Ianto was being pulled from sleep, but so slowly…

There was a far-off beeping and it felt like he was being dragged all the way up a well. Even when he reached the top he felt he wasn't quite fully conscious as he struck out clumsily at the pager he kept by his bed. He heard it tap the floor, then stop the awful noise it had been making.

He stretched, half-tempted to let the covers of sleep wrap around him again and pull him under, but he had his priorities straight, and top of the list was Torchwood and Captain Jack Harkness. This thought kept him from covering his head with a pillow and sleep for another couple of hours.

What was the time anyway? He heaved himself up onto one elbow and hit his alarm clock, running the other hand clumsily through his hair. Half twelve. He and the team had just worked for about fifty hours straight and he had only collapsed into bed at about ten, fully clothed and without brushing his teeth or even managing to put his shoes by the door, ready for the next day. Two and a half hours sleep is not enough to function on.

Sighing, he scooped up his pager from the floor, hoping that he hadn't hit the battery out. That would be just swell, him having to hop around in the dark, stubbing his toes to find some batteries.

As he pushed a button on the pager, it came to Ianto that he was grumpy. Jack thought he could just call him in whenever he felt like it. It was alright for him, he didn't need sleep, but he knew Ianto would get cranky if he didn't get his seven hours often.

SEVERE RIFT ACTIVITY- COME IMMEDIATELY

Ianto sighed, hauled himself out of bed and went to look for his shoes.

Fifteen minutes later, he arrived, still bleary-eyed to the Tourist Information Office and let himself in. Of course, it wasn't a real Tourist Information Office. It was just the front for Torchwood's base in Cardiff. Time was, Ianto had spent most of his time here, flicking through leaflets, diverting calls and ordering pizza for Jack and the others. Now, things seemed to be hotting up and he was needed more and more. Tonight, for instance.

The first thing Ianto saw as the heavy slab of concrete slid away to reveal the Torchwood hub, was Captain Jack Harkness striding around and yelling orders at everybody. His greatcoat billowed behind him as he took the stairs to his office two at a time and lunged into his office, before shooting out again and flying down the stairs.

"Ianto, my man! What kept you? Go start up the SUV please and bring it round, please." He gave Ianto a wink and turned to Tosh, who sat, as always, gazing at her computers and gadgets. "Tosh!" Tosh jumped a little, before tearing her attention away from the screens. "Take the scanner and all the equipment you need and meet us outside in two minutes."

Toshiko Sato nodded and started gathering bits of equipment together.

Ianto made his way quickly to the car. Obviously no-one was going to explain what was going on and he knew better to ask when everybody was so busy. He pulled the SUV around to the front, where Gwen and Owen were waiting. Owen had a large medical kit in one hand and his gun in the other, while Gwen held only her gun, which she was loading. Jack and Tosh ran out. Jack got in the front, next to Ianto, while Toshiko toppled into the back, hampered by all the heavy equipment she was carrying.

"Where to, Sir?" asked Ianto, pulling the SUV out as soon as Tosh's door was shut. He knew Jack didn't like it when he waited around for everyone to do their seatbelt up. Jack was hasty like that.

"North o' Cardiff." Jack answered. "The huge industrial area with all the large warehouses. We've picked up large amounts of rift energy up there that I feel needs to be investigated. Tosh picked up some kind of life force is there, stationary, but alive. Could be alien."

The SUV hurtled down dark streets in the night. It was nearing one o'clock in the morning, but adrenaline had kicked in for all of them. Ianto turned the windscreen wipers on as heavy, wet rain started to hurl itself upon the windscreen, blurring the view in front of the car.

"We get rift energy all the time." Said Owen from the back. "What's so special about his bit? Did you have to call us from our beds?"

"This is the largest spike we've seen in a long time." Answered Jack, peering through the rain into the night. "It disappeared as soon as it came, at about midnight, but it was off-the-scale huge. Something like that could be a serious threat and we need to check it out."

"We're nearly there." Announced Tosh, tapping a couple of buttons and looking at the equipment. "Take this right and then stop in about three hundred yards."

Ianto followed her directions.

"I can't go right, Tosh, there's a hulking great warehouse in the way." It was true. He had only gone about two hundred yards and could go no further because of the large building.

"Alright, everybody out." Ordered Jack. "Whatever it is will probably be in this building. We need to split up; there's bound to be more than one way out and in. Gwen, come with me, we can go round the front. Owen, Tosh, Ianto, you look for another way in and one of you guard it. We can't let this thing escape without knowing what we're dealing with it could be exceedingly dangerous."

He drew his gun from the front of his shirt, checking the ammunition before letting his arm drop to his side. Ianto admired the brisk, efficient manner he checked his weapon, the look of concentration on his strong face. Maybe tomorrow night, when the others were at home, they could some fun in the hub, just the two of them.

Gwen, Tosh and Owen were also checking their guns. Ianto bought his out and checked that he had a couple of extra shots in the inner pocket of his jacket and another couple in his trouser pocket. Be prepared.

"Alright gang." Said Jack in his American drawl. "Positions."

A/N: I wanted to do a Torchwood Fanfic for a while now, but especially now as I've been watching all the season one episode and have been inspired. Let me know if you don't think writing Torchwood is a good thing for me to be doing and let me know how you think I'm doing so far.

I'm not sure how well I (sort of) portrayed the character of Ianto, but I wanted it to be him because he's my favourite (and pretty hot!) ;)

Thanks,

Meepit-squee x x x x x