December 31st, 2289, Elizabeth was ready to leave Dr. Wright's universe as he walked her through what she would need to do for the tenth time. Elizabeth thought it was adorable how after all this time, and even towards the end that he was still looking out for her. Elizabeth jested with Dr. Wright and told him she understood.

"You're good to go then"

"Yeah, I guess I am. Thank you, Stephen, for everything"

Elizabeth reached over and hugged Dr. Wright. Even though they were only friends, and although she could be a pain in the ass sometimes, Dr. Wright truly cared about Elizabeth. He was going to miss her, the time they spent together and the talks they had. Dr. Wright wouldn't be exaggerating if he said that he would never find someone like Elizabeth in this world, but that's what made her special.

"Elizabeth, before you go there's something I need to tell you, I…"

Dr. Wright was interrupted by the radio, it sounded like someone was trying to get through to them. Dr. Wright went over to the radio and fiddled around with it until it was finally clear, a familiar voice came through; it was Bobby Newman.

"Steve! Steve listen to me! They got me! The Brotherhood of Steel got me! Someone tipped them off about what you had! They, they broke me! I told them where you were! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! I managed to break free, found their radio coms! It's too late for me! You and your lady friend need to get out now! They're coming! They're…"

Bobby was cut off by the sound of gunfire and clamor before the radio cut off completely.

Dr. Wright could hear vertibirds outside, it was too late to get out in time. He needed to stall them long enough to get Elizabeth out of there. Dr. Wright told Elizabeth not to move as he raced to the entrance, carefully he stepped outside. Standing in front of Dr. Wright was over ten of their best men, all armed with the most powerful laser weapon technology, with some of them boasting Power Armor. The leader of the group stepped out, speaking to Dr. Wright from a distance.

"Dr. Stephen Wright, this is Paladin LaCroix. It is to our understanding that you possess something of our interest, some very advanced pieces of technology. You are to step aside and allow us to acquire it and to hand over any schematics, specifications, or documents. For your cooperation, we assure you and whoever you have been harboring will not be harmed. Should you fail to cooperate, we will be forced to take it"

"Okay, okay listen! You can have it alright! Just, just give me two minutes! I have to disarm all of my security!"

Dr. Wright needed to stall them long enough to get Elizabeth out of there. He closed the door, racing back to Elizabeth, she was rightfully confused.

"What's going on?"

"We need to get you out of here, now"

"The Brotherhood of Steel, don't they only want technology?"

"The Brotherhood's main goal is to acquire technology, but that doesn't mean they won't take it by any means necessary. If I allow them to have the Vita-Chamber and Lutece Device, if I give them the power to rejuvenate dead soldiers and access to other worlds; the results would be catastrophic, no one would be able to stop them. I can't let them get their hands on these machines, or anything related to them"

Dr. Wright gathered Elizabeth's things as they raced into the laboratory, closing and locking the steel door to the lab behind them, as they made their way into the room adjacent to the entrance of the lab that held the Lutece Device. Dr. Wright placed Elizabeth's things on the ground and started powering up the device. It would take a while, and he knew the Brotherhood wouldn't remain patient much longer. Dr. Wright stepped outside of the room, he punched in some code in a terminal nearby which opened a compartment. Inside appeared to be three mini nukes, with a trigger. Elizabeth saw Dr. Wright pick up the trigger, and got a better look at what was inside the compartment.

"Are those bombs?"

"Uh, sort of, they're nukes, mini nukes to be exact"

"We've been sitting right next to nuclear bombs!?"

"Yeah"

"What are you going to do?"

"You know what I have to do"

Dr. Wright knew that was last thing Elizabeth wanted to hear, but he knew he had no choice.

Outside the facility, the Brotherhood had waited long enough. Paladin LaCroix gave orders to breach the door and get inside; eliminate Dr. Wright and his friend. Brotherhood soldiers plant explosives on the door, while another in Power Armor readies a missile launcher, together it will pack enough of a punch to get the two-ton steel door open. The soldier fires a missile at the door, it sets off a huge earth rattling explosion as the indented door falls off its handles. Paladin LaCroix says they will breach on his mark.

Dr. Wright and Elizabeth feel the building shake as explosions go off, setting off alarms, they will get in soon. Although Elizabeth was physically ready to go, she wasn't ready to leave Dr. Wright behind emotionally.

