Do I really need to remind everyone the characters belong to BBC but the story belongs to me? Any copywrite infringement was purely on purpose. Also a special shout out to my Beta, Rachel, without her none of this would ever make any sense it would be all jumbled around. Thanks Rachel for straighting out my messes. :) Now enjoy the story.
Jack drives back to the hub, parks the SUV gets out and leads Lois to the door. It seems to take forever to go through all the new security protocols but they finally gain entrance. Once inside Martha is there to greet them.
Martha walks up to Lois and hugs her. "Lois I am Martha, good to finally meet you. Look I'm sorry that Unit could not do more for you. We did try."
"It's good to meet you, and that's okay Martha I knew what I was getting myself into."
"Looks like Jack here," she motions toward him, he is still standing behind Lois, "wants you to work for Torchwood."
"Yes the Captain was kind enough to boost me out of prison and bring me here." She laughs.
Harkness steps up from behind her, about to respond with a sarcastic answer but instead stops. He looks around the hub and sees that several changes have been made. The confusion rolls slowly across his face. Martha notices it and immediately calls for Alonso.
"Let me get Alonso back up here." She taps her ear and seems to be speaking to no one in particular. "Alonso, we have company, can you come on up here and say hello." Martha hears a response and nods tapping her ear again. "Come on Lois let me give you a tour of the place." Martha takes Lois by the hand, leading her further into the hub and starts showing her around.
Jack is still standing at the entrance looking around trying to figure out what was going on. It all starts to look a bit more familiar, as he continues to peer around the room shadows from the past begin to form. His demons have returned to haunt him. He can see Gwen talking on the phone and judging by the way she is giggling it must be Rhys. He looks over at Tosh's terminal to see her busy working away at some program as Owen spins around in his chair after finishing a video game. He then stands and walks over to Tosh and starts telling her some off color jokes that make her blush. Then Jack sees him, Ianto, bringing everyone a cup of his wonderful coffee. He can still smell the aroma floating in the air. He takes some comfort in the familiarity, the mundane, the everyday routine that he misses so much. Then without warning a sharp brutal pain hits his chest as if someone has taken a knife and plunged it into his heart, the guilt repeatedly stabbing him over and over again. Why does he always have to watch everyone he has ever loved, die? Why must he live? He is so wrapped up in the shadows Jack doesn't see Alonso come running up the set of stairs that lead from the lab. Al sees Jack, not knowing what is happening to him, runs up to him planting a big kiss on his lips.
Jack watches as the shadows quickly wisp away throwing him back into the present. The shadows are gone but the pain remains and he's suddenly realizing Al is kissing him. He returns the kiss. "Wow, what was that for?" Jack smiles.
"I missed you, that's why. As you can see, I've been very busy. Unit has finished and I have been cleaning up their mess. I removed a lot of the tech stuff, much of it was redundant and besides it drains our systems." Al doesn't see the turmoil hidden behind Jack's smile.
"It looks so very similar to what I remember." Tears form in the corner of his eyes, the waves of memories lapping at his mind, the guilt still beating in his chest. Only half listening as Alonso begins telling him about what he has done, sounds of pride in his voice.
"Well I didn't see any need for so many high tech devices, felt so impersonal. I took out that huge wall screen since we already have one in the conference room, and here it would just be a distraction. Then I set up the terminals in a configuration similar to what they were, but the screens are updated as is the rest of the equipment. I think everyone should have their own terminal, helps give a feeling of privacy. It also has the advantage of running different programs simultaneously. " Al chatters on for several more minutes before Jack sees an opportunity to interrupt him.
"You did this all for me didn't you." Jack looks over at him cocking his head sideways as his eyes sparkle.
"I saw your reaction when we first entered. You weren't expecting all shiny polished and new. I could tell you longed for the old hub so I wanted to give you a piece of it."
"This is wonderful Al, it looks and feels much more like home now." The pain in his chest eases.
