Alex, despite everything, offers Neil a grin. He stands, hands on his thighs to push up. "Kid, that was never in question. You pull through anything. Don't you remember passing out in the desert? When those raiders in Kansas got that lucky shot in your gut? There's not a doubt you'll be fine."

But you're not now.

Nothing of Alex shows that--he only expands a casual confidence in the simplicity of the statements made. They're true, of course. But this is something different. It's not just Neil's body in question.