"You're too skinny there, Essie. Let me fix you something to go with that pie."

"I'm all right, Joe," she started, then continued when she saw him start to frown again, "but a burger would be nice, thanks."

"Good girl? maybe you can get this one to eat something too," he added with a glower in Saphira's direction before returning to he kitchen. Esmeralda turned to look at her mate.

"Joe giving you a hard time?" noting the weariness in Saphira's eyes and body language. Saphira smiled at her.

"No more than usual - he's just concerned. Remember, as far as he knows I lost my job taking care of you during your illness. And I've been working doubles here to pay the bills."

"Well," Es agreed quietly. "That's mostly true. You did give up your job, you did take care of me while I was sick and you have been working doubles here. The rest?."

"The rest will work itself out in His time - I know. I just? sometimes I don't know how you can do this all the time, Es. I just want to get in there and fix things."

Esmeralda smiled. "I know you do, Phira. That's your calling, and you're the best at what you do. But that's not what guardians do. This requires a little more finesse and finagling than brute strength and brilliance."

Saphira snorted. "Nice save, though we both know there is an enormous amount of brilliance that goes into these rescue missions," she said with a smirk, then rose from her stool. "Let me lock the door," she said as the last customer left with a wave. "Then we can eat in peace before we go home for some sleep."

She reached for the lock, turning it with a snick and grabbing the blinds. Before she could snap them closed she heard a desperate voice calling out, "Wait, please! Wait!"

Saphira's shoulders dropped, but she had long since learned not to ignore a plea for help when one was heard. You never knew who or what lay behind the call nor the difference you could make by taking the time to listen. With a sigh, she unlocked the door and motioned the woman forward and into the diner.

The woman crossed the threshold with a sigh of relief and a sincere thank you as she glanced around. She was pulling two large suitcases as well as a tote bag and looked completely lost and out of place. Esmeralda recognized her immediately, but she waited for the woman to speak.

"Thank you so much," she said to Saphira again, taking the stool the woman offered her and accepting a menu. "I somehow missed my driver at the airport and I'm pretty sure I got off the wrong Metro stop as well."

"Is this your first visit to Washington?"

The woman blushed and nodded her head. "I've been all over this country and all over the world, but I've never had the opportunity to come here until now." Not the complete truth, but she had no way of knowing they already knew that.

"So what brings you here - business or pleasure?" Esmeralda asked, eyes widening when Joe plopped the biggest burger she'd seen in a while in front of her. She turned her gaze to Saphira who understood her unspoken request, pulling another plate from behind the counter and proceeded to remove about half the food onto it. Saphira cocked an eyebrow at the other woman who was staring at the hamburger and fries like she hadn't eaten in days, then slid the plate over to sit in front of her. The woman immediately began to protest.

"Oh no? I can't take your food from you. Please."

Saphira just ignored her and poured up two more glasses of cold milk then refilled Esmeralda's. Esmeralda put her hand on top of the woman's and silenced her with it a look. "Please, don't insult us by refusing the food. It's obvious you're very hungry aside from being lost and alone. We can't afford to buy you a whole meal, but we can share what we have."

The woman's mouth snapped shut on her argument and she bowed her head in the face of such simple generosity. "Thank you," she murmured.

"Besides," Es added with a smile, hoping to chase away the woman's embarrassment. "Joe fixed enough to feed a family here and it will just go to waste otherwise."

The woman took a satisfying bite of her burger and her face lit up in a smile. "Oh, I don't think you have to worry about that. Man, this is great!" seeing Joe pop up from the back with a smile at her expression of pleasure. "I haven't had real food this good in ages."

"Well then," Saphira said around her own bite. "I'm glad I held the door open for you."

The woman moaned. "Me too. This place is going to be a regular stop for me while I'm here."

"So are you here for business or pleasure?" Esmeralda asked again.

"Business. I've just been appointed the junior Senator from my state to replace Richard Whitman." Saphira and Esmeralda nodded. Richard Whitman had been in the news for weeks due to a medical condition that had slowly left him incapacitated and unable to serve in the Senate any longer. Many had been waiting for the governor of his state to name his replacement, but nothing had been finalized in the press, though apparently the decision had already been made.

"It was supposed to be announced last week, but?." She shrugged. "The timing was never right - either the governor or I always had some sort of scheduling conflict that kept getting in the way of making an announcement together. I think now the governor is planning to call a press conference here on the capital steps tomorrow - make a big to do over the whole thing."

"And how do you feel about it?"

"The job or the press conference?" the woman asked with a smile.

"Yes," Esmeralda said as she munched on a few fries.

"Well, it's not like it's my first press conference," she confessed, wiping her mouth and taking a swallow of milk. "Man, that's good stuff." She shook her head. "I learned a long time ago that the press and paparazzi are a part of public life, like them or not. As for the job?." She shrugged and looked t her plate thoughtfully. "I'm not sure yet," she replied honestly. "This isn't really something I set out to do in my life - politics don't particularly interest me, but the governor felt I was the best choice for the job. Fortunately, I only have to do it for two years before the people can elect another candidate of their choice."

"And if they decide that choice is you?"

"I guess we'll cross that bridge when we come to it." The woman chewed and swallowed, wiping her hands on her napkin before extending them. "By the way, my name is Brianna Walker."


