Pence more than didn’t want to be seen leaving. He was well aware of the trump traitors’ plans and well aware that he had refused to participate in them. He didn’t want to leave because he knew they would not bring him back and then simply stick whoever they could get up there in front of congress to pretend to be in charge and then not accept the electoral college vote.
Trump wasn’t going to kill him. Just steamroll him into irrelevance in his absence while the traitors tossed our government aside.
But sure, keep voting Republican because your effing taxes will be lower and people can more easily get guns. Priorities!