Right, let's get this story to an end now shall we?

:)

Chapter Six

Several small piles of books on the concrete steps shook as the TARDIS travelled to its chosen destination. The familiar whirling and pulsing noise was as present as ever that became fainter towards the journey's end until, upon arrival, a sharp jolt sent a wave through each of the stacks causing a couple to topple and lose the crowning books like a small wave of dominos.

Calmly and wordlessly Clara retrieved a couple of hardbacks from the floor and returned them to what she assumed was their correct piles. Why the timelord never placed them back on to the grand shelves now lining the upper level wall of the control room she'd never know but knew better than to question his 'homely' chaos by now.

"Feel better old girl?" The Doctor asked as he gently stroked the metallic casing of the control console.

"I still don't see why we let the TARDIS chose where to go. It's not like 'it' ..." The almost furious eyebrows pointing at her from the way she had addressed the time machine made Clara amend her words. "Sorry, I mean 'she', is going to go out venturing about out there."

"Probably didn't want you trying to lead us on another fictional encounter." The timelord shot back before jeeringly asking her. "Who else would you pick? Sherlock Holmes? Indiana Jones perhaps? I know!" He grabbed a nearby book and forced it right into his companion's face. "Why don't we go and have tea and cake with Harry Potter?"

Clara calmly eased the book back towards the Doctor who then turned and tossed it back where he had taken it from on one of the steps piles. Clearly he was still in denial and most likely never going to admit that they had met the actual Robin Hood a few weeks previously.

"Okay, let's see where we are?" The Doctor mused as he consulted a screen for their current location details. "Cairngorm National Park, Scotland, October 2009."

"So around five years ago then?"

"For you maybe, but for some of us it's over a lifetime ago." A buzz of excitement filled him as he wondered why the TARDIS had chosen here but knowing that she'd always take him to where he needed to be. "Now then, let's venture forth!"

The doors of the big blue call box were thrown open and together they stepped out into the vast isolated Highlands.

"It's raining." Clara complained as she pulled her jacket tightly around her.

"Of course it is! Scotland is part of the UK after all. Of course it still rains here even when it's not." The Doctor soon spotted a cottage a short distance away with two jeeps parked outside. "Oh look, a remote dwelling. Let's go and say 'hello' to the natives."

The ground between them and the cottage soon narrowed as the timelord took longer strides than his companion. "Do keep up!" He called over his shoulder.

"You know, for an old guy you sure move pretty fast."

It wasn't long before the two of them arrived outside the sheltered front door of the cottage. Raising his hand the Doctor was about to knock as the door slowly opened from the inside and froze at the sight of the greatcoated man now standing before him.

After a moments hesitation from both of them the Doctor let a smile on his stoney face."Hello Jack." The response he received wasn't what he expected from the other man who was clearly left shaken by his appearance.

"No. You're dead. I saw the news."

"Well as you can see I am very much alive ..."

"No, no, no!" It was hard to tell if the captain was scared, angry or distraught. "You. Are. Dead. Murder suicide; your wife, your kids!"

Clara looked questioningly at the timelord. "Are you sure you know this guy? He clearly doesn't know you. Wife? Kids? Killing?"

"I believe you've got me confused with someone else old friend."

"You're no friend of mine Frobisher!"

What? The Doctor understood he'd acquired a new face since the last time they had met but he'd not seen his friend in such a troubled state before; actually he had, but that was yet to come on the other's timeline. "Jack, it's me. The Doctor."

A look of perplexity crossed the captain's features as he tried to make sense of his friend's eerie new face. "You regenerated?" he asked unsurely.

"Yep, and it looks like you beat Seto to the punch this time. Speaking of which..." The timelord's eyebrows knitted into a giant V shape. "Look at these furious beasts, they'd give him a run for his money any day. And they'd win too."

"You're not my Doctor." Jack shook his head disbelievingly.

"Of course I am."

"No, you're not. My Doctor would be there when I needed him."

"Thus, ta-da!" The statement was accompanied by and rather weak and pathetic attempt of 'jazz hands'.

Jack lost the hold on the anguish he'd been trying to control. "Where were you when I needed you three months ago?"

