AN- Chapter takes place in day 5 of Children of Earth, so it's 6 months after the events of the last chapter- and the series.

Chapter 7- Far Away.

Jack Harkness stood on the hill, the moonlight reflecting of the grass and casting shadows around him. He saw a car pull up in the distance, the headlights disrupting the beauty of the area around him.

"Couldn't have just chosen a pub" Gwen's voice came chuckling slightly "Could you?"

"It's bloody freezing" Rhys smiled. "My feet-..."

Jack interrupted him with a small smile "Oh I miss that, the welsh complaining." he turned to Gwen, "You look good."

"I look huge" she responded, her hand rubbing her baby bump protectively.

"She's bloody gorgeous" Rhys smiled.

Jack and Gwen both smiled, and Gwen turned towards Rhys slightly.

Gwen walked towards Jack; her eyes seemed concerned as she approached. "Are you okay?"

Jack nodded; he could feel the stinging of tears in his eyes "Yea"

Gwen reached him and nodded, reaching her hand up to fiddle with his collar, a soft smiled on her face. "Did it work?"

Jack shook his head, "Travelled all sorts of places" he took a deep breathe, the cold air catching in his lungs. "This planet is too small, the whole world is like a graveyard."

Gwen smiled sadly, "Come back with us"

Jack shook his head, "I haven't travelled far enough yet, got a lot of dirt to shake of my shoes" he looked towards the sky, his eyes seeming to shine "And right now there's a cold fusion cruiser surfing the iron reefs, just at the edge of the solar system, just waiting to open its transport dock, I just need to send a signal."

Gwen raised one hand, one finger raised, pointing up at the sky. The reached into her pocket with the other one and pulled out Jacks vortex manipulator. "They found it in the wreckage, indestructible." Gwen handed the vortex manipulator over, "Like its owner, I put on a new strap for you." she patted his arm as Rhys shouted to them.

"Cost me fifty quid that did!"

"Bill me!" Jack called back.

Gwen looked at Jack, her eyes sad. "Are you ever coming back Jack?"

"What for?" he asked, he could feel the sobs in his chest again, for so long the pain of loosing Ianto had been pushed to one side by his need to fix the time lines, and now, having those memories so fresh and not knowing when they happened, and Gwen wanting him to come back was all taking its toll.

"Me" she said, he own voice choked. "It wasn't your fault," she said, her eyes filling up as she watched Jacks own eyes well up.

"I think it was" Jack responded.

"No-" Gwen interrupted, a single tear making it track down her face.

"Steven and Ianto, Owen and Tosh and Suzie" Jack murmured "All of them, because of me."

"You saved us," Gwen sobbed, trying to convince Jack to stay. "Didn't you?"

"I began to like it" Jack sighed "And look what I became." Jack took a deep breath. "Still, I have led so many lives, its time to find another one, as much as I love Ianto, he would want me to move on, not linger around and mope and be miserable."

Jack took a few steps back from Gwen and pressed a button on the vortex manipulator, his heart in his throat, he had to prey he was on that cruise liner.

"You can't just run Jack" Gwen pain filled voice cut threw him, the wind around them suddenly picking up, as if sensing the atmosphere.

"Oh yes I can, just watch me" he said, he voice strong. The white light enveloped him and moved him so fast, he missed the sound; it sounded like a plectrum being run down the strings of a gutted church organ, a sound that would be familiar had he heard it.

Gwen spun on the spot, turning to face Rhys, who was starring at something that, had he not known about Torchwood, he would have found impossible.

"Oh My God" Gwen cried as she ran towards Rhys.

"What is it?" he asked, holding her close and the blue box finally stopped flickering and formed a solid form on the ground, "It looks like a 1960's police box"

Gwen shook her head "I can't believe this, Jack buggers off and Earth gets invaded, FANTASTIC" she cried.

Suddenly the door to the police box opened, and a young man stepped out looking in awe. "Wow! What a view!"

The man skipped out, he long brown coat flowing. "Hey, Lucas, Lianne! It defiantly Earth, Cardiff countryside to be exact"

Gwen turned towards the ship as a man and a young girl, a very familiar young girl appeared.

"Oh god" she gasped "Its you!"

Lianne spun on the spot, her eyes locking with Gwen and a smile lit up her face as she laughed. "Gwen Cooper!"

