"Oh no, no no no no no." She dropped down in front of him, reached out as thought to hug him, remembered, and quickly drew her hands back.
"I'm sorry," she gasped, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I--I wasn't thinking..."
Her breath was coming in that sharp, jagged way it did when one had nearly cried themselves out. "I'm so sorry, Thomas," she whispered, whimpered. "I shouldn't--we never should have..."
Oh gods, she hadn't thought it possible to feel worse than she already did. She'd been wrong.