If this was life outside the Fade, he wasn't certain he wanted to stay. The Fade was easier. It didn't hurt so much.

But he could help here. He wasn't important--only the helping was. And what was he if he couldn't even do that without causing more hurt?

He looked down at his hands, held firmly in hers, a touch he was all but unfamiliar with but it held him there, fixed and frozen. It was...close. Friendly.

Concerned.

He was making her worry. He was making it worse.

He took a deep breath but it didn't help. So he tried another.

"What if it isn't enough? What if it hurts?"