The doors of the TARDIS had barely closed behind Jack when the Tenth Doctor sprang into action. He leapt around the control console like a lunatic, muttering to himself as he flicked switches and set dials.

Nine stood with his arms crossed, shaking his head at his future self. His gaze was stony.

Jack and Kris exchanged a glance, then Jack spoke for both of them. "Um, Doctor? What's going on?"

"It's brilliant! Can't think why I didn't think of it sooner, but when something's just staring you in the face like that...we can punch through to the parallel universe the same way we got here, of course!"

"The same way...you mean it's that easy?" Kris slowly sank down onto the beat-up old couch. "Just like that?"

"Well, not exactly. We'll need one more person to manage the Vortex. Bit trickier, you know, punching all the way through the Void..." The Tenth Doctor trailed off.

"So where are we...oh." Kris bit her lip. "I'm guessing you're talking about me. Since I'm the only person here who can't, currently."

The Ninth Doctor cast a look of sympathy at Jack, as Ten shoved his hands into his pockets, looking everywhere but at Kris and the Captain. "That was the general idea, yeah. If you're willing...we can imbue you with part of the Vortex. We can take some of the energy out of Jack...and by doing that, we just might solve that whole immortality issue."

"How do you mean?" Jack looked suspicious as he slowly walked towards Kris, protectively laying his hands on her shoulders.

"As far as I can tell, Jack, you're like a giant battery now, carrying around the energy of the Time Vortex. But if we take away some of the energy, enough to create the same effect in another human being...you'll still live for hundreds of years, but eventually, you'll age and die. And Kris would do the same."

Jack stared at the two doctors for a moment. "No."

"What?" Ten looked as if he couldn't believe what Jack had just said. "Jack...it's the only way..."

"I don't care. I'm not risking her that way. Not for Rose. Not for you. Not for anyone."

The pressure of Jack's hands left Kris' shoulders. His footsteps echoed, gradually fading away down the main hallway. Kris looked from the Ninth Doctor to the Tenth: both wore expressions of confusion and sadness. Ten perhaps more sadness and less confusion than Nine: he knew Jack, after all, and knew what he was asking Jack to risk. Nine hadn't had those experiences yet.

"Kris..." Ten began. She shook her head.

"It's my decision as much as it's his," she murmured. "And I'll do it. For all of you. So, Doctor...do what you have to do. You'll be in the medical bay?"

He started to say something, then stopped, simply nodding his head.

"Then we'll be there." She swallowed hard. "It might...it might be awhile."

This time it was Nine who spoke. "We'll be ready when you are."

She nodded again, then headed out of the control room. The Doctors had their work to do. So did she.

-----

Silently, Ten set the controls. He could fly the TARDIS out of the Void himself, and did so, heading for a small, empty moon well off of any trade routes or tourist worlds. He was taking no chances with this operation.

Pointedly, he ignored the gaze of his former self until the TARDIS was safely on the moon.

"I'm wondering," Nine finally said, when it was clear that Ten wasn't going to initiate conversation, "when I managed to become so single-minded."

"The day you lose Rose," Ten retorted.

"Of course."

-----

Kris found Jack where she knew she'd find him. He was in his bedroom, sitting on the bed, the sheets and duvet a mess. She'd been spending more nights in his bed than not, even though they'd only recently consummated their relationship...and neither of them were any good about making the bed. What for? They'd just mess it up again anyway.

When she opened the door, he looked up, then returned to staring at his hands, clenched together in his lap. She didn't need to say anything: instead, she crossed the room, walking over slowly and sitting down beside him. She didn't touch him. She was close enough to feel the warmth of his body, but she didn't touch him. Let him be the one to reach out.

After long, long moments of silence, he did. His arm lifted, reaching around her shoulders and pulling her into him. She went, leaning her head against his chest and resting one hand on his leg.

"You're my coffee cup," he said softly.

Kris lifted her head, looking up at him. "What?"

"Well..." Jack's eyes were fixed on his lap. "You know how coffee is great, right? It's strong and interesting and powerful and complex and tasty, and everyone likes it."

"Most everyone, but yeah, I'm with you so far."

