[ It should be a greater comfort -- those words, the fact that she knows it's true too, that they love each other, maybe too much sometimes. But somehow, it seems to make her feel a little worse. She isn't so naive as to think love can fix anything, but it hurts her, that she can be so ugly with someone she cares about so desperately.

At length, a bit subdued: ]

I was scared. I thought maybe if I told y'right then, it'd be too much for us. With everythin' else. Maybe y'won't believe me -- but I didn't wanna fight.