The cold lonely feeling washed over him as he heard a child crying off in the distance. The sobs grew louder. "Who is it? Who are you?" There was no answer. The room grew lighter as he saw the small boy sitting in the corner of the room, knees against his chest, his arms wrapped around them as his head hung low. He approached the child. "It's okay. Can I can help?"

The child looked up, but not at him, but rather through him. Andy recognized himself. He knelt down as the child wiped his eyes and smiled. "Mommy, can I go home now?" The small voice asked. Andy stood and turned to look at his mother. She only saw the small boy. Running through older Andy to wrap her arms around her youngest child, she cried. "I'm sorry Mommy left you. I'm so sorry, sweetheart."

"That's okay Mommy, we can all go home together." The boy shone a smile at his mother.

She let the tears loose, grabbing the boy closer. "There is no home, Andy, it is gone. Patty and Sam are gone, too." The boy cried as he realized his siblings were dead. She held him tighter. Andy began to cry even hard in his mother's arms.

The scene changed. There were three young boys running down the beach, laughing and carrying on. A distant siren sounded and the boys parted. The scene changed again. Two boys hugged each other at a funeral while one cried; the other tried his best to be brave. Somewhere a baby cried. An infant that would never be held by parents that loved him. Andy screamed. There was only laughter and pain. "You are nothing. I own you." A voice mocked. "Don't struggle, it won't hurt for long." The pain never stopped.

A warm and caring caress grabbed hold of Andy and held him. They made love and there was no pain. He was floating on the air as John said he loved him. Suddenly, it was cold and wet. The water took him as he recognized Blue all too late.

John sat next to Mark as he moaned in his restless slumber. He reached to sweep away the hair that was in front of his face. Mark's skin was hot from the fever that had started.

John was moment away from losing control of his emotions. He held onto Mark's hand. "This is my fault," he said as he looked at Jack who was at a safe distance away watching the two men.

"No, it isn't." Jack let it hang. All this was his fault. He dragged Andy to war. He put him in danger. He was eating himself up inside. He was still in shock that Andy was alive. But for how long would he be?

James came in, followed by Ianto who went to Jack and hugged him. Jack fell into Ianto's embrace for a moment before he gave James his full attention.

Clearing his throat James said. "The DNA test confirms that it is Andy. It was a good thing that you had that hair still." He looked at Jack who was blushing. With that act, James saw his boss as a human being for the first time. Not as a superman. "Also, I'm glad we brought him here and not the hospital. He is not an average human. There are some things they would have questioned." He went to the young man and checked his pupils with a flashlight. He felt his forehead and looked at the instruments. "The bad news is, I don't know if he will wake up. If he does I'm not sure how much of him will still be there. He has suffered a massive mental breakdown. Only time will tell. If he ever comes out of the coma." James moved towards Jack. "Jack, he may need someone to talk to. A professional. Ianto suggested his cousin Nick. He is a psychiatrist. I think we should get him here so when Andy wakes up…"

"Mark," John interrupted. "His name is Mark"

"John, let him decide that. Anyway, that is my suggestion. Nick has helped us before." James frowned.

Jack looked at Ianto and nodded. "Call him, please. Anything to help him." Jack looked back at Andy and John. John was holding Andy's hand to his head and crying softly.

"Okay Jack." Ianto left the room followed by Jack. James stayed to look over Andy one more time. He checked the IV and turned to leave.

"James, I'm sorry I snapped."

"John, it's okay. I understand." He left the former Time Agent alone with his lover.

The Hub was quiet except for the drone of the computers. Even Myfanwy was staying put, sensing the tension in the place. Gwen and Sally left a short time ago. Dan was going over the vortex manipulator that once belonged to Asher. And James was hovering nearby. Ianto and Jack were nowhere to be found. They were assumed to be in Jack's office.

The cogged doors opened and Nick Jones stepped inside. He was a good-looking guy that had reddish brown hair, wore glasses but somehow looked like Ianto. He was carrying a briefcase and waved at James. James went over to greet his friend and colleague. They had known each other for years. It was Nick that gave James the head's up about Torchwood and got him an interview with Jack.

"James!" Nick greeted his friend with a hug. "You're looking good," he added.

"You also." James tried to smile. "Ianto and Jack, I believe, are in Jack's office. We should head up there."

He took Nick's case and showed him to Jack's office.

John felt eyes watching him and he looked up to see Mark staring. John smiled as he went to touch his cheek. It seemed cooler than before and his color was coming back. "Hey, you had me worried. You had all of us worried." He leaned in to kiss Mark's forehead. Mark smiled with recognition. "How do you feel?"

"Very tired, John. I'm sorry I worried you. Was that really Blue?"

John's heart sank. He was suddenly aware that Jack was still apart of Mark/Andy's life. "Yes, it was." He didn't like the way this was feeling.

"Good, then I wasn't seeing things. John, I want to thank you for saving me. I love you and I should have trusted you. I'm so sorry for that, for putting you in harms way. Can you forgive me?"

John did the only thing he knew would make Mark understand. He leaned in and kissed him. "Of course if you can forgive me as well?"

Mark smiled and kissed John back. "Always, will I forgive you."

"Good! Now, let me tell James you are awake."

Being briefed on the story and what was known about the current situation, Nick outlined how he was going to help Mark. He suggested that they treat it as a debriefing. This way they could all hear Mark's story from the beginning and he would only have to say it once, for now. Nick said that was probably better if Mark saw him afterwards in private.

When the news came that Mark was awake, Nick stopped Jack from running down there. He told him it would be a bad thing for him to see Mark. Nick wanted to talk to him first. He was afraid it would only harm him further. Jack agreed with some hesitation. He wanted so desperately to talk to Andy. He was also scared of the prospect of how Andy was going to respond to him. But for now he would listen to Nick Jones' advice and wait.

Ianto stood away from Jack and watched him. He had a feeling that everything in his world was about to change. He watched Jack look straight ahead, his elbows on the desk and hands folded together in prayer. Jack wasn't aware of Ianto at all; he was so lost in his private memories.

End Part 26 TBC