Hiya! So this is my first Torchwood story on my new account and the idea has been in my head for a while. Just so there's no confusion, this takes place post Children of the Earth but Miracle Day hasn't happened because I honestly hate series four. They've also rebuilt the hub.

~Enjoy~

"I'm sorry. I don't quite understand what's going on." Gwen confessed, staring at the computer screen containing the video image of two people. The computer had flicked on by itself while Gwen had been making tea and when she returned, she found herself looking at the two hackers responsible for the video call.

"We don't have much time. Could you just go and find Jack for us?" One of the people asked. Gwen stared for a moment before nodding and holding up a finger as an indication for patience. Placing her tea down on the desk, she turned and cupped her hands around her mouth.

"Jack!" Gwen called, her voice echoing throughout the empty hub. "Jack, where the hell are you?!" Nothing but silence answered her. She caught movement up in Jack's newly rebuilt office out of the corner of her eye and hurried up the stairs.

The new hub was built in the same location as the old one, although it was considerably smaller seeing as how it was only for two people now and they were no longer housing a pterodactyl. And it was constructed at a remarkable speed thanks to special alien tech scavenged from the rift. "Torchwood 3.5" they were calling it.

She reached his office, opening the door as quietly as possible, and scanned the dim room. The only source of illumination came from the main lights in the hub streaming in through the windows. Gwen saw papers and files strewn about the office. Splinters of wood and pieces of glass littered the floor from incidents where Jack's temper had flared. Her eyes finally landed on a figure sitting behind the desk, legs propped up, rocking a bottle of whiskey slowly back and forth against the wooden surface of the table.

"Jack?" She asked quietly. The bottle stopped rocking and he let it rest on the table.

"Leave me alone." He croaked. He'd been crying again, Gwen could tell. That's all he had been doing these days. She could only see his silhouette, but if his face was visible, she was sure his eyes would be red and puffy.

"Jack it's important." She pleaded. He picked up the bottle, took a swig, and placed it back down.

"Unless the world is ending again, I don't want to hear it. Now leave me the fuck alone." Gwen took a tentative step forward into the office.

"But Jack, it's your doctor." She tried again. Jack paused halfway through bringing the bottle to his mouth again. Gwen could see the hesitation. He was considering whether he could take a call from his beloved Doctor.

"Tell him I'm not taking calls." He decided finally before taking yet another swig from the bottle.

"But it's the other one," She said in a last effort. "From the parallel universe. The one you told us about." Gwen saw Jack suddenly stiffen. The bottle slipped out of his hand and fell to the floor, shattering. He stood up swiftly, hardly swaying. Then man had always had a talent for holding his liquor.

"How is that possible?" He asked walking around the desk toward Gwen at an alarming pace. She took a step back. She could now see that his hair was disheveled and there were dark rings under his wide, questioning eyes.

"I…I don't know, but they said they didn't have much time. They're down on the computer." Gwen stepped back quickly to avoid getting run over by Jack as he rushed by and descended the stairs, running over to the computer.

"Doctor?!" He exclaimed. A skinny man in a pinstriped suit and glasses smiled at him from the computer screen.

"Captain!" The Doctor exclaimed back, the smile widening. A moment later, a blonde ducked her head in front of the camera.

"Rose?!" Jack watched as she stood beside the meta-crisis Doctor. Jack could tell from the background that they were in their newly grown TARDIS. Rose pulled a lever, flipped a switch, and waved at Jack. It was apparent she had been learning the mechanics of the TARDIS.

"Hello Jack." She greeted with a smile. Jack managed a small smile in response. He then shook his head in disbelief.

"How are you doing this?" Jack asked as the Doctor looked down and fiddled with some controls.

"A small crack opened up in the rift." He explained. "We've been monitoring it for months with the Torchwood institute here. It's finally grown large enough that we can send a signal through it."

"That's incredible." Jack congratulates, though there was none of his usual enthusiasm in his voice. He shook his head attempting to dispatch some of his grief for the time being. "So how have you been?" He asked, curious.

"Oh we've been fine. We got married, have a baby on the way, all that domestic stuff." The Doctor said waving a hand in the air in a carefree manner as if he were merely talking about the weather. Jack's eyes widened.

"Rose, you're pregnant?" The blonde nodded but held up her hand as he opened his mouth to voice his congrats.

"That's not why we called." She said quickly. "We needed to give you a head's up. It turns out that the crack opened up to the point where we could send someone through." Jack perked up at this.

"Wait, so you're coming through for a visit?" Jack asked hopefully. A visit from the two of them might be just what he needed. But the Doctor shook his head.

"The crack is only big enough and will only last long enough for one person to be sent through." Jack cocked his head to side.

"Well, neither of you will go without the other. Who are you sending?" At this, matching grins appeared on the Doctor's and Rose's faces.

"It's a surprise." Rose said.

"A gift." The Doctor classified.

"A gift? What are you talking about? Who's being sent through?" Jacks asked. But suddenly the video skipped, turning dark for a moment before flicking back on. Jack tapped the monitor as static began filtering through the image, causing it to distort. The Doctor returned to fiddling with the buttons and switches not in view of the camera.

"Doctor, what's going on?" Rose asked turning to him and copying his actions. The Doctor shook his head.

"We're losing our connection. We've already sent him through so the rift is closing again."

"Who did you send through?" Jack asked again. "Doctor, tell me." The Doctor just looked up and smiled at Jack, as did Rose.

"I hope this makes a difference Jack." He said. Rose nodded in agreement. Jack could see glimpses of something in their eyes. It looked almost like hope.

"Doctor?" Jack asked again, his voice quieter. He was confused and scared. A "gift" from the Doctor could be anything and Jack didn't enjoy being left in the dark.

"Go outside and have a look. He should be waiting." Rose said as the Doctor returned to playing with the controls in the TARDIS. A wailing alarm began to sound in the background. "And enjoy this Jack. It took a lot to get him over there so don't be quick to reject anything."

"What did you-" But the screen went blank, leaving Jack standing there, staring at it in silence. He tapped the screen again but it remained black.

"Jack, what were they talking about?" Gwen asked from above where she had been observing the whole ordeal. Jack shook his head.

"I don't know." He said turning around and walking towards the lift, grabbing his RAF coat along the way. "Stay here Gwen. We have no idea what's out there."

"But-"

"Stay." He said again, firmer this time. Gwen opened her mouth again but closed it, knowing it useless to argue. She watched as the lift started, carrying him up towards the surface.

Jack blinked as the sunlight got closer and brighter until he was standing outside, with people bustling around him, unaware of the ex-time agent who had just risen from below.

He looked around, scanning for familiar faces or anyone who looked to be searching for someone as well. He stared for a few minutes, never leaving the perception filter, but saw nothing and no one that caught his attention.

"Doctor, you've gotten madder since we parted." Jack muttered to himself. There was no one out here and Jack had gotten tired of searching. He yearned to return to his dark office and whiskey bottle. Although, he supposed he would have to buy a new one seeing as how the other one was shattered on the floor. He took a step off the lift, attempting to recall where the closest liquor store was, when he heard it.

"Jack?"

The captain froze. The voice had come from behind him but he wouldn't turn around. Not because he didn't want to face anyone in the state that he was in. It was because the voice was so mockingly familiar. Jack squeezed his eyes shut trying to convince himself that he had conjured up the voice in his head. But then he heard it again.

"Jack?" This time he spun around immediately and came face to face with a man. But not just any man. This man was someone who now could only exist in his memories, someone who Jack had so unfairly lost.

"Ianto?"

Let me know in the reviews if I should continue