>>“Yeah, I'd say any time but...well, you know, really, let's never do this again.” - he laughs a little, a laugh that’s clearly an agreement, because, yeah, never again - “And it goes both ways, the thanks thing.”
He doesn’t know how to respond to that - because this whole thing is his fault, and she’s got no reason to be thanking him, considering all he really did was endanger her and then get her hurt and contnually panic and almost give up... but then he remembers the bit in the car, where he was trying to calm her, and how that helped to keep him calmer and focused, and he wonders if that’s what she means. If she’s glad she wasn’t alone, glad she had something to worry about other than just fear. And even though none of it would have happened at all if he hadn’t been there, he still shrugs and smiles a little, an unspoken you’re welcome, I guess.
>>“Fair enough... Still, maybe they'll figure something out, explain it so you don't have to worry as much about it I mean...there has to be some kind of explanation right?”
Yeah, there’s an explanation, but it’s not one he wants to bring up again, the prospect that Gordon was right and something’s wrong with Sam and he’s going to continue to be a danger to anyone around him, be it because of crazy hunters or because of whatever it is he can do... it’s a pretty clear explanation, seems to cover all the bases and the details and make his stomach clench with fear because it fits too well not to be the explanation. It’d be impossible to come up with a more fitting one, at this point, he’s pretty sure.
He won’t know until he can do more research, of course. Right now it’s just putting the pieces together without seeing the picture on them - when it’s flipped around, and the image is revealed, he might have it all wrong. Just because something fits somewhere doesn’t mean it belongs there.
He doesn’t say any of that, though.
“I’ll tell them soon, I just... not yet.” He offers a smile, a sorry, not trying to be stubborn sort of smile, which dissolves into a yawn shortly after. He really hopes he’ll be able to fall asleep in the car when they do leave.