She laughed a little, feeling substantially better when he was inclined to speak of his own family. His mother and Tara both always sounded so lovely. She wondered how different of a person she might have been if she had been around such things herself. But that was a silly thing to go thinking about. She was here in the now, not years behind her. She could only look at the present and the future. Wherever it took her.

"They both sound wonderful," she replied quietly. "Your mother. And Tara. I'm glad that you've had them to take such good care of you. You need that. Deserve it." As much as the others did, though there were those of them who didn't have that, she suspected. Gale was, in a way, one of the lucky ones, it seemed.

With some reluctance, she finally returned his hand to him, though could not help hesitating when she did. She would have rather liked to hold it, she thought. Without it, she felt just a touch colder. Clearing her throat somewhat nervously, she covered it was another laugh, softer the second time around.

"Even so," she reassured him. "I wouldn't be a very good leader if you were taking care of me. And if you did such a thing, what would I do? I'm not sure I know how to be anything other than a caretaker, as sad as that might sound. I don't know what to do with myself when you or the others no longer need me."