Brianna chuckled deprecatingly. "Maybe a little. Maybe I just want... a lot."

"It's okay to want, Brianna. And if it helps, I'm wanting for you too."

"I'll take all the good vibes I can get at this point."

"And if you want to talk...."

"That goes both ways, Es. I'm pretty sure I would have gone screaming back home before I even got settled here if not for you and Saphira, so don't hesitate to ask if you need anything, all right? I'd like to think I can be the kind of friend that doesn't forget about their friends no matter what else is happening in my life."

"Thank you, Brianna. You'll never know how much...."

"That's okay - I'm pretty sure you won't either. But I'll always appreciate it. Now c'mon. It's time to get out of here."

"But my work...."

"... will wait until tomorrow. It's not like I'm an exceptionally messy person, and you've done enough for one day. I'm sure it will all be here tomorrow for you to take care of, and if it makes you feel better...." Brianna lifted the shredded trash and dropped it into Esmeralda's cart. "There - all done."

Esmeralda laughed and shook her head. "All right, Senator. I can take a hint. You must have a hot date tonight."

Brianna flushed. "Not quite, but I am looking forward to a phone call," matching Esmeralda's smile with one of her own. "And I'm not leaving you here alone tonight. So let's go... chop, chop."

Esmeralda couldn't argue, so she laughed and put things away, then together they walked out of Brianna's office. Tomorrow would definitely be another day.


Chapter CV

Brianna was comfortably propped up in bed, sipping a cup of hot chocolate and looking over some notes from her editor when the phone rang. She couldn't stop the smile that crossed her face when Charisma's name flashed on the screen. Still she was careful to greet Charisma warmly without giving away a hint of the racing heart she could feel beating in her chest.

"Hello, Charisma."

"Hey, Brianna Brianna. You wouldn't happen to want to help me dispose of the dead bodies that will soon be occupying my house, would you?"

Brianna's brows popped into her hairline, but she couldn't halt the snort of laughter that escaped her throat. "Do I even want to ask?" hearing Charisma shut a door and wondering where she was that she was just closing everyone out.

Charisma sighed. "My brothers - you remember them right? Tall, annoying... law enforcement personnel - yes, well they decided that the family needed a little levity after the funeral and wake yesterday. So they utilized those illegal skills they have acquired as police officers to pick the lock on my office door," moaning slightly when she stretched out on the bed.

"Oh dear," Brianna murmured. "Toilet paper?" she asked sympathetically, remembering when the boys had decorated their apartment like that after having helped them move in senior year.

"If only," Charisma lamented and sighed again. "Silly string."

Brianna laughed even as she groaned aloud at the visual. "They didn't!"

"Oh yes they did. Mama is standing in the doorway with a broom as we speak, directing their clean-up of the mess. I'm pretty sure they're going to have to replace a couple pieces of furniture."

"Yea for Mama," Brianna commented, setting her cup on the bedside table and pushing her editing to the far side of the bed.

"Yes, and speaking of...."

"I'll try," Brianna cut in.

"You don't know what I was going to say."

"Sure I do, Charisma. We may be just starting to learn about one another again, but Mama hasn't changed in twenty-five years... not about some things anyway. You were going to tell me that I need to try to come over again before the family leaves."

"Too damn smart for your own good," Charisma mumbled, smiling when Brianna's chuckle came across the line. "So tell me about H.A. Fontana."

"There's not much to tell, really - I found that giving up writing was harder than I thought it would be. I was... distracted from my day job because of the stories I wanted to tell. And losing you - Fontana was a way for me to remember without it being too personal, because I could make the stories about the characters instead of us. And it fulfilled my need to write."

"So Mac was right then - you should have become a writer."

"Mac was right," Brianna agreed with a smile in her tone. "I wrote and told him about it a long time ago. He was gracious about it - he never said 'I told you so'; he just asked for a first edition of each book and tickets to the premiere when... *if* it goes beyond the book."

"Do you think they will?"

"There's been talk," Brianna admitted. "But talk is all it's been for a while. It doesn't matter right now though. I don't have time for it to be more than it already is."

"Maybe someday?" Charisma's voice a little wistful.

"Maybe."

"And your pen name? That came from our European trip, didn't it?"

"It did indeed - some of my fondest memories are tied up in that name."

"Mine too," Charisma confessed. "Did you talk to Es?" feeling Brianna's hesitation. "I know she's a wonderful confidante, Brianna, and I'm not asking you to spill secrets. I was wondering how you thought she was doing."

Brianna tilted her head thoughtfully even though Charisma couldn't see the action. "I think... you know, I'm not really sure. Part of me wants to believe she's going to get through this despite everything, and another part of me wonders if that's even possible. I've never met two people so in tune with one another before."

"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.