"Neither have I. But I didn't get the same sense of despair I felt right after Saphira died. I just wish I knew if that meant she was dealing with her loss or if she's just numb to it all."

"This close in, I'd have to go with the numb theory myself," Brianna stated. "I don't see how she could make peace so quickly," thinking of her own experience with Charisma.

"Good point," Charisma agreed. "Well, we'll try to keep an eye on her. Would you be interested in going to Angel's after work one night this week? Maybe we could get Es to go with us - I don't think she'll ever go back there alone and Matilda's going to want to look after her as well."

"Sure," Brianna agreed. "Wednesday night, maybe? I think that is pot roast night, and Joe does a killer pot roast."

"Sounds good." Charisma yawned. "Your turn to call tomorrow night."

"You betcha," Brianna said with a laugh. "Get to bed, Charisma. Tomorrow is another day."

"Thank you, Scarlett," Charisma replied drolly before she yawned again. "Night, Brianna Brianna."

"Happy dreams, Ri."

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

A storm broke that night and with the falling of the rain, the cold of winter became the chill of spring, and no one was happier to see that change than Esmeralda. It gave her hope that she might one day soon get to see the blooms of home once more. She looked for Saphira in her dreams, hoping she might know when that might be, but Esmeralda drifted into a deeper sleep without ever finding their dell. She wondered when the Father would deem her need for Saphira necessary to fulfill again.

So it wasn't hard to get Esmeralda to agree to go to dinner with them - Brianna called Matilda who in turn called Esmeralda to let her know she was expected. Esmeralda wanted to be mad at the interference from both of them, but she was so lonely with the house empty and everyone gone that she accepted the mandate without argument. And Brianna and Charisma carried on so that she couldn't fault them or Matilda for being so obvious.

The first weekend, both Brianna and Esmeralda spent most of Saturday at Charisma's house at Mama's behest. The children were thrilled to have Brianna among them again, and claimed her almost as soon as she walked in the door. Mama, on the other hand, took possession of Esmeralda and the rest simply followed behind.

That day was renewing for Esmeralda, and if she couldn't find Saphira at all in her dreams, at least she had the love and caring of the human family that had adopted them. And the love and attention they lavished on her that day reminded her that there were still good things in the world to be thankful for. Seeing the looks on their faces knowing that Brianna had returned to them - watching the shy glances stolen between Brianna and Charisma when they thought no one was looking was a bonus; it made her heart glad that there was good coming from the tragedy that had befallen her.

Esmeralda had always looked forward to the evenings she worked - it meant conversation with her colleagues and the Senators she worked for. But now it was her lifeline... practically the only interaction she had with others, and she appreciated it in a way she hadn't when Saphira had been her life. The nights were the hardest because that's when she was alone, and many were the nights that she cried herself to sleep, hoping to find Saphira in her dreams, and always being disappointed when she wasn't to be found.

Still she tried to keep the faith like she had promised - wondering what was behind this whole debacle and hoping the Father had gotten whatever conclusion He had been looking for.

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

In the next few weeks after the Tagherty family returned to their homes, things settled into something of a routine for Charisma and Brianna. At least one of them stayed late every night to talk to Esmeralda, and some nights both of them did. Wednesdays they all went to the diner to share a late meal with Joe and Matilda and Esmeralda always hugged them all before leaving. It wasn't the same as hugging Saphira, but she craved the contact just the same and was thankful beyond measure that each of them was willing to provide her with such comfort.

Brianna and Charisma spoke on the phone every night - sometimes briefly, like Wednesdays when they were together until late. Sometimes they talked for an hour or more, gossiping and giggling about things they had seen or heard during the day. But they took turns calling - it was like their own inside joke - the only person who knew how much they both anticipated this interaction was Esmeralda.

Their days were filled with work, and though they saw one another at some point during the day several times a week, things were no longer forced between them. They had yet to share lunch, but that was due mostly to conflicting schedules than them trying to avoid one another. They were hoping to find time to schedule lunch together before they finished this session, but they had already determined to let it happen instead of making it.

Laura Maxwell seethed over their interaction while Scott Patterson watched with interest. Something had changed between them, and he wanted to know what it was.

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

"So what's the story?" Patterson asked Brianna as he sidled up to her one afternoon on the way to yet another committee meeting. Her eyebrows went into her hairline and she looked at him in confusion.

"I'm sorry - what's the story about what?" shifting the papers she'd been reading until they were clutched against her chest.

"You and Tagherty. There's a weird vibe... not like before, but just...." He let it lie, hoping she would take the hint and answer without him having to elaborate further. Brianna just shrugged.

"I don't know what to tell you, Scott. Charisma and I are friends."

He snorted. "You were friends before, but you could cut the tension with a knife. Since she and her arm candy husband separated, however...." His eyes widened and his jaw dropped and Brianna would have laughed at the picture he made had there not been a ball of dread growing in the pit of her belly. "You two are screwing around together, aren't you?" laughing aloud at the delicious irony of it all. This knowledge - true or not - would make impossibly easy to unseat Charisma from the untouchable golden throne she occupied. His laughter was cut off in conjunction with his stumble as Brianna jerked him by the arm into a quiet corridor. She sent her staffers ahead with a nod of her head, and his followed without hesitation. Patterson chanced to wonder how someone of her stature had managed such a feat, then his attention was taken by her words.

