Esmeralda made a show of looking at her sneaker-clad feet before staring at the four-inch heels Charisma wore. "Dumb luck," she deadpanned, causing Charisma to snort before she reluctantly chuckled. Then she allowed Esmeralda to lead her back into her office.

"And the fact that you're a good half a foot shorter than your partner means you're the one stuck in heels when you go out." She stepped out of her heels with a sigh of relief and simultaneously, they collapsed on the couch.

"Actually, Saphira is more than my partner, Charisma - she's my mate. And when we go out, our heights don't change."

Charisma blinked her eyes, opening them wide. "Really?"

"Um hmm," Esmeralda confirmed, though she didn't elaborate, seeing another question lurking in Charisma's eyes. She waited and in another minute, Charisma cleared her throat.

"Can I ask you something, Es?" Esmeralda nodded. "What did you mean you when said Saphira was more than your partner? I mean... I thought that partner was the proper way to refer to her in regards to your relationship."

Esmeralda held Charisma's gaze, searching for any hint of disparagement or bigotry; what she found was an honest desire to understand why Esmeralda had felt the need to correct her wording... especially since she *knew* she had gotten it right. It was her business to be politically correct, after all.

"I suppose," Esmeralda started hesitantly, "that in your politically correct world, partner is the description that is utilized most often. And in some ways, I suppose it's probably an accurate description of what Saphira and I share together. After all, we are a couple in a relationship that has sex," she stated bluntly. "But more than that, we are connected - we are joined... here," she declared, placing a hand over her heart. "In our hearts and in our souls. Even without the recognition of the government or of a church, what we have is beyond price."

"You mean that," stated without inflection.

"I do," Esmeralda assured Charisma without hesitation. "I nearly lost it once, Charisma, and it almost killed me. I would have done anything to keep it."

"Why? How can you be so sure it's worth it... that *she's* worth it?"

"Because I know what it feels like to live without her."

Silence reigned while Charisma contemplated Esmeralda's words. Esmeralda could see her struggling and she placed a hand on Charisma's knee as it was the closest body part to her given the way Charisma had curled into the couch. Charisma looked up.

"What do you want to know, Charisma?"

The Senator swallowed and dropped her eyes back to the small hand that rested lightly on her knee, covering it with her own and smiling when Esmeralda shifted her hand so she could clasp Charisma's. Finally, Charisma took a deep breath. "Would you have done it anyway...." She paused and drew another deep breath. "If you had something to lose, would you have done it anyway?"

Esmeralda gently squeezed the hand she held, waiting patiently for Charisma's eyes to meet hers. "I had everything to lose, Charisma. Everything. But without Saphira, it didn't matter. None of it mattered. Without her...." Esmeralda shook her head and glanced away, remembering all too clearly the desolation and devastation she'd felt when she thought Saphira was gone from her forever.

Charisma sat silently. Esmeralda let it last a while before she decided to break it. "Tell me your story, Charisma," turning to look at Charisma again. When Charisma didn't speak, Esmeralda sighed. "Charisma," she said softly, "I can't help if you don't share."

"I don't think there's anything you can do regardless, Es, though I love you dearly for wanting to try."

"Even if I can't, you're not going to feel better until you get this off your chest, and aside from a therapist, I'm probably the safest bet in the world."

Charisma snorted. "You're probably a safer bet than a therapist. You've been there, done that - your experience is hard-earned and therefore more honest in its approach."

"I'm cheaper too," Esmeralda replied cheekily, garnering her the soft laughter she'd hoped for. Charisma squeezed her hand.

"I don't know. I think you're pretty priceless." Charisma sighed. "If I tell you mine, will you share yours?" Esmeralda nodded. Charisma squeezed the hand she held one final time, then released it as she stood. "All right, but I need something to drink." She went over to the small refrigerator that sat behind her desk. "Can I get you something?"

Esmeralda smiled. "Since I'm betting you don't keep milk in there, how about some water?"

"Plain or chocolate?" At Esmeralda's confused look, Charisma chuckled. "I do have milk. I started drinking it when I got pregnant with Adam. I never really gave it up." She shrugged. "Besides, Adam needs something when he's here, and I'm not giving him soda."

