Rory snorted, soft, and turned to look at his son for a moment, clasping a hand on his shoulder. "We're going to figure this out, Conner. I promise you. Everything will be fine and you'll be back on the ship telling Molly and Amy how heroic you were before the week is out. You're too tall for me to pat your head, bend over so I can do it proper."

It felt a bit strange, but he meant it, and he knew it was what he wanted. Sometimes, safe little lies made things better for the moment, and Conner had had an awfully long day.