For all that William could, theoretically, stand silently by and watch this unfold between the two of them, he finds it impossible to idle when Archie's voice loses the surety that he read in the man's earlier words, and when Horatio's carry such grim weight.

And when he, himself, has so much he thinks should be said.

He wants to reassure Archie, but what comes out first is: "For God's sake, Horatio!"

Yes, they're in a war. Yes, they could die in any number of ways.

But.

"Must that be the first place your mind goes? A fear of loss is one thing, but you can't let it — you're no fortune-teller, man. You cannot say for sure that anything you do or we do together would bring any of us anywhere."

Ships stray off course all the time. Who's to say they wouldn't be hanged for something else, anyway?