The resistance, the stiffness, it didn't deter him but as Athena wraps an arm around him and seems to take it all, he's able to breathe a sigh of relief to himself. The last thing he wanted to do was fight her. He feels the gun go slack and he slides his hugging hand down to around her shoulders as she presses her face into him.

"I gotcha, it's okay," he murmurs without thinking. It wasn't okay - nothing was okay, but they had to start somewhere. He grips her back as he hears that, head dipping to almost press a kiss into her hair.

"I'm so sorry, Athena. I shoulda checked, I should have.. should have made sure." He should have done his fucking job better. But being pissed off at himself and the situation didn't help right now. There was time enough for that later.

"We need to get you somewhere safe. What happened to the folks that are livin' here?"