Owen and Tosh walked into The Hub the next morning with identical expressions of concern on their faces. They looked worriedly around before Owen gave Tosh a small nudge with his elbow and nodded towards the large sofa underneath the Torchwood sign. Two large feet were resting on the arm and a soft snoring could be heard. Tosh and Owen stood at the foot of the sofa looking down at Jack.

Tosh sighed, 'he looks just the same as he did when we last saw him but he's so...damaged'

Owen nodded, 'I'm gonna do his physical first thing this morning, maybe try to get him to talk to me about where he has been and what has been done to him'

Tosh frowned, 'done to him?'

'Yeah, I volunteered with Freedom from Torture a couple of years just after I finished medical school, they're a medical charity which supports and cares for victims of persecution. There's a look in Jack's eyes that is very familiar to me, loud noises startle him and he doesn't like being held tightly.' Tosh nodded, she had noticed that the previous evening, Owen continued, 'wherever Jack has been, he hasn't been having a good time, I'm sure of it.'

Jack began to whimper in his sleep and Tosh ran a comforting hand through his sweat soaked hair, she looked over at Owen, 'do what you can for him' she said tearfully, 'do your very best.'

Owen pulled her close and planted a soft kiss in her hair, 'hey, it's Jack' he said, 'I'll do more than my very best for him.'


By the time Gwen arrived, Jack was reacquainting himself with the shower facilities attached to his under office bunker and Susan was immersed in reviewing the previous night's CCTV footage. Gwen looked over Susan's shoulder

'Checking up on our errant Captain?' she asked.

'Not really' replied Susan shortly, 'Dr Harper asked me to log the SUVs movements last night to check on our upgraded tracking software.'

'OWEN asked you to?' Gwen frowned, that didn't add up. Susan shrugged her attention focused on her computer screen. Gwen leant over her shoulder for a closer look, 'isn't that near Ianto's house'

Susan blanked her screen, 'don't you have work of you own to do?' she enquired icily

Gwen pulled a chair up to the work station, for the first time she was regretting not making more of an effort to get to know the older woman, 'what's going on, Sue?' she asked putting a friendly hand on the other woman's arm.

Susan Finlay shook her off coldly, 'My name is Susan or Ms Finlay' she informed Gwen coldly, 'and I don't discuss my work assignments with field grunts'

Gwen leapt to her feet her face red, 'who the FUCK do you think you are talking to?' she shrieked but she was interrupted by Tosh why had come up behind her.

'Gwen' Tosh's voice was quiet but authoritative, 'I think it would be a good idea if you went and got us all some breakfast, don't you?'

Mutinously Gwen picked up her Jacket and headed towards the door, Tosh called out after her, 'Oh, Gwen?' Gwen turned, 'don't rush back' instructed Tosh, 'take an hour or so.'

'Whatever' snarked Gwen

Tosh smiled at Susan, who had been quietly carrying on with her work, ignoring the dispute going on behind her, 'field grunts?'

Susan looked unabashed, 'sorry but she really winds me up with her superior and patronising attitude, besides it took her mind off nosy-parkering about what I was doing, didn't it?.'

'Susan Finlay, you are a devious woman,' laughed Tosh, 'now then, what have you got for me?'

'He spent a long time in his old office,' stated Susan, scrolling through the CCTV as she spoke, 'then he went down to the archive and took a personal cloaking device. He took the SUV and drove it to Mr Jones house in Sully. He went inside and was there for just over an hour before he came out.'

Tosh looked puzzled, 'how did he know Ianto still lived there?'

Susan shrugged, 'when he arrived last night, I notice he didn't ask us how long he had been gone.'

Tosh hmm'd agreement, 'he didn't know. He rang me at about three o'clock this morning to ask me.'

'Well, then, since you tell me he was travelling in space and time with The Doctor maybe it was less time for him and so he just assumed that Mr Jones was still there,' suggested Susan, 'but if you ask me I don't think he was thinking that clearly at all, I think he was just desperately seeking comfort from the last place he got it.'

Tosh took a step back and looked searchingly at the older woman, 'you see a lot, don't you Susan?'

Susan smiled, 'it's my job. So is keeping quiet about the things I see'

'Good.' Replied Tosh, 'because this is need-to-know only and only you, me and Owen need to know at this point, understood?'

'Of course, Ma'am'

Tosh grinned, 'what else can you tell me?'

'After he left Mr. Jones' house, he sat in the SUV for a further three hours before returning here. He spent thirty minutes in his office then came out here and drank three bottles of malt whisky until he passed out.'

'I was afraid of this' muttered Tosh, 'OK. Thank you Susan – could you...'

'I've already spliced doctored footage into the CCTV archives,' said Susan with a smile. She pulled a data stick from her PC and handed it to Tosh, 'this is the only copy'

Tosh moved quickly away as Jack came out of his office looking considerably better than he had two hours previously. He grinned at the two women staring at him

'Morning ladies; what's going on?'

Tosh spoke up, 'Susan is running a review of her listening posts, I have a date with some system diagnostics, Gwenn is out sourcing breakfast and I believe Owen had a medical with your name on it Jack'

Owen emerged from the med bay and waved an alarming looking piece of equipment in Jack's direction, 'c'mon Captain, get a move on and I might even warm my hands.'

