It was that time of year again, Tosh noted as her alarm woke her a few days later. This was the day she was guaranteed a day without rift alerts and chasing aliens through dirty alleyways. This was the day when Tommy Brockless was unfrozen and she could spend a few hours with an endearing and very cute solider, just being a normal woman, or as normal as one could be when the person was hanging out with was born in 1894.
They had met four times in total, four amazing days together. The pair had instantly hit it off with one another, and after their first day together Jack had instantly put Tosh on Tommy duty. Although she couldn't say she minded. Tommy was a great person, and Tosh appreciated his sense of humour and general look on life. For someone who had fought in World War 1 he was incredibly positive.
She smiled and got out of her bed, glancing at the outfit she had chosen to wear the night before. Today was going to be good, she could just tell.
TWTWTWTWTW
"I'm sorry Tosh," Owen said softly by the pier. Tommy had been sent back a few hours ago and since then the rest of the team had been giving Tosh a wide berth. They all knew she was hurting, Tosh had shared a special bond with Tommy that she had never had with another person before. For once her feelings were reciprocated and she wasn't being manipulated. But it was never meant to be. Their fleeting relationship had been doomed from the start and Tosh just wanted to cry at the unfairness of it all.
She had left the hub a while back, Owen close behind her. He was being surprisingly nice about the whole thing and they had been stood at the pier for close to half an hour before Owen had broken the silence that had surrounded them, but Tosh found she didn't mind, he hadn't tried to make her talk, open up about her feelings, instead he had just been there. Stood in the light drizzle with her, slowly getting soaked through, letting her know that he was there for her when need be.
"He trusted me right to the end," She finally said trying to make sure her voice didn't crack.
"Because you were strong," Owen reasoned. "All of this, is still here because of you."
She shook her head. "Because of Tommy. Let's hope we're worth it," At this she moved away from the pier, tears streaming down her face. God she needed a drink.
TWTWTWTWTW
Another few weeks passed before anything... strange happened. Rhys had accepted the existence of Torchwood with surprising grace and seemed to have little to no problem with Gwen returning back to the hub. Luckily for everyone the rift had stayed quiet during this time, giving Rhys more time to wrap his head around the situation. Although after a few short peaceful weeks, the rift inevitably opened up once more, dropping a lone wooden box. Unknown to the team, this seemingly harmless artefact would cause a number of different problems for the team, not that they noticed straight away. It took a while for the team to notice this particular situation. Two days to be precise.
Ianto was late. Well not really, but he was half an hour later than he normally was and it was all Rosalie's fault. Whilst her and Jake had got over their original disputes and could now be civil to one another, every so often they would butt heads and World War three would start up.
This was one of those occasions. Ianto wasn't really sure how it had begun, passing irregular snide remarks to one another had lead to full blown arguments between the pair and a war full of childish pranks. When he had left that morning the two families were split into two groups. One group were trying to keep Rosalie from tearing Jake to shreds, whilst the other half were doing the same for Jake. Jacob's and Nessie's flaming bed in the middle.
Owen and Tosh were already present, both working at their computers and Ianto knew Jack would be in his office. "Morning," he called, making his way to the coffee machine, pulling out three mugs and waited for the water to come to a boil.
He poured the three familiar drinks and walked down to the computer area, tray in hand. Jack's office door was closed, so Ianto gave Tosh and Owen their morning drinks first.
"Didn't know you wore glasses," Ianto said, frowning slightly in confusion at the medic, looking over the slicked down hair, sweater-vest and the rectangular pair of glasses perched on the end of his nose.
"Uh I always wear glasses when working on the computer. Are you- uh okay Ianto?"
"Fine, I think," Something was different about his co-workers. It was unnerving, but he couldn't put his finger on it.
"Uhh cheers for the coffee anyway,"
"Welcome," Ianto said dismissively, looking up when Jack's office door opened. "Your coffee sir,"
"Ah what would I do without you Ianto," Jack smiled, graciously taking the cup.
"One does wonder," That was when Ianto noticed Jack wasn't alone. A young redheaded man followed him out of the office, a small smirk on his face.
Before he could ask who the man was, he spoke up. "Don't tell me you forgot my cuppa. I'm gasping for one of your magic brews." As he spoke he walked over to Ianto, placing his hand on his shoulder.
As they touched Ianto's head flooded with memories.
Meeting on Ianto's first day "So you're the one who caught the pterodactyl, very impressive,"
Finding out Ianto was a vampire "Thanks for telling us mate, it means a lot that you trust us that much,"
And mucking about in the hub, throwing around a basketball "That's cheating, you can't use your magic vampire powers,"
"Sorry Adam, I hadn't realised you were in yet,"
"No worries mate," Adam said, smiling as he went back to his computer, squeezing Tosh's shoulder lightly as he walked past.
