Which she recognizes. Him being here like this, her feeling him near, is something that she hasn't needed as much now that she actually has someone who can be a physical someone to lean on.

But.

"It's just-- I still miss you."

It's never going to change, really, even if the press of his lips to her skin has her smiling now instead of tearing up.

"And I always thought you'd be-- part of this."

In a different way, when they were younger, yes. But the heart of the matter hadn't changed even as they'd aged.