She went to follow Jack. A sudden pain in her hearts made her stop. She doubled over as if she'd just been punched in the stomach. She gasped for air. The pain stopped she walked forward a few steps before it hit her again making her head spin, she staggered, grabbing the railings by the rift manipulator. She gritted her teeth, standing back up straight as the lights burst in front of her. Then a blue light gradually appeared a figure within it. Her eyes widened.
"No…oh No, you can't." She doubled over again as the pain flooded her body. "You promised" she pushed the words out from between her teeth.
"You where exempt until you found your Bonded Partner, you where chosen before time began you are the one." She looked into the light into the figures eyes.
"And do you see him now? Have I found him? I am exempt!" she closed her eyes in pain.
"Lieutenant Carter-Jones of the second Gallifreyan Company, commander of the eastern quadrant platoon, you have been chosen as the next creator, you are to be the first Empress of the Time Lords." She looked up wide eyed into the light.
"You promised I was exempt I was allowed to be free argh," she staggered again. "You can't do this, use someone else's DNA."
"Your DNA was selected; you are the creator. The transformation is starting now." The voice became more businesslike. "It has three stages, first the Skasis Paradigm, the theory of everything, the calculation for creation will be installed into your mind and we do not know how you will be affected as this happens."
"Oh that's just great." She looked up at the figure. The pain searing right through her body she tried to remain up right.
"Try to stay calm and in control, if not you can change the universe forever. Stage 2 is the extra power, again different to everyone and the third is the whole of the Time Lord Empire being at your disposal at one thought."
"What the hell is that meant to mean?"
"All will obey, all will worship. All power is yours." The light enclosed on its self into a small metal sphere that spun in the air and then fell to the floor with a clatter. She closed her eyes falling on to her knees clutching at her head. She heard Jack's feet on the metal landing. Her vision was blurring, she felt groggy and couldn't move.
"Lieutenant?" he ran to her, turning her so she was lying on her back looking up at him. She suddenly tried to sit up taking a deep breath. "Whoa, lye down, you collapsed! You're safe. Calm down." She struggled against him.
"No, no Jack I have to go." She tried to fight him off.
"Where exactly?" he struggled with her, hugging her tightly to him.
"Away anywhere I have to go. Jack let go of me. It's not safe." The pain engulfed her again. "Oh God," she curled up again her head pounding.
"What's happening?" he loosened his grip on her; she jumped up before he could stop her heading towards her TARDIS. She knew she had to get inside till whatever was going to happen happened. Then it happened again this time she saw flashes of the creation, Jack caught her before she hit the ground. Her eyes widened as she looked into Jack's eyes. He looked concerned, fearful almost. She put her hand on the side of his face trying to reassure him it was going to be ok, but before she could the next wave of the transformation hit her.
"So sad, so lonely, the pain, the grief" She whispered.
"No you're not alone, I'm here. I've got you."
"Everyone you love you hurt, but not anymore. It's got to change, it will change." He looked at her confused.
"Ianto Jones," she cried out in pain again, "dear sweet Ianto, you couldn't save him. He loved you and you couldn't save him." Her voice had a quiet ghostly tone to it. Her eyes closed, snapping open again. "Jack, Jack you have to kill me." Her voice was back to normal, very snappy and commanding. He looked at her shaking his head.
"No, I…I can't."
"Jack, Trust me you have to kill me, I'm losing control. Please."
"Losing control of what?"
"Jack, if you care about me…about the world, the universe. You have to kill me. Please kill me Jack." She begged him as she slipped back into unconsciousness, the same ghostly voice returned. "Ianto Jones." It was harsher than before. Her back arched and her head lolled back.
"You save the world but lose all of your own, Steven and Alice. You're Family." He looked at her desperately not understanding what was happening. The same harsh voice came back. "Steven Carter." The Lieutenant lifted her head. "Jack." She sounded weak, "Kill me Jack, you have to shoot me, now before I change anything else, trust me I'll come back and I'll be in control, the change will have happened." She un-holstered her gun slowly and moved it towards Jack's hand that was on her left shoulder. He took it as she slipped back into an unresponsive state again.
"So many deaths Tosh and Owen it's your fault entirely, so guilty." He didn't understand how she knew all this. Then she looked at him. "If it weren't for you they'd be alive." That did it he snapped shooting her through the temple. Her eyes didn't open again.
Jack dropped the gun watching the trickles of blood running out of the wound, he sat there for a while holding her close, what if she didn't come back what was he going to say to Gwen, why had he done it? He thought over the events of the last few months. Moving through space in whatever way he could just trying to run away from it all, the blame, the guilt, the death. The universe had a way of making Captain Jack Harkness feel small and insignificant.
When he was on earth however, he was more significant than anyone could ever imagine. He'd been thinking about leaving permanently never coming back but he found he couldn't do it. He found he missed Gwen, even though the memories he had on this rock where some of the saddest in his life he found he couldn't leave it for long, and even if they where the saddest he also had the good memories.
He though back through them, Owen showing off to Martha, Tosh always working away, finding how they could use the alien tech they found, Gwen always smiling in the mornings talking about another argument with Rhys and Ianto ever so shy and polite but he knew better it was all just an exterior to hide the filthy mind behind, the laughing the joking it used to fill the Hub, even with just Ianto and Gwen it felt more homely, he'd built it just the way it had been trying to keep the memories alive, more realistic.
It made him sad to remember Ianto he missed his smell, his hair and the suits he always wore. But here he was again alone holding another innocent life in his arms. He looked at the Lieutenants face she looked peaceful. He wondered again why the doctor had sent her to him; there must be more to it than just to look after her. He thought through it all, trying to distract himself from the dead body he clutched to himself. She's a perfectly capable woman why would she need looking after? He shifted her body in his arms hugging her, willing her to come back.
Please review - I am sorry if there is anyone else who thinks I have misrepresented to this point because in the characters I put Jack and Ianto I admit to here I have but I hopefully not for much longer. Again sorry.
