She had abandoned him. He never thought it was possible. They had been joined at the hip since birth practically. She was the one person he knew he could count on. In all the chaos, his only thought had been Lisa, but she was never far from his mind. Ianto Jones knew that she could take care of herself. She was more prepared for something like this, than most of the researchers at Torchwood. She knew how to protect herself. Lisa did not have that advantage and because of that she was on the top of his priority list.

But she abandoned him. The dust settled and Ianto was back in Cardiff, working his way into Torchwood 3, finding a place to keep Lisa safe. After he got her in, after things calmed down, a week or so after the battle, Ianto contacted his mother. He hoped she had heard something. His mother said she had gone back to London to look for him, but when Ianto returned to London he found no sign of her. She abandoned him. He knew exactly what happened too. She returned to London in hopes of finding Ianto.

When she got there she must have seen Lisa's name on the list of the dead, and assumed Ianto was dead as well. She always did assume more than she should. Her assumption did not hurt him. It was her unwillingness to return, to tell his mother. The fact that she abandoned him. If she had returned to tell his mother she would have found him, discovered that he was still alive. But she did not. She abandoned him, and that never stopped eating away at him. He said nothing to anyone, not even Jack knew. It was his problem and no one else's. Then, when Lisa was truly gone, the realization that he was alone finally hit him. His closest friend, the only person he had ever been able to constantly rely on, was gone. A year and some odd months passed and that never stopped bothered with him.

"Uhh, Jack," Toshiko's voice called to Jack.

Jack was a bit busy at the time, the voice was more than a slight interruption. He placed his hand gently over Ianto's mouth to keep him silent, as he was holding the younger man gently against the wall in his office. "Is this really important Tosh?"

A small smirk formed on Toshiko's lips. "Yes, Jack its important. I think its from when Owen activated the Rift."

Jack and Ianto both were dressed and out of Jack's office in seconds. The rest of the team gathered around Tosh's computer. "I was looking through the records going back to the day the Rift cause those splinters."

"And," Jack asked impatiently.

"A few hours after the rift was initially activated there was a spike in energy coming from this spot." She pointed to a spot on an enlarged map.

"I don't recognize that," Gwen said simply. "Where is it?"

"Southern Wyoming," Tosh answered, zooming out on the map so the team could see the surrounding states.

"Okay, and?" Jack was trying to make the connection that Toshiko seemed to have made already.

"That was before the splinters," Ianto piped up. He pointed to the screen. "It was a couple hours after the Rift was activated, but it was before the splintering."

"See, now that's interesting." Jack took a deep breath and studied the map for a few minutes. "Anything suspicious?"

"I thought you'd as," Tosh said with a triumphant smile. "Within a matter of a few hours after that energy spike, unusual black clouds appeared over seventeen cities."

"Seventeen? That it?"

"A week later there was an unusual cicada swarm outside of Lincoln, Nebraska, along with two strange murders in the area, one at the clothing store. There's security video."

"Let's see it," Jack said quickly.

Tosh pulled up the security footage. It continued rolling after the police arrived. "Stop it," Ianto shouted. His heart froze, his blood ran cold. "Go back." Tosh listened. "There, stop." Standing in the upper right corner of the screen just barely visible was an image that made everyone gasp. It took Ianto a moment to realize the woman on the screen was not Lisa, but Lisa cousin Tamara, a hunter. "Tamara."

"Ianto…"

"How is that possible? That shouldn't be possible." Owen had been silent until that moment.

"It's not Lisa, if that's what you're thinking. Her name's Tamara." Everything started to come together in his head.

"Well, who's up for a vacation? That was a month ago though, anything else we can work with Tosh?" Toshiko shook her head. "Before we go anywhere, we have to figure out where we're going."

"South Dakota," Ianto answered simply. "I umm.. I might know of someone that can help."

