When her feelings started to filter into him, Billy felt a small surge of amusement. If two people embrace in this state, Renne had once warned him far too late, their beings start to temporarily merge.

He suspected Katara knew exactly what she was doing, though. She caught on extremely quickly with these things. So he simply embraced her as tightly as he could and held on, filtering through her thoughts.

Those feelings of despair were familiar to him, though distinct enough for Billy to recognize them as hers. I know it hurts, but we have a safe place to turn to. We can find balance---well, I'm the one who truly needs help with that. But we all have each other.

By now, the dominant emotion crowding his inner self was love. It was warm, even in these waters.

You ready? Ah. He was plotting to go out with a bang.