After a few minutes Gwen arrived, and that's when the confusion began. Everyone in the hub tensed as she demanded to know who Adam was, relaxing when she had revealed she was joking. But Ianto still felt tense and uneasy, if it was just a joke it was a bit random. Sure Adam had said that on Gwen's first day, but it didn't sit right with him. He forgot all about it though when Owen once again tried to impress Tosh.
He shared a sympathetic smile with Gwen. That boy would never learn. It was quite endearing in a cringey sort of way. Provided the hub with amusement though, so he wasn't complaining.
TWTWTWTWTW
Ianto had managed to get home at a decent time that night, not that it really mattered when he got back, seeing as he didn't need food or sleep. He noted that he really needed to ask for the weekend off so he could go to the countryside and feed. He told himself to ask Jack the next day, although he was pretty sure he was meant to ask that morning. Must have slipped his mind he reasoned.
Rosalie and Jake had seemed to have come to a momentary sort of truce, he noted in amusement, seeing the two of them making awkward small talk with Bella and Esme in the kitchen.
"Good day at work?" Carlisle asked, looking up from a file he was reading as Ianto walked through the door.
"Yeah, no rift alerts anyway." Ianto hung his coat up and sat down on the couch. "We were looking over the research we'd gathered on the weevils. They've been here so long yet we still know so little on them. We don't know what their old planet was like, whether they mate for life or one kills the other off once they've done the deed-" at this Alice wrinkled her nose at the mental image. "And then Adam said that the weevils might have some sort of natural hierarchy, which would make sense looking back on it-"
"Wait a sec," Emmett said, looking slightly confused. "Who's Adam? I can't remember you saying that Jack had hired someone new,"
"He hasn't," This time it was Ianto who looked baffled.
"Then who's this Adam?" This time it was Carlisle who asked the question, but by now everyone was listening into the conversation.
"Oh not you too. Gwen's already made that joke about having no clue who Adam was earlier today."
"So if Gwen and all of us have no idea who Adam is, then something must be up,"
"Gwen was making a joke, it probably registered as funny in her head. Although she admitted she was joking much earlier than you guys are."
"Ianto, we're being serious. I can't remember you ever mentioning an Adam before,"
"I must have done Carlisle, he's been working at Torchwood for much longer than me,"
"He wasn't at the battle when the others were,"
"Yes he was, he snuck out of the spare room to find Gwen and Tosh remember?"
"No, because that never happened. The only members from Torchwood at that battle were you, Jack, Gwen, Owen and Tosh." Rosalie practically snapped.
"No, I can see him," Edward said, closing his eyes. "I can see Adam in you head, I can see what you just told us, but apart from today's memories with Adam, all the others are... odd,"
"How so?" Carlisle asked, looking slightly worried.
"They're not like normal memories, normally when someone thinks of a past event it's just like watching it happen in real life. These memories are muffled, like they're trapped in a bubble or something. They don't seem real,"
"What do you mean, they don't seem real,"
"Ianto, I don't think this Adam is who he says he is. I think he placed those memories in your head, but I have no idea why or how,"
"Could forcing new memories into someone's head, make them forget things in their life?"
"Urm, if the memory being put into the head is large and or if there's more than one, I guess it has the potential to," Edward shrugged. "Why do you ask,"
"Earlier today, Gwen forgot who Rhys was. The man who she has been with since university, and she forgot everything about him. She's remembering him bit by bit, we all assumed it was stress related, but what if it isn't,"
"The amount of extra information must have messed with her brain, are you okay Ianto?"
"I feel fine," Ianto said, thinking over the days events. "My diary," he breathed suddenly, only continuing at his family's confused stares. "I've wrote up things about Torchwood that are interesting, things that come through the rift, aliens and the like. If Adam's real, he'll be in there. He's messing with our memories, but he can't change things like that. It's in the hub, but I'll see you all later," Not letting any of the others say a word, Ianto rushed out of the house, door slamming behind him.
When Ianto arrived back at the hub it was completely abandoned, not even Jack was around. Must still be hunting weevils then, Ianto couldn't help but note slightly bitterly. Shrugging off his hurt, Ianto went straight over to his desk, rooting around in his drawers. He found the small book quickly, and started flipping through it.
The book was half full, he'd had another one before this, but that was destroyed in the Battle, so when he was settled at Torchwood Three, Ianto had bought another journal. Originally he had planned to show it to Lisa when she was brought back, show her what she had missed, but now he kept it to take note of anything interesting that happened. Safe to say it was filling up fairly quickly.
Ianto had flipped through a few pages when he realised the others were right. There wasn't a single mention of Adam anywhere in the book, he had talked about the others many times, but there was nothing about Adam.
"What's wrong?" Ianto visibly jumped, Adam had not been there a second ago, he would know after all. Him being a vampire meant it was practically impossible for anyone to sneak up on him.
