"S'okay... I kinda feel that way at the moment. What are you all doing up so early? And how come I didn't hear you?"

The rest looked at her and smiled, then shook their heads and returned to their silent work. Ruby took her by the arm and led her back to the kitchen. She opened the refrigerator door and started pulling out stuff to make breakfast. Saphira took it from her as she handed it out, placing it on the counter and waiting for Ruby to speak.

Once she had everything she needed, Ruby shut the door and motioned to Saphira. Then together they started preparing breakfast for the crew. "Ruby?" Saphira coaxed as she set the first tray of bacon into the microwave and slid the biscuits into the oven.

Ruby looked up from her cutting board and shook her head. "Sorry - I was thinking ahead today. Remember, we're always up this early and you generally don't hear us. And we've all worked with Es before. We know what she likes and what she expects."

"I don't...."

"Angel or not, Es is a proud woman. And even though we are all neat and fastidious in our habits, the fact is that with a dozen women living here - give or take - the house is not always going to be as neat or as clean as we'd like it to be... especially when we're having company over. So the girls and I decided to take care of that this morning before they head out for the day. With that many women working together, it really doesn't take long."

Saphira held up the pot and Ruby nodded. She topped off their cups and started another pot brewing. Once it was underway, she started the eggs. If they had timed it right, breakfast would be ready just about the time that the girls were done with their cleaning. And it would still be warm when Amber and Coral returned.

"Has anyone heard from Mal?" Ruby asked. Saphira shook her head.

"No. She asked Es to give her a couple more days to pin some things down, so we should be hearing from her shortly." Saphira turned to the kitchen door as the troops wordlessly filed in just as she was taking the eggs off of the stove. They seated themselves and Ruby said grace, then they silently began to fill their plates.

After the first rush of hunger was sated, Saphira turned to Ame, whose bruising was now muted shades of yellow and green. "How do you feel?"

Ame swallowed and nodded her head. "Better," she replied. "Not even a residual headache."

"Good," Saphira confirmed. "Are you going over to Charisma's today?"

"No... Sunday is my normal day off. She'd start asking questions if I just showed up there. Why?"

Saphira shook her head. "Who usually watches her?"

"Amber. She usually does a thirty-six hour stretch between Saturday night and Monday morning."

Saphira's eyes popped. "Well that explains a lot." She turned to Jade. "I want you over there today. Amber deserves a break and I don't want to leave Charisma alone."

"You got it, boss," Jade responded with a nod. Saphira shook her head.

"I'm not the boss. I'm just keeping an eye on things for her at the moment."

"Speaking of the boss," Ruby broke in. "How's Es doing?"

Saphira felt every eye in the room turn her way and she chewed slowly and swallowed before she opened her mouth to answer. "I'd like to say she's getting better, but I honestly don't know that. I know she felt a little better after the extra rest she got this week, but...." She shrugged. "Something's still not right."

"Is there anything we can do?" Opal asked.

"I don't think so," Saphira countered softly. "I think this is a wait and see thing. But if something comes up, you all will be the first to know."

"Just so you know we're here if you need us."

"Yeah, I know. We both do. So what are you guys planning to do today?"

"We're going to be tourists today. We thought we'd walk the Mall - maybe take in a few museums."

"Yeah, we figure Jas will let us know when we can come home."

Jas snorted. "Assuming Brianna decides to use the car today. I'm still waiting for a phone call to let me know when to pick her up this morning and bring her here. It wouldn't surprise me a bit for her to decide to hop the Metro."

"Me either," Saphira agreed. "She's just that independent."

"Wonder how long that will last," Opal murmured, drawing everyone's attention. "Most politicians can't wait to take advantage of all the perks."

"Given what I've seen," Indi contributed softly, "Brianna Walker isn't your normal politician."

"Now if she can just convince Charisma Tagherty of that," Esmeralda commented sleepily from the doorway of the bedroom. "What are you all doing up so early? And why didn't somebody," pinning Saphira's eyes with her own, "wake me?"

