If you missed the last chapter of REEF MOB, you can find it [url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/223304798/0/0]here[/url], or if you need to find a previous chapter, you can find them all in the [url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forums/Post/218618986?sort=0&page=0]Table of Contents[/url]. Please give a bump or leave a comment if you enjoy this and any other chapter! ***  [i]My mother and I are sitting in our small mining vessel, watching the Reef from a distance while eating our lunch. My small legs don’t reach the floor yet, and they swing idly off the edge as I hum to myself while chewing. I don’t see my mother smile at me, but I feel it. “I love you, little girl.” I smile at Mommy. “I love you, too!” My mother’s face fades, replaced by a black cloud as the ketch descends upon 115 Rhea – The monster seizes my mother as we try to make a run for her ship – I scream and rage against its leg, reaching as high as I can, using all my strength to fight the beast – But my efforts only earn a scornful, bemused laugh as it looks down at me, hoisting my mother into the air with two of its arms. Looking me dead in the eye, it tears my mother apart, limb from limb –[/i] I wake in a cold sweat, panting, shivering – [i]ether[/i] It’s been too long since my last hit – I need my medicine – “Breathe,” a voice coaches me from a short distance away. “Relax, everything’s okay now.” I whip my head toward the voice and see Seren calmly watching me from the shadows. She closes the book she was reading and rises, walking over to sit on the cushion beside me. Looking around, I see the familiar trappings of her chamber, though we’re completely alone. I sit up on the cushion, wiping sweat from my brow as Seren watches me intently. “Here,” she says, taking out a small, cylindrical tube. I recognize it as the kind of vapes the Verge are known to use. “It’ll help offset the cravings until you can wean yourself off. Rafe will pay dearly for manipulating you like that.” [i]etherether[/i] Fingers trembling, I take the vape and put it to my lips, inhaling as I keep my eyes locked with Seren’s – [i]ethereth….[/i] The voice immediately starts to fade inside my head and I let the vapor out in a thin plume. “You use this stuff, too?” I ask Seren, indicating the hookah resting next to her customary cushion. “Yes,” she replies simply. “I find this formula helps keep things fluid, yet…cogent.” “Cogent?” Seren smiles. “Logical.” I lapse into silence, unsure of what to say. Seren seems to sense my hesitation. “You’re wondering why you’re here, aren’t you?” I meet her eyes. “I’m here because you brought me here.” “What about before that?” “I was a pawn for Rafe’s games,” I reply snidely, already cursing Rafe in my mind. “And before that?” I try, but I can’t think back that far. Rather than answer, I bow my head, avoiding Seren’s gaze. She reaches out gently and takes my chin, dragging my eyes back up to meet hers. “Do you want to know?” My heart skips a beat. [i]Does she really know?[/i] “How would you know?” Seren looks pained – she bites her lip, looking uncertain, almost….guilty? I feel my brow furrowing as I look at her curiously. [i]I know I just met her but this doesn’t feel like her[/i], I think, watching her tuck a stray strand of red hair back into place. [i]But how would I know that? How do I know this woman? Why does she feel so familiar?[/i] “Because….” she begins haltingly, dragging her eyes with effort to meet mine. “Because I’m your mother.” The pit drops out of my stomach as my heart starts thundering. [i]My mother? The monster seizes my mother as we try to make a run for her ship – I scream and rage against its leg, reaching as high as I can, using all my strength to fight the beast –[/i] “My mother’s dead,” I tell her quickly. “I might not remember much, but I….I know that…” “Do you?” Seren asks, tears welling at the corners of her eyes. “What do you remember?” [i]My efforts only earn a scornful, bemused laugh as it looks down at me, hoisting my mother into the air with two of its arms. Looking me dead in the eye, it tears my mother apart, limb from limb –[/i] “She was murdered,” I answer, feeling angry tears spring to my own eyes. “By a monster.” “And you remember that exactly?” “Why are you asking?” “Because I didn’t die,” Seren relies, standing and pulling back the neck of the robe she wears – I see a long, ragged scar tracing the joint where her arm connects to her shoulder. “Taniks didn’t kill me.” My heart races faster – [i]it’s not possible, it couldn’t be, she couldn’t –[/i] Seren starts sobbing, burying her face in her hands. “And I….I tried for so long to find you, tried everything I….I could, but….by the time we found you drifting in that skiff, you’d…..you’d already….” Seren cries harder, her shoulders shaking violently with grief and regret. But I’m still frozen, still shocked, unsure – “….when I saw that you didn’t…..didn’t remember…..I lied. It seemed better at the time, less…..less painful for you. You’d already….” I can’t listen anymore. Jumping off the cushion, I glare at Seren, pointing my finger angrily – “You thought it’d be less painful for me to go through life not even remembering my original name? You thought it’d be less painful for me to think my mother was dead?!” Seren trembles slightly as she takes my assault, but stands firm, biting back further tears. “I thought it would be….would be best if….” “If what? If I kept thinking I was alone, kept telling myself that I would make the most of the only name I knew? You really thought that would be best?” Seren bows her head in shame. “Yes.” “Then even if you are my mother, you don’t know me at all,” I retort angrily, turning my back on Seren. “I know that….I…I know you must hate me for this, and I’m sorry if what I did caused you more pain, but…..I….I love you.” I squeeze my eyes shut, folding my arms angrily across my chest. [i]How can she say that?! How can she even – [/i] “No matter what, I’ll always love you, dust diamond.” Hot tears spring to my eyes again at the word. [i]Dust diamond. My mother’s eyes twinkled as she looked at the small diamond ring I’d just pulled from the cockpit of one of the wrecks. “We’ll get a pretty penny from that,” she told me, smiling wide. “Beautiful find, my little dust diamond.”[/i] “How did you – “ I start, unaware that memory even still existed. [i]I looked at my mother’s face as she cradled mine, and felt my heart leap –[/i] “You’ll always be my dust diamond.” I turn back and meet Seren’s eyes, searching – [i]it can’t be…[/i] Tears flow freely down Seren’s cheeks as she spreads her arms wide. “It’s me. It’s really me.” I look at her arms warily – “Then what’s my name?” “Do you really want to know?” I weight the question in my mind – for as long as I can remember, I’ve repeated the same mantra to myself over and over: [i]I will make the only name I’ve ever known into one I can be proud of. I’ll make it mean something better than what others associate it with.[/i] But deep down, there has always and will always be the curiosity, the desire to know – [i]who was I before Taniks took me?[/i] And now here’s my chance – [i]Do I take it?[/i] “Yes,” I finally say. “Mariel,” Seren replies. “Your name is Mariel Cay. And you are my daughter.” [i]Mariel…[/i] I try the name on in my mind, but can’t remember a connection to it. I meet Seren’s gaze again and see only hope. “Should I call you Mom from now on, then, too?” I ask, a little sarcastically. Seren smiles, hiccuping as an involuntary laugh of joy escapes her lips. “Whatever you want,” she says, spreading her arms wide once more. Slowly, I walk forward and let her embrace me – after a moment, though, I feel my arms tightening around her, and with a thrill I realize that I don’t ever want to let go again. “I love you, dust diamond,” she whispers. “I’m so happy you know that again.” I try to bite back the tears, but can’t – there’s no reason to anymore. I don’t need to be strong for someone, I don’t need to live up to a memory. I’ve found what I didn’t even know I was looking for. “Me too, Mom.”