Eight Months Later
In Cardiff Bay, near the waterfront and not far from Mermaid Quay, three large warehouses stood alone, away from the busy docks and industrial parks of the city. They had been abandoned for years, cut off from the rest by the recent redevelopment of the bay and from the outside, it seemed like nothing had changed. Inside however, it was a very different story.
Jack had got back in touch with UNIT and the government, no longer a target now recent events had died down, and made clear his intentions to rebuild Torchwood from scratch. He was still understandably wary of them after their attempts to dispose of him and his team but he had given them enough information to ensure they provided the much-needed money to get up and running again. Since they had destroyed his last base, they could hardly complain at covering the cost of his new one, something that proved rather expensive indeed. The warehouses had seemed a perfect place to start. Rather than being the empty shells they appeared from outside, inside they contained everything Torchwood needed to function properly. Two contained the archives, storage and vaults with basements underneath to house the most dangerous artifacts. While the last contained Jack's office, workstations, a boardroom, a medical bay and morgue and an extensive kitchen. Jack had even had a new bunker built into the floor of his office but he had chosen not to move back in, having become accustomed to his highrise flat with Ianto. He had a feeling he would be lonely on his own there now, and it had never been used except on a few rare occasions of late all-nighters at work, and even then, not always alone.
In short, after everything they had all been through, things were beginning to get back to normal... despite a few differences here and there.
Now, Jack stood at the railings outside his office, looking down at the rest of the main hub sprawled out beneath him and he couldn't help consider everything that had brought him here, to this point. All the lives he had led, all the friends he had loved and lost, all the years lived alone, waiting for the life he thought he wanted until, one day, when it finally arrived, he realised everything he wanted, he had already found it here on earth, in this in this busy, primitive city thirty centuries before he had even been born. Then he had lost everything, but now... now he had it all back and he would never let it go again, not ever.
Jack was frowning, so lost in thought and memories that he didn't notice Ianto's light footsteps, or the scent of fresh brewed coffee wafting up from the mug in his hand till he cleared his throat lightly, jogging Jack out of his revere and almost making him jump.
''Ianto!'' he exclaimed, surprised.
Ianto handed him a mug apologetically. ''Sorry, didn't mean to startle you'' he said, flashing Jack a slight smile. ''Is everything alright?'' he added, a little concerned. ''You seemed a little distracted.''
Jack turned, pulling his mind from the past to focus on the present instead. ''What? Oh, I was just thinking'' he explained, assuring Ianto he was OK. ''Everything's fine, really.''
''You sure?'' the Welshman checked, knowing how often Jack hid his problems but the Captain nodded.
''I'm sure'' he promised, suddenly smiling. ''For the first time in as long as I can remember I'm not alone anymore. You're immortal now too which means I won't ever have to lose you again, we can spend eternity together, as long as that's what you want.''
Jack knew eternity was a long time to ask for but he didn't think he could manage without Ianto, not again. And a part of him knew Ianto would never leave him, not so long as Jack wanted him by his side. And of course, he was right.
''I do, believe me'' Ianto assured him dreamily. ''I really, really do.''
''So do I'' Jack grinned, his voice sincere as he stared into Ianto's eyes, the bright blue of his own meeting his lover's softer gaze. ''And you know what? It's the best feeling in the world.''