There's a lump in Elle's throat. She wets her lips before she starts to reply. "It... It can be... hard. To see past who you want someone to be... to who they really are."

Something she had to learn the hard way. She had been so blind with Mr. House. When she looks back, she thinks she wanted to be blind. That she chose it. Everyone else questioned House, his motives, what was really going on. Cass was right. If someone promised me all the lights of Vegas, I'd consider it, too... but I wouldn't say yes until I saw what was behind the curtain. They were all right.

And the same thing happened with Dean, too. That holotape she found in Dean's safe, the one he was clearly planning on using to blackmail Vera with... She had been so stricken when she first listened to it. But, looking back... She shouldn't have been surprised. That was the kind of person Dean was -- who Dean is. And there were signs the whole time.

Maybe these aren't the best examples, not with what Dean did, not with the way things went with Mr. House. Kazuhira has nothing but nice things to say about his friend. But... The principle, it's the same, isn't it?

"It always feels... so obvious, when we look back." Her voice is quiet, almost lilting, it's so... nearly wistful.