Cora could feel the hesitation, and Understood how he felt. There weren’t deaths in her past, but mistakes. Mistakes she punished herself for, memories she kept because she didn’t feel she deserved to forget. But it was different seeing someone she cared about suffer. It was different letting him justify what he faced.

”No more than an hour. Just like earlier, just give you some time to calm down.” she kissed his cheek then pulled her hand away, the other already found the threads that needed to go. ”Just shut your eyes again. It’s fine, you’re here. Just focus on what’s real.”

She quickly frayed the threads before he changed his mind, watching the dark colors fade with the memories. She had to focus, eyes feeling heavy after the last thread. She wanted to make sure he was fine before going back to bed. She settled back down, reclaiming his hand and giving it a squeeze.

There was hesitation in his face but he didn’t’ say anything. He wanted to say no, he carried the burden of what he had done and what he had seen he didn’t feel like he should need to forget it.

She kissed his cheek and he got distracted. Comfortable, glad he was with her. Sam had a hard time trusting people to tell him what to do. He closed his eye and squeezed her hand in response, far more at ease. Cora was real.

Sam closed his eye holding onto her hand as he started to drift for the first time in a long time relaxed and at peace.