A/N: Just a little introspective piece. Italics are dialogue from the actual episode.
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"… completely alone in this sad world."
Those words made her feel sick.
To even consider the fact that she had made someone feel that way – the way she herself had felt all those years ago – made her gut wrench in a way unlike anything she'd ever felt.
She had killed a man. Shot him, just like that. Without a single thought as to how that would affect anyone past her partner.
She had destroyed the worlds of God knows how many people with a last-minute decision and a single bullet.
"…you're afraid Epps turned you into him. Into a killer. You have to come to grips with the fact that you killed another human being."
It frightened her that he could read her so easily. It made her wonder if either he knew her exceptionally well or if maybe she wasn't as guarded as she had thought.
Despite it all, he'd made his way in, and as hard as it was for her to admit it, she was glad he was there. She was glad he understood how she felt without her saying a word.
She knew that no one else could offer this kind of comfort. No one else had done such an unspeakable thing. But he had, and he could understand.
And she was glad he knew the perfect way to brighten her spirits.
Maybe he didn't know how wonderful of a gesture that small figurine was, but it meant the world to her. It was yet another piece of evidence to support his understanding, his ability to know exactly how to fix her.
He had delivered the perfect words and the perfect gift, and even if that didn't heal all of her emotional pain, it certainly softened the blow.
And for that, she was grateful.
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End