I can't help being wary still. While I appreciate the openness, old habits die hard. It's still difficult to talk openly about my power without expecting it to go wrong. NEXT in our world couldn't participate in many day to day activities; they were continuously shunned.

[ Sometimes part of him still expected that here, even if he'd never actually had to deal with it directly yet. Barnaby wants to be glad, but that old wariness lingers yet. There's too much at stake, too much to risk. It could all fall down around them in a second, and so he can't be too forgiving. ]