Then I'll just have to come up with something really convincing for the Conductor. [He's determined to make this work, even if he already has had the thought that they may not exist in his world. That doesn't make him feel any better though.

He curls his toes into his blankets, fingers still tapping on his knee before he continues.]

...it worked, by the way. I don't hear the music anymore. [But he's still drained and still emotionally compromised. How's that fair?]