[ The hug goes tighter. He doesn't need sorry when he has so much he needs to be sorry for as well. All he needs is to hear that they're still in this together. Everything else is simply window dressing to the fact that Billy still wishes to tackle this world together. Them against everything else. As it should be.

Still, there is that shadow in the room. The lingering darkness of the things that were said that night. Things he's certain he'll hear in his nightmares. He shifts his weight and his head slips to Billy's shoulder to breathe him in.] No. You don't have to be sorry. You were right. You were right about me. After the mining camp...I just... I couldn't do it. And then the dreams started getting worse and worse.

[ It's no excuse and he knows it. There is no excuse for desertion. ] I ran away, Billy. I ran away and left you to die. So...about those things, you were right about them. Because I should have been stronger and stayed. Instead, I proved you right.