With the arm that wasn't around her shoulders, he reached over, taking her hand. "But coffee's no good without a cup to hold it." He looked up, meeting her eyes, with fear on his face. "You're my coffee cup."

She squeezed his hand, cuddling closer again and letting her head fall back to his shoulder. Jack leaned his cheek against her hair, holding her even tighter against him. "You're stuck with me," she whispered. "Remember in Cardiff? Behind those bushes? You ruined me for anyone else, Jack, and you just keep doing it."

"You ruined me, too. If you hadn't figured that out."

Kris closed her eyes and simply let herself be held, let his words wash over her. She knew he was scared, and she was too, but right now his fear was the bigger issue...and the best weapon she had against it was her presence. For more long moments, they sat on the bed, just holding each other.

Finally, Jack murmured, "You aren't allowed to leave me."

"I wasn't planning on it."

"If you did...I'd really miss the smell of you on the sheets."

She smiled, inhaling reflexively. It was true; the bed did smell like the two of them. "You know...it could be our sheets now. In our room." She bit her lip. "I mean, I sleep here all the time anyway. So, I could just...well. If you wanted."

Jack gave her a small smile. "I want."

It wasn't just about sharing a room. It was taking the step, planning for the future, knowing that they'd go on together. Something changed in Jack's eyes, lightening, as he pulled her onto his lap and kissed her, and Kris responded, winding her arms around his neck and running her fingers through his hair. His kiss was deep and desperate, and she had an idea of what he needed...confirmed when she felt his hands on her chest, fumbling to unzip her coverall and push it off her shoulders.

He wasn't the only one who needed. She pulled his braces down and began unbuttoning his shirt.

-----

When it was over and they lay quietly in bed, savoring the afterglow, Kris raised herself up on one elbow and looked into Jack's face. He smiled back at her, and she breathed an internal sigh of relief. Together, they'd managed to work through his fear.

"We should probably get to the medical bay," she murmured.

Jack took her hand, bringing it to his lips and kissing the palm. "Yeah."

"They'll be wondering where we are..." She caught her breath as the tip of his tongue drew a small circle in the center of her hand.

"No they won't. They'll know exactly where we are. And what we're doing." His free hand traced a path up her spine. Even completely sated, his touch still made her nerves leap in response.

"How do you do it?" she mumbled.

"What?"

"That. Just..." She smiled, shaking her head, as his fingertips skimmed over her shoulder and down one arm. "Every time you touch me, no matter what, it's just..."

"I know," he finished. "It's the same for me."

She curled herself into him, nestling her head on his chest and draping a leg over his waist. "I promise I won't leave you. Like I said, you're stuck with me. And what we're going to do...with the Vortex...that's just going to help me keep that promise."

"I know," he said again. Then, hesitantly, "You know...the whole living forever thing...it's not all it's cracked up to be. You probably won't like it. You have to watch everyone you love just die around you...while you're stuck going on."

She nodded. "I get all that, but you're forgetting one thing."

"Hm?"

"I won't have to watch you die." She fixed her gaze firmly on his. "And that's enough for me."

Jack lips quirked in a wry smile. He sighed, closing his eyes. "I guess you've got a point there."

"I've got another one too."

"Two in a row?" He grinned. She nodded, placing her finger against his lips. Reflexively he kissed it.

"I'm..." She paused. "I'm not going to say this very well, so just wait till I'm done, OK?"

Jack nodded.

"I...I'm not going to have to watch anyone I love die. Because everyone on this box... somehow we're all managing to cheat death, one way or another. And everyone I love is on this box." She gulped. "You and the Doctor are the people that matter most to me, and I don't have to watch you two die. And you shouldn't have to watch me die. Not when we've got the power to stop it."

Jack waited till he was sure she was finished. He slid his hand into her hair and pulled her head down to him until their foreheads were almost touching. Keeping his eyes open, he stared into hers and asked the only question whose answer mattered.

"Everyone you love?"

She couldn't say it. I love you. It was too big. So she settled for something that was almost as good.

"Yeah. But mostly you, though."

He couldn't say it. I love you, too. It was too big. So he settled for something that was almost as good.

"Mostly you, too."

-----

The two doctors were in the medical bay, Nine shoving two of the narrow cots side-by-side, as Ten punched instructions into a boxy piece of equipment.

