To say she was surprised by his response would have been something of an understatement. She certainly hadn't been expecting a thanks or his comments. Not at all and a slight blush crossed her cheeks - although she wasn't aware of it.
She smiled at him, her eyes sofening, listening to his words. This was a side of him that she didn't get to see on the bridge. Of course she hadn't been there very long, but she couldn't imagine him having done this very often.
It seemed to her that the under his words the issues with his father were really something of a boulder upon his shoulders, and she nodded slowly, reaching over and covering his hand with hers. "Just because you've had a falling out doesn't mean that things can't still be repaired." She could just sense it from the way he was speaking. He missed it. Whether he would admit it to himself or not he missed that family bond. And that was one thing she knew all too well... "it probably won't be easy, but busy or not, if you want it back you'll ahve to be the one to make the first step."
She squeezed his hand gently, completely understanding what must have happened. What with the establishment of the Vulcan colony, and everything else they'd lost much contact and she could only imagine how close the Commander had been to his mother... Vulcan or not, she was rather certain that his father needed him now. Especially since it had only been so long since his wife passed...