"And you?"

"Me? I... I don't think I have any...."

"C'mon, Es," Brianna cut in. "You had to have wanted to do something when you were a kid - doctor, lawyer, Indian chief?" Esmeralda raised an eyebrow at the last and Brianna smirked in response. "Okay, maybe not the Indian chief. Teacher, writer, astronaut?"

"Now you're just being ridiculous," Esmeralda offered, but she gave Brianna a smile so she'd know there were no hard feelings. "I really didn't think about it much. My life was pretty well set from the time I was a child - I wanted to be Saphira's mate. Everything else?" She shook her head. "It is what it is, and I can't regret it as long as I have Saphira."


"I'm not sure I understand your thinking, Es, but as long as you're happy, I guess it's all good."

"It is," Esmeralda agreed. "What brought all this up anyway, if you don't mind my asking?"

Brianna turned her attention to her desk and started shutting things down and gathering things up in preparation of leaving for the night. "Any number of factors," she answered. "I'm sure you heard about my luncheon with Charisma today," looking up to see Esmeralda nod. "And I know you've heard about Scott Patterson's ambitions." Another nod. "Then we have Laura Maxwell who appears to be grooming Charisma for her run for the White House - I don't know really. It all just converged and got me to thinking."

"Does it bother you?"

"Excuse me? Does what bother me?" Brianna gathered her belongings and walked to the door. She opened it and motioned Esmeralda to go through ahead of her even as she waited for Esmeralda to clarify what she was asking. Esmeralda continued pushing her cart to the outer office door, leaning against it as she spoke.

"Charisma running for the White House? Or Laura Maxwell being the one to propel her there?"

"Es, Charisma Tagherty has had her eye on the Presidency for longer than either you or I have known her. She had already been working for it for years by the time that I met her. I can't really comment about Laura Maxwell - tonight was the first time I've exchanged more than passing platitudes with her. But if she's able to make Charisma's dream of being the first female President a reality, then I say more power to her. Maybe government would work better if it was run like a household instead of a country club."

"So you don't mind...?"

"Es, I appreciate that you understand the real situation between Charisma and me more than almost anyone else in the world. I love her... I always will. But you need to let go of the idea that I have any sort of undue influence on her actions or that whatever Charisma does has the least bit of impact on my life any more. I have, and that's not going to change."

"You really believe that? No matter what?"

Brianna motioned her to back up just slightly so she could get between the cart and the door. Then she pulled the door wide and waived Esmeralda out ahead of her.

"I know it to be true, Es. No matter what. I can't pretend anymore. Coming here taught me that."

Esmeralda shook her head slowly. "I'm sorry to hear that, Brianna - I truly am." She cleared her throat and looked back at Brianna who had started down the hall towards the elevator. "Goodnight, Senator Walker. Have a good evening."

Brianna turned and gave her a jaunty little wave. "You too, Es. I'll see you tomorrow."

Esmeralda continued back up the hall, wondering what Charisma thought of the whole situation, but a knock on her office door showed her to already be gone, so Esmeralda finished up her work so she could go talk to Saphira.

************

"How's it going, Joe?" Esmeralda asked when he poked his head into the window opening separating the kitchen from the counter.

"Can't complain, Essie. You're looking better."

She smiled. "I'm feeling better every day." She leaned against Saphira when she wrapped an arm around Esmeralda's waist from behind. "Hey, love."

Saphira gave her a light squeeze and brushed her lips across Esmeralda's cheek. Then she patted Esmeralda on the behind and nodded her head towards the counter stool. Esmeralda frowned at the lack of vocal response.

"Everything all right?" she asked quietly, catching Saphira's hand in her own. Joe peeked out from the opening again when Saphira padded into sight.

"She's all right, Es. Some kid clocked her across the throat earlier, and this is the first chance she's had to really rest her throat." He chuckled and Esmeralda cocked a questioning eyebrow in his direction. Saphira just glared and shook her head. "I wish you could have seen it, Es - one minute this kid was screaming bloody murder and the next he'd popped Saphira right in the voice box. I don't know what she said to him and his parents, but that brat didn't make another sound the rest of the time they were here. And not only did they not try to skip out on their bill, I'm pretty sure they left a hefty little tip."

Esmeralda turned a look on Saphira, who had the decency to look sheepish. Esmeralda just shook her head. "What am I gonna do with you?" she asked with a wry smile.

"Love me for the rest of your life?" whispered.

"How about forever?"

"I like the sound of that," Saphira replied, brushing a kiss across the knuckles of the hand she still held in her own.

"All right you too... enough mush. A man could drown in it around here if he wasn't careful, and I got plans with my girl tonight. Now grab your food and sit up to the table and eat. I'm almost done back here, and it's getting on to time for you girls to head home."

"Thank you, Joe," Esmeralda said prettily. Saphira just rolled her eyes and took the plate, releasing Esmeralda's hand and grabbing two empty glasses and filling them with milk. Soon they were digging in and Joe smiled as he watched them from the kitchen. Neither of them was speaking, but plenty seemed to be getting said anyway.

It didn't take long for them to finish up and Saphira passed him the dirty dishes. Then he walked them to the door to lock up behind them, and they were on their way home.

Esmeralda shared her conversation with Brianna as well as the gossip she'd heard about Charisma. Saphira didn't really have any comment to make on either issue - even if it hadn't bothered her to talk - though she winced when Esmeralda shared Brianna's renewed determination to keep herself out of Charisma's orbit.

