History Main / YourUniverseOrMine

* In Creator/AlanDeanFoster's ''The Time of the Transferrance'', {{Spellsinger}} Jon-Tom must choose between returning to our world and remaining in the warmlands, where his wife, friends, and magical abilities are.

* Comics/Vampirella ,in the last Warren Issue, has a Multiverse traveler falling in love with her. When things go haywire, he tries the next universe. [[note]] Bonus {{Squick}}: Selfsame traveler had been much later retconned to be the biblical Cain by Harris. And much later Cain has been retconned to be Vampirellas father by Dynamite. [[IncestIsRelative Maybe they should do the research next time...]]

* ''Literature/ElevenTwentyTwoSixtyThree'' plays with this. Jake travels from 2011 to 1958 so he can prevent the Kennedy assassination, but along the way he falls in love with the lovely Sadie. At first, he plans on simply staying in the past and living out his life with Sadie, but after [[spoiler: her psychotic ex-husband destroys half her face with a kitchen knife]] he promises her he'll take her back to his time where she can receive a better treatment for the injury. [[Ultimately he doesn't get to do either, as Lee Harvey Oswald ends up killing Sadie in 1963 instead of Kennedy.]]

* In ''LightNovel/ZeroNoTsukaima'' Saito is summoned by Louise to alternate world. If not for the implication that one can return to Earth by flying toward a eclipse there would be no choice possible to make it this trope.
* ''Anime/VisionOfEscaflowne'': [[spoiler: At the end it looks like they both returned to their own worlds, but in the final scene, Van appears riding the Escaflowne on Earth. It ends there so it's up to the viewer to interpret what happens next.]]

* In ''Webcomic/Homestuck'', at least a third of the extra-dimensional aliens have fallen for various human characters, and vice versa. They seem to be [[TakeAThirdOption taking a third option]], and creating a new universe entirely for all of them to live in.

!!Examples

* ''FushigiYuugi'' and its prequels, ''Genbu Kaiden'' and ''Byakko Ibun''. As for the results... [[spoiler: Tamahome is ultimately reincarnated in Earth and reunites with Miaka. Takiko dies in Hokkan and in Uruki's arms, and their reincarnations get together again. Suzuno and Tatara are separated, but they die at the same time in their worlds and are ultimatelt TogetherInDeath.]]
* ''{{Inuyasha}}''. [[spoiler:At the end, Kagome stays on the Sengoku Jidai to "get married", on the words of her present day's friends. Inuyasha would've likely been alive in our world, though he cannot pass through the well anymore - and Kagome temporarily cannot either, her last "jump" into the past being the one she makes to stay with him.]]

* ''VisionOfEscaflowne'': [[spoiler: At the end it looks like they both returned to their own worlds, but in the final scene, Van appears riding the Escaflowne on Earth. It ends there so it's up to the viewer to interpret what happens next.]]
* ''BrigadoonMarinAndMelan'' ends with this choice. [[spoiler: Frustratingly, the anime doesn't actually say whether Marin and Melan stay together, or in which world they might stay. In the manga, they go their separate ways.]]

* Perhaps not quite the same thing, but in ''[[{{JLA-Avengers}} JLA/Avengers]]'', the anthropomorphic representations of the DC and Marvel universes fall for each other only to be forced apart at the mini-series' end.

* It's key to ''{{Enchanted}}'' as well.

* In fact, the same actress (Mary Steenburgen) faced a similar decision in ''Time After Time''. Playing a modern woman who falls in love with H.G. Wells on his trip to the 20th century, she finally decides to return with him to the 1880s. "I'm not makin' any promises, but when we get back, I'm changin' my name to Susan B. Anthony".
* TheFilmOfTheBook ''[[{{Weenalized}} only]]'' of ''TheChroniclesOfNarnia: Prince Caspian'' has this between Caspian and Susan, who are from different worlds, but have no romance at all in the original books. Interestingly, the Pevensie siblings never married in all the years they ruled Narnia, despite all but forgetting they came from another world and despite ''The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe'' mentioning Susan and Lucy having many, many suitors (but the only one we ever meet personally is a [[BreakTheHaughty haughty]], [[TheEvilPrince evil prince]]).

