Jack and Ianto sat side by side on the sofa while Owen rummaged through the kitchen for food. Ianto had offered to help, but Owen refused. He was still angry at him for what had happened to Tosh, and he needed some time to himself.

Jack longed to take Ianto into his arms, but the young man sat rigidly, his hands on his thighs.

"This is only temporary, isn't it?" Ianto wanted to know. He sounded scared.

"I think so," Jack replied quietly. "Emma just blocked all sorts of spells from reaching the house. I'm sorry."

"Why, it's not your fault," Ianto said as he turned to face him. "I'm the one who needs to apologise. I don't know why I fell for her ruse so easily. I'm never that trustworthy when I meet someone."

"I guess talking to a doll is easier than talking to real people," Jack smiled bitterly.

"Yeah," Ianto sighed. "And now Tosh has to pay the price for my flaws."

"She'll wake up again," Jack said with more certainty than he felt.

"All this talk of witchcraft. Do you really believe in all that?" Ianto asked, changing the subject.

"Maybe not all of it. But, with so many inexplicable things in this world, who am I to know? Think of the fairies or Abaddon. Try to explain them," Jack shrugged.

"Sorry about the coffee stain," Ianto said, suddenly changing the subject again.

"What?" Jack wondered what he was talking about.

"On your shirt. The coffee stain."

Jack looked down at his shirt and noticed the dark smudge on his right sleeve.

"Oh. It doesn't matter."

"But..."

"It doesn't matter, Ianto. Forget about it," Jack said, a little harsher than he had intended.

Ianto lowered his eyes and stared at his knees again, his thoughts drifting away.

Jack glanced at his watch. He wished Emma would hurry up.


When Emma finally emerged from her study, she looked exhausted but waved with some printouts.

"I've got a spell that should do the trick," Emma declared, "I'm just not sure we'll be able to pull it off."

"Why?" Jack asked, coming over to look at her writings.

"Because we're missing the most important ingredient: Merlin's blood," she explained. "He hasn't been seen for years. Rumour has it that he left Earth nearly a century ago."

"What was so special about Merlin's blood anyway?" Owen asked as he bit into a sandwich.

"There are many legends and rumours surrounding him, but I guess it was his immortality that made his blood so special," she said.

"Convenient that we got the next best thing," Owen remarked sarcastically.

"How so?" Emma was clearly confused.

"I'm immortal," Jack said.

The statement hung in the air for a few moments as she stared at him.

"You are such a strange bunch of people..." Emma furrowed her brow. She looked as if she had questions, but eventually shook her head.

"Whatever. I guess we're on the right track after all," she said wryly.

"But my blood has nothing to do with my immortality," Jack said hesitantly. He was reluctant to elaborate on being a fixed point in time with strangers.

"I'm pretty sure that wasn't the case with Merlin either," she said. "It has more to do with symbolism. You know, the blood of a very old soul?"

"Okay, that I can offer," Jack replied with more confidence. "How much do we need?"

"A lot. A hexagram carved in stone surrounds the statue. For the spell to work, it must be completely filled. It won't be easy for you."

"We should go back to the hub," Owen suggested. "We can draw as much blood as we need with my medical equipment there."

"Good idea. Ianto let's... Ianto?" only then did Jack notice that the young man had left the room. He had been so busy talking to Emma that he hadn't noticed him sneaking out.

Just then, they heard the sound of an engine starting. The SUV! Jack ran outside, but all he saw was the headlights of their black car speeding away.

"Dammit! Ianto!" Jack shouted after the car.

"What's that moron doing?" Owen asked as he caught up with Jack.

"Pretty obvious, isn't it?" Emma leaned against the doorframe with her arms crossed. "He's giving himself up to get the reverse spell for your Toshiko from Penny."

"Bloody hell!" cursed Owen.

Jack went pale as he realised that Emma was right. After their conversation about Tosh and witchcraft, he should have expected something like this.

Owen picked up a black suitcase on the street next to them.

"Looks like Ianto has left us something."

Jack looked over at Owen and recognised what it was at once. It was their emergency kit. It contained a PDA, laptop and other useful tools.

"He wants us to follow him," he realised. Damn fool. "Do you have a car, Emma?"

"Yes, but I would advise you not to rush into this. We have the spell; all we need now is a strategy. Please come back inside," Emma implored.

Jack rocked impatiently on his heels as he considered their next move.

"Okay, fine. But we leave in five," he reluctantly agreed.

"We'll go when we're ready," she said sternly, ushering the two men back into the house.


"I haven't sat in such a car in ages!" Jack exclaimed twenty minutes later, distracted from his concern for Ianto by Emma's orange VW Beetle.

"She's my precious, I've had her since I learnt to drive," Emma remarked as she ran her hand gently over the roof.

