"No, no, nothing like that. It's just- after the last round we talked and she told me I needed to be more um... firm? I think doormat was a word she used." Ouch, but totally true. "She said I should live in a way I'm proud of, and well- you saw how that turned out." He smiled. "I don't know what I would have done if she hadn't said that. I might have let you make the decision, you made a lot of valid points."

"You must have, with those scars." He nodded towards Heiji's stomach. "In a way it's nice to know you and Jake can handle a situation like this so well. If you hadn't been there I doubt I would have done as good a job at cleaning everything up." And he laughed a little. "Thanks, I'm not sure tough is the word I'd use but I guess we're all one stab closer to being completely used to it, heaven forbid."