Anybody watching the pair of them might have misunderstood what was going on. They might have thought that Evey was a madwoman. Or maybe that he'd said something horrible to her and was restraining her. But Aidan knew exactly why she was having the reaction that she was having.
Even before die Festung, Evey had lived in a world that hadn't been right. She'd gone through a lot to build herself to the person that she'd become. In a way, it had been a preparation for where she'd been displaced to. Her knowledge and ability to organize had been very useful. Her strength had come in handy. She had never really known a peaceful life. Aidan knew that she'd suspected she wouldn't ever. She'd been so reluctant to let happiness in. She'd been so careful with him and herself. Her heart had been guarded. So had his, really.
Now they were nowhere near that place, nor the worlds they'd originally come from. Aidan was sure that this new City would provide other challenges and strange things, but the little stuff they didn't have to worry about anymore. Food. Clothing.
"We did." He smiled back, giving her a little squeeze. "We're here. We're okay."