"Katy, what's going on?" Kris asked. "Why are we here?"

Katy just rolled her eyes and tapped lightly on the door. "Because," she said as the door swung open. "Randy's the highest member of the werewolf council."

Kris and Adam looked into the room. It was a lot bigger than Simon's office had been. A long table sat opposite them with enough room to seat ten people on one side. Randy was sitting in the middle next to Paula Abdul and Kara DioGuardi. "Welcome to the chamber, dawg," Randy said. "We've been expecting you three to show up. Now, Katy what is your business here?"

"Judging by the vial in front of you, you already know." Katy nodded to a glass filled with a swirling purple-green liquid.

Adam looked over at Kris, who was looking back at him. When their eyes met, they immediately moved close enough to entwine their hands together. Neither knew what was going to happen, but they both knew it would change their relationship forever. Katy continued to talk to the elders as Adam and Kris were oblivious. They wanted to enjoy each other if this was their last moments as they were now.

All of a sudden, Katy tugged Kris into a hug. "Oompf," he muttered as she crashed into him. "What was that for?"

Katy had tears in her eyes and was radiant with excitement. "Kris!" she exclaimed. "They're going to give you the antidote! You'll be human again and we'll be able to be together."

"But...," Kris stammered. He looked over at Adam. "But what about Adam? I can't just take the only cure away from him."

Katy looked incredulous. "What do you mean, Kris?" she asked tearfully. "Don't you want to be with me? Why would you care more about Adam than me?"

Adam stepped up to Kris. "It's okay. You don't have to worry about me. You should take the cure, Kris. Be with your wife. Live in the normal world." Adam was crying as he said this. He didn't really want to give Kris up, but he knew he had to. He didn't want Kris to regret choosing him instead of Katy, and this seemed liike the only chance Kris would ever get to rejoin her.

"No, Adam, I can't take the cure." Kris walked up to Adam and embraced him. He pulled his head back enough to see into Adam's deep blue eyes. "I love you. You deserve the cure. I could never take it from you. You were forced into this life. You never got a choice. Now, you can be free once again."

Adam brushed his lips lightly over Kris's. "I love you too. So much. That's why I can't take the cure from you either."

"Dawgs, please!" Randy interrupted. "Someone's gotta take the cure. Decide who."

Suddenly, the lights in the room went out. A second later they were back on. Everyone looked up at the desk. The cure was missing! In its place was a note. "What was that?" Paula quietly inquired.

Randy picked up the note. "Let's see what's up," he replied cooly. He began reading the note. "'Adam and Kris.'" Randy paused and looked up at the still embracing boys. "'Now I have you in my evil clutches. Only you two can retreive the cure. Come to my office tonight at midnight. It'll be waiting for you on the desk. I warn you, however, to come alone, or else I shall shatter the vial and spill the precious liquid all over the floor. Signed Your Evil Overlord, Simon.'"

"No freaking way!" Katy shouted as she pulled Kris from Adam. "It's a trap! I'm not putting my husband in harm's way to play Simon's cruel games."

"Someone has to go!" exclaimed Kara. "Looks like if the boys want it bad enough, they'll have to go and get it."

Adam stepped toward the three judges. "I'll go and get it for Kris's use, but I'll go alone. I don't want Kris to get hurt."

"That's something I can agree with you on," Katy said. "Kris won't be going."

Sick of being talked about like he wasn't in the room, Kris stepped forward. "If Adam goes, then I go. That's all there is to it. I'm not a delicate child. Or hadn't you noticed that I'm a vampire just like Adam. I can take care of myself!" To prove his point, he bared his fangs at the werewolf council.

"It is settled then," said Paula authoritatively. "Both shall go. Boys, be careful. Simon is tricky. Don't go in there expecting an easy retrieval."

With that, the council members rose and exited through a door behind their table.

Later that night, Kris and Adam were preparing in thier room for the retrieval mission. Katy had gone back to her hotel. Kris didn't want anyone hurt because of him, so he got her out of the crosshairs.

Adam was touching up his makeup in the bathroom. "Just because no one will see us, doesn't mean I can't look my best," he had said. Kris had just rolled his eyes and let him do what he needed to do to take his mind off the risky thing they were about to do.

Now, Kris was laying on Adam's bed, breathing in his scent. He had a bad feeling that tonight wouldn't go so well for one of them. He wanted to fill his senses with Adam as much as he could before he wouldn't be able to anymore.