Ruby snorted. "As for the first," she replied without hesitation, "we're always up this early. It's pretty much a habit for us. And for the second...?" She cut her gaze in Saphira's direction and chuckled. "You're kidding me, right?"

Esmeralda sniffed and stuck out her tongue in Ruby's direction, causing laughter to ripple around the table. She tried to glare, but her sleep-rumpled appearance and a huge yawn made the effort less than effective. Instead, Saphira rose and patted the back of her empty chair, sliding her dirty plate off the table and putting a clean one in its place. Ruby poured her a fresh cup of coffee and the rest began passing the food in her direction.

Without a word, Jade rose from the table as well, giving Saphira a nod and heading out to relieve Amber for the day. Some minutes later, she came in the door, almost giving Esmeralda whiplash as her head jerk around.

"Amber??"

She raised her full coffee cup towards Saphira and took an empty spot as the others began to file out of the kitchen to make their last-minute preparations for their day. Esmeralda simply sat and waited, looking back and forth between Saphira, Ruby and Amber. "Someone wanna fill me in this morning?" she prompted with a hint of acid in her voice.

"I sent Jade to Charisma's to give Amber a bit of a break. I know it was Coral's turn, but Amber's been doing this longer and Coral will get a break today anyway," Saphira offered quietly. "Even if Brianna uses the Metro to get here."

Esmeralda nodded. "Fair enough." She turned to Amber. "Straight up to bed with you, Missy."

"No arguments from me, boss. I'm beat."

Esmeralda frowned. "Something happen?"

"I didn't have to fight or struggle or anything like that, if that's what you mean. But watching Charisma last night... it was exhausting." She held up her hand before anyone could interrupt, shoveling the last of her meal into her mouth, then pushing her plate away and leaning back with her coffee cup cradled in her hands. Esmeralda pushed away her mostly untouched plated, causing a look of concern to pass between the other three before Ruby rose and took it to the sink.

She started the water running to wash the dishes, knowing the conversation would continue around her work. Saphira took a seat next to Esmeralda and waited for Amber to continue. Finally, Amber swallowed the last bite of food and took a deep breath.

"When I got there, Adam was having bath time. Actually, *they* were having bath time - Adam was just the only one undressed for it. But Charisma seemed to be enjoying it and Adam basked under his mom's attention. Once they were done and he was in his pajamas, Charisma slipped into a robe and they settled down for story time. According to Ame, they'd had quite a busy playtime, so it didn't take long or very much of Green Eggs and Ham for Adam to nod right on off to sleep. Still, she read the whole book and rocked him for a few minutes more before she tucked him in for the night. That's when things got interesting.

She went into her room and phoned Kent, but of course he was onstage and not able to take her call. Then she called her mother - I'm not sure who was the most surprised about that," Amber commented thoughtfully, cocking her head. "I'll come back to that," she promised.

"After a few minutes on the phone with first Okasa and then Patrick, Charisma got up and started pacing the floor. It went on for half an hour or so before she went down to her office and took out that album." Amber looked up at both Saphira and Esmeralda. "I wish you could have seen this - she was angry and frustrated and melancholy and sad - so many emotions roiling through her being. I half expected her to throw the album into the fire a time or two. But every time, she'd pull back... just short of doing any real damage.

Finally, she slammed the book shut and raced upstairs. She threw on some ratty old workout clothes - real old... like college old - and headed into the gym. That was something. She must have been in that room for the better part of four hours. When she finished, she could hardly make herself move up the stairs to her room. She took the album up with her." Amber turned golden eyes to Esmeralda.

"Es, that's the first time that book has been out of her office since we started this."

"What happened?"

"Charisma took a shower and crawled... almost literally... into her bed. Then she sat looking at that album til she fell asleep. Es... she was crying."

Esmeralda pinched her lips thoughtfully and covered Amber's hand. "Thank you, Amber. Can you let Ame know she's likely to get a call to go in to work today? Then go get some rest. You look as tired as I feel."

Amber smiled. "As long as I don't look as tired as Charisma feels, I'll be all right. Call me if you need me, all right?"

"Go on. We'll be all right. Ruby's here and Brianna will be here shortly. The rest... you know my motto."