After several long moments, Esmeralda felt the tremors slow and the warmth begin to radiate around her. It was only then that she heard the slow, steady pulse of a heartbeat and she couldn't stop the gasp that escaped her lips. And when the whisper of breath caressed her ears, Esmeralda couldn't stop the tears that slid down her face.

"Open your eyes for me, Es," Saphira commanded in a low tone. Esmeralda shook her head. "C'mon, baby... open those beautiful green eyes for me. I need to see them."

"No," she whispered. "If I open my eyes, the dream stops. And I don't want that to happen; I need this to be real."

"It is, Sweetheart. Trust me - open your eyes."

Again Esmeralda shook her head, biting her lip until she felt soft, warm fingers gently trace it. Then she couldn't halt her response.

Esmeralda released her lip from her teeth, sighing when Saphira continued her ministrations. Slowly, much slower than she would have allowed herself to believe possible, Esmeralda's eyes fluttered open.

At first there was nothing to see - she was still in the meadow with the flowers around her and the blue, cloud-studded sky above her. But she was turned on her side and behind her.... Behind her she could still feel Saphira's body tightly hugging her own. She could feel the calloused fingers tenderly tracing her swollen lip. But more convincing than either of those two sensations was the scent that surrounded her - one that she had only ever known to belong to Saphira.

Esmeralda took a deep breath. "Saphira?"

"Hello, love."

Esmeralda's eyes slammed shut again, not quite willing to believe her ears. Saphira sighed and gently lifted her body away from Esmeralda's just enough to roll Esmeralda onto her back. Saphira tucked her body into Esmeralda's letting one wing cover Esmeralda's body even as she started brushing light kisses up Esmeralda's neck. Only when Esmeralda's hands came up to her shoulders and pushed her away did Saphira cease her attentions and frown. This certainly wasn't the reunion she had pictured for them.

With her eyes still squeezed shut, Esmeralda took a shuddering breath. Saphira remained still, realizing her hasty actions had thrown Esmeralda's mind and body into something of a quandary. So she stayed quiet, allowing Esmeralda a chance to acclimate herself to the reality of this time and place.

"Saphira?" came the whispered word at long last.

"Yes, beloved?"

"Is it really you?" the sound tearing at Saphira's heart.

"Yes, beloved. Open your eyes for me. I promise... it'll be all right."

Esmeralda took one deep breath and then another, trying to get her thundering heartbeat under control. Saphira recognized the tactic and placed a hand over Esmeralda's heart. That touch made the tears well behind her eyelids and Esmeralda blinked rapidly to keep them from falling. When her vision finally cleared, the first thing she saw were deep blue eyes filled with love gazing back at her.

Immediately, she tucked her head into Saphira's neck and held on tightly. Saphira wrapped Esmeralda in her embrace, and for an endless time there was nothing but them.

After a while, Esmeralda looked up from the safest place she'd ever known and smiled into the blue eyes regarding her with honest, pure affection. "How...? Where...? Saphira...?"

Saphira's eyes never lost the love that shone from them, but with Esmeralda's words, they became tinged with sadness. "I'm sorry, love. I never expected... never thought...." She sighed and folded her wings back into her body before rolling over onto her back and bringing Esmeralda to lie on top of her.

"Saphira?"

Saphira sighed once more, deciding to try a different track. There were so many things she couldn't share with Esmeralda yet, but she couldn't bear the agony so plainly written on Esmeralda visage. "I'm not sure where HERE is either. It reminds me of our meadow back home and yet it's different."

"How did you find me if you don't know where here is?"

Saphira shrugged. "He allowed it. There is still work for you to do, Sweetheart. You can't mourn yourself to death."

Esmeralda stiffened in Saphira's arms, and it was only an eternity of knowledge that permitted Saphira to keep her there when Esmeralda would have bolted. "What did you say?" Esmeralda growled, the flames in her eyes searing.

"You can't mourn yourself to death, love. There is still work to do," knowing reflexively it was the wrong tack to take, but not sure what to say to make Esmeralda understand the importance of things without saying too much.

"I don't care," Esmeralda stated firmly. "He took you from me. There is nothing left."

Saphira sighed. She didn't understand *why* He'd placed the restrictions on her He had, but there was nothing to be done for it at this point in time. Things had to play out to their logical conclusion. She tenderly cupped Esmeralda's face in her hands, stroking the fine cheekbones with her thumbs and watching Esmeralda's eyelashes flutter beneath her touch.

"Es... I want you to listen to me. I know this is hard for you - I KNOW, all right? It's killing me too... here," placing a hand over her heart. "And here," touching her temple. "But I also know... KNOW, Es, beyond a shadow of a doubt that when this is over we'll be together again. But you have to finish the job first, love - you can't leave Charisma and Brianna hanging like this. They deserve better."

"Give me your sword then - I'll go knock some sense into them."

Saphira laughed and Esmeralda's eyes welled with tears again at the sound. "Oh Es - if that would work, you'd be out of a job. And frankly, I'd never get done with mine." Saphira squeezed Esmeralda tight when she felt her light chuckle turn to harsh sobs.

"I can't do this, Saphira. I can't do this alone... not without you. Not knowing you're...." She growled and pushed up and away from Saphira. "How could you do this to me?? How could you just up and die and leave me here to do this by myself??"

