Summary: Something is wrong with dear Ianto, and the Torchwood crew intends to find out.
Rating: T- M (For things that would ruin the plot if I told you)
Spoilers: All of Season 1 up to End of Days
Author's Note: Listen guys, I'm real sorry about Showstopper and it's lack of updates. I'm working on it, honestly I am, but the writer's block bug has bit me, and hard. I'm stumpped as what to write, and when I go back through to read, it's so unbelievably OOC that I want to vomit. Really. It is. So, here's some Torchwood that I'm working on, while the Resident Evil bug tries to get all better. 8D

--

Tosh watched the CCTV with disinterest. It was well past one in the morning, and even thought she wanted to sleep, it was eluding her. Owen had gone home for the night, ranting that he was going to meet an old collage friend at the local pub, and Gwen left at nine, claiming that she needed to 'catch up with Rhys'. Jack was, naturally, in the Hub, seeing as though he lived somewhere within it, and for one reason or another, Ianto had stayed.

"I hope they're doing something productive," She murmured to herself. A smirk played at her lips as she rolled her eyes, clicking her mouse to the next image on the screen.

"Well," A cup of coffee was pushed onto her desk, "I hope making you coffee is classified as 'productive'."

"Whoops?" Tosh said childishly, shrugging her shoulders. She eyed the beverage appreciatively and took a hardy sip. After wiping the residue from her mouth, she sighed out, "Thanks, Ianto."

The Welshman gave a small smile, "You should be heading home."

Tosh spun in her chair so that she was facing Ianto, pulling the coffee with her. "Shouldn't I be saying that to you?" She took another sip and looked up at her co-worker.

"I have a few more things to file, and then I'll be going." He shook the pile of papers in his hands to prove his point, "You on the other hand don't have a valid excuse to be here."

"Yes I do, I'm-"

"Monitoring the CCTV does not count as something to do." Jack yelled. Tosh looked up, and there was her boss, leaning over the top balcony's railing with a smug look on his face. Frowning, she finished off the coffee with an exasperated swig. She set the china cup aside and turned around, facing the ever-changing images of the monitor.

"You know, ignoring me isn't possible." Jack continued as if he wasn't talking to Toshiko's back. She scoffed and rolled her eyes, making Ianto snicker. It was at times like this that Ianto was glad he stayed extra hours behind; to watch his friends go at it like they didn't work for a secret organization was really worth it. Like they all actually had lives.

While Jack was still chattering away to Tosh's back, Ianto wandered back off to the archives, filing the documents that Jack had filled out in the hours previous. They were miscellaneous: Rift activity charts, files on new aliens, and – for whatever reason – articles of medicinal journals. The last one was no doubt Owen's doing.

Ianto glanced over one of the papers briefly, his eyes setting on one of the journals in particular. Death rates had spiked, and as an effect, orphan rates had too. It seemed like a perfectly normal article; what would Owen want with it?

"Hmm," he shrugged to himself and filed it away. In the back of his head, he made a mental note to reread the article later, when and if he had time. He brushed his suit down, making sure that the cobwebs were clearly off his attire, before making his way to the steps.

As Ianto ascended the stairs for the final time that night – or would it be for the first time that day? – he rubbed his hands together and made his way over to Tosh's desk. Grabbing the empty cup from her, he shook her on the shoulder and asked, "Would you mind if I walked you home?"

"Aw, Ianto the charmer." Jack teased. Ianto looked back to flash him a grin, but he couldn't help but notice the bittersweet sort of aura surrounding the man. He settled for a small smile.

"Jealous, sir?" He said instead.

"Of course, if you went home, then I would have had Toshiko all to myself."

The Welshman dropped the conversation by turning to look at Tosh and asking the question again.

She answered with a yawn and a sleepy, "I'm fine."

"Bull." Jack said, stretching. "Ianto, you live on the other side of town, right? Why don't I give Tosh a ride home, to save you the trouble?"

"Not going to jump into her pants, are you?" Ianto asked, bringing the dirty cup to the kitchenette. Jack could only see the back of Ianto's head from where he was standing, but he gave a haughty sigh and said, "Nope. Scouts honor."

"You were a Boy Scout?" Tosh squealed incredulously.

Jack barked out a laugh, "Hell no. What with the uniforms and the arts and crafts? Sorry, but that wasn't the choice for me when I was a kid."

"You would have looked cute in a uniform though." She insisted. Tosh gave a stifled laugh as the image of Jack in a tight Boy Scout uniform floated into her mind.

"You think?" he asked, as if actually considering it.

