"I told you, Charisma... we will always be friends...."

"You lied!" Charisma accused, and Brianna flushed as anger swept through her body.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me - you lied. You said we would always be friends, but you pulled away from the family... not just ME, but the entire family! Do you know how upset the kids were when they found out Auntie Bri wasn't coming for Christmas?? Do you know the riot act I got read by your ex-lover for upsetting everyone because I caused your disappearance from the family??"

"Charisma...."

"No, Brianna - you weren't there. You didn't see the kids' disappointment or have to try and explain to your brothers why someone whom they'd treated as family for nearly twenty-five years had simply tossed them away like yesterday's garbage!! You didn't have to see Mama act like her heart wasn't broken by someone she considered to be another daughter to her. So no, Brianna - you don't get to stand there and try to take the moral high ground with me!"

"This is how you win friends and influence people, Charisma?" Brianna snorted and Charisma refused to give her the satisfaction of responding. "You should probably work on your technique."

"You think this is funny?" Charisma asked, the pain apparent in her voice. Brianna's features hardened.

"This was never funny to me, Charisma. Don't you dare make light of what this is to me - what it was to me for almost twenty years. And regardless of the nobility," said with more than a hint of a sneer in her tone, "of your actions in trying to accept responsibility for the fiasco our interaction has become, the fact is we share the blame equally. I was the one that bolted, Charisma; you were the one that let me go. And no amount of wishing and hoping is going to change those two little facts. I'm not finished," Brianna said fiercely when Charisma opened her mouth to interrupt.

"I can't just forget that, Charisma - I can't forget that I fell in love with you and you fell in love with me and still we couldn't be together because of your need to adhere to the moral code of people I don't know and couldn't care less about! I can't forget that even now you can't admit that you love me... not even to yourself! And I certainly can't forget that you refuse to be honest with both of us." Brianna paused for a breath. "I could live with the fact that we can't be together, Ri... I already have for almost half my life, and I told you before that I'm not a home wrecker. But I can't and I won't pretend what I feel for you isn't real. And that's basically what you're asking me to do. NO. I won't do it. You don't get to have it both ways any more, Charisma."

"Would you two like to tone it down before you wake up Ruby and Esmeralda?" Kay asked, sticking her head through the narrow opening of the door. "I know you've got things to settle, but here and now may not be the best option available. Don't," she commanded. "Either one of you. Right now, you should be focused on what you can do for Esmeralda. The rest you can worry about when she's taken care of, all right?" Kay held their eyes impassively when they both glared in her direction. "Don't bother - I have teenagers. AND I have Mama on my side." She almost chuckled when their eyeballs widened comically. "Now, settle down, and go see Esmeralda. We'll talk about the rest later," holding up a hand and pointing when they would have argued.

Brianna and Charisma exchanged looks, then moved as one into Esmeralda's room. Kay waited until the door was closed before she allowed herself to slump just slightly. Okasa walked up behind her and patted her back.

"Good job, Kay."

Kay shrugged. "Jury's still out on that. C'mon... let's go check on Ruby."


Chapter XCII

Charisma walked around to the side of the bed that Esmeralda was facing and knelt down beside her. Brianna followed at a slower pace, but chose to stand behind and to one side of Charisma. Charisma reached out a tentative hand towards Esmeralda, lightly brushing the hair away from her face. To their mutual surprise, Esmeralda didn't even react to the touch. Charisma turned her head until blue eyes met green, and she took comfort in the wash of emotions she found there.

"Es?" Charisma whispered, wondering if Esmeralda had finally gone to sleep and found a measure of peace. That thought was dismissed, however, when Esmeralda blinked open her eyes... revealing a depth of pain Charisma could hardly comprehend. "Oh, Sweetheart," she murmured, cupping Esmeralda's face gently.

Esmeralda covered her hand but offered nothing else. Brianna stepped forward and placed her hand on Esmeralda's. "I know there's nothing we can do or say to make this better for you, Es. But we're here."

The smile Esmeralda tendered was achingly sad, but it was far preferable to the dead expression that had resided on her countenance previously. "That means everything," she replied, her voice so low that they had to strain to understand her words. When they did, it brought tears to their eyes.

"Would you like us to stay?" Charisma asked. "At least until you go to sleep?"

"That might be a very long time," Esmeralda answered honestly. "I close my eyes and all I see is emptiness. She's not in my dreams, and she promised me forever. She should be in my dreams."

Esmeralda's vehemence was astonishing and it stunned Brianna and Charisma into utter stillness. They exchanged glances, silently debating which of them was going to tackle the minefield Esmeralda had just laid out in front of them. Finally, Charisma turned back to Esmeralda, stroking her thumb over the planed cheekbone beneath her hand.

"Why do you think that, Es? Once we die, the soul moves on - it doesn't have a choice."

"Not Saphira," Esmeralda insisted. "She promised," her voice hard and firm.

"Even if she promised, Es, she still has to figure out how to find you. You need to give her a little while," Brianna said. "This is all new for her too, and I imagine she's got a lot to learn before she can visit your dreams."

"You really think so?"

"I really do."

"I hope so, Brianna. I miss her so much."

