Author's Notes: Early post this week with perhaps another one later in the week. Hope you enjoy this chapter. Thanks as always to Prothrombintime for greatly appreciated encouragement, support and invaluable feedback.

Chapter Eighteen

September 22nd, 2004 (continued)

The three of them sat in Jack's office as he explained that demolition of St. Teilo's Hospital had begun and was the trigger for the time-shift. Surges of Rift activity at the hospital were causing intermittent fragments of 1918 to manifest in the present. He'd gone there to take some readings, and he'd calculated that it would be a little over twelve hours before the fracture in time was fully formed. He'd also set up several Rift activity sensors at the hospital, so they could remotely monitor the situation as it progressed.

"There'll be a brief moment when both times exist before the shift completes," Jack continued to explain. "When Tommy can be here now, and in 1918. He needs to be in the hospital, ready to step from one time to the other."

"So he'll be right inside the time-shift?" Ianto asked, glancing worriedly at Tommy.

Jack nodded. "And he can close the fracture that caused it."

Tommy frowned. "And when the fracture's closed?"

"1918 will be back where it belongs," Jack replied.

"So will I," Tommy murmured in a resigned tone, and Jack nodded again. "For good?" Tommy asked.

"Yeah. You're the only one who can do this. Torchwood brought you from 1918 to now, and when you go back to 1918, your life will be like a thread, stitching time back together again."

"A stitch in time," Tommy said with a hint of a wry smile.

Ianto frowned at Jack in confusion. "How?"

Jack picked up a strange looking circular device from his desk; it appeared to be made of brass, with a series of interlocking cogs and a key on one side, like a massively over-sized watch mechanism. "This is a Rift manipulator. It's basically a key." He looked at Tommy. "Once you're inside the time-shift, you can use this to close the door behind you."

"And that's it?" Tommy asked pensively. "I'm gone?"

Ianto looked at Jack closely, and there was something in his expression that filled him with apprehension. There was something Jack wasn't telling them.

"Yes," Jack said simply.

Standing up slowly, Jack moved around from behind his desk and rested his hand on Tommy's shoulder. "Will you give us a minute, Tommy? I need to talk to Ianto."

Tommy nodded and stood up. Ianto gave him a reassuring smile and watched the young soldier as he made his way out of the office and over to the Hub's sofa.

Ianto looked up at Jack anxiously. "What happens to him, Jack?" he asked, keeping his voice low.

Jack rested back against the desk and sighed heavily. "Three weeks after we send Tommy back, he dies."

"How does he die?" Ianto wasn't sure he wanted to hear the answer, but he needed to know.

Jack closed his eyes, opening them again a moment later. "He's shot by a firing squad."

Ianto looked at Jack in horror. "No. I don't understand. Why?"

Jack shook his head sadly. "Tommy was suffering from shell-shock. That's why he was in the hospital. When Torchwood took him and froze him, they froze his most recent memories. When he returns, he'll revert back to who he was. He'll be shell-shocked and he'll be executed for cowardice."

"Then we can't send him back," Ianto said firmly.

Jack sighed again. "Ianto, we have to."

"To send him to his death?"

"To help him save the future." Jack reached across the desk and picked up one of the sheets of paper from the box, passing it to Ianto with a pained expression. "Ianto, I'm sorry. It has to be you."

Ianto gasped as he looked down at the sheet of yellowed paper. On it was a sketch of a tall young man in a suit. The drawing was somewhat crude, but the likeness was unmistakeable. It was him. He was the one who sent Tommy back to his death. Ianto shook his head in disbelief.

"Torchwood 1918 saw you with Tommy in the hospital. You were telling him what to do," Jack said quietly. "You have to do this. There's no other way."

Ianto continued to stare down incredulously at the image of himself, feeling a cold sense of foreboding. "Does Tommy know what happens to him?"

"No. And we can't tell him. It's too much of a risk."

Ianto wanted to argue but he knew Jack was right. Nobody should know their own fate, and if Tommy knew what was going to happen to him, he might do something that could have untold consequences on the time-line. He gazed over to where Tommy was sitting on the sofa, looking despondent. Finally, he turned back to Jack and slowly nodded.

"Tommy met someone at the pub today," he said after a moment. "Tommy said he seemed like a decent bloke. Good-looking. He asked Tommy to go out with him tonight." He paused, looking at Jack curiously. "Did you know he likes men?"

"I suspected. But we've never talked about it." Jack glanced over at Tommy and looked thoughtful. "It wasn't easy back then for men like Tommy. I know what it was like... I had my fair share of close calls. I had to learn to be discreet pretty quickly. We should let him go on his date tonight if he wants to. It might be his only chance."

Ianto raised his eyebrows in surprise. "You wouldn't mind?"

