[Again he feels himself breaking yet struggling to keep it together. And despite his best efforts, it becomes too much.]

...You were dead.

[The words choke out of his mouth, the memories of that moment returning but he tries to not lose himself to it.]

I was on my way out when I saw your body lying on the ground...

[And there's the explanation of why he didn't make out of the forest in time.]

You... Your body...

[His body seizes at the memory, of how his heart stopped at the sight, the way everything seemed to stand still, all sounds muted and replaced by a high pitched ringing broken only by his desperate scream. A part of him should have known the truth, that it wasn't real, and perhaps it did. But with it being so close to the shift and all the previous nightmare energy built up, the worst took hold instead, chasing away his ability to reason.]

It was all the same as... [He can't say it, it's too difficult for him. But she should already understand.] It all came flooding back and I couldn't do anything.

[His grip tightens as the tears he had been desperately trying to hold back break free.]

I was too late... ...I couldn't save you.