[His smile is quick and fierce with relief, absolution. To stand here and watch and then walk away from the second chance opened up to him would have been near enough impossible. Hope and bloody determination spurred him into the last misguided attempt to wake up, and trodden down as it has been it just won't die. He skids on the smooth soles of his shoes to face her, silhouetting himself against the sheer drop immediately behind. With the arm she's not restraining, he catches her wrist.]

House knows about it, he'll tell Wilson. We just need to wait for Eden to get here -- I know it doesn't make any sense but I told her we'd try and bring her back.

[He pauses, but if there's anything left to say it needs to be said on this side, before things get wiped clean. Just shoving it under the carpet of memory, they never will be.]

I've been an idiot. Yesterday... and before. I--

[The statement goes unfinished. A shift of his weight from one foot to the other and the sand gives, slipping out from under him. His stumble is all it takes to trip from one side to the other, still holding her wrist.]