"Okay, Ruby... that's enough," Esmeralda advised beaming and holding up her hands. "I don't mind if you tell it, but you need to tell it all and in the right order," smiling when Ruby smirked and shrugged.

"You young people are no fun these day," drawing snorts from everyone in the room. "Where's the challenge in that?"

"Like we don't have enough of that around here already. Keep it up, Granny," Saphira warned. "You might find out what real kids these days consider fun to be." Before she could continue, the front door banged open and Jade blew in on a cold, stiff wind. Immediately everyone moved into action, making sure she got into the warmth beside the stove and had a bowl of hot soup in her hands. Esmeralda waited until Jade caught her breath before she spoke.

"Everything all right, Jade?" seeing her nod.

"Yeah," she replied after swallowing a mouthful of soup. "Wait'll you hear the stories I've got to tell."


Chapter XXXVIII

Esmeralda scrubbed her hands through her hair when Jade finished her telling. The girls had eaten and done up the dishes while they were listening, so now it was just a matter of choosing the next course of action. Saphira watched with troubled eyes as the hands moved from Esmeralda's scalp to her temples, gently rubbing in a circular motion as though to will away a headache. Without hesitation, she rose and stood behind Esmeralda, kneading the knots out of her shoulders.

"Es?" her concerned voice a bare whisper in Esmeralda's ear. Esmeralda patted one of the hands rubbing the side of her neck.

"I'm all right, Saphira. Just a bit of a headache. I never expected them to be so stiff and polite...."

"... and at the same time so antagonistic," Saphira added. "I know; neither did I. But it could have gone a lot worse. We were lucky Adam was here."

"How so?" Ame asked. "Did you find a story he liked that they could relate to?" wondering at the sudden burst of giggles seeming to afflict Esmeralda, Saphira and Ruby. She looked around, glad to note she wasn't the only one missing the joke and raised an eyebrow at them. "Would one of you like to let the rest of us in on it or should we start guessing?"

Saphira appeared to recover herself the quickest, and after a deep breath, she met Ame's eyes steadily. "Tell us about Adam... the Adam you know."

Ame scowled at the wording, but she held Saphira's eyes. "Um... well, he's a quiet child mostly. He reads a lot - or I should say, he loves to be read to and tries to read along. He has several learning video games he plays, but there are also blocks and paints and basketball. We take walks and go to the museum.... I'm not sure what you're looking for here Phira. He's a good kid."

"He is a good kid," Saphira agreed in all seriousness. "And we're really glad he was here today. He kept things from becoming impossible between Charisma and Brianna."

"And letting him streak naked through the kitchen screaming didn't hurt either." All eyes turned to Esmeralda and she shrugged. "It's the truth," rubbing her head again. "Let me give you the Angel's Notes version of our day, then I think I'm going to go lay down. I can't believe how stressful this day was." She turned to Saphira. "Wasn't it supposed to be easier for them with us around?"

Saphira bit her lip briefly. "I think it was, Sweetheart. But that doesn't mean it was supposed to be easier for us." She caught Ruby's eye and the subtle nod. "Why don't we let Ruby fill the girls in on what happened today? We're not gonna have a mad planning session tonight, are we?"

Esmeralda slowly shook her head. "I don't think so. Truthfully, I'm not really sure what more we can do at this point. It's basically up to them - we're just here for support if they need it."

"Okay, so let Ruby give them a quick rundown while I go start you a tub to soak in. I'm sure the girls won't mind hearing from Granny - she gives them their marching orders in the mornings."

"One of these days, Saphira," Ruby threatened with a grin. Esmeralda smiled tiredly at their banter.

"Sometimes, I don't understand how the two of you have managed to coexist for so many millennia. Then I realized you have to be in the same space to have to actually coexist and you two rarely are."

"The world is probably much better off," Ruby offered with a smirk and Esmeralda nodded. "Good - now that we have that settled, let your troublemaking half go run your bath and tuck you into bed. The girls and I need to head to bed in a little while too. Morning comes early you know."

"All right - thanks Ruby. If any of you think of anything...."

"We know where to find you, Es," Opal assured her with a shooing motion. "Now go!"

Esmeralda smiled and waved goodnight before entering the bedroom. Saphira gave everyone a last look, then shut the door behind them.

They waited until they heard the second door open and the water start running before they took their eyes from the closed door. But it wasn't until they heard the inner door shut and the water stop running that they finally looked to Ruby for an explanation.

"Get comfortable, girls," she commented. "This is gonna take a few."

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

"Will you join me?" Es asked softly as Saphira turned to make her way out of the bathroom. "I know it's small and we usually don't with a houseful, but...."

"But what, Es?"

"I need to feel you, Phira."

Blue eyes held green for a long moment, then Saphira nodded and stripped off her clothing before easing herself behind Esmeralda in the tub. It was a tight squeeze and not truly comfortable, but they managed and Saphira resumed the massage she had started in the kitchen. Esmeralda dropped her neck forward and sighed.

"That feels so wonderful," she murmured.

Saphira leaned forward and kissed the slim neck beneath her fingertips. "Yes it does," letting her lips tickle the soft skin and chuckling soundlessly when Esmeralda squirmed. "Now... you wanna tell me what's really bothering you, Sweetheart?"

"I'm not sure I can put it into words, Love. It just feels like everything is slipping away from me."

Saphira frowned and straightened up as much as the crowded tub allowed her. "In what way, Es? You don't mean me...?"

