My screaming subsided as soon as that voice reached my hearing; the strong arms around me smelt faintly of whisky and cigarettes, and the scent was so familiar I was sick right there, on the pavement of the alleyway, retching onto the cold concrete, tears streaming down my face as a fondly remembered rugged hand rubbed over my back, soothing me as a lock of blond hair found its way into my vision.

I looked up, hardly daring to believe what was happening. Surely this was just someone who sounded like Gene? Maybe this was some kind of wind-up…

That one look erased any doubt at all.

Gene's stunning blue eyes searched mine, concern etched into their warm depths, his scarred and battle worn face thrown into sharp relief by the blunt light of the alleyway. His clothes were the ones he'd died in, only there was no trace of the bullet wounds, the bloodstains, anything like that or from that awful day; he was unblemished, pure, and entirely my Gene.

Without another question, I threw myself into his arms, pressing my face into his broad shoulder, breathing in the smell like a child with a cuddle blanket, my senses on overload, his gentle murmurs of "Bolly" enough to bring out renewed sobs.

As my tears splashed onto Gene's shoulder and his strong arms held me, rocking me softly, I could have sworn I felt one or two tears that weren't my own soaking into my top.

"What're you d-doing here?" I whispered as soon as I could talk, looking up at him, taking him in once again as fresh tears sprung into my line of sight. Gene continued rocking me, the calming sensation seeming to help him as well; his face looked troubled as soon as the question had left my lips, and one white tooth snuck out from his mouth, biting down on his lower lip, making him look almost boyish, innocent, despite the weathered complexion surrounding it.

"I 'ad to come back. I- I've been watchin' you, seein' 'ow miserable you were, an' I knew I 'ad to do somethin' to 'elp you."

I furrowed my brow, not understanding at all. Gene sighed, crouching down next to me instead of half-standing, half-leaning over me, resting on his haunches and looking straight into my eyes.

"So you really are from the future after all."

My first thought was, Well, that wasn't what I was expecting. My second one was, How in the name of all that's holy could he possibly know that?

"I'm sorry for not believin' you, Bolls…"

"Never mind that, I wouldn't have believed me if I'd been you. How did you find out about that?"

"They told me. Don't ask me 'oo they are, Bolls, I dunno myself. But they told me that you were from the future, an' that there, you 'ave a daughter an' your godfather an' a life, everythin' you could need-"

His voice broke, quietly, strained.

I could do nothing but stare and grab Gene's hand as the Manc Lion began to cry.

"Gene? Gene, what is it? Gene?"

Forcefully drying his eyes on his sleeve, Gene managed to fix his gaze on me, his bright irises blurred and snail trails of glittering liquid on his cheeks. I'd never seen anything so- awful- than my Gene, upset, trying to put on a brave face and not succeeding.

"Please, Gene, talk to me," I murmured to him, reaching out to wipe the salt tears from his cheeks. He gently caught hold of my hand, clutching at it as though it was a lifebelt.

"I 'ave to tell you, Bolls. I am, to all intents an' bloody purposes, dead, an' the only way for me to come back is if someone else- someone else dies in my place. Someone they've selected. Someone from your world."

Desperation surged through me, tinged with worry, with helplessness; this seemed completely outside of my control. Wrapping my arms round Gene, I nestled against him, trying to give him comfort from my warmth, my pressure on his body.

"There's this woman. She's on life support in 2008, in the other world. She's badly injured, been shot, an' the doctors don't know if they'll be able to save 'er. She's got a young daughter as well."

I listened carefully, my lips curving into a small smile as I compared this mystery woman's predicament to mine.

"She's the one, Bolls, an' I 'ave to find 'er an' ask 'er if she'll give up any chance she 'as of returnin' to 'er daughter to save me. Only I think I've already done the first bit."

"Why, how've you found…"

Gene's eyes met mine, their depths darkening, his hand tightening on mine.

"I'm sorry, Bolls. This isn't in my control, none o' it is. The decision is all yours."

I sucked my breath in as though I'd been winded; what he was saying was too dreadful, too awful, surely too cruel to be true…

If Gene was to come back to life, I had to sacrifice myself, my life in 2008, and any slim chance I would ever have of getting back to Molly.

My lover or my daughter.

My choice.

A/N: Ooh, how nice of me to leave it at that for six days XD So… what do you think Alex'll do? Please remember to review, I would really appreciate it. Thank you hugely for reading! Jazzola :)