Tuktu Hinterlands Even if I knew you'd be my best and worst mistake

This was the problem.  To Colt, a relationship was a partnership, and when you loved someone, you gave them the benefit of the doubt, always.  He'd have expected Niamh to back him because she should know he would never do anything intentionally to hurt neither those she cared about or her.  But it had taken him literal years to learn this, and where he'd grown past it, he was only just now realizing that she hadn't.  She hadn't had the chance yet.

You're supposed to trust me. He said, and this was quieter than the rest had been.  On seeing her he'd thought maybe... but there never really was a chance was there?  Her comment on Towhee made sense, but that had been an accident.  If she couldn't see that then there was nothing else he could say here.

I hope she's alright.  But I don't regret what I did.  And I'm not going to act like it was the wrong thing to do.  I'm sorry.  He was.  He was glad she had come here, and they weren't leaving it with angry words at the border.  But that didn't change what likely was happening here.  He was too old to let this be his life.