About an hour later, Jack crept back into the apartment. He just stood there staring around the room for a moment. "Have you cleaned this place?" Jack asked, perplexed, while he threw a packed duffel bag on the couch.

„A bit," Ianto admitted sheepishly while putting the mugs back into the cabinet. „Cleaning calms my nerves."

„Sorry for waltzing off like that. I needed some time to think. Got you some clothes to change into as well," Jack sighed. He'd been circling the levels for a while, trying to make sense of what Ianto had said earlier.

He sat down at the kitchen counter, one foot on the footrest.

„Thank you. And?" Jack could hear the nervousness in Ianto's voice.

Jack sighed as he ran his hand through his hair. "You know, everything you told me about this being a nightmare in someone's head...," he paused, "a lot of what's going on around here would make a lot of sense if this was true."

"I promise I wouldn't lie to you," Ianto implored as he sat down next to him.

"Perhaps it's my turn to tell a story," Jack suggested.

Ianto looked relieved and placed a supportive hand on his arm, which was resting on the counter.

"What do you know?" Jack inquired. He wasn't interested in wasting time on already-known facts.

Ianto thought about it but shook his head. „Not much. You're very private about your past. Just a few bits here and there. If this is the nightmare I think it is, I know you've been travelling with the Doctor,and you got into a battle with a Dalek army. You were shot and killed. The Doctor did something, and you came back to life."

Jack stared at him. „That's not what happened. I was shot at, yes, but I didn't die." He tried to wiggle his arm away from Ianto's soothing touch, but the other's grip tightened and refused to let go.

„You've told me the story a few times," Ianto explained. „Not in detail, but you told me you died the first time being shot by a Dalek. You came back to life and have been unable to die since. You became immortal."

„What do you mean – immortal. That is nonsense. For how long?"

„Forever, I guess?"

„What?"

„I'm sorry."

Jack shook his head, „You seem to be a nice guy, but you're full of crap. I'm not sure when you're telling the truth and when you're pulling my leg."

He got up and started pacing around.

„You don't believe me, alright," Ianto frowned, confused by Jack's reaction. „Maybe you could tell me what happened from your point of view."

Jack stared at him, unsure if it was even worth it to straighten out the facts. If there was really a Jack out there in a coma, he obviously told the young man a lot of bullshit.

He eventually sat back down and began telling his side of the story. „I was travelling with the Doctor and Rose, his companion, and we ended up here on this game station in the year 200.100," Jack explained, waving his hands around.

„Game station? In the year 200.100?" Ianto asked, his eyes wide staring at him.

„Yeah, it's a satellite orbiting earth," Jack added.

„I've never been in space," Ianto whispered in awe, looking around. He had no choice but to believe Jack because there were no windows.

„Pretty normal for a 21st Century boy," Jack laughed. „Anyway, the game station was a multimedia entertainment temple for earth. Thousands of game shows were recorded live to be broadcasted to their audience on earth. Brainwashing the whole population par excellence, I guess, but that's not really important to the story. The whole thing was a ruse devised by the Daleks who used the station to start an invasion. Their goal was to destroy earth and build their empire on the planet. The Doctor was able to destroy them, but everyone remaining on the station was killed. Except for me," Jack paused for a moment. „I guess the Doctor assumed I was dead as well because he left before I could join him."

„He left you behind?" Ianto interjected. His opinion of the Doctor had never been high, but this infuriated him.

„I am sure he had his reasons," Jack said in defence of the Time Lord. „While I waited for rescue from earth, I tried to take care of the dead, putting them in a freezer so they wouldn't rot and, I don't know, could be buried with some dignity later. Things began to get strange after a few days. I started seeing ghosts and horrible screams haunted the station. It was really getting to me. When I finally lost my nerves, the voice you had heard earlier popped up and demanded I become the station's new controller."

„Controller?" Ianto asked, confused.

