Several days later….

One day led to another as they worked to adjust to their losses, and to the new and different world they found themselves. Ianto spent his days playing interference between the various outside organizations and Jack, being the buffer that protected him as they clamored for information. He was successful for the most part, though he couldn't step in when MOD or the PM needed to speak with Jack.

Gwen worked herself into a frenzy organizing the local forces and getting them back on their feet. When she was at the Hub, she worked feverishly towards getting them up and running as well. She took it as her personal mission to dole out the tasks between herself and Ianto, both agreeing to free Jack from the day to day stuff of running the operation. There was still the Rift to monitor, reports to put together, and Weevils to catch. The last, she left to Ianto and Jack to do. Hunting got Jack out of the Hub and away from the constant reminder of what had happened to them there.

One day when Jack was down at the firing range trying out a new weapon that had fallen through the Rift, Gwen approached Ianto about an idea she had.

"You want to do what?" Ianto asked, turning around in surprise to stare at his team mate. He had been sifting through news reports at Tosh's old station, looking for any hints of dropped alien tech from the rift that might have passed on to other hands. When it did, it usually ended up becoming news, so he made sure that the stories were scanned so that they could get a jump on anything untoward.

"Redecorate." Gwen said eager to share her idea with her co-worker. "We've done it before"

"We had to before, the place had crashed around our ears," Ianto pointed out drily. "Why?"

"So that Jack won't have to remember. If it doesn't look the same, he can start to heal." Gwen was determined to convince Ianto to go along with her idea. He could control the money to do this, and get the right people in to do the work. So what if they had to retcon them after the fact? This was important.

Ianto laughed. "Gwen, I don't think a new paint job or change in décor is going to help. Give him time, he'll work it out. Just like you and I will."

"But…" She started, prepared to argue.

"No." Ianto shook his head. She almost stomped her foot in frustration. When he could see that she wasn't going to take no for an answer, he put up a hand to stall her protest. "Let me show you something." He cocked his head, listening to see if Jack was still busy. He was. Good. Beckoning to her, he had her follow him over to her desk. He punched in an access code to log into the archives. Typing rapidly, he pulled up a set of reports and opened one. "Please read this."

"What is it?" She asked. She was determined not to be distracted, but was curious about whatever it was he wanted to show her. He moved out of the way and she angled the monitor so she could read it. It was a report with a timestamp of 6, January 2000. She started to read, recognizing Jack's style of writing.

The report detailed the loss of the whole Torchwood team in the early hours of 1st of January. She read it with growing horror when she realized that the team leader killed each of the operatives inside the Hub, leaving only Jack behind. He then shot himself, leaving Jack to pick up the pieces. She stared sightlessly at the monitor, the implications of what had happened swirling about her head. Ianto reached over and selected another document from an earlier date. Then another. Each detailed team members being killed. Sometimes another member of the group at that time filled out the report. Sometimes it was Jack. But it was obvious what Ianto was trying to tell her.

"I had no idea," she shook her head, her glance drifting to the archway leading down to the vaults. "How much he has been through. How much he has seen." Ianto nodded. He had made his point. No amount of redecorating could ever eradicate all those memories for Jack…..