Arc didn't laugh, though it was a cute joke. He barely moved at all. The only real indication that he was still alive was the slow, steady rhythm of his breathing and the warmth of his skin. Even if he were inclined to speak, he wouldn't have known what to say. But as she helped him clean up, even going so far as to undress and redress him, he was slowly making his way back. The turbulent storm that had blown him far out to sea had finally calmed, allowing him to row himself back to shore. In his mind it was a long journey, one that could take him years to complete. But it seemed as though he wasn't just paddling on his own. Someone was pulling him back.<br/><br/>He heard Madison sigh as she started to turn, apparently preparing to move away from him to do something else. What that might be was unknown, but it didn't really matter. Arc didn't want her to walk away. Time slowed down for him as wrestled with himself. What should he do? Should he stop her, or just let her go? Could he even stop her if he wanted to? Time was running out, and he was almost ready to just give up when he felt the fabric of her pants brush against his hand. Immediately he gripped the cloth, and when she pulled it taut, Madison looked down to find his fingers gripping her pants for dear life.<br/><br/>His eyes were no longer on the floor, but locked on hers, begging her... pleading for her to stay there with him, to keep pulling him toward the shore. He beckoned her down to him once again, pulling until she was close enough, then laid his head on her shoulder. No one had shown even one iota of affection toward him since the fall, and she had been through so much, but there she was taking care of him like they were best friends. Whatever force brought them together must have had some sympathy for them.<br/><br/>"They're gone," he whispered, barely louder than a breath. They, in his mind, meant everyone. His parents. Her sister. Clyde. The family that lived, and the one that died. They were all gone. Only they remained, in their plane, alone in the Badlands. They may as well have been on a different planet as far as Arc was concerned, and that was completely okay by him.