In a flashback to a violent storm during the 1974 outbreak, Patch arrives at Saint's house soaked and withdrawn. While Norma sits on the porch through the storm because thunder reminds her of the day her husband died, Saint brings Patch a blanket and notices that he is unusually quiet and serious.

After the weather eases, Patch takes Saint outside and teaches her how to use a slingshot. He shows Saint how to aim, judge distance, account for trajectory, and even stalk prey at dusk, revealing practical survival skills that come from hardship. When Saint asks if Patch has ever killed an animal, Patch says he has not, but could if he had to, hinting at the pressure he lives under.

Inside, Saint plays piano and sings for Patch, expecting ridicule but receiving admiration instead. Patch then admits that his mother has lost her cleaning job with the Parkers after being accused of stealing, and Saint realizes his family is struggling badly. Wanting to comfort him, Saint offers food, shelter, help with homework, and even money; Patch breaks down crying, and Saint tells him about the mysterious purple honey in North Carolina as proof that magical things exist and that they could one day escape and begin again there together.

As Saint imagines a future where they are remade somewhere else, Patch kisses her, marking their first kiss and deepening their bond. The next day at school, Chuck Bradley steals Saint's slingshot, snaps it, and shoves her down. Patch immediately attacks Chuck to defend Saint and is badly beaten by Chuck and his friends, but afterward Patch tells Saint, "You're all I've got," confirming how central Saint has become to his life.