Ruby shook her head. "I'm as in the dark as to what's happening as the rest of you. Apparently something has happened to Saphira."

"That was Brianna," Jas continued, pointing to her phone. "I'm supposed to take Ruby to the hospital as soon as she's ready." She looked down at herself. "I better go get dressed," said as she left the room.

"What about the rest of us?" Opal asked.

"I think it would be perfectly acceptable if you all showed up," Ruby offered as she stripped out of her pajamas and slid into some of her rare 'civilian' clothes. "I mean, it would be natural for Turq and Jas to have placed a call to Brianna's and Charisma's personal assistants to let them know that something was going on, right? Just use the Metro or a cab and don't show up together."

"Speaking of...." Opal growled. "Why didn't Turq call us? Or why didn't Amber or Coral...?"

Ruby glowered as she stepped into her shoes. "I dunno," she bit off fiercely as she finished buttoning her coat. "But I certainly intend to find out!"

Jas reappeared at the door just then and Ruby nodded approvingly. Then the two of them made their way downstairs and outside. It was only when they heard the outer door close behind them that Opal and Indi exchanged glances.

"I'm a little confused," Indi said as they headed back towards their rooms to get dressed.

Opal laughed, though there was no humor in the sound at all. "Only a little?"

"For now," Indi replied seriously. "Does this mean the Father really made them mortal when he took everything away from them?"

"It certainly looks like it," Opal said grimly. "I wonder what happens to Angels when they die."

"Opal, what's going to happen to Es? Being separated from Saphira briefly nearly killed her. This will...."

"I know. C'mon... let's get there. I'm sure we'll be sorting this out for days."

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

Matilda and Joe came rushing towards the emergency room exit, slowing when both Brianna and Charisma extended an arm, signally them to wait until the Senators were no longer on the phone. Matilda saw the tears beneath the surface on their faces and automatically reached for Joe who clutched her outstretched hand in support.

"No," she whispered brokenly. Charisma and Brianna both nodded. "Oh no... no. What happened?"

Brianna shrugged. "We don't know yet. It's only due to the compassion of the charge nurse that Es was even allowed into the back to say her goodbyes."

Matilda's eyes hardened. "Excuse me?"

"Let it go, Matilda," Charisma instructed firmly. "Nurse Walters made sure she got back there and we have other things to concern ourselves with at the moment."

"What's more important than making sure...?"

"She's right, Mama," Joe replied before Matilda could finish her question. "We need to do what we can for Essie right now. We can worry about the bigots later."

Matilda let out a frustrated sigh - she knew they were right, but it did nothing to dim the righteous indignation she felt. She made a mental note to find out what had happened and have a word with somebody later. For now though....

"Okay... you're all right," taking a deep breath and pushing the tears she felt burning to the back of her throat. "What can we do?"

"Wait," Charisma said. "I've called Mama and she's going to inform the rest of the family, but it will take some time for them to get here."

"Jas is on her way with Ruby, and I called Rick and let him know that Esmeralda would be out on bereavement leave. The only thing we can do right this minute is wait for Es to come out from the back and be here to support her when she does. If we're lucky, maybe someone will tell us what happened to Saphira, but it's not like we're actually entitled to any answers."

"And tomorrow we'll do what we can to ease Es' burden," Charisma added.

"I don't think that's gonna be possible," Ruby spoke as she approached the small group. "The only time Es has been without Saphira, it nearly killed her, and that was simply banishment... an enforced separation, not something as permanent as death." She sighed. "I'm gonna go in and see what I can find out," she added with little hesitation. As one body, the rest turned and followed her in.

No one was particularly surprised when Nurse Walters appeared at the desk when Ruby asked for information. Walters motioned her around the desk and through the double doors she'd taken Esmeralda beyond some time earlier. They had just disappeared when Turq and Jas entered the waiting room, each taking a seat with the small contingent. In another few minutes, Opal stepped in from the emergency entrance and then Indi came around the corner from the direction of the main doors. Rick was the last to arrive while Ruby was still in the back with Esmeralda and the nurse, and he took his place within the silent group.

Then they waited.

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

"I think she's still in shock," Nurse Walters told Ruby in a hushed voice as they approached the small alcove Saphira's body had been placed in to wait its trip down to the morgue. "She hasn't said a word or shed a tear that I can tell, and we're going to have to move Saphira's body to the morgue soon. The ME still has to do an autopsy to determine the cause of death."

"Must you?" Ruby asked with distaste and a hint of apprehension.

Walters nodded. "Unfortunately, yes - it's the law in sudden death cases like this. I've tried to give Esmeralda time to say goodbye, but...."

Ruby shook her head. "I don't know if she can, but I'll do my best." Then they reached the alcove and stopped at the sight that met their gaze. Esmeralda had crawled onto the gurney and curled herself around Saphira's body, gently tracing her features. Nurse Walters and Ruby exchanged alarmed looks, then walked swiftly towards the heartbreaking tableau, knowing the next few minutes were going to be extremely hard and hoping to be the support Esmeralda would need to get through them.


Chapter LXXXVIII

"Es?" Ruby asked quietly. "Es," she repeated a little more firmly. "It's time to say goodbye to Saphira so she can rest."

"She's already resting, Ruby," Esmeralda replied, her eyes never leaving Saphira's still face. "See? I'm just gonna stay here with her."

