York shifted, looking a bit started. "Well, of course you did. You're the best." It's out of his mouth before he thinks about it and he instantly flinches. She was always the best to him, it wasn't about leaderboards, Tex could never have managed a team the way Carolina did. Tex was great at being a soldier; she cared more deeply than most people could see, but being the best fighter wasn't the same as being the best.

Not that being the best should have mattered. It wasn't about that, someone's value wasn't tied to how useful they were but he could never put that into words, much less do it in a way that Carolina would understand.