"First, did everyone have a good day out?" asked with a tender smile and genuine interest. Looks were exchanged and they all nodded, but no one spoke. Esmeralda and Saphira traded wry looks. "Guess we're gonna have to tell about ours before we hear about theirs, huh?" garnering soft chuckles from around the room. "Okay then... everyone dig in while it's still hot and we'll tell you all how our day went."

"First, however, I want you all to know you own a huge debt to Brianna and Charisma. They did leftover dishes duty. Ruby decided to clean out the refrigerator while they were here."

"You didn't!"

"Ruby!!"

"Are you serious??"

"How could you??"

Ruby looked back at them in all innocence and shrugged. "What??" she protested. "It was time. Besides, you didn't see the groceries Brianna brought that we had to make room for. I had to do something with all that stuff," holding up her bowl of soup. "And I'm not hearing any complaints about supper."

"Yeah," Indi agreed, "but still...."

"But still nothing. At least it kept them busy doing something besides skirting around each other for a change."

"Okay, Ruby... that's enough," Esmeralda advised beaming and holding up her hands. "I don't mind if you tell it, but you need to tell it all and in the right order," smiling when Ruby smirked and shrugged.

"You young people are no fun these day," drawing snorts from everyone in the room. "Where's the challenge in that?"

"Like we don't have enough of that around here already. Keep it up, Granny," Saphira warned. "You might find out what real kids these days consider fun to be." Before she could continue, the front door banged open and Jade blew in on a cold, stiff wind. Immediately everyone moved into action, making sure she got into the warmth beside the stove and had a bowl of hot soup in her hands. Esmeralda waited until Jade caught her breath before she spoke.

"Everything all right, Jade?" seeing her nod.

"Yeah," she replied after swallowing a mouthful of soup. "Wait'll you hear the stories I've got to tell."


Chapter XXXVIII

Esmeralda scrubbed her hands through her hair when Jade finished her telling. The girls had eaten and done up the dishes while they were listening, so now it was just a matter of choosing the next course of action. Saphira watched with troubled eyes as the hands moved from Esmeralda's scalp to her temples, gently rubbing in a circular motion as though to will away a headache. Without hesitation, she rose and stood behind Esmeralda, kneading the knots out of her shoulders.

"Es?" her concerned voice a bare whisper in Esmeralda's ear. Esmeralda patted one of the hands rubbing the side of her neck.

"I'm all right, Saphira. Just a bit of a headache. I never expected them to be so stiff and polite...."

"... and at the same time so antagonistic," Saphira added. "I know; neither did I. But it could have gone a lot worse. We were lucky Adam was here."

"How so?" Ame asked. "Did you find a story he liked that they could relate to?" wondering at the sudden burst of giggles seeming to afflict Esmeralda, Saphira and Ruby. She looked around, glad to note she wasn't the only one missing the joke and raised an eyebrow at them. "Would one of you like to let the rest of us in on it or should we start guessing?"

Saphira appeared to recover herself the quickest, and after a deep breath, she met Ame's eyes steadily. "Tell us about Adam... the Adam you know."

Ame scowled at the wording, but she held Saphira's eyes. "Um... well, he's a quiet child mostly. He reads a lot - or I should say, he loves to be read to and tries to read along. He has several learning video games he plays, but there are also blocks and paints and basketball. We take walks and go to the museum.... I'm not sure what you're looking for here Phira. He's a good kid."

"He is a good kid," Saphira agreed in all seriousness. "And we're really glad he was here today. He kept things from becoming impossible between Charisma and Brianna."

"And letting him streak naked through the kitchen screaming didn't hurt either." All eyes turned to Esmeralda and she shrugged. "It's the truth," rubbing her head again. "Let me give you the Angel's Notes version of our day, then I think I'm going to go lay down. I can't believe how stressful this day was." She turned to Saphira. "Wasn't it supposed to be easier for them with us around?"

Saphira bit her lip briefly. "I think it was, Sweetheart. But that doesn't mean it was supposed to be easier for us." She caught Ruby's eye and the subtle nod. "Why don't we let Ruby fill the girls in on what happened today? We're not gonna have a mad planning session tonight, are we?"

