Epilogue

Epilogue

Jack picked himself up and looked about him, smiling. They were back in 21st century Cardiff – the Rift had 'dropped them off', on a rooftop in 21st century Cardiff, to be more precise. But he quickly realised that there was something else too.

"My coat," he whispered, running his fingers through the pockets and grinning as he felt a familiar piece of white cotton. Smiling, he drew out his little handkerchief that had served him well for so long and fingered it gently.

"We're back," he whispered.

"Well done for working that out," Ianto's dry voice spoke from beside him. He rolled his eyes fondly as he put away his stopwatch, but he still seemed distracted.

"Are you okay?" Jack asked, putting a hand on his shoulder.

Ianto shrugged, tears pricking his eyes. "I just realised," he murmured, turning around, "out of about three or four hundred people who were living in that city, not counting the army, there were probably only fifty or sixty who were supposed to be saved."

Jack took his hand. "Ianto," he said softly, but his partner seemed lost in thought. "Hey, come on," he said quietly, "let's get out of here and talk." He wrapped an arm around him and gently led him towards the door that would lead them off the roof.

Once they were back in the empty Hub and settled on the sofa, Jack slipped an arm around Ianto's shoulders. "Now, why don't you tell me what's wrong," he said softly.

Ianto shuffled slightly, looking uncomfortable. "It's just…I know that we can't save everybody and I'd have been a fool to think that we could," he said. "But knowing that less than a hundred people made it out of there…even after reading about it, it's just…the sack of Troy was vicious, Jack. I still can't get my head around it all."

"I know," said Jack gently, stroking his hair. "It was vicious and it's even harder to see something you've read about; nothing you read about can prepare you for seeing it."

He turned Ianto's face so that they were looking at each other. "But didn't we save something at least? How many others did you and the others manage to evacuate?"

"Seventy, maybe eighty," murmured Ianto, "most of them were women and children; I think that only twelve of them were men, including Aeneas and his father. His wife, Creusa, was there too, but she was so badly injured…I don't know if she survived for long, but I just couldn't bring myself to kill her."

Jack looked thoughtful. "So…you saved about eighty people to go with the fifty or sixty who originally made it out?" Ianto nodded. "Ianto…that's fantastic."

His partner stared at him. "What do you mean?"

"Well, think about it. Whichever way you work it, you have saved between a hundred and twenty and a hundred and forty people. Considering that there were between three hundred and four hundred people, you've saved at least a third of the population. That's amazing, Ianto. The fact that you did it yourself makes it even more amazing."

Ianto looked at him then. "What happened to Neoptolemus?" he asked.

Jack bit his lip and looked uncomfortable. "I did try, Ianto. I really did try to save him, but he was gone. I tried to reach out to the little boy inside, like you told me to, but…" he shook his head. "I'm sorry, but I had no other choice. I didn't want to fight him, Ianto, but I promise you that when he died, I made sure he didn't suffer."

Ianto closed his eyes for a second. "If it was the only way…"

"I went back afterwards and gave him a tomb. Whatever I thought of him, the son of Achilles deserved that at least. I couldn't save him, but I could at least honour him."

"I understand."

Jack looked at him for a few seconds and then cupped his cheek gently. "You're not really upset are you, Ianto?" he asked. "Look, what you did was incredible and, while it's only human to wish you had saved everyone, the fact that you saved so many is what matters. Remember what I always tell you; a hero isn't measured by the number of lives he takes, but by the number of lives he saves." His eyes widened meaningfully.

His face crumpled slightly as a single tear ran down Ianto's cheek. "Hey," he whispered, gently kissing it away, "Don't cry," he pleaded, drawing him into his arms and stroking his hair gently. "I hate seeing you get upset."

"You really think I'm a hero?"

"I don't think you're a hero; I know you're a hero."

"Then you're a hero too," said Ianto simply. "I know you feel bad for what happened with Neoptolemus, but judging from what you just told me, you didn't have any other choice. When you killed him, you saved so many others who he might have killed if he had lived. Little Astyanax, for instance, he's safe because of you. I might have found him and Andromache, but he's alive because of your actions."

Jack smiled and kissed him on the forehead. "Thank you," he whispered, before standing up slowly. "Now, I believe I said that I was going to have some words with the Rift."

Ianto chuckled, only for his smile to be replaced by a frown. "Jack," he said, "did you happen to pay any attention to the building we arrived on?"

Jack turned, looking confused. "Yeah, it was that office building where I – oh," he said with a sigh. "Well, I guess I'll have to be having more severe words than I thought."

Ianto chuckled. "Well…maybe, but then again, you may not need to." He sat back, smiling, Jack's cheerful laughter ringing in his ears.

Zeus tilted his head slightly as he watched the strange man in the red outfit who had been blown into Troy's ruins look about in confusion. He had to admit; his handsome build had caught his eye and sent fiery passion smouldering through his heart.

Taking the form of a small white dog with curling hair, he descended from his lofty peak on Mount Olympus and soared towards the ruins, ready to 'rescue' the new arrival.

Hera rolled her eyes in irritation as she listened to the exchange. The red-clothed man stared at her husband and raised his eyebrow.

"Hello," he drawled, "I'm Captain John Hart. Note the sarcasm. And I seem to have missed all the good stuff, but never mind; with such a gorgeous companion, I can more than make up for it." So saying, he span on his heel and strode off, the little dog following him avidly.

Despite herself, Hera found herself smiling as she thought about the two who had been there before. They had shown such love and courage…and had never given up on what they believed in. That was what was so important – and it made them heroes. She only hoped that they would be remembered for years to come – and not just for their unwitting foray into Troy.

"Jack and Ianto," murmured Athena, seemingly sensing what the divine Queen was thinking. "They were the heroes of Troy."