Ruby bit her lip. This was going to be harder than she'd expected, and she'd expected damned near impossible. "Honey, you can't stay with Saphira now," she offered gently. "She's gone to see the Father and you can't go with her. You have work to do here, remember?"

Nurse Walters frowned at the words passing Ruby's lips. As comfort went, they left a lot to be desired. And they didn't seem to have the necessary effect either; Esmeralda simply closed her eyes and clasped Saphira's cold hand tighter.

"I'm done, Ruby. There's nothing left for me to do." She flinched when Ruby laid a warm hand on her chilled skin, but there was no way to pull away from the touch without disturbing Saphira. And Esmeralda was loath to do that - it would make this whole situation all too real.

"Es...."

"No, Ruby. Just leave me alone. Please - just leave me alone," the last a bare whisper.

"Oh honey... I can't. We have to let the doctors take Saphira to find out what happened, and you need to come with me so...."

Esmeralda opened her eyes and Ruby felt the flames sear her even as she strove not to flinch away from the raw fury she could feel emanating from them. She'd never seen Esmeralda truly angry before... not even when she and Saphira had been separated the first time. So she held on and met Esmeralda's stare, hoping beyond hope she could keep Esmeralda grounded.

"I *know* what happened, Ruby. He took her from me - He took her from me and now she's gone!!"

"Don't you want to know why?"

"No," the voice dead. Ruby watched the fire in the green eyes extinguish itself, leaving only emptiness behind. "It doesn't matter why; it only matters that she's not here anymore." Without another word, Esmeralda closed her eyes and turned her face back into Saphira's neck. She didn't even have a chance to register the pinprick as Nurse Walters administered a sedative. And she never felt them move her to another gurney. They got her settled, and the nurse motioned to the interns who had been standing down the hallway waiting for her signal. One took charge of rolling Saphira's body to the elevator to take her to the morgue; the other started pushing Esmeralda towards a cubicle in the emergency room area. Nurse Walters took Ruby by the arm.

"C'mon - let's go tell your friends what's going on, then you can come back and sit with Esmeralda until she wakes up if you like."

"What happens then?"

"Well, once Esmeralda is awake, you can take her home. As soon as the autopsy is complete, someone will be in touch to find out where you'd like the body to be delivered in preparation for burial or cremation."

"Will we be told what happened? What the cause of death was?" Ruby clarified at Walters' frown.

"Yes. In fact, the attending should be out to talk to everyone before you leave. I think she had some questions."

Ruby nodded. "All right. I'll wait with the rest to talk to the doctor, then I'll come back and sit with Es. Can any of the rest come?"

"They're not supposed to - family only, you know. But I'll see about giving them a minute to look in on her. I think she's gonna need all the love and support she can get to make it through this."

"I'm not sure even that will help," Ruby mumbled, but before Nurse Walters could question her further, they were stepping through the double doors into the waiting room. As soon as they appeared, one whole section of the waiting area rose to their feet as though propelled by springs. Walters patted Ruby on the arm.

"I'll go find the doctor for you."

"Thank you, Nurse Walters - you've been a treasure."

Walters gave Ruby a smile and headed over to the nurses' station. Ruby took a deep breath and walked towards the small knot of people clustered together for moral support.

"Es had to be sedated and she's currently in one of the little rooms in the back. The nurse said when it wears off we can take her home. They've taken Saphira's body down to the morgue for autopsy," seeing every Angels' eyes widened with a number of unhappy emotions. "Apparently it's the law in circumstances like this. The doctor is supposed to come out and talk to us briefly as soon as the nurse locates her."

"Can we go back and see Es?" Matilda asked, wiping her eyes.

"The nurse is gonna try to give everyone a chance to, but no promises," Ruby said. "We've already created quite a stir here tonight and it's not fair to the other patients and their families. Truthfully, I'm not sure Es is in a place to recognize anyone, much less acknowledge them."

"Is she going to be all right, Ruby?" Brianna asked softly.

Ruby shook her head. "I don't know, Senator... I really don't know."

"And if you were to guess?" Charisma inquired.

Ruby sighed. She didn't want to get into this, but.... "Senator Tagherty, just being separated from Saphira made her so sick, she nearly died from it because Es thought it was going to be a permanent situation. But at least she had the assurance that Saphira was alive - she had a sliver of hope and it still nearly destroyed her. What do you think knowing Saphira is never coming back will do to her?"

"I think we'll be keeping an eye on her," blinking the tears from her eyes. Heads nodded all around, then a throat clearing behind them caused them all to turn. Standing behind them was a petite brunette woman, compassion plain in her tired brown eyes. She looked at the group of people standing in front of her, noting the disparity of social classes represented. It made her wonder, but she tucked the thought into the recesses of her mind to consider later. For now, she needed to talk to the family of the woman who had died so suddenly in her emergency room.

"Is one of you family to either Saphira or Esmeralda?" she asked, a slight drawl evident in her soft voice. Ruby stepped forward.

"I am," extending her hand. "Ruby Angelo. You're the doctor that took care of Saphira?"

"I'm Dr. Terrell," nodding as she took Ruby's hand and briefly covered it with her left one in a gesture of sympathy and comfort. "I'm so sorry for your loss."

"Thank you, Dr. Terrell. Do you know what...?

"We're not sure, but.... Did Saphira fall recently? Or take a blow to the head?"

Ruby frowned. "No - she got hit in the throat several weeks ago...."