Lorelei and Jane sat in silence on the bed in Laura’s cabin. They had already talked about everything while Laura was away on her last mission and neither could truly accept the other or themselves. Jane had been crying a lot the last couple of days, as he mourned Lauren’s death all over again. Lorelei was struggling to accept her own position as a Doll or that Lauren’s body was now host to Ben’s mind. Both had accepted Ben and Lauren were gone and they were ghosts of their former selves.

For Laura this was the reunion she wanted but did live up to her expectations. She didn’t care what body they were in or in the case of Lorelei that she wasn’t the only copy. What mattered to her was having a version of the minds she considered her parents in her life.

“I know this has been hard on you both,” Laura said as she entered the cabin. “We’ve all lost a lot but we’re here together again after all these years. To me that’s what’s important. That and you’re both safe… unfortunately…” Laura was partially glad that Stacey interrupted her conversation as she still didn’t want to ask Jane what she needed to. “I’ll be right there,” she said to herself before turning back to Lorelei and Jane. “I’m sorry something important has come up. Do you mind waiting for me here?” She didn’t even wait for an answer as she left the cabin again.

The awkward silence filled the cabin once more.

“So you and Isha…” Lorelei finally broke the silence. “How long has that been a thing?” She didn’t accuse Jane of anything, she was just curious.

“We’re not…” Jane defended quickly. “I could never… I love you, I will always love you.”

“Lauren you mean,” Lorelei corrected, still refusing to acknowledge she was the closest person to being her. “Ever since that day DollTech came for us, it was over. We could never be together again,” she put her hand on Jane’s shoulder. “Even if you were uploaded to a Doll and Lauren remained in that body, it wouldn’t work. I’m sorry this happened to you but I’m glad there’s at least a version of my Ben still alive, even if she’s you Jane…” Lorelei took Jane’s hands. “Look at me…” She said as she squeezed them tight. “You have been a prisoner for the last five years, not just physically but mentally as well and while I can’t acknowledge myself as Jane I still have all her memories and personality. So listen to my words carefully when I say this. That body belongs to you… Jane, not to Lauren, not to me but to you. Your life is yours to live, do whatever you want to do, love who you want to love, don’t live your life for Lauren’s memory. If you need to hear it from me, I’m giving you permission to fully explore that body for what it has to offer, it’s yours now…”

“I… I can’t…” Jane began to cry again.

“Yes you can and you will, you deserve happiness for what you’ve been through,” Lorelei hugged Jane as safely as her unrestricted body allowed. She then extended hers and Jane’s arms and pointed to some of the newer marks on Jane’s arm. “Those scars are yours.”

“I think those are from the IV lines from my time in the coma,” Jane corrected as she wiped away the tears in her eyes. “So they’re not mine.”

“They’re not Lauren’s either,” Lorelei retorted. “Still, I want you to live for yourself, you enjoyed your time as Laura, I ask that you do the same as Jane even if it is permanent.”

Jane turned to Lorelei and still saw Lauren even if she didn’t want to. “Will you do the same? Will you choose to live? If not for yourself then for me? You say you’re a copy but if this body and your mind are all that remains of Lauren, I’m not ready to say goodbye to my wife yet.”

“I don’t know if I can…” Lorelei answered honestly, eyeing off Jane’s body as much as she meant what she said about it being Jane’s life to live, it didn’t mean she wouldn’t resent her for it. “I promise I’ll try,” Lorelei said after another moment of silence.

“I guess that’s a promise we can make to each other, that we’ll try our best to live the lives we’ve been given,” Jane said as she hugged Lorelei. Lorelei nodded and returned the hug.

They embraced for what seemed like forever before Laura returned. “I’m sorry that took so long,” she apologized, smiling at what she walked in on. “Something urgent came up, and that thing I didn’t want to ask, I need to ask it of you now…” She turned to Jane and frowned.

Lorelei caught the glance and stood up. “Absolutely not, she’s been through enough and she’s not as indestructible as we are,” she protested.

“The world thinks she was kidnapped, that your former neighbors are dead, we need to tell them our story, all three of us and for authenticity we need to go to a broadcasting studio,” Laura didn’t argue as well as she could have as she wanted to side with Lorelei on this.

“I’m in,” Jane said, making their decision, both Lorelei and Laura turned to her ready to protest against it. She raised her hand. “You said I need to treat this life as my own and I’ve made the decision, I’m going to fight back against that bastard in whatever way I can.”

“If we’re going, I want upgrades,” Lorelei stated. “Turning off my systems isn’t enough, I want combat training too.”

Laura gave the two of them a weary smile. “I’ll see what Stacey can do…” She said to Lorelei and then turned to Jane. “I need you to get Natasha, her expertise will be needed with this as well.”