Mara’s heart caught in her chest as additional guests entered, and she saw her parents among them. She probably didn’t need the confirmation of their names by the<br/><br/>“I’ve missed you so much!” She declared, throwing her arms around Quentin, recognizing the face from the pictures Kalin had shown her. Even though it was far different from the desert hermit who had challenged her very world view and gave her a purpose far greater than any the Emperor tried to impose upon her. Despite the confusion she could feel from his thoughts, he returned the hug.<br/><br/>“And how do you know my husband?” Kaydia asked. Based on the journal she had retrieved from her father’s cache, she knew her parents had been able to share memories, and there was no memory in Quentin’s mind of having met her. Yet. Pulling away from Quentin, she turned towards the mother she’d spent she entire childhood imaging, and still falling short. Kaydia was still confused as Mara took her hands, but didn’t resist.<br/><br/>“This might be a little hard to believe but…I’m your daughter, in your future. In a possible future for you two, anyways.” Kaydia’s went eye wide at that, and lips parted in stunned silence. She sought answers in Quentin’s eyes, but he was still stunned.<br/><br/>“Ain’t that sweet,” Aurelia cooed, wrapping an arm around Yusef. Then she scanned the room, appraising each of the guests carefully.  Whispering to Yusef, she added, “I think we are safe from any similar surprises.”<br/><br/><hr class="bbc-hr bbc-hr--3"/><br/><br/>Clara couldn’t help by be warmed by the family reunion on display, even if it made no sense to her. But the Gods worked in mysterious ways, and it wasn’t her place to question them.  Still, in many ways it was a reminder of what she’d lost, in gain Verrier’s immortality.<br/><br/>And right now, the reminders were everywhere, with the baby held one of the guests they intruded upon, and the baby furniture in the room. In Quentin and Kaydia’s awkward hugging of this future daughter and Lady Ari’s proud swollen belly. Standing here and now with Cat Verrier in her arms, Clara wondered when she’d become the crazy cat lady.<br/><br/>With a nervous laugh, she looked around the living room picking out similarities between this chris-miss and the Solstice. “So, what is this holiday we’ve so rudely interrupted?”