Adam walked into the room and saw Kris crying silently into Adam's pillow. He instantly began to well up himself. He walked over to Kris and laid down next to him. Kris rolled over and wrapped his arms around Adam. Adam enveloped him in the protective cocoon of his body. Kris cried violently into Adam's chest. "Shh," Adam tried to comfort. "It's okay, we'll both be okay. I promise."

"You can't promise something like that," Kris responded between heart-wrenching sobs.

Adam didn't argue; instead he just held Kris closer. After a few agonizingly long minutes of crying, Kris finally stopped and raised his head. "I love you so much. I know I haven't been the best boyfriend in the world. Just know that I'll always love you." He leaned forward and touched his lips gently to Adam's. He needed Adam to know this, that Kris wanted this and only this. His thoughts may somethimes be conflicted, but he would always choose Adam.

"I love you too," Adam whispered into Kris's mouth. He pressed his lips hard onto Kris's and kissed him thouroughly. He had some misgivings about tonight as well, so he wanted to stamp this moment on both of their brains.

They were kissing, Kris's hands caressing Adam's chest, when someone knocked on the door. "It's time boys," Paula's calm voice called.

They parted silently with one last caress of lips. Their eyes spoke the words they dare not utter. Things like, "I hope we make it out of this," and "If this is the last time we're together, know I love you." Adam sighed and got off the bed. "We should go, baby," he said to Kris. "Before Paula breaks the door down." He tried for a little humor to lighten up the situation. Judging by Kris's minute smile, it worked. Adam extended his hand for Kris to take, and, together, they opened the door to face thier fate.

Twenty minutes later, Kris and Adam were standing in Simon's office. The vial was sitting on the desk and Simon was no where to be seen. "Why does he always do this?" asked Kris. "He's never here when we get here. We're not stupid enough to think it's that easy to just grab the antidote."

Adam gripped Kris's hand tight. "Maybe it is that simple," he suggested. "Maybe the test was whether we would come or not." He took a tentative step forward and reached for the vial.

"Adam, look out!" Kris shouted right before something solid slammed into Adam from behind. He went flying across the room, landing on the floor in the corner face down. He sprang to his feet and spun to face the room. All he saw was Kris. Then a flicker of movement to his right caught his eye. He had barely turned to face it when a body collided with him again. This time, Adam could tell it was Simon.

Simon had him pinned underneath him to the ground. He laughed maniacally. "You've both given me too much trouble. I believe it's time to 'cut my losses' as they would say." He lifted Adam up and flung him across the room.

Adam quickly recovered and turned, fangs bared. "I'd like to see you try and harm us!" he shouted to Simon.

Kris stood by him, glaring threateningly at Simon. He didn't say anything, letting his ferel growl do all the talking. Adam and Kris walked around the walls in opposite directions, planning to make a converging attack on Simon.

Simon watched them travel closer. "You really don't think you can defeat me, do you?" Kris and Adam continued to advance. Simon laughed. "The only was out of this for both of you is to kill me. Your consciences would never allow it."

Kris faltered. Simon was right. He could never kill anyone. There was no way he'd be able to kill Simon; not even if it was to save Adam. He had to think of an alternate plan. His eyes flicked over to the vial. A plan began forming in his mind.

Adam was watching Simon closely. The ancient vampire's attention seemed focused on Kris, despite his eyes watching Adam. Adam didn't want Kris hurt, so he was only payig attention to what Simon was doing. If Simon even dared move toward Kris, Adam would attack; not to kill, but to severely hurt. He could never kill anyone; not even the pure evil that was Simon Cowell.

All of a sudden, Simon twitched towards Kris, and Adam pounced. The two vampires struggled, flying all over the room. They slammed into one wall before quickly slamming into another. Kris was unwatched, so he took the opportunity to lunge for the vial.

By the time Kris had it in his hands, Simon had Adam pinned against the wall. He was holding a silver knife poised to strike Adam's heart. Adam struggled against the hold, but Simon was too strong. He had had years to build his strength. Adam's strength wouldn't be near Simon's for a very long time. "I told you, you didn't stand a chance against me. You should have joined me when you had the chance."

He began bringing the knife down; Kris took his chance to strike. He buried the vial's needle deep into Simon's shoulder and injected him with the cure. Simon gave a terrifying scream before turning and stabbing Kris in the heart with his last burst of vampire strength. Simon stumbled to the desk and collapsed on the ground as he was turned from a powerful vampire to an average human. "What have you done?" he lamented. "This can't be. Why?"

