A/N: it's come to my attention that some of my readers havent watched Torchwood all the way through, so this spoiler warning is for them...SPOILER ALERT: Description and ending of Torchwood Season Three, known as Children of Earth, told in this chapter. you have been warned. new chappie! yay!

Chapter 36: The Doctor's Message

The Doctor smiled down at Olivia as she still slept, the two of them tangled in the sheets as he held his head in one hand propped up by an elbow, his other hand smoothing slowly over her side. He lifted his hand to run his fingers through her soft, raven hair, gently pulling the tangles from them, his smile widening as he rubbed a few locks between his fingers. He leaned toward her to press a lingering kiss to her cheek before pulling back to grin down at her again and stroking her cheek where he'd kissed it, adoring the way the skylights illuminated her in a glow of pinks and purples.

She took in a breath, shifting and groaning softly but she didn't wake and he gave a frown when he noticed one gracing her brow. He couldn't help but wonder what she might be dreaming about and suddenly wondered if she was having that second dream she wouldn't tell him about. His frown deepened when she gave another groan, sounding almost in pain.

"No," she mumbled, shifting in her sleep and he pulled his hand from her hair to watch her. "No. Leave him alone. Stop it."

"Liv," he murmured, setting his hand on her shoulder. "Liv, wake up. You're having a bad dream."

"No," she mumbled, now shaking her head slightly in her sleep. "He wants to help you. Stop."

"Olivia—"

She groaned, lifting her hands to her head before muttering, "Stop…the drums."

He froze his eyes wide as he stared at her, his mind reeling. Drums. It couldn't have been who he was thinking of. It was impossible. He thought it might have meant something other than what he was thinking until he looked to her hand and her fingers caught his eye. Her index and middle finger were tapping against her temple in a rhythm. A rhythm he knew far too well.

A four beat pattern.

"Olivia," he gently called again, taking her wrists into his hands and pulling them from her head. "You need to wake up. You're having a nightmare. Wake up, please."

He held her wrists as she tugged back, halfheartedly from being asleep before she finally settled down and fell limp. He watched her for a moment before shifting closer to wrap his arms around her, lying on his side and she snuggled into his chest with a sigh as he placed a hand on her head, stroking his fingers through her hair again. He leaned down to place a tender kiss on her hairline before she stirred in his arms, taking in a deep breath as her eyes fluttered open, smiling before she shifted to look up at the Doctor.

"Morning, handsome," she grinned, but frowned as he only gave her a small smile. A smile different from the usual smiles he gave her. She shifted to face him better, asking, "Theta, what's wrong?"

"Oh…" he sighed through his smile and pulled her closer, shaking his head to lie, "…nothing."

"When are you gonna learn to stop lying to me?" she wondered, making his smile fall as they kept each other's gazes. "There's something wrong. I can see it in your eyes."

"Olivia…it's nothing to worry about, really," he tried again. "You were just talking in your sleep. It was a bit adorable, actually."

"Talking…" she breathed, her eyes widening in realization as she continued, "…in my sleep? Theta, what did you hear?"

"Nonsense, really," he shrugged as honestly as he could because to him, it had to be nonsense. "It seemed like a nightmare though. I tried to wake you but you were in too deep. You woke up on your own."

She stared at him in evaluation before sighing through a smile, snuggling under his chin. He let his smile drop when she wasn't looking at him, his mind reeling before he knew he had to distract himself or she'd catch on.

"So, what shall we do in the morning?" he wondered, pulling her closer and pressing a kiss to her forehead. "There's plenty of time to kill before the club opens."

"Could we stay in bed all day," she smirked, making him grin.

"Sounds like a plan," he grinned, snuggling her even closer.

The Next Evening...

"That was brilliant!" Olivia grinned, spinning through the door of the beach house as the Doctor followed her in with a smile, shutting the door behind him. She stopped spinning in front of him, her hands on her hips as he shoved his hands into the pockets of his blue trousers. "Too bad that – what did you call him? – had to ruin it and make us leave."

"The Callifraxan," he recalled, lifting a hand to rub at his ear in thought before shrugging, "He should've known better than to cop a feel from my girl."