Gwen smiled "I gave you Ianto"

Lianne smiled and nodded "Ianto!" she hollered into the ship.

Gwen watched the doors warily as a young man appeared in the doorway. "NO!" she cried.

Then all of a sudden it clicked into place and she leaned over and smacked the man in the coat, hard around the face.

"DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT'S JUST HAPPENED!" she sobbed, leaning on Rhys.

The Doctor turned to the sobbing women and looked at Ianto concerned as he knelt by her. "Gwen?" he asked.

"Jacks gone," she sobbed.

Ianto felt his heart plummet "Gone where?" he asked. His voice broke and his eyes welled. Gone...Jack was gone.

She sobbed and raised her hand, pointing towards the sky.

The Doctor looked up. "No." he put his head in his hands, "What date are we?"

"December 15th" Gwen said.

Ianto looked at The Doctor, tears in his own eyes "Any chance we can track him?" he had little hope, Jack was one of those people, if he didn't want to be found, he wouldn't be.

"How did he leave?" Lianne asked.

"Vortex manipulator on to a Cold fusion cruiser" Gwen responded tearfully

The Doctor closed his eyes and leaned back "Bugger, hate that time travelling teleport."

Gwen turned to Ianto and pulled him to her in a huge hug.

"I do know something Jack did do"

"What?" He asked, his tears now falling down his cheeks.

"Well, he got close with your sister, and the kids, I believe he set aside accounts for them"

Ianto's eyes widened as he looked at The Doctor who was walking around waving his sonic screwdriver trying to find any trace of the signal Jack may have used to get off Earth.

"Doctor?" he asked.

"No luck."

Ianto closed his eyes, "well, doesn't he have a phone like yours?"

The Doctor shook his head.

"Looks, its blinking freezing, why don't we go back to mine and Gwen's place, I'll put the kettle on and you can explain what the hell Ianto is doing back alive, and it better be a good reason, Jack fell apart, I've never seen him like that and I doubt you have" he looked at The Doctor. "I've held and cradled Jack like a baby in the last six months, I've listened as he's poured his heart and soul about how he feels about forever alone, how he feels about Ianto, how he wished he could die" he snapped as he glared at them. "Its not that I'm not glad to see you Ianto, I'm over the moon, but Jack went through hell and I want answers"

The Doctor smiled. "Forever alone is never going to happen again" he smiled at Rhys "All will be explained"

Rhys nodded and led the group back to his car, "It's going to be a bit of a squeeze I'm afraid"

****

Jack Harkness landed with a thump on the floor of the cruiser. He groaned at sat up starring into oh so familiar blue eyes and he grinned in relief. "Daxton!" he laughed.

The man smiled, "Are you okay?"

"Oh yes" Jack grinned offering his hand to the young man. "I'm Captain Jack Harkness"

"Daxton Carter, but you seemed to know that."

Jack smiled.

Daxton laughed and helped Jack to his feet, "Lets grab a drink"

Jack followed Daxton into the bar on the ship, he would be going back to Earth, he wasn't sure when, where or how, but he would be going back, but first, he needed to find the Doctor.

"What are you drinking?" he asked Daxton with a smiled.

Daxton laughed "Hyper Vodka and cola"

Jack grimaced. "Nasty stuff" He went to the bar and ordered the drink along with his own pint, he needed it after today, his head was still hurting even after all these months, but he knew it was just the memories slipping into place and fitting with the time line he had created.

He waited until the waitress had moved to the till before slipping the white pill into Daxton's drink. Retcon.

"Two years to forget." Jack mused.

He slipped into his seat opposite his younger self and smiled as he handed over the drink.

"To Life!" Jack offered the toast.

"To Love" Daxton added a soft smile on his face "So far away, and for far too long"

Jack smiled and took a sip of his drink, smiling as Daxton did the same.

After a few mouthfuls he could see Daxton loosing his battle with sleep, but he allowed the younger man to continue to watch the planet below them.

****

A few hours later, as he laid Daxton onto a bed he found himself murmuring the life history. Everything he could remember about the time in his life.

When Daxton awoke the next morning, Jack smiled and took the Vortex Manipulator, and set it to send Daxton to follow his time, to the 1800's.

He smiled sadly as he sent himself to live the life that he had hated, hated until a certain Ianto Jones had come into his life.

He closed his eyes and felt the cool ring against his skin.

"I love you Ianto Jones, I'll see you soon"