He nods. "For a while. It didn't end well. As you heard."

It's hard to sort out what he feels about Natasha now, in light of the revelation that she'd looked for him, but one thing he knows for certain.

"It's good she got out. I'm -- "

He has to fight the conditioning to say it since it's his own opinion, but it's true, and it's important, and important for her to know, which gives him the impetus he needs to crack the restriction. "-- glad. Glad that she has a better life now."