His anger was receding by degrees and was being replaced with the heavy weight of knowing he was never getting his life back.

Worse still was realizing that even though he'd gone with Clarice this far, he couldn't go the whole way. He'd be a distraction for her, one that might get her killed or would be a source of guilt when he was killed himself.

The thought twisted his guts and he could already feel the hole opening in his chest.

"Couldn't we both just live in one of those worlds? There's gotta be someplace where she'd be new to it, too." He knew the answer as he asked the question, but he had to hear it before he'd give up the hope completely.