"You know it's funny," Ned says, quietly, the warm mug of tea between his hands and not meeting Riley's eyes. He doesn't exactly sound like he's winding up for a joke - not that kind of 'funny', "but I'm so much less lonely here than I was there. Guess that's the silver lining of... not really having a family." Sipping at the tea, Ned shrugs, a tiny movement of his shoulders. He's not fishing for pity - doesn't want it, in fact - but he's not going to lie and pretend he's worrying about anyone waiting for him.

"River thinks time is stopped in our own worlds, while we're here. A couple of the people who disappeared and came back again said that when they showed up at home, no time had passed. So they might not even realize you're gone."

That's got to be better, right? A small comfort. It certainly is to him, thinking about DIgby, alone in his apartment. Ned wouldn't want him thinking he'd been abandoned again.

"If it'll make you feel less lonely, you could tell me more about them?"