Owen lifted his head from the pillow of his arms on the conference table. 'I didn't work this bloody hard as a sodding junior doctor at the Royal Cardiff flaming Infirmary.' He levered himself up and reached for the ever present cup of coffee sitting in front of him. 'Does pay more, if I could find time to enjoy it and the coffee's a darn sight better.'

What had been a quiet trip to the pub on a Friday night had turned into an all hands call out as a group of four weevils decided it was all on in the Cardiff streets.

'We learned one thing.' Blaine said, examining her hand. 'Magic doesn't have the same effect on them as it does with people.' She'd tried to freeze a weevil and only managed to stun it for a short period of time, requiring her to improvise.

'You're bloody lucky you have a wicked right hook.' Owen leaned back, cradling his coffee like it held the secrets of the universe. The way it tasted he wasn't sure it didn't.

'I'm not so keen to go a couple rounds with one again.' She conceded as she felt the bruise already starting to form and set the icepack on her hand that Ianto had given her along with her coffee. 'Head's thicker than a Scotsman's.' Wishing either of them had shown more aptitude for healing while students at Hogworts seemed pointless so she didn't bother.

Tosh chuckled softly. 'Tasers.'

'Ianto gave me one but I guess it's habit to go for my wand first.'

'You'll either figure it out or tea boy'll be sending a condolences card to your aunt.'

'Owen.' Tosh snapped.

Yawning Blaine shook her head. 'He's got a point. Jack told me it's guns first around here. I can't rely on magic to get me out of trouble all the time not just because I'm walking in the muggle world.' She'd had a conversation with Ianto and Jack and found they'd also discovered magic had limits when faced with aliens. Even growing up straddling the two worlds hadn't prepared her for the realities of actually being a witch in the muggle world.

Jack walked in with a plates of sandwiches. 'I suggest you grab what you can, Ianto just got another call from the police so no point getting comfortable.'

'Gee, and I was going to pull my disco boots on.' Owen snarked.

'Maybe next time.' Ianto suggested, stepping into the room tucking his phone back in his pocket. 'Andy's been fielding calls about some nutters in masks tipping the bins over in Splot. He's texting me the address and he and Kathy will hold the police off while we see if it's one of ours or just local kids being daft.'

'Is it hunting season for weevils or something.' Owen shook his head.

Jack shrugged. 'Don't really know, not like we know much about them even with Janet a permanent guest.'

Tosh blushed. 'Maybe it's not. Hunting. Season.'

Owen barked a laugh. 'I'm happier not knowing.'

The SUV rolled to a stop outside the address Ianto had been given and he and Jack stepped out onto the street followed by Owen and Blaine who was holding her taser at the ready. This time she wasn't taking any chances with her wand.

Jack waved Owen and Ianto to the left and he and Blaine moved to the right as they found three juvenile weevils going though the bins outside a community center.

'Bag and tag time, lets see if we can push these three into the sewers and hopefully they'll stay there.'

'I'm hoping there's only the three of them.' Owen muttered as he circled left followed by Ianto.

'They're not the most attractive creatures I've ever seen.' Blaine added as she moved with Jack. It was odd not having her wand at the ready as she took the weevil spray Jack handed her.

They formed a loose circle around the three weevils and sprayed them on the count of one. Ianto would later assure her that yes, Jack was impatient and rarely made it to three in these situations so there was no point trying. She watched the three men putting bags over the weevils heads and wondered if she should have stuck it out at the Ministry if this was what she could now expect. But it was more fun and nothing compared to the coffee.

Jack turned to Blaine as he hefted a weevil over his shoulder. 'Can you open the back of the SUV, we need to get them to another part of the city. Hopefully they wont remember the bins here have a tasty midnight feast and will stay in the sewers.'

She waited a moment as Owen struggled with a weevil and shook her head. 'Get the doc to do that and I'll bring the weevil.' Taking it from him and hoisting it in a classic fireman's lift she ignored his protests.

'I'm too tired to argue.' Owen opened the back of the SUV and grabbed his medical kit. Once the weevils were safely stowed he collected his samples and shut the door.

Jack grinned. 'Alright, lets drop these kids home and follow suit.'

Tosh watched them troop in and checked the time. It was three am. 'Jack, I've been thinking.'

Owen was too tired to laugh at how dangerous it was any time a woman said that and just flopped onto the couch under the Torchwood sign and waited to see where this was going. Blaine was right beside him followed by Ianto.

'We talked about it once before.'

'A group orgy in lieu of bonuses for Christmas?'

Owen snorted. 'Not bloody likely.'

Jack snapped his fingers with a mock sigh.

'No, I've been checking the plans for the Hub.'

Blaine elbowed Owen. 'She wants to redecorate.'

'A fiver says she's got something else in mind.'