"Add that to your many uses Ianto," Jack said with a smile as he walked away and back into his office. "Everyone pack up, we're spendin' some time overseas." Jack stuck his head out of his office and looked to Gwen. "Gwen, we'll understand if you want to stay here, with Rhys. Not sure how long this little romp is going to take."

Gwen stood still for a moment. She glanced back and forth between the members of the team. "Ummm…" Gwen inhaled deeply and sighed loudly. Work was putting a strain on her relationship. Leaving for an unknown amount of time, with no way of explaining it, so close to her wedding was definitely a bad idea. "Thank you Jack. Send a postcard."

Jack laughed and before he disappeared into his office once more he spoke. "I want everyone back here in two hours, ready to go."

The flight was longer than anyone anticipated. Ianto was a little more than uncomfortable on planes. He sat next to Jack, who was sitting by the window. Ianto refused to sit by the window. Ianto clenched his fists around the arm rests and tried his best to breath normally, to hide his anxiety. He knew he failed miserably when he felt Jack's hand rest lightly on his. Ianto met Jack's gaze as Jack laced their fingers together, calming the younger man's nerves just slightly.

They landed and managed to rent an SUV, large enough for the four of them. Finding the man was easy enough, especially for Tosh. His salvage yard was easy to spot as they pulled up. "You're sure this man will be able to help us," Jack asked.

"I think so." It was a bit complicated to explain how he knew. He just did. It was part of his past, he was delving into a world, dragging the team, dragging his team, his Jack into a world he was unsure he was prepared for. They pulled up the drive, climbed out of the rented Chevy Blazer and walked up to the door. Ianto took a few deep breaths as Jack knocked on the door. He glanced over at the Welshman, but said nothing.

After a few moments an older man answered the door. "Yes?"

"Bobby Singer?"

"Depends on who's asking?"

"Captain Jack Harkness," he answered simply. "We're with Torchwood."

Bobby was silent for a moment, but it was clear he had heard the name before. "Come on in." Bobby stepped to the side to let Jack, Ianto, Toshiko, and Owen into his house.

"Dean, shut up!" Erin shouted over the sound of Dean attempting to sing along with Steppenwolf's "Born to Be Wild". "Sam, your brother… is TONE DEAF!" All Sam could do was turn towards Erin, who was sitting in the backseat, and mouth the word "sorry".

They were a few miles from Bobby's. Dean had gotten a call saying that it was important, but Bobby would not tell any of them what "it" was. Erin had been on a hunt with the boys at the time, they left from Bobby's so Erin just rode with them, save on gas. When Bobby called, they all came a-runnin'. Dean pulled up the drive slowly. All three noticed the black Blazer. "Wonder who that belongs to," Sam asked to no one in particular.

There was a bad feeling forming in Erin's gut. Dean parked the car and they climbed out. "Something's not right." She paused, staring at the SUV. She knew it was a couple yearas old but it was spotless as if it had just appeared there, brand new. She laughed to herself and glanced over at the boys. "I smell Welsh."

"Yeah," Dean answered standing behind her, to her right. "You." Dean smirked and brushed by her.

Erin smacked the back of Dean's head and glared. "I'm Irish," she called after him.

"Not what your accent says."

Erin rolled her eyes ad followed the boys into the house. They instantly noticed a voice, coming from the back of the house. None of them recognized this man's voice, and that worried them, especially now after the Gate opened and more demons were walking around. It was very chaotic, and non of them wanted anything to happen to Bobby. "Bobby," Sam bellowed.

The three of them walked into the back room where Bobby kept most of his old books. He was standing behind a desk. There were three others in the room, two men and a woman with a laptop. One of the men, the one that was speaking, was dressed in old military attire. The other had baggy black cargo pants that he wore low on his hips, a t-shirt and a black leather jacket over it.

"Who the hell are you," Dean asked.

The man stopped speaking and turned to face them. He smiled; a cocky charming smile that actually made Erin's heart jump for a split second. She ignored it though. "Captain Jack Hark-"

"Oh god," Erin groaned. "I lied." She was speaking to Sam and Dean, but looking straight at Jack. "Not Welsh, well not entirely, Torchwood."

