"How long has it been?" Ianto handed out mugs of coffee to the team and sat down.

"Longer than I thought, I thought he was just taking them through and then coming back. What's taking him so long?" Gwen sipped her coffee.

"Maybe something's gone wrong" Ianto sighed. "Tosh, are you still getting readings?"

"Not from that node, no. The main rift is still very active. I can't get to Jack either so I'm guessing he's still on the other side."

"I hope he's alright and nothing is going wrong!" Gwen sipped the rest of her coffee and sighed.

"We all need to stop worrying! Jack will be fine; he was before we came along!" Owen got up and checked his watch. "It's 7 o'clock. I'm going home."

Uther paced, torn between choosing the right thing for Camelot and the right thing for himself. He had listened to each member of the court's opinions, and had decided that Jack was a sorcerer, there was no doubt about it, but there was something about him that was different, truthful. He was a good man and Uther knew it, but he couldn't let Camelot see that he was becoming complacent with sorcerers. The warning needed to be upheld. He turned to the court and sighed, "Jack is a sorcerer, and there is no doubt about it. He shall be tried for practicing magic within Camelot and executed at sunrise. Send the order for him to be brought here to hear the charges."

Merlin's heart dropped. Jack was doomed, and stuck here in a world that was as alien to him as Cardiff was to Merlin and Arthur. He gulped back an anguished sob and looked across at Gaius, who was staring at his feet. One of the members of the court slowly walked to the doors and they opened. Several tense, slow minutes later, Jack was dragged back in, looking broken and hurt. He had a large bruise forming on his face. Anger bubbled up inside Merlin; the guards had taken the opportunity to hurt Jack, hurt the kind, considerate captain who had helped him and Arthur and without whom they would still be missing. He looked over to Arthur and saw that his face was set in a hard mask, but his jaw was jutting slightly and anger flashed in his eyes when he saw how roughly Jack was being handled. Jack was thrown to the floor in front of Uther and he sat, panting heavily and staring at the floor. This time the guards didn't bother restraining him; it was obvious Jack wasn't going anywhere.

Gwen stopped in the huge doorway to the hub and turned. "Ianto, want a lift home?"

Ianto looked up from the papers he was picking up from the floor. "No, it's okay. I'm going to spend the night here, in case anything happens. Plus Mafanwy needs feeding."

"Okay then, if you need anything just give me a call."

"Okay. Want me to keep the lights on then?"

"Yeah, but you can turn the outside ones off."

"Okay then, Bye, Ianto" Gwen smiled, waved and left the hub, touched by Ianto's devotion to Jack and all things Torchwood.

"Jack, I'm so sorry" Arthur leant on the door to the dungeon, watching through the grilled bars at the captain, who was sitting in the hay and chewing on a piece.

He looked up. "It's okay; I understand why your father wants me gone."

"He didn't even let you justify yourself!"

"I know, I wouldn't have been able to though. Some things are inevitable." Jack sighed. "It isn't your fault, I want you to know that."

Arthur sighed. "I feel like it is though, if I hadn't come, if I hadn't gone through you would be okay."

"But you wouldn't have Merlin." Jack raised one eyebrow, making Arthur snort with laughter. "Honestly, it's going to be okay. I have a secret other than magic. Uther isn't going to enjoy this one!"

Arthur looked up. "What do you mean?"

Jack smiled. "You'll see."

Arthur smiled and left the dungeons, pondering what Jack meant.

Sir Leon felt bad, the guilt swirling inside him and twisting and untwisting his stomach in uncomfortable knots. He gulped as he descended the stairs to the dungeon.

"Hey" He leant on the door in the same fashion as Arthur had done before.

Jack looked up and sighed when he saw who it was. "Hey"

Sir Leon sighed. "I'm sorry, this is my fault."

"You don't say."

"Look, I know I was irate, and rallied for you to be prosecuted, but I'm under scrutiny. I'm scared, and we all do things we don't mean to do when we're scared"

"You don't have to apologise, or explain. What's done is done. Don't feel bad."

"I won't be able to."

"You are a knight of Camelot; it's your duty to protect the kingdom. I'll be okay, and I won't blame you."

Sir Leon sighed again. "I'm so sorry, Jack, you know, I was jealous. You just controlled that thing, and you stayed so cool, so calm. I wish I could be like that."

"It takes practice. I've seen things that are way beyond your imagination, been to places you would never believe exist. I've seen people die, seen people live, and seen whole other worlds created. It comes with experience, and experience comes with time. And I have a whole lot of that."

Sir Leon listened, interested in what this, he was sure he was, crazy man had to say. "Really? You've seen all that?"

"I've seen it all with my own two eyes. I've lost people along the way, too, and they've lost me I suppose."

"Wow" Sir Leon breathed, he thought highly of this 'captain', as he liked to call himself. He yawned. "I've got to go. Training in the morning."

"Better than an execution" Jack picked up a handful of hay and watched it as he let it fall back to the ground. "Not that it will affect me, much. I'll be pulling off a surprise for Uther."

