I know you didn't, but how do I know that it's not my fault that it got in? Maybe I didn't let it in; maybe it broke in, but that's still my fault.

[ His expression has sobered, and he finds it hard to even keep looking at her. This is his responsibility, and he needs to fix it; he just needs to figure out how to do that. ]

It got in. It got in, it wrote another story, and I need to change the story so that... so that no one gets hurt. I know that's what it does; it hurts people and it doesn't care about who it hurts or how many of them, as long as it gets what it wants.

[ He nods slowly, with no small amount of reluctance. ]

It used me to write this story. This... terrible, dark story.

[ Finally, he levels a glance at her. ] I'm just as bad as a criminal, aren't I? Even if I don't remember what happened when it wrote this story, I'm still responsible. It's still my fault.

[ No, he doesn't need a demonstration of her abilities, but he knows he wants to see it in action anyway. And she doesn't disappoint; the chair barrels towards them, stopping short just inches away, and Alan's eyebrows raise. ]

Okay. If the Dark Presence comes back, you can stop it. You have to stop it. But... but if it gets too much- [ It kills people, doesn't it? I don't want that happening to her. That would be something else that's my fault. I won't let that happen. ]

Run. Don't stay here. Get your people and run.

[ Maybe they won't get far, but it's better than staying to fight a losing battle, isn't it? ]