Stephanie went stiff for a moment when he first touched her. She didn't want to be touched. She didn't deserve to be comforted. She deserved to stew in her misery until she had to force herself up and suffer through another hellish day. She'd been horrible, she'd neglected him, she wasn't strong enough or smart enough or driven enough.

But the human need overcame her desperate thoughts and her resistance collapsed and she went almost totally limp in his arms.

"I'm sorry." She managed to croak out as she cried into his chest. "It's just too much. I can't." She started sobbing again into him.