Epilogue The Endings

Six months later …

Jack stared unseeing out across the waters of the Bay. He was a shadow of the man he had been, now looking ten years older than what people usually, wrongly presumed was his true age. He looked in his mid-fifties. He was so much older than that, not even counting the 2,000 years he lay entombed under Cardiff. And Jack felt every year of his age.

His appearance was unkempt with unruly, dirty hair; sunken, sallow cheeks; dark shadows encircling his eyes and his clothes hanging off the frame that had once strutted vainly along the streets of Cardiff. Jack didn't care. He no longer cared about much anymore … certainly not his appearance, monitoring the Rift, running the Torchwood team or saving the Earth from aliens. That was all gone now … it was in the past. His bags were packed and he was waiting for Dr Martha Jones and a squad of UNIT soldiers to come and take over the Torchwood Base.

Toshiko had left two months after the terrible double-tragedy that had befallen them. Jack had arranged with Martha for Toshiko's release from UNIT. It had actually taken an intervention from the Doctor, arranged by Martha, to secure Toshiko's release.

One month later, Owen followed Toshiko to London where Martha had again used her influence to secure him a position at a very good private hospital. He and Toshiko had set up home together, as much for comfort in their sorrow, as for any personal feelings they held towards each other. That would develop later.

Gwen had tried to return to Torchwood two months following the aftermath. But after several weeks, by mutual agreement, Gwen resigned her position from Torchwood. Both she and Jack found it impossible to work together, let alone rekindle their friendship. Every time they looked at each other, or spoke to each other, they were reminded painfully of their unforgivable actions and the deadly consequences that happened that terrible night of the wedding.

Though they each carried their own burdens of guilt, they couldn't help but want to blame the other person for their dreadful loss. Any spark of love or desire they had held for each other, had long ago burned out on the ashes of their tragedy. They parted as amicably as possible, but neither pretended they wanted to stay in touch with each other.

Jack would hear two months later through the grapevine, that Gwen and Andy had become a couple and moved in together. They were planning to move out of Cardiff City to the northern part of Wales to a small town. They planned to both join the local constabulary and live out their lives quietly in the peace of the deep countryside.

Before leaving Cardiff, Owen had helped Jack sedate and then release all the Weevils in the Torchwood cells, including Janet. They both knew UNIT would either kill them or worse … conduct torturous tests on them. They had transported them to one of the larger sewer outlets, knowing that when they awakened, the Weevils would go down to join their kin. Jack worried that Janet would not cope with freedom and the other Weevils might reject her. But Jack didn't understand anything about Weevil society … they looked after their own.

In the same way, Jack and Owen had sedated Myfanwy and travelled deep into the northern hills of Wales and released her where they knew she could roam, hunt game and live out the remainder of her days in relative peace.

Martha arrived with a squad of UNIT soldiers. Jack escorted them down to the Hub and over the next few hours, familiarised them with the layout of the base, warning them they would have to develop their own maps for the unknown regions of the Archives. Jack had already cleared out all the important artefacts that he didn't want UNIT to have and sent them up to Archie to store in the Archives at Torchwood Two base in Scotland.

Martha was desperately worried about Jack. He looked terrible. But he had steadfastly refused to allow her to check him, let alone treat him for his obviously dangerous depression. Jack had pointedly told her that not even the Doctor could save him from his self-imposed punishment … he deserved to suffer and he wanted to. Martha had pleaded for the Doctor to come and help Jack.

The Doctor had been willing to help, but the encounter between Jack and the Time Lord had gone very badly. Jack had begged, cajoled and pleaded with the Time Lord to take him back in time and change everything. The Doctor had refused, reminding Jack that the events were now fixed and couldn't be changed.

Jack had screamed out a whole pile of insults to the Doctor and told him he didn't need or even want his help. The Doctor knew that Jack's bitter guilt and grief fuelled the Immortal's shocking outburst … but it still hurt him deeply. He would abide his time and return to Jack when the time was right. For now he had to leave Jack to himself, just as the man wanted.

Martha was relieved that Jack had succumbed to his daughter's entreaties to come and live with her and her son, David, in Rochester in southern England. He would be leaving straight after handing all the keys to the Hub and the SUV over to Martha. When everything was completed, Martha steered Jack out of the Torchwood base and over to the UNIT truck.

Martha left Major Turnbull in charge while she drove Jack to Cardiff Central Station to catch his ride to London. He had already moved a lot of important artefacts he wanted to keep for himself to Rochester already, where he had secured a storage facility.

There were awkward hugs and tears for Jack and Martha as they parted company at the station. Jack only had a few bags with him because he had taken the bulk of his luggage to his daughter's home over a week ago. They made promises to 'keep in touch' and although Martha was sincere, Jack knew that would never happen. He didn't want to stay in contact with anyone who reminded him of Torchwood … and Ianto.

A final hug and gentle kiss between old friends. With a little of her old cheekiness, Martha asked Jack a very pointed question. "How did things go so badly wrong for you all? What caused this terrible disaster?"

Jack flinched at her question and Martha regretted her question as deep pain flashed through his dull blue eyes. She was about to take it back when Jack shook his head.

With a voice contracted in pain he answered. "Four minutes and thirty-five seconds. That's what destroyed our lives and Torchwood. Four minutes and thirty-five seconds."

Then he pulled out of her arms and walked away down the platform where he boarded the train. There were tears in Martha's eyes when Jack's carriage swept past her out of the station. But Jack never saw it. He never looked out the window at her or at Cardiff. He just stared straight ahead as he sat alone in his compartment, his eyes as empty and hollow as the immortal heart that beat in his chest.

The End