"Eh, it's good for 'im," Pepper insisted. "Makes sure he keeps 'imself in line."

At another time Pepper might have protested Shakespeare's idea on that particular subject. After all, people got divorced and disowned their own children, and changed into different people sometimes, and hurt each other over and over again. But at that moment she was highly inclined to agree. "Guess not," she said quietly.

After a silent moment she grabbed hold of something on her desk - a very old and rather tame stuffed shark - and chucked it at Adam's head. It did no good to keep staring at each other with such somber faces, not if they didn't have to.