This is why, after everything, she's come to trust Peggy as much as she trusts any of the friends she's known for years back home. She needs this — the reality check, the reminder of what's important. Stella knows she's capable, strong, but it's one thing to know it and another thing to hear it from someone close to her, especially because right now she doesn't feel strong. She feels fragile, heartbroken in the sense that she was so sure Spector was going to see justice, only to have her certainty dashed to pieces like so much broken glass.
Peggy's stubborn belief in her, though — it's almost enough to make her start crying again, with the mess her emotional state is right now, though mercifully she's able to close her eyes and take a couple of deep breaths to get herself under control before that happens. She looks back up at Peggy, manages the very tiniest of smiles, and squeezes the other woman's hand where she's still holding it in hers.
"Thank you," she says, a whisper really, but sincere. She sighs, and leans her head against the back of the sofa, trying to relax a little after she's been holding herself strung so tight for — well, before this, maybe since the whole trial business started and the solicitor Spector had retained for his defense had put her so on edge. She's still exhausted, and she still needs time to grieve, honestly, but there are other needs that are a bit more immediate.
"I think I could use a hot bath, and possibly a week's worth of sleep." The last bit is only sort of a joke. Stella hadn't slept properly during the investigation at all, not only over the course of the last few days. The unfortunate thing is she's not likely to sleep properly for a while yet, given she can't sleep on her left side and she may very well have nightmares — from stress, and from what Spector did to her.
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Peggy's stubborn belief in her, though — it's almost enough to make her start crying again, with the mess her emotional state is right now, though mercifully she's able to close her eyes and take a couple of deep breaths to get herself under control before that happens. She looks back up at Peggy, manages the very tiniest of smiles, and squeezes the other woman's hand where she's still holding it in hers.
"Thank you," she says, a whisper really, but sincere. She sighs, and leans her head against the back of the sofa, trying to relax a little after she's been holding herself strung so tight for — well, before this, maybe since the whole trial business started and the solicitor Spector had retained for his defense had put her so on edge. She's still exhausted, and she still needs time to grieve, honestly, but there are other needs that are a bit more immediate.
"I think I could use a hot bath, and possibly a week's worth of sleep." The last bit is only sort of a joke. Stella hadn't slept properly during the investigation at all, not only over the course of the last few days. The unfortunate thing is she's not likely to sleep properly for a while yet, given she can't sleep on her left side and she may very well have nightmares — from stress, and from what Spector did to her.