Thanks again to my Beta – Louise, who simply is amazing. And because of her I now have "Its 3 dots" in my head whenever I write. :)

Owen walked back into the hub and was surprised to see that everyone was working. He guessed that as six children had already been murdered this month, they didn't want to have a seventh one killed on their watch. He looked around; Gwen was on her computer – doing whatever it was that she did, Owen still wasn't sure. Toshiko was analysing the 'sand' sample with a beautiful frown on her face. Jack was up in his office and by the angered expression on his face he was on the phone to UNIT. That left Owen looking for Ianto who he hadn't seen when he first walked in.

"Hey Tosh, where's Ianto?" Owen asked, shrugging off his leather jacket.

"He was here a minute ago," Toshiko said, looking up and scanning the hub. She glanced up at Jack who was looking down at them from his office, his eyes searching too. "I'll check the camera footage."

"Thanks," Owen smiled, watching in fascination as Toshiko's fingers typed at the keypad, though her eyes were trained on the screen.

"He's in the morgue," Toshiko answered. Smiling thanks to Toshiko, Owen headed down to the morgue. Jack was still on the phone and Owen didn't want to bother him.

Owen walked hurriedly down to the morgue. He opened the door cautiously and noticed Ianto sat on the floor between two open drawers. "Hey," Owen said, loud enough to snap Ianto out of his morbid thoughts.

"Hi," Ianto replied back a little sheepishly. "The marks on her body are gone."

"Whatever was in her has left now," Owen moved closer and sat next to Ianto. "How are you feeling?"

"I have a headache that won't go away, my stomach is aching, but most of all I feel embarrassed." Ianto didn't look at Owen, just stared at his shoes. Owen wondered how long he had been down here. It wasn't the warmest place to sit, especially on the floor.

"You've nothing to be embarrassed for," Owen said strongly. He wasn't good at motivational speeches, nor was he good at being sympathetic. The only good thing he was good for was making sarcastic and inappropriate comments

"I've been behaving like a stupid child the past two days. And last night, what the hell was I thinking?" Ianto laughed a little. "I don't even drink!" he stated.

"Why did you then?" Owen asked.

"I wanted to forget. Forget the fact that I was alone. But I wanted to be able to just escape from everything, leave behind the feeling of nothingness I suppose."

"You're not alone," Owen said softly, wrapping an arm around Ianto's shoulder pulling him close. He knew this was highly out of his character but right now he didn't care. Ianto needed someone, he needed a friend.

"I know that now," Ianto said softly. "It was stupid, I'm stupid. I couldn't even get drunk without getting ill."

"You only got ill because you don't eat, and as your doctor, I'm going to do my best to make your body go back to normal. But as your friend, I'm going to be there for you." Owen smiled. "Come on, my arse is already going numb." Ianto nodded and got up, he held out a hand for Owen who took it with a smile and pulled himself up.

Ianto looked at the open morgue draws, as did Owen. "You know I reckon they're really proud of you," Owen said gently as Ianto pushed the draws closed.

"Thanks."

Jack smiled in relief when he saw Owen and Ianto walk back into the main area of the hub. Owen looked up and nodded in his direction. Ianto headed to his desk in the tourist office despite the look Owen had given him.

"What have we got?" Jack asked, as he walked down the stairs.

"Its definitely blood and skin," Toshiko said. "Definitely alien,"

"Owen, run it through the scans, see what you can find," Jack ordered.

"I found something, but I'm not too sure if it's relevant," Gwen said. After Jack shot her a look she continued. "All the children that were murdered, were killed the exact same time they were born.."

"Which explains why only one twin was killed," Owen said, "Different times."

"Any of the times match?" Jack asked curiously.

"Nope," Gwen sighed. A faint ringing was heard throughout the hub. "Its Ianto's mobile," Gwen said pointing to his jacket that was folded neatly over the back of his chair.

Jack moved over to it and picked the mobile out and it stopped ringing. "Right, continue to find out anything that will link any of the victims, Tosh, Owen check the alien blood," Jack said before heading up to the tourist office.

"You know I didn't actually think this place was a tourist office," Jack laughed as a tourist walked out of the office. Ianto looked up and smiled. "Your phone was ringing," Jack said handing him the phone, their fingers lingering on each others' for a while.

"It was Sean," Ianto smiled.

"You know I'd really like to meet him one day," Jack smiled as he sat on the corner of the desk.

"Really?" Surprise was evident in Ianto's voice. Yes, he and Jack had decided to give it a go as a real couple instead of having a relationship based on sex. But Ianto didn't think Jack wanted it to be as serious as meeting the family.

