"Sometimes," she admits. But somehow, it's Shane she thinks of--Shane, who was always part of the group and always, somehow, somebody's enemy. There's no guarantee that somebody you take in won't hurt you; there's also no guarantee that somebody who's always been there won't. "It's too cold to stand around out here. I'm going to the mess."

It's not actually an invitation, but it's a public tent--and there's something about the way he answers her that doesn't seem nearly as obnoxious as some of their other conversations have been. It might be something worth talking about, maybe even with Byerly. It's just not worth it out in the wind.