It had been one of those exhausting days. And not in that good exhausting sort of way, full of sweat and certain fun activities which required participation from another, or several other people. Jack grinned to himself, although normally he wouldn't be grinning to himself like an idiot. Ianto would have been there.

As if on cue, a bark appeared at the thresh hold, a coffee cup the size of his head hanging from his tiny jaws. The first time it had worried Jack. The second time he had thought it was cute. The third time, it just was part of the routine. That should have disturbed Jack that he could so easily adapt to Ianto being a puppy, formerly known as Max.

Ianto used a special step ladder to set the hot drink just within Jack's reach and then he sat and waited. When Jack reached for it, he whimpered and utilized the puppy eyes. And all hail the puppy eyes. He smiled secretly, having this cute little power over Jack. If he could have written, he would have saved it for future reference to use against the older man.

Jack patted his head with a warm smile and Ianto headed to take another nap on Jack's bed. Jack's scent calmed him in this time, because being a puppy was slightly a nightmare and slightly a handicap, albeit only an annoying one. He was capable, but everything was just a lot bigger than he could handle. Good think Ianto was an ingenious being. He had managed to bully Jack into tying a leash around the filing cabinet drawers so he could open and close them as he needed. Even being a dog, Ianto Jones still had work to do.

Gwen had gone home, her eyes collapsing before the screen as they watched the reel frame by frame, looking for clues. Ianto wished he could signal Jack as to what he was seeing, but even being a puppy Ianto had its limitations. So he watched helplessly as Jack and Gwen fumbled with watching and note-taking, gesturing each other on important bits and generally missing a couple of things.

Jack rubbed his eyes and shook his head, trying to stay awake. All the adrenaline he felt was slipping away very quickly. He ended up back in his own bed, warmed with the body heat of a tiny puppy. He stripped away his shirt and plopped down near the side of the wall. And there, like always, was Ianto.

Jack's arm stretched out and he felt a cold nose imprint itself on his palm. Sleepily, he scratched the softly woofing head and felt something burrow into his armpit. Ianto's tail curled around the rest of his body and that's the last thing Jack felt before he fell asleep.

Ianto was having another Frisbee in the park dream, but this time there were flying squirrels involved. He awoke to the sound of Jack's groaning slightly. During a position change, his toes had hit Jack's pecs and his unclipped nails brushed Jack's skin, leaving slight indents. All that running had woken both of them up.

Jack yawned. "Well, I guess we're both up. How about some coffee, Ianto?"

Ianto woofed sleepily and sauntered out of the office. Jack retrieved a fresh shirt. He began to look over the notes again, shaking his head and both Gwen and his illiterate scribblings. And still they had no clue what had happened or how it could be fixed. Jack's hand crossed over his mouth in thought when Gwen strolled in.

"I've done something." She had a slightly mischievous grin on her face.

"Oh yeah?" Jack cocked his eyebrow.

"Oh yes." Gwen opened a box which held a dog collar. For Ianto.

Jack and Ianto both tilted their heads briefly. Jack lowered it to Ianto's level and he sniffed it.

"Well, we can't have him just running about, now can we?"

Ianto barked at Gwen.

"Okay, okay. It was just a suggestion."

Ianto continued barking.

"I've got it. I'm sorry Ianto."

Ianto still barked away madly.

"What is it, Ianto? You need a biscuit?"

Ianto gave Jack a very annoyed look. He took care of that when he needed it. Ianto let his head move sharply in several directions and then it came bearing down on some computer paper. With his teeth, he began to tear strips away from the side and arrange them.

"Jack, he's going to make a mess."

"Now wait. Let's just see what he's up to first."

"I have a name you know." Jack watched, fascinated, as Ianto spelled out his own last name.

"Oh, of course! Why didn't we think of it before?"

"Think of what before?" Gwen gave Jack a curious glance.

"Why did his dad have this reel? Where did he get it from?"

"A rummage sale?"

"That's what I thought. But maybe not. Fancy a ride, Ianto?" Ianto barked expectantly.

