Prologue

Gwen, Tosh and Owen sat in the conference room watching the CCTV footage from the main area of the hub. Jack and Ianto were standing on the steps, leaning against the railings near the door waiting for their guest.

"So why exactly are we getting a consultant in?" Owen groaned slumping back in his seat.

"Because she's been in the field since we were children and knows more than us about this sort of thing," Tosh replied idly flicking through the report she had in front of her.

"Well except for Jack," Gwen added, her head resting on her arms, where she had them folded on the desk. She was watching the two men standing there shoulder to shoulder talking quietly to each other, though the leer on Jack's face and the smile on Ianto did make her wonder just what they were talking about.

"Jack knows a hell of a lot and so does Ianto, but even they have gaps in their expertise, the Consultant U.N.I.T. is lending us knows more about alien psychics and psychology than any of us do," Tosh explained.

"Tea-Boy doesn't know as much as Jack about things," Owen snorted.

"Want to bet," Tosh muttered under her breath, Owen heard her though and was about to retort when Gwen sat up gaining their attention.

"She's here," Gwen smiled drawing all three of their attention towards the monitor at the end of the room.

As the woman stepped through the door they studied her briefly, she didn't look like a specialist of any kind, she was wearing black dress pants and a blouse, carrying a briefcase. Only the silver hair gave her away as being old enough to be their mother. Jack bounded down the stairs to meet her and swept her into a crushing hug, lifting her feet off the ground a little. Very calmly she raised her briefcase and bopped him on the head with it. Jack carefully put her down and stepped back rubbing his head as she pulled Ianto into a tight hug, which looked much more comfortable and welcome than hers and Jack's had.

"Seems like Tea-boy knows her," Owen mused. Ianto took the briefcase as well as a laptop, which had been placed on the floor carefully when she'd seen Jack approach. Jack offered her his arm and the trio made their way up to the conference room.

Jack walked in the door with the woman still on his arm, "Everyone meet Doctor Valma Linth she'll be helping us out on this case," Jack said as he directed her to a seat where Ianto placed her bags beside chair her earning a small smile in return.

"Ianto, think you can work some coffee magic?" Jack asked smiling up at the younger man as he took his seat at the head of the table, opposite Valma.

"Of course Jack," Ianto replied with a nod and a polite smiled he left the room.

"Have you noticed tea-boy's stopped calling you Sir now, Jack," Owen smirked and Jack winced a little confusing the others.

"Owen," Jack warned.

"'Tea-boy' Doctor Harper? I was under the impression that Mr. Jones, was in fact Head Archivist and Researcher here at Torchwood Three not to mention a field operative when the need arises, was I misinformed?" Valma said not looking up from the files she was flicking through.

"He is. And he also makes the tea and coffee," Owen shrugged not understanding why the woman would care.

"Tell me Doctor Harper do you always speak to your superiors in such a disrespectful manner?" Valma asked still not looking up from her work.

"Valma, don't," Jack warned as Owen spluttered in disbelief and Gwen and Tosh were staring at the woman in disbelief. Finally looking up from the paper work she was reading, Valma shot Jack a look that clearly said not to mess with her before continuing.

"Ianto Jones was head archivist at Torchwood One where he was recruited from U.N.I.T. where he held an honorary rank of Captain…" Jack's ears perked up at this bit of information, "He has been working for either U.N.I.T. or Torchwood since he was 18 which makes him by default, unless Jack states otherwise, the second in command of this place," Valma said.

"Jack is this all true?" Gwen asked for the shocked trio.

"Yes, though I didn't know his honorary rank was Captain, he'd kept that little piece of information to himself," Jack mused and Tosh shot him an annoyed look.

"Yeah well, someone that young shouldn't have a rank that high… You seem to know a lot about him, next you'll be telling us he's telepathic and he was your project," Owen growled, he already didn't like the woman and she hadn't even been here an hour let alone begun to help with the case.

"Mr. Jones is not telepathic, he has minor abilities but his strengths lie with the fact that he's telekenetic, a little empathic and has an eidetic memory. That is why he was recruited and he earned the rank he has; it's only referred to as an honorary rank because he is not a member of the British forces. He has not now nor has be ever been a project," Valma growled at the doctor, she could see why Ianto was always arguing and complaining about the other man now.

Jack sat back in his chair rubbing a hand over his face, Ianto was going to be so pissed off when he got up here. Valma had just blurted out most of his secrets in ten minutes to the people he least wanted to know because he didn't want them to treat him any different. Jack knew, Jack had know since after Lisa when Ianto had come to him, but Jack also knew he hated being looked at like a 'freak' so he just
kept his abilities to himself.

Owen and Gwen were sitting there in shock, not believing what they'd just been told while Tosh thought about the information that had just been dumped on them.

"Is that why he didn't ask how you take your coffee?" Tosh asked and Valma looked up at her curiously.

Tosh blushed a little then she explained "I mean, if you worked together in the past, he would probably remember but tastes change so he would have asked you what you wanted anyway to be polite,"

Valma smiled at the girl she knew to be Ianto's closest friend, she wasn't counting Jack, the pair of them were in a relationship now, not just friends shagging in the office. "A Boy always knows how to make his mother's favorite cup Ms. Sato," Valma replied and Gwen managed to make a strange choking noise while Jack sat there trying to smother his laughter.

The door swung open and everyone turned to look as Ianto walked in carrying a tray careful not to spill the drinks. Setting the tray on the edge of the table near Valma he finally looked up at the occupant of the room. Valma was sitting there idly flipping through her reports again. Jack looked like he was about to burst out laughing. Gwen was close to fainting as she stared at him with those huge eyes of hers. Tosh gave him a tentative smile, but he could tell from the look in her eyes that she was bursting with questions about something. Owen was red but whether it was embarrassment, anger or both, Ianto couldn't tell.

Finally he turned back to where Valma was now looking up at him with her innocent look.

"What did you do?" he asked scowling down at his mother.