"Your girl?" she smirked, crossing her arms as he stepped closer to her, grinning down at her. "The Doctor's girl, huh? Is that what I am?"

"Always," he grinned, wrapping an arm around her waist, making her giggle as she slid her arms around his neck, smiling up at him. "We should pack everything up so we can head off tomorrow."

Her smile faded before she nodded and moved to turn and head toward the bedrooms but his arm remained around her, making her frown up at him.

"No thank you kiss for the night, eh?" he smirked, making her smile return before she stepped onto her tiptoes and pressed a lingering kiss to his lips then pulled back again to meet his gaze.

"I'll thank you properly later," she promised with a Cheshire smile before she slid from his arms and rushed up the stairs to the bedrooms.

"I need to do some fiddling in the TARDIS," he called after her, watching her head up the stairs before turning to the door and heading out of the house.

"Wait!" she called, making him frown and turn back to the stairs, holding the door open as he turned to her where she stood on the middle step. "I'll go with you! Might as well if we're packing things up, right?"

"Alright, Liv," he sighed in false exasperation, waving a hand up the stairs. "Go on then. Allons-y…with our things. On you go! In fact, we'll call it a time in Aurora. We'll spend the night in the TARDIS."

Olivia grinned and nodded before running up the stairs and he couldn't help but smile as he watched her before turning to the door, adding, "I'll wait for you there. Lock up when you leave."

"With what?" she chirped at the top of the stairs.

"The Sonic is on the nightstand next to the bed," he called back. "Don't be long!"

"I won't!"

The Doctor finally headed out the door and shoved his hands in his pockets as he strolled in the direction of the TARDIS. The walk allowed him time to think about what he'd found out the night before and the decision he knew he had to make on when to leave Olivia back in Cardiff. He opened the door and stepped in with a sigh, strolling toward the console and leaving the door open for Olivia. The TARDIS sensed his mood and he felt a soothing stroke over his mind as he fiddled with switches and pressing buttons. He couldn't help but smile at her concern, stroking her console gratefully.

"Thanks, darling," he murmured before ducking down to lay on his back and look up under the console. "I'm glad you're not angry with me, at least. I'd die if you were cross with me."

He'd been working for several moments before he felt a stroke over his mind, just enough to get his attention. It made him frown and look out from his spot, looking to the door between his feet and saw Olivia trudging toward them. He only gave a smile before turning back to making his repairs as Olivia stepped up to the door but didn't enter. He frowned when he didn't hear her footsteps approaching but didn't move.

"Hey, Theta?" she called, making him look to the gap as she finally stepped over the threshold, frowning as well as she asked, "Have you really read the notice on your TARDIS door?"

"Course I have," he chirped, but jumped when the TARDIS console hummed and he heard the echo of the word 'listen' in his mind. "Why do you ask?"

"It says 'Pull to open'," she replied, stepping into the TARDIS, setting the bag filled with their things down and shutting the door behind her. "Which means the doors should open outward, right?"

The Doctor heard giggling in his mind and set his jaw before shimmying out of his spot and sitting up to look at her. She smirked as she held the Sonic up, wagging it between two fingers before tossing it to him and he caught it in mid-air with one hand.

"My spaceship, my rules," he retorted, to both Olivia and the TARDIS, tucking the Sonic into his pocket before standing as she approached, resuming, "And my rule is: I open my doors the way I want to."

"Yes, yes, the man in charge," she smirked, lifting a hand to the knot of his tie and her gaze rose to his. "I kinda like it when you take charge."

"Then you're gonna love this," he smirked back, lifting his hand to take hers from his tie and turning to head toward the stairs.

"But…what about your repairs?" she frowned in wonder, letting him lead her. "Weren't you fiddling?"

He stopped at the bottom of the stairs and turned to her, yanking her toward him and making her grunt when she rammed into his chest. Their eyes locked, hers wide and his smoldering but she frowned as she saw something else in his eyes.

"Theta, what's—?"

She was interrupted when he pulled her closer and planted his lips to hers. She moaned when he began devouring her mouth before pulling away with a smack and her eyes scanned over his face in wonder.