"No, Phira, no! You've been my one rock through this whole ordeal. It's everything else. There's Charisma and Brianna - both of whom I believe are beyond heavenly help at the moment, and yet they are still our responsibility until this thing reaches some sort of conclusion. Then there's Kent - who wasn't even considered enough of a factor in this at the beginning to warrant any sort of information on. We've got the girls who are scrambling and getting hurt - when at this point in the operation, we should all be either gearing up for the final push or packing up to go home."

"What else?" Saphira asked in her ear quietly when the silence went on for too long. "I know something else is eating away at you Es. What is it? Let me help."

"You can't, Phira. I don't think anyone can... except for Him." Esmeralda paused and took a shuddering breath. Saphira reached forward and instinctively brushed the wetness from Esmeralda's cheeks. "Something's wrong - and we both know it!" She twisted until she could meet Saphira's eyes in her periphery then continued. "I don't know what's wrong, but I do know everything isn't the way it's supposed to be either - not like it was before. I'm not getting better like I should."

Saphira nodded. "How do you feel?"

"Tired, mostly... like I haven't recovered my strength or my stamina." She clenched her hands into fists and slammed them into her thighs in frustration. "It shouldn't be like this, Phira. It shouldn't be taking so long for me to feel like myself again!" As quickly as it flared, her anger dissipated and Esmeralda curled into Saphira's body seeking comfort.

This Saphira could do easily, and she did so without hesitation. She brushed a kiss over the blonde head tucked awkwardly under her chin and rubbed her hands up and down arms that were chilly due to their exposure to the cooler air in the room.

Without warning, Saphira stood up and pulled Esmeralda with her. "C'mon," she offered, pulling the thick towels from the rod and wrapping them both up quickly. "The whole point of the hot bath was to get you warm and relaxed. You can't get warm with me in there with you, and you won't relax if I get out without you. So we'll both get out and go curl up in the middle of the bed. The blanket should have it warmed by now and we can relax together."

Esmeralda nodded, but didn't say anything else. She felt much like the tub, she thought idly as she watched the water whirlpool down the drain. Then Saphira was taking her hand and she put the metaphor from her mind as she followed her mate to their bed.

They curled up together in the center of the mattress, sighing in relief when the warmth of the heating blanket surrounded them. "This is nice," Esmeralda confessed.

"Um hmm," Saphira agreed, embracing Esmeralda firmly before she shifted them until she could look down into Esmeralda's eyes. Esmeralda cocked a questioning brow. Despite her concern and her rigid belief that something was seriously wrong, being held in the comfort of Saphira's arms made everything seem more manageable. She reached up a hand to trace the smooth planes and contours of Saphira's face and smiled gently when she closed her eyes to relish Esmeralda's touch.

"I love you," Esmeralda murmured, stunned by the look of sheer need and desire reflected in the blue orbs that were filled with love just for her.

"Oh Es - I love you too? so much. And I want you to understand something right now, and believe it if you never believe anything else, all right?" waiting for Esmeralda to nod. "Good. I want you to know that I do understand your frustration and aggravation with this whole healing process you're having to endure. And I'm so sorry about that," catching the fingers that would have covered her lips. "No, Es - the blame for that more than anything else lies strictly at my feet and I willingly accept that responsibility. I will spend the rest of our eternal days together trying to make that up to you. But beyond that," she added, holding up a finger and glowering to keep Esmeralda from interrupting, "I do believe... with all my heart... that you will recover from this, Es. It may take longer than we want it to or hope it will, but you will recover. And you know why?" watching the blonde head shake slowly. "Because He needs you, Es. He needs you almost as much as I do."

"You really think so, Phira?"

"Oh no, Love - I *know* so."

"What did I ever do to deserve you?" Esmeralda asked with a tender expression on her face. She raised her hands to cup Saphira's cheeks and gently stroke her cheekbones and brows.

Saphira arched an eyebrow. "As I recall, you hit me in the head with a mud ball," trying to look at least a little bit put out by Esmeralda's selective memory. But the twinkle in her eyes gave her away.

Esmeralda moved one hand to pop her lightly on the hip. "Brat!" she complained as she threaded her hands into Saphira's dark hair and pulled them closer.

"But you love me anyway," Saphira proclaimed as she leaned forward.

Esmeralda didn't bother to answer. She let her lips speak for her directly. Saphira got the message loud and clear.

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

"Okasa, pardon my bluntness, but have you lost your mind?! Do you know what you're asking of me?" Brianna jumped up from her spot on the couch and paced in front of the table that held the dreaded box. She glared at it briefly, then resumed her pacing, hands clenched together.

Okasa had taken a seat beside Brianna while she spoke. Now she leaned back into the far corner of the divan and watched Brianna pace, knowing she needed the release before there would be any calm, rational discussion between them - if it was still possible.

She and Patrick had discussed the possibilities on the trip down and though Okasa recognized this as one of the choices he'd laid out for her as the most likely response, it wasn't the one she wanted... or even hoped for.

"Brianna...." she started, then stopped immediately when Brianna help up an imperious finger.

"No, no," she scolded with a desperate smile. "You had your turn to talk, and I listened... just like I promised you I would. You don't get to talk anymore now."

"But Brianna...."

"Okasa - I'm not kidding. I'm still trying to decide whether to be furiously angry with you or unbearably hurt. The *only* thing you have going in your favor at the moment is that you came and talked to me about this instead of just giving the letters directly to Charisma."