"Veronica--" he starts, his voice as lame and ineffectual as her fists. His own hands raise, not to stop her, but out of some futile instinct to hold her and make it better -- and he can't, and he knows that. His hands hover near her shoulders instead, not touching her. Just letting her blows land.

"I can't just let it happen again -- that's still a decision, Vee, that's still on me, and I won't." The words come out rough and hollow, but with depressing certainty. "Not again, not ever."