"Just taking charge, Liv," he smirked before gripping her hand and pulling her up the stairs.

Olivia's flat in Cardiff...

The Doctor gently laid her down in her bed, being very careful not to wake her, having dressed her in the TARDIS and carefully parked it in her living room. She stirred but didn't wake as she turned to face him when he slid his arms out from under her, kneeling to watch her sleep. He swallowed hard, feeling his hearts clench painfully until he couldn't breathe as he lifted a hand to smooth the hair from her face.

"I'm so sorry, Liv," he whispered, stroking the back of his fingers over her cheek. "You're gonna hate me for this, but it's the only way."

He stood and took in a breath, feeling tears prick his eyes but he quickly rubbed his face before swiftly turning to head back to the TARDIS, not wanting to change his mind. Something suddenly caught his eye sitting on her nightstand, something he recognized but couldn't believe was in her room and it stopped him in his tracks as he frowned at it.

"A holographic message machine?" he murmured and looked to Olivia as she still slept then stepped closer to examine the silver machine that looked like a stereo.

He knelt down to be level with it, trying to find the switch that would let him leave a message. He frowned in thought, pulling his glasses from inside his pocket and slipping them on. He grinned, making a soft, triumphant noise when he found the button and tapped it.

"Prepare to record your message in ten seconds."

"Sh! Not so loud!" the Doctor hissed, turning his wide-eyed stare at Olivia to watch her stir and turn over in her bed, but she didn't wake. He sighed in relief before pulling off his glasses and turning back to the machine to stand and let it scan him before leaving his message.

"Liv, I know you're upset with me right now, but just listen…"

Morning in Cardiff...

Olivia inhaled sharply as she woke, a smile gracing her lips instantly as she kept her eyes shut, snuggling deeper into her pillow. She reached behind her to find the Doctor's hand but felt nothing but air. She frowned in wonder and took in another breath before groping at the air but smiled again when she rolled onto her back, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"Theta?" she called, still smiling. "Are you making breakfast for me again?"

When there was no response her frown deepened and she lowered her hand and finally opened her eyes. The ceiling was familiar but different. Her eyes widened as she shot up in her bed, her eyes wide as they darted around her flat in disbelief.

"He didn't," she breathed then called, "Doctor?"

Silence.

She threw the covers off her legs and scrambled from her bed to run across her room but she was stopped in her tracks.

"You have one new holographic message."

Olivia skidded to a stop and looked to her nightstand at the machine. She swallowed and stepped closer to press play then stepped back as an image of the Doctor appeared in the middle of the room and she glared at it.

"Liv, I know you're upset with me right now, but just listen," he began, but she roared in anger and began punching through him, the image warping from her blows. "Stop punching the hologram and listen."

She snarled at him, still glaring at him but held her fists at her sides.

"I had to leave you here the way I did. I couldn't take seeing you the way I left you last time. I'm truly, very sorry, but this was the only way."

She swallowed the lump in her throat, tears pricking her eyes but she remained silent, even as her stomach turned, her heart clenching so painfully she could hardly breathe. She frowned in wonder when she saw him smile, warmly.

"I finally figured you out, Liv," he smiled, making her frown deepen. "You weren't connected to a fixed point in time. You are the fixed point in time. Everything you do, and everything that has ever happened to you, was meant to happen. I've never seen this in anyone else except Jack, but unlike him, I was drawn toward you instead of away. Everything that happened from the moment I met you was meant to happen.

"You truly are something else, Olivia Felton," the Doctor continued, drawing her attention back to him, a tear rolling down her cheek that she didn't bother to fight. "But it's time for you to stay on Earth now. I'll see you again before my end, Liv. Never forget, I love you."

The image fell away, making her give short gasps as her emotions began to get the better of her and the machine reported, "End of message."

"No!" she shouted, stepping toward the machine and pressing buttons, desperately. "That can't be it! There has to be more! Where is he going?! How will I find him again?! How will I know it's him if he can't see me before he regenerates?! Play the next message!"

Olivia's vision started to blur as she slowed in pressing the buttons, her face contorting into absolute despair as she finally came to a stop, bowing her head as she shook with sobs.

