[ That soft look in his eyes doesn't fade, but a touch of sadness creeps into his gray eyes as her words wash over him. He knows it's not a demand; it's a request, a plea that he attempt to find a belief that's buried impossibly far down. It's so far down that the waves are washing over it. Or maybe it's simply buried in dirt. Whatever the metaphor, Alan has to dig deep to uncover that belief.

He believes in it, in his heart, but his mind also warns him that there's a chance the ending they both long for may never come. It's better to be prepared than to be completely blindsided. Still, he knows there's only one answer that he can say. Only one answer that he wants to give, and so he gives it without hesitation. ]

I believe it. We're going to go home when the story ends. The story will end and we won't have to worry about the Dark Presence or the Dark Place again. I'm coming home, Jesse. We're coming home.

[ I see now that I can say that to her, because what she's really asking for is for me to make a decision: do I believe in the ending that we want or don't I? I have to decide, so what I'm deciding is to believe in it.

And armed with that belief, Alan interjects all the certainty and strength that he can manage to dig up into his voice. They won't be separated by realities anymore; they'll be together, in their reality, and their lives together can finally start. ]

We're going to come home. [ We're going to return. Together. ]