"I know, Es. And it's my own fault, so nothing for you to be sorry for. Can you kiss it and make it better like you did for Phira?" not seeing Saphira relax when she heard the familiarity roll from Amber's lips. But Esmeralda felt it and smiled.

"I can kiss and make it start healing - it's going to be a little uncomfortable for a bit, though. The bones still have to re-knit themselves whole again."

"I know," watching as Esmeralda ghosted her lips over her knuckles. "Thanks, Es."

"Anytime, Amber," Esmeralda offered, cupping Amber's cheek with her free hand. "Are you ready to go sit down and talk about this rationally?"

"Not really," she mumbled. "I'm still very angry." She sighed and carefully removed her hand from Esmeralda grasp. "On the other hand, we need to get this settled before the Father sends someone after us to return to the banquet. He seems kind of anxious to make His announcement... whatever it is."

Esmeralda gestured towards one side of the house, then reached back and took Saphira's hand, and together they joined Amber in the living room. They seated themselves across from her and waited for Amber to speak. Finally, Amber looked right at Saphira, staring into her eyes as though to divine the truth without speaking. When Saphira held her gaze without flinching, Amber nodded and spoke.

"Why, Phira? Why did you let us think you were dead? Why... how...?" She ran her fingers through her hair and groaned. "What were you thinking??"

Saphira waited another moment, wanting to be sure Amber was done before she started to speak. When she was satisfied, she nodded slowly and clasped Esmeralda's hand a little tighter. Then she cleared her throat and replied.

"I had very little choice once a course of action had been decided on," Saphira said. She held up her free hand before Amber could interrupt. "Es was dying, Amber; being kicked out of our home was killing her - I know you could see it," watching as Amber nodded her reluctant agreement. "I did what I needed to do to make her healthy again. I had no way of knowing I was going to die as a result... or that Es would follow because our bond was broken." Saphira drew a shuddering breath. "That wasn't actually something I was made aware of until after I was gone."

"And after? Phira, I know she couldn't find you in her dreams."

"My situation and yours were very similar, Amber. Just as you could not contact her without the Father's permission once you returned home, I was not allowed contact with anyone except Rudy and a couple other cherubs who occasionally stopped by the holding place where I was waiting. I was allowed to watch, but I couldn't interfere."

"To what purpose?"

Saphira shrugged. "We haven't been told."

"I still think it was a test of faith," Esmeralda chimed in.

"Whose?" Amber asked plaintively. "Because if that's the case, I think there was a lot more testing being done than just the two of you."

"I don't know," Esmeralda responded honestly. "I don't think we'll ever know if He decides not to share."

Amber sighed. "Did you really not know you were going to die?"

Saphira shook her head. "I had no idea. I sincerely apologized for the actions that got us banished, and acknowledged that I could have looked for other ways to handle the situation. The only thing I expected was to be offered forgiveness and a chance to come home. I knew Es would heal here."

"You admitted you were wrong?!?"

"Sort of, I guess... but not exactly," Saphira answered.

Amber chuckled. "It kills you to admit you made a mistake doesn't it?" ignoring the glare Saphira was sending her way. She laughed, but held up her hands in surrender when she felt Saphira shifting in frustration. She knew what that meant, and they were so close to putting this whole debacle behind them - she didn't want there to be more trouble. No amount of teasing was worth going through another mission like this one had been… EVER. "I'm glad it worked out, regardless of what you had to do to get it done. Next time, though - ask for a few more details and try to share them. I can speak for the whole team when I tell you none of us was thrilled to be left in the dark."

"If it makes you feel better, Amber, I was in the dark too until I got here, and even then, I didn't know everything. I still don't."

"Is your bond back?" Amber asked bluntly as she looked between the two of them, having little doubt of the answer, but wanting to hear it from them directly.

"From the moment I took my last breath on the Earthly plane," Esmeralda replied, her expression one of such joy, Amber couldn't doubt her words. "It's the reason I was smiling, Amber."