"I know there's nothing else we can do at this point, but honestly, all it feels like we're doing is marking time," Esmeralda said plainly. "I wish I knew what He was waiting for. The sense of impending doom is hanging over everything like a pall at this point, and the stress of it is gonna drive me crazy."

"You're already crazy," Amber stated with a rakish grin as they entered the house. Saphira reached out and smacked her in the back of the head. "Hey!" glaring, but stopping her retaliation when Esmeralda stepped between them.

"That's enough... both of you," she commanded, looking back and forth between them. Her gaze settled on Saphira. "Go get a hot shower, Sweetheart. Maybe that will help relax your throat. And you," turning to Amber. "What are you doing home this time of night?"

Amber looked closely at Saphira, noting a slight bruise mark on her neck. "You okay?" Saphira nodded, but moved to follow Esmeralda's directive. The truth was, it hurt a lot and she was tired on top of everything else. Amber made a grab for her arm, but Esmeralda intercepted it.

"I'll tell you all about it," she told Amber. "Go on, love. I'll just be a minute."

Saphira went into their bedroom and closed the door. Amber put her hands on her hips. "All right... so?" Esmeralda gave Amber a brief overview of Joe's accounting of events. Amber laughed. Esmeralda crossed her arms and waited for Amber to take a deep breath and shake her head.

"I'm not laughing that Saphira got hurt, but I do wish I had been there to see her in action. It's been a long time since I've seen that part of her."

"I know. I miss it too. Now - why are you here instead of keeping an eye on Charisma?"

"She's still with Opal and Turq... apparently she's resumed some of her after-hours schmoozing."

Esmeralda's eyebrows went into her hairline. "Well, that explains why I didn't see her tonight. I wonder if this was already on her agenda."

"I don't think so. I went to the house earlier when Ame was putting Adam to bed. Opal had called to let her know they were going to be late. Ame's supposed to call me as soon as Charisma gets home. Because she's gonna need to sleep even if she stays at the Tagherty house."

"Right... of course," glancing at her watch. "Although maybe you should go on over there - as late as it is, she should already be in bed. Otherwise, she'll never be able to keep up with Adam tomorrow, even with a half-day of school." Amber's eyes widened when she checked the time and nodded frantically. Esmeralda smiled. "Okay, I'm gonna go take care of Saphira. Let me know if...."

"I will, Es, but you know we're so far out of this all we're doing is babysitting at this point."

"I know; it doesn't lessen our responsibility, though."

"I suppose," Amber shrugged. "Now go look after Saphira before she comes looking for you." Esmeralda nodded and turned, entering the bedroom without a backwards glance. Amber waited until she closed the door behind her before scrubbing her hands over her face and heading out towards Charisma's house. With a little luck, Ame was already in bed asleep and all Amber would have to do would be wait for Charisma to arrive home.

************

Saphira was already curled up in bed with her eyes closed when Esmeralda finally entered the bedroom to stay. Saphira had still been in the shower when she'd originally stepped inside the room, so Esmeralda had decided to fix Saphira a cup of hot tea with plenty of lemon and honey. She didn't think it had taken *that* long, but....

"You gonna bring that over here?" Saphira whispered hoarsely into the dark, "or you gonna make me get up and get it myself?" Saphira gave Esmeralda a crooked half-smile and Esmeralda grinned back as she moved towards Saphira's side of the bed.

"I thought you might be asleep already. You didn't stay in the shower very long."

"Too tired."

Esmeralda frowned and set the mug on the bedside table, then leaned forward and brushed her lips over Saphira's forehead. "You don't feel feverish. You sure you're all right?"

"Just tired... and sore."

"All right," kissing her lips softly before standing and moving to the other side of the bed. "Well, if you think you can drink the tea, it should help with the pain and the swelling. Otherwise, give me five minutes and I'll join you. Sleep is probably the best thing for you," shaking her head when she heard the deep, rhythmic breathing that signified that Saphira was already asleep.

Esmeralda quickly went through her nightly routine, absently giving thanks that she was once more able to provide help and comfort when it was needed as opposed to being the one constantly in need of it. She eased her side of the covers down and slipped into bed next to Saphira, smiling when Saphira naturally turned and tucked herself into Esmeralda's embrace.

Then she closed her eyes and joined her mate in the land of Morpheus.

************

The next couple weeks followed the same pattern - except for the luncheon meeting between Charisma and Brianna. There were committee meetings and legislation and votes, but Charisma and Brianna managed to remain off each other's radar. It wasn't hard, really - there was so much work to do, and since Charisma had returned to making connections in the evenings at least once or twice a week, they had very little opportunity to run into each other.

Brianna still hadn't called Okasa. It wasn't the fact that she didn't believe Charisma - she did. Charisma had never been able to lie to Brianna, even when they had first met. No, it was more that Brianna wasn't certain she was willing to risk everything again. She missed the Tagherty family, but she was adjusting to life without them in it. She didn't want to have to get used to it again.

So things went along as they had been, until one evening when they both happened to be in the Senate office building when Rick came upstairs looking for Esmeralda.


Chapter LXXXVII

Brianna's day started the same way they had since coming back from the holiday break - early into the office to read over whatever legislation was on tap for the day, followed by committee meetings and personal meetings and voting roll calls.... The list went on and on. She always tried to wait for Esmeralda to show up, though. There was always something of interest to discuss, whether it had to do with what Brianna was currently engaged in or their past histories or their plans for their little bit of leisure time.