The sky above was an awfull grey that wasn't a strange sight in the early hours of the Cardiff afternoon, heavy clouds covering each inch of it easily and concealing the light blue behind it without a care. The blazing sun tried it's best to shine and break through the barrier that out a damper to its rays but they held fast like a stone wall rather than tint water droplets, refusing to let anything than a small, measly amount slip through to keep the ground soft Cardiff alight for the inhabitants. They did, however, decide to let down their rain in a way of showing the people that they were in charge of the weather today. The lazy pitter patter of rain drops hit the metal of the vehicle and left behind tiny explosions than settled into pools of water, some running along with little trails as they scaled the windows, almost like miniature races of who could get down the blacked out glass the fastest and collect at the bottom of even drip further down to the floor.

In the distance a car splashed through a growing puddle, sending the water splashing. On the other side of tbe road, someone walked with their dog, the animal enjoying itself as it trotted through the rain unfazed. Other people tutted and pulled up their hoods or rushed from shop front to their cars in haste. Somewhere a cat skunk home, keeping its pristine fur from getting even the tiniest bit wet and enjoying the heat of their domain instead. But down in an alleyway, blocked off from the bustling public of the city yet still subject to the light drizzle, a leather shoe dropped into a crater of water which turned out to be deeper than it looked, gulping up the whole shoe and soaking the hem of a navy coat and brown pants.

Jack cursed inwardly as he shook his foot, feeling the water sloshing around in his shoe and wet his sock. He then grimaces, the discomfort sitting in and reminding him of the endless hours in the frontline trenches, feet constantly soaked and in danger of trench foot. Thank god this time he was only in an alleyway and would have central heating when he go home after this. He gazed through the thin rain at his newest finding and the Rift's latest guest. He had no idea what species they were going to be dealing with and when Jack showed up he had never seen the thing before. It was the size of a shaved chihuahua and just as aggressive. Teeth larger that its own head and dribbling more saliva than absolutely necessary and its eyes a deep green.

At first Jack had wanted to laugh, the thing looking ridiculous until it lunged at him, teeth aiming for his neck and trying to chew his head off. Now he was facing it down, gun pulled out and ready to shoot of needed. It growled at him, ears flat back. Then it pounced again and Jack successfully managed to shoot it, feeling a little bad as it tumbled to the floor dead immediately. It had put up one hell of a fight though, Jack had to give it that. Thankfully he hadn't died this time, explaining that to the team would have been embarrassing and the few cuts and scraps had already began to heal. His coat, however, had found itself victim to the razor sharp fangs and had ripped and teared. The rain was just rubbing salt into the coat's wounds. Jack knew Ianto wouldn't be too happy.

Jack cursed, depositing the corpse in the back of the SUV and slamming the boot shut, making the vehicle shake. The splatters of rain hit him head on, the breeze bringing them to him at an angle. It soaked into the material of his great coat and stuck to his hair and face, cold and cruel at it's slow decent. He let out a huff, flipping his collar up and pulling his coat around him slightly. At least it washed the blood and saliva from his skin. Jack had taken this Rift alert alone, leaving his team back at the hub to work on a much more pressing case (their supplies and set up for New Year's) and keeping them out of danger although he was definitely sure the five of them could have taken that naked, alien chihuahua on. He did promise to call if he need any assistance but things had gone to quickly for him to even consider switching on his comm. and he didn't need the embarrassment from any of this.

Jack smiled to himself as he thought about his family, especially the young Archivist. As a team, the five of them were going to have a New Year's celebration to tarnish Jack's horrid connotations with the nice and the murder-suicide of his last team. But him and Ianto had their own plans for the first day of the new 2009. Jack had booked a fancy hotel up in Llandudno for the two to spend a few nights there. He was excited to get Ianto on the beaches at night to watch the stars and maybe try something new. Their things were already placed at home, the team were notified and Gwen was adamant they could handle the Rift for that time but promises to phone if the end of the world was happening. Jack hoped it wouldn't, wanting to spend the time away with Ianto, see the man be fully relaxed and enjoying himself.

Once in the SUV and with the heating on high, Jack cruised through the streets of Cardiff with classicalFM on, enjoying the chorus of string and percussion instruments as he rolled past pedestrians and other cars. His driving wasn't so bad when there wasn't an emergency and he didn't need to rush, the team just couldn't understand that. At least he didn't lean out the window and shoot as he was driving. Jack smiled to himself, his team were chaotic and he loved them dearly. Passing a not too busy Greggs bakery, Jack pulled up, stomach rumbling. Rift alerts meant using a lot of energy and he hadn't had a big lunch. He also had time to buy the group some doughnuts and maybe a coffee, not that he would tell Ianto he had outsider coffee of course. He would die if he did. So, with a small spring in his step depsite the dreadful weather, Jack went into the shop, bought a box of doughy treats, flirted with the cashiers a little, and took his coffee with a thanks.