"How could he do this?" she shuddered. "After everything we went through he takes me on vacation then leaves me like this? I didn't even get a kiss goodbye. Now how will I find him?"

"He'll find you, Nova."

She gasped in surprise, her head shooting up as she stared wide eyes at the doorway to her bedroom where Captain Jack Harkness stood in the threshold, having used his spare key to get in and hoping she would be there.

"Jack," she breathed, standing and rushing toward him to throw her arms around him, burying her face in his shoulder to sob as he hugged her close. "He left me here and he didn't even say a proper goodbye!"

"He never does," Jack murmured into her ear. "You should know by now his best move is swanning off."

"I don't care," she shuddered, her hands fisting at his coat. "He can't do it to me."

Jack was silent for a moment, lifting a hand to stroke her hair, soothingly before he looked down at her still latched to him and murmured, "How about some tea?"

She said nothing but nodded and pulled away to wipe her eyes, turning a strained smile to him and he smiled weakly back with a nod. Olivia frowned at him and as he turned to head toward the kitchen, she gripped his hand to stop him, making him frown down at her in wonder.

"You look terrible," she breathed, making his frown disappear and he swallowed. "What's happened?"

"Damn, I forgot how perceptive you were, Olivia," he mumbled before gripping the hand he still held and pulling her back toward her bed, sitting them both down as she frowned at him in wonder. He took both her hands in his and patted them as he took a deep breath through his nose before he murmured, "Torchwood's gone, Nova."

Her eyes widened in disbelief as she breathed, "What? Jack…what do you mean, 'gone'?"

"It was blown up," he replied, looking up at her as she stared at him. "I carried the bomb that blew it up. After that we were on the run."

"Why?" she whispered, tears coming to her eyes again. "Why would anyone…?"

"There's more, Olivia," he murmured when she trailed off. "The government was trying to take out anyone that had anything to do with the first contact made with an alien called the 456 decades ago."

"The 456," she nodded. "That's the one you told me about, right? The one that contacted Earth through a frequency. They…wanted kids. They came back?"

"They came back and they used the children on Earth as communication," Jack confirmed.

"What did they want?" she frowned in wonder and he swallowed again, his eyes glassy as he looked down at their hands again and she felt a tear fall onto her hand.

"They wanted more kids," he replied. "They wanted ten percent of the children of Earth."

"What for?"

"Drugs. The kids were drugs for them."

"But you stopped them, right?" Olivia hoped, feeling his grip tighten on her hands. "Jack, please tell me you stopped them."

"We did," he shuddered. "But it cost us. We figured out how to use one of their own frequencies against them, all we needed was something to transmit it…or rather, someone. They were using children to communicate, so we had to use a child to communicate the frequency back."

"But…a child at the center of that transmission would be—"

"Fried," Jack cut in, making her frown at him, but he only stared at their hands. "I know. The people I was working with knew too. They had my daughter and grandson there." She recalled them from the time Jack had taken her to meet them just as he looked up at her, tears streaming down his cheeks and he shuddered, "He was the only child there, Olivia. I…I killed my own grandson."

Olivia's eyes widened and she stared at him for a moment before pulling her hands from his and shifting closer to hug him again, his arms wrapping around her.

"Oh, Jack, I'm so sorry," she whispered into his ear, hugging him tightly.

"There's more," he whispered back, making her sigh as tears came to her eyes again, wondering how it could get any worse. "Ianto went with me to talk to the 456 at Thames House…but they released a virus into the vents to kill everyone in the building."

Olivia slowly pulled away enough to stare wide eyes at him in terror at what his next words might be, but he kept his head bowed.

"Ianto…didn't make it," he shuddered. "Gwen and I were the only ones to survive all this."

She choked out a sob before hugging him tightly again, burying her face into his shoulder and sobbed uncontrollably as he pulled her close.

When her sobs became silent he buried his face into her hair, shuddering, "It's all my fault. All of it's my fault. My own daughter won't talk to me, and I don't blame her. I've become a monster Olivia. What would the Doctor say now?"

