"I'm sorry, Mary," he curled his arm tighter around her back, the other moving up to cup her face, thumb stroking her cheek and brushing away any tears there. He wasn't sorry that he brought it up, though, just that it made her feel this way. But it was necessary.

"We had to talk about this eventually. We can't... can't keep pretending things are just going to be fine. I need you to completely understand what it means— staying on board that ship. Staying with me."