Jack wished that morning never came. He didn't want to face his dilemma, but running away would just make him look like a coward, and ever since the Doctor had changed him, a coward he was not. But the cog wheel slid open and Jack heard slow footsteps that told him the rest of the team didn't want to be here either. Sighing, he just held Ianto tighter and pretended to sleep until the Welshman woke up.
"I know you're not sleeping Jack," Ianto whispered after a while. Jack was becoming more and more convinced that Ianto was a mind reader.
"I know," Jack replied, not opening his eyes.
"They're waiting outside."
"I know."
"We shouldn't keep them waiting."
"I know."
"Can you say anything past two words?"
"I don't know." Jack smiled at his own attempt at humor. He felt soft lips on his as Ianto pecked him gently.
"I'm here for you," Ianto reassured. What was that in his voice? Afraid of being rejected?
"I know," Jack opened his eyes. "I know." He forced a weak smile and stood himself up, reaching out his hand to help Ianto up.
Jack lingered as he brushed his teeth and washed his face while Ianto waited with Gwen, Tosh and Owen. When their leader finally came out, they immediately noticed that for the first time, Jack's face seemed as old as his age. On top of that, it looked so much like the Doctor's stricken face on the Valiant. Even today, Owen didn't utter anything sarcastic. He hadn't even talked since he went to bed last night.
Jack stared at the blank spot on the wall, not meeting any of their gazes. He was pretty sure that they'd flinch when he did anyway. "We," Tosh began, wiling her voice to be strong, "We'll stand by whatever you choose to do."
And they all knew what he had to do.
"If I don't come out of the room in one minute," Jack told them, "don't come and get me." With that, he turned on his heel and disappeared.
Maria sat in the cell, unmoving. She didn't sleep at all last night. She was just sitting. Sitting and waiting.
For that man.
Scary.
Man.
He finally appeared, but this time he looked extremely sad. The doorknob turned and that great big coat filled the doorway. Slowly, he closed it after he stepped in. This odd man stared at her for so long, just studying her. It made Maria very uneasy.
"My name is Captain Jack Harkness," he introduced himself.
"Hello Mr. Harkness," the girl greeted politely albeit shakily.
The man knelt down. "I know who you are."
"My name?"
"You told that to me," Jack pointed out.
"Why are you in my dreams?" she asked, scared.
"I don't think you'll understand," Jack said. "But what you'll have to understand is that-"
"I want to know!" the girl pouted. "I want to know! I want to!!"
Jack was taken aback by her outburst. "Do you really?" he whispered. It was barely audible and the CCTV cameras in the room certainly didn't pick them up. The rest of his team that was eavesdropping on him had no idea what he'd just uttered.
At that moment, as if his team's thoughts reverberated through the Hub, Jack glanced up at the cameras. With another press of another button on his wrist strap, the camera shut off. His team did not protest. They all knew why. This was his pain. There was no use to share it with them.
"Do you really?" Jack repeated. Maria nodded and Jack breathed in deeply. He placed his hands on the girl's temples and hoped that this wasn't going too far.
Using the power of the time vortex, which made the TARDIS telepathic, Jack showed Maria his past on the GameStation also known as Satellite Five. He showed her Rose, the Doctor and himself. He showed her the code and the woman connected to the computers. He showed her the war and how the Controller had disappeared. He showed her everything he knew about that event.
When Jack finally broke away, Maria was still. Oh please. She couldn't have died. Please let her still be alive.
"So I save the scary man?" Maria asked herself.
Jack laughed that he was still the "scary man." He was relieved the information wasn't too much for Maria and impressed that she made the connections so quickly.
The rift, it must have been the rift speaking through her… connected to her. That explained all the incidents, starting with the random Weevils. The rift had something to tell Jack. Maria had to go, whether he liked it or not. That one action would set of so many other actions that would lead up to here and now. This point in time.
Damn all that timey wimey stuff. But this is what happens when you get caught up with the Doctor and his time.
"Yes you do," Jack finally answered.
"OK," she said. Jack was visibly surprised. "Because Mr. Harkness loves Cardiff and the earth and I love it too. Flowers and dogs and the creeks. It's pretty, so I have to save it too." Jack smiled at the girl's innocence.
Suddenly, the vaults started to convulse. "What the…?" Jack muttered.
"Jack!" came Gwen's panicked cry on the speakers. "The Rift's critical! I don't know what's happening. It's just gone mad!"
"It's starting to open!" Owen alerted in the background.
But Jack knew. It was a warning and his only chance to set the course of history. What was it the Doctor had said when he reset the captain's vortex manipulator? Twice, second time to apologize.
Two teleports and that was it.
Jack set the controls on his wrist strap and held out his hand for the little girl's. She reached out tentatively and placed her hand on the teleport device. In a blue flash, they were gone and outside on the Plass.
"Jack!" Gwen's voice rang throughout the vaults.
"Gwen!" Tosh cut off and pointed to the CCTV images from outside the Hub. Jack and Maria and the blue glow of the volatile rift.
"Do you trust me?" Jack asked Maria.
"Yes sir!" she chirped and let go of his hand. "I'm off to save the world!"
Jack nodded and just smiled as she walked into the Rift and faded away. "Yes you are," he said. "Yes you are."
And then it was over with just another push of a button.
The shaking stopped as the Rift settled down and a blue light appeared in the room. Jack coughed and fell dizzily on a chair. "Remind me to never use that again," he choked out. Ianto, Tosh, Owen and Gwen stared on worriedly.
Ianto took a step closer. "Are you…"
"I'm fine," Jack assured them. "She's accepted it too. I'm fine. Really." Jack smiled to assure Ianto even more, knowing he wasn't convinced. "Really," he added, just for Ianto.
Jack clapped his hands together and flashed his Harkness grin. "Productive workday," he declared. "Take the time off."
Last chapter will be posted tomorrow!
For all those who've been following diligently, I'm starting another Torchwood fanfic, as some of you may know. The prologue is up. The fanfic's entitled Goodbye Doesn't Mean Forever and is in the actual Torchwood/DocWho universe with slight xover in the very beginning and end to the 11th Doctor. I haven't written all of it yet so expect some slow updates at times with school and stuff.
Thanks and see ya!
