Timing is everything. Sometimes it's spot on and everything just falls into place. It makes you feel that life is good and that you can handle anything that comes your way. Other times, the timing is completely off and it feels like the universe is out to get you. During the past month, Gwen has only felt the latter.

Just when Jack had a huge fight with his daughter and she left Torchwood, Rhys started talking about wanting to start a family. How could Gwen even think about kids when she goes into work every day with a man who proves that the job and family don't mix?

And because troubles always come in large, overwhelming waves, Gwen had to then deal with the Rift stealing people and destroying families… while Rhys was still going on about starting a family. So naturally that fight escalated into a great and terrible row. All at once the universe piled misery after misery on her.

But the tide ebbed and things improved. Rhys was more understanding of her reservations. With more communication between them, he became quite willing to stick with "practising" for the time being.

But now it was because of too much practising that she had overslept and was listening to a message from Ianto. The group was on the move and needed her to meet them. Gwen swore like a sailor while getting dressed. She was almost out the door with Rhys when her phone rang again.

She answered, "Yes, I know, I overslept, but I'm on my way now!"

"Gwen?"

"Buffy? Um… what... Are you back in town?"

"Yeah, and I'm at Torchwood. No one's here and you're the only one to answer my calls. What's going on?"

Gwen's surprise was turning to anger. "You left this team. I shouldn't tell you anything."

"Gwen!" Buffy yelled. There was panic and anger in her voice. "They're in trouble. Yes, I left, but that doesn't mean I can stop caring about you—that I'll sit back while you could all be dying. So tell me right now if you know where they are!"

"I…" Gwen still hesitated. "How do you know they're in danger?"

"Slayer dream," Buffy replied. "Rhys will probably know what that means."

Gwen sighed. There was no time for demanding answers at the moment. "Uh… I got a call from Ianto. They were going to investigate signs of alien life. I'll send you the info."

The call ended and Gwen texted the address as she got in the car. Rhys was pulling the car out when he asked, "Was that Buffy? What did she say?"

"Something about the others being in danger. And something about slayer dreams? What does that mean?"

"Trouble," Rhys answered. "Big trouble." Gwen was thrust back in her seat as he floored the accelerator.

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Buffy was in a state of panic since arriving at Torchwood and finding no one there. Between Spike talking to her and Gwen answering her phone, Buffy calmed a little. She at least had the sense to grab comms for her and Spike, and also one of Tosh's handheld devices. They didn't know what they'd find when they met up with the team.

Buffy and Spike arrived at the same time as Gwen and Rhys.

"What's he doing here?" Gwen demanded when she saw Spike getting out of the rental car.

"Helping with the rescue effort," Spike shouted back. "Buffy, I can smell explosives that went off very recently. The dust is still settling."

"What? You can smell what?" Rhys asked, but Buffy and Gwen were too focused rushing into the building to fill him in.

There was rubble everywhere, and most of it was still falling. Gwen pushed ahead calling for Jack, Rhys tailing just behind and keeping an eye above her, but Buffy stopped dead in her tracks. It felt like she had been slammed into a wall. All sounds muffled except for the clink of metal and concrete. Then there was a hand grabbing one of hers.

She looked at Spike and things became a little clearer. "Can you put that smelling thing of yours to use?"

"The little Asian woman is this way," he answered after a brief moment. "Those two are making their way to the big boss man."

Buffy nodded and motioned for him to lead the way to Tosh. They scrambled over debris and dodged falling chunks until they saw a hand sticking out from a massive pile with some sort of pillar fallen across the middle. Toshiko was stuck under that pillar.

"Hey, Tosh, we're here," Buffy said as she crouched down and took Tosh's hand. "We're gonna get you out."

"Buffy?" Tosh said with disbelief. "I'm hallucinating."

"No such luck, luv," Spike said as he was observing the pile. "Buff, we're gonna have to do this quick and from two sides. If we lift here it will just crush her."

"Show me where you need me," replied Buffy. With a quick squeeze of Tosh's hand, she stood and went to where Spike directed. In perfect sync they used their super strength to lift and throw away most of the pile and pull Tosh free. The Asian woman cried out in pain. "Tosh?"

"I think my arm is broken," she gasped out.

"Yeah," Buffy said while looking at the arm, "there's no think here. It's really broken."

"What about the others?" Tosh asked.

"Sounds like the Welsh duo is pulling out the captain," Spike said.

"Have you found Owen?" Tosh asked. "He and Ianto took the upper level. Oh god!"

"We'll find them, don't worry," said Buffy. "We'll find Owen."

"The little angry guy?" Spike clarified. Buffy nodded. Spike raised his nose and started looking around. "This way."

Buffy supported Tosh while walking her to an area that looked safer than the rest. "Just sit here, we'll get the others out."

"I can't believe you're really here," Tosh said in a dazed voice. Buffy wouldn't have been surprised if Tosh had a concussion to go with the broken arm.

