"That's true. Most things are better than being dead," she replied, although she wasn't sure about his statement that he was supposed to have died. Did that mean he actually was dying or dead in his world and then woke up here like Cole? Or was it more of her situation where she was presumed to be dead and actually wasn't? It was hard to ask without revealing why she knew the difference, and that got into delicate territory.

"Being undead might not be better, and we've got plenty of problems with that. Seems a bit calmer lately, though, at least from my untrained eye."

She wasn't sure Russell would let that "untrained eye" bit pass, but she'd try it. She was very good at being the casual restaurateur, especially since that really was mostly true now.