"He'd say stop blaming yourself," she ground out, shoving away from him enough to glare at him and making him frown at her mood swing, although he realized he should have been used to them by now. "He'd say you had no other choice given the situation. Had he been there I'm sure he would've tried to find another way, but he wasn't. You had to make due with what you had, Jack Harkness and that's what Torchwood does. It gets along without the Doctor as best it can."

He stared at her as she stood, taking one of his hands into hers as she sighed sharply, "Now…I think we could both use some tea right now, and you're gonna stay here with me because we need each other right now, more than ever."

He swallowed and stood with a nod, letting her lead him to the kitchen.

Evening...

"I'll be fine, Olivia," Jack insisted, watching her rummage through her linen closet in the hallway across from her bathroom. "I'll stay at a hotel."

"No, you won't," she argued, setting sheets and a blanket in his arms before looking back to the closet for a pillow. "You'll stay on my couch and that's final. God knows what kind of trouble you'll get into if you're left alone too long."

"How much trouble can you get into at a bar?" he shrugged, honestly.

"Oh, you're hilarious," she retorted, slapping a fluffy pillow onto the pile in his arms. "My couch, no bar. You can't drink your sorrows away. Trust me. I've tried it."

"I can't stay on your couch, Olivia," he objected. "I'll stay here, but not on your couch. Trust me, you want me closer tonight."

"Flirting? Seriously? Right now? With me? Do you have no shame?" she shot back, half playful but half serious.

"I'm not flirting, Nova," he replied, honestly. "You can't tell me you wanna go to bed alone tonight. I don't wanna wake up in the middle of the night hearing you cry. It would break my heart."

"You might anyway if you were there with me," she replied, seeing the serious glow in his eyes then frowned in wonder and asked, "Are you insisting because you don't wanna sleep alone tonight either?"

"I'd lie to you, but your damnable perception is gonna see right through me," he shot back. "Don't make me answer that and just put this stuff away, please?"

Olivia smirked before taking the pile from his arms and putting it away as he sailed past her and toward her room. She didn't follow him right away and instead opened a lower drawer in the closet and pulled out a shirt and a pair of boxer shorts then sauntered toward her room only to find Jack starting to strip for bed already.

"Hey," she called, catching his attention just as he was about to drop his trousers. She tossed the things to him and he caught them, frowning at her before she explained, "No naked men in my bed except one, and you're not him. Those are from when you spent the night last time."

"Oh, fine," he muttered, pulling on the white t-shirt as she stepped into the room and pulled her own pajamas from her dresser as he complained, "Tame me, why don't you?"

"You know the rules, Jack," she shot back, standing behind him so that they were back to back as they changed. "No peeking."

"Just so you know, you telling me that just makes me wanna do it," Jack explained, changing out of his trousers and into the shorts she'd thrown at him.

"Fine then," she shrugged before changing her top. "Peek. I dare you."

"Well it's no fun if you give me permission."

Olivia scoffed, shaking her head as she began changing into her pajama bottoms, smirking, "Men are so predictable. Even the ones that've lived for hundreds of years."

"You think so?"

Olivia turned around, hearing the smirk in his voice and gasped, taking a step back when he was standing in front of her, facing her with his most charming smirk.

"I peeked," he shrugged innocently.

"Oh, good," she retorted, making him frown in wonder before she explained, "You've got that out of your system and won't do it again then."

He smirked as he watched her step around him and crawl into bed, snuggling up under the covers before he joined her, wrapping his arms around her and not bothering to pull the covers over himself. He sighed and rested his cheek on her head as she snuggled closer to him, but didn't hug him in return.

"You were right, ya know," she murmured. "I didn't wanna be alone."

"Yeah," he sighed. "Me neither."

"What will you do now?" she wondered, neither of them moving.

"I dunno yet," he admitted. "What about you?"

She thought for a moment before replying, "I think I'll go home. I'll want mom and Aaron to know I'm ok. Wanna come with me?"

"Sure," he shrugged, kissing her forehead before adding, "I could use a getaway."

"Me, too," she sighed, her eyes fluttering shut as sleep easily took her over. "Good night, Jack."

"Good night, Olivia."

A/N: i was gonna describe their time at the club dancng but i think i've done that to death. reviews?