Arriving at the coastal station in the middle of the night, Ted finds the lost-and-found office closed and berates himself. Louisa offers to break in, but Ted refuses, and their tensions flare. In frustration, Ted snaps that the situation is Louisa’s fault, causing her to recoil and nearly cry. Realizing his mistake, Ted apologetically articulates her fear of being abandoned, and admits he had considered leaving her earlier on the journey. Their shared vulnerability leads to a tentative reconciliation.

A voice in the darkness startles them: it is the mother from the train, with her husband and a stroller. After offering cookies and concern, she explains that the conductor saw Ted and Louisa disembark without their belongings; she retrieved Ted’s suitcase and the box containing the painting intending to leave them at lost-and-found. Overjoyed, Louisa confirms the painting is intact.

When Ted asks about a small additional box, the mother casually reveals it seemed empty and the conductor likely threw it away. The implication that the artist’s ashes have been discarded devastates Ted and Louisa. Ted nonetheless thanks the couple warmly, accepts their contact information, and they part ways into the night.

Louisa urges Ted to find a taxi and chase the train to recover the ashes. Ted, still gentle but resolute, tells her she is not to blame and confesses he feels he failed both the painting and her, which his best friend entrusted to him. He recalls Louisa’s childhood dream of waking on the pier and learning to swim, and she admits she likes him despite fearing abandonment.

After a quiet moment, Ted proposes an alternative: instead of pursuing the train, they honor the artist’s love of travel and turn to the nearby shops. Louisa breaks into a sporting goods store; they leave money and an apologetic note, and take towels and bathing suits from the display.

With dawn approaching, they walk to the sea. There, Ted finally teaches Louisa to swim, transforming the night’s loss into a promise fulfilled and a moment of grace.