The tightness of the hug keeps her grounded, lets her know that this really is happening. Mark's hugs are almost like his trademark and she could never imagine this, never mistake it for anything else but real. She can feel his heart beat in his chest and that angel-coolness of his skin and it can't be a lie, it can't be imaginary. She still feels Chicago's decay on her, the smell of fire and ash in her nose and throat and the tremor of the world giving way in her feet. The presence of her friend being here both keeps those things inside her and pushes them away all at once, and she doesn't know how else to react but babble away and keep on crying.

"I'm real, you're real." she utters, stammering over her words. The echoes of Chicago's destruction drum on in her ears, but she can still hear his voice over it and to her, she's never heard a more beautiful sound.

To say she's happy to see him would do her feelings enough justice, so she doesn't say it. She can't describe her joy and relief. "Oh god, oh god, I just-- it's gone, it's all gone, and--"

She swallows a lump in her throat, hugs him just as tightly back, breathing him in and letting it and the relief wash over her. "We made it," she murmurs, her voice pained. "It's gone, but we're here. It wasn't goodbye in the end."

Cassie lets out a small laugh, her voice still cracking. "Bloody boat, we're on a bloody boat. I haven't been on a boat before, but we're on one--what even is--"