Sir Leon turned back. "What?"

"Oh, you'll see." Jack looked up and laughed. "Don't look so worried, nobody's gong to die!" With that, he turned his back to the door, leaving Sir Leon confused by what Jack had said. He's insane, he thought to himself.

Night gradually bled into day and the sun gently peeped over the horizon, staining the deep blue sky with orange and red and yellow, reflecting the colour in the few streaks of cloud that hung in the sky and glowed brilliantly. Just above the sun, the shining fleck of light that was the morning star looked down upon the sun's rebirth into the day. Jack was lead from the dungeons to a large set of gallows that had been set up in the courtyard. A crowd of villagers had gathered around it, and Uther stood on a balcony, Arthur by his side. They both wore sombre expressions. Jack stood as a hooded executioner put the noose of the rope around his neck, his heart beating fast inside his chest.

"This man, Mr Jack Harkness, has been tried and found guilty of practicing magic. In accordance with Camelot laws, he must be executed." Uther's voice rang out. Jack looked up and met his eyes, and he flashed a smile and a wink, sending a ripple of laughs and murmurs through the assembled crowd. Merlin watched in amazement at Jack's seemingly happy mood. He jostled with the crowd, as people moved for a better view. Uther just glared and held his arm up, and straight. Jack looked at Arthur and held the gaze until Uther's hand dropped and the floor fell away from beneath his feet, and everything went black.

Arthur winced as Jack dropped and swung, limp and lifeless from the rope. Merlin had winced at the same time, and forced himself to look back up at the gallows, where the rope was still swinging like a pendulum. Arthur turned away. The look Jack had given him had sent chills rippling up and down his spine, and he watched in anticipation. Jack had said something was going to happen. His thoughts were broken by a hand on his shoulder and he looked up to see his father. "Arthur, you know it had to be done, son."

"He was a good man, a true man. He saved my life, father, and this is how you repaid him?"

Uther opened his mouth to speak, but before he could a scream rang out from the crowd followed by more. Uther and Arthur looked down to see Jack's body spasming and jerking on the rope, legs kicking and arms flapping and he was trying to pull the rope from around his neck. His face was slowly turning red and tingling with blue from the lack of oxygen. Jack's eyes were open and he was opening and closing his mouth like a fish gasping for water. He was alive, but slowly dying again.

"How…that isn't possible!"

"Sorcery!" Uther shouted and at that moment the rope snapped, sending Jack hurtling to the floor.

Ianto woke up in the darkened hub; the hairs on his neck were standing on end. He shivered and pulled the blanket further over himself and shivered. There was an uncomfortable feeling in his stomach, but somehow he managed to fall back into a light, discontented sleep.

Jack ripped the noose from around his neck and gulped the air, letting it fill his lungs. The ringing in his head slowly ebbed away and he shakily got to his feet. He looked up and noticed the group of villagers, who were watching him, wide eyed with fear. He smiled and held his hands up, like a gymnast finishing a routine. "Ta-daa!"

"Jack!" Merlin rushed forward after a moment of awkward silence. "What, how did you do that?"

Jack sighed. "It's something…I can't explain it, it just happens." He rubbed his neck, where a pink line showed where the rope had been. He winced. "That's going to bruise."

"I don't think it really matters. Uther's coming by the way."

"Jack Harkness!" Uther's voice rang out in the almost silent air. The king came to a stop a few inches from Jack and had a face like thunder. "What is this?"

"This? This would be me, sire, and this is some rope. It's a bit broken though, sorry."

"Don't play your games with me. You are to follow this man now, and this time don't play any of your tricks." Uther called over a knight and after much shuffling, Sir Leon came forward, carrying a bow and arrow. He shot Merlin an apologetic look and came to a stop by Uther. He nodded to Jack and led him to the centre of the courtyard. Jack sighed and stood whilst Sir Leon backed up nocked in an arrow. Jack knew what was coming and held the knight's gaze as he raised the bow. Jack shifted position and shrugged wordlessly. Sir Leon shut his eyes and released the arrow.

The arrow hit, the twang of the bow seemingly echoing in the silence. Jack looked down at the arrow that was now embedded in his chest and looked up, catching Uther's gaze as he collapsed to his knees. He winked before his eyes glazed over and he fell to the floor with a dull thud.

Nobody moved for a few minutes, and all eyes rested on Jack's motionless body. Sir Leon cautiously moved forwards and rolled it over. The arrow had snapped in the fall, but the shaft still lay deep in his chest. Jack stared starkly up at the sky. Then, suddenly, Jack gasped, sending everyone backing up. He sat up and noticed the arrow. "Oh, that's new, better take that out" He murmured to himself, gripped the shaft and yanked it out with a horrible sounding squelch. He gave a half gasp half moan of pain before falling backwards and lying still and motionless once more.

"Erm…" Sir Leon broke the silence. "I don't think you can kill him, sire."