"You've finally acknowledged me so that's progress. What happened three months ago?"

"The 456." The captain replied sombrely as he attempted to regain his composure from the unexpected outburst.

"456?" The timelord was puzzled at not having a clue what his friend was referring to.

"Oh I remember that." Clara chipped in the conversation as she added her recollection and then turned to Jack. "That thing with the kids right?" He gave a grim nod in response and she continued. "That was scary. The way they all talked in unison, though not as scary as when the army started rounding them up like cattle ..."

"Rounding up children? What for?"

"Dunno." She admitted with a shrug. "Some kind of inoculation program."

"Against what?"

Another shrug. "Aliens I think."

"Oh what rubbish!" The Doctor rounded on Jack. "Care to shed some light captain?"

"It doesn't matter." He spoke gravely not wanting to spend another second reflecting on the heartache of the past. "The point is I stepped up and took care of it, because you didn't."

"I may be a timelord but I can't be everywhere at once!"

Clara studied the disheartened looking man. She knew all to well the strange feeling of having to accept the new face and personality of the Doctor. It wasn't that he was a complete opposite of the man he had once been just more stringent which took some getting used to.

"So, you're the one to thank for sending those things packing?" She attempted to rise his spirits by showing that at least one of them outwardly cared.

It didn't work as the captain now looked more sodden than before as he avoided eye contact with either of them. "No."

"If not Torchwood then who?" The timelord asked curiously. "UNIT?"

"UNIT were useless!" Jack's reply was almost an hysterical outburst. "The only useful thing they did was to keep Seto and his family safe."

"Then who?" He asked again a little more urgently as his mind recalled several species that he knew to be pedo-centric. One race in particular was especially horrific in their specialised harvesting of young organs , - and thankfully on the verge of extinction, - whilst another would paralyse their victims and drain them of their otherwise future life force. "If these beings are what I think they are then it would have been no easy feat to overcome them."

"He was just a boy." Jack exhaled anguish with each word that left his lips.

"Who?"

"Steven Carter; my grandson." It had finally become too painful for him to continue with the conversation and the captain excused himself to reattain his composure and continue with the task he was in the middle of undertaking.

Clara looked at the Doctor in astonishment. "Grandson? He doesn't look old enough to be my dad, never mind someone's granddad..."

"Clara."

"Yes?"

"Do shut up." The Doctor's view followed on the path he'd watched his friend take. "Jack?"

There was no answer.

"Are we going in after him?"

"I am." The timelord was already across the door threshold. "You, stay here."

He silently strode down the hall of the quaint cottage, carefully so as not to bang his head on the low beams protruding from the walls and ceiling. It wasn't long before he found Jack in the living room kneeling down beside the unconscious body of a dark haired woman.

"Who is she?" The Doctor asked as he entered further into the room.

"Her name's Alice." The captain replied almost lifelessly. "She's my daughter."

"Is she...?"

"Dead?" Jack finished the timelord's enquiry. "Not physically."

"Meaning?"

"She never saw me coming." The look in Jack's eyes was growing distant as he recalled what had happened earlier that day. "I've been watching over her from afar; night and day, just on the off chance that she may need me. After all people say all sorts when they're angry and in pain. But no matter what, she's still my little girl, I'm not going to abandon her in a time like this. So I followed her all the way up here. Watched her lay the ashes on the lake. Waited for Joe to leave... "

"A simple answer will suffice, you don't have to go all Jackanory on me."

Having become a broken mess of a man, it was all too easy for him to take things to heart and the captain forced himself to take a deep calming breath at hearing the impatient timelord belittle his explanation. Here he was trying to make his actions and emotions clear as best as he could to explain why he'd gotten to the point he was now; how the only thing he believed he could do to ease Alice's heartache was to retcon himself out of her life, and his so-called 'friend' couldn't spare a moment or two to listen to his words.

"She'll never call me Dad ever again." His voice broke and the tears began to flow. "Not after what I've done."

"Oh, you've had a falling out!" The Doctor made his conclusion and frowned at his friend who continued to sob. "Come on, get a grip, pull yourself together."

"I … can't … I ..."

