[ he looks surprised when she reaches out, a miniscule start going through him that she probably feels through their joined hands. but then he smiles, warm and genuine. ]

Hey, it's no big. Like I said, I dunno how you managed a whole week like that. [ and then, because he's Michael, and he can't let any kind of emotional tension sit for long without feeling the urge to break it with a light-hearted quip or something, he jokes: ] If it comes back smelling of fish, though, I'm totally charging you for laundry.