"Mm hmm, he does that," Natalie commented, trying for a neutral, flat tone, and not quite hitting it. "But it's a human thing to do and he was hurt. You do it too, and so do I."

She was really just talking to drown out everything said in the memory. It worked fine enough for Sam adding that he was going home and she could have the room until she felt like leaving. But not the moment where the other Natalie pulled her shaking hands from her tear-streaked face, and stammered out, "I –– I wasn't stringing you along."

Natalie flinched at the sound of it.