His patience was wearing thin once more. "You're not the first father to argue with his daughter. Been there, done that. Move on. It'll sort itself out..."

"It won't!" Jack snapped as his sorrow morphed into anger towards the timelord. "I betrayed her in the most vile way imaginable. I became a monster. I killed … murdered, my own..."

"Steven." The Doctor raced ahead to where he could now see the whole thing was pointing to the boy's sacrifice to save mankind. "Welcome to my world Jack."

"Your world? You weren't there! Had you been then I know you'd have found another way. You always do."

"And that explains the resentment!"

"Seto was right, I should have waited." The captain agonizingly grieved at not hearing even the slightest bit of sympathy from the timelord.

"Jack, in a situation like that you do not wait for time to catch up with you! It doesn't care to thank you or stop for doing so. It just carries on by, oblivious to the trouble and damage its causing. It'll drag away any chance of opportunity as it soars on ahead and you'd never get that moment back; not in a million years."

There was no response as Jack had finally come to the conclusion that his Doctor was well and truly dead as the one standing over him was not the kind and supportive friend he had known. Once he'd seen Alice settled in to her new life and home a dash of retcon for himself would see to it that he only remembered his old friend as he once was.

With the hint of a frown as he regarded the unresponsive man the timelord's face seemed to genuinely soften for the first time this encounter. "Steven's heritage was unfortunate, but this world is still here and for the better because of your selfless act."

A shriek came from just outside the room's doorway as Clara regained her balance from tripping over a slightly raised floorboard.

"I thought I told you to stay outside."

"If you want a companion who's obedient then I suggest you get a dog." She shot back as she approached him.

"I have one. A friend's taking care of him for me."

After overhearing some of their conversation Clara watched sympathetically as the captain slowly got to his feet and carefully began to lift Alice from the floor. She turned to the timelord. "You are going to help him aren't you?"

His mouth flapped in protest before he made any sound, "He's got strong arms..."

"That's not what I meant and you know it." She looked him head on and pass that disapproving stare.

"No."

"You've got a TARDIS..."

"Don't make me repeated myself."

"He's your friend!" She argued back, knowing that he was more than capable of altering events like she'd witnessed him do so with his home planet's destruction. "Help him."

"Thank you, but it's okay." Jack half heartedly assured her as he saw the timelord ready to break into an outburst against the kind hearted girl. The last thing she needed was to face his wrath just to try and help him. "I know better than to ask for his help."

Clara watched as the captain bypassed the Doctor to exit the room. His life was in pieces, how could he just walk away from the chance to have it amended? Surely the Doctor could be talked around and convinced to help those he cared for? She looked at the timelord who seemed almost equally surprised as she was. "The TARDIS brought you here, if not to help him then what for?"

"That's a question I too wish I knew the answer for." He admitted and then pointed his finger at his companion. "Stay here, and this time I mean it Clara, do not move from this spot until I say so."

She nodded in agreement and the timelord raced after his friend. "Jack!" The captain failed to stop. "You didn't ask. Why not?"

"Like I said, I know better."

"But you have done before." The Doctor sprinted ahead to block the other man from leaving as he brought up the past. "So why not now?"

"Last time it took me some talking to convince you to help." Jack had to readjust his hold on Alice in his arms as he stopped for the timelord whom he wish would just stand aside and allow him to leave. "And if I'm honest, as thoroughly relieved that I was, it even amazed me that you had agreed."

"So that's how you knew better, because you learnt from experience?"

"No, that's not it."

"Then tell me why!"

"The timelords I knew of myth and legend weren't renown to be so sentimental or inclined to interfere with past events." The captain sighed his explanation, hoping it would suffice the other's interest and allow him to be on his way.

No such luck as the Doctor remained stationary as he sought further information.

"I don't know." Jack could feel his frustration rising. "Maybe because both situations were different. Before it was wanting to rectify something I helped to mess up, and now ..." He trailed off scared and even ashamed to admit what he felt about that awful day.

"Yes?" The timelord encouraged much more like the friend he'd remembered.

"That day, it wasn't something that had already occurred, been interfered with or changed. It was just … just an unfortunate fate unfolding that I had next to no power to dictate. The human race was backed into a corner and I … I did the only thing I could to save them."