"Just stay here." She moved quickly to catch up with Spike. They jumped and climbed through an opening in the falling ceiling. Buffy ducked as debris separated her from Spike. She was forced to make a detour before catching up to him. He was moving in to help Owen when she pulled him back. She pointed up at the broken window that Owen was also eying as he was on his back partially covered in rubble. "That falls and both of you could be decapitated."

"I'll just have to be faster than that," Spike replied. "I can take a scratch or two."

"And if you're not careful and that gets your head, you turn to dust, dumbass."

"Buffy," Owen called as he cleared one arm from the debris. The glass and metal slipped a few inches. "I trust you to be careful, yeah. Just be quick, okay?"

"Yeah, Owen, we'll be quick." She looked at Spike and hoped he really could read her mind as he sometimes seemed to do. Together they moved in. The window was too high for her to get it out of the way and thus prevent a possible disaster, so she moved concrete chunks as fast and gently as she could. The window slipped further down. Spike yanked Owen out of the pile and Buffy rolled out of the way just in time. The glass shattered where Owen's head had been just moments before.

"How is everyone?" Owen asked.

"Tosh is injured but alive, Gwen and Rhys were getting Jack, and I don't know about Ianto," Buffy answered.

The floor rumbled beneath them.

"We have to get out of here," Spike said. "I think the others have already got to Ianto."

Another shake dropped more of their floor to the space below. Buffy looked around. "We can get out faster going through there."

Owen looked where she was pointing. "That opens on a fifteen foot drop at least. We'd never make it without breaking…"

But the two superbeings weren't paying any attention to him. It would be only moments before the entire floor collapsed. Spike went out the hole in the wall first. As soon as he landed he turned and waited.

"What are you doing?" Owen asked.

"You're gonna jump and he's gonna catch you," Buffy said as if she was just giving directions to a public restroom.

"Um, hell no!"

Buffy rolled her eyes, grabbed Owen's arm and tossed him down to Spike. She followed with a graceful leap a second later.

"See, nothing to it," she said while Spike was putting the doctor down. There was a loud crash from inside the building. "Let's find the others."

While they jogged to the other side of the building Owen asked, "How's he out in the day?"

"Cloud cover," Spike answered.

Much to Buffy's relief, the rest of the Torchwood team were all coming out of the building.

"Buffy?" Jack exclaimed.

"Hi guys!" she greeted.

All at once Owen was checking on Tosh, Ianto was looking for the SUV, and Gwen was demanding answers from Jack. Then there was a beeping noise from the wrist cuff on Jack's arm.

"Oh no," Ianto said.

A hologram shot out from the cuff; it looked just like Spike but with dark hair and a jacket with braiding. "Ooo, déjà vu. Or did I say that already? Hey, team. Of course, there might be a few less of you by now. Don't know if you liked my little gift. Of course, you can't die. And with all that life, all that time, you can't spare any for me. Not even to hear what happened to Gray. So here's what's going to happen. Everything you love, everything you treasure will die. I'm going to tear your world apart, Captain Jack Harkness, piece by piece. Starting now. Maybe now you'll want to spend some time with me."

"That looked like you!" Rhys said accusingly to Spike.

"What? No!" Spike looked to Buffy, but she only shrugged.

"The resemblance is wigsome."

"Now you know why I punched you," Ianto said to Spike. "You look like twins."

"Well so do Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Javier Bardem, can we move on to the fact that the city is in danger!" Spike said.

"He's right. I'm getting readings of rift activity all over the city," Tosh said. "Major rift flares at St. Helen's Hospital, the Police Headquarters, and the Central IT Server Station."

Gwen's phone was ringing. "Hey, Andy? Okay, I'm on my way, all right?" She hung up and turned to Jack. "This is him, isn't it? This Captain John, or whatever he likes to call himself."

"Jack," Buffy said. "I'm here because things are going to get ugly. We have to stop this guy."

"Why's he doing this, Jack?" Owen asked. "What does he want?"

"That's what I'm going to go ask him. Owen, Tosh, you'll take the hospital. Ianto, cover the Central Server building. If you're willing, Buffy, you can go with Ianto. Gwen, the police station, and take me to Torchwood."

"Jack, these are traps," said Tosh.

"So be careful," Jack replied. "You know what he's capable of."

"What about you?" Gwen asked.

"If Spike came with me, then Buffy could go with you," Ianto said.

"No. This isn't for debate! It will be better for me to talk to him alone. I was the only one who could ever control him. That's why the Time Agency partnered us. Let's move!"

Buffy, Ianto, Tosh, Owen, and Spike all piled into the rental while Jack went with Gwen and Rhys. Getting into the car, Buffy heard Rhys complaining. "Did you just say Time Agency? Don't tell me that's based in Cardiff too."

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"So ghosts in the place that controls everything," Spike said as they walked through rows of computers and wires. "Wonderful."

"You ever deal with real ghosts?" Ianto asked. "Assuming these are real ghosts. Could be anything with the Rift."

"Uh, yeah," Buffy answered. "I've handled a ghost or two before. Was even briefly possessed by one. Not looking to repeat that."

