"Make sure you keep it," he warned with a smile. "You know we'll both hear about it if you don't."

"Worse," Es countered with a grin. "She'll sic Saphira on me."

"True. Here comes your boss - have a good night."

"You too," she replied as she walked away from security to be intercepted by Rick. She noted the frown on his face. "Something wrong, Rick?"

He pinched his lower lip even as he accompanied Esmeralda to the supply closet that held her cleaning cart. He observed her checking everything, making sure she was fully stocked before starting her cleaning rounds. When she realized Rick still hadn't responded, she faced him, arching an eyebrow and putting her hands on her hips.

"Rick?"

"Senator Tagherty is in quite a mood. Just watch yourself, huh? I'd hate to see anything happen to you."

Esmeralda nodded. "I will. Who knows... maybe she'll be gone by the time I get to her office."

"We'll hope so. You call me if you have any problems, all right?"

"I will, Rick... thanks."

Rick gave Esmeralda a nod, then left her to start her rounds. She wondered what Charisma had done to warrant her being warned not once, but twice about her mood. She hoped she'd get a chance to talk to someone on the team assigned to Charisma before she reached the Senator's office.

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

Opal stepped from the office the second she heard Esmeralda walk by the door. At the moment she was thankful for the respite she'd been given, as she had been the main target of every outburst Charisma'd had since she'd walked into the office that morning. It was just as well, she reasoned - the few non-angel personnel Charisma had working for her would have long quit had they been subjected to her ire that day.

"Es?" Esmeralda stopped and turned back to Opal, eyes widening at her weary countenance. She hurried back and put a concerned arm around her shoulders, smiling sadly when Opal tucked her head into her neck and sighed in exhaustion.

"You okay, Opal? You look...."

"I am," Opal nodded and confessed at the same time. "Been a long, LONG day," she added for emphasis. "I've spent the entire day running interference for everyone to ensure that Charisma still has a staff tomorrow."

"Feel a little black and blue?" Opal nodded, then stiffened when she heard the clearing of a throat behind her.

"Opal, is there a reason you're standing out in the hall instead of taking care of your work? I'm sure I can find someone who would be thrilled to be promoted to your position if you feel you can no longer handle your responsibilities with timeliness."

Opal sagged briefly in Esmeralda's arms at the cutting words and tone before she straightened and put a bit of space between them. "No, Senator Tagherty. I'll get back to it." She risked a glance at Esmeralda. "Thank you, Es," her words pulling a surprised reaction from Charisma. Esmeralda smiled gently.

"Anytime, my friend," she assured before Opal disappeared back into the office. Charisma remained where she was, her blue eyes studying Esmeralda carefully.

"Is there anyone you can't make friends with, Esmeralda?" letting her eyes roam around the hall and briefly rest on Brianna's door before returning to meet Esmeralda's green ones squarely.

"I've found that one can never have too many friends, Senator."

Charisma's eyes shuttered and she bit her lip thoughtfully before nodding briskly. "I suppose you're right. If you'll excuse me...." her tone almost cold. Charisma winced when she saw the hurt flash across Esmeralda's face before she could school her expression into a polite mask.

"Of course, Senator Tagherty. I have work that needs tending. Have a good evening, Senator." Esmeralda gave a respectful nod of her head and moved her cart towards the far end of the hall to begin her cleaning. Charisma chewed on her inner lip a moment longer.

"Esmeralda?" Es turned at the first syllable of her name being called down the hall.

"Yes, Senator?"

"Will you be by later?"

"Of course, Senator - it is part of my responsibility to take care of your office suite."

Charisma nodded, not sure what to say at this point - anger and hurt warring in her expression. Then without another word, she went back into her office and closed the door. Esmeralda shook her head and got to work.

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

"Senator Walker?" Esmeralda called out as she knocked on the door - just as she always did before entering an office. Then she used her passkey and stuck her head in the door, only to instantly recognize that Brianna's office was empty of her presence. Es walked further into the room, pushing her cart ahead of her and idly wondering if this was going to be the way of things for the next two years - with the two of them doing everything they could to avoid one another. She blew out a frustrated breath and took a good look around.

