*waves cheerfully* Hello there virtual world! Welcome to me story! Now, if you haven't read my other Torchwood story, Ignis, which is the prequel to this, then please go and do so now. If you aleady have, then awesome! Read away! : )

I do not own Torchwood in any way, shape, or form. Also, (and this is a small spoiler) I do not own the incredibly awesome Llewellyn. That is a product of Rachy Babes, and you really should go read her stuff because it's freaking fantastic.

Enjoy! : )

Saving Flames

Captain Jack Harkness stumbled out of his fifth bar of the night, a sad echo of the man he was merely seven months ago. He didn't really remember where he was, but then again, he didn't really care. He just wanted to be numb. Numb and alone with his grief and guilt. Was that really too much to ask? Was that really too much to hope for? Ianto's death was his fault. That was all on him. And that was the final straw that broke the camel's back. Owen, Tosh, Ianto, Ignis… they were dead because of him, in one way or another. Well Jack was sick of the responsibility. He was sick of having to watch people's backs.

"Coin? Please? Coin?" the begging woman came out of a shadowed alley, almost causing Jack to trip over himself. "Sir, do you have some coin? I can read your fortune in return." Jack shook his head, the world spinning around him as he did so.

"No… No coin," he muttered. The beggar seemed to almost study him for a long moment, her head tilted to one side.

"I shall help you," she told him softly, "You have a bright future, but you need to go somewhere first." It took a while for her words to filter through Jack's alcohol clouded brain. Help him? How would she help him?

"Hey! Let go!" he yelled when she grabbed a hold of his wrist and began fiddling with his broken Vortex manipulator. The woman paid him no attention, her grip too tight for Jack to pull out of. "I said let go!" To his surprise, she did and quickly retreated back into the shadows. Jack stared after her for a minute before stumbling off to the motel he was staying at. He didn't notice the quiet beeping and a small, red light emanating from the manipulator.


Jack awoke the next morning to harsh sunlight streaming through a half opened window, and a pounding headache. He quickly downed two painkillers from a bottle on his night stand, sighing in relief when the pain immediately subsided. He scrubbed a hand over his face before getting up from the narrow bed. Last night was completely forgotten, not that he really cared. He would repeat the process all over again in a few hours.

Eventually, a quiet beeping made itself known. Jack quickly looked around the room, but didn't see anything that could be the source of the noise. Hell, it almost sounded like a bomb was counting down. He flinched involuntarily, the memory of being exploded still fresh in his mind.

"I shall help you. You have a bright future, but you must go somewhere first."

Huh. Did that happen last night? The voice echoed around his voice a few more times, getting louder each time it was repeated.

"Stop it," Jack whispered. The voice paid him no attention.

"You must go somewhere first."

"I said, stop it!"

"Go somewhere first."

"Stop!"

"Go…"

"Where?" the captain finally shouted. The voice didn't answer him. But again, he heard the quiet beeping. He finally looked down at his wrist. The originally red light had turned green overnight, and was beginning to flash. It almost looked like his manipulator had been fixed somehow. There were coordinates and a time stamp already plugged in too. All Jack would have to do is push a button.

Seconds stretched onto minutes stretched onto an hour, and Jack just stood there, studying the damn thing. Those coordinates and time stamp… he had seen them before. They were important to him at one point of his too long life. But he had forgotten what they meant. Were they to the planet Disco, or the plant Geris? One of the Vegas planets or…

"Ignite," Jack realized which was quickly followed by, "Ignis." But no. That was impossible. He couldn't change the course of history! You shouldn't never even try! It never ends well, for anybody, and could have very far reaching consequences. But… It was just so tempting… All he would have to do is press one, little button. After that, he would be gone. And being there didn't exactly mean he would interfere… He didn't want to mess up the timelines after all…

Jack nodded to himself, and smiled softly. It was his first real smile in months. He gently pressed down on the flashing button. Gold Vortex energy immediately began to seep from the space in front of him, twisting around him. Jack squeezed his eyes shut as the energy suddenly yanked him back, and he was gone.

Review? : )