Merritt steps immediately into the hug. He does need a moment to hold himself up, to get his balance again, for the circulation to finish returning properly, but he would be clinging anyway, reaching out magically fully for one of the first times since the real Dylan showed up, catching that to loop the feeling between them, his own love for Dylan, for all of them, enough to take his breath away all over again.

"So am I," he returns just as tightly as he cups the back of Dylan's neck in turn, resting their foreheads together again. He's sorry he had to take Lionel away again, that he had to use Jack to do it. He's sorry he went for Ben, that he walked so willingly into this trap. "We're alright," he assures him after another moment.