Here's the third chapter, everyone! I'm sorry it took so long. I was gone for a about a week on a cross-country trip. Hope you enjoy this one. It's a bit shorter than the others because I decided to split the very, very long original third chapter I had written into two smaller chapters.

I now have this story pretty much planned out. I'm estimating this story will turn out to be about six or seven chapters. It should be finished fairly soon. Keep checking back for additional chapters, and please review if you like what you see.

This chapter is most definitely dedicated to DarkAngelPearl who has been my most faithful reviewer from the beginning. Hugs for being amazing!

Chapter 3: I've Been Trying to Make it Home

"Start from the beginning. Tell me everything you know about Torchwood and what I did there."

Alix looked over at Jack in the driver's seat, uncertainly.

"I'm not exactly sure how much I can tell you." She saw Jack's hands tighten on the steering wheel.

"I wouldn't interfere with time! Torchwood protocol prevents it. The only way to travel is the rift. There's no way in hell I could get to it without someone finding out. I've safeguarded this planet for too long to screw everything up now!"

"Jack, I know the rules. I know what the Doctor would…"

"That was me in the beginning; expecting that any moment he would come back for me. It's denial, Alix, and it's going to tear you apart in the end if you can't come to terms with it."

"Stop changing the subject to analyze me. This is about you! You asked me what I know about you and I'm to answer in the best way I know how!"

"I'm going to Retcon myself when you're gone, so it's not going to matter anyway." It came out so quiet that Alix almost missed it. She knew what Retcon was, of course, and he had played on her knowledge of this.

"I want to see you do it! There's no way you would! No way!"

"You wanna put some money on that, sweetheart?" He was back to his cocky, but guarded, attitude.

"If you hadn't noticed, Jack, you're just as much out of place as I am here! I'm the only one – the only one to know where you came from. You won't open up to anyone here because they wouldn't – they couldn't – understand!" Jack shot her a look of masked alarm. "Don't think I haven't noticed. You forget, I know you a lot better than you know me at this point."

"That's fair," he conceded, "but fighting really isn't going to get us anywhere, is it?"

"Not really," Alix agreed.

"Good. So, I propose we call a truce for the time being."

"Fine," Alix spat, holding her hand out for Jack to shake.

"No, sweetheart, that's not how I do things." He pulled the SUV to the side of the road, reaching across the passenger's seat to lock Alix in a passionate kiss. She never resisted.

"Wow," she gasped, breathlessly, as Jack continued driving. Jack smiled,

"You like that?"

"N-no," Alix shot back, failing to hider her surprise.

"Whatever you say, sweetheart. Whatever you say."

"Now there – that's another thing!" Alix yelled.

"What? What did I do now?"

"The whole 'sweetheart' thing. I have a name! It's Alix! Learn it."

"Okay, Alix. Understood."

"Good. Glad we got that cleared up."

There was a moment of silence before Alix decided to attempt some civil conversation.

"How do we have to go outside the city? I really wouldn't know, I've never been to Cardiff before."

"Where you from, then?"

"Chicago, Illinois," Alix recalled, "I'm surprised no one questioned my accent, really." Jack shrugged,

"They're so used to my secrets, they know better." Alix chose not to comment on this.

"So, Alix Edwards, have you been to other planets, seen the stars?"

"I've been there and back again, yeah."

"And you want more, don't you? Hate to stay still for a moment. Feel like you shouldn't be here, right?" Alix didn't answer him, but what he said had hit her hard. "Well, that's how I feel, every moment of the day. I don't belong, I have to slip in somewhere, pretend to fit in. But still, they can all see I don't belong there, whisper behind their backs about me." He paused for a moment. "My question to you is: Can you do it?"

"I don't understand why you're asking me this." A cold feeling came over Alix. She could see where this was heading.

"I'm saying, Alix, that you have to think about what's going to happen to you. What's going to happen if they don't come back? What are you going to do with yourself, with your life?"

Alix wasted no time trying to deter him from the subject,

"Nope. We agreed that this wasn't up for discussion. You realize that you're saying that you betrayed me as well…and Rose – not just the Doctor."

"So what? I'm a bad guy. You act like that means nothing to you!" Alix was surprised at his sudden outburst.

"I know you, Jack! I know you so well, even if you can't believe that yourself. You are not a bad person!"

"Really? Well, if you really know me so well, then tell me why I don't feel like living anymore! Tell me why, no matter how hard I try, I just can't seem to stay dead?" Alix was stunned into absolute silence.

"I'm sorry, Jack," she managed to croak out. "I'm so, so sorry."

Jack regretted his outburst, looking over at Alix to apologize. She just sat there, tears streaming down her cheeks. All this was over him. She was crying for him. All for him.

"Alix, I'm…"

"No, Jack, you're not. You're just…" She wiped the tears away, clearly frustrated. "I don't know!"

"I'm trying my best. Clearly I'm not meeting your expectations."

"I don't know what to say. You're in so much pain, and I can't seem to do anything for you."

"You, being here," Jack admitted, "is doing more for me than you'll ever know."

They drove in absolute silence, then, hands clasped together. They drew comfort from each other as they had so many times in Alix's past, and would do many, many more times in Jack's future.