Saphira rose to stand behind Esmeralda, close enough to touch, but not quite doing so. "It wasn't my choice to die, love. I'd never have chosen to leave you like that." She paused briefly. "Es, you're not by yourself - not on Earth and not in your heart. I'll always be there. And when you really, really need me, I'll be here too. We can't stay here," cutting Esmeralda off before she could voice that as her chosen option, "but we can spend a little time here together when you need to until your work is done."

"And when this assignment is finished?" knowing that He would determine her need.

"We'll see what happens when the time comes, Es. But I will always be with you… never doubt that."

Esmeralda stood stock still for a very long time, able to feel Saphira's warmth behind her as a tangible thing though they weren't sharing any physical contact. "I don't think I can do this, Phira. I don't think I can go on without you."

"You won't be, Es. Think of me as *your* Guardian Angel. You won't see me; you won't always feel my presence. But I will be right beside you until the job's done. And when you really, really need me, I'll be right here," she reiterated, needing for Esmeralda to understand and accept what she was saying.

"Saphira, I've never not needed you. I tried not to need you when you were simply banished, and it nearly killed me not to have you there. How is you actually being dead going to make this easier to bear? It just means there's no way for you to come home to me... ever again."

Saphira swore she could hear her heart breaking. She hadn't realized what a crisis of faith this was going to be for Esmeralda. She took a deep breath and slowly reached forward, allowing Esmeralda the opportunity to pull away. Saphira was gratified when Esmeralda purely melted into her.

They stood together like that for a while, absorbing the love and comfort they gave to each other. "Es, I want you to listen to me, all right?" waiting for the head tucked under her chin to nod. "Good, now - I don't know what His plan is exactly," smiling when she felt Esmeralda snort against her chest. "I know, but it had to be said because in my line of work I usually have some idea of what's going on and how things are supposed to play out, right? Right," Saphira answered herself immediately. "But, I do know that I get to keep an eye on things... and on you. I really am going to be your Guardian Angel until this mission is over with. But Es... you can't quit, okay? You can't just give up."

"Saphira...."

"Es, you're not alone. You still have Ruby and all the girls helping you out on the earthly plane and I'll be on call. You should know that this case has drawn quite a bit of attention elsewhere as well."

Esmeralda pulled back far enough that she could look Saphira in the eye. "How do you know that?"

Saphira shrugged. "I've talked to a few people."

Esmeralda growled. "I wish I knew what this whole thing was really all about. There has to be more to what's going on than what I've been told. Because I've never been handed a case like this in all my years as a clean-up angel."

Saphira tilted her head. "What makes this one different?"

"Everything!" came the gruff exclamation. "Nothing has been done like it should have. And you dying...." Esmeralda's voice trailed off. "How did that happen, Phira? You were an Angel of Vengeance - how did you die?? Why did you leave me??" her voice growing louder and more frustrated.

Saphira's lips covered Esmeralda's for a long time and Esmeralda clung to the strong body that held her. When Saphira felt Esmeralda relax against her, she gently eased the intensity of the kiss until they slowly separated without losing contact with one another.

"Es…."

"I'm sorry, love. I know you didn't choose this. I just... I don't understand it; I don't think I understand anything anymore."

"Maybe it's not about understanding, Sweetheart - maybe it's all about faith."

Esmeralda stood so still then that Saphira scrambled for the words to say to make Esmeralda breathe again. Before she could come up with anything suitable, however, Esmeralda sucked air in on a gasp and shook her head. "Do you really think it's that simple?"

Saphira shrugged. "I think it can be... if we let it."

"And we'll be together again when this is all over?"

"Once He determines things with Charisma and Brianna have reached their conclusion... whatever that may be at this point... yes. We will be together again."

Esmeralda sighed. "I'm not going to remember any of this when I return to the earthly plane, am I?"

"Not here, I'm afraid," touching Esmeralda's forehead with her own. "But here?" covering the strong heartbeat with her hand. "I think you'll have a measure of peace in your heart even if you don't know exactly why."

"I don't suppose you have any idea how much longer this is going to take do you?" frowning when Saphira shook her head. "Or what the outcome will be?" This time Saphira chuckled, and Esmeralda growled, even though Saphira could see a slight twinkle in her eye. "It's not funny."

"No, it isn't," Saphira agreed. "Not even He knows what the outcome will be at this point. Apparently, He didn't think that whole 'free will' thing through all the way before He gave it to humanity."

"Do you know how long we have here together before you have to go?"

"Until you understand. He'll let me know when it's time."

Before Saphira knew what was happening or could formulate a protest, she found Esmeralda in her arms taking them to the ground. Bemused blue met ferocious green as Esmeralda leaned down into Saphira's body.

"I understand enough. I understand that you're here and I'm here and everything else will wait for just a little while." Then she captured Saphira's lips and there was no more talking.

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

Charisma and Kay stood just inside the door listening to Esmeralda's slow, shallow breathing. They exchanged glances and Kay cocked an eyebrow. Charisma shrugged.

"Her breathing is a lot more shallow and a lot slower than it was when Brianna and I were in here a little while ago. If I didn't know better, I'd say she was dying. But I'm not a medical expert - what do you think, Doc?"

"I'd guess you were right. I told Okasa something like this was likely, but I didn't expect it to happen so soon. It thought she'd at least make it through the funeral... maybe even for some time after that. But this...."

"Wait - what do you mean you told Okasa? What exactly did you say to my mother?"