A/N: I still see that the site is eating responses (and is slow and tempermental), hopefully things will get back to normal soon...

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Dear Mother and Father,

I know you have not heard from us in over a year, and what you may have heard through word of mouth or news is quite devastating. However I thought that since so much time has passed, the least I could do as a Yuletide present to you is to write and explain what has happened to us.

As you all know about the Miranda video, and how we were apart of unveiling it, I hope that is evidence that helps you to believe that what the Alliance was doing to River was real. And that what I did, how I broke her out and fled, was absolutely necessary. After I did break her out, we took sanctuary on a transport ship of questionable nature (to say the least) and I took a job as a medic.

The crew has treated us more and more like family, and though I miss Osiris and you both terribly, we have settled with them. River is very happy, she is recovering from the trauma of the academy by leaps and bounds, and is actually apart from me right now, off learning how to control the talents forced upon her by the Academy. After being so protective of her for so long, I’m both happy and terrified of the separation, but I know all too well it will only help her. I can’t take care of her forever and nor will she let me because she’s meimei and still a bratty teenager first and foremost. While she was with me her favorite pastimes were dancing, making fun of everyone and playing with her precious cats. Which definitely sounds like her doesn’t it?

As for me, I am pleased to report that while initially life outside of the core was culture shock, I have found myself a niche here. Learning to adapt was quite hard (and vexing because River took to it like a duck to water), but I find myself content and capable. I still practice medicine when needed in a small town, but for the most part I have been employed in a much different, much lower cl