„Yeah. There was a woman in the Control Center of Floor 500 when the games were still going. She was linked to the mainframe and was responsible for all the game channels running smoothly. Like a conjunction that linked everything together. She'd been set up by the Daleks and got killed during the invasion," Jack explained.

„What did you do?"

„I decided to blow up, Floor 500."

„You...," Ianto stared at him and then laughed. „Of course you did. And? Did it work?"

Jack pondered it for a while. „I don't know. There had been an explosion. But the ghosts... they vanished for a couple of minutes and then came back. They returned and mutated into these zombies that are now roaming the station. So I'm not sure I can say it worked. The ghosts had been annoying, but the zombies are a real pain in the arse!"

„That voice seems to be the key," Ianto tried to piece things together. „Do you know who the voice is?"

„Not a clue," Jack shook his head. „It just likes to mock me. I try to ignore it most of the time."

„It's probably the parasite speaking to you," Ianto nodded. „It's just odd that it has so far ignored my presence here."

„No idea, it boasts to know everything. Nice to see it's wrong for a change," Jack grinned.

Ianto looked at the weapons strewn about the room. „You spend your time fighting zombies?"

„I'm not the kind of guy who just sits around and waits for rescue," Jack's eyes shifted to his harness with the Katanas. „I'd rather solve this problem on my own. There should be around 120 zombies on the station. If I can kill off all of them, I might be able to find a way out of here."

„If not, then what?"

„I'm not sure. I'll find out when I get there," Jack said, evading the question.

„But what if there are more? If they keep coming after you, no matter how many you kill?" Ianto inquired sceptically.

For a few seconds, Jack remained silent. „Keep fighting? What else can I do but hope for things to get better? Without hope, there isn't much left to live for."

Ianto looked at him. „How many times were you killed?" he asked softly, recalling the ripped clothes when they'd first met.

„Do I look dead to you?" Ianto's remark irritated Jack. „And don't bring up the immortality nonsense again. It's just the voice playing mind games."

Ianto pressed his lips together. Jack could be quite close-minded for a guy born in the 51st century.

Jack fell silent; his conversation with Ianto had gotten him thinking about something unrelated to the zombies. Something he saw on the station a few days before.

Ianto watched him for a while. „Penny for your thoughts," he finally broke the silence.

„There is something you said... about your Jack reliving his nightmares."

„At least that's what we think he does."

„I need to show you something. But not today, it's far too late. We should try to get some sleep. I suspect tomorrow will be a long day."

Ianto suddenly became aware of how tired he was. He stifled a yawn. How long had it been since he arrived?

They stood in front of their rooms before retiring for the night, and Ianto felt a little awkward. The desire to be wrapped in Jack's arms and spend the night with him was intense. He had to remind himself that this was not his Jack and he shouldn't assume his feelings were returned. Ianto settled on a small gesture, leaned forward and gently kissed Jack's lips. „Good night, Jack. See you tomorrow," he said and vanished into his room.

Jack just stood there and stared after him, his fingers softly touching his lips where the kiss still lingered. What a kiss! It had been a soft kiss, but it felt like a jolt of electricity shot through his body, leaving his skin tingling.

Jack grinned and retreated into his sleeping quarters.

„Good morning, handsome. What a lovely smell of coffee in the morning!" Jack greeted Ianto, who was standing at the kitchen counter, preparing a little breakfast with toast and coffee. Jack padded closer and reached over his guest to grab one of the freshly roasted toasts.

„Jack!" Ianto stifled a laugh when their bodies touched. „Get some clothes, you gonna catch a cold!"

„Not with someone as hot as you in my vicinity," Jack flirted and bit into the toast with a crunch.

Ianto managed to turn around, and his pulse quickened because they were so close. Ianto was dressed in pyjamas and a shirt, but Jack was as naked as he'd expected.

„Do you mind?" Jack asked softly, referring to his lack of clothing.

