He was silent for a long moment, just letting her hold him, and holding her back, feeling her fingers in his hair. His eyes closed and he let it be something, possibly enough, if he could just remember to breathe through the tightness in his chest that kept screaming out all of his inadequacies.

"I know," he said finally, softly. "I want you to be happy with yours as well. You made hard ones, ones that have been hard for you, that I know you're struggling with. But if this is what's best for our family...for us..." He wasn't sure if he could finish the sentence, just tightening his hold. This whole unselfishness thing bit.