Patch takes a deep breath, and it trembles on the end. When she looks up at Ben, her eyes are shiny, but the tears aren't falling. Not yet.

She just nods. "Okay."

She doesn't believe him, but she can see that it's important to him. She can hear it in his voice and feel it in the grip of his fingers on her arm. He has a need to make her understand, and she doesn't, but they don't both have to deal with that. Whoever said misery loves company must have been an asshole, as far as Patch is concerned. When she's in pain, the last thing she's ever wanted to do is spread it around, hurt someone else just so she doesn't have to hurt alone. "You would know better than me. You saw everything I didn't."

She moves her hand on top of his, not to push him off, but to support his grip. It's fine. It's all fine. Even if she can't believe it, maybe he can.