A/N: Some Gwen bashing. Enjoy

Disclaimer: BBC owns Torchwood; sadly, I do not

Chapter 6

Good cop, bad cop

Jack looked deep into Ianto's eyes, and said "Screw the rules. I will not let the rules tear you away from your family. You never know how long you have, and family is important."

Ianto nodded and gently hugged Jack. "Thank you, but we'll explain after we've dealt with the kids."

Jack grinned. "Of course, darling. Maybe we could play good cop, bad cop?"

"Only if I'm the good cop. I hate making kids cry, even if they deserve it."

Jack winked "then maybe later, you'll be the bad cop."

Ianto blushed, before turning to his family, who were oblivious to their exchange. "Jack and I have to go to work. We'll explain everything later, but it's an emergency."

Mairwyn looked like she wanted to say something, but bit her tongue and Ianto kissed her cheek and said "bye, Mam. See you guys later."

They arrived to a comical scene. Owen, ignoring the fact that he was ten again, was wearing his lab coat- now several sizes too big for him- and was in the process of messily dissecting an alien. Tosh was tied to her chair, and gagged, looking extremely annoyed, and Gwen was nowhere to be seen.

Jack unbound Tosh, who sighed in relief before saying "Gwen's gone. She tied me up, with Owen's help, then left. She bribed Owen with the corpse."

Ianto rolled his eyes and, sighing, Jack called out sternly "Owen Matthew Harper, come here right now!"

The three still-adults watched as Owen hung his head, put down the scalpel and approached them timidly. "Yes, Jack?"

"I want an apology to Toshiko and an explanation, young man. Now." He said, still stern.

"Gwen said to open the box, 'it's what Jack would do" and then I'm zapped with a blue beam, and I'm a kid. Then Tosh came in, then Gwen told me I would only be allowed to dissect the weird alien if Tosh was tied up, but I didn't agree. Then I pushed Gwen over and ran to Tosh and she called you. Then I asked if I could carry on with my dissection, and she said to wait 'til you got here, and Gwen grinned behind Tosh, holding the rope, so I pushed Tosh into the seat, and Gwen tied the knots. I went to my dissection. Then you came in."

"The apology, Owen. Now."

Owen fidgeted and whispered "I'm sorry for helping Gwen tie you up, Toshiko. I won't do it again."

Tosh, much to everyone's surprise, crouched to Owen's level and, pulling him into a hug, said "that's okay, Owen, I forgive you."

Ianto raised an eyebrow, and Tosh said defensively "What, it's not his fault. I did some scans of the device before I left for food. It causes both a physical and mental regression in age. He was simply doing what most ten year olds do when they want something, but know they're not allowed it." She paused. "Well, most ten year olds with adult memories."

Ianto rolled his eyes, and said "what are we going to do, then? We need to find Gwen, which means we need all three of us, but someone's got to look after Owen."

Jack said "What if we asked your mam? I could drive Owen to her, and explain the situation."

"Are you serious, Jack. You want to bring my mam into this?"

"Well, I thought it might, you know, provide a distraction. Stop her mulling over today."

"Oh…"

"And, she'll need a job, anyway. Especially if we want our flat back to ourselves any time soon."

"You're going to give my mam, my Mam, a job with Torchwood. Are you bloody mad, Jack?"

"Calm down, Yan. I wouldn't give her a job with Torchwood, just her, manning the Tourist information booth. It'll give you more time to be in the Archives, doing work I know for a fact you enjoy more." Ianto sighed and nodded his assent, then, kissing Jack gently on the lips, he walked to his work station, and began sifting through the recent CCTV.

Jack, lifting Owen onto his hip, left the Hub. He set Owen in the SUV and belted him in before setting off for his flat. He called ahead and asked Mairwyn if she'd be willing to act as babysitter for a while. After he heard her cautious agreement, he hung up, not wanting to have to answer difficult questions over the phone.

He parked the SUV and ran around to get Owen out. Carrying him to the door, Jack knocked and Mairwyn opened the door. "I can explain some of what's going on now, but not a lot; most will have to wait 'til Yan and I are together."

"Okay, just tell me why you have a ten year old boy?"

Jack grinned and said "This ten year old boy happens to be one of my employees. His name is Owen, and he was zapped by an alien artefact, which caused him to regress to this age."

"Owen, as in Owen Harper? Ianto's friend? The one Rhi met a couple of weeks ago?"

"Howdy, Ma'am. I had fun teasing tea-boy with the fact I'd met his family before the Captain did. Rhi's really pretty too." Owen said.

Jack nodded slightly at her shocked "I know, a lot to take in, right? And there's still a plethora that you don't know., but we'll get there, after this crisis is dealt with." He then turned to Owen and said, stern once more, "Owen Matthew Harper, if I find out you have said, or done anything unnatural, rude, or about what we do, you will regret it, in both this form and your adult form. Remember who's your boss, and who makes your coffee."

Owen looked suitably scared, so Jack smiled at Mairwyn and said "Thanks, so much. We'll hopefully come and get him back later on. Have a good night, Mairwyn."

All Mairwyn could do was nod, still slightly stunned, as Jack left.

Back at the Hub, Gwen had been found, wandering the streets, by Andy. He'd called Torchwood, saying he'd found a missing girl that greatly resembled Gwen, and asked if it wasn't another of their 'spooky-does'. Ianto had taken the SUV and gone to pick her up, not saying anything; he'd leave the talking to Jack.

Pulling up at the Hub, both Jack and Ianto climbed out of their respective SUVs simultaneously. Jack reached for Gwen, who, deciding to take full advantage of the situation, wrapped her arms and legs around Jack's body and he pulled her to him. Rolling his eyes, Ianto lifted Gwen from Jack's arms and set her on the floor, then, taking her hand, led her to Jack's office. Jack entered several minutes later, and, frowning, said "Gwen Elizabeth Cooper, I am not even going to tell you how badly you screwed up. From the second you become an adult again, you are on a months suspension. Following that month's suspension, you will spend a month retraining under Tosh, and Ianto will also serve you only decaf coffee. Until we find out how to change you back, however, you will be locked up in the one of the cells." Gwen sniffled in sorrow, and Jack said "None of that, missy. You did this, you must face the consequences." And Gwen burst into tears.

Suddenly, Gwen began to glow and a bright flash of light momentarily blinded everyone, and when their vision cleared, Gwen stood there, an adult once more. Jack nodded and said "Goodbye, Gwen. Enjoy your suspension." And watched as Gwen slumped from the room in shame and anger.

A/N: I'm really quite excited about the next chapter. But I won't say anything about it, because I'd hate to ruin it for all you lovely people. So, until tomorrow; TTFN and DFTBA x