Prologue
It had been a long couple of days and he still felt nauseous because of travelling through the void, he still couldn't believe he'd made it through to this universe. He'd tried everything in those six months after Steven and Ianto died to undo his mistakes, he'd searched for the Doctor but had failed to find the Time Lord. After six months of looking into every possible fix for his lover and grandson he'd failed.
So Jack did the one thing he knew how to do... he said goodbye to Gwen and Rhys and left Earth, if he couldn't find a fix on that planet then he would look out in Space...
Part One
The space station was a vibrant home of colour as millions of beings and creatures passed through it on a daily basis, despite it's literal colour it was a seedy hangout for the Universe's rejects. It was a place you came to either barter for something really valuable or to fade into the crowd because of past sins.
John sat at the bar on the limbus deck and downed another Verna, it had been his fourth one since he'd got here and it was now beginning to take effect sapping his vision into one big blur. He'd come here because he received a message from Jack in his wrist strap but when he turned up Jack was no where in sight... so he waited. Then started drinking.
Unaware to John Hart, Jack was sat across the room watching his former partner get drunker and drunker. He couldn't help but feel relieved because in his drunken state the other Time Agent would be easier to deal with.
"Fucking selfish bastard" John mumbled to himself as he slid off his chair annoyed that he'd been stood up and moved to leave. Jack scowled not happy that John wasn't more drunk but if he let him leave now then his plan would be ruined so he stepped out of the shadows in front of the inebriated man
"John" he greeted him, instantly John's bad mood improved
"Jack!" he couldn't help but grin "Didn't think you were coming"
"I'm here now, let's have a drink" he suggested stepping back towards the bar but John stopped him by putting his hand on his chest
"What about your little band? Where's Eye Candy?" he inquired
"They're dead" he whispered tightly "All of them except Gwen"
John could see how upset Jack was so he decided to tread lightly on the situation, he sighed then nodded back at the bar
"I'm sorry"
"Not as sorry as I am" Jack replied then shook his head "Drink"
"Two Vernas" John ordered holding up two fingers to the Luxon behind the counter, how a big warrior ended up working as a barman was beyond him. As soon as the glass was put in front of him Jack knocked it back
"Right now... I just want to forget that I was even on that planet" he lied and hoped it sounded convincing
"You never were a good liar, Jack, I know how much they meant to you. You wouldn't be here if they didn't matter, I'm not angry that you're here. I know why you're here"
"You do?" he whispered afraid that his plan was doomed but John just nodded his head
"For the drink and the sex... anything to forget the pain of loosing the people you love" he stated, Jack sighed with relief and nodded
"Help me forget, John" he begged the other man, John pulled his friend into his arms and kissed him passionately. The smaller man was so lost in the kiss he didn't notice Jack taking off his wrist strap, once he had it he pushed John off him then wiping his mouth with the back of his sleeve
"Jack?" he questioned from the floor, he couldn't help but scowl when he noticed his strap was missing "What the hell are you doing?"
"I needed a working Vortex Manipulator" he answered honestly, then grinned "Remember the first lesson when we were in the Time Agency?"
"Uhh... don't... no... it was... never use the Vortex Manipulator in the Medusa Cascade... you're not going to do that are you? You'll be ripped to shreds!"
"I can't die... I'll be able to make it through the void" he told the man on the floor then pulled out his gun "And you're not going to stop me. Here, you can have my wrist strap... fair trade"
"Jack... you'll kill yourself!" protested John, the Luxon barman decided to step into the argument as soon as he noticed the gun
"No weapons!" he snarled angrily, Jack held it up in surrender then pocketed it
"He's breaking his rehab codes...." he told the alien as he pointed at John, the Luxon snarled at him... there were two rules in that bar; no weapons and no breaking rehab codes. Jack walked out leaving John at the mercy of the Luxon barmen and headed for his ship that was docked in the lower deck.
He put John's wrist strap on where his had been and checked it was working, for six months he'd tried to find anyone who could fix it... if it was fixed then he could get a ship and go to the Medusa Cascade. When he had been unable to find anyone who could repair it he started looking for other time agents, since the agency was shut down it was a hard thing to do so in the end he looked for his former partner. John Hart was easy to find because of the destruction he'd left in his wake.
"Onwards" he said to himself softly and he programmed the course for the Medusa Cascade; yes it was true that it had been sealed years ago but with all that energy of the planets being moved and with his vortex manipulator he was sure he could wedge it open enough to slip through. Well he was only a little bit sure... maybe it would work.
He shook his head ignoring his doubts and fears about going through the void, if anyone could make it then it was him. He had nothing to loose, he'd lost everything... if he failed and he did die then... well no one would miss him.
*
It was quiet flying as he piloted his ship towards the colourful patch of space; he noted the irony of something so beautiful being a doorway to something so cold and dark.
"I'm almost there" he whispered as tears came to his eyes, he didn't know what was going to happen... he didn't even know if he would make it or what that other alternate universe would be like. All he knew was that if he made it then he'd have to find Rose, she'd be able to help him get on his feet and maybe, just maybe, Ianto in that universe would still be at Torchwood.
An urgent beeping filled his small ship and he scowled when he realised that another ship had followed him and was close behind, almost in teleport range. He flicked a switch opening the comm frequency between their ships
"Jack, I can't let you do this" it was John Hart; persistent bastard thought Jack as he flicked the comm switch
"You're not going to stop me. I need to do this"
"It's suicide!" he protested. John was sat in his own ship, much larger ship, and trying to override the locked teleport controls Jack had set up on his ship. As soon as he got an open wave he teleported onto Jack's ship
"Get out of here, John" he ordered without looking up from the steering and controls
"Not without you... they aren't worth this" he yelled waving his arm at the screen showing the Cascade. Jack shot up out of his chair, invading his friend's face
"Don't you dare tell me that they aren't worth it!" he roared loudly poking him hard in the chest "If you knew them then you'd know that this wouldn't be enough!"
"And what? You're going to kill yourself for them?"
"I can't die, I just want to see my friends and family again..." his voice went quiet but John knew that was when he was the most serious. The control panel beeped again two times signalling that the ship was at it's destination; the two men shared a look and Captain John Hart pulled out his gun
"I can't let you do this Jack" he said, Jack pulled out his gun and aimed it at the other man
"So shoot me... or I'll shoot you. Either way I'm still going" he pointed out, John scowled scrunching his mouth up and sticking his jaw out before dropping the gun
"You better come back" he demanded finally
"No, I'm not coming back" stated Jack then he put his hand over the vortex manipulator and activated it. He vanished in a blue swirl of energy that made the entire Cascade shine brighter for a split second before it went back to it's normal swirling colours.
