Kaida to bed. Exhaustion was hitting them. Sleep called.

"What a day." Emily said into the darkness.

"For sure." JJ moved into a comfortable sleeping position. "Let's hope that our next day off is boring."

"Yes, please. But what an adventure we had today." Emily kissed her. "I would still do all of it again because you were with me."

"Mhm. Same here. Three kids on the way or not, you and I are together—for better or for worse." JJ reciprocated Emily's intimate affection. "Our lives just happen to include super insane adventures because we're both federal employees."

JJ was quiet for a few moments before posing her next inquiry. "Would you trade this, our lives together here in D.C., for a life somewhere else? Like in California?"

Emily immediately realized that JJ's hypothetical question was a test.

"No." she answered honestly. "I love it here, and this is where I want to be when I retire. What about you?"

"My feelings are the same." JJ responded. "I don't want to be anywhere else than here. What we have is completely perfect."

"Yes, it is." Emily kissed JJ again. "I love you."

JJ yawned. "I love you, too."

They fell asleep shortly after this.

Dreaming of lives where their day together were even somewhat was even somewhat normal.