Chapter 1: Time & Confusion

The wailing of alarms tore throughout the cold concrete bunker startling its snoozing inhabitants to life. "Does it have to be so loud?" Came the call from down in the pit as a harangued looking Owen slumped up the stairs covered in a strange blue liquid.

"What the hell is that?!" Gwen howled in disgust, pushing away from her desk to stare at the alien ooze.

"Blood. Specifically that bloody weevils blood, which would still be in his veins if it wasn't for that bloody thing!" He pointed angrily at the alarm before stomping off to the exit. "I'm going home to clean up"

Jack rose up from his bed at the sound of the continuing alarm. "Doesn't anyone work around here?" He muttered as he started to dress. "Ianto. Get that gorgeous arse up!" He called back to the Welshmen as he ascended the ladder just in time to see a highly irritated cockney disappear from the hub. "Woah, woah, woah. Owen get back here!". He demanded fruitlessly.

"He's gone home Jack, besides he's been working all weekend anyway." Gwen leaned her legs upon the desk, smiling up at Jack. "Besides you have me here to help."

"You're right. Gwen, keep an eye on the monitors whilst we go and check out the disturbance." He gripped his coat and began to pull it on as he swept towards the door. "...of all the weeks for Tosh to need a vacation."

"Why've I got to stay here?! Ianto can do it!" She whined, crossing her arms over her chest in the perfect imitation of a taunting child.

"Yan is coming with me" he replied, smiling as the man himself walked past him, his suit immaculate once more. "I'll get the SUV ready in record time sir" he smirked, clenching a stopwatch tightly in his hand earning a blush from the Captain.

Gwen's face pulled into an ugly sneer as the former time agent held his full gaze upon the retreating Welshman's arse "Jack. Jack! Are you bloody listening to me Jack bloody Harkness!" Yelled the irritated woman.

The captain snapped to attention, his mind being pulled away from the memories of his earlier rendezvous with Ianto. "We are not having this discussion Gwen." He sighed in frustration. "Ianto is a field agent now. He needs the training."

She scoffed and raised an eyebrow. Bloody playing with the coffee boy instead of me. "Yeah. Is that what you call training nowadays?" She muttered jealously. "Fine, I'm going home to Rhys where I'm appreciated.". With a irritated flick of her hair she grabbed her purse and followed Owen's earlier trail.

"Lord give me strength." Jack groaned in frustration, rubbing a hand over his overtired eyes as silence filled the hub for just a second before a second high pitched alarm
had him jumping onto the raising platform and lifting out into the night.

"Problem Sir?' Ianto asked as his lover jumped into the SUV. "I'd give you a hand but I was always taught to keep two hands on the wheel." He joked, the corner of his lips turning up slightly.

Jack snorted at the comment. "Your hands are magnificent Yan, it's nothing, I'm just sick of them treating this place like they can come and go as they please."

"You mean Gwen specifically don't you?" The archivist queried.

Jack nodded. "Yeah, perhaps I've just given her the tiniest bit too much leeway.". A snort from Ianto had him rolling his eyes. "Okay maybe a lot of leeway. Where are we heading anyway."

"Outskirts of town. Positive spike on the rift monitor, time is dumping things again" he glanced down as Jack's hand wandered. "And if you want to stay on the road find out what it is you'll keep your hands to yourself"

"Spoilsport" he smirked as he withdrew his hand. "And I was going to 'train' you and everything..."

A low chuckle rumbled in Ianto's chest as they drove out out of the lit street and on to the quiet backroads. "Hmmm I wonder what U.N.I.T think of your training methods?"

"Well...now that you mention it there was this one incident inviolving several commanders, two Captain's and one Brigadi-uh!"

Blue eyes grew lifeless as Jack's head slumped back against the black headrest, his last breath still in his throat.