She eyed him skeptically. That he needed to convince her at all proved there was an issue and choice to be had. Even if nothing ever happened between them, even if every ounce of potential for something to happen was as cursed as his ship once was, Zelda was suspicious of their friendship. It was why he'd pulled away, why they hadn't been able to take that trip around the Mediterranean, why he demanded Zelda 'let her go'.

As much as Jo wanted to fall into old patterns, she simply couldn't. Hurting Zach and Ilona was inevitable, almost as certain as the sun rising in the East and setting in the West. She didn't need to hurt Alfred or Zelda, too. Jo finally had enough clarity to realize she needed to minimize her impact.

Sighing, Jo rubbed her head tiredly. "There was a choice though, and please - please believe that I don't fault you for making it." She would have made the same choice in his shoes. "Talk to her first before deciding anything with me. I'm not - it isn't worth straining things. However much I miss you, it isn't worth potentially hurting you, too."

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