Hi! Thanks very much for all the views, don't forget to rate and review! I'm open to criticism, this is my first fanfic :D

Jack

I'm sitting on my favourite rooftop, the closest building to the plass that's above 40 stories.

I come up here whenever it gets too difficult for me to think around the confines of the day's routines. I'm not a settler, I never have been, and I am determined not to get too used to any real pattern. I know too easily how it can all be ripped away.

I sit here to watch the sun go down. Sunset is my favourite time of day. The sky goes pink, and it reminds me of the Boeshian sunsets, which were almost identical, except the entire sky went pink, instead of just the clouds.

It's been a year since Miracle Day. Gwen, Rex and I had gone back to Cardiff, and started rebuilding the Hub. We found some stashed blueprints among the retrieved wreckage from what Gwen dubbed "Hub Mark 1", and got building. We finished the "Hub Mark 2" about 2 months ago, and it looked almost identical. The only difference is the general lack of coffee machines and computers, because we spent all our funding on the construct itself. We get our new budget next week.

It felt good to be home, or as close to home as can be. It still didn't have the air of the Hub though. There wasn't a smell of filtered coffee and bleach in the air, courtesy of Tea-boy, the tables weren't worn down by the amount of times our sarcastic undead Doctor scrubbed blood off the surfaces, and there were no keyboards with the letters rubbed off from constant use from the ever diligent Japanese genius…

I tried to shake off my nostalgia. I saved these memories for when I felt truly alone. I try so hard to focus on the here and now, and right at this moment, that's Rex.

Rex wasn't adjusting well to immortal life. After the initial shock had worn off, he went on a suicidal streak. I let him; let him get it out of his system. I got no end of grief off Gwen, but I understood why he needed to. After all, I did the same thing. 146 deaths later, Rex came back to the Hub, covered in blood that we weren't certain was his own, and broke down sobbing on the half constructed flooring.

It broke what was left of my heart to see someone so strong act so scared. It made me realise, all those times I lost it, why the team hated to see me cry.

I tried so hard to help him, but Rex isn't exactly "helpable". His response to his moments of weakness was to be twice as arrogant and headstrong as usual. This was fine, if it helps, unless we're Weevil hunting. My neck still hurts from the last time it got bit out, saving Gwen's skin on his behalf.

God I miss Yan. He knew how to catch a Weevil better than anyone else. It was always me and him doing these things. I sit here for a few more minutes, collecting my thoughts, reminiscing in the days before the 4-5-6, when my comm bleeps. It's Gwen, but she sounds strange. The Welshwoman won't tell me what's happened over the comms, just tells me to get back to the Hub. I agree, and with a sigh, I drag myself to my feet, and begin the steady walk down the stairs.

*TORCHWOOD*

"This better be good, Gwen, I was enjoying some me time for a change" I grumble, as the alarms drill in the background.

"Shut up you dozy sod and come over here" Gwen's tone caught my attention. She sounded strained, and stressed. This was what you'd expect of a Torchwood employee, but Gwen never had that problem. I quickened my pace down the stairs to Gwen's desk.

"Gwen, what's wrong?"
"Jack, you really need to se-" Gwen was cut off as an angry Rex stormed into the room. "Is there ANY WAY those sirens could be LOUDER?" He yelled over the alarms, which then decided to turn off, as if to accent his point.
"Well Rex, maybe if you didn't spend all night drinking, the sirens wouldn't bother your hangover." I countered, and was rebuked by a glare that could kill. Good job I was very difficult to kill.

"And now, back to what Gwen was saying before I was rudely interrupted. But first, Rex can you go get us some coffee from the shop?" Part of me just wanted to get rid of Rex so I could talk to Gwen properly, but other than that, by the look on Gwen's face she wasn't going to give us a light job, and I was preparing for an all-nighter.

"No Jack, Rex needs to be here too. This is full team job." Gwen looked like she was about to cry now, and I didn't know what to say. While the "full team" wasn't much, we hadn't worked in one big operation since shortly after Ester's funeral.

"Gwen, do you want to move this up to the board room?"

She nodded, and started packing up the multiple tablets and USBs around her desk.

*TORCHWOOD*

Once we'd settled in the board room, Gwen set up the projector, and started her report.

"At 8:00pm, today, we received a video message from an unknown location, and I can't trace the call from any specific area either, other than it's in the US."
I'm interested now. We didn't actually finish that well last time we were there: while we made sure the Blessing was covered over, we still didn't sort out the source of the problem.

"I haven't seen the video yet, because it was encrypted, and by the time it had finished, you'd already arrived at the Hub, so..."
"Yes, Gwen, get to the point." I push her, and she glares back.

"Well, let me load up the video now Jack, keep your socks on." I tap my fingers impatiently. If this turned out to be some junk, I'll never let Gwen forget it…

Suddenly the screen glares into life. I sit back, and watch as an all too familiar logo fills the screen. It's strange how that simple triangle can fill me with so much apprehension. Slowly, the logo fades, into the familiar face of…

Jilly Kitzinger.

"Hello Torchwood team!" She sounds so fake and perky, all eyelashes and teeth. Oh god, her lipstick sticks when she talked. How much make-up can one woman wear? "I have an interesting proposition for you and, in particular, Jack."
I can tell that the family are desperate if they're calling with a bargain. I grin in satisfaction.

"You see, Mr. Harkness, we in the Family have a small… dilemma. When the Blessing took place, to protect ourselves from someone taking your blood and 'fixing' the miracle, we destroyed almost all of it." I frowned. Why would the Family still be in need of my blood?

"So, getting straight to the point, we need your blood for research purposes. So, the Family want to make a deal with you Jack. If you come to the USA, and meet at the rendezvous point, we will take some of your blood, and in return, we can offer you the one thing you want most, I promise." I practically burst into laughter at this. What the hell could the Family give me that I couldn't get myself? I'm Jack freakin' Harkness. If I have to wait a hundred years, I can get what I need eventually.

"Okay Gwen, I think we're done here," I practically giggle, "I don't have time for half beaten bad guys when there's a world to be saving."

Gwen nods, a grin on her face as well. Jilly's still speaking in the background as she reaches for the off switch.

"We can offer you Ianto Jo-" Jilly is cut off by the sudden stop in the power supply, but I barely notice.

"Gwen, put that video back on right now." I demand, my voice barely above a whisper.
Gwen and Rex look at me with confused expressions. "But Jack, you just told me to turn it off-"

"I know what I said Gwen!" I yell angrily, finding my voice. "Put the god damn video back on!"
Gwen looks at me with a terrified expression, before switching the screen back on, and rewinding the video to where we left off.

"We can offer you Ianto Jones." Jilly smiles a sickly sweet smile, before turning the camera to right, to pan the room. And right there, curled up on a mattress in a pair of blue pajama bottoms, too thin and pale but very much alive, is my Ianto Jones.

I freeze. I can hear Gwen calling my name, telling me something that I can't hear above the ringing in my ears. I can only see Yan, sleeping like a baby on the floor in a cell, too far away from me.

Then it all goes dark, and I pass out.