Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Jack stared out silently across the Rold Dhal Plass, quiet and empty in the cool, clear night. It was almost as if nothing had changed. He had not been there for what felt like a lifetime, or more like several he realised wryly. Now he was here once again it felt almost unreal, like a dream...... or a memory. The unthinkable had happened, something he had never imagined he would do himself. Jack had spent years of his life salvaging what came through the rift but this time it was the other way round, he was the thing to fall through. He could hardly believe it. Of all the places he wantedto avoid in the universe this was pretty much top of his list. The pain of his memories of Owen, Tosh, Gwen...... and his memories Ianto, they were almost too much to bear.The moment he had been taken by the rift and found himself here he should have left.His vortex manipulator had not really worked in years but he had repaired it enough he could have harnessed the residual rift energy and travelled back to where he came from. Not home, he hadn't had that in years, but back to the current life he had made for himself, worlds away from here. But then he had seen the date, July 14th 2007. What had he been doing then, all those years ago? Jack didn't remember, maybe working with his team, or enjoying some alone time with Ianto. He half smiled at the thought, remembering his time with the young Welshman, the man he had promised to remember, and never been able to forget.
Jack should have gone, he knew, but somehow, he just couldn't. Instead, he found himself drifting back here, back to his team, his home. They would all be at home by now, or working late, either way he couldn't go in, couldn't even say hello. This wasn't his time any longer, it belonged to another life... a long, long time ago. Instead, he just stood and stared across the plaza, imagining what they were doing, knowing that here, now they were alive and happy and safe, even if he could no longer be a part of that and somehow, the thought brought a small sad smile to his lips. The memories of that time were still strong and soon he was lost in them, the happy and the sad, reliving them as if they were yesterday. Then suddenly something happened that dragged him painfully back to the present...... something he had not expected and would never be ready for.
''Jack?''
The voice was painfully familiar and one Jack had known he would never hear again.Even now, after all this time those beautiful Welsh vowels were unmistakable.
''Ianto'' he whispered raggedly under his breath, his voice catching in his throat at thesudden emotions that rapidly tore through him. For a moment he couldn't move,didn't want to turn round in case Ianto wasn't there... or maybe, in case he was. What would he do then? How could he just turn his back and leave, knowing he would never see him again? Either way, after a few seconds he forced himself to look and sure enough there he was, Ianto Jones, large as life. He was standing at the edge of the Plass, a mildly confused look on that wonderful, handsome face of his as he watched Jack's motionless form.
''Jack,'' he called again when he got no response, ''back already? You only just left. Not that I'm not happy to see you of course'' he added with a slight smile as he took a few steps closer.
