Prologue:

Something was going on in the archives. Toshiko Sato caught it first and called to Ianto Jones over the comms. She tried several times, but got no response. Annoyance painted her dark brows.

"What's got you in such a tut then?" Owen Harper asked as he swaggered to his workstation, scoffing at an indeterminable stain on his white lab coat. His coffee had long since grown cold and he could do with some more. Bloody tea boy was slacking.

"I'm trying to get a hold of Ianto, but he's not responding."

"Yeah I could do with a fresh cuppa, but I think Ianto's with Jack," Owen told her blandly while scanning something into his computer, he shivered, "Probably naked on his bloody desk."

Tosh froze, "Well that's not good, because there's something moving down in the archives," she informed, pointing to the position on her screen as Owen joined her. "And I was really hoping it was him."

Owen observed the disturbance with a frown, taking another sip and cringing, "That's bad."

Tosh nodded, though she wasn't sure if he meant the coffee or the intrusion, "Really bad."

Unknown movement in the Hub was more often than not a cause for alarm and Owen and Tosh both shared a look.

"Is it worth the risk?"

Tosh blinked, "What?"

"I really don't want to see anything between those two that I might need to be retconned for later."

"Owen," Tosh admonished.

"Fine," Owen grumbled. "Let's go then."

The two headed for Jack's office.

Ianto was, surprisingly, not tied to Jack's desk in any kind of retina scarring scene that would haunt Owen for years-thank Christ, he was merely organizing. He looked up at their entrance with complete bewilderment.

Blue eyes went from Owen to Tosh with a questioning brow, "What is it? Lunch's not for another half hour."

Tosh shook her head, "Someone's in the archives," she said breathlessly.

No more words needed to be spoken. Ianto moved toward Jack, whose eyes were closed, but not because he was napping, (Jack Harkness didn't nap). He jostled the man's chair.

"Jack, wake up."

Jack snorted and his sky blue eyes flew open. "Wasn't sleeping," he mumbled. "Resting my eyes."

"Someone's in the archives." Ianto repeated Tosh's words briskly.

"Hell," Jack slurred. "Really?"

Ianto nodded. "Lunch may be a tad late," he noted, glancing at his watch.

Jack groaned, but grabbed his gun anyway. "Some people have no sense of timing."

Armed and ready, team Torchwood went to meet the unsuspecting intruder head on. The loss of an ill Gwen Cooper was suddenly felt in the four man team.

"You sure it's not just a big rat or something?" Jack asked as they crept along.

"Sir," Ianto repeated with the urgency one used in the middle of a nuclear attack, his toes hitting the back of Jack's heel in his haste. "There's someone in the archives." Messing with the archives was an act of war as far as the young Welshman was concerned.

"How come this shit never happens when I'm bleeding off," Owen wined, thinking of Gwen and her ability to pick the perfect days to be sick.

"Up ahead," Tosh pointed with her PDA.

Jack motioned them into position and they slowly made their way in. It didn't take long to find the intruder. (Who was really more an unwelcome pest than a stranger)

The striking red coat stood out against the otherwise dull color of the wall behind the all too familiar man.

"The bloody hell is he doing here?" Owen asked quietly.

"I certainly didn't issue him a bloody invitation," Ianto hissed, definitely peeved by the sight.

"Jack, what's he doing?" Tosh asked.

Jack didn't answer, because he had no clue.

The intruder was rifling, tossing things about rather noisily, and much to Ianto's chagrin, the place was a wreck. The unwelcomed guest suddenly stopped, something shone in his hands, though Jack couldn't see what.

Jack aimed his weapon, wondering how it was that John Hart had gotten around their security, shouting at the man to put his hands up.

John turned and the smirk on his face only made it that much harder for Jack not to shoot.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Jack asked him.

John opened his mouth, no doubt to spout something he found charming or witty, but he was cut off by a clicking sound. The object hidden in his hand seemed to come to life, surprising everyone in the room.

Ianto, Tosh and Owen all jumped back. Jack's eyes widened.

"Put it down! Now!"

But the words came too late.

A second later there was a crack and a white blinding flash.

There was a flash. A click.

Then nothing.