Esmeralda slowly shook her head. "I don't think so. Truthfully, I'm not really sure what more we can do at this point. It's basically up to them - we're just here for support if they need it."

"Okay, so let Ruby give them a quick rundown while I go start you a tub to soak in. I'm sure the girls won't mind hearing from Granny - she gives them their marching orders in the mornings."

"One of these days, Saphira," Ruby threatened with a grin. Esmeralda smiled tiredly at their banter.

"Sometimes, I don't understand how the two of you have managed to coexist for so many millennia. Then I realized you have to be in the same space to have to actually coexist and you two rarely are."

"The world is probably much better off," Ruby offered with a smirk and Esmeralda nodded. "Good - now that we have that settled, let your troublemaking half go run your bath and tuck you into bed. The girls and I need to head to bed in a little while too. Morning comes early you know."

"All right - thanks Ruby. If any of you think of anything...."

"We know where to find you, Es," Opal assured her with a shooing motion. "Now go!"

Esmeralda smiled and waved goodnight before entering the bedroom. Saphira gave everyone a last look, then shut the door behind them.

They waited until they heard the second door open and the water start running before they took their eyes from the closed door. But it wasn't until they heard the inner door shut and the water stop running that they finally looked to Ruby for an explanation.

"Get comfortable, girls," she commented. "This is gonna take a few."

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

"Will you join me?" Es asked softly as Saphira turned to make her way out of the bathroom. "I know it's small and we usually don't with a houseful, but...."

"But what, Es?"

"I need to feel you, Phira."

Blue eyes held green for a long moment, then Saphira nodded and stripped off her clothing before easing herself behind Esmeralda in the tub. It was a tight squeeze and not truly comfortable, but they managed and Saphira resumed the massage she had started in the kitchen. Esmeralda dropped her neck forward and sighed.

"That feels so wonderful," she murmured.

Saphira leaned forward and kissed the slim neck beneath her fingertips. "Yes it does," letting her lips tickle the soft skin and chuckling soundlessly when Esmeralda squirmed. "Now... you wanna tell me what's really bothering you, Sweetheart?"

"I'm not sure I can put it into words, Love. It just feels like everything is slipping away from me."

Saphira frowned and straightened up as much as the crowded tub allowed her. "In what way, Es? You don't mean me...?"

"No, Phira, no! You've been my one rock through this whole ordeal. It's everything else. There's Charisma and Brianna - both of whom I believe are beyond heavenly help at the moment, and yet they are still our responsibility until this thing reaches some sort of conclusion. Then there's Kent - who wasn't even considered enough of a factor in this at the beginning to warrant any sort of information on. We've got the girls who are scrambling and getting hurt - when at this point in the operation, we should all be either gearing up for the final push or packing up to go home."

"What else?" Saphira asked in her ear quietly when the silence went on for too long. "I know something else is eating away at you Es. What is it? Let me help."

"You can't, Phira. I don't think anyone can... except for Him." Esmeralda paused and took a shuddering breath. Saphira reached forward and instinctively brushed the wetness from Esmeralda's cheeks. "Something's wrong - and we both know it!" She twisted until she could meet Saphira's eyes in her periphery then continued. "I don't know what's wrong, but I do know everything isn't the way it's supposed to be either - not like it was before. I'm not getting better like I should."

Saphira nodded. "How do you feel?"

"Tired, mostly... like I haven't recovered my strength or my stamina." She clenched her hands into fists and slammed them into her thighs in frustration. "It shouldn't be like this, Phira. It shouldn't be taking so long for me to feel like myself again!" As quickly as it flared, her anger dissipated and Esmeralda curled into Saphira's body seeking comfort.

This Saphira could do easily, and she did so without hesitation. She brushed a kiss over the blonde head tucked awkwardly under her chin and rubbed her hands up and down arms that were chilly due to their exposure to the cooler air in the room.

Without warning, Saphira stood up and pulled Esmeralda with her. "C'mon," she offered, pulling the thick towels from the rod and wrapping them both up quickly. "The whole point of the hot bath was to get you warm and relaxed. You can't get warm with me in there with you, and you won't relax if I get out without you. So we'll both get out and go curl up in the middle of the bed. The blanket should have it warmed by now and we can relax together."