His journey back wasn't too long, he hadn't even been forced to use the sirens rather than wait in traffic. Jack managed to roll us to each traffic light just as it switched green and he half wondered if were programmed to do that when the Torchwood SUV go near. The immortal wouldn't put it past Tosh to have coded something along those lines. He soon found himself parking in the underground garage, grabbing the box of goodies, and swifting gulping down his coffee. He licked the stickiness off his fingers with his tongue the wipes them on his coat without a worry, even if Ianto would give him a telling off. Jack did like a bossy Welshman, he couldn't help appreciated the Welsh vowels even if they were angry and aimed at him. He shivered a little, the last of the rain clinging to him that hadn't been evaporated by the car's heating and its heated seats (best decision he had made in his opinion.) Jack glanced at the boot as he left, he could clear away the corpse later, give everyone their doughnuts, maybe steal a quick kiss from Ianto.

Jack smiled happily to himself, thinking more about Ianto and his soft lips as he left the garage and headed into the main area of the Hub. Myfanwy screeched from above and Jack looked up, seeing her fly into her brick nest. He kept smiling, the hum of the computers and the rush of water from the tower filling the hub but other than that the place was quiet. No chatter or arguing. Jack took if for the team working super hard, focusing on their tasks to much to talk. They would have texted or called if they had left for a job and lunch had already been eaten (Ianto was good at looking after them) in the boardroom where they spent the time joking about and just being silly. Jack had tried it on with Ianto, coping a feel under the table but the man was on a strict no-sex-at-lunchtime rule. So a Rift alert was out as the predictor had told them it was going to be silent anyway and Lunch was off the table. So the four must have been working.

"I'm back kid! Hope you had a blast while the adult was out but funtime is over, well, unless you fancy something with me but you might have to ask Ianto first." He joked as he called out, smile still on his lips. There was no reply, no snide and disgusted remark from Owen or Tosh giggling or Gwen goading him on or Ianto calling him our for harassment. An uneasy feeling settled in his stomach but Jack tried to quell it, it was unnecessary, his team were adults and extremely capable of looking after themselves. With that thought in mind, Jack dropped the box off at Ianto's desk, mindful of the pile of paperwork he had there. But there was no Ianto standing there making coffee or smiling at Jack or scowling at the mess his coat was in.

He glanced at the catwalk but saw no one in the darkness up above and there was no shadows in the hot house. Raising an eyebrow, the Captain rounded the main area, eyes tracing along the cog door and started up the short staircase. Relief washed over him as he saw someone perched on the tatty sofa they had. It was Tosh

"Tosh! Where is every- Tosh?" Jack stopped at the top of the stairs, fingers curled around the yellow metal that followed another set of steps upwards. His smile was wiped away along with the relief and instead replaced with alarm. A gun was held loosely in Tosh's grip. Her usually steady hands were sitting and trembling violently in her lap, eyes focused on something far away and downcast to the floor. Jack called her name again and she looked up. Her eyes weren't entirely focused and they were red, filled with unspilt tears. Her face was contorted into a grimace, bottom lip quivering as old tears trickled down her cheeks and she took in a shaky breath. She looked a mess, her hair falling our of place from where it was pinned back. Jack's eyes kept flicking from the weapon to her face and back again, completely confused. Had there been a attack but why didn't they contact him? "Tosh? Tosh, talk to me, what's going on?"

"I'm s-sorry-"

"Tosh? What do you mean-" The worrying in his stomach had quickly grown and practically burst as Jack looked around, somehow only just noticing what else was wrong in the room. Slumped at her desk was Gwen, as if she had fallen asleep while working again - it wasn't an uncommon occurrence - with her hands hanging limb at her sides while her head was lying on the desk. Jack swore loudly as he rushed over either three swift strides. His hands covered over her bent back, nothing look wrong apart from the splattered blood and brain matter that dirtier her monitor and keyboard. Gwen's hair was splayed out everywhere, collecting together as long since stopped flowing blood had settled. Some of it had reached the edge of the desk, dripping methodically to the floor silently and creating even more of a mess. It created a similar sound to the rain on the SUV from earlier and Jack shuddered, a few stray bits hitting his boot which he ignored it as his shaking hands reached for Gwen's pulse spot. Although the glassy look in her eyes and the perfect hole in her skull told Jack what he already knew. "T-Tosh- did you-?"

