He took her by surprise, which was rare for Emma. Few snuck up on her. But despite herself, she did feel safe with him and in the house. Which had been his point all along, obviously, move in with him and guarantee her safety. But she smiled a little shyly at his touch, an odd expression for Emma that still looked somehow natural. Her hand drifted up to touch his face lightly, and then he spoke and... God, she didn't know.
She'd never set out to play the hero. She was just really, really tired of the madness running the city streets. "Of course it was a good look on me," she challenged, trying to sound flippant rather than worried. "Most things are. But badass? High up there."
Then Jim joined her on the couch and he was bringing up that day, that horrible day that could come. She knew it as well as anyone. The city could be celebrating his end, his death. And what side would she be on? Would she be mourning? Celebrating with them? Or, just maybe, would she be going the same way as Romana had? Caught in the middle of something she couldn't get out of until it was too late.
Romana had said Emma would make the choice if she really loved Jim. Would she? Because she did. No one would have stuck it out with him, with his smooth words and his mood swings and, of course, the crime, if they didn't love him. But how much? Enough to stand by and watch him destroy the people she was growing to care for?
"We don't have to worry about that," she finally decided firmly. "It's not going to come to that, them rejoicing. You won't be like him." He just wasn't going to die. That answered that part of the question, at least. "And I'm not her. I'm not a simpering idiot. I can stand by you and still have a spine of my own."