[Ion goes quiet for a few moments, eyes trailing back down to the table.]

...you're not the first person to tell me that. [Which shouldn't come as too much of a surprise, given his habit for apologizing for everything that isn't his fault.]

But I can't help but feel that way. Knowing that someone else is suffering because of something I did, even if it was something that couldn't be helped... [His frown deepens.] She's already been through so much. I don't want to make things worse for her than I already have.