[but the words are heavy, and her eyes are troubled as she says them. It's not that she doesn't believe it. She does. He could tell her everything... he could even have told her about the seizures that had shaken him to the core and left him helpless and still in the boat... and it would not change who she saw, except to make it more extraordinary how far he'd come.
But she remembers those months with Angel. She remembers the shame and the self-loathing and the guilt and she knows just how incredible it is to have someone see through all of that and find something worthwhile to hold on to. It's a special gift that so few had and even the act of reassuring Archie feels hollow - like she's dismissing what Horatio did with trite and empty words of reaffirmation and no understanding.
Having listened to so many social workers with similar dialogues, she can feel the familiar distaste in the back of her mouth.
It wasn't true that you had to live it to genuinely offer empathy. More difficult maybe, but Jilly had friends who'd proven their kindness regardless of background. But understanding? That was something else entirely. No one could ever understand.
[Action]
[but the words are heavy, and her eyes are troubled as she says them. It's not that she doesn't believe it. She does. He could tell her everything... he could even have told her about the seizures that had shaken him to the core and left him helpless and still in the boat... and it would not change who she saw, except to make it more extraordinary how far he'd come.
But she remembers those months with Angel. She remembers the shame and the self-loathing and the guilt and she knows just how incredible it is to have someone see through all of that and find something worthwhile to hold on to. It's a special gift that so few had and even the act of reassuring Archie feels hollow - like she's dismissing what Horatio did with trite and empty words of reaffirmation and no understanding.
Having listened to so many social workers with similar dialogues, she can feel the familiar distaste in the back of her mouth.
It wasn't true that you had to live it to genuinely offer empathy. More difficult maybe, but Jilly had friends who'd proven their kindness regardless of background. But understanding? That was something else entirely. No one could ever understand.
Until they'd stood there, too.]