It burned. Oh, how it burned. But he'd been through worse. From being trapped under a glacier, to being incinerated, there were far worse pains he'd endured than this. The only problem was, this was feeding the beast. Riling it up. Making it mad. He struggled against the urgings, tried to maintain his composure, his humanity. She was still a friend, after all. But it would be so easy to just kill her. No. No more killin' innocents.

Shakily, he got to his feet once more, and forced a smile. He could take this, he knew he'd still be alive tomorrow no matter what. Despite his reduced powers, he was still essentially immortal. And better she take her brainwashed anger out on him than someone more...vulnerable. "Tha' all ya go', darlin'? If yer finished, then mebbe we c'n talk now?" The pain still throbbed all down his back.