"I know, Saphira, but I think she might need you to help her heal."
Saphira shrugged as much as she was able. "Maybe, but we'll have to cross that bridge when we come to it. Now was there something you needed?"
"Not really. I wanted to check on the two of you and I needed to let you know that Turq said she was available whenever you're ready to head over to Charisma's, but not to rush. We all know Es needs to rest and I'm sure your friends know it as well - Turq and Jas both told me about bringing you two home this week. The girls and I will be around the house today for a little while at least. With the weather a little warmer today than it's been, we'll probably go out and run a few errands this afternoon."
"You all go do whatever needs doing - even if that just means getting out and enjoying the fresh air and sunshine for a little while. Es and I'll be fine."
"Is there anything we can get you? Anything we can take care of?"
Saphira shook her head. "Not that I can think of, but if Es comes up with anything, we'll let you know. Today is mostly about helping Charisma and Brianna feel more comfortable together," Saphira added with a wry twist to her lips. "Not really sure how that's supposed to work, but then not much about this whole process makes a lot of sense to me either."
Ruby chuckled and patted the hand she still held before removing her clasp. "Honestly, Saphira? I'm not sure the whole process makes much sense to anyone but Him, but we don't question His ways. We simply do our jobs and hope for the best."
"Doesn't that make you nuts?" Saphira asked seriously. "Don't you ever wish you could be more proactive? And what about when things go awry?"
Ruby gave Esmeralda an uneasy glance, noting that she was still sleeping deeply despite the whispered conversation taking place around her. She wondered briefly how she'd ended up as part of this particular discussion, knowing better than most what a hot-button topic this could easily become.
"Sometimes," Ruby responded thoughtfully. "Sometimes it would be very satisfying to go in and beat a couple heads in to get the results we wanted without all the games and politics involved, for lack of a better way to put it," she confided. "Because there are politics involved in every mission... just usually not overtly or to this degree," she added with a small smile. "But since human beings have free will, we don't get the option to do that - we can only put forth the opportunity... they have to make the choice. Even if we *were* able to compel the consequence we desired, free will means they could easily reverse any outcome we achieved by force."
"Well I have to tell you, Rube - I pretty much think this way sucks. Especially since you can't even guarantee the outcome to be what you want it to be."
"I know. And it's harder for an avenging angel like yourself to appreciate this kind of work. It pretty much goes against the grain of every instinct you've got."
Saphira snorted... then stilled when Esmeralda shifted against her. "No kidding," she finally muttered when Esmeralda settled against her again. "But I'll do it for Es for the rest of my eternal life if it means we stay together."
Ruby cocked her head. "Maybe that is what Charisma and Brianna need to discover." She rose and backed away from the bed slowly, finding the doorknob unerringly without moving her eyes from Saphira's. "Go back to sleep, Saphira. Es needs the rest and it won't hurt you any either."
"Yes MOM," Saphira lipped, but the suggestion made her eyes start drooping without her conscious permission. "You'll let us know...."
"If anything happens, you'll be the first to hear," Ruby assured her. "But in the mean time...."
"I'm goin', I'm goin'," Saphira protested sleepily.
"Good girl," earning her a menacing glare from baleful blue eyes, but before Ruby could do much more than chuckle, the eyes closed and Saphira's breathing evened out in sleep. Ruby watched them for a minute longer, then let herself out of the room. Then she went to the kitchen to see what she could make up for comfort food, wanting to have something ready for them when they got up. Maybe things would make a little more sense then.
************
Kent glowered at his watch as the train pulled into the station. Not for the first time did he wonder about his sanity in doing this. Still, he was convinced there was something going on with Charisma whether she would admit it or not and he wanted to know what it was. He figured he deserved that much truth.
He ran a hand over his face, wincing at the rough stubble. It made for good subterfuge, but it also made his face itch terribly. He grabbed his overnight bag and pulled his ball cap a little lower over his eyes, fairly confident he wouldn't garner a second look here, but unwilling to risk recognition either. Because despite everything he knew and everything he suspected, he still cared very much for Charisma... both as his wife and as the mother of his child. He had no desire to embarrass her or damage the reputation she'd spent years cultivating.
Kent crossed the street and unlatched the gate, walking directly to the garden house in the back even as he gave thanks for fraternity brothers who didn't ask questions. He let himself in, dropping his bag on the table and crossing to the coffeemaker to start it brewing. Then he headed for the bathroom to take a quick shower before heading to Charisma's.
He idly noted just how accurate that assessment was - while the Manhattan apartment was definitely his, the house here in Washington absolutely belonged to Charisma. Kent wondered how they had managed to stay together as long as they had... considering how completely separate their lives really were. Then he shook his head and stuck it beneath the running water to rinse the shampoo, hoping to drown out the thoughts what were starting to go round like a whirligig. There was nothing productive in continuing down that particular path... at least not right now.
By the time he was showered and dressed his coffee was ready and he poured himself a cup and stepped outdoors. It was still chilly, but not with the bite in the air that had been present the weekend before. Kent was grateful for that. He didn't want to wind up with frostbite while he was doing surveillance on his wife. That would be a hell of a thing to have to explain to anyone and Kent wasn't sure whether Charisma or the authorities would be worse... though he suspected that honor would fall to Charisma.
So he stood on the back patio, well-insulated against the cold with his hands wrapped around his coffee mug for added warmth. He could just make out a landmark or two in the distance and wondered again how he'd come to this. It wasn't that he hated the capital - it had a life and a vibrancy all its own. But it couldn't compare to the throbbing pulse that pounded through Manhattan like a living entity.
Still, if he was wrong, he would be happy to continue living here with his family - going back to New York for only short periods of time to work when the mood struck him. As Adam got older, that would probably be more frequently. He wanted to introduce his son to the wonder and magic of the City that more than anywhere else in the world was home to him.
With a sigh, Kent finished up the remainder of his coffee and returned indoors, rinsing out his cup and placing it in the sink before snatching up the thick leather coat and grabbing the keys from the table. Then he went to the garage and climbed into the tiny car his friend had loaned him and set off for the house he and Charisma shared here.
************
Adam ran into his mother's room and jumped on the bed, not landing *on* her, but near enough that she groaned at being jolted awake. He giggled and pulled the pillow away from her face, squealing when long fingers crept out from beneath the covers that swaddled his mother to tickle his sides unmercifully. After a minute or two, however, Charisma relented, knowing if she wasn't careful, Adam would end up having an accident in her bed. And she didn't want that for his sake as much as for her own.