[This time he wraps his arms around her tightly, and that break in her voice brings tender tears to his eyes--suddenly all he wants to do is hold her until her soul is in one piece, again.]

Hey, no... don't blame yourself. I'm okay. We're a long way from home, kid, and we have to be careful, now. Sometimes that means getting ourselves on the high ground so that we can pull others up with us, y'know?

[He's sure the others have gotten out, too. They have to have escaped.]