Blaine yawned. 'I'm pretty sure there's something in the handbooks I've been reading that recommends against gambling on the team. I'm pretty sure it was added in Ianto's handwriting.'

He shrugged. 'You just don't want to face it that I'm right.'

'I've been disappointed before, I'll get over it pretty quick.'

Tosh ignored the banter on the couch and pulled up the file she was talking about. 'There was some sort of bunk room in the plans.'

Jack grinned. 'Yeah, I think I remember, ah, reading about that. But what brought this up?'

'The fact it's three am and I'm pretty sure everyone's too tired to drive home.'

'You do have a point. Talk to Ianto and I'm sure he'll organise something.'

'Hang on.' Owen sat up straighter. 'If we're renovating, I want a proper medical bay.'

Yawning Blaine nodded. 'It was a bit creepy sitting on an autopsy table for a physical.'

Jack snorted as he exchanged a look with Ianto.

Owen blanched. 'Oh christ don't even say it.'

'You can talk to Ianto and tell him what you want as well. He'll see what we can do and how much budget we have for it. You two okay to drive?'

Tosh looked at Owen who shrugged.

'We can get a cab back to mine, I'm closer.' Tosh said as she closed her computer down.

'Alright, bugger off and Ianto and I will monitor the Hub.'

'I think my bed is calling me.' Blaine rose to her feet, waited for Owen and Tosh to leave and apperated home.

Jack turned to Ianto and grinned. 'Why hello, we seem to be alone at last Mr Jones.'

With a laugh Ianto shook his head. 'I'm done in and ready to sleep for a week. How about you wake me in the morning, you can say hello then and you'll get a more favourable response.'

'Promise?' Jack's eyes lit up as he smiled.

With a laugh Ianto nodded before heading to the office and the entrance to the bunker. 'Come on, you can wow me with some tall tale of how amazing you are while I fall asleep in your arms.'

Jack shrugged. 'Sure, I can do that.' He reached out and grabbed his hand. 'Of course, some of the best tales I have you already know because you're in them too.' He brushed a gentle kiss on his cheek and smiled. 'Now, I believe you wanted me to tuck you into bed, Mr Jones.'

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

Owen threw the glove into the bio hazard bin and shook his head. 'Yeah alright Blaine, you can wheel him back into the fridge.' Hands on hips he watched as she flicked her wand and put the freshly eviscerated juvenile weevil into storage. Autopsying one of Cardiff's lesser known locals was not how he'd planned his Sunday morning. Whatever was stirring the weevils up was causing them to attack each other as evidenced by the half grown male weevil he'd just finished examining.

Jack was leaning against the railing with a glass of water in one hand and an apple in the other.

'Anything new to report Doctor Harper?'

'He was in good health until his liver got torn out along with his lower intestines. I haven't seen one this young before, I mean, I know they have young, that's how we found Janet.'

'I think it's sad.' Tosh gave him a sad barely there smile. 'That he died like that.'

'Ianto finish altering the memories of the jogger that found him?'

'He thinks he found a dog that had been dumped after illegal dog fights.' Jack crunched into his apple and spoke with his mouth full. 'Andy said that's been happening a bit, dog fighting.'

'Is it dog fighting or are the weevils having a dog flavoured snack?' Blaine asked as she closed the cold storage room door. 'It's clearly not the full moon so it isn't werewolves.'

'Oh give over.' Owen frowned at her. 'There isn't.'

'Yeah, there is.'

'This keeps up and I'm going to start rolling my eyes next.' He picked his pen and clipboard up and finished the autopsy diagrams. 'You going to tell me there's hobbits in my garden?'

'No, Tolkien made them up.'

'That's a bloody relief, thought I was going to have to start worrying about the one bloody ring next.' He dated his report and tossed it onto the desk. 'Right, is that it?'

Jack nodded, smiling as Ianto walked towards him.

'Good because I need a drink.'

Ianto checked the time on his pocket watch. 'The Prince's Arms has fish and chips on for today's pub lunch along with roast beef as the other option.'

'I could eat lunch.' Jack grinned as he finished his apple. 'My treat.'

'We really have to work on your table manners.' Ianto's hands moved to straighten his tie until he remembered he wasn't wearing one. Having dressed in faded jeans and an old Cardiff Blues shirt when they'd gotten the call about the weevil in the park. He gave Jack a pointed look and smiled as a hint of colour flooded the older man's cheeks.

Owen looked up at Tosh who smiled. 'Yeah alright, if the Captain is paying then we're in.'

Blaine grinned. 'I like the Prince, they have fantastic chips.'

'And here I thought it was the new barmaid that caught your eye.' Owen teased as she blushed.

'I will admit that helps. If you shut up about it.' She slapped his arm and leaned in, lowering her voice to a whisper.

