"Always knew you thought I was beautiful," he teased, ignoring the chair at her bedside and dropping on to the bed. He barely flinched as she tossed her bauble across the room. Well. Tossed was a nice way to put it. She hurled it with nearly as much force as her ax. "Now, now, don't take your anger out on the shiny singing thing."
But he couldn't keep the cheerful demeanor up at her words. "Don't beat around the bush, JoJo, all this small talk is getting to me." Sighing, he avoided her eyes. This was the worst conversation to have. Not for the first time and not for the last, he wished Annie were there. Tough things like this were easier with her hand to hold. But then, if she ever did arrive, there was no way he could tell her what he knew.
"No," he finally said quietly, shaking his head. "From the time I'm from and as far as I know in those books, you're very much alive. And hopefully helping to take care of Annie. And..." His voice stumbled over the words, finding them the most difficult he had ever said out loud. "And my son."