"We closed our camp!" the doctor said. "I've got the body count right here." He handed Ducchi his clipboard, his expression solemn.
Sighing, his chest heaving, Ducchi asked him, "How many were identified?"
"Few," he answered. "Mostly random civilians. One body looks like this one guy . . . ohh, I don't know his name, but I think he was the Organas' chauffeur-"
"Valden?" Sabé gasped, launching to her feet.
"Yeah, him! He was one of the few that we could identify. All the rest will have to be autopsied."
"This is a joke," Ducchi said, nearly laughing. "Why don't they just figure out how to kill the rest of us already? I'm done." He shook his head. Then, the tears came. He couldn't stop them. "I'm done." It was so simple. He was so simply overwhelmed and grieved. He'd known Valden well enough to be shocked and hurt, but it was mostly the sum of the day. It seemed to be one thing on top of another, an endless pile piling up of the worst day ever.
He looked back to Sabé. Holding his gaze, sharing his tears, she stood. Slowly, she approached and Ducchi's heart beat went erratic. She didn't suddenly run into his arms, but Sabé took slow baby steps until she was close enough to fall into his arms. He held her like she needed to be, rocked her while she sobbed. He held her like that until she managed just enough control over her tears to say to him, "Hold me like this forever. Never let me fall."
Ducchi knew what he was really saying. "You don't really mean that," he said simply. "I'm not accepting that." Sabé stepped back to look at him, alarmed. "But this is what you've always wanted-"
"I love you, Sabé, and I will always be right here. But you're tired and broken and everything's a mess. You're not thinking straight. I can't accept you right now. So, let me be the bad guy this time." Ducchi kissed her cheek and whispered against her skin, "No."