" Well done." The Doctor praised. "Acceptance isn't always an easy thing to achieve, but now that you have, you can stop running Captain."

Jack glanced down at his daughter's peaceful face. His friend was correct. These past months that he'd been watching over her he'd also tried to escape the grieving reality of their loss only to end up wallowing more in self loathing and blame. As a result he'd also extended the distances with those he loved for the feeling of shame he held and feared what they would think of him and what he had done if he were ever to return to them. It hurt so much but he'd successfully convinced himself that they were far better off without him that he wasn't sure if he could bring himself to re-enter their lives.

"Clara's right, I do have a TARDIS." The Doctor told his friend who seemed lost in thoughts. "I think it's time we got you back to were you belong."

88888888888888888888

With UNIT's help what remained of the Torchwood hub and Oval Basin of Cardiff Bay had been swiftly cleared and rebuilt under a cover story that would ensure the team could continue to operate in secrecy. It had been barely hours since the last of the barret wearing clean up teams had left and all that was left to do now was kit out the new inners so that Torchwood 3 would soon be back in business.

"Plush!" Ianto yelled as he struggled to move the huge piece of technical equipment that had been stored in one of the many vaults.

"Don't you have anything to make the job easier?" Mickey complained as he too struggled with the weight of the thing. "You know like rollers, pulleys, futuristic hoovering devices?"

"Non of that stuff survived the blast." The Welshman explained. "We'll just have to do this the old fashioned way."

"I hate old fashioned!"

Martha couldn't help but laugh at her husband's complaining. "If you just pushed as hard as you grumble then we're sure to have this thing moved in no time at all."

"I don't grumble." Mickey stated defensively before seeking the Welshman's opinion. "Do I boss?"

"Profoundly." Ianto smirked in response only to cause Martha more giggles.

The three of them continued to push in unison and had almost covered the whole distance of the tunnel leading to the central area of the Hub in no time at all. As they attempted to turn the final corner one of the metal swivel wheels became caught in a small nook in the concrete floor.

"Cach!" Ianto swore loudly in Welsh as the piece of machinery came to a sudden halt.

"No amount of pushing is going to free this thing." Mickey stated as he frustratingly gave one final almighty shove.

"Then we'll just have to lift it!" Ianto snapped back and proceeded further into the main area to seek more help. "Rhys!"

"Yep?" The other Welshman shouted back cheerily as he and his wife stood painting the brickwork walls.

"Come help us lift this."

Placing his brush and tin to a side he headed over to his three friends as they all bent down to grab the bottom of the metal casing. After the count of three they all tried as best as they could to no avail.

"That's well and truly stuck that is." Rhys pointed out what they already knew. "What you need is a jack."

"Pardon?" Ianto asked well aware that the other had a habit of stating the blindly obvious.

"A car jack. Put it under, crank it up and Bob's your uncle. I'll give Ruth a call and get her to send one of the lads down with ours."

"Of course." Ianto laughed sheepishly at having thought it had been his absent lover referred to. "Thanks Rhys." He watched the other man leave to make the call and then wasted no time in turning back to the husband and wife team. "Right, whilst he's doing that let's go and fetch another ..."

"I'm not moving for at least the next five minutes." Mickey protested as he seated himself on the floor.

"Ianto, we will get this done, but in our exhausted state it's going to take twice as long if we continue like this."

"Martha's right, take a break." Gwen insisted as she made her way to them and wiping white emulsion from her hands onto her overalls. "Lois will be back with those coffees shortly."

The Welshman looked at them each in turn wondering how they managed to seem so carefree when there was work to be done. "Okay take as long as you need. You know where to find me."

"Ianto!" Gwen called after him as he strode off back down the tunnels alone. She was about to follow when Martha stopped her.

"Let him be. Keeping himself busy is the only thing stopping him from thinking about Jack."

"That guy's not coming back is he?" Mickey voiced what he and some of the others were thinking.

"He'll be back." Gwen assured them with a confident tone of voice. "And we'll be here waiting." She found it hard to believe that they could dismiss her captain so easily and decided to return to her task before she had the chance to vocally call them out on it.

