He knew that she deserved so much more than a pathetic pat on the arm. But the world was bursting at the seams, and he had to hold it together.
The look in her eyes told him that she understood, but that wasn't good enough for him. He wanted to pull her close, run his fingers through her hair. He wanted to tell her about the hell he had gone through in China and how she was always on his mind.
Instead, he gave her a quiet 'thank you,' praying that she knew, that he would get the chance to tell her.