The trio were on their way to the Cobain residence when the tender silence was broken by the Master. "It doesn't make sense." he said, "She should be in California for her rehab."

"Something must have happened for her rehab to end early." the Doctor replied, "Could have been the Black Guardian's doing, influencing someone to basically kick her out."

"She could've been here all along." Jessica chimed in.

"So you're implying that she murdered her husband."

"Marriage falling apart, Kurt saying he wouldn't kill himself, and it's not out of character for her to use it as another stepping stone to fame."

"Jessica, I don't want to argue about that thoroughly debunked conspiracy theory rooted in sycophancy and bigotry right now, we have a person that's at the exact wrong place at the exact wrong time."

"...and if we don't do anything about it, the Reapers will arrive."

"What are those?"

"Unkillable gargoyle-like creatures that eat everything once a fixed point in time is interrupted."

"...like the death of someone being reversed. Jessica, jump on my back."

"Why?"

"Because we're about to run as fast as we could and I still remember you being exhausted both times you had to run. Get on me." Jessica piggybacked the Doctor. "Now, we run."

The Doctor and the Master ran as fast as they could, the Master being slightly faster due to not having a person on his back. They managed to get to where Kurt lived just as Courtney was seen getting inside. "Oh," she said, "you actually came."

"And you have to come with us." The Doctor replied, "You're not supposed to be here."

"I'm not allowed to go into my husband's house to take care of him? He's been trying to kill himself multiple times these last few years and I have always been there to stop it. Is Kurt alive in the future?"

"No." Jessica said after getting off the Doctor's back, "Because you killed him."

Courtney closed the door and got back out. "I wouldn't."

"Jessica, please stop."

"We've seen the interviews where Kurt said he wouldn't kill himself. We know that your relationship with him is in tatters. And we especially know the you are the kind of person to kill to stay in the spot-"

Courtney punched Jessica as hard as she could, knocking her out. "You think I'm a murderer too?"

"No, we don't. It's just that she's a bit too into a conspiracy theory. It isn't you that kills him. It's a suicide, and it's happening today."

"So you're here to stop me from not letting that happen?"

"If you stop him, monsters will come and try to kill everyone." the Master replied, "It's your husband or the world."

Courtney looked down to think about it for a moment. She looked up again at the Doctor and the Master. "I know how selfish this is going to sound, but I'm picking my husband."

"But Courtney..."

"You're all from the future. Is it ravaged by those monsters?"

"Well, no, but-"

"And if those monsters show up because my husband lives, wouldn't they just go for him?"

"That's not how they wor-"

"So excuse me if I don't believe either of you in that regard. Either you help Kurt or you both piss off."

The Doctor was stone-faced, staring on at Courtney. "Master, get the fake artifact to the Black Guardian." The Master nodded and left. The Doctor walked towards Courtney. "This is the Hand of Tecteun. It can make your husband like me. When his body dies, he can change every single cell in his body and come back to life unless he's been beheaded or drowned. When he comes back to life, he'll have two hearts and three brainstems, with his personality changing a bit. As the cherry on top, unless you also use it on yourself, he will long outlive you."

"And you know this, because..."

"Because that's happened to me eighteen times. Trust me, regeneration is painful, and you'll still lose your husband. All that will remain with him will be memories. Do you want that?"

Courtney thought about it again. After a minute of silence, she looked at the Doctor again. "Where was I when Kurt died?"

"California. In rehab. How did you get out early?"

"I recovered better than expected and sorted my crap out. Now I can be a better wife to Kurt and a better mother to Frances." Courtney thought of something. "Wait a minute, what if you give Kurt an intervention?"

"I know that you tried one on him already and it didn't work."

"You seem to be better at this stuff than I am. I'm not as good with words as you."

The Doctor signed. "If the Reapers come, he can always be killed to make them stop. Besides, I got a plan that involves you not being in the room."

"I don't like the way you talked about him there, but if we need to do it, good. Now come on in."

The Doctor went inside and followed Courtney's directions to the living room, where Kurt just so happened to be sitting, staring at the floor with a shotgun he had purchased earlier on in the week. "Hello, Kurt." the Doctor said quietly.

"Who the hell are you?" Kurt replied, pointing the shotgun directly at the Doctor, "Did Court send you?"

"You and I both know she's not here, and I know you're going to ask about the sounds of the door unlocking, but that's just in your head, like I am."

"No... You're not him..."

"Don't believe me? You remember that cat that your neighbour had, and how I tortured them until you caught me, then I laid the blame upon you?"

Kurt cocked the shotgun. "Boddah!"