He was quiet while she worked through her panic, watching as she slowly collected herself. He'd only seen it a couple of times from an outsiders point of view and he wondered not for the first time if his own episodes looked like this.

Once she calmed and sat up, no longer hugging the dog like she was the only thing holding her together, Gioia eased off her lap and moved to lay back under Nicky's chair. All the intent energy that she'd had earlier was gone and instead she looked almost bored.

"She does. I..I probably wouldn't have made it if it wasn't for her, if I'm to be honest." Because maybe hearing something like that from a complete stranger who'd also lived as she had would help her understand how not normal such mental pain was. He reached for his coffee again, the simple band on his left ring finger glinting a little in the sun.