[ Who knows her better than him? Even if it's a different version of her. They're both still Jesse Faden. Both still have the same strengths and insecurities. One is simply further along her path while the other is still struggling to find a way to balance the world she knows is real and the world she's forced to live in by others.

Her gaze settles on the wood floor in front of her. Alan already needs her help and has realized it. Which means whatever this Alan is talking about is something the one she knows hasn't grasped everything. It makes sense. He can barely put together the forces in the story working against him. He couldn't realize he needs help if that's the case. ]

[ She closes her eyes as a frown tugs at her mouth. ] People can't handle it. The world the way it really is. They leave. Or tell me I'm wrong. I'm not. It's real--all of it.

[ Jesse falls quiet again as he speaks. It feels like he's taken the breath out of her lungs. He somehow knows the right words to say. The right thing to take her breath away and leave her feeling exposed. Everything is on display. That's how she feels. ]

There's no "both of us." H-he'll go back to his wife. Your wife--both of yours. Once she's out of danger. [ Those soft tones have broken into something even more vulnerable. A tone of voice to match the expression in the eyes Alan certainly knows on her older self. ] I-it doesn't matter if he was getting a divorce. Whatever ends all of this will help fix their marriage. It should. He's still married. You're...

[ Jesse forces herself to stop talking. The moment she does seems to stretch on. Then, her head tilts forward as she hides her face in her knees. ]

...you know about it. Don't you? [ Her voice breaks. ] Ordinary... a-and my friend.