Sleeping Beauty ; Chapter 5

Jack moved around the room. "Nothing's changed. I still don't love you."

"You will…in time."

Jack shook his head. "No, I won't. I'll hate you more with each passing day."

"You are such a drama Queen!" John shrugged. "Love, hate, it's all the same."

Jack sat down at the table, his hands clenched in front of him. "This will never work."

"We'll see, Jackie Boy. We'll see."

Jack stared out of the window. He was a million miles away…literally.

TWTWTW

Owen watched as Ianto tentatively opened his eyes.

"J-Jack?"

"Not here, mate, sorry."

"W-where is he?" He tried to shake off the feeling that his head was full of cotton wool. It hurt.

Owen looked at Gwen. "Not sure."

"Tell him, Owen," said Gwen.

Owen threw her a look that could freeze water.

"Tell him! He needs to know!"

"Alright!" Owen cleared his throat. "It was a guy called John Hart who bumped into you in the Shopping Centre. He injected you with toxin. Only he had the anti-dote."

"And Jack's…getting it for me, right?"

"Not exactly. You've already had it."

"I…don't understand," said Ianto trying again to clear the fog from his brain.

"He and Jack have a history. They were lovers." Owen paused, watching the Welshman. "He wants Jack back. He used you to get him."

"What? No, you're wrong." Ianto sat up, throwing back the covers. "Not Jack!"

Owen put a hand on his shoulder, halting him. "He's gone, Ianto. With John Hart."

"No! He can't have!"

"I'm sorry, mate."

Ianto curled into a fetal ball and closed his eyes. Owen covered him over again and then just stood there. Neither Torchwood operative knew what to say to the younger man, as he began to shake.

TWTWTW

Jack moved around the room slowly, staring at objects he hadn't seen…didn't want to see…for quite a few years. John had kept everything. Hanging on to memories of their life together in that funny, boring, time loop that lasted five years. Good times. Bad times. Times he now wanted to forget, just put behind him. He had the man of his dreams now…or did he? Trapped here, light years away from the Welshman he loved more than life itself, he felt impotent. Unable to think straight. Unable to get the image of the younger man out of his head.

"I can't stay here. I need to get back to Ianto."

"Tough, Jackie Boy. You're here with me. I gave him the anti-dote, remember? It's your turn to keep up your end of the bargain."

"I can't. I don't love you. Hell, I don't even like you!"

John laughed. "You are never going back to earth, Jack, so get used to it."

Jack rubbed at his wrist where his vortex manipulator used to be. It felt naked. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up, as he turned to face John Hart.

"Let's go out somewhere. Anywhere. I don't wanna stay cooped up like this."

John smiled. "That's more like it, lover."

John turned away and Jack scanned the room.

"Can we go to that Planet where we first met? What was it called?"

"Gaundina 3. Mmm, I liked it there. All those trees and flowers. It was so…tranquil and heavenly."

"So, what are we waiting for?"

TWTWTW

Ianto lay with his back to Owen and Gwen, his shoulders slowly moving as he cried silently.

"I hate seeing him like this," said Gwen.

"We can't do nothing about it," replied Owen. "We don't we don't even know where Jack is."

Ianto heaved out a sigh.

"It was bad enough when Jack was away the last time. Lord knows how Ianto will cope now."

TBC