Mickey reached out for his wife's hand as he saw the sadness begin to well in her eyes. "Hey, come here." He coaxed gently and guided her down beside him.

"Where is he?" She asked brushing the tears from her eyes. "It's not the same without Jack."

"If you're having second thoughts then we don't have to leave." He assured as he pulled her close for a comforting hug assuming that she wasn't yet ready to leave the young Welshman and his team on their own without their captain.

A faint sound of laughter shared between two people came from the entrance way, - it's huge circular wheel now permanently to one side as a result of the bomb blast altering it's shape, - before Lois' voice rang out, "I'm back! I got donuts and muffins too!"

"Awesome!" Rhys was the first to greet the newest member of the team as she entered into the room. "I'm famished I am."

"Anyone would think that it was you eating for two." Andy jeered as he watched the other Welshman make short work of devouring a muffin, or two.

"What are you doing here?" Gwen smiled at her old friend holding a cardboard cup holder full of hot drinks as he stood beside their errands girl.

"I saw Lois here struggling with this lot and thought I'd help."

"But aren't you supposed to be in Merthyr?"

"The transfer didn't go through." Andy clicked his tongue for dramatic effect. "I'm afraid you're stuck with me."

"Didn't their force want you either?" Rhys chuckled.

"No, I turned them down actually." A smug smile was creeping on his face as he reached for his new ID to show Gwen. "Finally made Sergeant."

"Oh, I'm so happy for you Sweetie!" She wrapped her arms around her friend knowing just how much he'd been waiting for this day to come and had even feared his opportunity lost after he'd fought against the army trying to gather the children several months back.

A blinding white flash now filled the hub's main area and left two figures standing in it's wake.

"You weren't kidding, that blooming well hurt!" The white haired man complained out loud as he massaged his neck and shoulders.

"You'll get use to it." Seto tiredly explained as he gave the dueldisk on his arm a glance over to check for any possible damage that might have been sustained during the 'hop'.

"Cariad!" Gwen left the arms of one friend for the other's and planted a huge kiss to his check for the birthday that had recently passed. "What are you doing here?"

"New recruit training." He explained. After countless badgering from his sister-in-law to enlist one of the recommendations from her list he'd settled for the man he felt had the most experience with past supernatural nonsense. "This is Ryou Bakura. Ryou, Gwen Cooper."

"Nice to met you Miss Cooper." He extended his hand for her to take.

"Mrs!" Rhys shouted the correction to the newcomer.

"Oh, I like him." Gwen told Seto as she chuckled her approval whilst shaking the Englishman's hand before leading him away. "Come, I'll introduce you to the others."

She began to walk Ryou across the room with their friend following on behind and indicated towards where the Smiths sat with backs against the stationary contraption. "That's Martha and Mickey, formerly UNIT."

"Formerly?" Seto stopped to ask the couple whilst Gwen and the rookie continued their intro round.

"That's right." Mickey replied. The whole 456 incident had caused the two of them to see UNIT in a whole new light over how they had handled the situation, one that they hadn't agreed with. "We're freelancers now; mercenaries for hire."

"I'll keep that in mind." The CEO muttered as he scanned the room looking for the Welshman he'd come to see in order to report the current situation with Geocomtex as he'd assigned Diana her first task to go undercover and infiltrate the rival company. Not spying his friend he turned to Martha for answers. "Where's Ianto?"

"In the storerooms."

"Probably got another of these monstrous things ready for us to haul out." Mickey added but was ignored as Seto continued to talk to his wife instead.

"How is he?"

"He's coping without Jack if that's what you mean." Martha replied sadly. "At least that's what he's trying to portray since taking charge and making sure he's kept constantly busy, but on the inside I don't know how much longer he can hold out."

"You want me to got get him?" Mickey asked as he saw the other man now eying warily down the tunnel leading to the storage areas.

"No." Seto replied calmly. It was clear to him that his friend wanted a bit of alone time and knew that he'd be confided in when ready. "I'll wait." He continued across the hub to join the others making the most of their coffee break.

"Seto mate, how are you?" Rhys greeted him with a thundering clasp to the back.

