That's just how different realities work, kid. Sure, sometimes things go as you plan... or sometimes you make a different choice because you're tired of crap. Sometimes you see things through to the end, sometimes you do it on your own terms, sometimes you don't... sometimes you're the good guy, sometimes you're the bad guy. And sometimes you just up and die before you're supposed to.

[He sat back in his seat, poking absently at his stew.]

Just because you made one choice, doesn't mean there isn't another you that didn't make that choice.