"My diary- you're not in it. Everyone else is though," At this Adam jumped up from the sofa, making Ianto slowly back up, but he continued talking. "Why would I leave you out when you've been here for so long?" At this Adam's hand actually started flickering. "What are you? Whatever you are, you must be powerful, to be able to get into a vampire's head is certainly impressive,"
With a strength that a normal human shouldn't have, Adam managed to push Ianto up against the wall. "Cross me, and I will fill you full of fake memories until your head is on fire, because that's how I exist." he hissed.
Adam explained to Ianto, briefly how he existed, but it all started going wrong the moment he mentioned Jack.
"Remember this," he hissed, placing his hand on Ianto's body.
It was raining, a young woman was running down a street, screaming and crying. She hit a dead end and her screaming grew louder. Ianto approached, cornering her and biting down on her neck.
"I know you didn't mean to suck her dry," Adam's voice broke through cruelly. "After all, you had been doing so well. Had shown so much self-control. I guess you just couldn't stop yourself. Remember this," Placing his other hand on Ianto's forehead.
Unlike the last memory, the night was clear, but the cries for help were similar. A different girl was struggling, crying out for help, but Ianto was too strong. He squeezed her arm, easily snapping it, and as the girl writhed in pain. He leant down and bit into her neck, blood spurting everywhere.
"I didn't do that," Ianto gasped. "That isn't me,"
"But you did," Adam replied coldly, moving his hand to Ianto's forehead. "And they weren't the first.
Another girl. Another alleyway. But the situation was the same. She was screaming, begging for help and trying to get away, whilst Ianto just drained her dry.
"Good old Ianto, loyal Ianto. Roaming the streets at night for food."
He was walking down an empty street, following his next meal eagerly.
"My diary," he gasped, trying to get away from Adam's lying touch. This was all a lie, he knew it was, it had to be.
"All human record is a lie. You twist it into what you want to believe. But we know the rot in your heart. You crave flesh. You really need to stop lying to yourself, to your family. They're stronger than you, they pity you, they're disgusted by you,"
"Remember it. Remember it. Remember it."
Images flashed through Ianto's head. Girl after girl. Victim after victim. All screaming for help. All drained dry in minutes.
Ianto hears screaming. At this point he doesn't know whether it's his screams or his victims. It's all merged in to one.
"I helped you dump the bodies. It's me you call every single time," Ianto vaguely felt Adam press his lips onto his own, but he couldn't register it. He's too numb. Adam's talking, but he had no idea whether it's to him or if he's just talking to himself.
All he could see was those girls bodies. If he could be sick he would be, no doubt about it.
TWTWTWTWTW
Jack arrived twenty minutes later, shocked to see Ianto still at the hub and so obviously distressed.
"Yan, what's wrong?" His voice full of worry and Ianto can't help but inwardly cringe, knowing that all that concern would be gone once Jack realised how sick and twisted he was.
"You have to lock me up in the vaults. I've killed these three girls, sucked them dry. You can't let me hurt anyone else Jack. Please!"
"Ianto calm down," the worry in Jack's voice is obvious. Ianto is obviously incredibly wound up. "I don't believe you've hurt anyone, let alone killed anyone. I'll get the lie detector from my office, we'll sort out this whole mess,"
"It won't work, I'm dead, it won't have anything to monitor,"
Jack cursed, not knowing how to comfort Ianto. He wrapped his arms around him, murmuring sweet nothings and tried to sooth him as best as he could. "Ianto, you couldn't have killed those girls."
"Stop thinking up excuses, I'm a monster a Jack, plain and simple. I need to be stopped before I hurt anyone else."
"Ianto, if you have killed those girls, then why are your eyes still amber?"
Silence filled the hub for a few seconds, before Ianto spoke up again. "What?"
"Come on, check," The pair stood up and Ianto gazed in the reflection of the water tower, scared for what he would see. But sure enough, his eyes were a dull amber colour.
"Adam was here," he said quietly, staring at the sofa. "At least I think he was."
"Something's not right here," Jack frowned, pulling up the CCTV of the main hub, and sure enough, both Ianto and Adam were in the hub. The two watched the video in silence. "What the hell is going on in here," The captain muttered, pulling up videos from earlier that day. "He's touching everyone, he's touched everyone at least once today. Who the hell is he?" He questioned running to the medical bay, opening up the fridge and taking out the blood samples.
"Where's Adam's blood sample?"
"I'll check his file sir," Ianto called, opening up another file on the computer. "Everything seems to be in order.
"When was it last updated?" Jack asked, already aware of the answer.
"Um... 24 hours ago."
TWTWTWTWTW
Adam casually stroked Tosh's hair as they lay in bed the next morning. When the alarm started beeping, Tosh immediately switched it off and slipped out of bed."I'm making some coffee, you want some?"
