One of Angela's hands held onto her suitcase's handle and the other held her phone as she trundled through the jet bridge that led into the airport. Night had fallen while she had been on the plane though it might be more accurate to say the plane had arrived in a place where it was already night after taking off in the morning. A pair of messages had arrived during that time period. She flipped to the first one.

F: Not sure what time you're getting in but feel free to drop by my place if you feel like it.

A smile crossed Angela's lips at the invitation and she stepped to the side so that she wasn't in the way of the other passengers disembarking from the plane.

A: I'll do that. I'm going to stop by the store on the way. Any treats you've been craving that I can get?

F: The only treat I want to eat is you.

Angela's face started to turn red and she quickly flipped to the conversation with Cedric. Any more of that and people might notice something was amiss.

C: I've been keeping an eye on the media and there's been a leak. It hasn't picked up steam yet but word that the negotiations failed is starting to get out. I want us to get out ahead of this so I've arranged for reporters from the BBC, Associated Press, and Al Jazeera to meet you at the airport. Your statement doesn't have to be long. Just say that both sides weren't able to come to a satisfactory arrangement but that you don't intend to forget about the American people.

Her cheek started to twitch as she read the message. If there was a profession she had reason to detest it was reporters. She hadn't had a problem with them for most of her life but then she had invented nano-biotics. An unexpected consequence of that act had seen a swarm of reporters arriving in Switzerland to get to her. For the entirety of the next two weeks it had been nearly impossible for her to do anything in private. Go to work and there were cameras photographing her. Make a run to the grocery store and there were cameras photographing her. Try to spend some time with some of her friends and there were cameras photographing her. Not to mention the endless interviews requests. It had eventually died down as the world moved onto the latest and greatest story, but the experience had left a bad taste in her mouth.

A: Fine.

Angela let out a sigh and put her phone back into her pocket before grabbing her suitcase and trudging her way towards the exit. The terminals of the airport went unnoticed as she walked through them. She stopped before heading into the arrivals area and looked down at herself. A red shirt and khaki pants. Hardly the kind of thing suitable for a short interview with international media outlets. Angela turned and headed to the nearest bathroom, taking advantage of a stall in it to change into a black pencil skirt, a white dress shirt with long sleeves and a pair of black dress shoes. After changing she stopped in front of the mirror and pulled a makeup kit out of her bag. It took her a few minutes but soon enough her face was covered in makeup meant for the cameras and their audiences. Lastly she gathered her hair up and bound it up into a ponytail with an elastic band.

Once she was finished Angela headed back out in the airport towards where the reporters were. As she moved through the arrivals area they began making a beeline through the crowd towards her. There were six of them that she could see. Three of them were carrying cameras and the other three held microphones in their hands. She glanced towards the crowd around them. "It's pretty busy here. Is there a spot you'd recommend setting up?"

One of the cameramen pointed down the terminal next to a couple of restaurants that only had a few people in line. "Over there is pretty quiet and we can use the windows as a backdrop."

When they were in position Angela turned her back to the wall and straightened her back as she steepled her fingers in front of her stomach. She looked at the reporter from Al Jazeera. "Once the cameras are rolling you can ask me about the meeting in Washington. I'll give you an answer and then we're done. Is that satisfactory?"

The reporters murmured in assent and stepped forward, holding their microphones up to make sure they could clearly record her upcoming dialogue. The cameramen fiddled with their cameras and Angela could see three red lights staring at her. "Do you have any comment on the leak claiming negotiations between you and the American government have broken down, Doctor Ziegler?"

"Yes I do. I am sorry to say that the news is true. I met with Senator Brown and Senator Miller yesterday in Washington. I'm not at liberty to reveal what was discussed but we were unable to come to an arrangement that would satisfy both sides involved. However I would like to stress that the Ziegler Foundation has not forgotten that there are Americans who would benefit from Nano-Biotics and we are currently exploring our options at this time." Angela fell silent and waited several seconds before slashing her hand across her throat. "Did you get it?"

It took a moment for the camera men to check and she could hear her voice speaking out from all three cameras as they reviewed the footage before approving it. "All right, thank you for meeting me on such short notice." Angela grabbed her suitcase and began walking away from the reporters. Hopefully she wouldn't have to deal with their ilk again anytime soon.

As Angela's car pulled up in front of Fareeha's place she was in the middle of sending a text from her phone.

A: I'm out in front now. Is the door locked?

F: Nope. Come on in.

Angela hopped out of her car and inside the house. Fareeha was seated on the couch in the living room, a video game controller in her hands. She was wearing a pair of baggy gray sweatpants, a shirt that had been dyed every color of the rainbow and her feet were bare. Fareeha glanced up as Angela entered and she eyed the doctor's outfit for a moment. "I think I might be underdressed. Were you thinking of going out somewhere?"

"Huh?" Angela blurted before looking down at herself. "Oh right. I had to do an interview at the airport so I got dressed up." She reached up and pulled the band off of her ponytail. She ran her fingers through her hair, tossing it up before letting it settle down onto her shoulders. "I'll take it off if you want."

"Ummm not just yet. Turn around. I want to get a good look at that butt."

Angela laughed and turned around so that Fareeha could see her rear end. "Do you like it?"

