"Okay," she says agreeably, and inputs his number. "Well let me know whenever you want to go up there, I can make sure it's empty first if you want. My bees are really well-behaved, so long as you don't bother them."

She pockets her phone and stops outside the clinic, smiling at him. "It was nice to meet you, Tim," she says warmly. She figures she'll let him go in first, and then go in a bit later, just to give him as much space as possible. He really does seem to need it.

The urge to say something else is gnawing at her as always, terribly difficult to resist, and in fact, often impossible.

"Don't hide yourself away too much, okay?" she says quietly, seeking out his eyes. "Things are different here."

No. Too much. Too much, just like with Peter. She regrets it instantly, and looks away, her expression contorted. She can't bear to see his reaction to this so she doesn't look back, instead turning her back on him like a coward and slipping away, into the neighboring building, a little coffeeshop. She'll order some tea and sit and organize packets of sugar until the frustration and the self-beratement and gentle twitches of anxiety have passed.