"Well, one obstacle seems to have been surpassed already," he says, glancing toward the balcony, where he can hear Alice chatting to Carlisle. His smile grows as he listens for a few moments to Alice gushing over Natasha. "She likes you, by the way," he murmurs to her. "She's telling Carlisle."

But her question, flippant as it is on the surface, is a legitimate one. How is he meant to do anything except sit around and talk about feelings, if he can't get as close to Natasha after weeks as Alice could get immediately upon meeting her?

But perhaps that's one reason Alice wants them to stay together, just the three of them, before they go back out to rejoin the family. He's been growing steadily better, even if Natasha doesn't realize his progress. Perhaps Alice wants to give him the chance to continue that improvement. "Someday," he says after a few moments, "you will be able to. I'd like to work on that, if you'd be willing."