[ A huge shudder wracks her whole body. Impossibly, her arms draw even tighter around him. Her legs feel weak - if he wasn't holding her, she's certain she wouldn't still be standing.

She's selfish. She's greedy and shortsighted. She's always known that. But it's because she's all those things, desperately clawing to try and find some semblance of happiness, that she's wanted someone to say those words to her all this time. That it's okay. That her wish, the thing she wants more than anything - she can have it. They'll do it for her.

Her tears haven't stopped flowing, running rivers down her cheeks and flooding her throat. But instead of despair or sorrow, they've taken on the hue of something brighter and cleaner, different in tone but just as all-encompassing and intense.

When her voice finally surfaces again, it's with the gasping cadence of a drowning woman. ]

I don't need anything else. I don't. I just want to go back. I want to see them grow up and know who'll they'll be and I-

[ Another shudder. ]

I don't need you to say anything else but... will you promise me that I can? Even if it's not true? ... Can you promise that you won't hate me?