A/N. First can i just say thank you so much for all the reviews and alerts for the first chapter of this, i'm happy it was so well recieved. :) Jessie doesn't appear in this chapter but you do still learn some more about her, you find more about what she needs help with in chapter 3. Enjoy the next chapter and please review. Kat :)

Chapter 2.

When the four Torchwood team members entered the main Hub, Tosh immediately came over to them, a curious expression on her face as she took in the pet carriers. 'So what were they? She asked.

'Vicious, fluffy, purple things,' replied Gwen, who kept casting glances at Ianto, clearly she still had questions about what had happened outside only moments ago.

'I'm going to sedate this one and run some tests on it, see what I can find out,' said Owen as he headed off towards the med bay.

'Good idea. Gwen, Tosh see if you can find anything on them in the databases. Ianto and I will take these ones down to the cells,' said Jack.

Ianto sighed internally, he knew Jack would make an excuse to get him alone, well that was nothing new, but this time he knew Jack would want to talk and usually when he got Ianto on his own talking was the last thing on his mind. He also knew that Gwen would be gossiping with Tosh in his absence. He walked with Jack to the cells, and they put the fluffy creatures into one of them. He made a mental note to get them some food and water at some point, although he had no idea what they ate. Ianto could tell that Jack was staring at him, no doubt trying to gauge his mood. Ianto turned and went to start walking out of the cells, but stopped when he felt a hand take hold of his wrist. He turned around to face Jack.

'Are you alright?' asked Jack, the concern evident in his voice.

'I'm fine,' replied Ianto automatically, his face impassive.

'I don't believe you,' answered Jack. He knew Ianto was a master at hiding his emotions, but Jack also knew that he was the one person that Ianto would open up to if the situation was handled right.

'Why not,' Ianto snapped back, now on the defensive.

'Because you've just seen someone who you were friends with in London, for the first time in years. You can't tell me that doesn't give you mixed feelings.'

Ianto sagged a little at Jack's words, losing some of his rigid posture. There was no point lying to Jack. 'It brings back memories seeing Jessie, sure.''

Jack moved his hand from Ianto's wrist to his hand in what he hoped came across as a reassuring gesture. 'You were close,' this was said as more of a statement than a question.

'Yeah, she was a part of the group of friends that I had there. She actually showed me the ropes when I first started.'

'And you haven't seen her since…' Jack paused wanting to phrase the question right. '…since you came here?'

'No, we've been in touch a few times, Christmas and birthday cards mainly, and maybe two phone calls.'

'I have to ask, did you tell her you worked her.'

'No, but I might as well have done. I mentioned once about working in the Tourist Information office when she asked what I was doing. Jessie's smart she would have figured it out, but she never mentioned and neither did I.' Ianto paused to take a breath before he continued. 'Look, Jessie did everything she could to put as much distance between herself and Torchwood. I think that's partly why we became distant, I'm still connected to it. I also think that at least initially we were too much of a reminder to each other of what happened in London. It worries me that she came asking for my help, because for her to do that it can't be anything good.' There he'd said it. He was more concerned than he had let on, even to himself.

'Whatever it is I'm sure it's not that bad, and if it is then we'll be here to help. I'll be here to help,' said Jack making it perfectly clear that whatever it was, Ianto was not to go through it alone.

'Really?' asked Ianto, 'I know you aren't exactly a fan of people who worked for Torchwood 1.'

'True, but they can't all of been bad. I mean look at you, you turned out alright,' Jack said brushing his free hand down Ianto's cheek. At the gesture Ianto leaned into the touch.

''If it helps Jessie and Yvonne Hartman never saw eye to eye.'

Jack smiled, 'Well, anyone who gave Hartman a hard time is fine by me,'

'I'd better go, Jessie will be waiting. Your not going to tell the others what I've just told you right?'

'I won't say anything but I expect Gwen has already got Tosh to bring up Jessie's personnel file on the database.'

Ianto rolled his eyes, 'Always has to know everything,' he muttered under his breath.

'I will try and keep them from asking you too many awkward questions. They only have to know what you want to tell them.'

'Thanks.'

Jack closed the gap between them and leant in to give Ianto a soft kiss. They walked back up to the Hub, Ianto left via the cog door and Jack made a move towards his office, only to change his mind and he went towards Tosh's desk. Tosh and Gwen were indeed looking at a personnel file.

'I knew this is what you'd be doing.' The two women looked round at him sheepishly at having been caught.

'Come on Jack, an ex Torchwood 1 employee shows up out of the blue asking for help and you aren't the least bit curious?' asked Gwen.

Jack couldn't help but think that this wasn't exactly the first time an ex Torchwood 1 employee had showed up here, but he pushed the thought aside. 'Of course I am,' answered Jack, he was particularly interested in how well she knew Ianto, but he wasn't going to say this out loud. 'But she's a friend of Ianto's so I trust what he tells me.'

'What did he tell you about her?'

'Classified,' said Jack and Gwen pouted at this. 'If Ianto wants to tell you about her then that's up to him. I don't want you, any of you, badgering him about this. You all know how touchy a subject London is.'

Tosh looked up at Jack and gave him a small smile. 'We know Jack, we're just looking out for Ianto.' Well, I was Tosh thought to herself. Tosh would admit that she was curious as to what Ianto's life had been like in London, how different he had been, but she would never dream of asking.

'As you've already looked, what's the file say,' asked Jack, pointing to what was on the screen.

Tosh turned back to the screen, 'Jessie Miller, born 1st of June 1980, married to Sam Miller, worked as a researcher in the archives at Torchwood 1. She has degrees in History and Classics. Her file indicates a few run ins with Yvonne Hartman resulting in her getting a couple of written warnings. It also looks like she was sent up to Torchwood House for a while. I also looked at more recent information, she got her PHD and is now a lecturer in history and classics, based at Warwick University, but currently on secondment to Cardiff.'

'Her life seems fairly normal now,' mused Jack. 'You said she was married, did you check her husband out?'

'Yes I did. Sam Miller also worked at Torchwood 1, he was a computer expert.' Tosh paused and her voice turned solemn, 'He's listed as one of the dead.'

Jack shook his head minutely. He could never get his head around what had happened at Canary Wharf. The arrogance of those at the top that bought the institution crumbling down around their ears, nearly the whole world. The loss of life had been catastrophic, only 27 survivors. The fact that any of them had survived was a miracle, and he had wondered in the past how they had managed it. 'Thanks Tosh. Can you two get back to doing what I asked now?'

Tosh nodded and closed the file down, pulling up instead a database of space creatures so that she could try and find the purple things. Gwen sat down next to her, looking sufficiently happy for the moment. Jack went down to the autopsy bay to see how Owen was doing, trying not to think about Ianto and the woman he was going to meet.