Slade buried his face against her hair the moment she sank down into his hold, wrapped his arms around her until they crossed in front of her body and his hands wrapped around the lowest curves of her ribs on opposite sides, careful with the hold but holding her tight, taking very slow, careful, steady breaths of the scent of her hair, feeling her alive in his arms, when he hadn't eve--

The sob tore from his vocal cords without anything resembling his consent and he shuddered, struggled against the ones behind it.