Looking down at them Ianto laughed as Owen's face lost all colour. 'Blaine, we don't threaten the muggles with magic.'

She smiled up at him. 'I don't need magic for that.'

Ianto rolled his eyes.

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

Gwen walked into the Prince's Arms after Rhys all but ordered her out of the flat. She accepted he might have had a point, she hadn't gone out since spraining her ankle snowboarding. And what better way to catch up on the goings on in Cardiff than a trip to the pub. The police where not immune to gossip and it was a good way to find out what had been going on while she was on leave. She'd even managed to convince herself she was on holiday and hadn't actually been suspended for something as daft as trying to shoot Ianto. As if she'd waste her time on him. Although, it did also make sense, she was sure he had something over Jack and that was why he'd gotten her job as second in command. She had been brought on to replace Suzie and the woman had been his second so logic dictated she must therefore have been hired as his second also.

Jack had overlooked her police background and picked the tea boy. It was like sexual harassment, he'd seduced his way into Jack's bed and was clearly blackmailing him. There was no other reason why she was on leave and Ianto had her job. She just needed to bide her time until she could prove it. Her trainer at police college had told her she was a natural so she was justifiably convinced of her proper place and it wasn't subservient to a bloody tea boy. She hadn't even slept with that trainer, he'd only gotten a blow job.

She made sure she had a proper wiggle to her hips as she sashayed into the pub and smiled as she saw Andy Davidson at the bar talking to some blonde bimbo. Clearly standards were dropping if they were letting any old slapper in. Moving up to Andy she slid in next to him and ordered a gin and tonic and smiled as the blonde walked away.

'Hi ya Andy.'

'Oh, hello Gwen. Have a nice holiday then.'

'I did, yeah, thanks for asking.'

Andy tried not to snicker, knowing full well that while he hadn't been given the full story behind Gwen's absence the last few weeks, it was no holiday.

'We don't usually see you around here.'

'I was in the area and thought I'd pop in and see what was happening.' She smiled and leaned forward giving him a thrill with her low cut top. 'You were saying I don't spend enough time keeping in touch so I thought I'd change that. It's important not to let relationships drift.'

Andy laughed as paid for his drink and picked his pint up. 'Yeah, I've got a game going and it's probably my turn.' He gave her a half wave and walked towards a table in the back.

Gwen heard laughter as Andy was greeted but with the angle of the tables she couldn't see who he was sitting with. Shrugging she paid for her own drink and sipped casually as she looked around the room.

Andy set his glass on the table and picked the darts up, he turned to Blaine. 'We on the board yet?'

'You'd know if you weren't talking to flirty pants at the bar.'

Owen laughed. 'You talk about all the bar staff like that?'

Andy shook his head. 'She means Cooper.'

'Bloody hell, Gwen's here?' Owen looked around and saw her heading towards someone on the other side of the room. 'Well bugger me.'

'Not this lifetime.' Andy muttered. To a titter of laughter that told him Jack and Ianto had heard him.

'I wonder what she wants.' Tosh looked around the table. 'I'm assuming she isn't here looking for us.'

Andy shook his head. 'Woman is a born gossip and some of the cops who drink here love telling stories to the girlies who'll flutter their eyelashes at them and make them feel all manly.'

'Do you include yourself in that description?' Owen asked.

Andy sighed and flushed a light shade of pink. 'I may have been sucked in by her act once or twice.'

Owen laughed and picked his drink up. 'Me too mate, me too.'

'Idiots the pair of you.' Blaine shook her head. 'And yes Andy, we are on the board so can you focus on scoring on the dart board and not fishing of the company wharf.'

'It's not my wharf she wants to climb on, not these days.' Andy checked the scores and stepped up to the line before letting the darts fly one after the other.

Ianto exchanged a look with Jack and privately agreed with the policeman's observation.

'Oi, Jones, I told you to keep your hands off my policeman.' Kathy Swanson slid into the set next to Ianto. 'We talked about this.'

Ianto smiled. 'Afternoon Detective Swanson. I think you'll find, much to the team's disappointment, that have I passed along your sentiments regarding the idea of Constable Davidson joining us.'

'Are you absolutely sure.' Owen started. 'That we can't have him on the team?'

She barked a laugh and shook her head. 'Oh hell no. He's all mine and I'm keeping him.'

Owen turned to Andy and shrugged. 'Sorry mate, I tried.'

Andy clapped him on the shoulder and nodded. 'I know and I appreciate it but I think it will be okay. And I promise we'll stay friends and have play dates and everything.'

'You cheeky shit.'

Kathy watched the Torchwood team interacting with each other and Andy and smiled. Even Harkness wasn't that bad when he was reigned in by Jones. The young blonde woman however looked familiar and she couldn't place where or how.

