Even the fact that she looked sad, disappointed when he told her - earnestly - that she'd helped him more than anyone meant a hell of a lot. But as he approached her he stopped, seeing the way her eyes were shining, the way she was blinking too fast, thinking that touching her might just make things worse, might hurt her more. Part of him wanted to kiss her - to just jump into things like that and be all right with them, because clearly it was where she'd wanted things to be. But part of him felt like that would ruin things, would be a lie, even if he actually did think she was pretty and kind and worth kissing, certainly.

Of course, when she said that being away from him hurt more, it in some selfish way made him feel better, like he could be close to her, spend time with her and not feel like it was a terrible thing. "I don't want to slip away from you, not if I was so important - if we were so important," he said, and he meant it. "I don't know where to pick up, but I know that if nothing else, you are someone I feel like I can turn to... someone I feel can help me find me again."