AN: Inspired by Chris Carter's 'Millennium' and includes 'missing' scenes from "ADRIFT", season 2 of TW at the start of the story. It's an experimental piece so it might be a bit disjointed. Not fluffy either. (Not a cross over).

THE SOUND OF SNOW: ONE

Gwen waited until she was certain that Jack was out of ear shot, she watched Tosh offer up a sympathetic smile and the headed out of the board room to find Ianto. Predictably he was at the coffee machine preparing a much needed drink by the look of the taught expression on his face. Coughing slightly she edged closer and stood with her arms folded across her chest, trying to assume an air of authority that she didn't ever feel when in the young man's presence. Ianto continued his work as he spoke.

"What is it Gwen?"

He knew damn well, of course.

"Tell me about these the Rift spikes and the missing people. I know you know." Her voice only betrayed a slight tremor but it was enough to reveal her feelings that being shoved out of the loop was not something she was at all happy with.

Ianto exhaled patiently. "No." There was no point in dressing the reply with a sugar coating.

Gwen glared at him. "I'm ordering you to tell me what this is about." Pulling rank. Ianto happily ignored it. "I only take orders from Jack, you should know that. He has made the decision about this matter, you will have to take it up with him."

He poured himself a mug of coffee and leaned against the counter feeling incredibly tired.

"I'm asking you. You know what this is about."

Ianto nodded. "Yes I do and I am not telling you, it is not my place."

Gwen dropped her arms and balled her fists with frustration. "What, you think you have a right to withhold that kind of information from the families of those missing people? There are dozens of them Ianto, families living without knowing......"

He lowered his mug. "Don't Gwen. You have issue with Jack's desicion then take it up with him, I am not your emotional punch bag, or his for that matter. I am tired of being the go between when you two disagree with each other and I do not appreciate the attempt at emotional blackmail."

Gwen baulked. "You must see that he is wrong?"

"It doesn't matter what I see. I trust Jack's judgement......"

"No, you're just too afraid to stand up to him in case he dumps you!"

Ianto fixed her with an angry glare. "You have no idea about my relationship with Jack. You're always defying him, questioning him and undermining his authority. He's doing his best Gwen and each time you try to pull him down....."

"Because he's wrong Ianto!" She was veritably bristling now but she took a pace back at the quiet venom in Ianto's voice.

"You hurt him and I swear to God you will pay for it. I will not betray his trust in me for you and your over enthusiastic humanity. Jack has his reasons, I happen to agree with them. There are some things that cannot be put right Gwen. It was the hardest lesson I ever had to learn and 2 people died because I didn't learn it fast enough. If he is wrong then stop openly defying him, talk to him in private and try to be reasonable instead of pushing him and yelling at him."

"What are you, his guard dog? Good old loyal Ianto blindly following be......"

Ianto forced himself to remain calm. He was angry beyond measure with both Jack and Gwen primarily because he knew that they were both right in their completely incompatible ways. "Because no one else would want to fuck me? Or because you made the wrong choice?"

"Now who's being petty?" She snapped back feeling a degree of victory.

Ianto finally fixed her with a level, penetrating stare. "I am tired of the two of you flirting around each other, pushing and teasing and making it downright impossible some days for the rest of us to get on. I am tired of you disagreeing, disobeying and getting away with it. I am sick of being the piece of fluff he's picked up because he can't have what he wants. I will not help you Gwen because quite frankly right now I do not give a stuff anymore. Sort it out with Jack, stop trying to bypass him through me!" He slammed the mug down and pushed past her making his way in the direction of the locker rooms to get his coat. Gwen stood there gaping at his departing back, thinking that maybe she had seriously over stepped the mark with her younger colleague.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Jack pulled up the SUV outside of Gwen's flat. He couldn't remember feeling this emotionally wrecked in such a long time..... not since the Valiant, but even that hadn't left him feeling like this. Gwen was sat there in the passenger seat glaring out of the window through teary eyes. If he were honest with himself, he wasn't that sympathetic toward her plight and he was hoping she had learnt something, what smarted was the unbelievable lack of trust she had shown and the fact the she had put Ianto in an untenable position, a discussion he was yet to have. He sat there hands still clenched around the steering wheel.

"Take a couple of days off." He said flatly.

Gwen nodded, wishing he would reach out with some word of comfort.

"And Gwen.... Don't ever come between me and Ianto like that again. Your actions have seriously compromised our relationship both personal and professional, you had no right to put him in that position."

Gwen got out of the car and slammed the door shut and Jack took off at speed back to the Hub.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ianto was sitting in Jack's office waiting for him when the man himself strode into the room and pulled off his mantel and slung it over the couch. Jack slumped in the chair behind his desk and Ianto sat there, hands clasped in his lap, his chin dipped down slightly, really unsure where to look. Jack watched him for some moments before speaking.

"Why?"

Ianto looked up to meet his gaze, surprised to find no anger there, only hurt.

"Because you have to stop keeping secrets, because Gwen has to learn to trust you, because I am stuck between the two of you and this unrequited thing you have going. Shall I go on?"

"I trusted you Ianto."

"Yes, you did and once again I've let you down because I had to follow my conscience. I thought she had a right to know. The only reason I found out was because of the mess you left behind when you ran off and I had to deal with it alone Jack, that place almost folded because of it. I'm sorry Jonah and Nikki Bevan got hurt, I truly am. I was not expecting that. But if you cannot learn to share these things that you guard so closely how are we meant to cope the next time you run out on us?" Ianto's voice remained calm but he wrung his hands as he continued to speak. "You ask too much of me Jack. I've had to lie for you, deflect the others away, cover things up. I thought; I'd hoped I'd stop being that person once Lisa was gone."

Jack's eyes narrowed. "So what, now you're conscience is a little clearer?"

Ianto lurched to his feet. "Fuck off Jack." He turned to leave the room, but Jack was quickly up and yanked him by the arm before he got two paces towards the door. He sharply spun the younger man round and Ianto hissed at the pain.

"Don't you dare walk out on this. I am not done talking with you yet."

Ianto shoved himself free. "Are speaking as my commanding officer or my part time shag?"

Jack back pedalled a pace in surprise. "What?"

Ianto stood there breathing heavily nursing at his bruised forearm. "I was actually trying to help both of you, believe it or not and I know you don't. You just think I'm some wounded jealous idiot whose good for a fuck when the going gets a bit tough. That's fine for you Jack, but it isn't for me. You talk about trust, but you don't trust me. I warned you months ago that would this would happen, that Gwen would do this and you did not listen. You tell me that this place isn't Torchwood One, you're right, because she gets away with every rule that she breaks whilst the rest of us have to pick up the pieces." He was trembling with rage, his face red.

Jack was speechless, but he ran his hand over his brow trying to gather his thoughts.

"Ianto."

But the young man turned away and stalked out of the room closing the door behind him with such force that the glass fractured. He didn't notice the sympathetic look Owen threw his way as he stormed out of the Hub.

Jack just stood there alone in his office in stunned silence..........