* In the ''Franchise/StarTrek'' ExpandedUniverse novel ''Stargazer: Three'', Andreas Nikolas is secretly infatuated with the Asmund twins. Unfortunately, Gerda and Idun were [[RaisedByNatives raised by Klingons]] (also, one of them is already in a relationship). The ''Stargazer'''s transporter then deposits an alternate universe counterpart to the twins named Gerda Idun Asmund on the ship. Unlike her duplicates, she was raised by humans and is much more friendly. He instantly falls for her, and she returns his affections. Unfortunately, she is an agent from the MirrorUniverse, send to steal the ship's chief engineer as a last-ditch effort to save the [[TheEmpire Terran Empire]] from TheAlliance. When her subterfuge is discovered, she tells Nikolas that, in her universe, they were lovers until he was killed in battle. He lets her return to her universe but wants to join her. She leaves alone but breaks down into tears on the other side. The next novel shows that this has had a tremendous impact on Nikolas and he eventually resigns.

* The ending of ''LostInAusten'' sees Amanda staying inside the world of ''PrideAndPrejudice'' to be with Darcy -- [[FridgeLogic after having systematically burned all her bridges there because she was planning on returning to the 21st century]].

* In ''[[VideoGame/StarOceanTheSecondStory Star Ocean: The Second Story]]'', some of the recruitable heroes weren't born on Expel, coming from other planets and space-faring cultures. Depending on your RelationshipValues, this [[MultipleEndings can lead to]] one side of a given pairing choosing to stay on Expel to be with their loved one, or the other member deciding to accompany them into space, leaving behind their old life in the process.

* The FushigiYuugi video games, just like the original source, play with this trope. In ''Genbu Kaiden: Kagami no Miko'' Mariko [[spoiler: cannot stay with any guy from the Book she falls for, and the ony love interest who can stay with her is her Japanese friend Takumi]]. In ''Suzaku Ibun'', Madoka [[spoiler: more often than not has to return to Japan as well, but two special endings can be unlocked if she has enough love points - in one her beau will be reincarnated in Japan and live with her, in another she will be able to stay in the ''Universe of the Four Gods'' with him.]]

* Happens in the second ''{{Jimmy Neutron}}''/''WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddParents'' crossover entitled "Jimmy Timmy Power Hour 2: When Nerds Collide". The obvious solution, since both shows run off the [[RuleOfFunny Twin]] [[RuleOfCool Rules]], is to throw an interdimensional dance party.

* ''Kate and Leopold'' depends on this as well.

* Doc Brown and Clara Clayton in ''Film/BackToTheFuture Part III'' have something like this, but the fact that Clara was supposed to have died (and survived only through Doc's [[JustForPun timely]] intervention) may help simplify matters.

* There is a short, but deep, version of this in the original ''{{Terminator}}''. The time machine is only one way though, so it's not like the guy had much of a choice after he arrived [[spoiler:and he dies anyway]].

* Happens in the second ''{{Jimmy Neutron}}''/''{{Fairly Oddparents}}'' crossover entitled "Jimmy Timmy Power Hour 2: When Nerds Collide". The obvious solution, since both shows run off the [[RuleOfFunny Twin]] [[RuleOfCool Rules]], is to throw an interdimensional dance party.

* ''{{Fringe}}'' plays with it a bit in the second season finale. [[spoiler: Olivia kisses Peter to convince him to return to her universe from the one he is originally from, and seemingly succeeds. However, she is then replaced by her [[EvilTwin alternate universe counterpart]], who [[TheMole goes back with Peter and Walter to spy on them]], while our Olivia is imprisoned and tortured.]]

* ''FushigiYuugi''
* ''{{Inuyasha}}''. [[spoiler:At the end, Kagome stays on the Sengoku Jidai to "get married", on the words of her present day's friends. Despite the fact that it's very likely Inuyasha would still be alive in the present day.]]

* ''Film/SomewhereInTime'' hinges on this.

* In fact, the same actress (Mary Steenburgen) faced a similar decision in Time After Time. Playing a modern woman who falls in love with H.G. Wells on his trip to the 20th century, she finally decides to return with him to the 1880s. "I'm not makin' any promises, but when we get back, I'm changin' my name to Susan B. Anthony".

** The comic had a straight example with Hawkeye, in an AlternateHistory, ditching his universe to be with Black Canary (a ShoutOut to the way Canary herself switched Earths in the BronzeAge, although she did that because she had lost, rather than gained, a lover).