Jack shook his head. "It's the least we can do. Keep an eye on him though, will you? Organise for this guy to meet Tommy somewhere close by. And book Tommy a room at the St. David's for the night." He stood up and reached for his coat. "I want to go back to the hospital and check around again."

###

After Tommy had called Aiden and organised to meet him at the pub at seven-thirty, Ianto gave Tommy one of their spare mobile phones, and raided Jack's stash of supplies from his bunker, just in case. With some time to spare, he took Tommy over to the St. David's, booked him a room and showed him where it was, then walked with him to the pub.

"Sure you want to do this?" Ianto asked a final time before Tommy went inside.

Tommy nodded, a glimmer of anticipation in his brown eyes. "Never thought I'd be going out in public with a bloke."

"Just, ah... don't let him talk you into doing anything you don't want to do, all right? But if you want to... well... that's good." Ianto paused awkwardly. "Call me or Jack if you need anything. Otherwise, we'll pick you up at the hotel at six-thirty in the morning."

Tommy smiled softly. "Okay. Thanks, Ianto."

Ianto glanced inside the pub where he could see Aiden sitting at the bar. He gave Tommy an encouraging smile. "Right. Have fun, then."

Ianto kept a surreptitious eye on Tommy and Aiden over the course of the next couple of hours, feeling ill-at-ease with the situation, but knowing he had a job to do and that it was his responsibility to ensure Tommy remained safe. After a couple of drinks at the pub, the two men went to one of the Italian restaurants on Mermaid Quay, and from what Ianto could determine, they seemed to be getting along well. He bought himself some noddles from the nearby Chinese take-away and ate them outside, keeping his distance from the restaurant but staying close enough so he could see when they left.

He spent most of the time reflecting on his strange, undefined relationship with Jack. He wondered if they'd ever have the chance to go out together on a real date. It wasn't something he'd ever thought he'd want, but seeing Tommy and Aiden together, he couldn't help thinking it might be nice. A proper date with Jack would be something tangible; it would mean he was more to Jack than a convenient bed partner.

He watched as the two men exited the restaurant, chatting animatedly. He was a little surprised when they ducked into the lane beside the restaurant and began kissing enthusiastically. He quickly averted his eyes, and when they moved away, he followed discretely, trailing them until they reached the St. David's and went inside. Satisfied that Tommy would be fine for the rest of the evening, and pleased that he was hopefully going to have an enjoyable night with Aiden, Ianto made his way back to the Hub.

Finding that Jack hadn't returned from St. Teilo's yet, Ianto brewed some coffee and retrieved his diary, settling on the sofa as he sipped at the hot drink. Jack returned a while later and Ianto gave him an update on Tommy. Jack reported that the situation at the hospital was escalating as predicted, with increasing levels of Rift energy, but that it was contained and stable, then retreated to his office.

After several failed attempts to organise his chaotic thoughts, Ianto closed his diary in frustration and returned it to his desk drawer. He slowly entered Jack's office, hands shoved inside his trouser pockets. He was still thinking about Tommy who was grabbing his one chance of a few hours where he could truly be himself, before returning to a world that would never accept him. Tommy's fate was sealed, and there was nothing they could do to save him.

Jack was sitting at his desk, studying the written orders from the box. "This time tomorrow, he'll be back in 1918."

"In his own time," Ianto agreed quietly, stopping a short distance from Jack's desk. "Would you go back to yours? If you could?"

Jack glanced up from the papers. "Why, would you miss me?" he asked, a hint of challenge in his voice.

"Yep," Ianto answered honestly, looking downwards and stepping closer to Jack. He'd always been a master of understatement. The irrefutable truth was that if Jack found a way to leave and chose to do so, he'd be devastated. He wasn't sure if he could imagine his life without Jack being a major part of it, at least he didn't want to, and that in itself was a frightening realisation.

"I left home a long time ago," Jack continued in a reflective tone, tinged with sadness. "I don't know where I really belong. Maybe that doesn't matter anymore."

Ianto closed the gap between them and leaned against the edge of Jack's desk, lowering his eyes. He couldn't imagine what it was like for Jack, being trapped in a time and on a planet that wasn't his own. "I... I know you get lonely."

"Going home wouldn't fix that." Jack glanced up at him, then stared down at his hands. "Being here, I've seen things I never dreamt I'd see. Loved people I never would have known if I'd just stayed where I was."

Ianto nodded slightly. He wondered if he might ever possibly be someone who Jack could love. Hesitantly, he lifted his gaze, making eye contact with the other man. He was startled to find Jack staring at him with a look of such unguarded vulnerability, a depth of emotion in his eyes that Ianto had never seen before. It caused his breath to catch in his throat.

"And I wouldn't change that for the world," Jack finished, his eyes still locked on Ianto's.