All three of the strangers seemed shocked at her mention of Torchwood, though they hid it well. "Excuse me?"

"Don't play stupid, Harkness. I know who you are. You have quite a reputation."

"And you know how?"

"I was in London. Now, what the hell is Torchwood doing here?"

"Investigating." Jack paused, hoping that would quiet her but when he noticed his answer had not satisfied her he continued. "There was a massive energy spike in the southern part of Wyoming. It coincided with some events in Cardiff, and they might be related."

"They're not and that has nothing to do with Torchwood."

"Fortunately, that's for me to decide." He paused for a moment before turning slightly towards Owen. "Dr. Owen Harper and -"

"So you're Owen Harper," Erin commented with a smirk. "I've spoken with you on-"

"That's all great," Dean interrupted. "Really, it is but umm… What the HELL is going on?!"

Erin took a deep breath and glanced back at Dean. "These idiots here think that what happened in Wyoming is connected to a Rift, a split in time and space, that runs through Cardiff. They're also under the assumption that anything odd that happened after is probably alien in origin." Dean was silent, as was Sam. They both stared at her like she was insane. "That about sum it up?"

"Pretty much," Jack answered. "As I was saying, Dr. Owen Harper, and Toshiko Sato." Erin nodded to each of them, Dean ignored him completely, and Sam waved politely, giving Toshiko an almost timid smile. "And that," he began. He was smiling at something, or someone that was standing behind Sam and Dean. "That is Ianto-" There was a loud crash. "That ruined my introduction Ianto. Nice job."

Erin turned pure white as Owen rose to his feet. "Oi, Teaboy, what the hell?! Do you have any idea how long I've gone without coffee. I was really lookin' forward to that. Not to mention you've killed Singer's coffee mugs," Owen turned to Bobby, "sorry mate."

"Oh no, its all right. Not like they were antiques or anything," Bobby said sarcastically.

"Ianto," Erin asked, staring at Jack. "As in Jones. As in Ianto Jones." It was not until then that Erin noticed the distinct smell of not just coffee, but Ianto's coffee. She turned around slowly, expecting to see the young man in a suit. Instead she found him wearing a black denim jacket over a white shirt, with a black t-shirt underneath, and blue jeans with a black studded belt. Ianto Jones, her Ianto Jones.

"You bitch." Wait. That was not her Ianto Jones. Before anyone knew what was happening Ianto had stepped over Sam and Tosh, who were cleaning up the mess he left on the floor from the coffee, and pushed passed Dean. Ianto's fist collided with the left side of Erin's face with more force than he knew he had. It knocked the girl to the ground, or at least it would have if Owen had not caught her.

"Back off, Coffee Bitch!" Dean shouted.

Before Dean could throw a punch at Ianto Jack stepped between them. "Ianto…"

He pushed passed Jack as Erin stood. Jack recognized the anger in his eyes. It was the same anger he had as Owen and Gwen held him back, keeping him on the Lift as they left Lisa in the hub with Myfanwy. The Welshman slammed his other fist into the right side of her face, knocking her back once more. "You abandoned me! You ran! You abandoned her! You selfish heartless bitch!"

Sam and Dean were both astonished to find that Erin was not fighting or arguing. It went against every trait they had observed about her. She never let anyone push her around. "You said you'd come back," he shouted. "You said you'd come back!"

"I said I'd bring you back home! That I'd take care of you cause god knows, Ianto Jones, you can't take care of yourself! I thought you were dead! I couldn't go back there. I couldn't tell her I let you die! How was I supposed to explain all that to her?"

"If you would have come home you would have known I wasn't dead!"

"Why would I do that Ianto? Lisa was dead! I know you! You never would have left her side."

"Oh brother," Owen muttered. "Is this gonna be another angst conversation about Ianto's attachment issues and him stabbing us all in the back by hiding his half converted-"

"SHUT UP OWEN!" The voices were in unison. Jack. Tosh. Ianto.

