Private Shifting Perspectives

Violet held Amber close. Feeling her tremble and cry against her chest, her own eyes started getting a little wetter, too. Pandora had hurt many people in many ways, even her own daughters. She was sometimes disgusted with herself - no, she was disgusted with Chloe for putting up with that monster for so long.

"Amber... I don't think you'll ever end up like her. You'll be much better. In fact, you already are much better than she is. With all the people she's hurt, and with how lovely of a person you've grown up to be, it's no contest." She kissed Amber on the forehead, then held her close.

Violet had to think about that one for a moment.

"Well... Phaedra was essentially a clone of Pandora, and I don't even think she was turning into a perfect reflection of her mom. I think she was just... confused about her identity. Acting out the way she thought she was supposed to, to be more like her mom. That was a choice. If she wanted to she probably could have done something else."

Violet looked at the wall that Phaedra had pushed Chloe up against, that night years ago. She still remembered the horror and the revulsion Chloe had felt, when she realized the woman trying to make love to her wasn't Pandora, but one of the girls she'd helped Pandora raise.

She shuddered, then continued.

"Unlike her, you have two moms, and one of them isn't Pandora. You're not any more doomed to turn into Pandora than Chloe is doomed to turn into Grandpa Gabriel. You're your own person. And if anything tries to take that away from you, you know Chloe and Malara and I will be there to put a stop to that."

Violet took hold of Amber's hand and rubbed it gently. "Well... I can understand people not picking up on it, but you're definitely our daughter. You have Chloe's nose, and her jawline, and even one of the powers she got when she started puberty. And if that isn't enough for you, you know Chloe and I have extrasensory perception. We could tell from the start, one of your parents was from our part of hell. So if it's not Chloe who's your other parent, that'd be a pretty wild coincidence, wouldn't it?"

Violet smiled. "This is probably all stuff you've heard before, but it helps to hear it again, right?"

Violet smiled at Amber's apology. If Amber was getting worried about nothing, she probably came by that honestly, too. She held Amber close, running fingers through her hair. She felt so lucky that she could still share moments like this with her daughter. After everything - the time she'd spent at Grovefire or in the forest living like an animal, the times she'd cried into a pillow getting sorry for herself over the family she'd lost again - Violet was here, with Amber. She nearly cried, with how much emotion was hitting her right now.

She squeezed Amber right back, hot tears welling up in her eyes.

"I remember meeting you, Amber. I didn't know it back then, but you were a gift. Being your mom is a gift. Better than any gift I could have asked for. I'd do anything for you."