"Even if that's true, she won't be able to protect me forever," Claude pointed out. The admission made his stomach turn, but he honestly believed it.

"Something you have to remember is that I'd already decided to give up my life on Earth before I even came here," he added. "It's not like I'm saying all of this on a whim." And it was true. He'd technically been down this path before, even if the circumstances had changed.

"I've thought long and hard about the consequences, but I mean...everyone back home already thinks I'm dead." He stared down at the table, a frown creasing his features. "Considering everything that's happened, maybe that's for the best."