"I don't know," she said honestly, meeting his gaze without wavering. "I hope so. Eventually. And I'll say it as many times as I need to until you do. Because it's true. And there's not much else to hang on to here besides the few things that are true."

And because it would help her, at least, to be able to blame what death had taken from her. It would help her to get rightfully angry and weep.