Clearly her words from the previous day had made an impact on Brianna; nothing was out of place. All the boxes had been emptied and the things in them put away neatly in their designated spot in the office. The boxes had been flattened and marked for recycling beside a mostly empty trash can. Otherwise, there was little out of place in the room.

Knowing Brianna was more than likely gone for the day, Esmeralda set to work. She still had plenty to do before she could meet Saphira at the diner.

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

Esmeralda knocked lightly on the door of Senator Tagherty's office, fairly confident Charisma was waiting inside. "Senator Tagherty?" She got no answer, so Es pushed her cart in and stepped into the office behind it. She saw Charisma sitting at her desk in the dark, but ignored her, knowing it was up to Charisma to make the next move. It didn't take long.

"You know, don't you?" she asked softly, though her tone was cutting.

Esmeralda, having been engrossed on keeping her attention on her work, started slightly before she looked up at Charisma. A look of confusion crossed her face. "Senator?" watching hurt flash in blue eyes. "Charisma?"

"You know, don't you?" Charisma repeated, her tone more defeated than angry.

Esmeralda set down the spray bottle she'd been filling and padded to the desk, extending her hand to Charisma. Charisma looked at her in confusion and Esmeralda cocked an eyebrow, then jerked her head towards the couch. Charisma couldn't help the smile that twitched her lips and she took Esmeralda's hand with alacrity, allowing the other woman to tug her to her feet and lead her to the sofa. They plopped onto opposite ends of the cushions and Esmeralda reached for the light, only to be stopped by Charisma's voice.

"Leave it off... please?"

"Do you find the darkness comforting, Charisma?"

"Sometimes it seems like my only friend."

"Can I help?"

"I don't think so, Es," Charisma replied resignedly. "No one can help. I need to work through this on my own."

"What if I reintroduced you?" Esmeralda offered quietly. "Nothing public, just...."

"NO!" Charisma lashed out. "No!" she said again a little quieter, but no less forcefully. "I will not be subjected to meeting with her outside of an occupational venue! I may be forced to deal with her professionally, but otherwise, I will tolerate no interaction with her! Do you understand me??"

"Charisma...."

"No, Esmeralda! Do. You. Understand. Me?"

Esmeralda rose and nodded her head sadly, her eyes never leaving Charisma's even in the darkness. "I understand, Charisma, more than you know... even if I don't understand why." She moved back over to her cart. "I do know one thing," she added as she picked up her spray bottle again.

"What's that, Es?" Charisma asked, her voice tired and defeated.

"You will never find peace or happiness until you settle things with Brianna."

"Things were settled with Brianna Walker twenty years ago, Esmeralda... when she walked out of my life without even saying goodbye!"

"And you never made an effort to find out why, did you? Doesn't that make you equally culpable?"

Charisma's blue eyes hardened and iced over. "Get. Out."

Esmeralda sucked in a sharp breath, but otherwise gave no outward reaction to the bite in Charisma's words. Instead, she put her things away without further acknowledgment and headed to the door. She placed a hand on the doorknob, then turned back to Charisma.

"One day - maybe sooner, maybe later - you're going to have to face one another. Whether that happens publicly or privately is entirely up to the two of you, but it will happen, Charisma. It's only a matter of when and where." Esmeralda sighed. "I hope... I had hoped you would let me help be a part of your reconciliation, but you obviously have no intention...." She trailed off and shrugged. "You've made it clear it's not my business. However, Saphira is and she would still like to meet you if you're still willing. So if you can let me know when would be a good time for you, we'll arrange something soon." She held up a hand. "And I promise, no funny business. Goodnight, Senator."

Esmeralda was out the door with it closed behind her before Charisma had a chance to recover her wits. She blinked and the tears rolled silently down her face. It was a long time before Charisma called for her car to take her home.


Chapter XVI

"Brianna?" Saphira welcomed hesitantly as the Senator crossed the threshold of the diner, not having expected to see the woman here alone at this time of day. "Please, come in," she added a little more firmly, seeing the uncertainty in Brianna's expression morph into something less frightened and more sure of herself. She gave Saphira a big smile and glanced around the busy restaurant, then back at Saphira who took the opportunity to ask, "Would you like a table, booth or a seat at the counter?"