"Gwen, we're going back to the storage place. I need you to look up all you can find on Ianto's father that's not in our database."

"And where am I supposed to find that information?"

"Try Google. That worked last time." Jack walked out of the Hub, tossing his keys to himself and whistling with Ianto wagging at his heels.

Jack made a mental note at third stoplight they passed. A puppy in the window was definitely the way to pick up any dog lover. And the dog lovers in Cardiff were not bad looking if Jack said so himself. Ianto sat, enjoying both the attention and the feel of the SUV under his paws as he watched the road pass at breakneck speed, to him. He crashed into Jack only once during a steep turn, but at least now he wasn't just pitifully staring. He was enjoying himself.

The intercom beeped as Ianto supervised Jack in which boxes to open and help sort through. His ulterior motive of cleaning and organizing was beginning to be revealed as Jack put his hand on his hips and stared back at the expectant pup, who woofed at him to continue.

"You're enjoying this aren't you?"

Ianto shot him an innocent look and he shook his head.

"Of course you are. Oh, Gwen's calling us. What did you find?"

The line was a bit staticy from a missed update Ianto usually performed. "Jack, Ianto's father was a tailor in the Royal Navy just briefly. The film he received was an official Navy reel off of a decommissioned ship that he once served on."

"Google?"

"No, it's on the inside of the reel. So, only partly Google."

"Where doe we go from here then?"

"Find out if any of Ianto's father's shipmates received reels and then pay them a visit to see if any odd things have happened to them? Maybe we could begin from there."

"Well, Ianto's having me organize boxes, so that shouldn't be hard to find."

"Let me know if you get any more information for me to look up."

"Will do. Harkness out. So, Ianto, your dad was a Royal Tailor too? Anything else you aren't telling me?"

Ianto woofed and let out another of his innocent puppy looks.

"Oh no. I'm not falling for that again. Just sniff out of the box we need."

A few more boxes and the threat of misplaced Snausages later, Jack was looking at a picture of a crew and dialing Gwen again. He fed her about thirty names and she went to work. As the pair headed back to the Hub, they stopped for their weekly ice cream and entertained the small crowd with Ianto's use of a spoon to eat his. They also stopped by the apartment to grab some clothes for Ianto when they found out how to turn him back.

Jack's intercom beeped. Go ahead Gwen. Jack absentmindedly watched Ianto finish his treat with a warm smile across his face. He tuned back in just in time.

"...Millist. He served as a cook aboard the ship and won the only other reel at a charity event for the soldiers. He has passed on but has a son living in Sheffield. It's quite a ways away though, isn't it?"

"What was that name again?"

"Gerald Millist. I'm sending you the address through the SUV now. You should go check it out, best to leave Ianto in the car."

Ianto barked at Gwen with just a hint of disdain, as though he'd heard her last communique.

Jack and Ianto arrived at the shell of a happy country home. The once lush greenery and kept gravel driveway had deteriorated into an abject mess. The windows were hazy with grey dust and the outside of the house needed a good white wash. The gate, however, had been well maintained and gleaming brass hinges squeaked as Jack opened them. He had begrudgingly taken Gwen's advice, leaving the window open a crack for air.

He pounded on the door. "Gerald, Gerald Millist?"

A young man with long, lanky brown hair answered the door. He had an offensively crooked nose and eyes that warned of disturbances clouded just underneath. "I am Gerald Millist Jr. What do you want?"

"I'm with the Archive Preservationist Society and we were informed this morning of a reel of historical importance we would like to use at an upcoming film festival. Apparently your father won it from a decommissioned vessel?"

"I'm sorry, but Dad left most of his things to the Royal Navy in his will. It would be down in the basement, but the place is a mess. You'd never find it. If it was ever here to begin with." Gerald went to shut the door sharply. Jack bit his lip as he put his fingers in the way and a sickening crunch followed.

"I'd be happy to search."

"I'm afraid unless you come with a warrant, that won't be happening Mr..."

"Harkness, Captain Harkness actually."