Nine straightened up. "What's wrong," he asked flatly.

Ten looked up. "Sorry?"

"What's wrong. You've got this expression on your face that, if I know me, is halfway between insane jealousy and fierce compassion. So out with it. Tell me."

Ten sighed, hitting one or two last keys. "That should do it," he murmured. "And as for "what's wrong"...I should think it'd be obvious."

Nine stood with his arms crossed, waiting.

"Jack can't die. We covered this, right?"

"Right. He was brought back to life by the Time Vortex, and now he can't die. I sort of figured it out."

"So now he's porting the Vortex around inside him, and in a few minutes, Kris is going to be doing the same thing. Sharing his burden. Never aging, never dying. So Jack, curse and bless him, is going to have the love of his life at his side for eternity."

Nine nodded slowly. "And Rose...will eventually age and die. And leave you. Us."

"That's about it, yeah."

"And you're torn between being happy for two people who obviously deserve happiness, and being envious that you can't have the same thing."

"Right again."

"Not that hard." Nine grinned lopsidedly. "I'm you, after all. But I wouldn't worry. The TARDIS might still have a few tricks we don't quite know about yet."

-----

They walked into the medical bay hand-in-hand, stopping abruptly as they saw the Doctors deep in conversation.

"Maybe we should come back," Jack murmured to Kris, but he was too late - the two men were already turning towards them.

"No need," Nine said softly. "Everything's ready."

"Right!" Ten slapped his hands together, rubbing them in anticipation. "Here's the plan. To re-create the effect that happened to Jack, I'm going to give you a drug that's going to stop your heart. Then when that's done, we're going to use all this machinery to funnel part of the Vortex out of him, to put it in you. It'll revive you and give you the ability to control it, to some degree."

"Wait a sec." Kris twirled her finger in the air. "Rewind. I'm going to have to die for this to work?"

"Well...yeah. I mean, that's the only way to be sure that the same thing will happen. Jack was dead. One hundred percent dead. So that's what we have to do again."

Jack and Kris exchanged a look. Jack's mouth opened; he started to speak. Kris laid her finger across his lips. Her other hand curled around his neck, pulling his forehead down to rest against hers. The Doctors looked on as she pushed up on her tiptoes and breathed something into Jack's ear; not meant for them to hear, but they did anyway.

"Nothing's changed, Jack. Nothing at all."

She let go of him then, laying down on one of the cots that the Doctors had readied. After a moment, Jack joined her on the other one, reaching out with his left arm and lacing their fingers together. Nine and Ten busied themselves for a moment, inserting IV lines and hooking tubes into various pieces of equipment.

When everything was ready, Nine stepped back. This was Ten's show; he was a spectator.

The Tenth Doctor held up a syringe, loaded with a clear liquid. "This drug will stop your heart. It'll be completely painless - you won't feel a thing. Then we'll open the IV shunt and the Vortex will flow into you with Jack's blood. As long as he's focused on reviving you and transferring part of the Vortex, this will go perfectly."

"So if I screw up, we're fcked?" Jack's tone was light, but his face had paled, and sweat was popping out on his brow.

The Doctor held up a second syringe. "This is our backup plan. If the Vortex doesn't revive you, this will get your heart going again."

She knew what he wasn't saying. "But if I'm dead that long..."

"...things could get dicey. So let's assume that Plan A is going to work out, for once."

Kris took a deep breath, and nodded. "Okay. Let's get this show on the road."

"Wait."

Jack sat up. All the color had drained from his face. "I can't."

Kris looked over at him. "What?"

"I can't lose you. You're going to DIE, Kris, has that occurred to you? And if something goes wrong...if I screw up, in other words...I'll lose you. Forever."

"But you're not going to." She fixed her eyes on his and spoke calmly. "You're not going to screw up, Jack. Yeah, it's occurred to me that I'm going to die. Know what?" She reached over, putting a hand on his arm. "You're worth it. The time we'll have...we'll have forever together. Think of what we can do with that time. And it'll be you and me - we won't have to worry about losing each other. We'll have the most fun anyone's ever had knocking about this universe.

