Charisma stood and laid her hands on the desk, leaning forward until she almost reached the other side. "You expect me to simply forget the fact that you walked out on me twenty years ago... with no explanation?"

Brianna rose and mirrored Charisma's position until they were nose to nose, practically breathing the same air. "I expect you to remember that you never once tried to find out why I did." She drew in a deep breath and was suddenly assaulted by the scent of Charisma that surrounded her. Instinctively, she closed her eyes and straightened, backing away from the desk and walking towards the door. "You never once considered that I did it for you, did you, Ri?" Brianna smiled sadly at the flummoxed expression on Charisma's face. She waved her hand to stop Charisma's speech before she could open her mouth. "It doesn't matter, Senator," she went on formally. "I will be the consummate professional on any occasion we are forced to work together. If anyone asks, we were college roommates that lost touch, only to be brought back together again by the winds of chance or Fate or God... whatever. Pick one - I don't care."

"Are you serious?"

"As a freaking heart attack," Brianna replied flatly. She reached the door and put her hand on the knob, then turned back to Charisma once more. "I've missed you, Charisma... more than you could possibly understand, but I'm not going to be pushed into anything. However, if you ever decide you want to talk about things, well... you know where to find me."

A frown creased Charisma's face. "That's why I called you down here - so we could talk."

Brianna shook her head. "No - you called me down here so you could ensure that I wouldn't screw up your political career by embarrassing you in some way. I can assure you that I won't and have no intention of doing so. But I don't want or need your lectures on behavior and deportment."

"That's not what...."

"That's *exactly* what you were going to do. You were planning to give me ground rules, remember? That's tantamount to a lecture." Brianna sighed. "Look, I haven't done anything in twenty years to mess you up. I'm certainly not going to start now."

Without another word, Brianna opened the door and crossed back into the outer office before shutting the door soundlessly behind her once more. Charisma simply watched her go, unable to think of a way to make her stay without causing some sort of scene. And since that had been the entire point of meeting with Brianna in the first place, she decided that discretion was definitely the better part of valor in this case.

Opal observed the shakiness of Brianna's limbs as she paused outside the closed door, but did nothing to bring attention to it. Instead she returned the courtesy when Brianna nodded her goodbye, wondering how long it would be before Charisma came storming out of her office.

Meanwhile, Indi followed Brianna into her inner sanctum, hoping she could find out *something* to report to Esmeralda. What she got was a request for a tea tray and some notes on the bill Brianna was currently studying.

When she'd retrieved the things Brianna had asked for, Indi made as if to leave Brianna's office, intent on calling Opal to see if they could conference call with Esmeralda. A question from Brianna immediately waylaid that idea.

"Indi, do you know the custodian Esmeralda?" Brilliant blue eyes widened, but otherwise she gave no indication of what she thought of the query. She blinked once and nodded, wondering where this had come from and better yet - where it was going.

"Um, yeah... sure. Senator Whitman was very fond of her. He always stayed a few minutes to talk to her when he could, so I've known her for a while now, I guess. Why?"

Brianna shrugged. "I think she's far more than she seems."

Indi smiled. "Aren't we all, Senator? I mean, none of us really reveals all of who we are to anyone."

"That's true," Brianna nodded in agreement. "But with her I feel like... I don't know exactly - I feel like I'm missing something important."

Indi tilted her head in question. "Do you like her, Senator? Do you trust her?"

Brianna chuckled. "That's the funny thing - I really do. My gut tells me she's good people... she and Saphira both. And I learned a long time ago to trust my gut."

"But...?"

"But she seems too good to be true. Too real... too genuine."

"If you trust her... trust your gut... shouldn't that be enough?"

"I don't know - should it? What are your impressions?"

Indi took a deep breath. She was treading a very thin line. "Senator, I can only tell you what I know from what I've learned in this office," waiting for Brianna to nod before continuing. "Right... in the time I've know Esmeralda, she's proven to be loyal, insightful and able to keep a secret tighter than Fort Knox. Her genuine concern for people could have made her a part of the clergy or the medical field, but she seems happy in what she does as a custodian." Indi scratched the side of her jaw. "Come to think of it, she's a really good custodian."

