"Something we've stopped from ever happening again," he says. He gives her a little smile. "It's good, isn't it? Saved a world. Well, made the world so it can be safe again, at least. Starting over. Rather think everyone should be able to."

He leads her away from the city, now silent and desolate. But not for long, he reminds himself. Soon it'll be full again. People will live here, happy.