"I'll be fine," Redana says, and she almost manages to whisper it. And she means it! Despite all the things that have happened to her thus far on this voyage, she still believes that she will be fine; that she will not need Alexa looming over her; that she doesn't [i]need[/i] a bodyguard as much as she needs someone who believes in her. Her sincerity is painful, isn't it? And yet, it is precious. Something that refuses to die despite [i]someone's[/i] best efforts to snuff it out.

She wants Alexa to know she's not going to cling to her. And more than that, she needs Alexa to know that she won't be slighted; that she does feel she can take care of herself, and she will, she really [i]will[/i] this time, honest. How can anyone say no to that face?