And off she goes, waving.

"Been a week since you've been back in school," remarks Bella, when this statement comes true and he's at her door with blueberry cobbler.

"Yep," he says. "You wanna grab this?"

She touches the side of the pan to see if she will need oven mitts.

She collects oven mitts and takes the cobbler. "It's fine. When you were still in the hospital you guessed it'd take you a week of being back in school, or so, to stop finding me scary."

"Or so," he agrees. "I'm getting there."

"Is there anything I can do that would help?"

"Sure," he says. "Talk to me. Let me bake you things. Just - be around, be you, like you have been."

"So nothing I'm not already doing."

"Yeah."

"Okay. That's easy," she shrugs. "Dinner is macaroni and sausage and cheese. And green beans instead of salad. Mom was in a cooking mood." (The oven is on; there are dishes in it.)

"Sounds tasty."

"Should be!"

"Here's hoping. Hey, can I hug you?"

"Sure."

Hug! Happy beamy hug.

Yes, hug.

"Awwwwww," says Andi from the threshold to the kitchen.

Trouble giggles and hugs Bella some more. It's possible he shouldn't be doing that to his left arm, but if it hurts, he's not complaining.

"What'd we get today?" Andi wonders, when she has finished awwing.

"Blueberry cobbler."

"It's gonna be awesome," says Trouble, beaming at both of them.

"I have every expectation that you are right."