I thought it would be fitting to start of my re-writing with the first fic I ever wrote. The original will always stay on my profile, but this one will be the better of the two considering the difference in my age. My thanks still go out to 'Janto-addict' (if she's still on this site) for helping me write it.
- Jess

A Long Shift: REWRITTEN:

"Not to rain on everybody's parade, but I think we have a problem." Came a soft, Welsh voice from the direction of the cog door. On a normal day, Ianto's warning would strike fear into the hearts of the Torchwood team; on a day that's five before Christmas, it strikes something more along the lines of terror, annoyance, and a wish for a better job. Owen simply scowled at the news.

"If it's aliens, tell them to piss off." He muttered angrily, childishly throwing his scalpel into its tray as he whipped off the blood-stained gloves he'd been wearing.

"Not to disappoint you Owen-" Ianto's voice was laced with sarcasm. "-but for once it's not aliens."

The Welshman now had the attention of Gwen and Tosh, who were looking at him with an uneasy expression that almost dared him to say their Christmas' were ruined. "What is it, Ianto?" Tosh asked apprehensively.

"Well, as you're all probably aware a snowstorm the size of Wales has being directing itself at Cardiff all day, and a quick weather check shows no signs of it stopping. Normally, the 10 inches of snow currently covering the city wouldn't be too much of an issue… but what with the Hub being underground, we can't actually get out. We're officially snowed in."

"What!?" Gwen cried with despair. "That's impossible! Ianto, please tell me you're joking!?" She begged, her voice thick with emotion.

Ianto glanced at Tosh and Owen, who were currently doing a pretty good job imitating goldfish. He grimaced at his next confession. "M'afraid not. And that's not the worst of it…" He continued. "The Hub's computer system has deactivated the locks in the cells in an attempt to clear a snow overload in air vent 3…"

"So what does that mean!?" Gwen bawled, thoughts of Rhys and Christmas dinner slowly going down the drain.

"It means the weevils are loose! They're wandering the vaults!" Tosh finished for Ianto, who gave a defeatist nod in her direction.

"Well that's just bloody brilliant isn't it!?" Owen yelled. "Y'know, this job really takes the piss sometimes… no, scratch that, this job takes the bloody piss all the time." Owen stood from his chair and pushed it into the desk, the bang causing Gwen, Tosh and Ianto to flinch. "Harkness!" The Londoner bellowed. "Jack!"

"What!? What's going on? Is it the rift?" Jack came rushing out of his office, worry etched into his features as he reached for his gun and did a quick head count of his team. 'At least nobody appears to be hurt', he thought to himself.

"We're snowed in is what's going on!" Owen snapped. "And you need to get us out."

Jack put his gun back in its holster, relief evident in his face. "Snowed in? You can't get us out, Ianto?" He asked the archivist.

"Afraid not, sir. This isn't something that can be reversed with technology; just simply a waiting game for the snow to melt." Ianto replied calmly, collecting the coffee cup that had been left on Gwen's desk.

Jack nodded in response. "Well… maybe you lot will actually get some work done around here." He joked, much to Owen's chagrin.

"Ha, bloody ha." The doctor muttered. "I'll have you know I was balls deep in an autopsy before the teaboy had to ruin things."

"It's hardly Ianto's fault that we're snowed in, Owen." Tosh reminded him, rolling her eyes at the medics behaviour.

"Jack, what about Rhys? There's no signal in the Hub and I've got to be home for Christmas." Gwen insisted.

"I'm sorry, Gwen, there's nothing I can do. Look on the bright side! Welcome to the first Torchwood Christmas!" Jack grinned, only faltering slightly when Gwen collapsed back into her chair, face in her hands.

"Err… there are still two weevils wandering our vaults in case anybody forgot." Ianto reminded them. "I mean… not that it's important or anything." He added sarcastically.

Jack's grin was replaced with a stern frown as he melted into his tough, boss-like exterior. "Right team, if that's the case then we need to get that sorted. Gwen, Owen I want you to deal with Janet, me and Ianto will take Barbara. Tosh, can you see if you can override the system to make the cells lock again?"

"Already on it." Tosh replied, glasses on the end of her nose as she began tapping at her computer.

"Let's go weevil hunting!" Jack grinned at the groaning members of his team.

"Just as long as you and Ianto actually do some weevil hunting and not your own made up version of it." Gwen told him, a slight smile on her face despite her despair at being stuck at the Hub.

"Can't make any promises." Their leader replied with a wink towards Ianto, who rolled his eyes with a smile.

Owen scowled. It was gonna be a long couple of days.