[He did stand there stiffly, but he also folded one arm around her and applied a very little pressure, awkwardly. Awareness that she likely didn't know a great deal about him (unless Tim had been running his mouth again) and knowledge of what happened between them in the future kept him from doing much more. Both options felt like lying, but this lie seemed safest. For now.]

... thanks, Donna.

[Striving to invest two words with some sincerity, it came out dry anyway. He bowed his head against hers briefly, experiencing a too rare (yet altogether too often, in his opinion) shred of regret.]