As Rey grasps at his sleeve, Nick brings his hand back to rest atop it, giving as reassuring a squeeze as he can muster in light of the grim situation. He can hear the fear in her voice; it's a rare occurrence, one he will never adjust to, one he hopes he never hears again. Wishful thinking.
"I wouldn't dream of it," he replies, knowing he couldn't leave even if he wanted to. He couldn't let Rey be found by IV; he couldn't watch her waste away for the ghost of her mother. He can't sit idly while she suffers -- he just can't. She would -- and has -- done the same for him, doing what she could to help him in his own dreams, putting him back together time and time again, even bargaining with the gods so he could keep on functioning. They're in this together; that's the pact they made so long ago now.
No matter what happens in this memory, Nick is here for her, for his family. He holds her just a little tighter as he brushes blood-caked strands of hair from her eyes.
"Just focus on me for now, all right? I'm not going anywhere, not so long as I can help it."
no subject
"I wouldn't dream of it," he replies, knowing he couldn't leave even if he wanted to. He couldn't let Rey be found by IV; he couldn't watch her waste away for the ghost of her mother. He can't sit idly while she suffers -- he just can't. She would -- and has -- done the same for him, doing what she could to help him in his own dreams, putting him back together time and time again, even bargaining with the gods so he could keep on functioning. They're in this together; that's the pact they made so long ago now.
No matter what happens in this memory, Nick is here for her, for his family. He holds her just a little tighter as he brushes blood-caked strands of hair from her eyes.
"Just focus on me for now, all right? I'm not going anywhere, not so long as I can help it."