[ He shifts slightly so that he's positioned a little closer to her, and as she keeps brushing her fingers against her hip, a quiet sigh escapes him. She just seems to know how to soothe him without him saying what he needs or what will help. Is it that he's too obvious? Is he too needy when it comes to needing help to calm down?

Maybe he is; maybe he's just too needy about it, but he can't pretend that her touch doesn't comfort him. If he could will away the need to be comforted so much, he would have already done it.

Her touch helps, but the topic they're on doesn't help settle him down, not fully. He hates talking about Scratch, about anything relating to the darkness, to the things out there that can hurt people. But they really haven't spoken about this before, and it's something he thinks they need to talk about sometime. Maybe now is one of those times. The first step towards both of them coming to terms with what they've both gone through.

... What Jesse's gone through because of him. ]

I know. I can picture it, even though picturing it is the last thing I want to do. If- if you survived being taken away from Polaris, you'd be... Maybe you'd be like a Taken. Maybe you'd be something worse than a Taken. But then why the hell would he want that?

[ His expression darkens again and one hand clenches into a fist. ]

I thought at one point that Scratch was smart, but now I don't think so. If that was his plan, that was a really bad one. It wouldn't have worked.

But... But I'm glad whatever he was planning never happened. If Scratch hurt you... if you were gone for good because of something he did, I- I don't think I'd...

[ Words trail off into silence. He finishes the sentence in his mind.

I'd never get over it. ]

So... it really was my fault then. He wanted you because he knew that I love you. I'm sorry you had to go through that; I'm sorry you had to do that, Jesse.