"I understand completely. To be honest, I shouldn't have used my abilities at the circus, but I wanted to know and habits die hard. I'm trying to be better about it."

Also, the charge that he gained from scaring Meredith wasn't a big one, no matter how thoroughly he'd terrorized her for those few minutes. One or two small uses of his powers, if he had to guess. He'd much rather save that bit of stored energy for a true emergency.

He breathes out slowly as he debates how to answer that. He wants to be honest with her, especially given the parallels here, but it's not especially reassuring. Oh well. In the end, he decides to say it anyway. "It's a choice, but it's easy to be lured in by the promise of more power. Whether it's just reckless foolishness, or grim necessity. That's what makes it so dangerous...some people start out meaning well, thinking they can control it. Then find themselves in far deeper than they ever intended, and with no good way out."

The voice of experience, maybe.

He'd much rather talk about coffee.

"I'll definitely have to go sometime, then. Coffee and an evening on the boardwalk sounds like a good way to pass some time, and think about things with a change of scenery."