It was nice to listen to their talk of farming, to have that connection to what had just been starting when she'd left. They'd come so far with it all, and she was as certain as Todd that they would figure out solutions to their problems in time. They were a resilient bunch, and they hadn't disappointed yet.

Their acknowledgments of her statement brought out a smile, which only brightened at the brush of Todd's fingers. She didn't remember him ever doing something like that before, not when they were around the others. He'd never touched her hand or put his arm around her the way he did now, the most physical interaction they'd ever had in public had been in the arena. True, what had happened just then had been under the cover of the table, but still. It was different, but in the best way of course.

She caught his fingers long enough to give them a light squeeze before letting go again and turning back to her meal. It was still difficult to eat, the process requiring actual thought, but it had been made easier that afternoon by the presence of the others. She'd even managed to eat a bit more than her previous meals with Todd. There was still a long way to go yet before she'd be back to normal, of course, but it was a start.