After a few more minutes, she pulls herself together enough to sit up - she doesn't want to eat, particularly, right now, but she knows she needs to; she scoots to the edge of the bed.

Esca shuffles with her, making sure she's steady before hopping off the bed. He nudges the walker a little closer to her, and tilts his head quizzically at her.

"Gh-" she winces, just slightly, and tries again: "good."

She manages to stand, this time, and gets to the desk without incident; eats, doing her best not to think about it, but her best isn't very good right now. She gets through a little more than half of it, at least, slowly, before giving up.

She pulls her feet up onto the chair and leans forward onto her knees with her arms wrapped around them.

Esca wiggles himself in front of the chair, and curves his neck around the front of her ankles so he can tuck his head in beside her.

She relaxes, just a hair, and reaches down to pet him with the tips of her fingers.

"Hard," she comments, after a minute.

Gentle nuzzle. Encouraging rumble.

She sighs, and takes another bite of her meal - yeah, she's not going to be able to swallow it. She returns it to the plate, loosely wrapped in a tissue, and makes her way back to bed.

The cats rearrange themselves so she can settle where she wants to with them still close by.

Esca follows as well.

She curls up, pets Esca, briefly, and attempts to go back to sleep.

It's Drex who comes to collect the tray, and while he's not trying to disturb her, he does check to see if she's awake.

Yeah: she hasn't moved, but her eyes are open, tracking him.

"You okay?" he asks quietly.

She curls up a little tighter and whimpers.

Yeah. He figured that. "You don't have to stay here if you don't want."

She whimpers again, and where the last one was merely communicative, this time there's a note of real fear.

"We're not sending you back," he states firmly, pauses for a moment to let that hopefully sink in, and then continues. "Do you remember Aaren from the alley?"

She looks up - she's very close to tears - and nods.

"He's got a spare room you can have if you want?"

"Mrrh." Noncommittal.

"His house might feel busier. S'smaller and he's got a daughter a little older than you, and her best friend. But the offer is there and it's up to you."

Her breath catches a little, when he mentions the daughter; not in a bad way, but a suggestion that that's salient somehow.

She snuggles back up to Esca, calmer now, when Drex finishes talking; she struggles to speak, opening her mouth in silent false starts a few times before asking the dog "I go?", quiet as a whisper but in the tone of regular speech.

Esca snuggles back, and gives a quiet bark. It's not quite an affirmative or a negative, but it's encouraging.

Okay.

Okay.

Okay. (She gives him a gentle squeeze.)

"Go." She manages to make it a little louder, this time.

"Okay. Now?"