A/N: This is my vision of what a possible future series of Torchwood could be (not the new one, as we all know it takes place in America) so I've tried to stay as close to canon as possible. It's a COE fix-it that deals with Torchwood IV, which is located in Belfast (my logic was that the other three are each in the largest city of their respective region of the United Kingdom, and for Northern Ireland that's Belfast). I try to avoid OCs whenever possible because of the problems that come with them, but I had to create some to flesh out the Torchwood IV team. Hopefully I did a good job.

Pairings: Jack/Ianto, Martha/Mickey, Rhys/Gwen, as well as some tension between my OCs. You'll probably spot the beginnings of it in this chapter.

Warnings: I'm going to keep this story T, so there won't be anything explicit. Perhaps some implications (This is Torchwood) and swearing (also typical Torchwood).Oh, and there's slash. But if you don't like that, then why the heck do you watch Torchwood?

Also, I'm an American. I'll try to use local grammar and slang, but please forgive me if I misuse it. Better yet, write a review telling me! :D

Disclaimer: If I owned Torchwood, CoE fix-its wouldn't be necessary.

Chapter One: The Shift

It was almost innocuous at first, the strange humming that permeated Torchwood IV's headquarters from the bowels of the basement laboratories to the flat rooftop. The hum grew in intensity until all that could be heard within (and for several hundred yards without) was an unearthly whine.

Then it happened.

Aoife felt it first. Her fingers froze in their typing as she muttered, almost too low for Dr. Shreya Patel to hear:

"It's happening again."

"What's happening again?" Shreya asked.

When she received no reply, Shreya abandoned her report to move closer (perhaps too close) to Aoife.

"Aoife, what's happening again?"

Aoife looked at her with something like but not quite fear in her eyes.

"It's the shift."

As soon as she said it the room seemed to jolt, sending the two women careening to the floor. The doctor broke the older woman's fall, catching her in her arms as she fell too, ending up beneath Aoife on the floor. As soon as it had started it stopped, and the two of them lay there flushed and panting as the alarms blared.

"You alright?" Shreya managed once her heart rate had slowed.

"Yes, thank you," Aoife replied, shaken.

Just as Shreya seemed ready to say something else, she was interrupted by the clatter of feet on the metal staircase descending from their leader's office. Before the doctor could fully process what had happened, Aoife had stood up and was brushing herself off and their leader stood at the foot of the staircase.

"Is everyone alright?" He asked with a hint of panic.

"All in one piece, sir," Shreya replied, standing up and adjusting her lab coat.

"For the last time, please don't call me sir, Shreya. Does anybody know what just happened?"

"It was the shift." Aoife murmured, her eyes still far away.

"Aoife, what does that mean?" He asked, his voice softer.

Aoife turned toward their leader, her eyes snapping into focus. "All those things that the rift's been taking and spitting out…they've been getting bigger and bigger. Now it's taken us."

The team was silent for a moment, trying to grasp what it had just learned. Finally, their leader steeled himself for the inevitable.

"Well then, let's figure out where we are."

Team in tow, he went to the secret wall hatch that opened into their antique store cover, pushing it open. The trio crept with an almost sacred silence through the deserted shop to the front door, which chimed as it opened and they exited the shop.

The leader looked around. At first glance, all seemed as it should be. The bar with the burnt-out sign was still across the street and Windsor House could be seen towering in the distance. But rather than appear in a flash of blue light, people walked down the street. This was a world without teleport, a world where people didn't have vaporizers at their hips, a world where aliens where still the stuff of conspiracy theories and only occasional reality. This was the world where four years ago, he had died.

A comforting hand on his shoulder jarred him from his thoughts. He turned and saw Aoife beaming at him.

"Welcome home, Ianto Jones."

A/N: Constructive criticism is much appreciated! Thank you for reading!

Also, I'd like some feedback on the title. I'm not overly fond of it, so if you have any better ideas, please let me know.