This is a special fanfic for Hannah's birthday - It's been a while since i've written one! Constructive criticism, comments and reviews are always welcome :)

Life is never easy. No matter who you are, or what job you do, there are always difficulties and problem. However, the average person usually doesn't have to deal with the paranormal on a day to day basis. And it takes a special kind of twisted person to find pleasure in life or death situations, and to relish the challenge. But when the two meet…

Captain Jack Harkness is no ordinary man. In fact, he isn't even a man, so he can hardly be expected to be ordinary. And at this precise moment, he is dead.

His colleagues (more like companions) Ianto Jones and Gwen Cooper are only mildly concerned as they continue to fire shots into the encroaching darkness. They were fighting an alien that had slipped through the time space rift running through Cardiff, and had decided to wreak havoc on the welsh capital. Just an ordinary, run of the mill day for Torchwood agents.

Jack swore loudly as he returned to life, pulling at the spike protruding from his chest. He rubbed his head ruefully as he stood up, gesturing at his teammates to cease fire with his free hand.

"I think we have a pest problem" He dryly remarked, calling out confidently into the reverberating silence after the deafening shots.

A loud buzzing noise headed angrily towards them as Ianto fumbled with a device. It had a dark metallic sheen and was adorned with several flashing lights. Eventually, as he got to grips with the machinery, the flashing lights began to extinguish themselves, one by one.

It was a battle of nerves, as the device counted down and the alien flew towards them. The fear began to show in Gwen's eyes, but she stood firm as the dangling legs reached for her shoulders. "Come on Ianto…" she willed him on as it almost seemed she would be plucked into the sky. Time seemed to move in slow motion, but finally the blinking lights ceased.

Ianto threw the device, grunting with the effort. The last thought that went through Gwen's mind was that Ianto threw like a girl. And then there was the blinding flash, before the indifferent, unending blackness.

She felt as if she were in an orb, floating in the ether like a bubble swept by the wind. Ianto was within reaching distance, and she called out to him.

"Ianto?"

"Ungh." He replied, disorientated and confused. He shook his head to clear his thoughts. "Where are…" he trailed off as he noticed a thankfully still shape behind Gwen's shoulder.

Following his gaze, she turned to see the insect-like alien that had been removed with them to this strange place. She remembered almost being taken by the creature and involuntarily shivered. It had been rather aggressive towards her, Ianto and Jack. Thinking of whom…

"Have you seen his lordship?" she asked Ianto.

"Who, Jack?" he smirked at the nickname. "No, all I can see is us, and that. And that is something I would prefer to be as far away from as possible."

Gwen agreed, and they moved away from the alien, half walking, half flying. A very unpleasant thought crossed Ianto's mind. If the device he had been using for the past 8 months sent them and the alien here, there were likely to be lots of things he would rather avoid.

8 months more, to be precise.

And none of them were friendly. He decided to keep his thoughts to himself as they drifted further and further away. It was just a theory – he hoped that for once in his life he was wrong.

Jack swore again as he felt the stabbing pain of his heart restarteing. If there was one thing he hated, it was this inability to die. When you had been alive this long, life became dull. Well it had been until he joined Torchwood. And fell in love. He smiled at the thought of Ianto, and then sat up with a shock.

If this was twice in one day, what had happened to his friends? Frantically, he scrambled to his feet to see three motionless bodies.

Panic, terror, anxiety; all crossed his mind as for a fleeting instant he stopped breathing.

Not after Tosh. Not after Owen. This team did not deserve to die. He walked over, hardly daring to look. Gwen first. He didn't even want to think about Ianto.

Tentatively, he reached down to touch her cheek. And smiled as he felt the warmth. "Gwen?" He called her name, over and over, shaking her.

There was no response. He felt for a pulse, and it was weak, as if he was just imagining it.

Ianto was the same, in a stupor. Filled with concern, Jack looked up at the slowly brightening sky, to the stars that always listened. Dawn was coming, and Cardiff wouldn't understand this mess. He quickly loaded the alien into the boot of the SUV and then scooped up Ianto, cradling him in his arms.

In the darkness, Ianto's heart skipped a beat. He felt strong loving arms around him, and Jack's lips on his forehead. Then the moment passed. "It'll be alright." He suddenly said. Gwen looked up. "Jack will save us, I know he will."

Jack propped Ianto up in the front seat, before buckling Gwen into the back seat. He kissed her hair lightly, before getting behind the wheel. He drove back to the hub with a heavy heart, eager to beat the rising sun.

He was just thankful for the fact that he was unaffected, for whatever reason. At this moment in time, it seemed to be the only positive aspect of the situation. Especially the part where he had to explain to Rhys, Gwen's husband, what had happened to them.

Self assured Ianto took charge whilst Gwen worried. It was an important job worrying. It raised all sorts of issues that sane, rational people missed out.

"What about toilets?" fretted Gwen in a singsong welsh voice. "I'm not just going to pee into the blackness!" She was usually cool minded about things, but the sudden absence of everything panicked her.

"Look on the bright side though, Gwen." Ianto said. "At least we're not afraid of the dark." He grinned inanely as Gwen pouted with a look of unimpressedness.

"This may surprise you Ianto, but I'm not the slightest bit amused by that."

"You know, I'm not completely sure that we have real bladders…" mused Ianto.

"And just what do you mean by that?"

"Oh, just try and shake my hand." Two hands reached out and failed to sense anything. "That's odd." Said Ianto, who, just to make sure he couldn't feel anything, slapped himself.

And then wished he hadn't. "Well I can definitely feel that" he winced.

Gwen grinned for the first time since arriving in this odd state. It was good to see that Ianto hadn't changed. His ideas were always logical, if not practical. "Do you have anything useful on you?" she asked.

The two of them checked their pockets. Mobile phones (sans signal), some chewing gum, seemingly impossible mounds of abstract fluff on Gwen's part, and to Ianto's chagrin, the device.

"This is almost as much use as that pile of fluff you carry around in your back pocket." he scowled. "That'll teach us to meddle with weird technology."

"Well I know nothing about this technological stuff, I've just mastered texting, but if it sent us here, maybe it can send us back too." Suggested Gwen.

Ianto brightened as he started to examine the device. "Umm. If you don't mind, I'll catch a few winks." Yawned Gwen. "I'd only get in your way."

Ianto rolled his eyes before murmuring his assent. He sorely wished he had his coffee machine. There was nothing he knew of that couldn't be made better by a good cup of coffee.

The following day, Jack found himself on a plane to the US, courtesy of UNIT and Martha Jones. Sometimes these contacts came in useful. But right now it was all Jack could do to stare into space. He remembered vividly the words of Rhys when he saw his wife.

"You just fix her, you hear? I don't understand what happened, I don't think even you do. But find someone who can fix her. I don't care who, or what they are, where they are… anything. Just. Bring my Gwen back." With those last four words, his voice cracked as he knelt down to hold her still body.

Harsh crackling voices from the intercom interrupted the memory, shocking Jack back into reality. "Just on the descent now Jack. 15 minutes until touchdown."

He had brought his friends to see the renowned diagnostician, Dr House. Dr. House knew nothing specific about the paranormal, but had treated some UNIT employees in the past. Martha had warned Jack that "No questions asked" definitely didn't describe Dr House, and to be on his guard. Some things should stay secret.

Jack set his jaw as he glanced at Ianto. All he could do is believe in this Dr House. He was the best chance they had.