[What the heck was he beating himself up about this for?]

Ya don't need ta be 'sorry'. [She turned her head to look at him, her brow furrowed.] Anythin' I ever got into with ya, I volunteered for.

[Then her lips twisted wryly as a quick memory flashed through her, the unfairness of it, his arm around her shoulders and the acrid scent of knock-out gas.] Well, barrin' one thing. I signed on board ta be your friend an' I meant it.

['And that meant sharing the dark and awful places' (a flash of her weeping over Anja) 'as well as the light' (the two of them bantering back and forth as they walked)]