action;
Would it be blowing my own trumpet to say that Jean-Luc is an excellent judge of character?
[ A sparkle in his eyes, but as he's left room for her on the bench he only makes the slightest adjustment along it to look up at her, relieved that the edge has gone off the situation. He hadn't known what to expect, but it hadn't been that, and now that the first whiff of danger has passed, he's very careful about how he proceeds. He wonders if he should ask her how she is. It would be the natural progression of the conversation.
But she's probably tired of being asked. His smile is very small, but hopeful. ]
I was very much hoping that Jean-Luc's absence didn't have to mean a...dissolution of the goals that the two of you had, or our eagerness to continue working together. I won't do you the disservice of asking you to keep what Jean-Luc told you about our reality to yourself; I'm sure you've heard it more times than you care to count over the months from my colleagues.
In fact, the only thing I wanted to tell you is that if there are any questions I can answer, or anything I can do for you - at any time - you should know that I will make myself available without hesitation, and Deanna will do the same.