All those words. All those memories, and he doesn't know if Nida's aware of any of them, doesn't know if Nida realizes what he's saying and how much of what's been repressed all these years has finally sprung loose. It's big, and it's important, but it's the end of it all that gets him.

"You are not a monster."

There's a firm conviction in his voice, a certainty he feels in his bones that reflects in the rest. He knows this, is more sure than he is about anything else right now. "You're a lot of things, Nida. A survivor, a soldier, a spy, and yeah--you've been through more than anyone should ever have to. But you are not a monster. I don't care how you have to look at what happened to deal with it, you can talk about this like it's normal, but you aren't that."