Authors Note: The 'dream machine' used in this chapter is with kind permission from Secrets-and-Smiles. This was a device used in her excellent story 'Dreams.'

'Dreams' can be found on fan fiction dot net.

Warning: This chapter contains graphic description of torture.

The Arch

His heart pounding Owen raced down the corridors of the TARDIS keeping a tight grip on his medical bag. He was not sure how much more of this he could take. What the hell had gone wrong this time? The session today aboard the TARDIS was meant take Jack into a light hypnotic state and look at one of Jack's most innocuous memory from his time aboard the Valiant. Nothing heavy, just light and easy, a test run! He approached Jack's quarters and the door swung open.

"What the fuck happened? " Owen demanded as he burst into to see Jack curled up on a queen-sized bed. Jack had chosen his own quarters on board because (Ianto's arms aside) it was the one and only place he felt completely safe. Being there also meant there was no possibility that the procedure could be inadvertently interrupted.

"One at a time," Owen held his hand up as both Geoff and the Doctor started to speak.

"We don't know what happened," Geoff replied. "We followed every step you and I outlined. I placed Jack into a light hypnotic state. Then I started a guided medication to get him completely relaxed."

"And then what?"

"See for yourself." Geoff indicated the screen on the wall. Owen recognised it as one of the many devices they had trialled during their mission to bring Jack back after the TARDIS incident. It was a way of directly looking into the subconscious.

Owen turned to see it was blank. "Oh god, are you telling me he's back in a fugue state?"

"Worse," Geoff said as the screen now came to life and Jack began to scream and writhe on the bed. Owen moved over to the bed with Geoff in an attempt to keep Jack from falling onto the floor.

"Is that it?" Jack screamed out. "Is that the worst you can do?" Jack spat out several teeth along with a mouth full of blood. The Master waved his hand and indicated his guards move back from their efforts. Infuriated the Master began to pace up and down the deck hanger.

The Master began to mock, "brave Jack shouting your defiance, 'bring it on, do your worst', is that it?'"

The Master was handed the blood covered bar. He examined it then laid it down on an instrument table to re-join an array of medieval spiked weapons. He looked at Jack who was tied to a metal cross his body already showing signs of recovery. The Master snorted in disgust and toyed with a long sturdy piece of rounded metal which resembled a poker. "You know this is a lot less fun than I thought it would be. What is the point of torture if there is no effect? Beating you to death is becoming a bore it takes several of my guards at least half an hour and then you just bounce back."

"Sorry to disappoint." Jack retorted.

"Yes Jack, you are very disappointing. So in light of my inability to make any progress, I've been doing some research and I've found out something about you."

"So you found out that with my body and looks I get to have a lot of sex." Jack looked the Master up and down. "However surprising as this may sound I have standards," Jack sneered.

"You're a fixed point in time and space Jack; it would be a wild ride. As you are a freak I wouldn't touch you, but a large number of the guards assure me that you are quite the performer." Jack spat blood in his direction.

The Master let out a sigh and went back to the table. He picked up a blow torch and lit it. Holding the flame to the end of the poker, it went first red then white hot. He grinned as he saw Jack swallow and lose his entire colour which was impressive as he was covered in blood.

"I was thinking it's been awhile since I paid attention to your eyes," he moved the white hot metal towards Jack's face end on. Jack closed his eyelids in futility and struggled against the ties holding him to the cross. The heat seared his eyelashes and his nose filled with the tang of scalding metal. He braced himself against the searing agony to come when the Master pulled back and began laughing.

"No, I have something much better planned. I have found something out that is simply delicious." The Master snapped his fingers and the double doors opened. Jack heard a rumbling and he watched as a life-sized metal bull appeared. It was heavy and required several guards to make it move. Eventually it was placed side on to Jack, who noted it had a small man sized panel. It was a curious device made of highly-polished bronze; it had a metal platform underneath stacked with cords of wood between its legs reaching to its belly.