Amber snorted. "Yeah, you did seem suspiciously content. I, on the other hand...."

Esmeralda leaned forward and took Amber's undamaged hand in hers. "I'm sorry Amber. I didn't know...."

"I know. How could you?" She squeezed the hand covering hers lightly before releasing it. Then she slapped it on her leg and stood. "Now, what do you two say to us going back to that banquet? I'm pretty sure you're expected, and everyone is waiting for you to return before the Father makes his announcement." Her stomach growled, and she smiled sheepishly. "Besides, I'm starving. I haven't eaten in a while." She turned to Saphira. "We all right?"

Saphira gave her a cocky half-smile. "Aren't we always?"

Amber smirked and headed towards the door. "I dunno about you, Phira, but I'm usually spectacular."

"And modest," Saphira mumbled, though it was loud enough for Amber to understand her. Amber snickered.

"I don't need to be modest - I'm just that good." They laughed together and the tension fell away, then they headed back to the banquet.

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

The cheer that went up when they re-entered the banquet hall was deafening, and it caused the Father to leave His throne again to greet them once more. "Welcome back, ladies!" He said with His arms outstretched, garnering another round of cheers. "I trust everything is settled now?" giving Amber a significant look.

"Yes, Father," they replied together.

"Very good," gracing them all with an indulgent smile. "Come then - it is time for you to feast. Then I will tell you all a little story."

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

The Father had risen from His throne, but remained on the dais looking out at the vast company of Angels seated around as far as the eye could see. Saphira and Esmeralda had taken seats on the top step, but the rest had spread out on the golden floor, not wanting to impinge on whatever it was that the Father had in mind for Esmeralda and Saphira. The Father maintained His vigil for long moments, meeting the eyes of each and every individual in the room, grateful beyond measure for their unfailing loyalty in spite of everything. They watched the proceedings with interest, and as His eyes moved on to the next, the silence in the room grew to absolute stillness. Nevertheless, they were all thankful for the outstanding acoustics in the room when the Father began to speak in His normal, soft tone.

"My children," He began. "I know there has been a lot of confusion and hurt and even anger in your midst in recent days. And though none of you spoke out to Me about it, I am aware of the resentment and frustration many of you have felt. I assure you it was necessary.

When you have been a society for as long as we have, you reach a place where stagnancy and complacency become the way of life, and that will destroy you. For us, it has the tendency to destroy those that we are supposed to care for - not just each other... but our mortal charges as well.

"What happened between Brianna and Charisma should never have occurred. Their watcher grew lazy, and by the time he saw fit to notify us, it was too late." The Father took a deep breath. "I knew what was happening of course - that omniscient thing again - but given the rules we operate under, there was little I could do to change it... at least immediately.

When Saphira took matters into her own hands - when she broke the rules because she felt it was the right thing to do - she provided the opportunity that allowed us to send a team in to help Brianna and Charisma. However, since she was being punished for her rash actions, there had to be some consequence - she and Esmeralda were cut off from us and made human. I didn't do it to be cruel - I wanted to know how they would cope, living as humanity does."

He strode back and forth on the platform, aware that every eye in the room was following his movement. "I had a reason - actually, I had several reasons. Esmeralda believes it was a test of faith." He nodded. "I suppose you could look at it like that. A few of the Angels that served on this mission think it was some sort of experiment." He shrugged. "Perhaps, but not in the way any of you envisioned. I wanted to know how they would function with the unexpected - no real resources... able to count only on one another." He looked down at Esmeralda and Saphira and smiled.

"You two passed my wildest expectations, because it wasn't just the two of you for very long. You went out and made friends and found people who cared because you cared first. It was quite amazing to watch you create another family - one you hadn't been born to but that loved you just the same. And when you helped Brianna Walker that first time, with no thought of yourselves... providing for a stranger from what little you had because it was the right thing to do - that's when I sent the rest of the team in. I was confident you could pull off a victory with those two."

"But why didn't you give us the support we needed, Father? This all could have ended so much quicker with the same results if we'd just had...."