[Dave nods and squeezes her hand gently. He gets it. He doesn't want to go back to the other time, either, and every departure this place takes from it is at once nervous-making, since what's unknown is impossible to predict, and irrationally reassuring.]

Okay.

[Either way, staying here is as sensible a plan as any, and since Meridiana likes it, he's on board, too.]

So, the other thing about that is that they've got those rooms specifically for newcomers. Nobody here's originally from here, world-wise. But we're not... we're allowed to do what we want here, pretty much.

[No Mutual Killing Game. No motives every week. No student handbook.]

Like getting stuck at the airport. Shitty, but not, you know. Not like last time.