Chapter X

"I'm Esmeralda and this is my partner Saphira and of course, there's Joe back behind the grill. You'll have to come back to meet Matilda, but for now allow us to welcome you to Washington, D.C."

Brianna smiled. "Thanks - I'm really glad to be here. I never expected to find such real people here." Saphira's eyebrows popped into her hairline and Brianna chuckled even as she blushed profusely at her forthrightness. "I'm sorry - that sounds pretty pretentious, doesn't it? It's just? you've shown more kindness to me, a complete stranger to you, than most people I consider to be friends."

"It sounds like you need new friends," Saphira growled as she swallowed the last bite of her food. Then she rose and went behind the counter, retrieving the apple pie and setting it in front of Esmeralda. With a thoughtful glance at Brianna, she withdrew a chocolate cake from the display and cut off a large slice, setting it in front of her. Green eyes widened comically before glancing at Saphira.

"Oh, I couldn't," she started, then stopped when Saphira held up her hand.

"I need to go clean up the last table before we can leave," she said to Esmeralda. "Save a bite for me, will ya?"

Esmeralda smiled and offered her the first forkful and Saphira didn't even hesitate. Brianna's eyes nearly popped from her head and this time when blue and green eyes turned her way, they burned more fiercely than anything she had ever seen before. The flames were almost soul piercing and she swallowed hard.

"I'm sorry - I didn't mean to stare. It's just? I've never seen anyone be so comfortable together in public."

"You mean a same-sex couple?" Esmeralda asked quietly. She squeezed Saphira's hand lightly and with the smallest nod, Saphira moved off to take care of her work. Esmeralda returned her attention to Brianna and Brianna sighed with relief. The fierceness of Esmeralda's gaze was no longer palpable and in fact felt almost understanding. Brianna nodded.

"Exactly," she replied. "Most gay people of my acquaintance are unable to live so openly. It would destroy them - their families, their careers, their friendships?." Brianna trailed off and Esmeralda waited patiently. Finally Brianna resumed speaking though she tried to sound off-hand. "It's just nice to see for a change."

"Because you can't?" Es asked without censure. Brianna smiled sadly.

"I never?." She shook her head. "It doesn't matter," she said as she rose from her stool. "I'm sorry - I really should get going. Thank you for?." Brianna stopped when Esmeralda laid a hand on her arm.

"Please don't go," Es pled softly. "I didn't mean to offend you."

Brianna smiled again and covered Esmeralda's hand with her own. "You didn't," Brianna assured her. "It's just not something?."

"I understand," Esmeralda said and looking into her eyes, Brianna was inclined to believe her. "You never have to, but if you ever need to?."

Brianna smiled and motioned around them. "I won't, but I know where to find you when I need the company of real people and good food. Besides, I have to come back to meet Matilda, right?"

"Right."

"Well then, let us get you where you need to be," Saphira insisted as she hung up her apron and grabbed her jacket from the hook.

"I couldn't ask you to do that," Brianna said, even though a sense of relief flowed through her at the offer.

"You're not asking," Esmeralda stated with a smile as she accepted her jacket when Saphira wrapped it around her. "We're offering. It's what real people do, Brianna."

Brianna smiled sadly and shook her head. "No, Esmeralda. It's what good people do. Real people aren't necessarily good ones - I know? I've seen plenty of real people in my lifetime and even more pretenders. And let me assure you that you and Saphira and Joe are the exception, not the rule."

Esmeralda smiled. "Then we're glad to be the exception," turning to wrap Saphira's scarf around her neck and tuck it into her jacket. She stood still while Saphira returned the favor, then together they turned back to Brianna.

"How long have you been together?" Brianna asked when she realized she was staring.

"An eternity," Esmeralda replied without hesitation, and looking at the two of them, Brianna was inclined to believe her.

"You're not joking are you?"

"Not at all. We've been together for as long as I can remember."

Brianna couldn't stop the smile that crossed her face. "You grew up together? That's so amazing."

Saphira wrapped an arm around Esmeralda and ushered them towards the door. "You have no idea - she is an angel to have put up with me for as long as she has." She grabbed one of Brianna's bags and waited for Brianna and Esmeralda to do the same before turning around to wave at Joe. "Night, Joe. See ya in the morning."

"Thank you, Joe. It was nice to meet you," Brianna added and then exited the diner.

"Night, girls," he returned before coming around the counter to lock up behind them.

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

Brianna stopped walking as soon as she exited the diner, waiting for Saphira and Esmeralda to lead the way. Instead they turned to her and waited. She looked at them curiously. "Um? which way?"

Saphira smiled rakishly. "Depends - where do you wanna go?"

Brianna blushed and shook her head as she chuckled. "Sorry? been a long day for me." She handed Saphira a card with an address. "This is where I'm supposed to be."

Saphira held it up to the light, her eyebrows popping into her hairline. "Well," she said after a moment's pause, allowing her brows to return to their rightful place on her forehead. "You're definitely lost. C'mon? we need to get you back to the Metro. You're about three stops off the beaten path," leading the way to the closest station.

They were silent as they swiped their cards and went through the turnstiles, sighing in relief when the train pulled in almost immediately. Saphira led the way and the others followed her, happy to sit down for their brief time to Brianna's stop. When they reached it, Saphira stood and led the way back outside, immediately making a right and heading towards the secure apartment building Brianna would be living in for the time being.