James let out a short sound, somewhere between a snort and a chuckle. He looked away briefly as he shook his head. He was still holding onto Jim but the moment didn't seem to be quite so tender anymore, even if Jim's offer was surprising and immense. For the flicker of a second, he wished he could take it.

"Then what? I'll just live the rest of my life locked away in some cell? I know how your universe feels about... us. And you know they'd never let me go free."