Saphira grinned at Esmeralda's shy admission and the tiny smile that accompanied it. "Yes," she admitted. "Yes, you are. And I suppose if they really need us...."

"They do. Trust me on this, Phira. It'll make a lot more sense when you meet Charisma."

"Yeah... what about that, by the way?"

"She's asked - she's very anxious to meet you. I just need to find a time that works." She hesitated. "Maybe I'll see if I can pin her down for some time next week. Since it's Friday, I doubt she'll be available for the next few days."

Saphira nodded. "Let me know. We'll work something out." She shifted until she was lying almost flat again. "So who else is here besides Ruby and Jas? And how do the rest feel about doubling up on their living space?"

"Well, to answer your second question first, I don't think they care - they're as glad to have the extra help as we are. As for who is here - Jas is gonna be Brianna's new driver; Jade and Mal are on 'whatever' duty until and unless Brianna sets up her own household. We'll make sure they are placed on her household staff if that happens. Indi will be in the office and Coral will be Amber's opposite... watching over her at night."

Saphira nodded. "Maybe this will give everybody a little breathing space, at least for a little while. Until Jade and Mal have something more permanent, they can rotate around and give each of the others a little time off to not be human." She looked at Esmeralda. "I never understood how wearing that was until I had to do it. How do mortals survive this stuff?" motioning around her.

"His grace," Es mumbled. "And true grit. He created them to survive, Phira." She turned into Saphira's body, cuddling up until she was lying on Saphira's chest. "I'm just glad we don't have to get up yet. I hadn't realized how tired I was until Ruby sent me back to bed."

"So we've got a little more time before we have to go rushing out of the house today?" Saphira asked quietly, her voice dropping into its deepest registers. Esmeralda shivered and tilted her head until her eyes met Saphira's. She gasped at the naked love and desire shining back at her from glowing blue eyes. Es reached up a hand and tenderly cupped Saphira's face - it had been an eternity since Saphira had let her see such raw passion in her expression... unwilling to guilt Esmeralda into more than she felt able to give during her recovery. She felt her own eyes start to glow in response.

"Yes," she replied briefly, letting her hand slide along the smooth skin of Saphira's face before tangling in her dark hair. Esmeralda felt the wicked smile form, only to find its twin in Saphira's expression. Without another word, she tugged Saphira's lips to her own, then there were no more words between them for a very long time.

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

"So what happened last night?" Esmeralda asked when they were once more curled comfortably around one another, blissfully sated. Saphira still had a couple hours before she needed to get ready for work, but there was still angel business to discuss. Saphira stretched and shifted around in the bed until she was laying flat on her back with Esmeralda wiggling into place beside her. "Better?" Es asked, tilting her head just enough to see Saphira's profile in her peripheral vision. Saphira glanced down at her and nodded.

"Yes, thanks," she drawled lazily, her rakish grin indicative of the fact that she was referring to more than just their current positions. Es blushed and Saphira's smile gentled. "I love you, ya know."

"I know," Es agreed readily. "It's very mutual."

"Lucky for me," Saphira mumbled. "Don't know what I'd do without you, sweetheart." She swallowed hard. "I'd be a lost soul like Charisma."

"So something *did* happen last night," Esmeralda stated with conviction. "Tell me," she commanded.

Saphira kept one arm firmly around Esmeralda's body, cradling her into her own warmth. The other arm she pulled up and tucked under her head, assuming what Es referred to as her 'thinking pose'. Saphira worried her lip as she marshaled her thoughts, then let out a deep sigh. "All right. I'll tell you what happened, but you need to understand that I'm the one who had the epiphany last night."

"Phira?"

"Hush, love, and let me tell it. Did Amber tell you what went on prior to my arrival?" Es shook her head. Saphira grunted slightly. "Figures."

"We only got into bare basics last night."

Saphira nodded. "All right... well, it seems that as soon as dinner was finished in the Tagherty household, Kent went into his study while Charisma put Adam down for the night. Then she went into her study, opened her safe and pulled out a well-loved photo album."

"*The* photo album?"

"Yes. She removed a single picture from the album and returned the book to the safe."

"What picture?" Es asked impatiently. Saphira chuckled in silence, only to let out a whoosh of air when Esmeralda smacked her on the belly before soothing the self-same spot. Saphira glared at her momentarily before relaxing into the soft touch.

"My word, you're an impatient little thing," Saphira teased after a moment. It was Esmeralda's turn to glare and Saphira squeezed her lightly in an effort to placate her. "I must have arrived not long after, because that was all Amber shared with me before she took off to head back here."

"Did you get a chance to look at the picture?" Es asked again, impatience tingeing her voice though Saphira felt her effort to control it. She nodded.

"I did." She paused and Es lifted her head, realizing immediately that Saphira was lost in her thoughts and not simply trying to tease her by drawing things out.

"Phira?"

Saphira blinked and shook her head. "Sorry. I was just...."

"...thinking," Es said with her. "I know. Share?"

"I will - it's part of this story actually. The picture Charisma had pulled from the album was one of her and Brianna. It was night and they were standing in front of the Trevi Fountain in Rome."

"Were their arms around each other?" Es asked knowingly. "Looking at the camera and grinning?"

