Chapter Two – I Have to Go Away

"I am the only person alive who has traveled through the vortex unprotected. That's what I was trying to tell you. When I disappeared, so soon after Abaddon, the Doctor didn't want me anywhere near him. He tried to leave me, tried to abandon me, again." Jack looked infinitely sad as he remembered how it had felt, knowing at that moment how Ianto must have felt equally abandoned.

"But I held onto the outside of the TARDIS just as he was disappearing, and we flew through the vortex to the end of time itself. Even the TARDIS tried to shake me off, but the Vortex recognized its own energy in me – that's what makes me immortal, the vortex energy. Rose was only a conduit. The Vortex held me against the TARDIS. She didn't want me to get lost in her. I have to take the risk that she will recognize and protect me again. If the wormhole is pulling Rift energy into the black hole, then the Rift in turn will also be creating another split in the fabric of the space time continuum; Vortex energy will be seeping through into this universe too. That shouldn't happen. The Vortex is hurt, Ianto. I have to help her and then hope that she will help me in return. And then I have to destroy the wormhole. Or at least stop it connecting the Rift to the black hole. I have to try it Ianto, I have to try. It's the only chance the planet has. It's the only chance the universe has."

"What about the Doctor; your precious Doctor. Can't he help?"

"Not even he can travel unprotected in the Vortex. I have to do it, Ianto."

Ianto nodded. He didn't trust himself to speak. He poured a glass of water and lifted it to his lips, but then thought better of it and put it down on the draining board.

"Jack, give me just a little time. Please. Just leave me alone for a while. I can't be strong at the moment. And I need to be for you. Give me just a few minutes."

Jack pushed himself off from the door jamb on which he'd been leaning and crossed the tourist office to Ianto. He placed his hands on the young man's shoulders and looked him straight in the eye. He pulled Ianto towards him and kissed him roughly. "I love you Ianto Jones. No matter what happens, always remember that." Jack turned abruptly and left the office.

Ianto slid slowly down the wall and sat, hunched, on the cold floor for a long time.

"Gwen. Tell me about the spikes in the Rift. Are they by any chance all centered at the same place?"

Gwen punched some buttons on her keyboard and looked at the monitor as the display refreshed. "Yes and no." she replied.

Jack raised his eyebrows quizzically. "Well, which is it?"

Gwen pointed at the monitor. "In any one cluster of spikes measured over in a given period of approximately six hours, the spikes are all centered on the same place. But then the next spike cluster centers on a different location. It's never been in the same place twice."

"Could you fire up Tosh's Rift predictor programme please Gwen. I need to know where and when the next cluster is coming."

Gwen looked at him. "What's going on Jack?"

Jack reached up and lightly touched her cheek. "I have to go into the Rift."

She was about to question him but he put his index finger gently on her lips. "Gwen, please. Don't question me on this one. It has to be done. I'll tell you all about it when I get back. I need you. I need you to do as I ask. Trust me."

Gwen swallowed back her myriad questions. She remembered what had happened last time they'd questioned their Captain's orders. They had all mutinied, and Owen had finished his trip into private madness by shooting Jack dead.

"OK." She said quietly.

Jack kissed her gently on the cheek. "Thank you Gwen Cooper." he whispered.

"I need you to take care of Ianto. He will want to come with me. And he can't. He simply can't. And I don't trust him not to do something foolish at the last minute. He means the world to me."

Gwen touched his arm lightly. "He'll be OK. I'll make sure. What do you want me to do?"

"I need you to open the Rift when I tell you to. That's all."

"And how do we bring you back?"

"You don't, Gwen. You don't. I'll find my own way back"

Gwen looked shocked but Jack shook his head, discouraging her questions. She began her preparations to make ready the Rift Manipulator. He felt a huge pride in her at that moment for doing as he requested without making a difficult decision any worse.

"Gwen, when's the next spike cluster starting?"

"In around two hours. Over in Butetown."

Jack almost smiled. "How convenient, I can walk. Won't have to even get the SUV out. Can you hold the fort for me; I need to go to Ianto."

Ianto was still sitting on the floor of the tourist office, staring blankly at the wall when Jack returned. Jack slid down the wall to sit beside him, close but not touching. Without looking, Ianto said "It's OK Jack. I understand. You have to go. You must go. I'll come wi…"

"No," said Jack kindly. "You can't. I have a chance. You don't. She won't know you as one of her own. I have to do this alone. Even the Doctor couldn't do this."

