Staying in Manhattan would be a step up from returning to his universe, in much the same way as it would be a step up from returning to hers. There's nothing good waiting for either of them, making it a rather low bar to clear.
But all the talk she's heard about escaping this place has been couched in terms of bypassing the Rift (or, less often, harnessing it), not destroying it. As long as it's capable of acting on its own whims, there's no reason to think that it wouldn't. There's no guarantee that it wouldn't send someone straight back to a universe where nothing awaits them. It's already proven itself to be capable of just that.
The Balladeer might be perfectly happy to stay in Manhattan, but as long as the Rift is here, he wouldn't be safe. Iman's universe, on the other hand, is full of clever people who understand all this multiple universe stuff. Even if it isn't technically beyond the Rift's reach, maybe they could make it so. It's something to hope for, at least.
After the week he's had, the Balladeer could probably use something to hope for.
She wasn't sure if he'd concede to deserving as much - not if he still thinks of himself as a disaster waiting to happen - and she beams in a watery mixture of approval and relief when he nods. "You're getting another hug," she announces, leaning forward to give him just that. Did he even get hugs before he came here? Probably not. Well, he's getting them now. "You're welcome," she adds. Then, "Of course you're welcome."
Her phone buzzes in her hand, and she lifts it to read Iman's texts from over the Balladeer's shoulder. A moment later, she lets out a delighted huff of laughter.
"Look, see?" she says, pulling back and holding her phone a few wavering inches from the Balladeer's nose. "Iman says 'Beth's family'!"
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But all the talk she's heard about escaping this place has been couched in terms of bypassing the Rift (or, less often, harnessing it), not destroying it. As long as it's capable of acting on its own whims, there's no reason to think that it wouldn't. There's no guarantee that it wouldn't send someone straight back to a universe where nothing awaits them. It's already proven itself to be capable of just that.
The Balladeer might be perfectly happy to stay in Manhattan, but as long as the Rift is here, he wouldn't be safe. Iman's universe, on the other hand, is full of clever people who understand all this multiple universe stuff. Even if it isn't technically beyond the Rift's reach, maybe they could make it so. It's something to hope for, at least.
After the week he's had, the Balladeer could probably use something to hope for.
She wasn't sure if he'd concede to deserving as much - not if he still thinks of himself as a disaster waiting to happen - and she beams in a watery mixture of approval and relief when he nods. "You're getting another hug," she announces, leaning forward to give him just that. Did he even get hugs before he came here? Probably not. Well, he's getting them now. "You're welcome," she adds. Then, "Of course you're welcome."
Her phone buzzes in her hand, and she lifts it to read Iman's texts from over the Balladeer's shoulder. A moment later, she lets out a delighted huff of laughter.
"Look, see?" she says, pulling back and holding her phone a few wavering inches from the Balladeer's nose. "Iman says 'Beth's family'!"