[Abel looks like he's suffered a particularly painful shock, nothing amused or amusing in his face, now. He's making a valiant effort to act like everything's all right, but when he smiles it looks like someone's stuck a knife in his back and a twist is what prompts the expression]
I should've known better. ...I did know better, of course.
[Like so many others, he wanted to bring someone back--but he didn't have the heart to pull it off. It's been nine hundred eight years, maybe that's a good enough excuse.
So instead of the real thing, he's being haunted by a
hologram recording.]
A-At least this time you aren't running away from me?