"I didn't want you to get stuck too," he says, shaky laughter in his voice, and he runs one hand over her hair, comforting. "But I'm real glad to see you."

Remy can't imagine being mad at her for showing up - he understands, and maybe he's not really surprised, after all. No, it's a different sort of surprise; not that Laura is so determined, but that she bothered for him. It's not about his self esteem, it's about her attachments. Had he really made such an impact on this kid? Was he really doing okay? And, god, how badly must everyone else have been treating her that his efforts made this much of a difference?

... All right, so that's not exactly a surprise, either.

"Are you okay? How long have you been here?" Worry evident in his voice. He knows she can take care of herself on a functional level, but... who cares. He still wants to know.