"As you know I am very fond of some of the Earth's more inventive punishments. When I read about this one I just had to make a copy." He rapped his knuckles on the side indicating it was hollow." This is a recreation of 'The Brazen Bull'. You seal someone inside." He lifted the panel facing Jack. Jack looked at it in horror and began to shake. "And you light the fire underneath. Oh I should explain. It has a set of pipes inside allowing the victim to breathe. What makes this so special is that the pipes inside amplifies the screams of the victim in such a way they sound like the roaring of a bull." The Master picked at his nails and bit at one for a moment. "But you know me I never believe second-hand accounts. It could all be utter nonsense so I thought a demonstration was in order to test this out."

The Master clapped his hands and a few moments later a man was dragged him held upright between two guards. Naked, the man was unrecognisable, covered in a mass of bruises and blood.

"Don't recognise him? I know it's been a while Jack but even you should know who this is." The guards threw the man down before the Master.

"Ianto," Jack whispered and began to struggle against the bonds that held him to the metal cross in a futile but desperate effort to reach him.

"Ianto Jones has been most difficult; in fact he has been impossible to break." He stood before Ianto and gave him a kick. "He has remained silent and refused to give me any more playmates. He also caused me a great deal of aggravation causing the delay of a very important project. The tone of the Master's voice changed. "Ianto Jones, formally of Torchwood Cardiff, now known as Axel, I sentence you to death." He indicated the guards move forward and place Ianto in the bull.

The room filled with Jack's screams.

"Jesus Christ," Owen blurted out. He struggled to hold on to the contents of his stomach as the scene reached its inevitable conclusion and the screen went blank. All of them took a moment to recover in the silence that followed.

"How long as the cycle been going on?" Owen asked as moved Jack into a more comfortable position.

"Three hours," the Doctor replied his face tense with worry.

"We've tried everything," Geoff told him as a scene began to play out.

"This is not right. As far as I can recall Jack and Ianto never met on the Valiant, "Owen pointed out.

"Yes we know when this first started we went through the records. This is not an actual memory, although the rapes and the bull are confirmed," the Doctor told him and Owen gagged.

"So what the hell is going on here?" Owen asked as he and the Doctor and Geoff all looked to each other in turn.

"I can't say with any certainty but it could be that his memories have melded with his guilt," Geoff suggested.

"I thought that was now sorted after he told Ianto everything," Owen added.

"The subconscious is very complicated," Geoff told them. "Jack's even more so. There are layers upon layers and on top of all this is the mind technique he's used."

"But this is not an actual memory this looks like a nightmare," Owen interrupted.

"Does that mean Jack is in a dream state as if he were asleep?" the Doctor asked, curious as he watched both Geoff and Owen absorbed in the discussion.

Owen snapped his fingers in realisation at Geoff's words and opened the bag he had brought with him. He pulled out the 'Bractavian scanner' he had used previously. It hummed then clicked. Leaning over Owen pointed at the screen face. It indicated Jack was now in a restful stage of sleep just having completed a very active cycle of some form of REM sleep.

"We need to wake him up," Owen pointed out.

Geoff looked at him in frustration. "We've tried. Why do you think we called you?" Geoff snapped. A sound caught his attention. His stomach turned over as he looked across at the wall and the screen came to life.

"Is that it?" Jack screamed out. "Is that the worst you can do?" The Master grimaced at the man before him…

"I don't think I can handle seeing this again," Owen groaned as he attempted to sooth Jack who fought him off almost falling off the bed screaming profanities at him. "I'm going to make a suggestion but you're not going to like it."

"I think we should consider all options," the Doctor said.

"Ianto is the only one who can help," Owen suggested.

Geoff's eyes widened. "Bring him here! Are you out of your mind? Do I have to remind you about what happened last time he saw the TARDIS?"

"I know, but he knows about the TARDIS and the Doctor now," Owen pointed out.

"And what if we bring him in here and he can't reach Jack. What then?" Geoff retorted.

"Look, Jack needs Ianto. I've watched with my own eyes how Ianto helps Jack during his nightmares."

"This is different; you would be bringing him into a totally alien environment. We would be removing him from everything he knows and throwing him in the deep end. If Ianto gets upset he will need Jack," Geoff argued.

