The John Hart Solution

Chapter 10: Conclusions

Alright, so I felt like I left some chapters hanging. So I decided to write one page (ONE PAGE!) of conclusion for each. For those of you waiting for the Donna/Alonso, that's going to be its own chapter. I'm just waiting for the plot bunny to come after me with the frying pan again…

Still own nada, still getting no money. This makes for a bad court case for you. Don't sue.

BREAK_

MEAT: John explains the incident to post-retcon Rhys, and saves Gwen's relationship.

The next day, Rhys answered the front door, mildly surprised when a man he had never seen stood there. He had been confused and disoriented when he had woken up that morning; even more so when Gwen had offered no explanation, and simply requested he not go into work that day. Admittedly, he had wanted to protest, but had decided against it.

"Rhys?" the stranger, now standing in his doorway inquired, giving him a puzzled look. "Rhys Williams?"

"Yeah, that's me." Rhys nodded. "Who wants to know?"

"Oh, right. You don't remember me." The man grinned sheepishly. "John Hart. I work with Gwen. You got in a pretty bad accident yesterday."

Rhys raised an eyebrow. "You know about that?" he had figured that he just had some short term memory loss or something, nothing that anyone else would ever have to know about.

"Of course!" the man, John, exclaimed. "I came over to check up on you. Gwen said you were fine, but our medic doesn't trust her."

Rhys blinked, before moving aside to let John into his flat.

"How come I've never heard Gwen talk about you?" He asked, standing by the door. John shrugged.

"I'm still pretty new. She probably hasn't accumulated any funny stories about me yet." He then turned his attention back to the Welshman by the door. Rhys shifted, uncomfortable with the man's gaze on him, when it felt far too familiar for a stranger's scrutiny.

"You seem to be doing pretty well, all things considered." Rhys raided an eyebrow. "Well, you were caught in the crossfire of a pretty bad case Rhys. You could have been seriously injured. In fact, you're lucky you only got scratched."

Rhys glanced down at his arm. He had no idea how he had been injured, but several small scrapes and cuts were all over his right arm, leading him to suspect that he hadn't just gone on a drinking binge. Gesturing for him to sit down, Rhys listened patiently as John explained everything that happened yesterday.

And just like that, it all made sense. Rhys nodded as John spoke, describing how his friend had been working with terrorists, and was shipping chemical weapons for extra money. Then Rhys had followed Gwen to work after seeing her at the site, and wound up getting tangled in the case. John spoke of how Rhys was very close to being shot, playing down his own involvement in favor of simply saying "I was in charge of cover fire". Finally, he described how Rhys had hit his head in the firefight, leading to a minor concussion, which caused his memory loss.

"Why wouldn't Gwen tell me?" Rhys finally wondered aloud, shaking his head. "I mean, I know that it's a dangerous job, but I would support her no matter what she's doing!"

"It isn't that simple." John comforted, laying a hand on Rhys' arm. "She had to sign the official secrets act, legally, she's not allowed to tell you. Hell, I'll probably get in trouble for telling you that much."

"Thank you for telling me." Rhys commented, still shaken up by the revelation that his girlfriend worked in anti-terrorism.

"You're welcome." John said, sanding from his place on the couch. "And I should go. They'll all be wondering where I went to this time." Rhys smiled, moving to see John out the door.

At that moment, the door swung open, a furious Gwen Cooper storming in.

"You!" She shrieked, pointing an accusatory finger at John. "You double crossing bastard! Do you know you just-"

"Saved your relationship?" John commented dryly, rolling his eyes. "Yes, I did Gwen. And you know, Rhys really didn't take the fact you work for anti-terrorist and 98% of your work is above the QUEEN'S head all that badly. So…" he stepped forward, leaning close so he could whisper in her ear, "You're welcome."

Gwen's mouth hung open wide with shock, as John simply waltzed out of the flat, whistling some tune that neither of them were old enough to know.

'I need to call Andy, see when he gets off shift.' John thought to himself. 'And you know… the whole CIA thing might be kina' sexy. Wonder if Andy can do an American accent?'

END OF DAYS: Jack leaves with the Doctor

Jack and Ianto returned to the main hub, hands firmly clasped together and swinging between them. Tosh was the first to notice the pair, running over and flinging her arms around both of them. Jack grinned his way through his greetings and forgiveness of Gwen and Owen, before taking Ianto into his arms once more.

"Now, Gwen… you were talking about someone, how did you put it, 'interrupting' in the morgue?"

"Yes! This random guy just showed up in the morgue, and he kicked all of us out, except for the bloody tea boy!" Gwen shrieked, moving her arms exaggeratedly to get her point across. "Oh, Ianto, he didn't hurt you or anything, did he?" She suddenly changed her tone, adopting one of transparent caring. "I couldn't stand the thought of that creep doing anything…"

"Who?" Now, Jack's interest was piqued. No one touched HIS Welshman and got away with it. Especially not a 'creep'. Ianto smiled.

"You need not worry, sir, nothing happened. Nothing except things being put back to how they ought to be." He gave Gwen a very, very pointed look. "You can check the CCTV if you like. I'm sure you may recognize him. After all, he did have a Vortex Manipulator."

Jack spared a moment to give Ianto a strange look, but dismissed it as he sent the rest of the team home early.

As soon as the others gave him his space, Jack nearly bolted to the nearest computer, checking the CCTV footage from the morgue. He watched, transfixed, as his Ex-Partner (who was supposed to be dead) confronted his team. He was proud of Ianto for staying with him, and for not simply giving up when Gwen challenged him.

At the end of the tape, Jack noticed the hand sign that John made. He stared, playing the clip on a loop. It wasn't that it was difficult to translate – on the contrary, he would know that motion anywhere.

At that moment, Ianto returned from the Archives, breaking Jack out of his thoughts. The translation of the sign language John had left on the recording still burned into his mind.

Trust in the future.

Jack found himself unable to speak; to think; to even breath, as the man in front of him instantaneously became a reality. He could have Ianto as the lover, confidante, and other half to his broken soul that he had searched for for so long. All he had to do was trust in the future.

Before he could even speak, a sound Jack had long lost hope of ever hearing reverberated through the hub. The TARDIS.

Snapping into action, Jack took hold of Ianto, searching deeply in the younger man's eyes.

"Wait for me?" he pleaded, knowing no other request was necessary.

Ianto nodded. "I will always wait for you." He repeated what he had said while Jack was dead. "Forever."

Jack grinned, gifting Ianto with the most passionate, loving kiss experienced by man.

"Forever won't be that long." He promised.

With that, he swept out of the Hub, throwing a kiss to his lover as he ran towards his right kind of Doctor.