"Ah, well, Captain. You can tell your friends and your society that the Millist family has paid its debt and trust me when I say, would like nothing else to do with history or preserving anything." The door slammed firmly shut and Jack shook his head as he walked back down the driveway with gravel crackling at his feet.

He heard a yowl followed by a litany of curses. He went back to the door and shook it with his fist a few times. "Mr. Millist?"

The sound of crunching gravel under four little paws echoed in Jack's ears. He looked down at Ianto giving him another innocent gaze and trying to woof at him with something in his teeth.

"What did you find, boy?" Jack took the watch from Ianto's teeth and looked it over. The back of the watch had a seal in the silver backing that matched the name of the ship in the picture with Ianto's father.

Captain Jack Harkness slammed himself into the door, full tilt, releasing it of its ancient hinges.

"Your bloody fucking dog tore my wrist apart!"

"Funny, he's usually such a docile creature too. He must not like you very much, Mr. Millist." The watch swung between Jack's fingers. "Tell me about this watch."

"I don't know what you are talking about."

Jack snarled and reached for Gerald Jr's. throat. He threw the punk against the wall, next to a framed album cover of Jimi Hendrix. The scent of incense hung all around the sparse and darkened living room. The entire situation annoyed Jack and annoyed Jack easily became disgruntled Jack. Ianto thought that this might be a good tip for villains to know.

"You are going to tell me where the reel is."

Gerald Jr quivered against the wall. "I don't know. Mum promised me she burned it, promised me it was the last one left."

"What do you know? What did your mother do?"

Gerald's eyes twisted into a grin. "You'll have to let me down first, Captain. I don't negotiate with terrorists."

Jack threw the bum into the only chair in the room. "Tell me." He used every once of his authoritative voice.

"Mum was a hippie Wicca forced into a marriage with Dad. This house? It remains the only thing that brought them together. Mum died a few years back, taking the last reel with her during her cremation."

"Did she know what the reels were capable of?"

"I'm sure she did. Until she died she kept the damn things locked up in the safe. Of course, she was crazy. I never asked many questions."

"So, what is it you do in this house, Mr. Millist?"

"A lot of drugs."

"Ah, so you're honest then. Well then tell me," Jack lifted him up by the scruff of his neck again. "Tell me how to fix whatever the reels do or give me one good reason why I shouldn't just waste you right now."

"I don't know." Jack cocked his gun masterfully, ridden with danger and suspense.

"I'm losing my patience, Mr. Millist."

Gerald began to assume the begging position, but then saw Ianto at eye level and he gasped.

"It's him, isn't it?"

"His father received the only other reel. He's my teammate and I need him back. You help me and I'll help you."

"Help me what?"

"Start over."

"I don't want to start over."

"Then what is it you want?"

"A pet dinosaur." Gerald grinned wickedly, thinking quite well of himself.

Jack didn't skip a beat. "Okay."

Ianto barked in protest and Jack glared at him.

Gerald gulped. "Well, as much as I could gather from Mother's diary, there was a spell involved that used the blood of the family line and some form of transferral wreath featuring some sacred herb or two. I don't know the incantation. It might have been in my mother's diary."

He ran off upstairs, breaking out into a cold sweat. Jack cocked his eyebrows as Ianto tried to glare at him. "Don't worry. I have a plan. You're not going to lose Myfanwy anytime soon." Ianto snorted in approval.

The sound of shoes running all over floorboards assaulted Jack's ears while dust floated down from the rafters. Gerald skidded back down the stairs, eager to have the visitors off of his property and to be alone again. "Here, her diary. If the spell wasn't memorized, it was here."

There were pages upon pages of gibberish writing in long hand slanted cursive. Jack spread it on the floor before Ianto while he called Gwen for Latin phrase translations, figuring most spells are Latin based. Ianto furiously turned pages with his teeth.

"Sorry about this, I never meant for anyone to have this happen to them."

"I'm not the one you should be apologizing to."

"I wasn't talking to you, Captain."