Owen was less than thrilled when he realised he would have to ride in the back seat. The narrow space was littered with bags, leaving him cramped and looking for a comfortable position.

"Why do I have to sit in the back?" Owen muttered.

"Because I have the PDA with Ianto's signal," Jack retorted, adjusting the device to improve the reception.

"Familiarise yourself with the spell on the printout. If we have to use it, there will be no room for error. Memorise it. Half-arsed spells don't work," Emma told him as she started the car.

"Let's hope it doesn't come to that," Jack said as he watched Ianto's signal on the monitor. "Don't forget, our priority is to search the premises for hostages. If there are any, we need to find a way to free them. We're relying on you for that, Owen."

The medic nodded. "Do you really think the monastery is where Ianto is going?"

"We'll see, but I'd be surprised if it wasn't," Emma says gloomily.

"Emma and I will try and find Viola Baughan and talk to her. I really hope we can convince her to give up her plans," Jack added.

"We have to be careful around her," Emma reminded them. "We don't know the extent of her abilities or how strong her influence is over the hostages."

"Do you really think you can handle her?" Owen asked sceptically from the back. This had bothered him since they had decided on the confrontational approach regarding Lady Baughan. "If she uses her mind control trick..."

"Super witches with superpowers are a myth. She is not a demon. She uses the dolls to influence others; she can't just force herself on us against our will. We should be pretty safe. I think."

"Her hostages are her most valuable pawn," Jack explained. "If she gives them up and hands over the statue, we'll let her go."

"But if she decides to go ahead with her plans anyway, we will have to stop her," Emma said confidently. "Whatever it takes."

Jack's phone suddenly beeped, and he pulled it out of his coat.

"A text from Ianto," Jack said excitedly as he opened the messenger and started to read. "Looks like he actually got the spell from Penny!"

"Let's hope we find him in time. Before Viola can start the resurrection," Emma reminded them.

"I'm going to call Rhys," Jack said. "He needs to try and get Tosh back right away."

Owen muttered under his breath.

"What's wrong?"

"I should be there with Tosh. Who knows what state she'll be in when she wakes up? Rhys is not a doctor!"

"Maybe you're right, but we don't have time to go back to the hub," Jack said.

"It will take the three of us to defeat Viola. I need you to read the spell with me if push comes to shove. I can't do it alone," Emma said gravely.

Owen grumbled and leaned back into the seat. He just hoped Tosh would be alright.


Rhys swung from side to side in a revolving chair, staring at the lifeless body of Torchwood's computer expert. He couldn't believe they'd left him here alone. Judging by Jack's usual extreme paranoia about the secrecy of this place, the situation had to be dire.

The hub was submerged in silence. Only the computer equipment hummed, with occasional beeps. Rhys wondered if their flying dinosaur was here today because he couldn't hear her. Was she a carnivore? Had she been fed? Rhys had to admit that his knowledge of these animals, which should have been extinct long ago, was limited. He hoped he wouldn't meet her while he was here alone.

He shuddered as he remembered lying on the same table Toshiko was on now after being shot in the warehouse where they had tried to save the space whale. The wound hadn't been life-threatening, but it had hurt like hell. When they had brought him here to the so-called autopsy room, he had been terrified. For a brief moment, he'd thought that was it. His life was over. But to his surprise, the usually grumpy Dr Owen Harper had turned out to be a skilled doctor, and he'd patched him up quickly. Rhys moved his shoulder. The wound still stung sometimes, but it had healed well.

Jack had told him to keep an eye on Toshiko and to call if her condition changed. She didn't even have a heartbeat. How could her condition change if she was dead? Were zombies something he needed to worry about?

The whole thing with the dolls was bizarre. Not long ago, he hadn't believed in aliens. Maybe he needed to accept that not only science fiction but also fantasy was real and that witches were more than just fairy tales.

While he thought it was great to see the bigger picture and felt sorry for his friends' limited view of the world, he began to wonder if blissful ignorance wasn't such a bad thing after all.

Oh, who was he kidding? It was exciting. He loved that his Gwen was this action heroine saving the world. He just wished that all the excitement came with less danger. He couldn't stop thinking about what had happened to her. Was she alright? Her recklessness in the face of danger was so typical of her. Influenced by an evil doll or not.

Then he heard his phone ring. The words 'Withheld number' flashed across the screen.

"Yes?" Rhys asked hesitantly as he picked up the phone.

"Rhys, I am forwarding you a text and you're going to read it loud and clear," Jack said without greeting.

"If it doesn't work, have him repeat it. And say it like you mean it!" Rhys heard a woman's voice in the background.

"Did you get that?" Jack asked.

"Yeah, sure. Is this for Toshiko?" Rhys wanted to know. He heard the text message arrive with a ping.

"Yes. Get back to me when you're done," Jack urged.

