Author's Notes: And here we are, you and me, on the last page (too soon?). I expected this story to take so much time and now that I'm ending it, it seems like no time at all. Also, I ended it in a way that's sort of open for a sequel because once I've started I don't want to stop. I'll have to upload it tonight – even though it's the second one today – because I won't be around tomorrow morning to do it.

Now is the moment to say, thanks so much to everyone for the support while I was writing this. The prompt is a bit of a stretch, because it is a starlit night and they mention it for a sentence and a half, and everyone is definitely restless, so I'm cheating outrageously here. I could make it romantic. I tried to. But I wanted to include everything I've written for from the first chapters to now, so there it is now and I hope that I did well.

Day Thirty: Restless on a Starlit Night

Jack supposed that it had been the constant litany of 'Come on!' coming from River and Ianto that finally did the Doctor in about an idea that was surely about to end in tears. The Vegas Galaxies were a dangerous place even when everyone involved had enough common sense to survive – which neither of the younger Time Lords possessed – and he couldn't imagine what or why they would want to do with it, and yet there it was.

"Fine!" The Doctor shouted in the end after River had already crowded him against the console and had started telling him about all the things they could see on the planet she'd picked from said galaxies. Ianto had settled for just nodding eagerly behind her. "Okay! The Vegas Galaxies. Good. I hope you know what you're doing."

"They have no idea what they're doing," Jack informed him once the two of them were already out the door. "Absolutely no idea. Doctor, you were the one who told me that, by a Time Lord's matter of aging, they're practically twelve-year-olds."

"When did you become the responsible one?" The Doctor asked with a small smile and Jack found himself returning it. "When did you?"

"They just want a bit of a distraction." The Time Lord's voice was soft and his eyes wandered around the room – no longer bathed in the gentle golden light that Jack was used to but a cold, deep blue. "And I can't say I blame them. After everything that happened... they're so young. And the last version of River I saw... My time with her is running out and when she comes here and she's still has no idea... I can't let myself miss that."

Jack nodded silently. He couldn't imagine how it this felt for the Doctor. He knew that if it was like that for him – if he knew that every time he met Ianto he was getting closer to the end – he wouldn't have been able to stand it.

The Doctor had lost Amy and Rory mere weeks ago and this was apparently a version of River who didn't know that yet, but she could still sense that something was wrong from the three of them and, when she's suggested it, Ianto had been all too happy to back her up. Jack liked the idea of the two of them on the loose on an unknown planet about as much as he thought that letting two lions out in a kindergarten was a good idea – both were bound to bring destruction and some unusual headlines in tomorrow's papers.

Jack got out of the TARDIS along with the Doctor and went after with River and Ianto who were already well ahead of them and discussing something while examining every shop they could see on their way.

The ceiling of the building, wherever it was they had landed – Jack suspected that it was some sort of an amusement centre – was entirely transparent and he could see the sky outside. It was clear they had arrived at night and the view was quite different when compared to the one on Earth – the stars were bigger, closer, and the two moons were shining above them. As soon as he caught up with Ianto, he took his lover's hand in his and Ianto turned around, at first startled, only to have the expression melt into a smile.

"Magnificent, isn't it?" His voice was quiet but his eyes spoke volumes. "You know, even when I thought I was human, I always looked up to the stars and wondered why they drew me in so much. I thought it could be a Torchwood thing – that we all were people who wanted to see how much more there was to it – and yet, sometimes it seemed so big, so vast out there and I still can't believe that I get to see it all up close."

Jack squeezed his hand gently. "I know. Wait a minute," he said, stopping in his tracks as he looked at one of the shop windows. "These aren't supposed to be here," he muttered and approached it, looking at all the different sorts of Time Agency technology. "These things were never for sale; they just gave them to us when we signed up..."

"I'm going up to the next floor," Ianto said impatiently, letting go of Jack's hand. "River said that there's a whole section inspired by Earth's steampunk culture and–"

"Okay," Jack said, still distracted. Ianto rarely admitted it – and he wouldn't be caught dead acting on it – but he was the biggest steampunk fan the Captain had yet to encounter. He himself had never really understood it. What was so great about jewellery and weapons that looked like the remnants of several automatons from the Dark Ages that had crashed together? "I'll meet you there."

"What are these doing here?" The new voice replaced Ianto's almost immediately as the Doctor lined up with him. "It would really be good if the Time Agency kept their stuff to themselves; they're doing enough harm where they are."

Jack shook his head. "There's something illegal going on here. Nobody would let that equipment get in the hands of someone who isn't prepared for it. Maybe that's where River's got hers, though."

In linear time, Jack knew that she'd only just got her Vortex Manipulator and the fact that it looked alarmingly like his own worried him and he supposed that that would be a logical explanation for it, but the Doctor shook his head.

"No, she's got it from Dorium. Or at least that's what she told me. River?" The Doctor turned around, only to find that there was nobody there.

"Ianto said that they're upstairs," Jack said. "Perhaps it's time to go find them anyway; we've been here long enough."

