Edward eventually moved to her urging. He lacked much will in his body so he slumped into her when she hugged him but made not attempt to return the embrace. Tears still streamed down his cheeks, the memories of the day and what had followed played through his head over and over again.

"Thank you Ruth,"

Somehow, despite how lost to misery he was, her words managed to break through. He heard her say she was there and he whispered the words back. Then he shifted the bare minimum into her grip, his face now buried into her hair as he continued to sob until he finally stopped darkness over taking him.