Tristan: "James, you're sleeping. Wake the hell up, you jackass, we're hungry."

James stirred, ever so slightly, and Tristan sighed.

Emily: "Did you want me to make you something to eat?"

Tristan jumped, surprised he hadn't heard Emily coming into the room. He didn't answer right away, instead watching her place a pile of folded blankets in a corner of the room. She stood up and looked at him quizzically before he realized he'd been staring.

Emily: "Tristan?"
Tristan: "Oh. No, I'm fine."
Emily: "Are you sure? I'm sure James has food around here some… where."

Emily's voice trailed off, thoughts left hanging in the air just out of reach. It was Tristan's turn to look at her quizzically now. Emily laughed nervously and rubbed her forehead.

Tristan: "Emily?"
Emily: "Has your life always been like this?"
Tristan: "How do you mean?"
Emily: "So… interesting."
Tristan: "I can assure you it hasn't."

Emily: "You should keep trying to talk to him, I think it was helping."
Tristan: "I don't really know what to say to him."
Emily: "I don't know that it matters much. Hearing your voice might make all the difference in the world, regardless of what you're actually saying."

Tristan: "Do you really think so?"
Emily: "I know that hearing is the last sense to leave us when going into 'alternate states of consciousness'."

Emily suddenly wished she'd chosen her words a little more carefully. Tristan was beginning to look extremely strained to her. Earlier he'd looked like he was struggling to keep from flying apart at the seams through shear force of will, now it was almost as if he was considering giving up altogether.

Emily: "Are you sure you don't need anything?"
Tristan: "Well, James waking up would be nice."

Emily: "We'll get him back, Tristan. In the mean time, you really should talk to him some more."
Tristan: "You're right."

Emily: "I can leave the room if that would help…"
Tristan: "I'd rather you stayed, actually."

Emily felt self-conscious for a split second, something she was almost beginning to get used to feeling when around Tristan. She shook it off, smiling softly.

Emily: "I'll find a book to read."