After seeing some old Doctor Who episodes involving Jack, I decided to do a little Torchwood one shot.

It's set after the end of Doctor Who series 3

Please review.

"Jack?" He heard a distinctly feminine voice mutter his name multiple times, with increasing urgency, "Jack, please…"

"What…" he mumbled, bringing up a hand to shield his eyes, wondering if he'd just died again.

"Jack, please wake up" the voice whispered again, apparently completely oblivious to the fact that he'd awoken. Now fully conscious, he recognised it, and found a surprising sense of disappointment that it was not Gwen's. He forced himself to sit up, a flash of pain running through his system. His hand travelled automatically to the source of the pain, and came away again covered in blood. He had several minor burns on his arms and face, and he frowned, wondering what could have caused them.

"Jack" the woman in front of him gasped and practically launched herself at him, and he embraced her half heartedly as he struggled to recall the events prior to this. Drawing a blank, he gently but firmly pushed her back and his eyes met hers

"Martha. What happened?"

"I don't know" he recognised the real fear in her voice, and gazed at his surroundings. He was lying flat on his back on a street in the middle of the day, but there was no one in sight. The buildings surrounding him, tall and small alike, were deserted, and looked like they had been for some time, with their smashed windows and burnt interiors.

"Where are we?"

"I have no idea. I woke up here." Jack struggled to recall anything before this, but the last thing he remembered was leaving the Doctor and the woman beside him in Cardiff. Almost automatically he reached for the phone in his pocket, and glanced at the time it displayed

"It's five pm. It should be rush hour." He stood up, ignoring the ache in his side and stepped onto the deserted streets.

"No one's been past here for hours."

"You didn't think to take a look around?" he asked with a raised eyebrow

"I was waiting on you!" turning away from her, he realised he was still clutching his phone and he flicked through his contacts automatically, stopping at 'Work'. He waited, listening to the familiar ringing but after a few moments, he frowned

"Where are they?" the question was directed more to himself than Martha, but she seemed eager to speak to him, and who could blame her, after so long in the deathly silence of the streets.

"Where are who?"

"My team." He began to pace, growing increasingly frustrated with the circumstances he was presented with.

"You really care about them, don't you?" Martha enquired, and he looked around, surprised by the question, "I mean, you tried to call them when we got back to earth last time"

"Yeah, I suppose I do." He agreed. He hung up and dialled Ianto's number next, knowing his phone was like an extension of his body. When that too received no response, the frustration began to melt away, to be replaced with a new emotion. Fear.

"Come on" he muttered

"Maybe they're just busy" Martha suggested lamely. He turned his back on her, and dialled the next mobile phone number. Finally, someone answered

"Jack!"

"Gwen" he breathed, complete relief enveloping him, "What's going on?"

"You don't know?"

"No" he replied bluntly,

"There were explosions"

"Explosions?" he repeated, much for Martha's sake, "Where?"

"Everywhere." A chill ran down his spine

"Cardiff?"

"There were two in Cardiff. One hit the Torchwood base"

"Is everyone okay?"

"We weren't there, but all Weevils got loose." At that moment, Jack couldn't care less about the creatures, "But Jack, there was another one a few minutes ago, near where Rhys works." He could hear the worry in her tone, and he wished that he was with her now, so he could hug her, comfort her, do something.

"Look, I don't know where I am, but I'll try to get to you. Where are you?"

"One of the tube stations on Main Street. They're safest." He nodded in agreement, recalling the shelters of world war two.

"Okay, I'll be there as soon as I can." And hesitated, feeling the need to add something else building up within him, "Don't worry. Everything will be okay."

"Who was that?" Martha asked as he terminated the call

"Gwen Cooper. I work with her."

"Sounds like you're more than just colleagues." She said with a raised eyebrow, and he responded with an unamused smile

"She has a boyfriend."

"That wouldn't stop the Jack I know."

"And so do I" Jack added reluctantly, knowing that at least would deter her.

"Oh" she said, apparently speechless.

"Come on" he said, striding down the road, looking for some sort of sign to tell him where he was. Martha kept pace with him easily, so he quickened his step, concern for both her and Gwen forcing him to ignore his own pain. An explosion could happen at anytime, it seemed, and the best thing to do would be to get off the roads, where they would be easy targets.

One of these explosions had hit Torchwood. A coincidence? He doubted it. It was really a miracle that no one had been injured. Finally he reached a signpost and his mouth dropped open.

"What is it?" she said, clearly new to Cardiff

"I know where we are" her face lit up, and he wished he could share in her enthusiasm, "We're still in Cardiff. This is what the bombs did."

"Where else have they been?"

"Gwen said everywhere." He watched her happiness shatter, and he knew she was thinking of her mother, sister and everyone else she loved, and was wondering what had become of them, "Listen, once we find my family, I'll get you to yours."

"Thank you" her voice was low, and there was an unusual lack of life in it.

It didn't take him long to navigate the now familiar streets and before long they were standing on the steps of the underground. Martha looked reluctant for the first time, and he raised a questioning eyebrow

"What are you waiting for?"

"This should be your reunion… Maybe I'd better wait here…"

"Don't be stupid. Come on" he took her gently by the arm and ignored her protests as he led her down.

A few steps later, the stench of humans tightly packed together hit him and fighting the urge to heave, he coughed violently, as Martha did the same.

"Jack!" he jerked up at the mention of his name, instantly recognising the voice as that of his lovers

"Ianto" he released Martha and kissed him briefly as they met in the crowds, "What's going on?"

"No one knows. Something's dropping bombs, but whatever it is, it isn't human."

"The Doctor won't stand for this." Martha piped up, "He'll come."

"What Doctor?" Ianto asked, looking confused.

"It doesn't matter. Where's everyone else?"

"I haven't see Owen or Tosh in days. Gwen's around here somewhere. She was looking for news of Rhys the last time I saw her."

"How long has this been going on for?"

"The first one hit Cardiff two days ago"

"We were unconscious for that long?" Jack asked Martha, and from her expression, she was as surprised as him. Suddenly, he caught sight of Gwen over Martha's shoulder. She looked to be deep in conversation with a man in a suit and his heart wrenched as he saw her hopeful face crumple. Ignoring his companions, he pushed his way through the rabble and placed a hand on her shoulder as the other walked away. She stiffened at his touch, but as she turned and recognised him shock overcame her, before getting replaced by misery

"Rhys is dead" she whispered, confirming what he had guessed. He pulled her into a crushing embrace and she felt him sob against his chest. He caught Martha's eye, and he could have sworn she was thinking I told you so.

"Gwen" he murmured, "It's going to be alright." Although he really didn't know how he could promise her that. She replied, but her words were unintelligible, and he responded in turn by holding her closer.

He had a cold feeling that life could only become worse from here on.