* Torg has had this a couple times in ''SluggyFreelance''. First when he time-traveled to medieval Europe and met Valerie before she became a vampire. At first he tries to pursue a relationship with her, but backs out upon discovering that the UnresolvedSexualTension he'd had with vampire Val in his modern world was only because he looks like (and may be the reincarnation of) her dead husband. Later, when he spends a long stretch of time in the Dimension of Lame, he hooks up with that universe's version of Zoe. [[spoiler:However, she dies before they have a chance to decide between breaking off their relationship or continuing it indefinitely in a dimension that one of them will find nearly unbearable.]] After that, Torg realizes that Alt-Zoe was ''also'' just using him to replace a dead husband, namely her own dimension's version of Torg. He also realizes that she's still not the same as the Zoe from his dimension, the one he's really in love with. Pete Abrams just does ''not'' seem to want Torg to get any extra-dimensional love.
* In [[http://supernormalstep.com/?p=346 this]] ''SupernormalStep'' Van discourages Akela from pursuing a relationship with Fiona because of this trope.
* Brunhilda in ''{{The KAMics}}'' is dating Bobby (Life) from ''Webcomic/LifeAndDeath''.
* Dark Eyes from ''MagicalMisfits'' got pregnant by Brian from ''PrismaticVodka''.
* In Homestuck, at least a third of the extra-dimensional aliens have fallen for various human characters, and vice versa. They seem to be [[TakeAThirdOption taking a third option]], and creating a new universe entirely for all of them to live in.

* In ''Literature/TimeAndAgain'' the hero thinks that the heroine will prefer his more equal-opportunities time. She's a little freaked out by it, so he moves to hers with UnfortunateImplications.

* An issue for Lyra and Will in ''HisDarkMaterials'', though subverted as one can't live in the universe of another for long and [[spoiler: the doorways all have to be sealed.]]

* In ''{{Neverwhere}}'', Richard Mayhew is offered the choice between his normal life in London Above and his new life in London Below ''twice''. The first time, he doesn't really understand the choice [[spoiler: and stays in London Below.]] The second, he returns to his normal life... [[spoiler: and ends up hating it so much he returns to London Below, and to the Lady Door.]]

* Also slightly subverted in ''{{Ashes to Ashes}}'' it isn't really much of a choice for Alex; she wants Gene, but wants to go home to her daughter more [[spoiler: however she realises this is impossible when she discovers she is in fact dead. So she chooses to stay with Gene, but then that's thrown out the window too as he insists she [[IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy goes to heaven instead]].]]

* In the ''HaruhiSuzumiya'' [[TheMovie movie]] (and fourth LightNovel), [[spoiler:Nagato's attraction to Kyon]] causes her to ''create'' an alternate universe [[spoiler:(technically, she just modifies the existing one)]] in which, unlike in the old universe, it is possible for them to become a couple. She leaves the "which universe?" decision to [[spoiler:Kyon, who decides to reset the world to its original state, partly due to his [[BelligerentSexualTension self-denied feelings for Haruhi]]. But the other option [[Manga/TheVanishingOfNagatoYukiChan is not ignored]]]].

* In ''LightNovel/ZeroNoTsukaima'' Saito is summoned by Louise to alternate world.

* This occurs in the ComicBook/{{Runaways}}. The kids accidentally end up in 1907. Victor falls in love with a girl and invites her to come back with them. [[spoiler: She refuses because she's too scared to leave her own time.]]

* This trope is of course based on the very situation which lovers from different cities/countries face. Rarely played fully straight today, as most will keep some form of contact with their friends and families going, or at least have that option if they wish. In older times though, a sailor or a merchant on the silk route might have well decided to settle somewhere, with no more contact with his family back home than a few letters, half of which don't even arrive. Some trading companies went as far as shipping young women out to their trade posts as brides for the men there. The women hadn't met any of those men before deciding they were probably worth moving to the other end of the world for. This practice was often quickly abandoned, as finding a local woman turned out to be a lot more practical.

* ''{{Inuyasha}}''. [[spoiler:At the end, Kagome stays on the Sengoku Jidai to "get married", on the words of her present day's friends.]]

* IronMan when placed opposite of any female, humanoid character in ''VideoGame/MarvelVsCapcom3''. This ranges from [[HotShonenMom Crimson Viper]] to [[JailBait Tron Bonne]] to [[ChineseVampire Hsien-Ko]] to [[HornyDevil Morrigan]]. The only exception? Amaterasu, who is a ''dog.''

May result in StarCrossedLovers. Compare StayWithTheAliens and TimeTravelRomance.

* Toyed with and ultimately discarded for the DC vs Marvel Universe crossover (the big one that lead to the [[AmalgamUniverse Amalgam]] comics), where Jubilee and Tim Drake(Robin) struck up a rather sweet mini-romance that made them having to fight each other rather difficult. Due to the whole thing having since been quietly shuffled away, only a few remaining [[YueRyong shippers]] remember what might have been.

* ''{{Sliders}}'' had this come up more than once.