„Not at all," Ianto replied, his breath catching. Then he reached out and pulled Jack closer. Their lips met in a clash of teeth, tongues hungrily searching for an entry. Their kiss intensified, and Jack appreciated that Ianto seemed to know him. This wasn't a kiss from a stranger but someone who knew him intimately. He felt arousal growing in his groin, and a moan of pleasure escaped his lips when suddenly, piercing flashes of blue and white shot through his vision, pressing into his skull. Not painful but incredibly intense. He gasped and pulled away.

„Don't stop," Ianto panted, disappointed when they both tried to catch their breath.

Seeing Ianto flushed like this was highly seductive. Dismissing the strange sensation, Jack leaned forward, and their lips locked again. When their tongues danced around one another, and he started to lose himself in the kiss, he shoved one hand into Ianto's pants to push them down, his fingers trailing over soft skin. Ianto's hands were roaming over his arse and up his back, their light touch leaving goosebumps in their wake. While he enjoyed the sensation, the piercing flashes returned.

An intense wave of emotions, a mix of desperation, fear, longing and desire, was shooting through his body, causing him to gasp. In surprise, he opened his eyes, but instead of seeing Ianto's eyes, he saw more blue and white lights. After a few seconds, he realised what he had seen. He jumped back in surprise, and everything vanished. He stumbled back, tripped over a chair and landed hard on the floor. Ianto stood where he'd left him, panting and trying to regain his composure.

„What happened?" Ianto asked, confused, as he tried to get his emotions under control.

„I saw... I was...," Jack stammered, completely shaken by what just happened. He clutched his head with his hands in a vain attempt to stop his mind from spinning. He could feel Ianto crouched beside him, a reassuring hand on his back.

„Jack, get off the floor. Let me help you on the couch."

Still shaken, he allowed himself to be led over to the sofa, where he sat down, dazed. Ianto put a mug of hot coffee in his hands. „Drink that. It helps you clear your mind," Ianto said as he sat next to him.

„Were you in pain?" Ianto asked, concerned.

„I'm not sure if I can call it pain," Jack said quietly, one hand still pressed against his head. „It was so intense. I mean... we only kissed, but the emotions I felt were completely overwhelming."

Jack raised his head to meet Ianto's concerned gaze. „I would congratulate you on your amazing kissing skills, but I think something else caused this...," his agitated mind began to form a theory.

„I'm sorry, I shouldn't have kissed you," Ianto started apologising.

„No, Ianto, don't! This was important," Jack started to get excited as he realised what this strange encounter probably was.

Jack placed both hands on Ianto's shoulders and looked him in the eyes. „When we kissed I saw glimpses of the Control Room."

Ianto frowned and stared back at him, puzzled.

„On Floor 500."

Finally, it hit home, and Ianto's eyes widened.

Jack nodded. „I believe I know who got the job as the controller for the voice."

„But how did you..." Ianto wondered. „You think my Jack is up there?"

„I'm not sure, but it fits with another theory I've had since last night. Remember how I said I wanted to show you something? Eat your food and drink your coffee. We are going on a trip."

After finishing breakfast and finally getting fully dressed in comfortable shirts and jeans, Jack gave Ianto a few more instructions before they left.

„I need you to arm yourself. Pick one of my spare swords and a pair of knives. If we run into zombies, I won't be able to fight for the both of us, you'll have to lend me a hand. Use the sword to decapitate or stab one of the knives through the eyes into the brain. Do both if you have enough time. Maybe your crazy story about me being immortal is true, but I guess you're not. So we should try to not get killed," he told Ianto as he slipped his sword harness over his leather jacket.

„Fought all kinds of strange creatures in Cardiff since I work for Torchwood. Never used a blade on them, but I think I understand the basics," Ianto told him.

„Have I told you I've been there before? Lovely place, Cardiff. Aside from the earthquake." Jack paused, a sentimental expression on his face. „I've been there with the Doctor and Rose."

„You miss them."

„Very much," Jack cleared his throat and changed the subject. „You have to make sure you sever their heads. Doesn't require much skill. See?" he made a forceful horizontal cut through the air.

