Varian slumped into the kitchen, tired beyond belief. He had been up all night long, missing Cassandra deeply even though he knew she was coming home sometime within the next week or so. He hated that Cass had to leave once a year in order to help at the "boot camp" for potential guards. But, he supposed, that's the price he had paid when he married a member of the Coronan guard.

He blinked in surprise when the kitchen came into view. Standing by the counter, preparing breakfast, was...

"Cassandra!" he cried out excitedly, wrapping his arms tightly around her waist from behind, "you're home!"

"Whoa, there! Careful, okay?"

But she didn't make any further objections, not even when he nestled his head into the curve of her neck.

"I missed you," he murmured, "a whole lot."

She smiled, allowing herself a moment of distraction from the food she was preparing. She leaned into him, soaking in his warmth. She had forgotten how great it felt to be with Varian, to be in his arms... Every year, she forgot, and every year, she was pleasantly reminded of what she had missed out on.

"So... Is something going on between you and your father?"

"Hmm?"

Varian chuckled a little bit, reaching to grab something out of his pocket quickly. "You... You left this on the counter. I didn't know what to make of it."

Cass looked at the item in his hands with an intense curiosity. Once she realized what it was, she burst out laughing.

It was a simple note- in her handwriting- that said, quite simply, "Dads, am I right?"

Nothing more, nothing less.

"Okay, what's so funny?" Varian demanded, studying the note again for the millionth time, "seriously, Cassie... Just tell me what's so funny. And what it means."

She laughed again, nudging him as best as she could while wrapped tightly in his embrace. "You... You thought that it meant I'm having more dad problems?"

Varian nodded, still trying to decipher what was so funny, what she had meant... But nothing came to mind.

"Have- have you ever considered," she managed between laughs, "that it might NOT be about my father? Or yours?"

The young alchemist shrugged. "Not really... But, still... Who else could it be about?"

Cass rolled her eyes before putting her hands over Varian's. "You, of course."

Varian frowned at her, genuinely confused. "I'm sorry... What?"

She gently guided his hands a little bit, gently pressing them to her abdomen. Varian's eyes widened a bit and he nestled his body further into hers.

"Cassie... A baby?"

Cassandra smiled a little, nodding. Varian's face broke into an excited grin and he cuddled her even closer- seriously, that was somehow possible.

But still... A family. He and Cass were going to have a family of their very own.

And he had never been more excited.