Prologue.
"Screaming for you
'Til my throat is numb"
-Rebirthing, Skillet
He was in his lover's arms. He could feel his heart beating slower by the minute. In second, he would be dead.
"This is all my fault", he heard the man whisper. He couldn't let him blame himself for this.
"No, it's not".
"Don't talk, save your breath".
He didn't want the younger man to die. He couldn't imagine life without him. He didn't want to.
"I love you", said the man in his arms.
He loved him too but if he admitted that, it would hurt more. He had loved and lost so many people but in the thousands of years he had lived, it was the first time he would give up anything, anything, to save someone. He couldn't bear seeing him like this and didn't want to admit that this man would quickly drift away from his life.
"Don't", he just said between sobs.
He felt himself drift off but hearing his lover's broken hearted voice call his name, he willed himself to stay just a bit more. He wanted to make sure the immortal wouldn't forget him.
"Don't forget me", he said feeling that he wouldn't be able to hold on for much longer.
"Never could", he faintly heard the answer. He knew this would hurt the man before him but he had to say it.
"A thousand years time, you won't remember me". He tried to suppress a sob but failed. His eyes were closing and this time he couldn't keep them open. He faintly heard his lover promise he wouldn't forget. With that reassurance, he finally let himself go and closed his eyes for what he knew now was the last time.
Jack woke up in sweat remembering that awful night. Almost two centuries had passed but he still couldn't and wouldn't forget the Welshman who had changed his life so much, who had given him a reason to keep going, to keep living.
He had changed since then. Most of the changes he made to keep him from forgetting and because of the nightmares. Ianto wouldn't recognise him if he saw him. The famous Captain Jack Harkness doesn't flirt anymore, doesn't smile. He just keeps thinking about his lover who let out his last breath all those many years ago, so young, in his arms.