Ianto woofed, mouth full of paper, and moved his shoulders forward in a shrugging motion. Gerald hoped that meant he understood.

There it was on page 67. A spell of anger transferral. Ianto wondered if that female protester near the center of the casket had been her. He'd worry about that later.

Jack looked down as Ianto put his paw over the page. "Can you read Latin?"

Gerald shook his head and Ianto woofed. It was all down to Gwen then.

"I've got some translation pages from a Wicca database. What are the letters then Jack?"

For almost an hour, he fed her letters and she would murmur aha or oh dear a few times. At the end of the hour, Ianto was giddy with hope. When he heard the machine printing out the spell in English, he ran out the busted front door to go retrieve it.

Gerald looked into his hallway. "You're going to fix that, right?"

Jack gave a non-committal grunt as Ianto came in, dragging three pages of hefty spell.

Jack put his hands over his chin. "We need elderberry, including thorns, and something called wormwood."

"Mum kept an elderberry bush outside and I believe there is wormwood in the kitchen next to the coriander. It's old, but it should still be useful."

Ianto began to bark in frustration as Gerald and Jack spent an hour pricking themselves with elderberry thorns making a wreath that mirrored the one from the reel.

"I hope you appreciate all that I do for you" Jack teased Ianto. And Ianto woofed a bit and wriggled into his side, giving him more puppy dog eyes.

"Get a room."

"Hey! Just keep working."

Two hours later, Gerald dragged down the coffin as the sun was beginning to set and laid the wreath on top. "Okay" Gerald began to instruct from the doorway. "The scene is set same as in the reel, correct? Well, all we need to do now is have the spellbound prick their finger, or paw, again, and that should do it."

"Should do it?"

"Don't bark at me like that, Ianto. I've never done anything like this before."

Jack shrugged and lifted Ianto onto the casket, where he proceeded to feel that same haze hit him as he crushed his paw against the sturdy reef. He fell asleep and began to snore. Ianto dreamed of Jubilee Pizza and bad night soaps on the telly.

He felt something creak under him as he awoke. Ianto didn't open his eyes, but wiggled his fingers first. They actually wiggled. Had it worked?

Jack gave out a whoop and ran to hug Ianto, who slipped off the coffin and ran behind a lampshade. "Jack, I'm naked."

"But you're human again"

"Jack, I'm standing behind a dirty lampshade and I'm naked."

"And apparently, you're not furry either."

"Shut up Gerald! Jack, I'm standing behind a dirty lampshade in the countryside of Sheffield naked!"

"Oh, you want clothes then." Jack gave a disappointed look downwards as he want back to the SUV to retrieve the clothes they'd gotten earlier from his apartment.

"So, this is awkward." Gerald stood at the thresh hold, not saying anything, just gawking at Ianto behind a lampshade stark naked.

"There aren't anymore reels then?"

"None that I'm aware of."

"He wasn't really lying. We do have a dinosaur."

Ianto changed behind the lampshade, much to Jack's feigned dismay and they left Gerald without fixing the door Jack had broken down.

He shrugged as he sat with his amalgamation of pills, noticing a tiny white pill that hadn't been there earlier. Gerald Millist Jr. then inhaled his very own special short term amnesia pill. He'd wake up in the morning to discover a coffin in the center of his living room and his door busted down.

Gwen finally got through to Jack as they got back on the main road. "Any luck then? I've been trying to call you for an hour or so. We need Ianto back to run a maintenance check."

Ianto cocked his eyebrow, wondering if they should tell her.

"We're on our way back. Go home Gwen. The drive will take awhile."

"Is he human again, then?"

"I'm sorry, Gwen. You're breaking up. I'm having some trouble hearing you." He turned his comm link off.

"You're a wicked man, Jack Harkness." Jack gave an evil grin in reply.

"So, I was thinking about renaming Torchwood if you would have stayed like this."

"And what were you thinking of renaming it?"

"Puppy wood." Ianto wrinkled his nose in response.

"No good? Well then, what would you have called it?"

"The Puppy Brigade."