"Maybe... but a please would have gone a long way."

Saphira snickered, biting her lip to keep it from becoming full-fledged laughter. "Maybe you should ask about instituting manners training for those that don't interact with mankind like you do. I don't think they appreciate the niceties like you do."

"A little courtesy doesn't hurt."

Saphira held up her hands in surrender. "No argument from me, Love. The world would be a much nicer place if everyone felt the same."

Before Esmeralda could make any kind of retort, the gates pushed open and Rudy was beckoning them inside with a broad smile. "Welcome home, you two," he said quietly. Then they crossed the threshold and entered a cacophony of sound that was nearly deafening. Their hands tightened around one another and moved forward together. It was time to return to the Family.

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

Their laughter wound down and Charisma looked around. "I'm glad we did this again. I just wish we could get Es to join us. I think it would do her a world of good."

Kay sighed. "You know she's not going to get better, Charisma - right?"

"You can't know that," Charisma ground out, trying desperately not to lash out at Kay in anger. If Brianna was going to remain in her life - and Charisma was determined to make that a permanent fact sooner rather than later - then she needed to stop resenting Kay and try to be friends with her. But it was really hard... especially now when Kay was the voice of reason telling Charisma something she definitely didn't want to hear. And despite what she'd told Adam only a couple weeks before, Charisma didn't want to believe that Esmeralda was dying.

"I can... and I do," Kay said with resignation. Some days she hated her job, and today was the epitome of that emotion. "I don't want to be right, but this is what I do for a living, Charisma. And Es is so honest she's an easy read. Her will to live died when Saphira did - it's simply a matter of her body catching up with her soul."

"That's not...."

"Fair? Right?" Kay asked sympathetically. "Maybe not from our point of view. But we're selfish and want to keep Es with us for as long as possible. But from her point of view it's not right or fair that she's had to be apart from her mate for so long. The best we can do is spend as much time with her as we can manage so her last memories are of being with family who loves and cares for her."

"That's hard when most of us are in another state," Okasa commented. Kay nodded her concurrence. "We'll do the best we can... keep doing these bi-weekly get-togethers for whatever time we have left with her." She looked at Kay. "Do you have any idea...?"

Kay shook her head. "There's no way to tell. Unlike a physical ailment, there aren't any monitors we can hook her to or any reading we can take. It all depends on how strong her will is, and I don't think Es' will is very strong as far as this goes. She's been worn down by so many other things for too long."

"I wish I knew how to contact her family - Amber and Ruby. They just disappeared after the funeral, and although Es was understanding about it, I know it hurt her," Brianna said.

"Maybe we should ask for her contact information when we see her again - you know... just in case. If something happens, we need to be able to get in touch with them," Charisma remarked and the rest dipped their heads in accord.

"Do we want to go over again tomorrow?" Okasa asked. "We don't want her to feel like we're smothering her."

"Mama?" The voice from the doorway caused all four women to snap their heads around and Brianna patted Charisma's hands and rose before Charisma could move. She walked to the doorway and knelt next to him. Adam threw his arms around her neck and she lifted him into her arms and stood.

"Hey Little Man - aren't you supposed to be in bed?" He yawned and rubbed his eyes furiously. "Did you have a bad dream?" He shook his head as much as he could with it tucked under her chin and Brianna frowned. "Then what's wrong, Son?" not noticing the smiles her choice of address brought to the three faces watching in concern.

"Angel said...." He yawned again and smacked his lips. "Angel said Es with Phira now. Es happy again," he reported, snuggling deeper into Brianna's embrace. She tightened her hold, even as she turned her alarmed gaze to the others in the room. They stood almost as a single unit and approached her from all sides. She leaned her head down and whispered into Adam's ears.

"Adam? Son, can you hear me?"

"Love Br'anna," he mumbled, but didn't open his eyes. Brianna sighed, but a nod from Charisma made her whisper again.

"Adam, when did you talk to the Angel?" But the only answer they got from him was the soft, even breaths of sleep. She looked at Charisma and shook her head. Charisma looked at Kay and Okasa before returning her attention back to Brianna.

"I think we should go check... just in case. How about if Kay and I go?" Brianna started to object, then realized Charisma might want to talk to Kay privately. And as nervous as that made Brianna, she knew they needed to form their own friendship outside of her if they were ever to become truly comfortable together - something she and Kent were going to have to work on as well.

"All right," she acquiesced. "Okasa and I will tuck Adam back into bed. Call when you get there?"

Charisma leaned over and brushed their lips together without thought, then froze. She hadn't intended their first kiss to be so casual... or in front of an audience. "Um...."

"Go," Brianna commanded. "We'll talk about that when you get home."

"Um...."

Kay snickered and turned Charisma towards the door. "C'mon, Senator. I'm pretty sure you want to have that conversation as soon as possible - in great length and with enthusiasm. The sooner we get your brain cells back on track and see about Es, the sooner you can come home and try that again without your son between you and an audience around."

"Kay," Brianna said sternly. "Stop teasing Charisma and go check on Es. One of you call us once you know something."

Kay frowned but bobbed her head as she and Charisma made their way to the garage. "I'd forgotten how bossy she gets," she muttered as she climbed into the passenger seat. Charisma chuckled.

"It's good to know some things never change." Then she pulled out of the garage and turned the SUV towards Esmeralda's house.

