Robin nodded. "You think she'll go through with it?" Because that was really the big concern he had.

Jeane shrugged, curling up on the couch. "Just been thinking," she mumbled, distinctly uncomfortable now.

"If she can reconcile herself with the fact that it requires a sacrifice, I think she might," Khalid replied. "That seems to be the only thing holding her back at the moment."

"Jeane..." Cal sighed. "Listen. Being mortal is not such a bad thing, trust me on that." He never intended to live past his brother, anyways. As it stood, he was pretty much a ticking time-bomb of Auphe genetics.

Robin nodded, staying quiet for a few moments. "If she can get around that, I know a few pucks I wouldn't mind using. Then she would have more years than she needs."

Jeane shrugged. "It was just a thought." And now she was even quieter, curling in on herself.

"Like that one face-clone of yours from the Panic?" Khalid replied, her lips twitching just slightly into a smirk.

Cal sighed and pulled her close.

"Jeane, with you, it's never just a thought," he pointed out. "You know I don't want anything to happen to you. To be honest, I'm fine with you the way you are."

Robin just smirked faintly. "He would certainly be at the top of the list, yes."

Jeane frowned a little. "But you and Nik will still have a long time. I know Nik's human, but I mean, he'd find a way. If he wanted to, he'd find a way."

Cal sighed.

"Jeane, I never planned on living any longer than Nik," he admitted. "No matter how long it actually was." He looked at her. "But now I've got two people to say that about, y'know?"

Jeane looked at him and bit her lower lip before she nestled into him, getting her arms around him. She still didn't like the thought of a short life, not now, but she wasn't going to ask him what to do.

Cal held her close as she snuggled in.

"Why do you want to do this, really?" he asked.

"Don't like being human." Jeane mumbled the admission against his neck. Which was part of the problem. But only part of it.

"Sometimes it's better than the alternative," Cal pointed out as he held her.

"Yeah but not always. Besides, you'll live as long as you want to, and there's Khalid and Robin and Ishiah and Alexander..." But mostly him. She was pretty sure the others could get on just fine without her.

Now he understood.

"And you don't want to be left behind," Cal said. It wasn't a question.

Jeane nodded after a moment. "Yeah," she admitted quietly.

Cal held her close. There was nothing he could say to her about that.

"Do what makes you happy," he said finally. It was quite possibly the most profound thing he'd ever said in his life.

Jeane nodded after a moment, cuddling close to him and resting her forehead against his neck.

"And if I decide to go through with this you won't be mad or anything?" she asked. Just to be sure.

"Not at you," Cal replied after a minute or two. He didn't like to admit, even to himself, that she would likely outlive him no matter what, even if his body lived a long time. It was only a matter of time before his Auphe genetics took over everything.

Jeane frowned. "What does that mean?" she asked quietly.

Cal hesitated in answering. It was the most sensitive of topics for him.

"You're probably going to outlive me anyways," he finally said. "No matter what."

Jeane frowned but didn't push any more. She didn't want to upset him, after all, and she could tell he was getting tense. She just rested there, idly rubbing the back of his neck.

Cal didn't offer any more information, but he didn't quite relax right away, either.

"Like I said," he finally said quietly, "do what makes you happy."

Jeane nodded and stayed there, trying to get him to relax again. She nuzzled his cheek after a few moments.

"Sorry. Didn't mean to upset you."

"Don't worry about me," Cal mumbled. "'M tough shit, remember?"

Jeane laughed quietly and stayed there. "Of course. Whatever you say."

"Damn right," Cal replied, starting to relax again.

Jeane chuckled and stayed there, starting to comb her fingers through his hair. "Of course. 'Cause you're the big scary one."