Gene nods slowly. "I intend to keep that promise. But..."

He glances back up at Tony, fearful, not daring to hope, looking like a wounded animal. "I don't know if it is okay. I mean...I want to be better. I told you, you make me want to be better. I just...I don't know if I can be."

He's done a lot of self-reflection lately, and he doesn't particularly like what he sees.