"It's not just that it would be good for you to have it, or that I want you to have it, it's also that there are meant to have been structures in place that would have protected you and so far they've failed you."

"I guess. I'm not sure how they'd protect me. Although I remember the day I decided I wouldn't kill anyone and returned to civilization."

Snuggle.

Snuggle.

"I told the police officer I didn't want to live with Tobias, and that he'd left my mother and I when I was a baby, and that he was terrible, and I was dismissed."

"Oh lovely," sighs Isabella.

"But well. Such is life. And we'll deal and everything will be fine even if it only becomes fine when I turn eighteen."

Nod. Snuggle.

Snugglenuzzle.

And eventually Alex and Renée go see a movie!

Do they. My. What an interesting development.

"You know..." he starts.

"What do I know, pet?"

"Alex's sensibilities have become temporarily much less relevant to any considerations about things we could do."

"Gosh. You don't think I'd be taking advantage of you what with you crashing in my house, say? I shouldn't virtuously refrain?"

"Oh, not at all—I belong to you, you can of course do as you please with me."

"Good."

And she kisses him.

And he kisses her back, it's been weeks, he's feeling completely deprived.

(Also, a part of his brain says, if this goes badly he might have to stay away from her for a whole year and that would be terrible.)

She does as she pleases.

They are back to clothed snuggling before her family comes back.

Hopefully her family will go to several more movies in the future.

Movies, Renée's book club, the both of them out with friends at conveniently the same time...

...Sadde's packet of information from Galatea arrives.

Ooh! She goes to open it.

Galatea continues to present itself as being earnestly interested in helping people via healing, cosmetic alterations, etcetera, and the contract is relatively nonpredatory. The contract is not valid unless the signatory is over 18 or emancipated, of course.

Well, that doesn't seem bad at all. She won't be making a lot of money at first but that's hardly the point, and she hadn't expected to really be done with resurrection soon anyway so that's as good a job as any.

Is the letter about how the company would be very happy to have her as soon as she's emancipated in there, too?

Yes there is! So happy to have her.

Cool! So now's waiting to see if she'll be able to attend school while she waits for the hearing.

Nope.