Sofia can't help but be a little glassy-eyed at that. If that doesn't say time and missing memories don't matter, nothing will. It feels right. They'd waited a long time to find each other –– to find someone who would always be on the same page, someone who could match the other in drive and ambition –– and somehow, for reasons they would perhaps never understand, it could withstand this place.

"I'm glad." She pauses, and then laughs, leaning back to wipe at her eyes. "Che imbarazzante! I'm not usually so emotional."