She was already shaking her head - a dismissal of the apology - when Niko finished, and her head jerked up to stare at him.

"No," she said, and it was firm and immediate - though she then hesitated.

"I've thought... I don't know. I've thought before that I didn't know if I should be with you because...I wouldn't help you. I thought maybe we'd just get each other hurt." Her voice was raw with shame, but she was holding his arms in a tight grasp, refusing to let go.

"But now I can't see us being apart. And I'm happy with that...whatever we don't like about each other." Even standing as tall as she could and holding his arms for support, she was barely tall enough to rest her cheek against his shoulder.

"I just wish I could hold you together somehow as well."