'Oh.' Ianto looked up and followed where Kathy was looking. 'Sorry, we need to introduce you officially to our newest team member.'

Blaine dropped into a chair and grinned. 'We met at the weevil call out the other night but it was too busy for a proper introduction.'

'You seem really familiar. Like we've meet somewhere before.' She shrugged. 'If it's important I'll remember.'

Blaine smiled. 'I get that a lot even with a Scottish accent I seem to be tripping over people who think they know exactly who I am.'

'But are they right?'

'Usually they couldn't be more wrong if they tried but you get that some days.' She gave the dark skinned woman a warm smile. 'You've a familiar look about you. I'm Blaine McGonagall.'

'Kathy Swanson.' She looked around and saw someone on the other side of the bar and smiled. 'Have you met her yet?'

'No, I was at the bar when she walked in but Andy didn't introduce us.'

'Not my place.'

Kathy looked at Ianto and Jack. 'When they do meet could you save me a copy?'

Ianto laughed. 'It's Tosh you need to butter up for that.'

Kathy looked to the petite Japanese woman who she now knew to be anything but as delicate as she looked and got a smile in return.

'I like red wine and chocolate and the occasional girly night in. If you want to submit your request with the suitable bribe it will be duly considered.'

'You do know asking an officer of the law for a bribe is considered illegal.'

Tosh shrugged. 'According to Jack we are above the law so I'm willing to take my chances.' She smiled.

Owen groaned. 'Oh god, they've made eye contact, they'll be best friends next and we'll find them painting their nails in their jammies. With face masks on watching Grey's Anatomy or something equally girly.'

Jack pouted. 'Ianto wont do that with me.' He turned to Tosh. 'Can anyone join the sleepover, I'll behave and bring some really good bottles of wine I've got stashed away.'

'How good?'

Owen looked at Ianto and they both shook their heads laughing.

Kathy found herself in a surprising situation as she was invited to join the team for lunch, with Harkness picking up the tab. She wasn't going to hold her breath but the relationship between the team and the Cardiff police was improving and Ianto Jones seemed to be at the heart of the burgeoning change. Accepting the invite she found Andy watching her along with Ianto Jones and returned their smiles. She leaned in and beckoned Ianto closer.

'I haven't changed my mind about Andy, you can't have him.'

'Oh don't worry, I think he's better placed where he is. And unlike Jack, I find it easier to have a good relationship with the local police.'

She leaned back and nodded. 'I'd rather that too. But I'm not taking her back.'

'I'm sure we'll come up with a solution to that particular problem.'

With a pride honed by dedication to her calling as a detective Kathy knew Ianto was being modest in his assertion he would do just that. Baring her ex husband, she was an excellent judge of character and she suspected his family had more to do with the relationship going tits up than any failing on her behalf to pick a partner. Leaving her with full confidence in both Ianto's abilities and sincerity and should this continue she saw a much improved relationship growing between their agencies.

Turning slightly in her seat she saw Gwen heading to the bathroom and not alone, Tosh sighed. She joined the conversation going on around her. 'It's her boyfriend I feel sorry for. He is either extremely tolerant or a complete fool for not seeing what she's like.'

'Denial is a powerful drug.' Kathy stated reaching for her glass.

'The real question.' Owen looked around the table. 'Is how long before she even notices we're all here.'

Ianto chuckled. 'I give it about five minutes, she be back from powdering her nose and have seen Jack by then.'

'What are you willing to put against that to back yourself, tea boy.'

Ianto shook his head and laughed. 'I'm not even going to acknowledge that suggestion.'

Andy laughed. 'I think you are both wrong, she isn't coming back, she'll be ducking out the back door with the bloke she just walked off with. We wont see her back in here.'

Straightening her top Gwen tittered softly as Jacob Lewis tucked his shirt back in.

'I'll give you Torchwood lot one thing.' He grinned. 'You sure know how to work with the local coppers these days.'

'I've always tried to maintain a positive working relationship between us.'

He laughed. 'You keep thinking that. It's that Ianto Jones chap, he's a bloody miracle worker. Even the higher ups think he's the best thing since Christmas at keeping that flouncy tosser in the coat in line.' He slapped her arse. 'Not that those of us in the know don't appreciate how you keep things sweet and all. Until next time.' He winked and headed back for the bar whistling to himself. Cooper had always been a crap cop but wasn't bad as a shag if you could get her to stop talking.

Picking her purse up Gwen glared at the retreating man and muttered to herself. 'Who the hell do you think you are getting credit for my hard work. Ianto sodding Jones.' She spun on her heal and headed for the gate into the alley beside the pub. She was in too much of a mood now to enjoy going back inside and she had to go back to work tomorrow. She had wanted to talk to Andy but had been sidetracked by Sargent Lewis. Oh well, she'd add that to her list as well.