"Don't you have a haulage firm to manage?" It took every ounce of strength he had to resist pummelling the Welshman back for the over friendly greeting.

"Day off; helping the gang to get the base back into shape."

"Speaking of which … up the ladder you go Love, those walls don't paint themselves." Gwen came to her friend's aid as she handed her husband a saturated paintbrush and flashed a wink to let him know that she'd keep Rhys busy for the rest of the visit.

Seto was still smiling inwardly at her effort as he came to a standstill beside Ryou who was conversing with a young woman he was unfamiliar with. "You must be Lois?"

"Yes sir." She gave an almost salute gesture that took him a little by surprise. "At last we meet. Ianto speaks so highly of you and your team."

"Since when did two people constitute as a team?" Andy scoffed in amusement.

"Actually, my team is four strong now Constable Davis." Again it took Seto great effort to remain civil towards yet another man he disliked.

"It's Sergeant Davis now Mister Kaiba."

The shadows began to stir over by the huge circular entrance. As silent as the night, a greatcoated figure casually emerged and just seconds later the stillness was broken when the huge tin of white emulsion clanked against the concrete floor

"Jack!" Gwen gasped in amazement, the first to have seen him and also alerted the others to the captain's presence. Ignoring the spillage she'd just caused from dropping her load she raced over to where he stood and flung herself tightly around him.

The woman's grip failed to decrease when the hug was returned. Holding on as if her life and his depended on it gushes of silent tears streamed down her face expressing the joy and relief she held. "I knew you'd come back!" Her muffled sob was whispered in his ear.

"Don't I always?" Jack tried to joke back as he finally managed to ease her from him. Wiping away her tears with the palm of his hand he could feel himself tearing up inside for the sorrow he'd caused her by his absence and his own relief that she hadn't turned away from him as a result.

"Jack!" Martha's cry was the perfect excuse he needed to have his attention diverted and composition restored.

"Smith one and Smith two!" He exclaimed with surprise as they both came rushing towards him. "What are you guys doing here?"

"Indecisiveness." Martha stated sadly as she lay he head on the captain's shoulder.

Jack glanced towards her husband for a further explanation.

"Long story" Was the reply he received before Mickey strode forward to join the embrace. "It's good to have you back man."

"Oi!" Rhys' voice caused everyone to jump as he swiftly descended the stepladder and pointed sharply towards Jack. "You owe me fifty quid!"

"What for?" The captain was extremely confused by the sudden outburst as he let go of his hold on both Smiths.

A brown paper bag was forcefully being shaken in his direction as Rhys approached him, a smile now creeping on the Welshman's face. "New straps ain't cheap you know."

Warily the captain took the bag offered to him and peered inside, the contents of which made his face light up with joy. "My vortex manipulator! Rhys, I could kiss you."

"Please don't."

Jack genuinely chuckled at the man's response whilst he strapped on the device he had not seen since the bomb that had detonated inside of him. Glad that it had survived such force when he had not fared as well he failed to stop the macabre thought of whether or not it had been found with part of him still attached to it.

"I'll just be on my way." Andy tried to excuse himself from the reunion taking place.

"You don't have too." Jack assured the man whom he'd given more then his fair share of jeering and grief to over the years. Despite the poor treatment received the man had always been faithful and remained an ally to call upon when needed. "Please stay Sergeant, you're an important part of this team too."

The invitation was accepted and the captain then forced himself to make conversation with Seto who's receptivity he was dreading after the horrid circumstance he had placed him in. "You have new recruits I see."

"Only the one." The reply to the small talk conversation was flat and emotionless. "This here is Ryou."

"Nice to meet you." Jack quickly spoke to the new face and avoided further contact with the CEO.

"And you." Ryou engaged in yet another handshake.

"Oh, and you remember Lois right?" Gwen introduced the one who had helped them in their dire moment of need.

"How could I forget." He smiled warmly at the now saluting woman.

"I don't know what it is that you did to stop them Captain, but you're a true hero." Each word was spoken with the most highest admiration possible.

"Please it's just Jack." He felt the gloominess return as it tried to consume him once more and anxiously looked around for that one last and vital face. "Where's Ianto?"

