I'm not good enough for him, he thinks, and it's pathetic, but it's been true for so long. Hobbes is... too sweet and too good, too honest, even without the Island's influence. He'd walked through the Realm untouched by it, and Mike had seen that place twist and destroy so many people. He'd watched it twist himself.

The Simple Man. And the Samurai was no good in the end except to die for him.

But he nods, like he has any idea what fighting even means in this context, like he has any idea how to start. "I think it's worth it to me." And what about you, Neil? Was it worth it to you? Is it worth it to Tom?