[He nods, solemn, his lips a tight line. Yes. Marsh cares for him - that much is clear, from there and from these brief moments here. Alex doesn't know much about Marsh but that Zane loves him, and it's never been his job to exist on anything but Zane's periphery.]

[He wonders about the spikes, and if they hurt.]

[Then he shakes his head.]

You took care of me, too. Kind of.

I don't . . . maybe that's messed up. But it's better for me to be hurt than to hurt people.

[He would never, not ever, have forgiven himself for killing Nathan. It's likely he'll never forgive himself for attempting.]