"He'll be back shortly." Gwen assured him squeezing his arm tenderly.

Jack nodded his understanding as he focused on a crack in the floor below. He took a deep breath to try and prepare himself for what he knew was bound to be the hardest task ahead of him once reunited with his lover.

"Walk with me." Seto ordered the captain.

Fear filled the older man's eyes at the stern request that had been made. He glanced to Gwen still fondling his arm, searching for help, only to have her nod in agreement that he should comply. She gave him a gently prod and slowly he followed the younger man whilst his stomach continued to tie itself in knots of suspense.

Once he was certain that they were out of hearing distance, Seto spoke softly to his tense looking friend. "How are you Jack?"

"You really want to know?" He was amazed that he received such a concerned gaze in response. "Not to hijack your definition but, … I'm fine."

That was all the information Seto needed as he damn well knew that meant his friend was in need of some support right now. "Wanna talk?"

"Yes but, not here, not now." Jack's voice wavered with relief that he had not ruined the friendship he held so dear. It would have been so easy and understandable for the younger man to shun him from his life yet here he was, even stepping out of his own comfort zone just to console him.

Silence fell between them as Seto accepted the older man's request not to venture further with the conversation until he was ready to do so.

"How's Kisara?" Jack made more small talk to banish the silence that seemed to last forever.

"Huge." Seto smiled fondly at the thought of his heavily pregnant wife.

"Not long to go now huh?"

"Next week."

"Wow, so soon!"

The conversation ended once more and before the stillness had chance to settle again, Jack forced out the question that had nagged at his mind the most. "Did you tell him?"

"It was hard." Seto sighed deeply as his thoughts wandered back to all the times he'd spoken with Ianto where he had withheld the fact that he'd been the last one to speak with Jack and had truly known how the threat had been overcome. "But as promised, I kept my word."

"Thank you." His voice was barely a whisper that soon became drowned out by the sound of footsteps coming from one of the many tunnels. Ianto!

With his red ringed eyes focused on the papers he held Ianto had not yet noticed all of the recent attendees in the hub. "Okay, I've compiled a list of things I want brought through, once you're good to go I'll show you where ..." His voice had started off loud enough so he would be heard by all of his team but had trailed into nothingness as his eyes caught sight of the two men stood before him.

Like a flick of a switch the Welshman's eyes changed from surprised to furiously demanding answers as they landed solely on the CEO.

"I just dropped by with the new recruit as we'd arranged." Seto protested at his friend's glare before pointing to the man next to him. "He's nothing to do with me; I'm just as surprised as you are."

Ianto's vision wandered over to where Ryou stood holding additional paintbrushes to hand to Rhys and Gwen as they covered the walls with a white coating. Accepting the explanation his questioning gaze disappeared. "Seto, can you fix us up with some new hardware? As you can see ours is looking pretty dated." He indicated towards to marooned base unit from earlier.

"I'll have it sorted before the week is out."

"Thanks." The Welshman turned and carried on with his business. "Martha! Mickey! I need you two ..."

"Ianto?" Jack called after his lover who had failed to acknowledge his presence. "Ianto?"

Having had the Welshman completely ignored him made the captain's nerves falter has he desperately tried to get the other's attention. "Yantie?"

"WHAT?!" Ianto snarled as he spun around to finally face his deserter.

Although he'd tried to prepare himself for the show of anger from the other man Jack was caught off guard by just how much hatred the response had held. His mind turned blank as he fought for something to say. "You're … Looking well."

"Is that it?" Ianto's face was filling with disgust. "We're left, - I'm left, - here picking up the pieces without you and all you can say is, 'you're looking well'?"

The shaken captain had no words at hand and the whole hub had fallen deadly silent. All eyes were now drawn to the two men's confrontation.

Martha attempted to ease the tension by placing a comforting hand onto her friend's shoulder. "Ianto..."

"No Martha!" He knocked her hand clean away. "He's been gone all this time and not once did he think to pick up the phone to let us know he was okay!..."

"Ianto." It was Mickey's turn to intervene. "Just chill mate."

