"Go to sleep, Bri. I'll keep the bad dreams away."
"Thanks, Kay," Brianna answered on a sigh, and fell into sleep. Kay lay slightly beside her... keeping watch.
************
Ruby kept her eyes focused on her coffee cup as though it held the answers to all the questions she'd ever had about anything. Finally, though she blew out a breath and began to speak quietly. "I know everyone here is angry and frustrated and in mourning. So right here, right now, I'm offering every one of you the chance to speak without censure or prejudice. Once each of you has had your say, I'll say what I need to say and we'll move on. We have to," Ruby continued when she sensed their desire to argue. "Despite what we want or believe or feel at the moment, we still have a job to do. And there is NO WAY," looking up and pinning each of the others with a glare before she returned her gaze to her coffee cup, "Es is gonna suffer through this and us not finish what we started out to do."
"You really think we can?" Amber asked wearily, scrubbing at her eyes with the heels of her hands.
"I think we're so close, I can see it."
"Ruby, no offense, but we been this close for a while, and nothing has happened except one or the other of them walking away. Why do you think anything's going to change at this point?"
"I don't know that it will, Opal. But I can't just quit now. If I do... if *we* do, everything we've done, everything we've been through has all been for naught. And despite everything I'm feeling at the moment - and believe me, there's as much anger as there is sorrow - I have to believe it's got to count for something."
"And what about free will - *their* free will? They're the ones who've chosen this path. They don't want to be together! We can't MAKE them choose otherwise."
"No, we can't, Turq. But we can stay and do our jobs here until He calls us home. At least we'll be able to say we did everything we were supposed to... everything we could."
Amber chuckled sadly. "I can't believe I'm gonna say this, but Saphira was right - we should have just smacked their heads together to put some sense into them and been done with this months ago." The rest smiled wryly and nodded their agreement. "But Ruby is also right, much as it pains me to admit it. If we quit now, everything we've put up with will be wasted effort. Saphira will still be dead, Es will...." Amber looked down at the table and sucked in a shuddering breath. "I don't expect Es to survive this... I don't think any of us do." She looked up and met the eyes of each Angel gathered in the kitchen, seeing the truth of her words reflected back at her. "But even if she can't finish this assignment, it somehow feels like we'd be letting her down if we just quit now." She held up her hands before anyone could comment. "I know everyone here is frustrated beyond belief. And I know everyone would have preferred any number of things to have been handled differently... including His handling of Es and Saphira. Wanting doesn't change what is or what has already happened."
"So we just go on like what, Amber?" Turq asked with more than a hint of ire in her tone.
"We mourn Saphira - we remain steadfast for Es. We go on just like we have been - you keep driving; I'll keep watching; Opal will keep assisting and so on. When all is said and done, we'll be able to say we did our jobs. He won't be able to find fault with us."
"I'm not finding a lot of comfort in that right now."
"None of us are, Turq," Mal returned quietly. "But Es won't be able to find us lacking either, and for me, that's pretty important."
Ruby looked around the room and saw the silent agreement. She cleared her throat and waited until everyone was focused on her. "Well, Amber covered about everything I had to say. Does anyone else have anything they want or need to get off their chest about this?" Silence followed her query and Ruby nodded in satisfaction. "All right then - we've all got work to do. Amber, Coral and Mal - I think you should get back to your charges for now. I doubt anyone's going to be going anywhere this morning. The rest of you - go on upstairs and get some rest. If your bosses call, I'll let you know."
"What about you, Ruby?" Jade asked.
Ruby passed a hand over her eyes and shook her head. "I'm gonna stay down here and keep an ear out for Es. Matilda said the diner would remain closed until after the funeral."
"Wow," Jas commented softly. "Can they afford to do that?"
Ruby shrugged. "I wasn't gonna ask. She said they would do it for any death in the family." She sighed. "C'mon, you lot. Nothing is going to make this better. To bed with you," gesturing to one half of the Angels, "and back to work with the rest of you. Ame, are you...?"
Ame nodded. "I have to, since ostensibly I am already there. You'll let me know...?"
"Yes. The only reason I didn't call last night is I had no real information to share and Adam had to come first."
"I know, but finding out the way I did - I could live with never being caught flatfooted like that again."
"I think we all could agree with that. I certainly never expected...."
"Ruby? What are we going to do about Saphira?" Amber asked, causing everyone on their way out of the kitchen to stop in the doorway and wait for Ruby's reply. But before she could answer, Amber continued her question. "I mean... is Es gonna be able to plan a service for her?"
Ruby sighed. "I don't know, Amber. It's one of the things I need to talk to her about. If she can't, would you want to...?"
"Yes," the answer quiet but emphatically stated. "Saphira was my sister and that makes Es my family even beyond this," motioning around the room. "Even though I never expected to have to think about something like this, I would be honored to accept the responsibility if Es can't bring herself to say goodbye. We won't leave folks hanging, Ruby."
"All right. Come see me when you get back from Charisma's and we'll start making some decisions if Es can't."
"She can stay," Jade offered. "I'll go in her place."
"Would you...?"
"Are you sure?"
Jade nodded and smiled sadly. "Yes, I would and yes, I'm sure. I haven't done much during this mission except pick up the slack when I can, which hasn't always been a lot. This, however... this I can do, and make a difference."
"Thank you, Jade," Amber said sincerely. "I can't tell you...."
"You don't have to." She looked at Mal, Coral and Ame. "C'mon, guys... we've got work to do." They waved to the rest and disappeared from sight. Turq, Jas, Opal and Indi watched them go, then bid goodnight to Amber and Ruby, leaving them alone in the kitchen. They turned to the process of cleaning up, using the time to give them some semblance of peace. They'd shoulder their burdens directly, but it was nice to have a few minutes to settle themselves for the tasks ahead.
************
Kent wasn't at all surprised to find Okasa in the kitchen with Patrick when he crossed the threshold into Charisma's home. He was a little more surprised when he was directed upstairs to get some rest, but figured he could at least take the opportunity to check on Adam and get a hot shower.
He looked in on Adam, smiling when he saw his son sprawled in the abandoned sleep of the innocent. Kent pulled the blanket up over him a little higher and kissed Adam's cheek before letting himself back out of the room. He started towards his suite, then decided to check on Charisma as well.
A knock at her door went unanswered and he pushed the door open silently before crossing the room to stand beside the bed. He noted how young Charisma appeared when she was asleep and felt a wash of love for her sweep through him. He pushed her hair off her face, and Charisma blinked open sleepy blue eyes at him.
"Hi," Kent said softly.
"Hi. How was your trip down?" Charisma asked, blinking her eyes and unsuccessfully trying to stifle a yawn.