"Don't," she said, her voice shattered, breathy from crying. "Don't." She couldn't say if she was telling him not to let go of her, or not to promise not to; The conflicting emotions were making it harder to stop crying, harder to think. Instead of saying anything else, she let him hold her, held on to him, leaning her forehead into the crook between his neck and his shoulder, trying to remember how to breathe.

When she thought she could handle speech, she mumbled, "I didn't think you would come. I didn't think anybody else would.." Her voice warbled, uncertain and still hoarse from crying.