Lenore's pale blue eyes are unfocused and barely open when she asks him to stay, her grip on his sleeve barely there. Alaric isn't sure she's actually awake. Between her glazed eyes and the feverish tint of color in her cheeks, she could be unaware of her world, simply reaching out to stop movement.
Maybe he's just telling himself that she's not really awake so he doesn't get his hopes up. So that he doesn't misread her feelings and set himself up for heartbreak. Still, he can't find it in himself to pull away from her hand and leave her alone when she's reaching out to him. It's instinctual to reach towards comfort when sick, isn't it?