Ianto leaned his head on Jack's shoulder, broken. "I thought you'd say that."

"Believe me, if there was any other way…."

"What will happen to you Jack?"

Jack thought for a moment but decided that he couldn't shield Ianto from this. "I don't know. I really don't know. If I can repair the Vortex, I hope to be able to direct some of her energy into the black hole and sever the link to the wormhole. The scientists will be able to isolate and contain the black hole. The moment the link is broken, they can seal off the accelerator forever. They will fill the tunnel with concrete and it will become a lead-lined sarcophagus. There will be a force field just outside the black hole's event horizon that will prevent the concrete just pouring into it and disappearing."

"But you, Jack, what about you?"

Jack sighed. "I think that, maybe as soon as the Vortex is healed, as I am in the Rift I will be sucked through the wormhole and into the black hole. Or maybe I'll get caught when they flood the tunnels."

Ianto shut his eyes, digging his fingernails into his palms relishing the pain it brought to distract him momentarily from the overwhelming urge to throw up.

Jack smoothed the hair back from Ianto's forehead with the tips of his fingers, feeling the heat and the sweat. He licked his fingers. "You taste salty." He smiled. "I'll be OK. No matter what, I'll be OK. Hey, I'm immortal, remember? And I need to know that you will be too. Promise me Jones, Ianto Jones, that if I don't come back, you will take care of yourself. None of this forgetting to eat and working till you drop. I need you to take care of Gwen, too. And rebuild Torchwood for me. That's the greatest legacy I can leave."

"That, and having saved the universe." said Ianto softly.

"Oh yes, and saving the universe. Goes with the job. Just call me Captain America."

Jack stood up and offered his hand to Ianto. Ianto reached up and grasped it and Jack hauled him to his feet.

"I love you too Jack." he said gently.

"I know," said Jack, with infinite sadness. "Some days, I wish you didn't, but I'm glad that you do."

Hand in hand they walked slowly back to the main part of the Hub, relishing every second of the walk they'd made so many many times before without even thinking about it.

"Well, kids." he said, trying to inject at least some brightness into the atmosphere, even though no one felt it. "Time to go."

Numbly, Ianto helped him into his greatcoat, and gave the shoulders a brush. "Can't have you going off to save the world looking scruffy can we sir?" he asked, trying unsuccessfully to keep the catch out his voice.

Jack knew how terribly, terribly difficult it had been for him to say that, and at that moment felt his heart almost burst with love and pride for his young Welshman.

"Thank you, Ianto, thank you for every thing."

They embraced, holding onto each other and their memories, as if the very fabric of their being depended on it.

Finally Ianto said "Jack, you've got to go."

Jack stood at the cog door, waiting for it to open fully. He looked back to his little team, feeling the presence of Tosh and Owen, seeing Ianto and Gwen. He gestured slightly with his hand and raised his index finger. "Look after each other, kids. Play nicely together, remember to share your toys. See you in hell." Jack looked into Ianto's eyes and Ianto met his gaze. Ianto swallowed hard. And then he winked. And with that, Jack knew that he had Ianto's blessing to do whatever he had to.

The walk up into Butetown felt strange. Jack had never felt so alive or so alone. He was very aware of the Bluetooth communications device in his ear. He knew he was within one press of being able to talk to Ianto but he didn't dare. One word from his Welshman at the moment would weaken his resolve. As it was, he wasn't quite sure how he could go through with his plan. If it succeeded, he would spend eternity buried under the crushing weight of thousands of tons of concrete and lead. If he failed then he would be crushed in the agonizing hold of a black hole. He had to shut his mind down to these thoughts. All he wanted was to be tucked up in a warm bed with Ianto, with only Weevils and the fate of the earth to worry about. Suddenly the fate of the universe lay on his shoulders too. He shook his head. How had it come to this? A Time Agent, a con man, a local hero. Potential saviour of the universe.

The cold night air refreshed him, and he drew his coat more closely around his body and thrust his hands deeper into his pockets.

He could see the Rift energy bathing the park in its eerie soft light.

He activated his comms device. "Gwen, Ianto, open the Rift."

The light intensified to an almost blinding brightness. Jack stepped into the Rift.