Adam shut out Simon's cries completely; instead focusing on the ones coming from Kris. He knelt down and gathered Kris into his arms. Kris's whimpering absolutely broke Adam's heart. He tried to be strong for Kris, but he began crying anyway. "Kris, baby, you're gonna be okay. Everything will be fine, you'll see." His tears began falling onto Kri's chest.

"It won't be, Adam. I don't think I can come back from this. But it's fine. At least you didn't get hurt," Kris choked out around his gasps of pain. Not being able to talk anymore, he settled for reassuring Adam by squeezing his hand. He was sad he was going to die and leave Adam behind, but he was happy to have died saving Adam from this same fate. He smiled smally up at Adam.

"Oh, baby," Adam said as caressed Kris's cheek. "You can't leave me now. I love you so much. You're everything."

Kris's eyes fluttered at the light touch of Adam's hand. "You'll be fine Adam. You'll find someone else to love. Promise me you'll find someone." Kris didn't want Adam to live forever alone just because of him. He was fine with Adam being with someone else as long as he was happy.

"Kris, you're the only one I'll ever love. I'll love you forever."

Kris smiled one last time up at Adam. "I love you, Adam. For all eternity." With that, he shut his eyes for the last time.

"No! Kris, please don't leave me!" Adam sobbed into Kris's chest, grasping Kris's body close to his. "Please come back!"

The door burst open. Randy, Paula, Kara, and Katy came running in. They stayed cool and collected as they took in the room. Simon was cowering in the corner and Adam was draped protectively over Kris's body. Katy walked over to deal with Simon. Paula grabbed Adam and dragged him away from Kris. Randy and Kara knelt around Kris and began conversing quietly. "Let go of me!" Adam struggled against Paula's grip. She may be small, but she was strong. "Please, I have to be with him. I have to save him!"

"There's nothing you can do," Paula said quietly as she dragged Adam into the hall. "You need to stay calm, return to your room, and let Kara take care of Kris." In the time she had been talking, she had walked him all the way to his and Kris's room. "Just have faith," she soothed. "You'll see him again soon."

Adam just nodded, numb, and walked into his room, shutting the door on Paula behind him. He made his way to the wall and began pounding it with his fists. He let out a mighty scream. How could he have let this happen? He had one mission: protect Kris. He had failed miserably. He turned and leaned against the wall, sliding down slowly. Kris was gone. Adam would never hold him in his arms again. He would never talk to him, laugh with him, cuddle with him, or sing with him ever again. The tears flowed freely down his cheeks.

The door creaked open slowly across from where Adam sat. It was dark, so Adam couldn't make out who the figure was that walked in. They were small, though, so Adam assumed it was Paula or Katy. "Leave me alone," Adam said, his voice rough. "I just lost the love of my life. I'd prefer to not have any company."

"The love of your life, huh?" said a familiar voice.

Adam jumped to his feet. "Kris?" he barely whispered, afraid that he was mistaken. The lights turned on, illuminating Kris in their glow. "You're alive!" He rushed over and squeezed Kris tightly to his chest. "But how?"

Kris clutched Adam back just as tight. "Apparently Kara's a vampire, not a werewolf. And her blood is special. It can heal a vampire even when they're seconds from death."

Adam kissed the top of Kris's head. "Thank the universe for that," he said. He grabbed Kris's chin and pulled his face up so that he could look in Kris's eyes. "I don't know what I would've done if I had lost you. I love you so, so much!" He leaned down and captured Kris's lips in a kiss. They kissed as if for the first time; infusing the joy of Kris's recovery and the triumph of Simon's defeat and the simple contentment of their love. Adam pulled back from Kris, needing to know one more thing. "What'd they do with Simon? I hope they locked that bastard up forever."

Kris laughed as he thought back to what the werewolf council had decided to do with the evil vampire turned human. "They're letting him free to live a normal, human life. It's the worst punishment for a man so reliant on his preternatural ablities as Simon." Kris laughed again. "You should have seen him after they revealed his fate. He about lost it. He tried to attack Katy because she was restraining him, but Randy stepped in and broke his wrists. After feeling pain for the first time in centuries, he fell silent and looked so pathetic. But none of that matters." Kris stood on his tiptoes and rested his forehead against Adam's. What matters is that now we're together. Forever." He leaned forward and whispered "I love you," against Adam's lips before kissing him again.

They stood in the middle of the room completely entwined. Nothing mattered; not American Idol, not Simon, not even Katy anymore. They were everything to each other. Despite everything that would happen in their eternity, they would always be together in love.