Grady didn't know what to do in this situation and he suddenly wished he hadn't sat down. Hadn't offered to comfort her. That only led him to feel instantly guilty for even thinking such. His friend was in pain. Deep pain. Pain that he couldn't begin to imagine and here he was wishing that he'd left well enough alone.

Some friend he was.

And so, pushing aside the discomfort he was feeling, he pulled her into a brief hug.

"You're not alone, Emme. Never. I promise you that," he said quietly into her hair. And then, what had started as a brief hug turned, quiet suddenly, into him pulling her closer to him in some attempt to drive her pain from her. Give her the strength she needed to go on.