She felt adrift and alone in this strange place, far from everything familiar. Despite feeling safe and occasionally happy during their time in the wilderness, Claire realised that her happiness may have been an illusion, even if the safety was real. Now that they had returned to the practical world of Castle Leoch, she feared that the realities of life there would pull Jamie back to his old associations, just as Draco’s obligations had pulled him away. The strain on her relationship with Jamie had already started to show, and she worried that it might shatter completely in this new environment, just as she had seen it happening before... but then, at least she had found solace in her work, people who cared for her and the familiar world. Now, she was all alone.