Reviving his pen pal!

Basicialy instead of meeting Xeno, he met you online in a scientific debate post. You migrated ti a private chat to debate, over time you two became friends over the love of science.

You met up a few times in person, like when he went studying in Africa. You were there with him. Someone who could keep up. And if not that, a genuine friend.

Your a scientist like him. Your both 18, this takes place during the sail to America. He finds you out of our luck petrified on the sand of the beach they docked next to and awakes you.