"Annie? Wish I could take you away from all of this."

That admission was whispered forcefully. Jack hugged her back. "No escapes here. None. And I want you to be surrounded by beautiful...beauty. Joy. And."

He was babbling, now; almost lightheaded with anger and regret and grief.

Regret. Guilt. Oh, how he'd always hated hated HATED those feelings. The instinct? To run. To buggering bloody well RUN. FAR. AWAY.