I could say Moira or Rahne or the fact that Theresa hasn't had to live through the hell of watching me reabsorb our son. I could even just deflect with another glib remark, because glib remarks are something I excel at. Of all the things I've learned over the years, avoidance is unique in that I'm pretty sure I picked it up all on my own, no dupes required. In the end, though, I can't quite shake that voice nagging me in the back of my head -- do something unexpected, it says, tell the truth.

"You," he said simply after a moment's deliberation. He was breaking every rule in the noir handbook -- if such a thing existed -- with such an admission, but it was undeniably true. Still, he averted his gaze, and when he spoke again, his voice was only just loud enough to be heard over the water. "You're a good reason to want to live."