"What about we take Jack into the garden, then get Ianto…" Owen suggested

"Something is happening," the Doctor interrupted and pointed to the screen.

Jack ran down what appeared to be an endless tunnel towards the light. He couldn't recall how he had escaped but he had. The howls of the pursuit were coming closer. The' Garden'; he must reach the 'Garden'. He would be safe with Ianto, he needed Ianto. The incantation of the name caused stone walls to appear before him. The walls looked different from what he recalled; they should be smooth and clean. Now they were covered in a tangled carpet of twisted branches and leaves growing up from below and hanging from above.

An idea came to him, 'climb'. Jack looked up and saw the walls extended above him into infinity. Cursing, he started running again. His mouth went dry as he heard the baying of and howls of those chasing him getting closer. He ran in an awkward manner, stopping and starting in jerks almost tripping over his feet as he checked the wall for any kind of opening.

He recalled something; he needed the door. Just as he formed the thought a large green door appeared. With relief he turned the handle but it was locked. He kicked and shook the door screamed and pounded on it but it would not open.

Placing his head on the door he sobbed. 'Doors need a key, a key, a key', his mind echoed. He looked down: no key hole. He double-checked and saw faded letters painted on the surface. It was a question only something he would know written in Boeshane. "I called her fluffy fuzzy boots," he said in a whisper in his native language as he recalled his first pet. As the words left his lips the door swung open.

Moving inside the door closed with a slam. He felt a wave of relief course through him. Jack fell to his knees and took in great lungfuls of air. Slowly the burning in his chest eased. He stood and looked around.

"Ianto," he called softly looking around, surprised normally he was right here.

Calling out a few more times, he felt a feeling of dread grow in his stomach as he walked down the shelled path towards the fountain.

"Ianto."

"He's reached some sort of safe place," Owen said letting out the breath he had been holding on to. All three of them took a moment to admire the slice of paradise Jack had created in his mind. No garden on earth could match its perfection. The garden had a timeless beauty that all great gardens seem process. Geoff smiled to himself knowing that the garden was actually are reflection of Jack's love for Ianto. His thoughts were interrupted when the image seemed to flick. He dismissed it then saw some of the colours had becoming muted.

"Oh dear," Geoff suddenly stated as he came to a realisation.

"What's happening?" Owen asked "Why is the garden beginning to fade?"

"Ianto is not there," Geoff stated as he now watched as one of the major trees slowly began to disintegrate from the top down and stream away in swirls.

"I can see and hear that," Owen pointed out.

"Ianto's not here," Geoff repeated.

"Is Ianto the key here?" The Doctor asked and Geoff looked at him. Geoff hit himself on the head. "Key, Jack has been talking about a key. I thought he meant it was a key to opening a door. "

"You are not making any sense," Owen pointed out.

"Not a key, a keystone," Geoff explained.

"What has that got to do with anything?" Owen asked thoroughly confused as the pond Jack was standing beside began to sink into the earth becoming a white space.

"What is a keystone?" Geoff asked quickly.

"It's the central stone that holds up an arch," the Doctor replied.

"And what happens when you remove the keystone?"

"It collapses," the Doctor replied.

"Shit!" Owen said as he now understood.

"Ianto is the keystone. He is what held all this together. To cut a long story short Jack created this place to retreat to when he couldn't cope any longer. He built it on the only thought he had left, his love for Ianto. "

"So where the hell is he then?" Owen asked.

"That Ianto no longer exists," Geoff said quietly.

"It's in his mind! How can he no longer exist?" Owen exclaimed.

Geoff wiped his hand over his face and went on to explain the significance of what was occurring to the garden on the screen. It was a representation of Jack's love for Ianto. When Jack and Ianto reached out for each other it bonded them emotionally to each other. It meant in that instant the Ianto in his mind amalgamated with the real Ianto Jones.

"It means the Ianto Jones we need is now outside the garden. We need the real Ianto Jones," the Geoff pointed out.

"Oh fuck," Owen said under his breath.