She nodded, studying her fingers for a moment, then she blurted out at the floor, "I would have, you know."

"Would have what?"

"I would have shot you." Her voice bounced off the walls of the empty room, making her cringe a little at the loudness. Dropping her volume, she finished her thought. "I would have killed you."

He watched her for a moment, then, "Why didn't you?"

Diane looked up, meeting his eyes directly. "You didn't make me."

The more time Sam spent inside Harold James Denby's life, the more Harry's psyche filled what Sam's image couldn't. He was repelled by himself, had spent any number of years facedown in life's mud, trying to get out of his own skin, and this primitive, self-horrified little animal had somehow been kicked onto his back by this woman and told he had a right to look at the stars.

He reached up. "Diane..."

She took a quick step back, turning what was obvious avoidance into a half-hearted twist as she went to collect the food she'd brought him. "Look, I don't want to get into a big... thing with you here. I just wanted to make sure you were okay, all right Denby?"

Sam let his arms collapse into his lap. "Sure."

Diane picked up the bags and took them to him, holding them out as if she were hand-feeding a tiger. "I've still got some stuff I have to do, so..." She stepped back as soon as her hands were empty, putting one on her hip and the other through her hair. "You'll be okay without me, right?"

No. "Yeah, I should be."

She watched him for a second, and he could see her body pull forward while she pulled back.

She wants to kiss me goodbye. "Diane..."

She turned away, flapping a perfunctory hand at him. "I'll see you later, Denby."

As she all but bolted from the room, Sam looked after her, feeling slightly dazed. Why won't she tell him that she loves him? He furrowed his brow thinking about it as he dug into the food she'd brought for him. Suddenly, right in the middle of everything, he stopped dead. It hit him in a rush and the words came out of him in a surprised jolt. Very surprised, indeed.