Epilogue

It had been five months since the extraordinary events that had happened after the Doctor had visited Torchwood, bringing a beautiful, alien Prince with him. Life had returned to normality for Jack and his team as they bickered and laughed, cried and yelled amongst each other … oh and of course, saved the world when they got a spare moment. Well … life looked as though everything was normal, but subtle changes had occurred.

Owen was a little less snarky than before; Toshiko was a little bit more relaxed in the team; Gwen was a little more understanding of her team mates; Ianto was a little less reserved around everyone; and Jack, well, Jack was a little less secretive … with everyone.

Gwen's relationship with Rhys improved as Jack had adapted his leadership style at Ianto's suggestion, enabling all Team Torchwood to have a better work-home lifestyle balance in their lives … in other words, going home earlier and having odd days off more frequently.

Owen, at long last, showed a bit more interest in Tosh and they often went out for drinks by themselves. Of course, they weren't dating. Just two workmates who sometimes went out for drinks … who sometimes went out for dinner … who sometimes stayed overnight at each other's places because it was usually … well … far too late for Tosh to go home on her own.

Jack and Ianto's relationship had deepened; Jack was less flirty and more attuned to his young lover's feelings; Ianto was more confident in himself and more secure in his relationship with Jack. Of course, they were dating … they were in a committed relationship … they were a couple.

Ianto had shared openly and honestly with Jack about everything that had happened while he was away. While Jack knew Ianto well enough to understand how stubborn and unco-operative he could be at times, it still rankled him a bit when he remembered the state Ianto had returned to him from V-dale Sipora. But he was also grateful that so much good had come of what had started off, as a living nightmare for them all.

Well … Ianto had shared almost everything about his time away from Jack. He had even spent one tearful night in Jack's arms, sharing with him how devastating it had been when his bond with John had been broken. What he didn't share with Jack … and was unlikely to ever do so … was what John had done at the end of that agonising procedure. Ianto wasn't sure if Redden and Cookie had been aware of John's small action, his tiny interference, or whether he had been able to hide it from them.

Because the one bright spot out of that horrific experience that had Ianto shivering in remembrance, was something that John did before their bond was 'broken'. He shot a narrow line of condensed thoughts, feelings and memories to Ianto, accompanied by a small, pocket of warmth. At the time, Ianto had been too new, too unskilled in their bond to reciprocate. But since he had returned to Earth, he had made a point of deepening his empathic abilities and practising it on Jack.

The Immortal was delighted at this new innovation in their relationship as he was empathic himself and had always sensed a great potential in Ianto … and he was grateful to John for inspiring his lover to new endeavours! Perhaps Jack would have been less enthusiastic about Ianto's new ability, if he realised that he wasn't the only recipient …

On the odd night when Ianto felt the need for space from his lover, he would leave the Hub early, grab a takeaway to eat at home, then wait until evening fell. Of course, he always checked the weather forecast before taking the night off … he preferred those rare nights in Wales when the sky was clear and the stars shone brightly from the heavens.

On these nights alone, after finishing his meal and watching a bit of TV, Ianto would leave his flat and wander the streets of Cardiff, eyes drifting up every now and then to the stars, a gentle smile on his face. When he found a suitable spot, checking that he was alone and out of CCTV sight, he would stand or sit and gaze up into the night sky. Closing his eyes, Ianto would carefully raise his empathic barriers to block out his lover back at the Hub, then send out through space and time a narrow line of condensed thoughts, feelings and memories … as per the instructions he had been given when he was on V-dale Sipora.

Of course at that time, he had not really understood anything! It took a while for him to figure out that if he wanted to understand what John had done, he had to improve his empathic abilities. From that moment on, Ianto had worked diligently at doing this, even involving Jack in his practise attempts … which had the added bonus of improving their relationship … in every way!

Then there had been the first night when complete understanding had come to Ianto … and he listened with his heart and his mind, as John's message was revealed to him … John's special secret to him. At first, Ianto had been stunned, unsure whether he should act on it. But the memories John had sent with his message warmed the young Welshman in a way that no other person could do.

It still amazed him, even now, to realise how powerful an empathic Captain John Hart was, even though John had explained to him when they were together, that it was a characteristic of his people.

So Ianto found himself once again stepping out onto the Cardiff streets, coat pulled closely around him in the cool evening air, stars shining brightly in the heavens and searching for an isolated spot away from all prying eyes.

This particular evening, he chose an open area on the edge of one of the parks in the city, his thermos flask of coffee safely in his shoulder bag. Finding a seat, he sat down and poured himself a drink, taking a few moments to enjoy the ambience of his surroundings. When he had finished, he gazed up at the stars awhile before gently closing his eyes and slowing his breathing in preparation for the transmission he was about to make.

Ianto found the trace deep within that John had implanted in his mind, that linked him … and he began transmitting. This night he sent John a few memories, one of which included a dream he had on their last day together on V-dale Sipora. He showed John the snatch of dream that he had never forgotten … he had fallen asleep in a distressed and exhausted state in John's bed. Then he had felt a presence in his mind and thought he heard the following words:

"I love you Ianto and I'll never, ever forget what we shared together. And I want you to always remember one thing … you're very special, Ianto Jones and you are MORE … you will always be MORE."

Ianto then asked John … Was that you? Or was it just a beautiful snatch of dream? Ianto stilled himself and waited for his reply, knowing that it would take a while before he received his answer. Sooner than he expected, John sent back his reply:

"Yes babe, that was me. I was outside the bedroom in the corridor and it was supposed to be the last empathic message I sent you. When you didn't respond to it after you had woken up, I presumed you had never received it. I thought you might have been too deep in slumber, but now you've told me, I'm glad you got it. And I meant every word!"

A gentle warmth in the pit of Ianto's stomach welled up and expanded to embrace his whole body. Ianto focused on it and sent a large portion of it to John with a message attached:

"I love you John. And thank you. At that time, I sent you a message back, believing later that it had all been a dream. I guess you never received it. So here it is – 'I love you John and if we must part, then there are a few things I want you to know: I don't want you to break our bond; I don't want to leave you; I don't want to forget you; John, I want to love you; I want to grow old with you; I want to die in your arms. As this can never be, then I want you to know that a part of my heart will never forget you … never regret being bonded with you … never stop loving you, even after our bond is broken. We may both find love and happiness in our respective, separate, lives but I'll always carry the love we shared, to the end of my days."

Soon after sending the message, Ianto received a wave of love from John, accompanied by a snatch of song, a chorus that John had penned for Ianto, soon after they were parted. Ianto thought his heart would burst open with joy as he let the tender lyrics and the haunting melody bathe him in John's love:

Like a whisper of memory,

Locked safe in my heart;

Like a wish blowing free,

We'll never be apart;

Neither time, nor deep space,

Or the stars fading out;

Will ever dim my love,

Or drown out my shout!

You are the One, oh babe, you are the One!

For all eternity, the only love for me, cause …

You are the One, babe, you are the One!

Tears flowed freely down Ianto's cheeks as he locked that message deep in his heart, accepting the pain as well as the joy that John's gift had given him. Their transmission time ended and Ianto got up and slowly walked home, the last lines of that chorus running through his head.

As he entered his flat, he acknowledged that although he truly loved Jack, a part of him would always love John. Ianto let his joy for John spring up anew as he realised that this was onesecret, he could never share with Jack …