A/N: End of parallel Jack's, and some tossing around.

No spoilers

Beta-ed: TattoedLibrarian

It was the last thing this Jack would hear he decided, and ran away from the scene to give his future self space to do something about it. For the couple on the bench he couldn't do anything because he saw them die, but this was just a sound.

He would need backup this time. To be sure he'd get back once again he went to the roof and hid himself under the car not moving, not listening, he didn't want to participate in that event anymore, he just wanted to get on with his life. When first three Jack's were gone he crouched down and ran towards the elevator making sure he wasn't visible from the next building roof where his other self was standing. As he descended down he started to call the home numbers of his team. Mobiles were off limits because there was more than one mobile per person that night. He was in luck and they were easy to persuade to go out on a chase with him.

He was still their boss and they came to the requested place.

"Tea boy's having a problem getting out of bed." Owen snorted.

"He was unavailable" Jack said shortly. "Owen you're injured so you won't go near this creature, it tosses people around. We need to save a young couple from this creature, and later on to calm it down and find a place for it to recover. The Hub could be suitable for that if it doesn't slip through the SUV floor. Tosh I need you to come up with something that will keep it in. I know there is no equipment, we're banned from the Hub, and you have only" Jack looked at his watch "three hours. I'm sending you its composition; can you do anything about it?"

"I'm on it" she said absently already taken by new string of info. "I could reinforce the bottom, or put an extra vibration to its shell..."

"Gwen, your mission will be to grab the girl after she says `This will be perfect` and hold her for two... no make it three minutes before releasing her. I'll take the guy. You can expect a struggle; they won't think anything good of us. Owen you need to be ready with syringe full of adrenalin in case of need, and some reanimation equipment, dopamine..."

"Sorry" Owen cut in "we're doing what again?"

"Catching an alien that can walk through walls" Tosh answered him absently "this is truly amazing, it's so strange, simple, but still familiar, like our structure but turned upside down. I've never seen an alien quite like this one..." her voice faded away.

"Yeah, yeah, great" Owen tried again "but why don't we just kill it and be done with it?"

"Great doctor you are" Gwen was appalled "just shoot them. Sometimes we need to communicate and help others."

"You can't communicate with this one." Jack said shaking his head. "Or help it... much... when it recovers it will be gone despite Tosh's efforts."

"Gone where Jack?" Gwen started to look disconcerted. "And why do we have to wait three hours? What does it look like?"

"Two hours and fifty minutes" Jack informed her "It's a dark blue creature without eyes, mouths or ears, it has six tentacles, and it's a chameleon that hides in the dark. It will go by its way, it doesn't concern us." He said firmly looking her straight in the eyes.

"I hate when you say that" Gwen started to look around turning her back towards Jack. "What does it do exactly, in the dark?" Her voice became cautious and Jack was sorry he had to disclose anything to them.

"Nothing harmful" Jack answered sincerely.

"Yet we need to save two people from it" Owen spoke up cheerfully "and have syringes and electric shock devices at hand. Nice one, I just love my job, don't you Gwen?" He crouched down to pack his gear.

"I would like to have something to do in mean time." Gwen said quietly and Jack decided to say no more. He could stop their extinction, it was a fixed point in space and time; just like him, not quite like him, he was a fact that opposed the nature of the Universe, this was a point that supported time's habit of changing and moving on. But he wouldn't be the cause of their departure; he wouldn't be the one to expose them.

With that in mind he put the team in position taking care that they didn't see the other him departing. Luckily, for them it was just a shadow of a man walking away.

"Which couple?" Gwen whispered.

"Maybe that one" Owen answered pointing at couple running towards them.

"Be careful not to step on it" Jack pointed at the unmoving Gollum and they all flinched.

The couple ran towards them and they ducked out of sight.

"This will be perfect" said the girl grabbing the boy by the collar dragging him down. Jack jumped in and pulled them away gagging the boy's mouth. Gwen had difficulties with the girl as she struggled; the boy was still in Jack's arms. Jack watch as the other him turned around the corner.

