By and large, Bar says, if you exit Milliways into another world, time will continue to be paused in your own, unless as a matter of causal fact you will not return there until and unless some event occurs there which requires the passage of time. However, this rule is less consistent than the already imperfect one about pausing while you are in the establishment.

"...Kiddo, how reliable a doorstop d'you think you can be?"

"Sitting's easy, an' I've got a book."

...okay. Or you could invite your dad here.

"...Valid."

Charles stands up slowly, carefully, as though he doesn't even quite believe it will work until it's happened. He steps forward the same way, and almost falls over; his body might be repaired but he still hasn't walked in seven years.

Odette catches him and helps him into the bar, acting almost like a cane or walker.

Hello, Mr. Xavier!

"Hello," he says. "I'm very pleased to meet someone who two of my daughter have such a high opinion of."

"I assure you it's not warranted. You can read me if you want, Edie did it by accident and did me a big favor in deciding for me that Odette'd want to know I liked her. And you should read Huan, he's really cool - Huan, come meet the alternate-universe future in-laws!"

Huan comes.

"...My," he says, blinking at Huan in surprise.

"He's a Maia. They're the minor gods of my world."

"So I see." He lowers himself from Odette's arm into one of the booths. You know, I run a school for children with a trait a significant fraction of society, including a tragically nonnegligible fraction of their own parents, reviles, and I'm all but married to a man who to this day blames himself for the death of his mother and considers himself irrevocably marred by subsequent events. In my experience, people who consider themselves unworthy of the high regard that others have for them tend to be mistaken.

Awww. We kind of killed a bunch of people and left a bunch more to die, though, it's not 'reviled for the way you were born'.

Elaborate?

In response he just remembers Alqualonde. The dark. The supply problem, the guesses circulating about the war, the stupid pointless argument between his father and Olwe - politics, all politics - the decision, the confusion and the screaming and the blood...

I'm sorry.

Thank you.

Erik left us to die, in Cuba. I forgave him.

That is - good of you. Is it also good for you?

Yes.

We made it out fine. He--couldn't have known that, I think but he wasn't thinking. The--abandonment--was worse. And I hurt him too, and he was so, so hurt, by everything in his life. And I love him. Losing him was terrible. Losing him again, because I couldn't forgive--that would have been worse.

In that case I'm really glad.

People do terrible things, when they don't have other choices, or when they can't see other choices. When they're hurting.

If you wish to believe yourself undeserving of my daughter's regard I suppose that is your own business but if you continue to consider yourself undeserving of her alternate's regard I expect that to hurt her at some point and that isn't only your own business.

I know why Odette likes me, I'm good for her. I'm not a good person and not trying to be but good for her I can do.

If it doesn't bother you I expect it won't hurt her any. But--and this is important--don't assume that anything that causes you grief is alright because it doesn't hurt her, because you hurting will hurt her.