Spike snorted. "You should have seen Angelus after that one. Scrubbing like there was no tomorrow. If I had known I would have blessed the water before he got back."

"Thanks Spike," Buffy said sarcastically. "The city is in danger, there's your maniac doppelganger on the loose, we're hunting ghosts, and you're bringing up my ex's evil alter-ego. Thanks."

"Do I want to know?" Ianto asked.

"No," the two blonds said at the same time.

Spike and Buffy were looking in one direction when Ianto called their attention. At the other end of the room were three hooded figures with scythes. Buffy and Spike would have charged into a fight, but Ianto was in the way and they wanted the figures to make the first move.

"Devils. Blasphemers. Pray to your heathen God, while in the Lord's name we cast you out."

Buffy and Spike shared a look to see how they would jump in against the advancing monks, when Ianto pulled his gun and shot all three down.

"Huh," Ianto said. "There we are then."

"Show off," Buffy said sullenly.

"That's why Jack wanted you to carry a gun."

"Well… I… uh…"

"C'mon, Slayer," Spike said. "Let's see if there are any more for you to beat up."

"I like my weapons more."

"Of course you do." Spike placated her while Ianto smirked.

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After the unpleasantness of being gunned down, Jack woke to the equal unpleasantness of being hung in chains by his wrists. It wasn't the worst way he had ever awoken, but it was up there in the top five.

"Comms and weapons have been removed," John said as he sauntered down the steps, "in case you're wondering. So no chance of rescue."

"This is a little extreme, don't you think?" Jack shot back, not wanting to show any worry and thus give John the satisfaction.

"Oh, what? Suddenly you're anti-bondage?"

"Why are you here?" Jack demanded.

"Well, see, now you're interested in me. It's always the same. Nobody cares until you tie them up. Number of reasons, actually. First of all, you were very rude to me."

"What?" Jack was worried. Something more was at play; Hart was too cool, too occupied with Torchwood equipment.

"Very rude indeed," John went on. "In front of people who barely knew me, you belittled me. I can't let that go."

"You're serious?"

"Second, you have all of time—eternity essentially—and you still refused to spend time with me. After all we've been through together. After all I've done for you."

Jack was fighting to breathe, the stay conscious. "Why did you mention Gray? Where's my brother?"

John hesitated. "You don't realise. Actions, ramifications, ripples in the pond. It's beyond anyone's control. Yours and mine."

"Beyond your control? Please."

"It is. You need to understand that. So, localise the Rift storms, a few short sharp shocks."

Jack panicked as he realised John was going to tamper with the Rift. "Don't touch those controls!"

"Oi! I'm working here." Hart touched his wrist strap and waves of electricity bolted through Jack's body. As he screamed, John kept talking. "If you don't want that again, keep quiet. So, I think I'm ready to find the vantage point. A little power and we're all set."

"Whatever you're planning, we're going to stop you."

John faced him. "Oh. Okay. Go on then, stop me. I hope you can. Really. No? All right, let's go get ourselves a good view."

Once again John used the electric shock to subdue Jack enough to transport them to the top of Cardiff Castle. As much as he tried, Jack couldn't fight the other man and was stuck watching his sick show.

"I can make things right with you," Jack tried.

"You don't understand. You can't ever make this right." He held up his wrist strap. "Attention Torchwood employees. Evening all. Now, stop what you're doing."

"Jack," Gwen's voice came over the comms. "What's going on? Are you okay?"

"Jack can't come to the comms right now, but if you leave a message I'll be sure and pass it along."

"What've you done to him?"

"No, no, wrong question. You should be asking, what am I about to do to you?"

"Put Jack on right now!" Ianto's voice demanded.

"Eye candy! That was so masterful, so bossy, so basically powerless. Get up to the roofs of your buildings. Quickly now, spit spot. Because if you don't… well, you'll miss all the fun. Hold on a minute, do I mean fun or do I mean carnage? I get them confused. Are you running yet? No dawdling now."

"What're you doing?"

"I'm sorry."

"No." It was all Jack could say. He could see the device in John's hands, and he had a horrible idea of what John was about to do."

"Cardiff—isn't it pretty? Doesn't it twinkle so? Take a good look. Remember this because it all goes so quick."

Explosions ripped across the city. Immediately there were screams and sirens echoing over the cityscape.

"You've destroyed the city!"

"Jack, hold me. Hold me."

"What've you done?"

"It's okay. It's all gonna be okay."

Jack was still in shock and only just noticed the part of the Rift opening beside them. "Stop. Get off me."

A.N. And I leave you with that cliffhanger because I am essentially evil. And if you think you know what's going to happen next because you've seen the episode, nope. I've changed things around. From this point on it's all going to be very different. I will try to get the next chapter up by or before the weekend. Feel free to pester me with a review to make it faster.

And to all those who have suggested I fix the upcoming Doctor Who events so Donna doesn't lose her memories, yup, that's gonna happen. Don't worry. I love Donna Noble too much to leave her with her canon ending. Any other ideas?