Rose was usually right. Oh, he liked to think he was, and that was fine. But sometimes things needed a much more human perspective. And this was clearly one of those times. She couldn't help but wince as the man she cared the most about expressed the agony he was in.
"No," she said softly, brushing that wild hair back from his face with her free hand. "No, you shouldn't have." She was grateful he knew it, at least. That wasn't going to make a bit of difference when the seal decided it was time for one or both of them to be returned to where they belonged. "Doesn't matter now."
There was a whole lot else she wanted to say. Like how angry she still was with him when she thought about it for too long. Or how much she just wanted him to hold her and tell her that it was okay, they'd fix it, just as soon as everything got set right. Or just blurt out how she felt, as she had years ago. But it wasn't the time for any of that, not with him so sick. So instead, her fingers simply continued to run through the thick mop of dark hair as soothingly as she could manage.