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As if he knew she refused to eht of her son, Shepherd cooed in her ear, "You will love our baby and sing for him, paint him pictures… and he will have dark hair like yours, and maybe your eyes"

Never once had she allowed herself to picture the child Hearing so tee fro the male hispered so sweetly for the cruelty of what he was doing inher son real

Insistence invaded Shepherd's atteht it, Claire You could forgive ive yourself, and your pain would end You could do it for your son, so that he need not suffer a disengaged mother as you did"

Her breath caught, she automatically pressed the keys to hide in herher attempted distraction until his point was made

"Have things not ia; he kissed her neck "I know it has been painful for you to accept what you have faced between us, what you experienced in Thólos I also know that you understand h youthis place is"

"Please stop…"

"If you wish"

His acquiescence was unexpected Claire uncurled, tried to er held her froain, the ers roaht of her mother, the wo her child the one thing she'd taken true joy in It was an act of love Claire had alanted to share with her own children, part of the fantasy the Oa had envisioned in her perfect future

Thoughts of her dead hts of her dead father—to the scent of orange blossohter had been Claire's favorite sound in the world

Another uely rerin, his kindness, his patience

As if Shepherd knew, as if he could tehts back to hiood, the way Shepherd touched It felt perfectly nice as the music stirred and her attention relaxed to alter terew ers explored, teasing in exactly the right spot