"Yes MOM," Saphira lipped, but the suggestion made her eyes start drooping without her conscious permission. "You'll let us know...."

"If anything happens, you'll be the first to hear," Ruby assured her. "But in the mean time...."

"I'm goin', I'm goin'," Saphira protested sleepily.

"Good girl," earning her a menacing glare from baleful blue eyes, but before Ruby could do much more than chuckle, the eyes closed and Saphira's breathing evened out in sleep. Ruby watched them for a minute longer, then let herself out of the room. Then she went to the kitchen to see what she could make up for comfort food, wanting to have something ready for them when they got up. Maybe things would make a little more sense then.

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

Kent glowered at his watch as the train pulled into the station. Not for the first time did he wonder about his sanity in doing this. Still, he was convinced there was something going on with Charisma whether she would admit it or not and he wanted to know what it was. He figured he deserved that much truth.

He ran a hand over his face, wincing at the rough stubble. It made for good subterfuge, but it also made his face itch terribly. He grabbed his overnight bag and pulled his ball cap a little lower over his eyes, fairly confident he wouldn't garner a second look here, but unwilling to risk recognition either. Because despite everything he knew and everything he suspected, he still cared very much for Charisma... both as his wife and as the mother of his child. He had no desire to embarrass her or damage the reputation she'd spent years cultivating.

Kent crossed the street and unlatched the gate, walking directly to the garden house in the back even as he gave thanks for fraternity brothers who didn't ask questions. He let himself in, dropping his bag on the table and crossing to the coffeemaker to start it brewing. Then he headed for the bathroom to take a quick shower before heading to Charisma's.

He idly noted just how accurate that assessment was - while the Manhattan apartment was definitely his, the house here in Washington absolutely belonged to Charisma. Kent wondered how they had managed to stay together as long as they had... considering how completely separate their lives really were. Then he shook his head and stuck it beneath the running water to rinse the shampoo, hoping to drown out the thoughts what were starting to go round like a whirligig. There was nothing productive in continuing down that particular path... at least not right now.

By the time he was showered and dressed his coffee was ready and he poured himself a cup and stepped outdoors. It was still chilly, but not with the bite in the air that had been present the weekend before. Kent was grateful for that. He didn't want to wind up with frostbite while he was doing surveillance on his wife. That would be a hell of a thing to have to explain to anyone and Kent wasn't sure whether Charisma or the authorities would be worse... though he suspected that honor would fall to Charisma.

So he stood on the back patio, well-insulated against the cold with his hands wrapped around his coffee mug for added warmth. He could just make out a landmark or two in the distance and wondered again how he'd come to this. It wasn't that he hated the capital - it had a life and a vibrancy all its own. But it couldn't compare to the throbbing pulse that pounded through Manhattan like a living entity.

Still, if he was wrong, he would be happy to continue living here with his family - going back to New York for only short periods of time to work when the mood struck him. As Adam got older, that would probably be more frequently. He wanted to introduce his son to the wonder and magic of the City that more than anywhere else in the world was home to him.

With a sigh, Kent finished up the remainder of his coffee and returned indoors, rinsing out his cup and placing it in the sink before snatching up the thick leather coat and grabbing the keys from the table. Then he went to the garage and climbed into the tiny car his friend had loaned him and set off for the house he and Charisma shared here.

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

Adam ran into his mother's room and jumped on the bed, not landing *on* her, but near enough that she groaned at being jolted awake. He giggled and pulled the pillow away from her face, squealing when long fingers crept out from beneath the covers that swaddled his mother to tickle his sides unmercifully. After a minute or two, however, Charisma relented, knowing if she wasn't careful, Adam would end up having an accident in her bed. And she didn't want that for his sake as much as for her own.

She pushed the blankets down under her arms and pushed the hair back from her face, smiling when Adam scooted up the bed to help. Then he cupped her cheek with one small hand. "Br'anna come today?" he asked seriously. Charisma smiled softly at him.

"Yes, and Es and Saphira too."

"Good!" he exclaimed promptly. "When?"

Charisma turned to the clock, nearly groaning when she realized just how early it was. She grabbed Adam and tucked him in next to her. "Not for a little while yet. Maybe we should rest up before they get here."

Adam looked at her dubiously, then closed his eyes and yawned when she started rubbing his belly. It only took a moment, and he was sleeping again. Charisma stared unguardedly at his innocence for a long moment, then closed her eyes and joined him.

From her spot in the corner, Amber just shook her head and grinned.

***********

It really wasn't that much later when Charisma awoke the second time and she lay still wondering what had woken her. She listened carefully, but there was no sound to be heard other than Adam's breathing and the ceiling fan that whirred overhead. She sat up and stretched, then rose from the bed, tucking Adam in carefully before she moved to the bathroom to get ready for her day.

By the time she was done, Adam was awake and by the time he was ready, it was past time for breakfast. They made it downstairs and had a small bit of breakfast before Charisma bundled them up. Then they went outside to burn off some energy before their company for the day arrived.

It was to this scene that Brianna arrived. She had been hesitant to arrive too early, though Charisma had been less that forthcoming about an arrival time. All she'd been able to get out of the woman was 'come early and plan to stay past lunch'.

