With a sigh, Joe shook his head at Frankie's retort to his worries about opening the box. [color=burlywood]"To hell with it, do what ya want with the damn thing."[/color] The hamfisted bruiser watched as the supermutant examined the crate, not entirely sure just what was running through his head. If he had to be honest, he was glad he didn't know.

Joe was torn out of his thoughts by Shepherd's cry, watching the old man fall into the grave with his child. He begged for them to kill him and bury him alongside his boy, and Joe's heart nearly broke watching the scene. No man should bury someone they love, let alone a child. He knew what Shepherd was going through, not exactly of course, but the two situations had some parallels.

Kneeling down and looking at the heartbroken man with a sympathetic expression on his face, Joe spoke as softly as he could manage: [color=burlywood]"Mr. Shepherd... I know what you're goin' through. I've lost someone I loved, had to bury her myself, and I felt just like you do now. I felt like life wasn't worth livin' without her, like I might as well put a bullet in my brain. But I realized somethin': she would want me to keep on livin' even though she's gone. Don't you think your son would want you to keep on livin'?"[/color]