[She reaches up, then, and kisses his cheek, tender and lightly. Iris has martyred herself at least once, but she had no one with her when it happened.

Although, she recalls, the Doctor - C'rizz's particular incarnation of him, too - did help her with the aftermath, graceless as he was about it.]

The other day I 'ad one of the new wardens 'ave a go at me for telling jokes when we've got the mirror barge coming up. I acted like it didn't bother me, 'e told me, and 'e were so offended by that.

[She chuckles at the memory, soft and low; and at close quarters it's clear the whole exchange has pleased her profoundly.]

I told 'im it'd 'appen whether I worried about it or not, and I'd sooner save me energy for making weapons. It's not 'cause we think things can't touch us, you know. It's 'cause there's just no point.

...just like there's no point asking you not to, my love, you grow it like Aster grows feathers.