"I knew I loved you for a reason Toshiko Sato,"
"Is that a yes?" Tosh smiled as he kissed her lightly in confirmation. "I'll be back in a minute."
"When she had made the drinks and was back in the bedroom, Adam was half dressed, but was staring at a jumper in confusement.
"It goes over your head," Tosh quipped, placing Adam's coffee on the bedside table.
"It's not mine though." He passed it to Tosh, obviously puzzled. She took it and stared at it. It was a familiar jumper and she remembered it from somewhere, but couldn't place it.
"I remember sleeping in it, must have been in winter when it was cold or something. Can't remember where I got it from though," Tosh didn't know whether that was true or not, but she knew that it'd be the best answer.
Adam shrugged and gave a small smile. "No worries." And as he turned to get a top that was actually his, Tosh brought the jumper to her face and inhaled deeply. She recognised the smell too, but from where she couldn't remember. She was even more confused when she realised she'd started crying.
TWTWTWTWTW
"We need to forget Adam completely, otherwise he won't go." Jack said, giving each of the team retcon.
Owen and Gwen took their pills immediately, but Tosh just stared at the small pill.
"Will retcon even work on me?" Ianto asked. "I mean, I can't even fall asleep."
"Carlisle is pretty sure that if you take an injection instead of a pill, the drug will work effectively, after all it'll be carried around your body. You won't fall asleep, but you might fall into a slight daze of sorts whilst your memory is re-wiring."
Ianto nodded, and pulled his sleeve up. Jack slowly injected the retcon into Ianto's system. "Hopefully that'll work," Ianto nodded again, but his eyes seemed slightly out of focus, a positive sign that it was.
"You have to let him go Tosh," Jack said quietly. "He was using you," She nodded, tears wetting her face, before taking the pill.
"Goodbye Adam," she breathed.
As Jack made his way down to the vaults, to confront Adam, he dialled Carlisle's number into his phone. "The retcon seems to be working, you just have to remember not to mention Adam. None of us will remember the last two days, and we can't have it triggered in any sort of way. He's dangerous and we need him gone. As none of you actually came into contact with him, the fact that you know of him won't effect anything"
"Don't worry Jack, I've already told the others about what's happened."
"Thank you Carlisle."
TWTWTWTWTW
Ianto arrived back home rather noisily that day. The family exchanged worried looks and tried to seem as casual and relaxed as possible when Ianto entered the living room.
"Are you ok?" Esme asked, looking up from the book she was reading.
"No, everyone from work can't remember what's happened in the last two days. All the CCTV's been wiped, there's no notes, no nothing. We must have retconned ourselves, there's four pills missing, but that doesn't explain me. I would have thought retcon would have worked on vampires."
"I'll have to research it," Carlisle said, trying not to sound too worried. "You must have done it for a reason."
"I guess," Ianto said, leaning against the sofa. "Did I say anything in the past few days or have I been acting weird."
"We haven't seen you mate," Jake said stretching. "You've been at work for the past few days, said you wanted to do as much admin as you could, before taking the weekend off to go hunting."
Ianto still looked puzzled, but let the subject drop. "I'm going to go get changed. See ya,"
"I feel bad about lying to him," Alice said, once Ianto was out of earshot.
"You know we have it, the others can't remember about Adam,"
"I know, I know, I was just saying."
"As long as he doesn't start bringing Torchwood to us, I'm not fussed," Emmett said.
"Well done, you've probably jinxed us now," Nessie said, rolling her eyes.
"Oh relax, what's the worst that could happen."
"You just had to ask didn't you Emmett?"
"Oh stop your whining Nessie. We're all fine, we're happy and we're safe."
"Yeah, but for how long? Ianto has a dangerous job, who knows what the rift is going to spit out next,"
"You know, you didn't have to sound so excited about that."
"It's what I do,"
TWTWTWTWTW
When Tosh got back to her flat later that evening, she instantly felt a difference. Nothing in the living room seemed out of place, a DVD was lying on the coffee table, but it was possible she had watched it at any point during the last two days. Her bedroom was pretty much the same, although the bed covers had been messily pulled down the bed and left there, which was very unlike her. She shrugged, reasoning that she may have had to leave in a rush as she placed the flowers she had received from Owen (he kept saying they weren't from him, but she recognised his handwriting) on her bedside table.
Frowning at the mess, she began to make the bed, picking up the clothes that had been thrown over her floor and trying to make her room a bit more presentable. She faltered slightly as she picked up a very familiar jumper. She brought it to her face, breathing in the familiar smell that was slowly fading away and trying not to cry at the unfairness of it all.
"Stop it," she told herself sharply, pulling the top away from her and placing it on the bed. "Stop being so weird." She groaned, putting everything else away but leaving the jumper out. "Really need to give the damn thing back to Owen," she muttered, chucking it in the laundry basket, rolling her eyes.