'Upstairs', as it turned out, was exactly what Ianto had described it to be. There were lots of brass objects of all kinds and purposes and the place was crowded, which was why it took a while to search the whole place. Soon enough, both Jack and the Doctor had to admit that River and Ianto simply weren't there.

"I can't believe it," Jack said exasperatedly as they sat down on the bench and started trying to think of a plan. "Actually, scratch that, I can. I knew that this isn't a good idea. I just knew it."

Just then, the Doctor's screwdriver started letting out small, quiet noises and the Captain immediately looked up. "What was that?"

"It's from River's Vortex Manipulator," the Doctor muttered, taking the screwdriver out of his pocket and opening it. "But I don't get it. This isn't Morse code."

"No, it isn't." Jack's voice was quiet as he listened intently, trying to make sure. And yes, there it was: six beeps, each of them a second long and a second between them. "It's Ianto. And it means that he's in trouble."

"Makes sense," the Doctor nodded. "River usually sends messages. But this isn't good."

"Yes, Doctor, it's a distress call."

"I didn't mean that." The Doctor's eyes met his. "If they're sending this, it means that something prevents them from contacting us properly."

o.O.o

When they finally found the teleports – and it had taken them quite some time to figure out that there might be teleports – Jack knew that the situation was worse than he'd imagined, especially when the guy manning the systems told them guiltily that they were out of order.

"What do you mean, out of order?" Jack snapped, already at breaking point. "When did it happen and who were the last passengers?"

The man shrugged. "Half an hour ago. I tried to send them to the next planet – God knows what they wanted to do there, it's a desert – but instead, the tracker completely lost them and they're out of reach now. A man and a woman, from the convection over there; they were dressed like it." He nodded to the people and aliens of all colours and sizes behind them, most of which were dressed in what were probably costumes of their favourite characters. "They seemed pretty excited and... wait a minute; someone's trying to get through..."

Jack found himself tapping impatiently with his foot on the floor as the man's communicator took its sweet time attempting to receive the message and when it finally did, he smiled. "Oh, there they are! They might be trying to contact you, if they know you're looking for them."

He turned the screen to the Doctor and Jack and they both let out identical sighs of relief when they saw River and Ianto up close on the other end, apparently staring at their own screen.

"Finally!" River exclaimed and Ianto's face lit up and Jack supposed that they've been trying to get a two-way connection for some time now.

"Hello." The Doctor pushed Jack away and leaned in. "Where are you? The teleport's broken, they can't get you out."

"That's just the thing," River said a bit sheepishly. "We can't get ourselves out either. It was a trans-dimensional transfer."

"Where are you?" Jack asked, elbowing into the Doctor's space so he could get a look at the screen too. "Everyone all right."

"Fine," River assured quickly, then flinched as a loud bang could be heard behind them and quickly disappeared out of sight.

"Jack!" Ianto put in. "Sorry about that. We just wanted to– never mind that, actually. Good news – we found Torchwood Four!" When neither Jack nor the Doctor shared his enthusiasm, his face fell. "Bad news – it's in a time loop. That's why it never showed up – it's in a bloody time loop. And now, so are we."

"What?" The Doctor took his screwdriver out again and started scanning the screen. "How long?"

"The loop itself is about twelve hours, but we've been here for at least a couple of days. We've been trying to come through the whole time; I don't know why nothing has passed for you. Might be the Time Ring messing up with the teleport."

"What Time Ring?" The Doctor interfered again, for a moment distracted by the scanning. "Where did you get one?"

"River gave it to me after she got the Manipulator." Ianto lifted his wrist until the device in question came into view. "It's not working very well, mind."

"Of course it's not working, it's broken." The Doctor hissed. "I've got your coordinates and it's a weak point right now, so the TARDIS will probably be able to come in and out without too much damage. If you give me just a bit more time..."

Just then, there was another bang, a shout, Ianto disappeared from the screen and called for River before the communicator went dark.

"I'm going to get the TARDIS," the Doctor said decisively. "Jack, use the teleport; if this is really the Time Ring's fault, it should take you to its last destination. I'll just follow the trace."

And with that, he quickly disappeared into the lift, frantically pressing buttons which were supposed to get him to level zero and therefore to the TARDIS as well.

"A TARDIS?" The man asked as he started the teleports again and raised his eyebrows, visibly intrigued. "Are you Time Lords?"

"The three of them," Jack said quickly. In case there was permanent damage, the Doctor could be easily traced and while the TARDIS could just think money into existence, Jack wasn't funded by the Queen anymore now that he wasn't working for Torchwood.

He grimaced. "How do you put up with them?"

Jack laughed. He wasn't sure what century they had arrived to, but they were certainly somewhere in the faraway future – or at least, faraway from the twenty-first century he'd got used to by now. Everyone was much more honest about their opinions. "Oh believe me," he grinned while the man started setting the coordinates from the last trip, ready to send Jack into the unknown. "It's a pleasure."

IMPORTANT NOTE: The sequel can now be found on my profile and it's called When the Autumn Moon is Bright.