"Holy shit, yes." Fareeha breathed as she gazed at Angela's posterior. "There's nothing quite like a strong confident woman wearing a pencil skirt that hugs her hips. Get over here." Fareeha patted a spot on the couch beside her.

Before Angela could sit down a furry creature bounded into the room and up to her. Jonesy meowed and rubbed her head and side against Angela's ankles. The cat walked away then stopped and looked back at Angela before meowing again. "What is it, Jonesy?"

"She wants f-o-o-d. Don't let her fool you though, Angela. She already had breakfast."

"Are you trying to trick me, Jonesy?" Angela cooed. "Come here." She lifted the cat up and cradled it in her arms as she sat down on the couch next to Fareeha. "So what have you been up to, Fareeha? I want to hear everything."

"What? You just went to America for a big meeting. That's more exciting than anything I've been doing the last few days. Don't you want to talk about that?" Fareeha asked.

Angela shook her head as she slowly began petting Jonesy. "Honestly I just want to forget all about that trip. I've never liked politics and now it's all I do. Days like these make me regret ever inventing nano-biotics in the first place."

"You don't actually mean that, do you?"

"No, not really I suppose. I guess I miss the days when I was working as a surgeon. Everything was simpler back then and I think I was happier back then." Fareeha shifted her legs on the couch as she glanced down at the floor and Angela was quick to explain what she had meant. "I mean with my job. I was happier in the operating room. Dealing with politicians is just... aggravating." She abruptly shook her head and took a deep breath to try and calm herself. "Sorry I shouldn't be so whiny."

Fareeha set her controller aside and took Angela by the shoulders drawing the doctor's head down onto her lap. "Nonsense, you're just venting about your job. The only one of us whose been whiny about your job is me back when we went grocery shopping after I arrived at your vacation house."

"I remember that. You said you were having problems seeing me as something other than Doctor Ziegler. Was it really that hard? We had already done a session by then." Angela asked as she moved her hips so that she was lying down on her back and that Jonesy was resting on her stomach.

"Well... yes. The first time I heard of you was when all the news reports and interviews started popping up. The media couldn't get enough of you and it wasn't hard to see why. I had a celebrity crush on you and then one day you walked into my... 'office'. At first I thought I was dreaming but you were really there. If I had to pick a word for how I felt right then it'd be intimidated."

"I'm not intimidating!" Angela exclaimed. "How am I intimidating?"

"Look at yourself, Angela. You're brilliant, confident, kind, beautiful, extremely successful, rich and you've done more to help others than most people ever could. Honestly you're basically a goddess in every way. At least that's how I saw you until the last couple of weeks. Now I know that you're all of that plus you're kinky and you like me for some strange reason."

"Like." Angela slowly drew the word out and she looked to the side for a split second. "May I ask you something, Fareeha?"

"What is it?"

"When I said 'I love you' it seemed to make you nervous. Is there something wrong with me saying that to you?"

Fareeha bit her bottom lip and she slowly exhaled. "There's nothing wrong with you saying that. The thing is that my mother raised me not to use that word lightly. If I tell another person that I love them I really mean it. I know not everyone sees it the same way but it's always a little disconcerting to hear it just tossed around."

"Okay well I'll say something else then." Angela said as she began to rub her chin. "Question is what. Really like? Admire? Care for? Adore? I like adore." The doctor grabbed a hold of Fareeha's hand and entwined their fingers together. "I adore you just so you know."

"Well I already knew that and I adore you too." Fareeha said with a gentle smile as she squeezed Angela's hand. "So now what?"

"I want to hear what you've been doing while I've been gone. It'll help get my mind off things."

"All right... well today is laundry day which is why I'm wearing this." Fareeha pointed at the horribly clashing outfit she was wearing. "Mostly I've just been playing with the cat, video games and watching movies. I don't have to go back to work for another couple weeks since you booked me for a month."

Just as Fareeha finished speaking a buzzing sound came from one of her pockets. She reached down with her free hand and pulled it out. "Hang on a second, Angela." She tapped her thumb against the screen and put it up to her ear. "Hey mum. Nothing much really, just some laundry. Tonight? I mean I could but I have company right now so I don't know... bring her? I don't... okay okay I'll ask her."

Fareeha lowered the phone to her shoulder as she looked back down at Angela. "My mum's inviting me to dinner and she wants to know if you'd come. It'd be the two of us, her and Jack."

"Whose Jack?"

"He's my mum's... boyfriend I guess? I don't really know what to call him. He and mum have been together for a long time but they've never gotten married. I don't really know why."

"So he's not your father?"

"No, no, no. My father's a man named Sam from the First Nations in Canada. Jack's from the States."

"The First Nations? What does that mean?" Angela asked, her brow furrowed.

"First Nations is what some of the indigenous tribes in Canada. "

"So your father is from Canada and Jack is from America. Where is your mother from if I may ask?"

"Egypt." Fareeha's phone started buzzing again and she quickly answered it. "Sorry about that mum, Angela was asking some questions. Hang on. Do you want to go, Angela?"

Angela hesitated as she considered the question. Meeting the parents, or possibly parent in this case, was always a big moment. In her case there was an extra little tidbit that Ana Amari knew about Angela's relationship with her daughter Fareeha. A little tidbit that involved ropes and handcuffs.

"...Sure, I'll go."

If only Angela felt as confident as she sounded.