Once they were back on the TARDIS and the Doctor was monitoring Ianto's condition he was a bit more willing to talk. From the way he'd spoken to Jack after Ianto had collapsed the American suspected that the Time Lord had discovered something.

"So what did you find?" Jack pressed him for the umpteenth time.

"Whatever is in that house is affecting children not adults, so why did it affect Ianto?" The Doctor frowned to himself ignoring Jack and checking Ianto's stats on the TARDIS monitors.

"Doctor," Jack said impatiently.

"It's not age…" the Doctor glanced at Jack. "It's like… innocence… or something…"

He ran a hand through his hair his frown deepening as he tried to figure out the connection. Jack glanced between him and Ianto, praying the Welshman was alright.

"Does Ianto have any kids?" The Doctor asked, looking over the readings again.

"Not that I know of," Jack replied. "He's only…"

"Only what?" The Doctor asked as Jack trailed off.

"He's only had one girlfriend and she's dead… after her, there was only me," Jack shrugged.

"How did his girlfriend die?"

"She was at the battle of Canary Wharf, she was partially converted," Jack said gravely. "Ianto hid her in our basement and bought in experts hoping they could change her back because the transformation wasn't complete, but she got lose, killed a doctor, and almost killed the whole team…"

"So you killed her," the Doctor nodded, knowing that there was only one way they could've dealt with a cyberwoman.

Jack didn't answer, but the Doctor knew he was right. After a few moments silence he spoke again.

"Could you get hold of the files on all the kids that have gone missing in the house?" The Doctor asked gently.

"Sure," Jack nodded, patching his wrist comm into one of the computers and opening the necessary files.

The Doctor spent hours studying them. Ianto's health seemed to improve, but he didn't wake up. The Doctor had the feeling that had he and Jack not been in the house as well, whatever had taken the children would've taken Ianto too.

"It says here that Abby Jessop was in a care home after it was discovered her parents were abusing her," the Doctor said suddenly. "And Timothy Walker was living with foster parents after a similar discovery."

"I've got one here too," Jack replied. "Elsa Price. Her parents were never arrested but neighbours were concerned by the screams and bruises the children always seemed to have."

"That might be it," the Doctor said, eyes alight with the same fire that burned every time he landed on a new planet.

"But there's about fifty others with no sign of abuse," Jack replied. "Even if we went and interviewed all the parents, and even if they were all abusing their kids, do you really think they'd tell us?"

"No, probably not," the Doctor agreed. "But we can be almost a hundred percent sure with one simple test."

"Oh yeah?" Jack looked up expectantly.

"Was Ianto ever abused?" The Doctor asked.

Jack opened his mouth to reply, but he suddenly realised he didn't know the answer. He knew Ianto's parents names, he knew Ianto's siblings names, but apart from that, there was very little information from the Welshman's childhood.

"I don't know," Jack admitted finally.

"No, I wasn't," a voice from behind them said.

The Doctor was up in an instant checking Ianto over and making sure he was alright. Jack approached a little slower, resisting the urge to take Ianto's hand.

"Are you ok? No dizziness, headaches, nausea-"

"I'm fine," Ianto promised the Doctor attempting to bat away his hands. "Found any connection yet?"

"Not yet," the Doctor replied, satisfied that Ianto was ok. "But we've found a few with abusive histories, so maybe they've all suffered a traumatic experience even if it's not specifically abuse. Can you think of anything similar Ianto? Anything, doesn't matter how small, it could be a bad day at the swimming pool when your Dad made you go under for the first time, or do a length without your arm bands."

For a moment it looked like Ianto was going to say something. He opened his mouth, and then closed it again seemingly changing his mind. He shook his head.

"Are you sure?" The Doctor asked unconvinced. "You don't have to be specific, but if there is an event like that then we need to know."

Again Ianto shook his head, but even Jack had the feeling that the other man was lying. The Doctor however, seemed ok to drop the subject and returned to the files he had.

"We could be in for a late night," he noted. "We'll have to make sure we read these thoroughly. Jack, go and make the tea."

"What? But I-"

"I'll go," Ianto cut in, standing up carefully, making sure that his knees weren't about to give way underneath him.

"Are you sure?" The Doctor looked over his glasses at Ianto. "I don't want you exerting yourself."

"I'll be fine, I make the drinks all the-" Ianto paused. Well he HAD made the drinks all the time; when he'd worked at Torchwood. "I'll be back in a few minutes."

The Doctor gave Jack a funny look as soon as Ianto had left to find the kitchen.

"What?" Jack asked defensively.

"I'd think carefully about how you're going to win him back," the Doctor replied. "He's a good person and you're going to blow it at the rate your going."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," Jack grumbled, turning his attention back to numerous child files they still had to get through.