[ His throat rumbles a bit as he exhales, keeping the half-hug going for as long as it wanted, not making any moves to end it. He thinks about what to do to keep both their spirits up; he told Otacon he'd look after Heather, though thinking about how to do that was another obstacle. He decides to try and reassure Heather of some things instead. ]

I'm not mad at you. You're a good kid, Heather. You're loyal, strong, and you don't give up. I'm not brave enough to make promises like you do. It's complicated, that's all... I didn't mean to make you feel responsible.