A/N. Hi, sorry for the delay in posting this chapter, i've had a mad couple of weeks at work. Thank you for the reviews for the last chapter it is much appreciated. Enjoy and please review. Kat :)

Chapter 6.

Jack had sent everyone home as it was getting late, and they had a long day in front of them at the university tomorrow. He didn't particularly want to spend the night alone in the hub, he'd got used to Ianto's company, but he would have to make do for the night.

Ianto and Jessie had left via the underground exit to get to Ianto's car. They got to his flat without any signs that someone might be following. When they entered Ianto went straight into the kitchen and Jessie followed.

'This is nice, I see you still have a great book collection,' Jessie said taking in the book shelves that she could see from the doorway into the lounge.

'Yeah, just a shame I don't get much time to read them now.'

'That's the beauty of what I do now, readings kind of a prerequisite.'

'Are you sure about going in tomorrow?' Ianto asked.

'I'm a little nervous maybe, but we need to find out what's going on and until we do I'm obviously not going to be safe.' she replied ruefully.

'What if your students ask questions about your head.'

'I'll come up with something. Can we not talk about that now, pretend everything's ok just for tonight.'

'Sure.' Ianto handed Jessie a drink, and then headed into the lounge to sit on the couch, Jessie sitting next to him.

'Should I put my stuff in your spare room?' Jessie asked, realising she had left her bag by the door.

Ianto blushed slightly. 'Put it in my room, you can stay in there, I'll take the couch. The spare beds no good, and I haven't got round to getting a new one.'

'Ok, if you're fine with that. I don't mind the couch.'

'I couldn't let you do that you my guest.'

There was silence for a moment as both took sips of their drinks. Jessie regarded Ianto for a moment before just going for it, and asking about something that had been playing on her mind. 'So, can I ask you something?' Ianto nodded. 'It's about you and Jack.'

Ianto nearly spat out the coffee he was drinking, but managed to keep it in. He swallowed and then looked at Jessie. 'What about me and Jack?'

'There's something going on between the two of you.' It was more of a statement than a question. Ianto knew Jessie had always been observant but he was still surprised.

'What makes you say that?' He was avoiding the question, partly because he wanted to see what she thought she knew and also because he never knew how to explain his relationship with Jack.

'For a start it's obvious you are a lot closer to him than any of the others. The looks you give each. Then it took me a while to figure it out, but Jack kept looking at me funny, at first I thought he was just trying work me out, except I realised when I was talking about old times it was jealousy. Plus when you came out of his office earlier when I got back with Owen, both of you had kiss swollen lips, so unless there was someone else up there you have hidden, it had to be the two of you. Come on spill.'

'You want details?'

'Well, I don't need every detail, but some would be good. How longs it been going on?'

'It's complicated.' Ianto replied.

'Relationships always are.'

'When it first started it was just sex, then things started to change. Jack went away for a while and after that he asked me out on a date, and we've gone out a few times since then.'

'So you're a proper couple now.'

'I wouldn't say that, Jack would never use that word. I don't really know what it is, but whatever it is seems to be working so I'm not going to rock the boat by trying to talk to Jack about it. He doesn't like labels.' Ianto took another drink, then said, 'So your not bothered by this.'

'Why would I be. I'm happy that you've met someone you obviously care a lot about and that's great.'

'Thanks. What about you, have you seen anyone else.'

'I've been on a few dates, but nothing serious, it's never felt right. I know Sam would want me to move on and be happy, and when the time is right, I will. I think these things happen when you're not expecting them.'

'Tell me about it, I never expected this to happen with Jack.'

Jessie smiled, 'He's lucky to have you.'

After that Ianto and Jessie talked about mundane things trying to keep their minds off the day ahead. When they both eventually went to bed, sleep was a long time in coming to both.

X

The next morning Ianto and Jessie met up with the others at the Hub, Owen grumbling about having to be in early.

'Why do you have a seminar at 9am, surely that's just cruel.'

Jessie laughed, 'I'm sure my students would agree with you, but I don't have anything to do with the timetabling.'

'Right, so we all know what we're doing today?' asked Jack. The others all nodded. 'Good lets get going and hopefully we can find out what's been going on.'

Jack, Tosh, Owen and Ianto were all heading to the University with Jessie, while Gwen was going down to the police station to see what information she could get on the list of missing students she had complied. When they reached the uni, Jessie led them down the corridors of the humanities building to her office.

