O'Brien frowned some when Leah responded with that hollow laugh. And the sarcasm. Okay. So they both knew she was right. But tonight obviously was not a good night. For anyone apparently. "Well, I was going, wasn't I? Maybe I am fucking slow." Maybe he was. Enough people said it. Add that on top of everyone else that glared at him because they recognized him because he'd been the one to toss them in jail. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to come back to New York City. Only the tough people survived the apocalypse, right? That included the criminal population. There were a ton of faces that he recognized, and even more that he caught staring at him. That didn't include the ones that actually confronted him about it and insisted on calling him 'piglet' and/or 'pig'. Or worse.
And as far as O'Brien knew, the reason Leah was so upset about Kori was because she was family. Losing family was something that no one wanted to go through. He wasn't family. He was a guy she was 'giving a chance'. He didn't even know what that made him. And he'd said that was okay. But he didn't think that 'giving him a chance' let him on the same playing field as family. And apparently, it didn't. He was easy enough to drop. Easy enough to decide that it was 'too soon to give him a chance'. Just like that.
And then she turned right around and begged him to stay. Yeah. He was fucking confused. He was confused and hurt by her decision and her words, but that didn't stop him from caring about her. She was the one that didn't want him-- or decided it was too soon. And she was obviously upset by whatever he'd done-- whatever had happened, she was upset. But he'd stay with her. He didn't like seeing her so upset. It only made his heart ache worse.
He didn't know if it was alright to hug her until he felt her hand on his arm, and her head settling on his shoulder, and he tightened his arms around her better to hold her close. He leaned into her as he held her, his cheek pressing against the top of her head. He didn't know what to say. He didn't know how to make it better. And he still hadn't stopped worrying about everything. And her fucking words were still on fucking repeat.
Wait. What? His brows pushed together after a beat or two and her words processed. Her daughter? She had kids? Had she been married? People didn't have to be married to have kids... but.. if she had a kid, that meant there was a father out there somewhere. Fuck.... Had she been one of those unfortunate people that woke up to their family infected?
He didn't know if he could see Leah as a family woman. Well, not the June Cleaver type... Now she'd gone and just added a thousand other thoughts, and questions, and worries in his head. This was a fucking touchy subject, and he felt like whatever he said could upset her.
Or wait. Was this something recent? That's why she was upset? No, he would have known, right?... She would have told him. Someone would have told him. Lilah, Kori, Brandon. One of them would have said something.
Just like of the four Stones.. you'd think that one of them would have mentioned to him that Leah had had a family of her own. That did make things a little different. Not in the sense that it would change his feelings for her.. but.. yeah. Why hadn't she said anything?
He didn't let go of her, but he was very, very confused. And he didn't know whether or not to be a little upset that everyone had failed to tell him about something so important.
Once again, he didn't know what to say. Nothing intelligent came to mind. And it was like someone had suddenly flipped the lights off on this whole thing, and what did this have to do with tonight?? and... Fuck.
He hated to make her repeat it. Or to make her explain, but all he could think to say was, "..you had a daughter?" It was a very confused question that was backed by several emotions. But it wasn't intended to be mean or rude.