Sparkling Cosmos {A Torchwood Story Two} [COMPLETED]

29. All's Well That Ends... Kind Of Okay

I can't bear to look at our Captain properly as I dress him in the standard white gown and place him on a gurney for the cryogenically frozen wall. As the doctor, it's my job, but for the first time ever I wish it wasn't.

Out the corner of my eye I see Evelina turn in her sleep on the cold floor, and once again I breathe a sigh of relief that she's still alive. It's been hours since Jack somehow defeated Abbadon, but I'm not taking any chances. I've done that too many times with her in the past, and now that I see things for what they truly are, I never want to let her go again.

I still haven't told her I love her.

I debate whether or not to say it now, but then everyone walks into the frosty room and Toshiko crouches and gently shakes Evy awake. I've lost my chance - again. God, I really am a pusillanimous.

Gwen is the last to walk across the boards to our old bosses' gurney, and she seems to be in denial about the whole thing.
"I wanna sit with him," she repeats over and over, and we can't do anything about it so we just let her.
We walk away, my arm linked with Evy's as her other is linked with Ianto's, and a swell of different emotions takes me over as soon as we're back in the Hub. Everybody starts putting the place back together, while I stare at my screen thinking everything over.

I started all of this. The only way it could've ever stopped is with Jack's lives, or Evelina's lives, and I don't want either of them to die. They're my family, better than the ones I've ever had, along with Ianto and Toshiko. Despite the worst thing having happened for me to be here, them lot are the best things that have ever happened to me. They've shown me the stars, things I never could've imagined be possible. Jack made me see that life can be lived, and Evelina showed me that love can still happen.

I catch her eye as she tidies up the artifacts table, and she smiles gratefully at me.

Evelina's POV

Gradually, we all gravitate towards the monitor at Tosh's desk where we can see Gwen still in denial. It goes on for days.

"How long is she gonna do this?" Owen asks us, and I shrug because I can't see the future anymore. Time has been rewritten, and because of that I can't see it; I need to learn more about being a Time Lord to understand it.

But still, I can't help feeling there's some hope of life: some little spark of immortality still lying dormant inside of him. I don't know where, or how long it'll take to find, but I'm in the same boat as Gwen - I'm not grieving his loss yet.

And then, finally, after almost a week, he returns to us.

"Thank you," I hear him whisper before he and Gwen walk into the Hub together. Tosh and I notice first, and she runs across the grate flooring despite her heels and bolsters into him, almost crying from the relief. I pull her back gently as I see Ianto approaching, eyes watering. Jack pulls him into a hug and then, surprisingly, into a kiss.

And that's when Owen walks in. The container he's carrying is dropped to the ground as he stares at our boss, not knowing what to say, how to react.
Jack regards him; walks forwards. Owen does the same, and they stand before each other. Owen's eyes water and he shakes his head in disbelief and guilt, and I know he wants acceptance. He wants to say sorry, and he wants to be forgiven.

"I'm-"
"I forgive you."
I watch on the sidelines, crying myself, as Owen breaks down crying and Jack pulls him into his chest. He rubs Owen's back as he howls gutterally into his shirt, for as long as it takes.

He is forgiven. That's all he needs.

After some time Owen steps back and allows me to step forward. I have no words for my Captain - he'll know them all already.

Me and Captain Jack Harkness are different than the rest: we exist in all of time, and are the only ones who understand it. Everything we are has been tied to each other since day one, for we get each other in a way nobody else on this world does.

So yeah - we don't need to say anything.
All we do is smile and nod.

~∆~

We go to get coffees, all of us needing a caffeinated boost from the shit that's been happening. Only Gwen and Jack are left in the Hub.

As I lean my head against Owen's shoulder, he opens his mouth to say something but stops himself.
"What?" I ask him, looking up, and his jaw tightens but he still says nothing.
"Just... I hope I can get a double."
My brows furrow, but I don't care as much about our secrets anymore. He'll tell me whatever in due time - right now I'm just grateful we're alive.

My phone beeps, and I reach into my pocket and pull out my little doodad instead. "Oops, wrong pocket - can ya hold this for me?"
Owen takes it but then realises he can't hold that and a coffee and me, so passes it to Tosh instead. She peers at it, passing it through her fingers. "Did you make this?"
I nod and open up the phone. "Hello?" I ask.

"Is this Torchwood Cardiff?" a gruff voice asks on the other line.
"Yes it is; who's calling please?" I say in my nicest tone, the one Owen calls my Customer Service Voice, and Ianto glances at me with a curious look as he places the cups in a carrier.
The voice on the phone continues: "I'm from Torchwood India," they say, and I start. We have a base in India? "There's been some odd activity over here, and there aren't enough of us to cover the Himalayas."
I squint my eyes. "So, there are aliens in the Himalayas?" I ask, and my co-workers turn to stare at me.
"Yes, we need you help. How fast can you get here?" they ask me, and I reply that I'll get back to them before hanging up.

Everyone is staring at me.
"We have aliens in the Himalayas?" Ianto asks, and I peer at the mobile screen.
"Apparently so. The person said they were from Torchwood India; did anyone know we have one in India?"
"Let me check when we get back to the Hub; I can't remember Jack ever saying anything about it," Tosh answers, taking her cup of mocha and sipping. We in turn take our coffees and drink liquid gold for the first time today. It's thirsty work, nearly dying.

When we walk into the Hub, the place is wrecked. Papers scatter the floors, and Ianto grumbles, "I had just sorted them all out!"
Ignoring him, I ask Gwen who's standing around where Jack went, and she takes a while to respond. She's still looking about the place.

"Gwen!" I repeat, "Earth to Gwen!"
She shakes her head and looks at me. "Sorry, er. I don't know where Jack is. He's just... gone."
"What d'ya mean gone?" Owen asks between gulps of coffee, and Gwen spreads her arms.
"I mean he just vanished. I was talking to him, he walked a bit in front of me, then there was some wind and he disappeared! He's gone."

Everyone turns to me, expecting me to know. I roll my eyes. "Okay, okay, I'll try to track him, happy?"
They all nod and get back to tidying up and researching Torchwood India. I walk to my desk, Owen squeezing my hand secretly as we walk past, and sit down and try to concentrate on Jack.

Why can I just feel the Time Vortex?

I snap my eyes open, and I frown incredibly hard.

That rat bastard. He has a lot of explaining to do...

Where has Jack gone? For those of you who are keeping track of the chronology, you're sure to know, but for the rest of you, stay tuned for the third fic, Burning Cosmos!