'Nice office,' said Jack upon entering, 'spacious.' Ianto shot him a look that clearly told him not to get any ideas.

'Thanks. I just need to put up a sign saying my office hours are cancelled so you don't get disturbed by people turning up later.' Jessie took a sheet of paper from her nearby printer to write on and then stuck it on her door.

They were using the office as a base for their operations at the uni. Ianto was setting up a portable rift monitor that they had to keep track of any spikes that occurred there. During her research yesterday Tosh had discovered that there had been a few spikes at the uni over the past few months, but none of them had been big enough to trigger the alarm. Tosh was going with Jessie into her lecture so that she could try and get into the science blocks network. Owen was going with them too, just to make sure there was no trouble. Jack was going to see what he could find out about the so called Professor Medwell. Owen, Tosh and Jessie left to go down and set up in the room that they would be using. Once the door was closed Jack wrapped his arms around Ianto and pulled him into an embrace.

'I hope you not getting any ideas Jack.'

'I have a few, but they can wait. I just missed you last night.'

Ianto kissed Jack and then went back to setting up the equipment. Jack stood back and smiled as he watched him bend down to pick up a bag from the floor. He could feel Jack watching him, so said, 'You could help me.'

'I could, but I'm having much more fun admiring the view.'

Ianto rolled his eyes, 'Don't you have some information to go and get.'

'Ok, I'm going, I'll be back soon.' Jack then left leaving Ianto alone in the office.

X

Jessie led Tosh and Owen to the room she was teaching in. 'I hope this isn't going to be to boring for you. Listening to my seminar is probably not high on your list of things to do.'

'It'll be ok,' answered Tosh smiling. She went to the front of the classroom and started setting up her things next to the rooms computer equipment.

'I'm going to go and have a look around, contact me if you need me.' said Owen and he left the class, just as the students started to file in.

'What happened to you Jess?' asked one of the students as they sat down in their seats and took in Jessie's appearance, the large white gauze covering her head wound.

'I was mugged on the way home last night, but I'm ok.'

'If you need anyone to walk you home later I'd be more than willing,' answered one of the male students.

'I bet you would, but I'll be fine, it's being handled. Anyway today is going to be a little different. I've had to cancel my office hours because my office is in use, so we're going to have our usual group discussion first and then you can use the rest of the time to work on your final essays and if you need to speak to me you can. Questions?'

'Yeah, who's the newbie?' one of them asked pointing over at Tosh.

'That is Toshiko and she is here to audit the class, I expect you all to make her feel welcome.'

'I'd make her feel very welcome,' replied the lad from earlier.

'Yeah, and I can still fail you for inappropriate behaviour.' The lad quickly shut up and Tosh had to stifle a giggle. 'Anyway today's discussion is going to separate those of you that have actually read The Iliad from those of you that have merely watched Troy and think that will do.'

As the seminar went on Tosh made progress with hacking into the university system and in particular the science division. She found that some of the research students had been posting up results to their research and her eyes widened as she took in the figures scrolling on the screen. About ten minutes before the end of the lesson a loud sound was heard coming from the room next door. Then the lights in the room started to flicker before they went out completely.

'Ok, nobody move until the emergency lights come on,' said Jessie, 'and please keep it down.' Almost immediately the emergency lights came on. 'Right everyone get your things together and leave the room sensibly.' The class quickly left the room and as Jessie was about to turn to Tosh and ask what was going on, Owen burst back into the room.

'What the bloody hell was that, the whole blocks lost power.'

'We need to get back to the others,' said Tosh. 'I think I have an idea of what he's doing.'

Tosh hurriedly got her stuff together and they went back over to Jessie's office, where all the lights were thankfully on. As they entered the office Ianto said, 'I was just about to contact you, there was a big rift spike. Jack's on his way back.'

As if on cue Jack came back into the room and they told him and Ianto what had just happened.

'So what is it Tosh?'

'I managed to get into some of the files and it's not good. Some of the figures looked familiar and my first thought was that he was opening the rift.' The others looked at her horrified at this thought.

'He's not though, right?' said Jack.

'No I realised a lot of the work the students have been doing is about parallel worlds. I think he's been trying to open up doorways to parallel worlds.'