"Did you find Gw..." Rhys tried to get in, but the line was already disconnected.

Just great.

"And how do I do this?" Rhys wondered aloud, while opening the message on his phone. Hesitantly he started to read the text. When he looked up, nothing had changed.

Say it like you mean it!

Rhys cleared his throat and straightened up.

Rise from the depths of darkness

Walk the illuminated starlit path

Your heart will be released from purgatory

As you awake from a deep slumber

Your life will be restored

When he was done, the ECG behind Tosh sprang to life with a bumpy beep... beep...beep, which became steady after a few moments.

Rhys rushed over to her as Tosh opened her eyes and looked at him in confusion.

"What are you doing here?" she croaked as she propped herself up on her elbows.

"Ianto cast a spell on you and I kissed you awake," Rhys grinned.

"What?"

"Metaphorically speaking!" he added, amused at her confused look.

He pressed the callback button and held the phone to his ear.

"Jack? I've got good news."

Tosh rubbed her face and tried to focus. She motioned to Rhys that she needed to speak to Jack. As she sat up, Rhys handed her the phone.

"Jack? What is going on?" She was still struggling to understand how she had ended up in the autopsy room and why Rhys Williams was there with her.

Jack put her on speaker and quickly filled her in. He also informed her that the SUV had left the city and was heading north, according to their tracker.

"Looks like the monastery is his destination," Jack concluded.

"Would've been such a laugh if we'd been wrong and all our plans had been for nothing," Emma quipped from behind the wheel. Despite the dire circumstances, she seemed to be enjoying herself.

"It's impossible to say whether Ianto went there voluntarily or whether Penny forced him to. I just hope she hasn't taken control of his mind again like she did at the hub. We need to get him out of there as soon as possible. Gwen too, of course. If anything happens to them...," his voice trailed off.

"It'll be fine, Jack," Tosh reassured him. "They're Torchwood, they'll be fine."

"Fire up the surveillance equipment, we'll stay in contact via our in-ears," Jack said, regaining control of himself.

"Will do. Good luck."


While Tosh booted up her workstation and readied the surveillance equipment, Rhys prepared something to eat in the kitchenette. He was particularly impressed by the coffee machine. Perhaps he should try to persuade Gwen to buy a new one for their kitchen. Or maybe he should mention it to some people still looking for wedding presents.

"So, Jack and Ianto," Rhys began as he sat beside her, searching for the right words.

"What about them?" Tosh asked as she scanned the digital map for their SUV. There would be no CCTV this far out of town.

"Are they like... together? I mean, he surely doesn't kiss all his employees..., does he?" Rhys stared at her.

Tosh laughed out loud.

"Sorry for asking. Sometimes I don't get the vibes, you know? I'm just a bloke," Rhys paddled back. "Gw...Gwen can vouch for that." He forced a laugh. He wished she was here with him.

Tosh was still laughing.

"Jack loves to kiss, I can tell you that. But no, don't worry. He doesn't kiss the team... not very often anyway."

"Oh, good," he exhaled, relieved. "Wait, not very often?"

She looked at him.

"This team, Rhys, we're not just his employees. We're all family," Tosh explained, more solemn now.

"So, he's not his boyfriend," Rhys concluded. "Damn, that's too bad. I'd prefer Jack to be gay."

"I didn't say that, but I don't think it's my place to gossip. And why are you so curious anyway? Do you fancy him?" Tosh grinned.

"No!" Rhys exclaimed. "I...I... I'm just not sure sometimes about how much Gwen fancies him."

Tosh looked at him and put her hand on his arm, trying to reassure him.

"Don't worry Rhys. She loves you."


Ianto felt like he'd been driving for hours. They had passed the toy factory some time ago.

"Are you sure this is the right way?" he asked.

"Just keep driving," Penny hummed. "I'm so glad you changed your mind and came with me. Torchwood is not the right place for you; you are meant for greater things."

With the information he'd gained from Emma, it sounded like a threat.

"As long as Tosh is okay, it's fine," he mumbled.

Ianto was relieved that Penny hadn't taken control of him again. Being trapped in his own mind had left him feeling terrified and powerless.

For now, he'd follow her lead and, if possible, hold out until Jack and the others arrived.

He knew deciding to take the car and drive off had been reckless, but he didn't care. In his opinion, it was the only way to get the reversal spell for Tosh. All he wanted was for her to be safe. Penny was overjoyed at his decision and happily gave him the spell to wake her up.

He had yet to hear back from anyone after sending the text. All he could do was hope that Toshiko was all right.

The gate to the monastery was open upon their arrival. They had obviously been expected. The doors closed with a rumble as Ianto parked his car in the driveway and got out.

"Please come in, Lady Viola is expecting you," Penny said, her voice filled with delight.