AN: This is the last chapter of Part 2. There will be an interval before I start posting Part 3. I already have 14,000 words done, but it's nowhere near ready to post. I'd guess a couple of months, possibly a bit longer, as there are school holidays coming up. As before, I will post a notice as part of this story when Part 3 starts.

Thanks to everyone who has been reading and especially to those who have reviewed, alerted and favourited.

Chapter 10

About a year after Jack arrived in Manchester, Jack and Ray went as usual to the Paddy's Goose pub on Bloom Street in the Village. It was a centre for rent boys, but Jack was a slightly different commodity. Ray touted him as a special deal. £25 for a blow job, £50 for a quickie in the pub bathroom, £100 bareback, or £600 for the whole night, bareback, in the nearby flat.

On this occasion, someone wanted the whole night. The man handed the money over to Ray, then followed Jack back to his flat. Closing the door behind them, Jack turned and smiled at his client. He led him into the bedroom. "How would you like me," he asked, provocatively.

The man eyed up the bed, and Jack. Smirking, he replied, "naked, and on your back." He stood and waited for Jack to undress. "My name is Rick by the way," he added.

Jack complied with a grin. "Just as you like, Rick." Inside one minute he had shed his clothes, and was lying on the bed.

Rick was still fully dressed. He straddled Jack and, grabbing his arms, raised them over his head, so that his wrists were near the barred headboard. At that point he broke the rules of their agreement, and produced a pair of metal handcuffs.

Jack reacted with terror instantly, throwing the man off him, and leaping up. "You agreed, no bondage!" Jack cried.

"Oh come on! What sort of a whore are you, if you won't do handcuffs," the man argued. He moved towards Jack again, his expression threatening.

Jack moved rapidly to the wall near the bed, and hit his panic button. The advantage of working for Ray, was that he looked after his people. There were eleven of his boys, plus Jack, working out of the building. Ray had security people on standby in case of trouble. Most clients were fine, but occasionally one needed to be removed forcibly.

In less than two minutes, Jack's client was being manhandled down the stairs to the exit, where Ray returned his money, and informed him that he was barred. He left angrily, shouting imprecations back at Ray.

When Rick had gone, Ray went up to Jack's room. By this time Jack was dressed in jeans, but sitting on the bed and trembling. "I'm sorry," he offered.

"What happened," Ray asked.

"He tried to tie me up."

Ray was well aware of Jack's aversion to bondage, and had deduced from his behaviour that there were painful events in his past that had led to this. He and Jack had agreed on very clear ground rules for Jack's clients. "That's OK, " he reassured, "he knew that was not allowed. He deserved to be thrown out. Take a few days off. You'll still be paid."

"Thanks," murmured Jack, surprised and touched by Ray's concern. It was strange to have someone who cared enough to protect him, even if it was his employer. Jack couldn't remember the last time someone had protected him. But the thing he needed to fully calm him was a fix, even if he wasn't due for one yet. Just this once wouldn't matter.

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The next morning, Jack decided to visit Cardiff again. He had not been for several months, and now, when he had a few days off, and was up to date with the heroin, was a perfect time. Grabbing his jacket, he set off for the train station.

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He was more careful this time, there would be no chance of anyone seeing him on the CCTV. He reached the building, where he could watch the Hub, with no problems, and settled in to watch. As before, the team left the Hub to go for lunch. This time Tosh was with them, and Jack smiled to see them all healthy and safe. But then a beautiful dark haired woman came up to them. She talked to the group for a few minutes, before linking arms with Ianto and heading off with him across the Plass, leaving the rest of the team to carry on to the coffee shop.

When Ianto and the woman were out of sight of the team, but not out of Jack's bird's eye view, they stopped. Ianto hugged the woman close to his body, and they kissed. It was a slow and intimate kiss. Jack watched in stunned disbelief, as it became clear that Ianto and the woman were romantically involved. Thoughts ran through Jack's head. Why wasn't he pleased for Ianto? He was having a happy life, which Jack had paid for in blood and pain. He should be pleased. But he wasn't.

Though he should have known better, deep down Jack had still hoped that he and Ianto could be reunited. On the Valiant, when he had known the truth, Ianto had said that he loved him. Jack had never let go of the hope that, someday, Ianto would know the truth again, and would love him again.

No longer. He had to accept that he would never regain Ianto's love. And, he argued to himself, why did he even want to? Ianto had betrayed him, along with the others, before Abaddon, then treated him like dirt while they were on the Valiant. Ianto rejected his plea for help, when the rebel mob surrounded him. Even if Ianto had wanted it, would he ever have been able to fully forgive that, and return to him? At least that wasn't an issue now.

Tears blinding him, Jack stumbled his way back to the train station, and back to Manchester. People were giving him strange looks, and giving him a wide berth. He was outwardly calm when he reached home, but he had finally completed the stone facade around his heart, filling in the cracks that had been his secret hope. It was time to move on. He would not go back to Cardiff again.

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Jack prepared the needle with the heroin, and pulled a cord tight around his left bicep. His thoughts drifted again to Cardiff. He knew now that his past life was gone forever, but that was alright. He had finally accepted it. He might not be happy in his new life, but it was orders of magnitude better than the Valiant or the UNIT prison. It was OK, he was content. Pushing the needle in his arm, he pressed the plunger and sank onto his bed.

END OF PART 2 of TRILOGY

To be continued in Part 3, where the team find out the truth and search for Jack.