"'Tween you and Jon, ya'll really like blamin' yourselves for stuff you didn't do," he huffed, with more annoyance than he truly meant. "Less you had a giant baseball bat ready t'knock that thing back from whatever corner it cruised from, I think we're doin' quite alright, considerin'."

He plopped down beside her, tucking his legs beneath him. "'Sides, all that trainin' wasn't for nothin'," he said, his voice softer. "Not if you read the letter. More'n that, at least you did somethin' about the situation you were in. Heck, you can still do somethin' about the situation you're in, now if you don't sit, lettin' the past drown ya'."