"Speaking of home, I have something else to show you." Al takes him by the hand and leads him up to the 2nd floor platform much of it as it was before with a long conference table at one end and his office at the other. The shadows appear once again and Jack can see them all sitting around the table going over some case, each taking a turn to present. Jack snaps out of it and looks over to see Alonso as he walks to the back of the office and presses an ordinary looking button that's about half way up the wall. Al watches and waits as a floor panel slides open to reveal a set of spiral steps. "Come on follow me." Excitedly he leads him down the stairs as they descend the floor panel above them closes. Jack isn't sure what too expect, so he follows along quietly. Al reaches the bottom of the stairs and turns on the lights and the room is then revealed. Jack looks around the room. It was very similar to the room at his flat, small desk, bed, armoire, shower and toilet, but this was very different in one major way. The walls surrounding it are made from glass, and when the lights are turned on it illuminates the bay around it. The bay is still extremely dark, but the reflection of the light off of the water fills the room. It dances around the room like light bouncing off a mirrored ball. Jack is filled with amazement and awe. Al moves in closer to him as they both gaze at the wonderment, while they are admiring the effects, something massive swims by.
Jack taken by surprise shouts, "What was that?"
Al calmly answers him, "They aren't exactly sure what it is, Martha said it came through the rift a year ago and took up residence in the bay. He seems to be mostly harmless. They started feeding it really not knowing what to do with it. They have been able to keep it close by, ever since they found out it have a strange addiction to Jellied Babies. They call it Liung, the Chinese word for dragon."
Jack raises his eyebrows, "Interesting, how do they know it's harmless?"
"Well it seems too only eat aquatic life; fish, vegetation, fowl. Fortunately they have never seen it even attempt to go after a human, so they are assuming we are not in his diet plan." They both laugh. "Your day has been quite busy, why don't you lie down on the bed, relax a little."
"Only if you will join me." Jack uses his most irresistible flirtatious smile.
" As if I could say no to that."
They both lie on the bed side by side not saying anything for several minutes then Jack speaks.
"I am curious how things are going for you, I know you are such a long way from home. Do you have any desires to return there?"
"None. I have never felt more at home than I do now. It's like I have been away a long time and now I am finally back. The people are great, the place is fantastic, and then there is you. When I am with you my heart soars, I feel as if we are old souls who, after a long time apart, are finally able to be together."
"I don't understand why, but I also feel as if we have known each other for what seems like centuries. Sometimes it even scares me."
Surprised at Jack's comment Al asks "Why is that?"
Jack stops and thinks to himself. Yes why is that, what am I so afraid? Why am I so frightened? This man lying next to me is wonderful, he's so easy to love and he accepts me for who I am, flaws and all. He asks few questions and trusts me completely. What more could I ask for? There is nothing more but I could give more. To begin with I should stop hiding behind my fears and tell him the truth.
He rolls over and leans on his elbow. "Alonso I haven't been entirely honest with you. I have kept a few things from you that you should have known before I brought you here. You know I told you of losing my friends, my family, and my lover, but what I didn't tell you about was my history with those I love. Death, feeling cheated, is always lurking around me trying to avenge itself and because of this all of my relationships seem to end in tragedy. I suppose I am reluctant to talk about it and I shouldn't be. It's just the dread of waiting for the inevitable to happen and having to deal with the sorrow, misery and heartache that follow when it does. I am not sure how much more I can take. At times it's unbearable!"
Before Jack can say anything else Alonso leans up and kisses him. "Jack sometimes you talk too much. I don't care about past lovers, cheating death, or bad endings, all I care about is you. I came here to start a new life with you, in this time and in this place, so whatever happens from this point on is just icing on the cake. Good or bad we will tackle it together. I don't plan on going anywhere any time soon. Now shut up undress and let's see how well this mattress holds up under pressure." He smiles the most wicked of smiles. Jack feels a growing warmth inside him, and he can't believe how lucky he is. Its times like these that make the unbearable, bearable.
Now, look down the little button is still there, so easy to click on it, just use the mouse to slide the pointer on top of it and press the left button down. Then just type away. What do you think, if you think, push those keys! :)