Author's Note: So this is it. The last part of this story. But not the end of this world. I already have the second story mostly written and hopefully will be posting fairly soon (when I can work out a tricksy 3rd chapter which is currently giving me hell!) Thank you to everyone for your supportive comments and feedback. I'm so so glad so many people have enjoyed this and I hope you like this last part... or at least don't form a lynch mob. See Y'all soon!

Epilogue

Cardiff, September 2004

The breeze coming off the bay had a chill to it, but to Ianto it felt like heaven against his skin. Like water felt to a man dying of thirst. After nearly seven weeks underground, just being able to feel the wonder of cool fresh air was like a gift from the very gods themselves.

Funny, the things people took for granted. Like fresh air, and the sparkle of sunlight on water, or the wonder of pure natural light. Forearms leant against the quayside railing, Ianto took them all in. Soaked them up and relished them. The cry of gulls, the chatter of people. It was bliss, just to stay perfectly still and enjoy the moment.

The sunlight was bright though, and he squinted as he tried to see out over the bay. Seven weeks underground didn't do wonders for a person's eyesight.

He didn't know how long he stood there, just basking. But eventually the moment broke. A presence appearing beside him. Familiar and alarming all at once, making him tense and shudder.

"Is it time already?"

The man beside him copied his pose, and Ianto could see his stern, chiselled profile out of the corner of his eye.

"Not quite yet." The man replied, smooth American accent giving nothing away. Captain Jack Harkness. The leader of Torchwood Three. Alien hunter. Protector of the oblivious. And Ianto Jones' jailor. "How's the arm?"

Ianto found himself glancing at the top of his left shoulder and shrugging.

"Sore." He replied, unsure how to talk to the man who held so much power over him.

Jack snorted quietly. "From where I yanked it or from the implant?"

The Implant. Alien technology. Or maybe future technology. Torchwood seemed to have more than its fair share of both. Either way it was something that had been recovered from the rift and it was now sitting under the skin of his left shoulder. Monitoring him. Keeping him on a leash. Three hundred metres. That's all he had. Three hundred small metres. And never to be walked unaccompanied.

At least, not until they knew what it was inside him. Until they worked out if he was safe to be let out of their sight. They hadn't told him what would happen should he reach his limit. Given the arguments about the implant that he'd overheard, he was guessing it wouldn't be pleasant.

It was still hard to wrap his head around. Aliens and rifts and energy patterns. And yet, in his dreams now he saw burning air and lightning. Every time he closed his eyes he saw his hands glowing. He would remember what it felt like to have so much raw power leave him. It was terrifying. Beyond terrifying. He'd already hurt Toshiko, he couldn't bear to think of hurting someone else.

Out of the corner of his eye, Ianto realised the Captain had stopped waiting for him to answer and was staring out at the bay again. Biting his lip, Ianto asked the question that had plagued him for the last two days. "How's Toshiko... is she... is she ok?"

"She's fine. She's tougher than she looks. She'll be back tomorrow." The Captain replied evenly, and then he turned, the weight of his gaze making Ianto turn his head to receive it. "If you ever, ever threaten one of my people again. I will kill you."

Ianto nodded, ducking his head and swallowing thickly. Captain Jack Harkness still scared the ever holy shit out of him, and now he'd given the man reason to want to hurt him.

"Glad we're clear on that." Jack nodded and pushed away from the railing. Puffing out a breath, he shoved his hands into the pockets of his RAF great-coat. "Another five minutes. I'm going to get a coffee. Want one?"

"No..." Ianto shook his head rapidly, unsure how to respond to such a turnabout of sentiment. Threatening to kill someone and then offering them coffee seemed somewhat incongruous. "Thanks."

"Five minutes." Jack reminded him, then strode off, calling back over his shoulder as he did. "Don't go anywhere."

Looking back out to sea, Ianto took another deep breath of wonderful, cool fresh air.

~Tw~wT~

It was amazing how quickly life could change.

Blink and you miss it. That defining moment. That single point in time where everything changes. It can happen so fast that it's barely even noticeable, or it can slam into you full force, knocking you down, dragging you under.

One moment you're getting on with your life, dreaming of more but really just hoping that tomorrow will continue much like today. And then it all explodes. Turns inside out and back to front forcing you to learn everything from scratch. Forcing you to open your eyes to what you were never prepared to see. Making you feel so small, so insignificant and at the same time reminding you to count the blessings you have because next time you blink you might not have even those.

Sometimes it's good, sometimes it's bad. Most times it just is. You can either let it define you, or you can define it, but whichever you chose, you have to face it. There is no turning back. No rewinding time. These moments happen, whether we want them to or not.

I was just a student. Nothing special. Just a student. Just finished my final exams. Looking forward to the future I had planned out for myself. Then I went home.

I've heard it said the twenty-first century is when everything changes. For me it already has.

For me it was the moment the world tore and I stepped into the storm.

Fin.