Ianto, by this time, was leaning against the wall, dozing as he stood. Jack whistled, and the Welshman snapped to attention in an instant. Jack chuckled and prodded the man by saying; "You really wanna drive Tosh home like that? You'll both end up in an accident."

"Who said anything about driving?" Ianto slurred sleepily, letting out a long yawn. "I was going to walk her, then take a bus to my apartment."

"Ianto, buddy, I got this, okay?" Jack insisted. Too tired to put up a proper argument, Ianto simply nodded and said softly, "Suppose you're right…"

"Good night, Ianto!" Tosh called to him as he made his way to the automatic steel door.

"Night Tosh. Jack." He nodded and disappeared through the exit. Jack hummed in thought before turning to Toshiko.

"Ready to go?"

"Five more minutes." She pleaded, "Actually, I'm keeping an eye on Owen, making sure he doesn't do anything daft."

At that, Jack snorted, "When isn't he doing anything daft?"

"Exactly my point."

Jack looked at her a moment, wanting to say something. Feeling eyes on the back of her head, she turned around and looked expectedly at Jack. "Yes?"

He shook his head, "Nothing. And seriously, only five more minutes."

She smiled, "Scouts honor."

The streets seemed to be a lot darker than usual, which was an absurd thought seeing as though all of the lamps were lit. Ianto buried his face deep into his scarf, berating himself for not buying a warmer coat. He could afford one after all; it wasn't like he was poor or anything. On top of that, December was just around the corner, and a new coat was what he was going to put on the top of his Christmas list.

A heavy gust whipped past Ianto, making his scarf dance behind him. He pressed it harder to his nose, shivering all the way down to his bones. His apartment was only a block or so away, and he could man up until then. He was going to make himself a nice hot cup of coffee, and hop right into a steaming tub – that would be the life.

He smiled to himself.

Something tugged on the back of his coat, making him turn. He was prepared to strike, when he looked down, and noticed that it was a small girl. He was calmed slightly, but unnerved at the same time. What was a child doing outside at almost two in the bloody morning?

"Um…" She bit her lip, "Can you help me?"

Ianto's smile quickly turned into a frown. "What's wrong?"

"I wanna go home!" She sniffed. Her face looked like she had been crying.

"What's your name?"

"Melissa,"

Ianto crouched down, "My name's Ianto, nice to meet you." He looked around for any other sign of life. "Melissa, where is your home?"

Her lip trembled, "I don't know. I woke up and it was gone."

"Gone?" He repeated. "How was it gone?"

Melissa shrugged, her brown curls bouncing, "I went to bed, and then woke up out here, in the snow."

Ianto contemplated this for a minute. So, this little girl, Melissa, went to bed in her house, and then woke up in the street. It sounded like a classic kidnapping, except for the fact that kidnappers didn't exactly leave their hostages and then run. Could it have been Rift activity? Tosh hadn't picked up anything on the scanners, or the CCTV, but then again, both could be unreliable. They couldn't scan everywhere, and see everything, right? His thoughts quickly went to the article that Owen had filed earlier, but he dismissed it as coincidence.

"Do you remember anything, Melissa, anything at all?" He asked, grabbing the girl by her arm.

She shook her head.

He swore under his breath, doing a once-over of the child. She looked like she was telling the truth: Dora the Explorer pajamas, bare feet, scared shitless expression – signs of honesty.

"How old are you?"

"Six." She shivered, "Mr. Ianto, I'm cold."

He quickly undid his coat, wrapping it around the child's shoulders, securing it tightly. "Better?" He asked.

Melissa nodded and burrowed into the coat. Ianto looked at her again, sizing her up, and then pulled out his mobile.

"Excuse me for a second, Melissa."

The little girl nodded. Ianto scrolled though his contact list, looking for either Jack or Toshiko's number. He turned his back to the little girl as he hit call.

"Come on Jack," He murmured as it started to ring.

Burrrrr

Burrrrr

Burrrrr

"Come on, come on!" Ianto yelled at the phone. He was about ready to snap it shut when Jack finally picked up the phone.

"Jack." He snapped, "Finally, I-" Ianto stopped, his stomach lurching. His head was beginning to spin: lines were blurring together, lights were streaking across his vision, bubbles popped in his eyes. He made a gagging noise before violently vomiting onto the snow.

"Jack…"He whispered this time. He felt Melissa's hand on his. Then he felt snow, cold and pressed against his cheek. And then…he felt nothing.

"Jack!" It was Toshiko. Couldn't she see that he was busy? Ianto had just called him, and then the phone was suddenly dead. What had happened to the youngest Torchwood operative?

"It better be good Tosh!"

"We have Rift activity!"

Shit.