"Course," Jack smiled. "You okay? I know you went down to the morgue,"

"I just wanted to see them," Ianto said quietly, it was as though he was a child getting into trouble.

"Its okay, I'm not saying you can't. I'm just worried," Jack looked at Ianto who seemed to be hiding away in his hooded jumper. Ianto didn't know what to say, so remained silent. "Come on, let's go for a walk."

"We've got work to do, Jack,"

"Its lunch, meaning you're going to eat. And I thought you'd appreciate eating with just us, and not Owen watching you," Jack reasoned. "So what do you say?"

"I'll go get my coat," Ianto smiled. It was a sunny day outside, and Jack knew he didn't actually need his coat. He was putting eating off a little longer.

Ianto walked in the hub closely followed by Jack. "Where you two going then?" Toshiko smiled.

"Out for lunch," Jack smiled, and looked over at Owen who nodded.

"Why don't you stay here and eat with us?" Gwen asked, she was the only one who hadn't worked out Ianto's eating disorder. Ianto thought Jack was going to change his mind determined to think that whatever they had wasn't as strong as what Jack wanted with Gwen.

"Because I'm taking Ianto out for lunch," Jack grinned. "Got your jacket then?" Ianto nodded and slipped it on over his hoody.

They walked along the road in silence. Jack had reached for Ianto's hand and they walked in a comfortable silence. "Where are we going?" Ianto finally asked when he realised they had been walking for ages.

"Don't honestly know," Jack smiled. "Where do you want to go?" Ianto simply shrugged. "How about we go and get a roll from the bakery down there, and sit in the park?"

"Sounds nice," Ianto smiled, except for the roll part he thought to himself. They continued to walk in silence to the bakery. Once there Jack chose two rolls; a ham and cheese for himself and a salad one for Ianto.

They walked to the park and sat under a large oak tree. "It's beautiful here," Ianto smiled. Jack had already unwrapped his roll, and Ianto was holding his in his hand.

"We should come here more often," Jack said, noticing the roll still wrapped up. He had decided he wasn't going to rush Ianto into eating, but he wasn't leaving the park until he had eaten the whole roll.

"Yeah," Ianto smiled, to Jack's relief Ianto started to unwrap his roll with anxious fingers. "Jack?"

"Yeah, Ianto?"

"Promise you'll stop the thing that's killing the children." His voice wasn't higher than a whisper.

"I promise." Jack said strongly. Ianto split the role in two, and started to nibble at the salad. Jack didn't question the ritual, he was just pleased that Ianto was eating.

An hour later they walked back into the hub, Ianto frowned when he saw empty pizza boxes lying around on the desks. "Would it kill you to put them in the rubbish bag?" he asked Owen, who just smiled a very cocky smile.

"Then that would leave you out of a job," Owen smiled. "So, did you have a nice lunch?"

"We did," Jack said answering the secret question that was passed between them.

"Good."

"We found out what the alien is!" Toshiko smiled in triumph. "Well, Owen did most of the work,"

"So what is it?" Jack asked.

"A Chiropteran," Owen frowned. "And the blood has turned into a crystal."

"Are you sure that's what it is?" Jack frowned.

"Do you know what it is?" Gwen asked, looking up from her desk.

"I always thought they were a myth," Ianto said quietly, a bemused look on his face.

"How do you know about them?" Jack asked.

"They were in a story when I was younger. Like be good or the Chiropteran will make you like them." Ianto raised his eyebrow as Jack gave him a funny look.

"Who told you the stories Yan?" Jack was worried, they could all tell.

"I can't remember, I just remember hearing it," Ianto said, trying to remember the full story, but it was all a blur.

"How did it go?" Jack demanded. His temper was rising.

"I don't remember," Ianto said quietly.

"What are they, Jack?" Gwen asked anxiously.

"They're like demons. They feed on the life of children, you know what we were saying before about their essence. With Chiropterans they're specific, they choose their victims based on their blood. When they choose a victim they latch onto them."

"If they pick you there's no place to run..." Every one turned to look at Ianto.

"What's your blood type?" Gwen asked anxiously.

"O negative," Ianto replied.

"All the children, they were all O negative." Gwen said looking at Jack.

"Do you know how to kill it?" Toshiko asked.

"Silver knife to the heart," Jack said, his eyes still glued on Ianto who was staring at the floor nervously.

"Sounds easy," Owen laughed sarcastically. "What's the catch?"

"It needs to be feeding to kill it," Jack replied. "Ianto, can we talk in my office?" Ianto nodded before walking up the stairs to Jack's office. Somehow he didn't feel to confident about the conversation they were about to have.