Erin's eyes widened. "What's he talking about? She didn't die?" Erin did not need an answer though. Ianto Jones and his naïve hopes. She knew what happened. "What the fuck is wrong with you Ianto?! What were you thinking?!"

"You don't get to lecture me Connelly! You lost that right when you left. When you decided to turn your back on us."

Erin lowered her head. She was silent for a moment before looking up at the Welshman. "Please, Ianto can we not do this here."

Ianto said nothing. He turned and walked out of the room to get more coffee. Erin turned back to the group who was simply staring at her. "That's your Ianto," Bobby asked. Erin nodded.

"Your Ianto," Jack asked. There was a slightly defensive, almost possessive tone to his voice.

She looked up and met his gaze. "Yes. My Ianto. Ianto Jones. At least he was. I fucked that up." Erin took a deep breath and looked over to Sam and Dean. She had always admired their relationship. Sam and Dean would do anything for each other, as evident by the current predicament that Dean was in. Erin and Ianto were like that at one point in their lives.

She had literally known Ianto Jones since birth. The doctors placed her in the nursery while they waited for her father to show. She was the product of a one night stand. Her mother died of complications during childbirth. In the nursery, next to her was a little boy. "Jones, I". Ianto Jones. More remarkable than that though, the Jones family lived next door to Erin's grandparents. He was born almost exactly twenty-four hours before Erin, and he never let her forget it.

Erin was twelve when her grandparents died. Her father was there from time to time, but she spent most of her time, practically lived with Ianto's parents. They were like family. They were the ones that raised her. That was the reason she could not go back there and tell his mother that she let her little baby boy die.

Erin's gaze moved back to Jack. "This has nothing to do with Torchwood. You wasted your time coming out here. If Ianto brought you to Bobby he should have known that already. This isn't alien. This has nothing to do with the Rift. This is our business and I think you need to-"

"Erin." Bobby silenced her. He walked up to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. The older hunter could see the pain she was fighting back. He remembered picking her up from the airport that day. She had been devastated. "The war's only started. We need people on our side. You can't go throwing away help."

"Bobby," she said with a sigh. "They're not like us. They are no where near prepared enough for this."

"More prepared and some guy you might pick up off the street."

"Bobby, its going to get them killed and I am not going to be responsible for that."

"Its my house, my choice who stays and who doesn't Erin. Deal with it."

Erin knew Bobby Singer well enough to know that his word was law. She lowered her head before nodding slowly then turned her attention back to Jack. "You have no idea what you're getting into. But I know someone who does."

Erin walked out of the room, finding Ianto in the kitchen. She shoved him into the counter and smacked him across the face. "What the hell is the matter with you Ianto! What did they say? They mention energy levels then crop failures and cicada swarms?" She went to smack him again but he grabbed her wrist and pressed her against the counter, holding her their with the weight of his body. "You know what that means. I've told you! Demonic omens, signs. Why did you bring Torchwood into this Ianto! This isn't your war!"

"Yes it is," he snapped. "You told me those things. You told me what was out there and how to deal with it. You brought this into my life Erin Connelly! We can help you! If you'd just stop being so damn stubborn you'd see that! I know what it is! I know what I led them to. And I know that there is a very good chance that NONE of us will survive." He locked eyes with her, blue to blue. "That's why I'm here. That's why you're here. To fight. That's what we do. Torchwood. That's our job Erin. You used to know that. Torchwood London was… it was a mess. This is different. Jack… Jack is different."

There was a look in Ianto's eyes when he said Jack's name. Erin knew that look. She tried to push him away but he would not budge. After a moment she was unable to hold back her tears. "I shouldn't have left. I know it was wrong but… I couldn't tell her you were dead Ianto. I didn't want to believe it." He said nothing but he took a step back. Ianto took the cups of coffee into the other room, leaving Erin alone in the kitchen, with just her thoughts for company.