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

The house was dark and silent when they arrived, and they stared at one another with apprehension before exiting the SUV and walking to the door. Charisma knocked and rang the bell, but there was no response. Kay took her phone out - they could hear the phone inside ringing, but there was no sound to indicate anyone was home to answer it. They looked at one another before Charisma lifted the potted plant neat the door to swipe the extra key.

"Are you sure, Charisma?"

Charisma nodded. "Yes. Something's not right - we both know that. If Es is just sleeping deep, she'll forgive us; if not, we need to know."

"All right," Kay said, stepping aside. "You want me to...?" Charisma shook her head.

"No. I think this is something I need to do," sliding the key into the lock and opening the door. "Es?" she called out. "Es? It's Charisma. It's Charisma and Kay." They poked their heads into the living room and the kitchen before reaching the bedroom. The minute Charisma opened that door, they knew. But they crossed to the bed so they could check to be sure, tears welling when they saw the smile that graced Esmeralda's face in death.

"I think she found Saphira," Kay commented as she put the phone to her ear. Charisma nodded but didn't answer, then Kay's attention was taken explaining the situation to Brianna. "Don't speed," Kay cautioned Brianna. "We'll be here, but you need to get here safely, all right?" nodding when Brianna replied in the affirmative. Kay hung up and turned to Charisma. "Okasa is going to call the authorities in a few minutes and she's going to stay with Adam. Brianna is on her way over, and I'll head out when she arrives. I figure the two of you would like to say goodbye alone."

"Thank you," Charisma said quietly. "Thank you for understanding, and for.... I want you to know that I'm trying, Kay. I know you're important to Bri and that makes you important to me. I would like to try to be friends, but you're going to have to be patient with me. I'm selfish sometimes and I don't share very well - I never have. And I don't always like being told the truth... even if it's something I need to hear."

Kay smiled. "Do you love her, Charisma?"

"Heart and soul, Kay."

"That's all I need to know. The rest we can figure out as we go along." She saw bright lights turn into the drive. "Gotta go." She walked down the steps and intercepted Brianna, taking her keys and whispering something before getting into Brianna's vehicle and leaving. Brianna met Charisma in the doorway, and they embraced for a long moment before Brianna stepped back slightly and grasped Charisma hand.

"C'mon. Time to say our goodbyes before this place becomes a circus."


Chapter CIX

They walked to Esmeralda's bedside still holding hands, then Brianna dropped to her knees and Charisma released her hand, though she kept a hand on one shoulder. Brianna put both hands over Esmeralda's cooling ones, shivering when the reality of her death settled in the pit of her stomach. A tear rolled down her cheek, and Brianna let it fall, keeping her focus on the happiness and peace so clear on Esmeralda's face.

"Hey, Es," she said softly. "I know you're with Saphira - I can tell by the expression on your face. You look really happy to be wherever you are, so I hope we're not interrupting anything, but we wanted to say goodbye privately." Brianna paused and inhaled slowly. "You and Saphira were good friends, Es, and I'm not really sure I would have survived very long in this place without your friendship in my life. So thank you - thank you both so much. You were amazing, and I'm glad I got the chance to know you both." She sniffed and blew out a shaky breath. "Be happy, Es. We'll miss you."

"Thank you, Es," Charisma whispered before Brianna could shift from her position on the floor. She clenched the shoulder under her hand slightly, feeling Brianna cover that hand with one of hers and smiling at the warmth that followed. "For everything - your friendship; your faith; your encouragement and your love. You'll never know the true difference you made in my life - in the lives of everyone you touched. But we will, and we'll never forget. God bless you, Es. I hope you and Saphira enjoy happiness together in whatever eternity you share."

Brianna stood slowly and Charisma slipped behind her and slid her arms around her waist. Brianna didn't hesitate, but leaned into Charisma and covered her arms in a kind of reverse hug, sighing silently at just how right this felt. And she wondered if Esmeralda could see them - if she was happy for them. She looked at the smile again that Esmeralda wore and knew it for the truth.

"Kay thought Es must have found Saphira too," Charisma whispered into Brianna's ear. "Despite everything, that makes me happy... knowing they're together again. Because I know how wonderful that feels - to be reunited with the one you're meant to be with forever."

Brianna stiffened slightly, but before Charisma could react to her response, Brianna turned in Charisma's arms, and Charisma locked her arms around Brianna's waist. Not tightly, but enough to prevent her from leaving Charisma's embrace prematurely. To Charisma's surprise, Brianna didn't hesitate or try to pull away - instead, she wrapped her hands together behind Charisma's neck.

"Do you mean that, Charisma?"

Blue eyes studied green intently and the gaze was returned stare for stare. Charisma leaned their foreheads together so their eyes were forced to cross to keep one another in focus. "So much, Bri. I know it's taken me forever to get here, but the last few months have shown me so much I refused to see before - how much I missed you when you were out of my life; how glad I am to have you back... even as just my best friend again; how amazing you are and how much we have both grown while still remaining at our cores the women we were in college. But mostly I've learned how very much I love you, and just how right that feeling is." She lifted her head and looked in the direction of the bed where Esmeralda still rested in the peace she'd found in death. "If it was anyone else, I'd probably feel very weird about making this kind of confession by their deathbed, but it seems right that Es be witness to this. After all, she bears some of the responsibility for bringing us back together." Charisma looked back at Brianna, and wondered how she could ever have missed the look of love and devotion staring back at her. "I love you, Brianna Walker... so much. I'm sorry it took me so long to get to this point, but thank you for being patient with me. Thank you for giving me another chance."