The problem was that she would always have to be second priority, when the world was in danger. That was how it worked, how he worked and always had. That had never changed and he'd always figured she knew that, maybe even understood that being a superhero herself. You made personal sacrifices so the world could survive and in times like this you had to keep focus or you wouldn't just lose a person, you'd lose everything.
"How do you know it's me, and not a robot?" he quipped, and immediately regretted it because this wasn't the time to make a joke and she looked like she might try to rip his head off any second and see whether there were wires or blood inside him. He coughed abruptly and then sighed. "Look, Jessica-" he began and then stopped because what the fuck was he supposed to say? "I'm sorry," he finally mumbled, defeated.