She'd waited up for him, using the excuse to get more work done. He'd found her in her office, the only light the soft illumination of the view screens. He stands in her door and explains the situation, and she comes around her desk, her brow furrowed, her smile, soft.

"It's alright. Such is the nature of things," she says as she approaches him. He's drawn tight as a wire, she can tell, but still, she finds herself ridiculously glad he'd found these few minutes to come tell her. He could have called. He didn't. He came in person. That alone means so much to her.

"Can you stay?"