Reese listened to Cole's request with a neutral stare, full lips closed and slightly pursed. When he had finished, she exhaled slowly as though she had been holding her breath throughout his speech. There was a pause pregnant with thought as the Commander's eyes fell from Cole's face to the sleek surface of the coffee table at her feet.<br/><br/>"Most of us are alone or abandoned," she began, eyebrows knitting together as she spoke. "We have divorced the idea of ever having a true family beyond this crew. Calypso is perhaps the only exception to that rule. She has many beautiful daughters scattered across the galaxy, but they are all adults. She claims they no longer need their mother, thus she is free. I... I didn't consider that perhaps things weren't the same for you." She pictured the dossier in her head, the one she had burned after (what she had thought were) several thorough readings. Skills, achievements, psychological evaluation. She could see the stats clearly as though they had been tattooed onto the inside of her eyelids. But family... no, she hadn't paid much attention to that.<br/><br/>"Look, Cole, I can't promise that this mission will even have an ending beyond death. There is a painfully real possibility that you may never see your siblings again." She sighed, bowed her head. There was dull ache in her head, right at the temples. She pressed the pads of her fingers there, applying pressure. "But... I don't want to be the one to keep you from them. Not if I can help it."<br/><br/>She stood, moving to where Cole sat to settle beside him. Their thighs touched. Reese placed her hand on top of Cole's clasped palms. Her fingers were warm. "If we make it through this, whatever<i>this</i>is, we will go to Grissom. You cannot tell them anything about our work. Nothing. But... you can give them solace in knowing their brother is alive and well."