A/N: Well, it's been a pretty interesting day.... From getting stuck in our driveway this morning.... Missing the bus when school got out early... Getting taken to the bus stop by the school secretary, because my BROTHER didn't miss the bus... Then nearly getting stuck on the way into our driveway... Yeah. MN is definitely not a place for the faint of heart :)

You know what would make this day complete? Some nice reviews ;) haha. Decided to write this chapter since I got out early and would have some time. Hope you enjoy, sorry it's short, but i thought that would be a good place to tie off the end of the chapter. Reminder: you can't always count on regular updates.

Ianto let out a breath as he watched the man sweep away, coat fluttering behind him, weevil slung over his shoulder. He'd been surprised when the Captain hadn't asked any questions about him knowing what it was, but he supposed everyone had their own ways of doing things.

He felt more confident now. After the first meeting with Captain Harkness, he was sure he could find him again and try to persuade him to let him on the team. Lisa was counting on him. If he got inside another Torchwood facility, then he could get what he needed to help her, to make her human again. At least, that was what he kept telling himself. But he had to believe it, he had to! Helping her was all that he felt his life was good for anymore.

He shuffled his feet as he walked away from the place where he had met the charismatic Captain. He hadn't had a long enough encounter with him to determine whether or not all the rumors he'd heard were true. He wasn't quite sure anyone could actually live up to the giant reputation that Captain Jack Harkness had somehow created for himself.

He wandered around the woods for a while, not really knowing what to do. He needed a plan. He sat down under a tree to think and suddenly was overwhelmed by exhaustion. He fell asleep against the tree.

****

Ianto woke up screaming. Eyes wild and panic filled, he looked around, panting. Realizing where he was and that, once again, it had been just a dream, he let his head fall back against the tree. The problem was, although it had been a dream this time, it wasn't just a dream. It had happened. And because it had happened, Lisa was counting on him. Which meant that he needed to go find Captain Harkness again.

He stood up with a groan, muscles stiff from sleeping in the awkward position under the tree. He raised his bleary eyes toward the sky to find it beginning to change colors, streaks of orange, red, and yellow staining the blue.

He wandered again until he found a coffee shop. In desperate need of caffine to wake him up, he opened the door. A bell tinkled welcomingly over his head as the door swung out. He stepped into the warmth and the comforting smell of coffee. He closed his eyes and breathed in deeply. He smiled and walked up to the counter where a friendly-looking older man stood.

"Morning, mate! What'll ye have?" His accent sounded vaguely Scottish. Ianto ordered, and then picked a table by the window, staring out over the street.

"Here ye'are, then," the man said with a smile, placing a steaming mug down on the table. Ianto smiled in thanks.

"Looks like you don't get too many visitors this early."

"Nope, you're the first customer of the day. Haven't seen you around lately."

"Nah, you wouldn't have. Just recently moved back to Cardiff. Lived here as a kid, but I've been living in London for the past few years. Found a job there that suited me, but I had to leave."

The man nodded sympathetically. "Company dissolve?"

"Something like that." Ianto took a sip of his coffee, staring at the brown liquid to avoid eye contact with this kindly man. Eventually, he walked back to the counter.

Ianto finished his coffee and sat, staring out the window, playing with the empty mug in his hands. Suddenly he had an idea.

He walked back up to the counter and said, "Any chance of getting another coffee to go?"

"Of course!" Moments later Ianto stood with a styrofoam cup with a lid, the heat bleeding through and warming his hand.

"One more favor, if you don't mind," Ianto said hesitantly.

"Ask away, I'll do what I can." The man waved his hand nonchalantly.

"Any chance you would know where the Torchwood base is?"

The man snorted a laugh. "Ask that to anyone around here, and all we'll be able to tell you is down by the bay. That's where everything weird seems to happen, anyway."

Ianto thanked the man and paid for his coffees, leaving a generous tip for the man's help. Then, he was out the door, on his way to another meeting with the Captain.