"Come with me, leave all of this behind"

There was a hint of desperation in Elizabeth's voice.

"Elizabeth, look at me. There's no place for me in any other world; this is where I belong"

Dr. Wright accepted his fate and was not going to drag Elizabeth down with him.

"Elizabeth I, I haven't been honest with you…"

Dr. Wright had to come clean about something before Elizabeth could go.

"What?"

Elizabeth was confused.

"Please believe me when I say that I have always wanted to help you by sending you away to live a better life, that was never a lie, but I haven't been completely honest with you"

"Stephen, we don't have time for this, what are you talking about?"

Elizabeth needed Dr. Wright to say what was on his mind.

"I wanted to use the Lutece Device as a Plan B in case resurrecting Carol didn't work, I wanted to find a world where she was still alive"

"Stephen it's okay…"

Dr. Wright interrupted Elizabeth.

"No, you don't understand. I wanted the opportunity to be with her again so much that I…I was considering traveling to another timeline and, and killing a version of myself so I could…I could swap places with that variation of me…so I could be with Carol again. Even after you shared your life with me, and everything you endured, I still wanted to go through with it. But it's wrong. I just, I can't believe it took me having to watch you get taken away from your father, and the suffering you went through across countless worlds and timelines to get me to realize that what I wanted was wrong…"

Elizabeth was shocked by what Dr. Wright had admitted, but she still cared about him and understood how the loss of his wife had always clouded his judgment.

"Stephen it's okay, I forgive you. Listen we can, we can still find a Carol you can be with without damaging anything or hurting anyone. If we both leave and go to New York we can figure something out"

"You know that won't work, you know it first hand"

"Stephen please…"

Dr. Wright stopped Elizabeth before she could continue.

"Elizabeth, stop; I've already made up my mind"

"But, but what about your wife?"

Elizabeth started to tear up as Dr. Wright continued, he needed her to understand why he was choosing to stay behind.

"It's okay, I'm going to be with her soon. For over two centuries, I did what I had to do to survive, but I've also done terrible things. All the people I've exploited and murdered. Some deserved it, some innocent; no more, no more hurting others for personal gain. For years I've been so focused on my work that I never understood what was truly necessary until a while ago. Building these machines, bringing you into this world, it wasn't for me. All of this was for you, all of it; and I wouldn't trade it for anything, this is what Carol would have wanted"

Dr. Wright began to cry, his mouth curled into a crude smile for Elizabeth as he tried to comfort her. Elizabeth could hear the Brotherhood making their way through the facility, trying to get through the door that separated the two of them. Suddenly, the machine was on, the time was set, and it was time for Elizabeth to go.

"Please don't leave me, I don't want to be alone again"

Elizabeth begged and cried for Dr. Wright to come with her.

"You won't be alone, you are gonna find someone. You are a beautiful, kind, strong, and intelligent woman, I know you are gonna find someone who will love you"

Dr. Wright tried to comfort Elizabeth with what little time they had left, the door was almost off its hinges as a Power Armored soldier continued using brute force to get it open.

"Goodbye Elizabeth"

"Goodbye Stephen"

Elizabeth kissed Dr. Wright on the cheek as they hugged one last time. Elizabeth gathered her things as she saw Dr. Wright take his wife's skull out of another compartment. He smiled at the remains of his beloved Carol, before smiling back at Elizabeth. As the door flew open, Dr. Wright ran out of the room, detonator ready, as Elizabeth jumped through the tear out of 2289, and into the year 2012. Elizabeth hit the ground with a loud thud, her belongings falling out of her arms and landing right in front of her. Elizabeth stood up and could still see what was happening through the tear. Dr. Wright was nowhere to be found as the Brotherhood stormed the room. She could see them eyeing the machine, making their way towards it. A massive explosion covered the room in a ball of fire that knocked Elizabeth back, and then the tear closed. It was over; he was gone.

Elizabeth screamed Dr. Wright's name, running around in circles where the tear was, trying to find something, anything. There was nothing, nothing left to go through, nothing left to go back to. Elizabeth fell to her knees and sobbed into her hands. After everything she went through, another person she deeply cared for was gone, someone else who was willing to sacrifice their life to ensure she had a better one. And even though Elizabeth would forever be grateful for all the kindness and compassion Dr. Wright showed her, for everything he did for her, and how he wanted this for her more than anything as a last request to a long and painful life; it would still weigh heavy on her for a long, long time.