"Not once!" A mixed combination of anger and pain was displayed clearly in the Welshman's tone and eyes as he stared at his lover. "It didn't have to be me. You could have called Gwen, Seto, heck I'm fairly sure even Alice would have no doubt tracked us down to pass on a message. But no, you did what you always do; run away from those who care and bury your head in the sand like nothing happened. Coward."

"Hey!" Gwen shouted, not wanting to hear more of her friend's put down towards their captain.

"That was uncalled for." Seto aided her protest over their friend's outburst whilst harshly staring him straight on. There was a pang of guilt as the knew the Welshman would not have behaved in such a manner had he been fully aware of the truth.

"No he's right, I did run away." Jack defended his lover who looked as close to breaking point as he currently felt. "You know what it's like trying to break set habits." He turned to Seto in a fake show of pleading for his understanding before directing himself back to Ianto. "But I'm no coward. I've come back to explain and admit to my mistakes, and I assure you that ..."

"You're here to stay." Ianto scoffed the rest of the empty promise he'd heard more than once. "Where have I heard that before?"

"I know you're hurting Ianto, but I'm still only human too and sometimes I need more than a little space..."

"And just how much space is onboard that TARDIS?" The Welshman produced a pocket area monitor that currently showed the last rift activity and blue boxed shape flashing light from a short while ago. "I know you where with him."

Jack's heart sank even more as despite all his efforts the timelord was still very much a huge wedge between them. "Yes he brought me home, but that is not where I've been."

"Then where have you?" Ianto asked as dominantly as his quivering voice would allow. He didn't expect a reply, or at least not a sincere one, as deep down inside he knew that Jack would never truly change no matter how much he tried to prove otherwise.

"H-how about I tell you everything?" The captain pushed himself to be more honest like they had spoken of in the past. He held out a trembling hand as a peace offering. "Come have a drink with me? At a coffee house? Pub? The water fountain in Bute park? The choice is completely yours."

The waiting hand continued to shake before him as the Welshman hesitated. Struggling to erase the trace of doubt in his mind over whether on not his lover had ulterior motives he gradually caved in to the frightened look in Jack's eyes. It spoke to him in more than a thousand words ever could as it let him know that he was genuinely needed and loved above all else imaginable.

"I'm sorry." Ianto blubbed as he rushed passed the extended hand and embraced the captain instead. "I didn't mean … I just missed you so much."

"You don't have to apologise or explain." Jack assured with a tearful gasp as his arms raised to pull the younger man closer to him. "I love you Ianto Jones, and nothing will ever change that."

The scene was becoming unbearably soppy and knowing that now the two men were back together and the better for it Seto called out to his rookie accomplice, "Ryou, it's time to go."

"But we've not been here for very long, surely they could use our help a little more."

"Best not to argue with the boss." Gwen advised as she took the spare paintbrush from him and smiled. "Besides, I'm sure we'll be seeing you again sometime soon."

Ryou nodded in agreement with her under the icy glare he received from having questioned the instruction he'd been given. "Goodbye." A wave accompanied his farewell to them. "It was a pleasure to meet you all."

"Are you quite done?" Seto grumbled as the other man returned to his side and confirmed that he was. He took one last glance around at the new Torchwood which had sprung from the ashes and smiled inwardly. Everything is going to be alright.

The hopper was activated and a flash of light took the visitors back to their home town of Domino.

"Okay you lot, back to work." Gwen ordered as she took charge and handed out paintbrushes to everyone besides the two men held in each others arms.

Ianto was the first to carefully ease himself free from the loving embrace. "So, about that drink?"

"Yeah ... um … er ..." Jack stalled for time as he summoned a little addition courage. "If it's all the same to you, I'd rather just skip straight to the heart to heart stuff."

The Welshman reached down and entwined his fingers with the captain's to give a firm reassuring squeeze for the unprovoked confiding he'd been longer to receive. "That's not a problem at all."

Together they left the hub hand in hand as one enhanced and unbreakable force.

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Big thank you to everyone one who has been there for me and had the patience to see this story through to the end. It's been long over due I know, and I'm sorry.

If you liked it (or didn't) and/or would like to see more stories in this series (I have a heap ready to go) then just leave me a comment in the reviews.

Thanks

KG