Feeling an intense surge of yearning and deep affection, Ianto wrapped his hand around the back of Jack's neck and captured Jack's lips with his own. Stroking his thumb over Jack's cheek with his other hand, he poured all of the passion he felt for this remarkable man into the kiss, holding nothing back. Jack grasped his shoulders, pulling him closer, then cradled Ianto's face with his hands, returning the kiss with the same degree of desperate fervour.

I'm here for you, Jack, Ianto thought, losing himself as their lips continued to move sensuously against one another, his arousal intensifying as Jack's presence surrounded him. Although he suspected he could never be enough for someone like Jack, he hoped he could give Jack some small measure of comfort, a sense of having a place where he belonged, no matter how fleeting that turned out to be.

They both moaned softly as their kiss finally ended, Jack holding him close, with their foreheads resting against one another. "Stay with me tonight?" Jack asked, brushing his fingers over Ianto's cheek.

Ianto nodded and smiled gently. Standing up, Jack took his hand and guided him over to the hatch in the floor leading down to his bunker. Ianto descended the ladder, Jack following close behind.

###

September 23rd, 2004

Ianto woke the following morning, the insistent beeping he dimly recognised as Jack's wrist-strap, tugging at his consciousness. Blinking several times, he was startled to realise Jack's naked body was wrapped tightly around his own, his head resting on Ianto's shoulder, and snoring softly with his face pressed against the base of Ianto's neck. Thinking back to the night before, Ianto smiled as he remembered the several rounds of slow, passionate sex that had culminated with them falling asleep in each other's arms, sated and exhausted. He couldn't quite believe Jack had stayed with him the entire night.

Then reality came crashing down as he remembered Tommy and what they had to do. "Jack," he murmured thickly, nudging the other man. "Wake up."

"Ianto?" Jack mumbled, tightening his embrace as he lifted his head and looked down at Ianto with bleary eyes. "Hey."

Under different circumstances, Ianto would have been both amused and endeared by Jack's rather adorable sleep-rumpled state. "Jack, we need to get up. Tommy... the time-shifts."

Jack quickly came to his senses. He gave Ianto a brief kiss and then extricated himself, climbing out of the cramped bed that was barely big enough for one grown man, let alone two. He pulled Ianto up after him, and they showered and dressed. Ianto was grateful he'd decided to keep a spare set of clothes and essentials on hand at the Hub.

After calling Tommy to let him know they were on their way, they parked at the entrance of the St. David's and Ianto went inside, finding Tommy waiting for him in the foyer. He ushered the other man towards the SUV. "I'm sorry, Tommy. It's time. We need to go."

Tommy nodded. "I know."

"Did you have a good night?" Ianto asked.

"Yeah. He left just before you called. Said he'd like to see me again."

Ianto opened the side door of the SUV and looked at Tommy sadly, at a complete loss to know what to say, and belatedly wondering if letting Tommy go on the date with Aiden had been cruel. They'd given him a fleeting taste of present day life and then were ruthlessly tearing it away from him. Tommy just gave him a sad, resigned smile, then climbed into the back seat.

Ianto got into the front passenger seat as Jack nodded at Tommy, giving him a grim smile, then began the drive to the hospital. Ianto turned back to look at Tommy, gesturing at the large cardboard box on the empty seat next to him. "We kept those in the archives. You were wearing them in the hospital when Torchwood took you."

Tommy opened the box and extracted a green army jacket and a pair of old-fashioned stripped pyjamas. "Good job the moths haven't got into them. So I'll be saving the world in some pyjamas? How daft is that?"

Ianto tried to produce a sympathetic smile, but quickly turned away, facing forward again.

"I've saved the world in less," Jack quipped.

Ianto rolled his eyes. "Jack, I think I speak for both of us when I say we don't want to hear about how you saved the world in your birthday suit."

Tommy chuckled. "How does Ianto put up with you, Jack?"

Jack laughed as Ianto groaned dramatically, grateful to Jack for the welcome distraction. "I have no idea sometimes."

They arrived at St. Teilo's, Tommy changed into his pyjamas and jacket, then they cautiously made their way upstairs to the large white painted room that was formerly the ward Tommy was taken from in 1918. Ianto jumped backwards with a start when a nurse in a 1900's era uniform appeared in front of them, carrying an oil lamp and walking out into the corridor.

"Where is she?" Tommy asked, following after her. "In 1918?"

'Tommy!" Ianto called, going after him, Jack at his side.

The nurse vanished and they reached another large empty room, tiled half-way up all four of the walls. Ianto assumed it had once been a shower room.

Tommy was looking around wildly, panic clearly setting in. "I won't do it. I can't go back."

"You've got to," Jack said evenly.

"No! I know what'll happen. They'll send me back into battle, I'll be back in the trenches. Help me!"

Ianto stepped closer to the distraught man. "You've got to go, Tommy."