"Mr. Patterson," Brianna's voice low and deadly. "I'm not sure what your issue with Charisma Tagherty is, and I frankly don't care. Charisma and I are friends and that is all you need to know and understand. We have been friends since we were roommates in college. Anything more than that would be sheer speculation on your part and I don't like it when rumors start floating around about me." She gave him a look. "Are we clear?"

"And what's to stop me from...?" he gasped out, only to choke when her hand tightened around his arm painfully and she poked him hard in the chest with her other hand, causing him to wince. He wondered how it was that there was no one in the hallway to witness this assault. At that moment, she released him unexpectedly and went about straightening his tie while he tried to read her fierce expression. Then his attention was taken by her words once more.

"Mr. Patterson, if any kind of speculation or hearsay was to come out about this from you - and believe me... I'll know where the leak comes from - I guarantee you'll never see re-election. I have tried being polite and cordial while I've been here because I don't want to make enemies I don't have time to deal with, but if you want to play hardball, bring it. Just be aware that the gloves will come off and I don't play fair - I do, however, play to win."

He looked at her askance. "Did you just threaten me??"

"Not at all, Scott," picking up the papers she'd let fall when she'd needed to make her point more forcefully. "But if you think I'm going to let you destroy something that Charisma has worked her whole life for because of your petty jealousies and insecurities, let me just remind you of Trevor Carlson," smiling in satisfaction when Patterson's face went ghastly pale.

"How do you...?"

"I told you - all bets are off. So you need to think very carefully about how important your career and your marriage and life as you know it is to you. I will ruin you."

"You're bluffing," straightening his stance until he could look down at her. She smirked at his power play and stepped right into his personal space.

"Wanna bet?" she asked with a smile. Then her phone rang. "Gotta go," she threw over her shoulder as she headed back towards the committee room. "Yes, Indi?" was the last thing Scott Patterson heard before she walked out of hearing. He leaned against the wall for a long moment trying to calm the thrumming of his heartbeat, only to jump in surprise when he felt his phone vibrate against his chest. He grabbed the device from his coat pocket and pushed off the wall to head back towards his office.

"I know I'm late, Murray. Tell them to start without me - something's come up. Take good notes for me." And he pushed the off button and jammed it back into his pocket, missing the days when he could slam a cover closed or a receiver into its cradle. It would have been a much more satisfying way to relieve some of the stress he suddenly felt.

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

"You're quite the celebrity," Esmeralda commented with a small smirk when she entered Brianna's office much later that evening. "I don't know what the Senators have heard, but the lower echelon is buzzing about you putting Senator Patterson in his place."

Brianna scrubbed a hand over her face and sighed. "What're they saying?" watching as Esmeralda started her cleaning routine around the office.

"Just that it was about time someone gave him his due - he's not particularly well-liked by the lower levels because of his superior attitude. Most of them are dying to know what you said to him to make him cower."

Brianna frowned. "If they don't know what was said, how do they know what happened?"

Esmeralda turned and met Brianna's eyes. "His staff and yours were both aware of the altercation that took place in the hallway this afternoon; and apparently he missed the rest of his day sitting in his office brooding. Talk is that you um... handed him his ass... is the quote I got the most."

"I told him to mind his business." Brianna swiveled to face the crystal frame, staring at the picture she had replaced the original with. It was Charisma's shot of the two of them in front of Trevi Fountain and the feelings she'd felt that night shot through her again. "Do you think I'm crazy, Es? Trying to protect her from rumors and speculation? We've only been working at being friends again for a few weeks... a couple months at most and people are already talking."

"Let them talk," Charisma instructed from the doorway, startling Brianna and Esmeralda from their conversation. Charisma pushed off from the doorjamb and sauntered into the room. Esmeralda continued working but moved to the periphery so she was only an observer. Brianna leaned back in her chair and studied Charisma as she leaned against the desk facing her.

"Charisma...."

"Brianna," Charisma replied, crossing her ankles and leaning back on her arms. "I knew when I asked for this chance with you that there was every likelihood that people would start talking about us sooner or later. They did in school for a little while too, remember? Eventually no one even thought twice about it and just assumed we came as a matched set. We're friends, and even if... *when* that changes to something more... we're not doing anything wrong, are we?"

"No... no - of course not," reaching out a hand and twining their fingers together when Charisma extended her own. "I just don't want you to resent me when... *if*… your career falls apart over this. And it's hard for me to believe that you'd be willing to give up everything you've worked for...."

"...after living in denial for twenty-some odd years?" Charisma asked with a sad smile, closing her eyes when Brianna nodded her head as tears sparkled in her eyes. "I considered this possibility, Brianna, and even though it took me twenty years to get here, I'm willing to take the risk because I want...." She paused and glanced at Esmeralda who had continued to clean. "Es?" watching the blonde head pop up and green eyes focus on her. "Do you remember when you first came back to work after your illness - right before Brianna came to town?"