"No," Saphira said, bringing Esmeralda's head up in surprise. "I don't think they were even aware of the camera at all." She bit her lip and Esmeralda waited silently. "Their foreheads were leaned together and their eyes were closed... or focused on their hands. It was hard to tell from my angle," Saphira added with a shrug. "I was afraid to get too close; I think Charisma could sense me."

Esmeralda frowned. "Really? That's...."

"I know. It was unnerving for me as well. That's never happened before."

"Why did you think she could?" Not doubting her mate's words, but Esmeralda was curious as to what had led Saphira to that conclusion.

"Maybe she's of gypsy descent; all I know is when I got close enough to see the photograph, her head came up and she looked around the room as though searching for something... or someone."

Esmeralda blinked. "That's odd. She's never given me any indication that she senses me as anything other than mortal."

"Because you've never been anything other than mortal around her, Es. You've never been near her as an angel."

Esmeralda nodded. "This is true. I wonder if it's happened to Amber."

"I dunno - she hasn't said anything to me, but it's not like I've seen her except in passing."

"Well, she hasn't said anything to me either, but I'm certainly going ask when I see her next."

Saphira glanced at the clock. "That should be fairly soon. She's probably out there drumming her fingers on the table waiting for you to get up." She made a face. "She's probably waiting for you to fix lunch." Saphira flinched when Esmeralda pinched her. "OW! What'd you do that for?"

"She could be cooking for us, you know."

Saphira shuddered visibly. "I hope not. I've seen what happens to people that eat her cooking... angel status not withstanding."

Esmeralda couldn't stop the laughter that howled from between her lips and Saphira grinned broadly, pleased with herself immeasurably. After a moment, Es straightened and drew a deep breath, shaking her head to compose her expression. "Thank you, love. I know we're pretty far afield of our original discussion, but I needed that. I needed this," motioning between them.

Saphira brushed a kiss over the top of Esmeralda's head. "So did I."

"So back to the picture.... How could they not have been aware of it? Someone had to have taken it, which means they had to have asked someone... given someone their cameras to take it."

"Doesn't mean they were aware that picture was being taken until after it was on film."

"True. Wonder if Brianna has a copy of it," Saphira mused.

"Maybe, but I'd be willing to guess she doesn't - it's not anywhere in her office anyway. The one of them at Trevi has the two of them facing the camera and grinning like crazy; it's on her desk facing her. She's the only one that can see it." Es shifted. "So tell me more about Charisma's reaction."

"It was... sad." Saphira paused thoughtfully. "Poignant. She sat staring at it for a long time - just looking; I'm almost positive there were tears in her eyes. Just before Kent knocked on the door, she trailed her fingers over it, though I'm not sure if she was just touching it as she remembered or if it was something more."

"So she knows."

Saphira nodded. "I'd say yes."

Esmeralda blew out a breath. "That could go either way."

"As to?"

"If Charisma knows how Brianna feels and she's at least acknowledged her own feelings to herself, then this will likely play out one of two ways. Either she will be hurt, but will need to forgive Brianna for leaving or she will be angry and will struggle to keep their interactions strictly profession and to a minimum."

"That's it?"

"Those are the typical human reactions to this sort of situations. But that is assuming she is aware of both her feelings and Brianna's."

"And if she isn't?"

"If she isn't aware of Brianna's feelings, she will be hurt. If she hasn't acknowledged her own feelings, she will be angry."

Saphira covered her face with her arm. "This is giving me a headache."

Esmeralda smiled sympathetically. "Those are just the basic hypotheticals. The fact is we don't have quite enough of the pieces in our hands yet to have a good idea of what's coming down the pipeline yet. Once I get a good feel for where Charisma is about all this, we'll have a better idea."

"Are you *certain* we can't just smack them around a little and make them resolve this now?" Esmeralda shifted and sat up, making a move to get out of the bed. She slid into her robe, only to feel Saphira's arms wrap around her. "Where you going?" Saphira mumbled into her shoulder.

"Yes, I'm certain," Es answered, patting the arms slowly rocking her side to side. "And I'm going to get a shower. Would you like to join me?"

Saphira was out of the bed so quickly, Esmeralda was nearly catapulted from the bed. She narrowed her eyes at Saphira who gave her a sheepish smile in return.

"Sorry."

Es held her gaze for another moment before she relented. "C'mon. We still need to eat before we go to work." Then they crossed into the bathroom and closed the door solidly behind them.

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

Amber was sitting at the table eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich when they exited their room, both dried and dressed and ready for work. She looked up and gave them the stink eye before turning her attention back to the newspaper she was reading without a word.

"What are you still doing up?" Esmeralda asked, glancing at the clock before pulling out a skillet. Saphira joined her and they rustled through the fridge together, pulling out ingredients for their lunch. They put things on the counter, then turned back to Amber, realizing she hadn't answered Esmeralda's question. Saphira cocked an eyebrow at her.

"Problem?"

Amber turned and looked at Esmeralda. "Are you all right?"

Esmeralda frowned. "Yes, why wouldn't I be?"

Amber took a deep breath. "No reason, I guess. I was just worried when I saw so many newbies headed out of here when I got in this morning... especially when I was told you were off limits. Ruby said you needed the rest."

"I did; I haven't felt this good in a long time, Amber."

Amber smirked. "I'll bet," watching the blood flush Esmeralda's face. "Don't mind your old sis, Es. It's just become natural to worry about you, and I'm tired after last night."