"<i>English</i>?" Kieran sputtered indignantly.  It was Sam, but it wasn't Sam.  Sam was sitting on the couch in some sparkly number, still much curvier than she had been before the baby, then excused herself to answer the door.  This other Sam seemed more comfortable with his cousin than anyone else, and was rangier and more scarred than he'd ever known her to be.  Her hair was shaggy and shoulder-length, and looked to have been cropped with dull scissors, and the way she looked at Jackie told him everything he needed to know.  He didn't know how this had happened, but it had.<br/><br/>"...An' every Irishman I've heard tell of got a name startin' wit Mick."<br/><br/>"That would be the Scottish," he corrected through gritted teeth.  "<i>Jacqueline!</i>What...who...?? Will you please--!" Being mistaken for English had thrown him for a loop and the pirate had lost his usual cool demeanor.  Hareth laughed and put a hand on his shoulder, murmuring something in his ear which seemed to make him relax a little.<br/><br/>"His last name is Shane," Jackie informed her wife with a laugh.  "Not every Irishman's name starts with Mick or O.  We got the same...great-great-grandma I think, so we don't share a name.  But it's probably a good idea not to ever call him English again.  Ever."<br/><br/>"Erik, hun? We got a couple extra guests here," Other Sam announced as she brought the guests through. The gentlemen who weren't already standing stood and Erik took the unannounced company in stride.<br/><br/>"I suppose it's a good thing we've got extra room then," he said good-naturedly before making introductions.  He introduced his wife as Samantha and Jackie's wife as Sam but didn't bring up the physical similarities for now.  It was confusing enough for him as it was.  The woman, Mercedes, promised to be out as soon as they'd found a cab but he waved it away.  "Nonsense! It's Christmas Eve! Unless you've got somewhere to be I don't see a reason you can't be here.  We've got more than enough to go around, and--"  There was yet another knock at the door.  "...And I suppose there might have to be room for one more."  Bewildered, he went to the door to find a young redhead on the stoop.  "Kann ich Ihnen helfen?" he inquired politely.  "Sind Sie in Not?"<br/><br/>"My dear what a fabulous dress," Anne Marie commented on Mercedes's outfit once introductions have been made.  "Awfully chilly for this time of year, I imagine, but beautiful nonetheless.  Wherever did you find it?"<br/><br/>~*~<br/><br/>"We've most definitely missed something," Jenny murmured in agreement as the woman attacking Matthias broke down.  "But he doesn't seem the type to deserve the locker, does he?  He does remind me very much of you."  She squeezed his hand but didn't interfere with Clara and Fayette's conversation.  This seemed to be something a long time coming and she didn't want to intrude.