"Because I grew up seeing the strength in others. You, Ophelia," he pulled back, so his eyes could meet hers, "have strength you don't even know about. You will find it, and it won't make everything better, it won't fix your life, but it will help you with the challenges that life brings you, it will keep you going when weaker people would just cease to care, and fade away into nothing."
He stroked her hair, softly. "Look at how well you're handling this. I wasn't a stranger to the idea of alternate universes, but I handled it much worse than you did."
In his own mind, at least. He'd just clung to anyone who resembled people he'd known back home, and was only know seekign independence.