Throwing a grimace to the two women Jack followed Owen down into the medical bay.


To Jack's surprise, Owen led him down a corridor he didn't recognise and into a spacious office which was furnished with soft and comfortable looking chairs and sofas. Owen gestured vaguely, 'take a seat Jack.'

Jack looked around, 'have you redecorated in here?'

Owen merely looked at him and pointed to a chair

Jack lowered himself down cautiously, 'Owen?'

Owen sat down opposite him, 'we both know that there is not much point doing a medical on you. You reset to a healthy norm every time you die and I'm thinking that you have died a lot recently Jack. Am I wrong?'

Jack had his head lowered and was staring at his hands; Owen let the silence drag out until Jack gave a tiny shake of his head.

'Jack you need to know that this is a safe space, OK? Anything you tell me in this room stays in this room. I don't share it with anyone, not UNIT, not the team, not the Director – got that?' He paused but Jack kept his head down. Owen sighed, 'don't want to talk to me eh? I understand that. So I'll tell you what I think and you can stop me if I get it wrong, how about that?'

Jack raised his head and met Owen's eyes, the pain and terror fleetingly visible in his face almost stopped Owens heart. He managed a shaky smile and continued, 'I think you found your Doctor but he wasn't sympathetic. I don't know what happened but I'm guessing that for a significant period of time you have been subjected to torture. I think this torture was prolonged and sadistic and I'm guessing that you died...a lot'

'Everyday, at least twice a day for a year' whispered Jack so quietly that Owen barely heard him

Owen closed his eyes; he knew maintaining a calm demeanour was vital but the urge to scream and throw things was hard to control. 'Who? Why?' he asked gently

'He called himself Harold Saxon but he was really a rogue Time Lord called The Master' said Jack tiredly, 'as to why...because he could, because he thought it was funny.'

Owen had many questions but he knew this was not the time to ask them, 'Right' he said, 'so what can I do to help you? What can I tell you that will make this easier for you? I expect that you are feeling a bit lost, maybe finding it hard to concentrate?'

'Yeah' Jack admitted softly, he tapped the side of his head with hard fingers, 'it's all a muddle in here. I've lost my focus, my edge. How did you know?'

Owe smiled a little sadly, 'My Captain would have swept back into The Hub, flamboyant and unapologetic, firing questions at everyone,wanting to know what he had missed.' Jack flinched he had quickly learnt on The Valiant that asking questions, even rhetorical ones led to having his tongue ripped out with barbed tongs and all his teeth broken with a hammer. Owen didn't miss Jack's hastily repressed shudder but he carried on bravely, 'my Captain would have had the teaboy back in his bed and screaming his name in two seconds flat; my Captain would not have waited eight hours or more before thinking to ask how long he had been gone in our timeline.'

Jack frowned, 'how did you...'

Owen held up his left hand so that Jack could see the thick gold band on his third finger, 'Tosh and I have been married for two years now. I was lying next to her when you called her at 3.30 this morning. My Captain would have noticed that too.'

'I know' said Jack miserably, 'I know what I have to do but I can't...I can't act. Any independent action or thought from me just meant pain and death. I know it's over, in fact it never happened but I remember; it's all still in my head and I hate being like this, Owen. I hate it!'

Owen nodded, 'We can work on that together but...Jack, you know I can't clear you for field work whilst you are clearly suffering from PTSD. '

Jack looked around wildly, 'Owen I need to work! With...without Ianto it's all I have to keep me grounded. I need something to focus me. Please...I...please...'

Owen frowned, he wasn't about to walk deep into the Ianto minefield although he wondered what made Jack so certain that he no longer had Ianto in his life. 'I can approve you to be Hub based for the next eight weeks; I assume you plan to take back the Directorship?' Jack nodded, 'well then, given how long you were missing on our time line an eight week handover does not seem inappropriate but I will want to see you three times a week to check on how you are coping, OK, Jack?'

The grateful look that Jack gave Owen just reinforced to the medic how damaged Jack was. Owen cleared his throat uncomfortably, 'have you spoken to Ianto?' he asked diffidently and against his better judgement.

Jack shook his head, 'I've seen him but he doesn't know I'm back.'

'Yeah, Tosh told me about the personal cloaking device. Jack you need to see him, talk to him'

'I'll do it as soon as he gets in' Jack said reassuringly

'but, Jack, Ianto...' Owen was interrupted by the buzzing of the intercom. He pressed the button and Steve Baxter's unctuous tones filtered through the speaker

'Dr. Harper, is Captain Harkness with you?'

Jack spoke up and, Owen thought, you would never know from his commanding tone how close he had been to melt down only a few minutes earlier, 'Yes I'm here. What is it Baxter?'

'Captain, Director Jones has just arrived, I thought you would like to know, Sir'

'Good,' snapped Jack, 'tell the Director, my office in ten minutes'

'Very good, Sir'

Jack got to his feet and looked at Owen, 'Thank you Owen,' he said sincerely, 'I know I'm gonna need your help but right now I have a date with Director Jones.' And he gave Owen a grin and a wink as he sprinted towards the door, leaving a very worried Owen Harper behind him.