[ Jesse finally relents, allowing her to turn his face back towards hers. He wants to believe her, and to believe he’s the man she thinks he is. He’s tried to be. Making the world a better place, making amends, that was what it had all been about.

But then she gets right to the center of it, hitting him dead center like a bullseye. He shuts his eyes quick, wincing from the shock of the shot; but he blinks his eyes back open this time, fixing her with a look that’s nothing but an old sadness. ]

I can’t stop thinkin’ that I’ve got some part of him in me. All the worst of it. If I ever hurt anyone the way he did to me Ashe, I…

[ He wants to stand up. Pace. Walk to the window, to the door. Go outside. Smoke. Leave. He realizes distantly how his hands are curled into fists, nails digging into his right palm. Slowly, he loosens it and rests his hand over one of hers instead. Tilts his cheek into her touch. ]

… I know it’s not right. Makes no sense. I hated him. I’d never. But talkin’ sense to it doesn’t make the idea go anywhere.