And so the diminutive Slayer did her best to catch the bare-footed Lieutenant in a tight, rib-cracking bear hug. Except her own ribs were bruised and the sudden shocking reminder of that pain brought her breath up short. Breath that had been vaguely troubled and panicked ever since she'd followed his implication.

"And you came back...and you'd just been...and I didn't even...oh, God," She whispered fiercely against his ear. "I'm so sorry."