The immortal couldn't bring himself to ask fully, some part of him already knowing the answer to it all. Instead, Jack looked away from Gwen and not at Tosh but rather looking for the rest of his team- his family. His hand flew to his comm. calling Owen and Ianto's names but getting nothing but empty and ominous static back. A super quick search of his office and bunker told him they weren't there so the Captain raced to the Autopsy Bay. His hands curling around the metal barrier stopped his momentum and his eyes fell downwards. "O-Owen…"

The doctor had clearly toppled over the cold railing, he had probably rushed from his area to see what the commotion was about as Gwen- Owen had landed on his front, possibly dead before he even hit the ground. Legs caught on the autopsy table made his body bend awkwardly. A hell of a back ache, some part of Jack's mind thought before he surged down the stairs. Hands shaking even more, Jack found he struggled to think properly as he gently moved Owen with such care so he was in a much more comfortable position. That other part of his brain told him Owen wouldn't feel it anyway but Jack told it to shut up. He then, just for the sake of it, checked for a pulse but there was none and Jack let out a sob. There were three gaping exit wounds breaking up the doctor's back, blood staining his grey jumper, as sightless eyes staring off.

"Jack?" Tosh's scared voice called, sounding far off and lost. Jack bound out of the room to find her rocking in her seat and sobbing with the gun. His heart was hammering and he blinked away tears as he neared the woman. "Jack, I- I'm so so sorry. I really am-" That's when he caught sight of a locket in her palm, the light shining of its silver gleam. His breath hitched as he realised what it was. Object One. The damn thing was back and ruining his life again. Jack held back a sob, memories of Alex and his old team hitting him dead on and making the Captain shudder. He should have had the been destroyed. Now his family was suffering all over again. They were dead. The harsh click of a gun's safety jerked Jack from his thoughts, the weapon now pressed securely to the woman's temple. She let out a sob, it racking through her whole body. The immortal took a step forward, reaching for the weapon. "I'm so-so sorry, it was all just so scary…"

"Tosh-!" He screamed.

The clap of the gun going off was deafening and Jack flinched, eyes wide and hands stretched out as Tosh's now lifeless body fell against the sofa. Fresh blood was soaked up by the material and Jack couldn't take his eyes off the horror and his blood ran so cold he was sure he froze up. He could hardly process what happened, what he just saw and what he missed. If only he had been back quicker or never left or called or- Jack hunched his shoulders, teeth biting into his knuckle. It took him another second or two to be able to move away, mind racing uncomfortably until it told him nothing but Ianto, Ianto, Ianto. Must find Ianto. His Ianto. He needed to find him. He was the only one Jack hadn't seen so there was a small hope, just so small and Jack didn't want to have it ripped away.

Jack rounded the small walkway that hugged the Rift Manipulator and headed towards the Archives, shoes almost slipping on the concrete and body smacking into the massive tower at the speed he moved. He only just managed to said to a stop and not fall face first into the wall when his eyes caught a shape to his left. He couldn't be sure it was anything but Jack turned away, breathing sporadic and panic coursing through him. As he got closer he saw it was a shoe. Ianto's shoe specifically. The fancy oxfords he kept ruining when he went on field missions but refused to wear anything different as they wouldn't match his suits. Jack did like to tease the man about it. But now he dreaded the sight, almost hesitant to even go look. Jack wanted to throw up, earlier's doughnut and coffee threatening to resurface but he forced the bile down and at a crawling pace moved closer and closer. His gaze followed up a leg, tracing the faint grey pinstripes on black until he got to the shallow water edge of the tide pool. Somehow he hadn't noticed just seconds earlier the deep red tainting the clear water, tendrils of the colour swimming in the salt water. Lying in his back was him. His suit jacket open and drenched, so was his light pink with more than just water. Blossoms of blood has appeared, on from his gut and the other higher up and near his shoulder. A hand lay on his stomach, a feeble attempt at stem the blood flow. Jack didn't dare look any higher, too scared. He hadn't been this terrified in a while. He hated it.

A whimper sounded and it Jack only just heard it and knew it didn't come from himself this time. A shocked, hopefully gasp fell from his lips and as quick as possible, Jack was kneeling in the water, not giving a single fuck as his coat or trousers got soaked. Jack knew Ianto wouldn't be too happy but Ianto wasn't- The Captain shook his head, cradling the slightly limp body in front of him. He looked down at the man before him and pressing down on the weak hand, helping stop the blood as it bubbled up again through both sets of fingers. A pained noise came from the man followed by a moan.

"Jack-" He refused to look, eyes welling up. He felt the man's head on his arm move towards him, shallow breathes heating the skin through his sleeve.

"Shh, it'll be okay." Jack said, voice cracking and showing his emotional state rather than the stoic and fearless leader he tried to present as. He always knew the man below him saw through the façade anyway so why bother? Jack did it to keep himself from breaking, that's why. He need to focus and help, he couldn't lose them all.

