Chapter 2

Jack looked around wondering what to do next. He had no idea what had happened. The Hub had supposedly impregnable defences though some had managed to get through them. He hoped that problem hadn't returned. How would he explain to Rhys that his wife had disappeared? Rhys had quite a right hook. He checked the monitors. They were all quiet again as if nothing had happened and yet Ianto and Gwen were gone. Something had them somewhere, but what? No doubt he would find out. Then out of the corner of his eye he thought he saw them still at their places, sitting at their monitors, as if nothing had happened but they weren't really there and the image sort of shimmered and didn't settle into reality. Jack had seen something like this before. He was somehow being allowed to look at another Ianto and Gwen in a parallel world. He knew that such things existed but he thought the Doctor said that worlds were closed off from each other. Something or someone somewhere was making this happen but why? Then he saw Tosh and Owen come into the room. Jack breathed in sharply, 'oh my God, they're not dead in that world!'

The big question for Jack was 'Where was he? Did he exist in that world?' The Doctor said he was a fixed point in time so did that mean he could only exist in his world and no other? He wasn't sure. There were still many things he still didn't understand despite living so long.

Suddenly everything went mad again. Lights out, monitors screaming and then just as suddenly Ianto and Gwen returned. However, this was not the same Ianto and Gwen that had left. You'd never see Ianto without his suit in public. Mind you, the jeans and open shirt look suited him too. Briefly he was reminded of when he and Ianto had first met. However, other than the change of clothes nothing else seemed different. What happened next proved just how wrong a thought could be. Gwen ran towards Jack and kissed him in a way that suggested that they were more than just friends. He put her down, shook his head and went towards Ianto and hugged him. He leant in for a kiss.

'For Gods sake Jack, not everyone wants to snog you all the time. Get off!' exclaimed Ianto.

'He sounds serious' thought Jack. 'What on earth is going on here? You disappeared' explained Jack. 'One second you were here and then you were gone. I could see you in another dimension but not clearly. Tosh and Owen were there.'

'Of course they were' replied Gwen 'Where are they now? And what the hell are you on about. I'm going to have to take you in hand Jack. You're losing it'

Somehow Jack knew that Gwen meant something else; innuendo was a speciality of his. And although at one time he would have been happy about this Gwen was a married woman now and he wasn't going there in a hurry. However, Ianto showed no interest in Jack at all and Jack felt more hurt than he would have expected to do. He tried to explain that Owen and Tosh were dead and that the wrong Gwen and Ianto had somehow been sent across the dimensions of space and time.

'Gwen what are we to each other and do you know who Rhys Williams is?' he asked carefully

'Rhys, why have you mentioned him? I haven't seen him since we retconned him early on and that's many months ago. Jack you're with me. I have a flat in the Bay nearby. What's all this about?'

Jack grabbed Gwen by the shoulders to get her to listen. 'You're the wrong Gwen in the wrong place. We don't have a relationship. You are married to Rhys. You married him at the most interesting wedding of the year if anyone other than us could remember it.'

Turning to Ianto he tried to explain 'Ianto we have the relationship. This morning you were lying in bed with me at your flat!'

A moment of doubt flickered across Ianto's face before he said 'stop joking around Jack. I know you think I'm a bit sad and married to this place but you're not my type.'

Gwen now started to realise what Jack was saying.

'You mean that you don't really fancy me and it's him that you want. Have you been two timing me with him? God Jack I know you'll sleep with anything or anyone but both of us!'

'He's not sleeping with me' protested Ianto.

'Look' said Jack and pulled up some very graphic images of naked hide and seek from the monitors. 'That's you and me there not me and Gwen'

Ianto's eyes widened in shock. His head turned to one side in the way Jack recognised. There was so much of his Ianto here but seemingly not enough.

'Listen you're in the wrong parallel dimension. Something happened to the monitors and the alarms went off' Checking the screens he could see that the level of rift activity had gone off the scale for a few seconds.

'My Ianto and Gwen disappeared and then you two appeared. In your dimension you're having different relationships. Someone is having fun with us and I need to know who.'

Finally the truth began to dawn on the other two.

'You're trying to say that you and him have an intimate relationship in this dimension not you and me and that your Gwen and Ianto have been left in the wrong space and time. There we're a team of five Jack although you don't always act like it. You often go off somewhere for a while. We never know where. Places to go and people to see is all you ever say. Just after I joined Suzie was left in charge when you left and then she was killed by the daleks at Torchwood One. They asked her there to help. Ianto was sent to help us after most of the rest of Torchwood One staff were killed. He's in charge of research and archives.'

'And coffee making', said Ianto bowing his head slightly.

'Tosh and Owen got married last year after Owen realised that he really loved her after the incident with Adam.'

Jack wondered who Adam was.

'Are you telling us that Owen and Tosh are dead? How? When? This is too much and how are we going to do to sort this out?'

Jack had no idea what to do. Owen and Tosh were the real techies. He needed help to sort this. Obviously he wasn't a fixed point just in this time. Was he immortal in millions of other dimensions as well? He hoped he'd never know. Who could he turn to for a solution? Where was the Doctor when you needed him?

Suddenly there was a flash and out of the void stepped a familiar face.

'Pleased to see me Jack?' he grinned and strode towards him. Captain John then planted a long and lingering kiss on Jack's lips. Gwen and Ianto just stared in amazement.

'Oh no,' thought Jack. 'Just what I needed.' Mind you a kiss from John was always something to be enjoyed.

'Who's he?' Ianto and Gwen cried in unison.

'This day is getting longer and longer' thought Jack, 'and it's only nine o' clock. I'll explain later.'