I suppose what I really want, regardless of what happens next, is a recognition of the years she spent bleeding for them, even if there'd be something very Laura about her not getting it and not needing it to have it all have been worth it. (Am I more of a Laura apologist than I thought? Heh.)

Yes. Yes yes yes yes yes.

Like you say, Laura wouldn't need it, but maybe what I need, as a viewer, is at least for Laura to believe this - to think what she did was worth it; for that to be signalled to the viewer even if the other characters in the show never see her as quite...her again.

And I am probably the biggest Laura apologist ever and refuse to apologise for it.