"J-Jack." Fingers brushed his elbow and Jack couldn't stop himself looking over. The man could always do that, grab Jack's attention as if he was the only one in the room even if he just coughed. Maybe it was the welsh vowels or the cute button nose or the witty humour but Jack always looked at him. Always would.

"It's going to be okay, I promise."

"Jack…Tosh- she's" A shudder ran through the man's body and he seemed to lose track of his thoughts briefly. "Gwen? O-Owen?" Jack felt a minuscule smile curl his lips, he was always thinking about everyone else. He was here bleeding out, hurting and his thoughts were on the others. Jack just scrunched his nose up, pushed down more, and looked at the adorable button nose rather than the man's pained, blue eyes. Jack presses a soft and unsteady kiss to his pale forehead.

"I'm going to help you up, you need to keep pressure on that for me, can you do that?" He opened his mouth, a small nod answering Jack instead so he helped heave up the injured man, apologising sincerely. He was completely wet through, the usually curled hair at the back of the man's head now flat to his neck and his clothes ruined. He wouldn't be so happy with having to replace them. Jack did his best walking him to the garage as quick as he could, the man stumbling with unsteady legs until he was lowered to the SUV passenger seat. With the blinkers on and siren wailing, Jack hurtled down the streets towards the hospital while trying to keep his attention on the man beside. He could see the man was slipping but Jack was going to do his very best to stop it, helping him again to walk into the hospital to where he was taken away by a team of staff.

With Ianto off into safe hands, Jack paced the waiting area with no sign of stopping, hands still trembling and heart going a million miles per hour. Blood coated him, some Ianto's, some Tosh's, some Gwen's, and some Owen's. He would have to bury Tosh and Owen, tell Rhys about Gwen…a quiet sob, which was from him this time, fell and Jack forced himself to reign his feelings in. There would be time for grieving later, Ianto needed him right now. Ianto really needed him. He just had to wait for the doctor to fix him up and he could look after him.

Jack hadn't realised he'd drifted off until a female nurse stood before him, blue surgical mask pulled down from her face and scrubs a little bloodied. He didn't remember taking a seat either but Jack looked into the woman's brown eyes. Jack's eyes searched the woman's face but saw nothing but stress lines and soft expression.

"I'm sorry, sir, your friend he- well, he flat lined twice in the surgery and they just couldn't bring him back the second time, I'm dreadfully sorry." The news rang in Jack's ears, repeating over over again as the lady left with another quiet apology. Jack was glad he was sat down or he was sure his legs would no longer have been able to support him. He turned his head to the side, thumb and index finger coming up to pinch his septum as uneven breathes left his lips and he struggled to bring in enough air. His eyes filled with tears enough so he struggled to see past them and he blinked rapidly to wash them away or let them fall.

"No."

"Rhiannon-"

"No. No, Jack, no. No he's not. Not my brother-" Jack just moved closer, arms wrapping around the shell shocked woman he came to love like family. Rhiannon struggled at first but soon melted into Jack's hold when he refused to let go, hands bunching up in the thick wool of his greatcoat and clinging tight. Jack held her as she sobbed, shaking terribly. He just kissed her head and rubbed her back before resting his cheek on her hair. Light footsteps caught his attention and he saw the curious faces of Ianto's niece and nephew peeking into the room and Jack couldn't offer more than a weak smile. They scampered of at the sight of their mother upset and Jack only assumed telling the kids would be the toughest thing Rhiannon could do. Jack couldn't stay for that.

He couldn't stay on Earth.

The planet was too small.

Jacm stood at the top of a hill, wind whipping his hair about and causing his coat to flap about. This time there was no rain, no tapping of water droplets on shiny, black metal. No unhappy clouds to cover up the sky. Nothing cliché Just four standing stones grouped together before him as the sun set and shone on them in a way that made the grey glow. He felt almost nothing, looking at each of them in ten and reading the names quietly to himself. He already knew the order.

Toshiko Sato, Gwen Cooper, Owen Harper, Ianto Jones.

Jack pulled out his Webley and the item that caused it all, dropping the locket to the grass. It taunted him again with all the heartache it caused. So Jack just cocked his gun and fired, bullet ripping through the precious metal and making the thing explode. The kicked dirt over the piece and holster his weapon, coat pulled tight around him and buttoned up.

His wrist strap beeped and Jack flipped the cover over it, glancing up at the sky which was beautiful gold. A cargo ship would be passing by soon to take him on an unknown journey. Jack's gaze then returned to the stones. He'd failed them all. Failed everyone. He kisses the tips of his first two fingers and lightly pressed them to Ianto's name.

He hadn't told Ianto he loved him. Jack hoped he knew. Hoped they all knew.

But he had to leave now, they would understand.

The planet was too small.