"I know you do, Es. I miss her too, and she was only my friend." Charisma tilted her head and motioned with her eyes, and after a moment, Brianna took the hint she was fairly certain Esmeralda hadn't seen. Brianna lifted the hand on Esmeralda's and pulled Esmeralda's hand into her own. Charisma smiled her thanks and began to gently scratch Esmeralda's scalp. Involuntarily, Esmeralda's eyes closed and Brianna nodded her approval. "Go to sleep, Es. Maybe the reason she can't find you is because you're not really sleeping."

"I s'pose," Esmeralda mumbled, forcing her eyes to open briefly despite the low melody she could hear buzzing in the background of her hearing. "Do you really think she'll come, Brianna?" eyes closing again against her conscious wishes.

"I really do, Es... but you've got to go sleep first. I'm not saying anything will seem better when you wake up, but at least sleep will give you a respite." Esmeralda didn't answer and Brianna turned her gaze to Charisma, who was still combing through Esmeralda's hair as she hummed a soft lullaby. "Is she sleeping?"

Charisma didn't stop the sound of her voice or the motion of her hands, but simply nodded her head. Her agreement notwithstanding, Charisma kept up her activities for another few minutes and Brianna remained still, holding Esmeralda's hand lightly. When they were both assured by her deep, measured breathing that Esmeralda had truly fallen asleep, they eased away from her and moved silently to the door. Only once they were standing outside the bedroom did they speak.

"You're really good at that," Brianna commented softly. Charisma shrugged.

"Lots of practice with Adam. Sometimes he gets so wound up by the day he's having that getting him to sleep can be challenging."

Brianna's eyebrows arched into her forehead. "Really? I thought he just kind of dropped off when the excitement stopped."

"Usually he does, but some days he just can't seem to wind down fast enough. Those days, when I'm home, I tuck him in and sing to him while I rub his back or scratch his head." She shrugged again. "It's what Mama always did for us when we were kids. I figure if it worked on a pistol like me, it would probably do the same for my son." She paused. "What about you? You seemed to know just what to say to Es to give her some comfort... however briefly."

Brianna shook her head. "I don't know. Maybe it's the conversations I've had with the nieces and nephews over the years. Or maybe it's just the writer in me coming out."

"Have you given any more thought to that, by the way?" Charisma pressed. "About our nieces and nephews, I mean." Brianna growled.

"Charisma...."

"Brianna, please. You don't have to do it for me or Mama or you even. But the kids...."

"Charisma...." Brianna blew out an impatient breath to keep her voice from rising in anger. Charisma remained prudently silenced by the ire that Brianna turned in her direction. After another moment of contemplation, Brianna's gaze softened and she resumed her quiet modulated tone. "What about the kids, Charisma... especially Adam? Have you thought about what any of this would mean to him?"

"In what way, Brianna? The only difference is you'd be in his life more - he'd have another adult in his immediate family that loved him to distraction. I'm not really sure where you think there's a downside to that particular situation."

"That's not what I meant, Charisma. Please don't play stupid - it doesn't suit you."

Charisma glared at her. "Spell it out for me, Brianna... so I'm perfectly clear."

"Fine. With you and Kent separated, even on a trial basis, you've left yourself wide open for all kinds of rumors and innuendo. You know the things that Scott Patterson was saying when we were simply trying to be friends on the Hill - lunch together was enough to start conspiracy theories running rampant. Now, if I was to step forward and become a more prominent part of Adam's life, if only in a friendly capacity, what do you think would get said then, Charisma? I'm not exactly in the closet."

"I don't...."

"And what of Laura Maxwell, Ri?" Brianna continued as though Charisma hadn't even spoken. "You know and I know that she's heading the team that is grooming you for your run for the White House in a couple years. She told me as much without actually committing to anything. Are you seriously ready to give up that dream forever? Because you're the one who told me image is everything."

"I'm not sure I'd have to," Charisma said slowly, though Brianna couldn't tell if it was because she was unsure or simply thoughtful in her answer. Brianna gave Charisma a look of complete disbelief.

"Charisma, I don't know what has gotten into you, but in case you've forgotten, down here on good old planet Earth? In your world, even a hint of impropriety could cost you everything you've worked your whole life for. As far as your constituents and the country at large are concerned, there can't be a hint of scandal near you or you're out. It doesn't matter if it's true or not, and you and I both know that. And I refuse to get back into the closet, Charisma... even for you." Brianna paused, then asked in a quieter tone, "Does Maxwell even know the truth about us?"

"Yours or mine?" Charisma replied bitingly, still stinging from Brianna's words. Brianna just shook her head, and stepped back and around Charisma.

"That right there pretty much says it all," she commented. "Please tell Kay I needed some air. She'll know where to find me," and without another word, Brianna left the house, ensuring she closed the door silently behind her.

Charisma sat stock still, torn between fury at Brianna's presumption and veneration at Brianna's consideration. It was a long time before she moved into the living room to wait.

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

Kay and Okasa stood on the stairway listening to the harsh whispers that emanated from just outside Esmeralda's door. Neither of them could make out the words, though both knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that Brianna and Charisma were at it again. They traded looks, wondering what the hell had set them off *this* time. When they heard the front door close softly behind Brianna's retreating form, Okasa turned inquisitive eyes to Kay.

"Where would she go?"

Kay shrugged. "Here? Any number of places are possible. She's spent a lot of her off time exploring the sights around town. But," holding up a hand when Okasa's lips parted to speak, "if she didn't go home, she's probably at the National Gallery. She's particularly fond of the representation of Diana that's housed there."