"Ooh... chocolate then please," Esmeralda responded with a giggle and a twinkle in her eyes. "Saphira always gives me white milk at the diner."

"I'm pretty sure denying access to chocolate milk is grounds for divorce, my friend," Charisma joked, the twinkle clear in her blue eyes. Esmeralda chuckled.

"That's okay - if I have to choose between Saphira and chocolate milk, I'm keeping Saphira. Doesn't mean I'm not choosing chocolate when she's not here though."

"Sneaky woman," Charisma commented, even as she passed Esmeralda a bottle of chocolate milk. She grinned at the look of sheer bliss that covered Esmeralda's face at her first taste. "Good, huh?"

"Better than good - fabulous," Esmeralda agreed with a big smile. She leaned back into the couch with a contented sigh. "Maybe I should take a chocolate milk break everyday." She turned her head to look at Charisma. "Now... tell me your story."

Charisma sighed. "Do you need to call Saphira and let her know what's going on? It's already late and I don't want you to make her worry."

"It's fine, and sweet of you to consider that. She knows where I am and that I planned to talk to you tonight. She'll go home and wait for me there - she knows I have a guardian angel looking out for me." Literally, Es thought, remembering Amber's silent presence just a few yards away.

"All right," Charisma agreed with a nod of her head. "As long as you being here won't make things worse for anyone."

Esmeralda smiled and patted Charisma's hand. "Trust me, Charisma - I wouldn't put Saphira through that kind of worry... not after all we've been through together. It's all good."

"And you'll let me drive you home tonight?"

"Absolutely, as long as it doesn't mess up your time with Adam."

"Thank you. I feel better knowing that. And Adam is taken care of - he's already in bed asleep." Esmeralda tilted her head at Charisma's announcement, hearing the inherent sadness in her voice. Charisma gave her a heartbreaking smile. "Sometimes I regret all the time I miss with him. But I'm not sure I could give all this up," motioning around the room. "Even for him."

"Tell me your story, Charisma."

"What do you know?"

"Would you like to know what I've put together from my observations of the two of you?" waiting for Charisma to nod. Esmeralda took a deep breath. "I know that you were friends years ago; that she walked out of your life and neither of you have made an effort to resolve things between you since then. I know this is tearing you up inside... both of you. Other than that...?" Esmeralda shrugged.

Charisma chuckled ruefully. "You've got the basics." She stood and moved into the shadows of the room, facing the window so all Esmeralda could see was the stiffness of her posture. "Brianna Walker was my very best friend," Charisma said softly into the quiet darkness that surrounded them. "We were assigned as roommates in our freshman year of college and immediately hit it off. I don't know how to explain it - it was like we fit together. It's hard... it's not like I didn't have friends before. I mean, I was considered popular in high school, but this was different. And mama and daddy took her into the family without even a second thought." Charisma snorted. "She was welcomed more easily than any of the spouses were... just like she had always belonged to us."

Charisma stopped talking and Esmeralda let the silence lengthen between them, knowing Charisma was nowhere close to being done with her story. Finally, Charisma drew a sharp breath and continued. "I never thought.... We went everywhere - did everything - together. It was an unwritten rule between us and among our friends."

"So what happened?" Esmeralda asked when the silence lengthened uncomfortably. Charisma turned her head from the window, catching the gaze fixed on her briefly before facing the window once more. She wasn't quick enough, however, for Esmeralda to miss the hint of tears that sparkled on her lashes.

"We graduated," Charisma sighed softly. "I guess at the time I didn't realize how that would change everything. I guess I thought we'd be friends forever." She shrugged. "I was wrong."

Esmeralda clasped her hands tightly together to keep from crossing the room and shaking some sense into her deliberately obtuse friend. Instead, she bit her lip thoughtfully and took the time to ponder her words before she spoke.

"So you're telling me that you simply drifted away after graduation?" She rose and crossed to stand beside Charisma at the window, keeping her focus on the world outside, but able to see Charisma's reflection in the glass. "I'm not stupid, Charisma," her tone even and non-accusatory. "Please don't lie to me. I've seen the pictures in Senator Walker's office. I can guess at part of what happened. So even if you can't speak the truth aloud to me, at least be honest with yourself."