So she'd leisurely risen and eaten breakfast, checking email and looking over some notes from her friends and former colleagues. Then she decided a nice, decadent soak in the tub would go a long way towards helping her relax, and it had done so well, she'd almost fallen asleep in the water.

Still once that was taken care of, she really didn't have much to do without turning to work for a diversion, and more than anything, she didn't want to work today. So she put in a call to Jas and soon they were on their way to Charisma's for lunch.

Adam spotted her first and he didn't even hesitate. Instead he ran directly towards her, trusting her to make sure she caught him when he lunged for her.

"BR'ANNA!!" he shouted as he leapt into her arms.

"Hey, Little Man!" Brianna replied with a hug, holding him firmly as he latched on with both arms and legs. "How ya doing?" smiling when he laughed.

"GOOD!" Adam shouted and Charisma winced in sympathy with Brianna's, knowing how that hurt. Brianna kissed the top of his head and lowered him to the ground, expecting him to run back towards his mother. Brianna tilted her head at him when he held onto her hand.

"Adam?"

"Br'anna stay," he maintained with a fierce scowl. Brianna chuckled and tousled his hair.

"I'm staying, Adam. But maybe we should go over to your mom. She looks kind of lonely."

Adam didn't release her hand - instead he started pulling Brianna along with him, still screaming at the top of his lungs. ''MAMA!"

Charisma's eyes met Brianna's and they shook their head in reaction before chuckling. Charisma jerked her head towards the house and invited, "Would you like to go inside?"

Brianna bit her lip thoughtfully and looked around. "Not really," she confessed. "It's so nice out... unless Es and Saphira are inside and waiting for us?" she queried.

"Not at all. I told them to take the time they needed this morning. Es is looking tired again and I don't want to be the reason she's run down." Charisma shook her head. "I'm worried about her."

Brianna nodded. "So am I. I wish there was something we could do for them. They're good people - they been good friends."

"I know, but we both know they won't take charity." She met the green eyes studying her so intensely. "Maybe between us we can come up with a way to help that won't step on their pride too much."

"I'd like that," Brianna agreed.

Charisma nodded. "We'll work on it. In the meantime - DUCK!" Charisma yelled with a laugh, but not quickly enough for Brianna to evade the large plastic rubber ball that hit her squarely in the back of the head. She stuck her tongue out at Charisma, then turned to find Adam standing behind her laughing. She grabbed the ball from where it had rolled, and slowly started stalking him with an evil smile. Adam took one look at her face and screeched, running as fast as his legs would carry him to hide behind his mother.

Charisma's eyes widened when she saw Brianna's focus change and she took off running, severely hindered by the child she now carried in her arms. Brianna took that into account as she gently lobbed it in their direction, hitting both mother and son in the face before she took off running in the opposite direction.

Adam howled in laughter. Charisma just looked gobsmacked by the fact that Brianna had actually *deliberately* hit her with the ball. She set Adam down on his feet and whispered in his ear. Then her expression turned feral and she snatched up the ball while Adam went running after Brianna.

It was SO on.

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

There was much screaming and hollering that could be heard all the way to the gate when Turq pulled up in the car. She exchanged glances with both Esmeralda and Saphira, then drove through and up towards the house. When they arrived, they shared looks again, but these were filled with mirth.

In the middle of the lawn were two sprawled bodies with Adam running back and forth between them. He was bouncing the ball off of each of them in turn, laughing and shrieking every time one of them reached for him, then scampering back to the other. When he saw the car, he dropped the ball and ran towards it.

"ADAM!" both Charisma and Brianna screamed, but they were too far away to do anything but watch.

Saphira was out before Turq could stop, yanking him out of its path and into her arms without missing a beat. Turq slammed on the brakes where she was and waited for her heart to slow before she put the car in park and slid out from behind the driver's seat to help Esmeralda out.

"You all right?" she asked, sotto voce. Esmeralda merely nodded. They turned to Saphira who held Adam and she nodded as well. Then they all turned to find Charisma and Brianna running back up the hill, and Saphira placed Adam in Charisma's arms as soon as she reached them.

"Everyone all right?" she asked after hugging Adam tightly for a moment. When she got affirmatives from everyone, she turned to Saphira and Turq. "Thank you... both of you," she said on a shaky breath. "I don't know what I would have done...."

"Don't think about it, Ri," Brianna instructed. "Nothing good can happen going down that road."

"She's right," Esmeralda stated firmly.

Charisma took a deep breath and nodded, then she cleared her throat. "Shall we go inside for a while, then? I thought we'd have fondue for lunch."

"That sounds lovely," Esmeralda assured her with a smile. "I love fondue and it will give us plenty of time to visit with each other."

"And before you ask," Charisma assured them all with a shaky smile. "Adam is getting a PB&J - it's his favorite."

"Mine too," they all agreed and headed inside chuckling.


Chapter XLIV

"Senator Tagherty?" Turq's voice made them all pause and turn back to find her still standing next to the car. Charisma crossed to meet her, extending her free hand to Turq who accepted it with alacrity, squeezing it briefly before releasing it again. "Is there anything else, Senator?"

"Oh... God no, Turq. What you did...."

"I'm glad I was able to, Senator. Are you certain there's nothing else I can do? Perhaps call Ame?"