[ Claire's spent her life surrounded by people different from her. First, traveling the globe with her uncle. She's lived in igloos and huts, befriended the quiet and alone, stood up for those without voices. Brave enough to step in and stop a slave auction, bold enough to be the first woman to step into Harvard Medical. There's no reason to judge anyone based on all of the things bigots tend to focus on. She judges others based on the qualities that matter: compassion, and the capacity for kindness to name only a couple.

With the tea blend to her satisfaction, she holds the dry herbs out for him to smell. The warmth of the spices should remind him of the season he enjoys, and while he judges, she tries to imagine what she would do if Frank arrived instead of Jamie. Wouldn't that be exactly her luck? ]

Perpahs you shouldn't, knowing the potential hurts you could cause one another. But then, the heart is a funny thing. Rational thoughts tend to leave the building when faced with the potential for something good. Something you wouldn't be able to have otherwise.

[ Looking at Louis, Claire studies his face, her own gaze gentle and concerned in a friendly way that comes from not wanting to see him hurt. she knows a lot about that, and she'll be happy to tell him at some point. ]

You have others here now, people like me who'd be happy to talk through things at any time, as well as give a piece of my mind to anyone who'd dare to be cruel to you. All you need is to say the word.

[ She smiles, mostly being facetious with the last point, but she does mean it. She'll yell at anyone, anytime. ]