"What, no kiss goodbye?" he asked, not really expecting an answer. He was, in a word, concerned. That being left behind to play sentry in Doom's Latverian stronghold rankled was secondary to all of this; even if he knew, intellectually, that none of what was happening was real, the idea of letting Layla just go didn't sit well. Looking at her now, a part of him couldn't help but wonder if they wouldn't have been better off just staying in the room they'd woken up in, though he quickly dismissed the thought as pointless.

"I'll be here."

Even if you don't want me to be.