"I promise I will." She grins, and it's still a little teary, but they're good tears so that's all right. "But that means you have to let me, too."

She's got your number on that one, North.

"Fine," she says imperiously, "then I demand you keep visiting me. If you... uh... have time. And don't mind. And you have to bring me pie. And soup with dumplings."

Quickly added: "Meat dumplings. Vegetable dumplings are for pussies."