"Why me?" Tommy dropped the Rift key to the floor and Ianto glanced worriedly at Jack. "You're no better than the generals," Tommy shouted angrily. "Sitting safely behind the lines, sending us over the top. Either one of you could go, but you're not are you? You're sending me."

Jack shook his head. "We belong here."

"I've been shoved from pillar to post all my life. By the Army, by Torchwood." Tommy retreated to the furthest wall and slumped to the floor, curling his knees up against his chest.

"Tommy..." Jack began, moving towards him.

Ianto moved between them and looked imploringly at Jack. "Jack, leave him. Please."

Jack looked like he was about to argue, but then he nodded and patted Ianto's shoulder. "There's not much time left."

Ianto nodded in understanding and watched as Jack left the room. He picked up the Rift key and sat down next to Tommy.

"Tommy, listen. You're a hero. Do you know that? Because you stop the time-shift and save everyone. You save all of us."

Tommy shook his head violently. "I can't do it."

"We need you," Ianto insisted. "Everything you've seen, it will all be gone if you don't do this. Jack, me, Aiden, Myfanwy... we'll all be destroyed."

Tommy looked at him with tears in his eyes. "I don't want to be a hero. I want to stay here. With you and Jack. I want to see Aiden again. I want to have a life here, like you."

Suddenly there was a bright flash of golden light, accompanied by a rumbling, howling sound. Ianto instinctively pulled Tommy close against him, shielding him as he peered across the room, where two people had materialised. He immediately recognised them from photographs he'd seen of past Torchwood operatives in the archives. There was an older man with light-brown hair, Gerald Carter, and a blonde, younger woman, Harriet Derbyshire. They'd both worked for Torchwood in 1918.

"Hello?" Gerald called to them.

"Tell them," Ianto said to Tommy.

"Tell us what?" Gerald asked.

"Tell them what to do," Ianto repeated, trying to remain calm. "Tommy, you're the only one who can stop this. If you don't, it's the end of everything." He handed Tommy the Rift key and squeezed his hand. "Tommy, please."

Tommy seemed to gather his resolve and rose to his feet, Ianto doing the same. He held back as Tommy stepped towards Gerald and Harriet. "Take me. I'm in there in the ward in 1918. You have to take me so I can be here now." He pointed towards the ward. "Just take me!" he shouted desperately.

Just as suddenly as they'd appeared, the bright light and howling sound stopped, and Gerald and Harriet were gone again.

"I'll be gone soon," Tommy said, turning and looking back towards Ianto with an anguished expression.

Ianto stepped forward and grasped Tommy's shoulders. "Remember... the Rift key. You have to use it." He tried to give Tommy an encouraging smile. "You're a fine man, Tommy. It's been an honour." Glancing around nervously, Ianto ushered him back into the corridor and towards the ward. "You've got to get back into bed. Like you've never been away. Then use the key, okay?"

Tommy nodded, and Ianto pulled him into a firm embrace, holding him close for a moment before gently easing back and nudging him forward. They held each other's gaze before Tommy turned and walked away, Ianto watching him regretfully. Then in another flash of bright light the young soldier vanished.

Ianto forced himself to turn away and sprinted towards the stairs where Jack was waiting. "Jack! Go!"

Pausing, he glanced back to where Tommy had been only moments earlier, but Jack grabbed his arm, pulling on it insistently. "Come on!"

They raced down the stairs, exited the hospital, and climbed into the SUV. All Ianto could do was stare numbly out the window as Jack drove them back to the Hub, Tommy's expression of fear and despair filling his thoughts. He was overwhelmed with self-loathing for what he'd had to do. He felt like a monster.

The moment they entered the Hub, the blaring sound of the Rift alarms assaulted their ears. Myfanwy was flying around the upper reaches of the cavernous space, screeching loudly in agitation, the sound of her wings flapping in the air lost in the cacophony of noise. Dashing to the nearest computer, Jack pulled up a scan of the hospital and the surrounding areas.

Ianto peered at the image which showed masses of pulsing red dots indicating flares of Rift energy. "Jack, what's happening?"

"The time-shift hasn't stopped." Jack glanced over his shoulder at him. "It's spreading out from the hospital."

"They're everywhere. The Rift key didn't work..." Ianto took a deep breath. "Or Tommy didn't use it."

Jack nodded. "He's confused... it's the shell-shock." He turned away from the screen and headed back towards the cogwheel door. "I have to go back."

"Jack, you can't!" Ianto dashed after him, grabbing his arm. "You'll get stuck in 1918."

"We don't have a choice, Ianto. If Tommy doesn't use that key, the time-shifts will keep spreading. The world will be destroyed." Jack pulled away and sprinted off down the corridor, heading back to the SUV, his coattails billowing behind him.

Ianto swore under his breath and ran after him.