"And your personal opinion? C'mon, Indi," Brianna coaxed when Indigo hesitated. "I know you've got to have one."

"I am glad that she is willing to call me friend," Indigo confessed. "I'd like to be like her when I grow up."

Brianna's eyebrows went into her hairline. "May I ask why? Indigo, you're the epitome of a successful woman - beautiful, brilliant... a college honor grad with a successful career."

"And you don't think Es is because she didn't go to college or because she's a janitor?"

"I didn't say that," Brianna replied defensively. "In fact, it was Es that pointed out to me that most people don't consider her to be successful for those very reasons."

"And those that dismiss her miss out on so much - *that* is why I'd like to be her." She paused. "Is there anything else, Senator?"

Brianna gazed at Indigo for another moment before nodding her head. "Thanks, Indi," dismissing her before turning back to the work she'd been engrossed in before Charisma's phone call. Indi nodded and went back to her desk.

Things were finally starting to move - she needed to get ahold of Esmeralda soon. But first she was going to call Opal. They might as well be on the same page before they brought Esmeralda into it.

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

Opal sat quietly taking care of her work and directing the work of the other aides while Charisma remained conspicuously silent behind closed doors. She wondered at the lack of reaction, but like the others in the office, she was just counting her blessings.

For a little while, they just went about their business quietly, so the phone ringing caused everyone to jump slightly. Opal glared at it briefly before lifting the receiver to her ear. "Senator Tagherty's office. This is Opal - how may I help you?"

"Op... it's Indi," her voice quiet across the wire.

"Hey, Indi... what's up?" equally cautiously.

"What's happening on your end?"

Opal glanced at the still closed door. "Nothing."

"Excuse me?"

"Nothing, Indi. Not one thing."

"I don't understand." Opal rolled her eyes.

"What do you not understand, Indi? Nothing is happening here. Brianna left and closed the door behind her and we haven't heard anything from Charisma yet. She hasn't even asked for coffee yet. Why? What's happening on your side?"

Opal couldn't see it, but she heard Indi shake her head. "It was weird. Brianna kept me in her office for a few minutes; we had a very cryptic conversation about Es and then she shooed me out to go back to work."

"And?"

"And? That's it."

Opal pulled the phone from her ear and looked at it strangely for a long moment, glad that the rest were too involved in their own work to pay attention to her conversation. Then she tucked the phone back between her face and her shoulder and turned back to her computer.

"All right, Indi. I want you to start this dialogue over; step-by-step and don't leave out any of the details. Then we can decide what to do next."

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

"Es, this is Opal and I've got Indi conferenced in. Have you got a few minutes?"

"Talk to me, ladies. What's going on?"

First Opal told her side and then Indi shared hers. Then for several long moments they sat silently while Esmeralda considered their words. Finally, though....

"Es? You still there?" Opal asked since no sound could be heard from Esmeralda's side of the phone.

"She's here," Saphira answered.

"Is everything okay, Saphira?"

"I think so. Es is kind of in her own zone at the moment. Not sure I want to mess with that. Do you want me to have her call you back when she comes out of it?"

"No," Esmeralda said. "I'm good." She sighed. "All right. Thank you both. Keep your eyes and ears open, but I doubt you're gonna have anything to worry about for the rest of the day at least. If I'm wrong, though, feel free to let me know," her voice dry and droll.

Opal and Indi chuckled. "No thanks, boss. We're going with the 'Es is always right' theory on this one," Opal stated. "I can't speak for Indi, but we're enjoying the peace in Charisma's office."

Saphira snorted; Esmeralda just shook her head. "All right. You two get back to work. I'll be in at my normal time tonight."

"Nothing special planned tonight Es?"

"No. They're talking to one another... sorta. I can't mess with anything if they're making an effort."

"Even if their efforts suck?"

"At least it's an effort," Saphira commented wryly.

"At least it's a start," Esmeralda corrected. "As long as they're talking...."