( He knows the answer Istredd patiently gives him anyway, he knows it. He knows how this place works, he was here for a year, he had to give a similar explanation to Jerry — and yet, for some bewildering, nonsensical reason, his brain hadn't quite accepted the fact that it was applicable to her. He felt, on some instinctive, incomprehensible level, that she was somehow... beyond the rules of this place. Like she was immune, or an exception, like it shouldn't be possible. Like she should exist at some higher state of being, outside of time and magic, like she was something else.

But that's stupid, and crazy. He's got absolutely no reason to believe it, nothing concrete, nothing that holds up. And it's good that he's wrong, otherwise it wouldn't be possible for her to be here. Waiting for him.

At length, they make it — standing outside the door that was once his, long before it was ever hers. A door to a room that's intimately familiar to him, and yet still feels so distant and detached, it's surreal. He releases his hold on Istredd, and instead finds his balance by planting one hand on the wall beside the door. )

Hey, um... thank you. For bringing me here. I- I'm glad you're still here, and I think maybe... we should catch up later? There's some stuff I wanna ask you about. But- right now, I think I'm just gonna...

( He nods his head toward the door.

Take a moment. Take some time. See her.

But he means it. He wants to catch up later, once he's got his bearings and also... maybe after he's made himself a new leg to walk on his own. )