"Hurting's a part of life," came his immediate response. He didn't even know how much of it was Hydra - or how different even the same words would have sounded, before he'd lost who he was.

And only after did it, slowly, dawn at him that she was apologizing to him for what'd happened. That was.

Nobody'd done that. Not even Rogers, well, not in words, at any rate. His expression softened, a little, and he slowly turned so he was almost facing her. Yes, the name helped, it mattered, even if he wouldn't have admitted it. Things like nothing that he'd been through.

Things like thinking about somebody else.

"Then you're a far better person than me, I think." It wasn't bitter or self-deprecating or anything of the sort, merely a statement of fact, addressing the last thing she'd said. Then he considered the rest.

"You... the hurt in this situation, it wasn't caused by you. I'm... not happy with how easy it is to suck me back in." Because he couldn't stop it, usually couldn't even realize it was happening. Finally, he raised his eyes to meet hers. "But if it's getting that way and I know, I'll try to tell you." He considered it for a moment, his head tilted slightly. "Maybe having a reason to look for it will make it easier to discover. That's... appreciated." A small pause, and he tried if another world would be a better fit. "Thanks."

For the opportunity. For the option.