They lay together in bed, just holding each other quietly until Nicky takes a deep shuddering breath before speaking, “I know-I know that Booker is lonely. And I understand his reasoning but. When we were in there, when we were strapped to lab tables, there were times when you. When you took a long time to come back."

“How do you know-how long is too long?”

“She-the doctor was counting out how long you took. I don’t know what she did, but once it was almost two minutes and-”

“I’m not. You know I’m not leaving without you.”

“You can’t promise that. You can’t. We don’t know-”

“I can and I will. You don’t think I would fight the literal universe to come back to you? That I wouldn’t battle the sun and stars, rend the very wind from a cyclone to be back in your arms?” 

“No, I know you would. You will."

“I will. I told you before, I want forever with you. I want forever, in every version, every capacity I can have with you. You were my past, you are my present and you will be my future and I would be honored-no privileged to see the future with you.” 

“Joe, stop,” but Nicky’s turning in his arms to press laughing kisses against his cheek and neck.

They settle back into each other's arms, breath evening out to match. Quiet surrounds them for a few extended moments before it's broken.

"We're not really going to wait a full 100 years, right?"