"If we don't do this, barring stuff like getting hit by a bus, I've got another hundred years in me. And even then, most of the last ones won't be any fun. And I'll just get to watch you, always young, always alive...wanting so badly to share your adventures, but I'll be stuck in a shell that won't let me live. This way, we'll have so much time to have those adventures together. And this universe is pretty damned good at throwing enough surprises at us to last that long. You can't tell me that's not worth dying for."

She didn't wait for him to answer. "Do it, Doctor."

The Doctor didn't hesitate. He shoved the syringe into the IV bag, and watched as the drug traveled down into Kris' arm.

She gave Jack a reassuring smile. "I love you, Jack Harkness."

She picked a hell of a time to say it, he thought, and then was distracted by the soft beep of the monitor abruptly stopping.

"That's it - her heart's stopped. Now, Jack!" And the Doctor flipped the shunt open.

With every cell in his body, he concentrated on the woman lying next to him. Kris. Fixer of broken ships and broken Captains. Fiery hair and blue eyes, rumpled and smiling at him in the morning. Kissable lips opening beneath his mouth, tasting like mint. Strong arms stabbing a man in the leg with a piece of broken chair. Long legs running beside him. And a heart, strong and beating, big enough to hold a piece of the Vortex...to keep her by his side. Always.

He felt his blood flowing down the shunt. Blood...and something else. The shunt was glowing golden. It's working.

The Doctor's next words confirmed it. "Her heart's beating again. And the Vortex...it's in her. And in you. Jack, it worked. Everybody lives!"

They closed the shunt, disconnected the tubing. Kris was breathing again, the color back in her face. Jack placed his hand on her chest, feeling the beat of her heart against his palm.

He wasn't aware he'd slumped over until he felt the soft, worn fabric of Kris' coverall against his cheek. His eyes drifted closed, and his arms snaked around her, lifting her body to him. The sobs locked in his chest; he wouldn't cry, not in front of the Doctors.

He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up. The Ninth Doctor was beside him, looking down at him. Jack sighed, his face feeling hot. Kris was still unconscious in his arms.

"She'll sleep for awhile," the Doctor said softly. The Tenth Doctor was in the background, disconnecting equipment and making himself busy.

Jack nodded. He didn't trust himself to speak.

"A word of advice?"

He nodded again.

The Ninth Doctor hunkered down beside him, speaking quietly. "You know a different me, Jack. As far as I understand, you know me after a good length of time has passed since the end of the Time War. But for me...now...it's so recent. Everything is still so raw. And so maybe it's easier for me to say this."

Nine paused, looked down at the sleeping Kris. Jack sat up, the better to look at the Doctor as he spoke.

"Do you love her?"

Jack answered without hesitation. This was the Doctor asking, after all. "Yes."

"Then you tell her. When she wakes up, you tell her. There are so many people...my family, my friends, my children. I never told them enough that I loved them. Always tell someone when you love them, Jack, because there might not be a next time. When the words stick in your throat, force them out anyway. When you think that they know, tell them anyway." Nine cast a glance at his future self. "I'm guessing that's a lesson I'm not going to retain. But I'll pass it on to you. When Kris wakes up, the first words she should hear should be, "I love you", coming from your mouth."

Jack couldn't speak. His head dropped; he nodded. How many people over the years had he told? And yet he hadn't been able to say it when the woman he loved, really and truly loved for the first time in his long life, had died right in front of him?

Nine was right.

"Thank you," he said softly.

He was dimly aware of the Doctors leaving the room. Kris continued to breathe slow and deep in his arms, and he stretched out more comfortably beside her, resting his head once again on her chest. It was strange, for him; usually he was the one with the head resting on him. Kris had changed a lot of things.

He fell asleep. He wasn't sure for how long. When he woke, it was to the feeling of the woman in his arms stirring. Instantly, he was leaning up, looking into her face. He wanted to see it: the moment when her eyes fluttered open. He wanted the first thing she saw to be his face, his eyes.

He wasn't disappointed. Blue eyes opened, looked into his. Her cheeks creased in a slow, small smile.

"Hey," she said softly. "I had the weirdest dream..."

He placed a finger over her lips, a mirror of her earlier gesture. No lead-up; no small talk.

"I love you."