Ianto nodded and repeated the motion with the blade. Jack was pleased to see Ianto was a quick study.

„Let's go," Ianto said eagerly, fastening his sword on his belt.

Ianto took his surroundings in for the first time as they walked through the deserted corridors. When he'd arrived the other day, he had been so focused on Jack and the fact that the Mind Mesh had worked that everything else had been a blur. The corridors were narrow and dark—a stark contrast to Jack's living quarters. Jack had told him the station had been used to entertain the Earth's population. Bread and Circuses in the year 200.100. He'd have thought humanity had progressed past falling for such cheap tactics by that point.

When they arrived at the lift, the claustrophobic corridor opened up. It was located in a large hall. Many corridors branched off from this point. The floor number was written in large letters on the wall above the lift doors: 056

„Where are we going?" Ianto asked curiously.

„Way up to Floor 350, but I want to show you something first. Our first stop is on Floor 139," Jack said mysteriously, smiling.

When the lift doors opened, they stepped into another hall full of food stands and restaurants. All of them abandoned as if the people had left in a hurry - which was probably what had happened, Ianto mused. Half-eaten dishes were still on the tables, and the air smelled of rotten food.

„Sorry for the smell," Jack apologised sheepishly.

They heard shuffling and other undefined noises in the distance. „Sounds like we have company on this level. Be careful," Jack advised.

They crossed the hall, and Jack opened a nearby door. Quickly scanning the large hall to ensure no one was following them, Jack pushed Ianto into the room and shut the doors.

Ianto just stood there staring.

„The observation deck on our floor is damaged, so I wanted to bring you up here," Jack explained with a smile, but Ianto didn't seem to hear. He took a few steps closer without taking his eyes from the huge quartz glass windows.

„This is bloody amazing!" he exclaimed in awe. The vast space in front of him was incredibly black, and he'd never seen this many stars in his life! But nothing could compare to the blue planet in front of him. Okay, it wasn't as blue as the earth of his own time, but the sight was still incredible.

Jack stepped up next to him. „I've seen a lot of planets in my life, but the earth has always been the prettiest." Ianto felt the other's arms wrap around him, pulling him closer.

„So beautiful. Thank you for showing me," Ianto leaned into Jack's embrace and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. Jack's face lit up with delight.

They just stood there for a while, taking in the tranquillity and the breathtaking view.

„Unfortunately, the rest of the day will not be as breathtaking," Jack said. Ianto looked at him questioningly.

„You really need to tell me what you have in mind, Jack, " Ianto said. „Stop being so secretive."

„It's about your medic's theory regarding the nightmares."

„Owen got the idea from monitoring Jack's brain waves," Ianto stated.

„A few days ago I took a look around on Floor 017. Never been there before. That level is different to all the others. I counted at least a hundred cube-like rooms. Some of them empty, most of them... not."

„What is in them?" Ianto wasn't sure if he wanted to hear the answer.

„Nightmares. A different one in each room. I only looked into a few of them, then I had enough. I assumed they were projections of my nightmares, even though some of them I didn't recognize. According to what you said, I guess they are not only mine but also his."

„What do you mean a nightmare in each room," Ianto failed to grasp the concept.

„If none of this is real," Jack said, motioning around, „it's probably something metaphorical? Each room represents one of my nightmares. Continuous replay. All at the same time."

„The parasite feeds from negative emotions. With everything Jack's experienced in his long life, there are so many nightmares for the parasite to feast on. Indefinitely..." Ianto's voice lost its strength when he realised what this meant. „We need to find a way to make it stop!" Ianto begged, grabbing Jack's leather jacket sleeves.

„Ianto," Jack tried to calm him down, grabbing his hands and prying them free from his jacket. „We'll find a way."

Ianto returned his gaze to the massive glass window, attempting to calm himself. „Show me the rooms. Perhaps we can put a stop to it where it happens."