In the Athenaeum, he'd read about the memories of 2B and the first 9S. They hadn't seemed very close... But that had changed, hadn't it? Even though he doesn't remember any of the previous 9Ses, maybe... maybe there's some kind of quality to being alive that persists outside of the body.

Because somehow, not long after his first time meeting 2B, he knew that he would die for her. It made no logical sense for him to feel that way, not unless he knew her without knowing it becuase it was important to all the 9Ses before him.

(Is that what it means to have a soul?)

And maybe... maybe no matter what happens to Rita, no matter how she might change, she'll always feel the way she does about him. A feeling that persists beyong what is logical. Some kind of emotion he can't quite identify bubbles within him, his throat feeling tight.

"I'm glad," he murmurs, the words hard to force out of his mouth through the wall of emotion.

But there's a smile on his lips, his heart -- or at least, his fascimile of one -- light. Even in face of everything they'd been through together, a small part of him still thinks he's not worthy. She could discard him and it would be within her right to. But she won't and, and...

"Thank you, Rita." He leans forward to place a small kiss on her cheek. "For choosing me."