"This is our spot children" he whispered "I suggest you run home; the next ones you interrupt won't be so forgiving." The boy nodded and the girl finally went calm. "Now we'll release you, if you don't want to get hurt be quiet as you can.

When they were released there was a short pause before they started to run away.

"You could have done something" they heard the girl say. Jack went to the bench to see if the other couple left something behind, something to recognize them by.

"Now let's do this, Tosh take centre, Owen bring the gurney" Gwen started to boss around.

"No!" Jack shouted and ran back.

"Don't worry Jack, we got this" Gwen said grabbing one tentacle "we've dealt with things without you, you know."

"Gwen, let go" Jack's voice was urgent, but he was too far.

"This thing is so easy" Tosh said with wonder "but it's so cold."

"Let it go" Jack finally grabbed a hold of Gwen but there were no strength in her arm any more.

"I can't Jack" she said drowsily "it's so strong."

"Fight it damn it" he yelled in her ear and she woke up starting to struggle.

"Jack!" Tosh cried out as a tentacle lifted her up in the air, he jumped to catch her but she was tossed up with ease ending up in treetop. She got hold of a branch. "Don't worry, I'm okay." She shouted and Jack turned towards Gwen. She was pushing the tentacles, leaning dangerously close to the creature.

"Back away Gwen" Jack ordered firmly with a calm voice.

"But..." Gwen froze confused.

"Now Gwen, you don't want to win this" he said and she loosened up her grip and at the same moment she was tossed two yards away ending up in the mud.

Now that it had another shot of energy the creature lifted itself up and grabbed on the tree to get out of sight, to hide, but it grabbed the tree Tosh has hanging off of.

"Jack" Tosh's voice was filled with panic.

Gwen was running towards them.

"What the..."Owen arrived with the gurney.

The creature started to pound the trunk with its tentacles to scare off the attackers as much to ease the pain it was going through. Jack just couldn't see another way, if he hesitated situation would escalate and somebody would get hurt. Tosh had nearly fallen from the tree. So he reached forward and pressed the back of the creature with his fingers. There were two points, not holes, but pressure points, small dents in the skin of the creature, almost invisible. They didn't let air through, but something had to be exchanged through those points, something crucial for that creature. People never bothered to find out what before they used it so many times. Jack was horrified at himself as the creature waved its tentacles in its last moments, he felt the life under his fingers and how it faded away. Soon it slumped down lifeless.

"For God sake Jack" Gwen panted all tired from her short run, she was exhausted from the creature "that thing was so strong, how did you do that?"

"Come on Tosh, it's not that high, I'll catch you" Owen persuaded Tosh.

"No, you're injured, let Jack catch me." She didn't give in.

"Anything for the lady in distress" he said trying to lift up his easy persona.

He caught her easily.

"Is it dead?" Gwen asked Owen leaning over his shoulder.

"How should I know, it doesn't exactly have a neck to check for a heartbeat." He snapped.

"It's dead" Jack put Tosh down on the grass. "Get an empty syringe and take two samples, one from each lump, there should be still some traces of DNA. In a few hours there will be nothing to scan, process will be on its way, it's a chemical reaction, nothing digestive about it."

"What samples? Who's DNA Jack?" Gwen inquired.

"Two young people, girl and a boy, similar to those which we saved" Gwen stepped away and Owen cursed. There would be no pardon for those creatures. Jack didn't like to call them by their post-mortem name, maybe he could give them another one, he could ask Ianto for one, he could be innovative in that way; maybe he would understand the misunderstanding that was inevitable.

Ianto, soon it would be morning and he'd see Ianto's face and be done with this crazy running around after John, Gray, extinct creatures, and sudden deaths, he'd finally get some warmth and touch, skin and desire. He had enough of the dark and the cold.

After this we need to find some Ianto-time. I found this to be quite distressing chapter.