[It makes her miss her own dad with a suddem fierceness that it knocks the breath out of her. Her mum, too; the both of them, so utterly normal and a little weird all at once. Nothing like Cole's dad at all. ]

I think he was. Dad's - the good ones, I mean - they're always proud, I think. I mean look at you, trying to save the world. Course he was proud of you.

[She tucks his hair behind an ear, glancing down at the top of his head. It's a good thing he's not looking up; the look on her face is so openly tender, almost adoring. It borders sad too; Cole deserves a happy ending, not the myriad of tragedies that he's lived through.] Bet he would've been proud if you weren't too.