Standard disclaimer: I own nothing - thanks to RTD and the BBC for creating the playground, and to happy-rea for giving me permission to have Lucy come play with me.

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It was actually less than an hour before the team came back to the Hub - soaking wet and freezing, if the downpour outside was anything to go by. It wasn't really Jack's fault that nothing had gone right for him today (though he had managed to steal a few more minutes down with Lisa while they were all playing CSI:Cardiff), and there was no point in giving anyone else (*cough*Owen*cough*) any more reason to whine and complain.

So when the "little bell" he'd set up in the tourist office sent an alert downstairs that someone was coming through, he grabbed a stack of towels and tucked them under his arm, and poured fresh mugs of coffee for everyone. When he picked up the tray, he grabbed the file full of papers for Jack (perhaps just a TAD fatter than it really had needed to be) and tucked it under his arm as well. He headed to the cage surrounding the cog door, and waited.

Lucy came through the door first, bounding up to him to grab a towel and throw it over her head, then taking the steaming mug of hot coffee he'd made just how she loved it. She grinned up at him as she started to towel her hair with one hand and used the other to hold her mug (her favorite - having individualized mugs did make it a bit easier) close so she could inhale the aroma.

"Thanks, Ianto. It's cold and wet outside."

He glanced at the puddles forming on the floor at everyone's feet, then smirked.

"Is it? I hadn't noticed."

Everyone else was right behind Lucy, grabbing at towels and mugs in a free-for-all, as Ianto looked to Jack.

"How did it go?"

The tray empty and the towels distributed, he pulled out the files and handed them over.

Jack glanced over them and nodded appreciatively.

"Lucy's the resident ghost whisperer now, but he didn't know anything about his death."

He tucked the folders under his arm and started to head back to his office before pausing and turning back.

"Oh, and a WPC watched us, we'll have to keep an eye on her."

A WPC. Delightful.

A glance at Lucy spoke volumes.

"What's her name?"

"No idea."

Jack grinned and shrugged.

"Ok, you guys can all leave in a hour."

With Lucy grinning at him over her mug, Ianto couldn't quite resist.

"So I'm looking for a curious WPC. Well, that narrows the field down - and judging by Lucy's face, she knows."

Jack looked from Lucy to Ianto and shrugged as he started towards his office.

"If you can't find her tonight, Lucy can tell you her name tomorrow morning," he called back over his shoulder

Ianto raised an eyebrow. Lucy held in a giggle.

"Thanks for the challenge."

Jack was already in his office. Ianto rolled his eyes at Lucy, and headed through the cog door to the lift. He worked better without interruption, and there would be no one in the tourist office at this time of night.

(*)(#)($)(#)(*)

It took rather longer than an hour. Tosh would probably have found the woman in half the time, but she'd been at the crime scene in the first place, which was an unfair advantage.. OK yes, she was also more skilled with the technological side of Torchwood than anyone else. But, after reviewing the CCTV footage of the crime scene, followed up with footage in the car park the WPC had used as a lookout point (WHY had Jack called up to her? Besides that it was Jack, of course, but one would almost wonder if he really wanted Torchwood to remain secret at all - though it did make it easier for him to pinpoint where to look after he'd exhausted the crime scene footage), then checking the work rota of the department to see who had been on shift that evening, it was a simple matter of hacking into the personnel files of those on duty, and seeing who's photo matched the woman in the car park.

Of course by then Owen had walked out (on the hour - never let it be said the man didn't strive for "an appropriate work-life balance" even if that 'life' consisted mainly of getting pissed and going out on the pull), Tosh and Suzie headed past him a few minutes later… even Jack had come by - so much for working without interruption - but finally he'd found what he needed.

As he shut the computer down, Jack popped his head into the office again.

"Finished?"

"For now, yes."

"Ok, I'll go down and drag Lucy away from her guns."

"I did want to speak with you about that."

"About Lucy's guns?"

"We do need a weapon's specialist."

"And you think it should be Lucy?"

"Don't you?"

Jack shrugged.

"All right. I'll tell her what I want to see, and that if she can reach those goals, she can have the job. Sound good?"

"Yes, I think that does "sound good." Thank you, Sir."

Jack grinned.

"If I didn't know better, I'd think you fancied our newest team member."

"We're friends, Sir."

Jack punched Ianto lightly in the shoulder.

"Keep on telling yourself that, Kid, maybe it'll come true."

He turned on his heel and headed through the secret passage.

Sometimes Ianto wanted to deck the man.

($)($)(^)($)($)

"P.C. Gwen Cooper."

Ianto locked the tourism office door behind them. Lucy was positively brimming with excitement over whatever Jack had told her about the weapons job, but perversely Ianto wanted to get in the first word.

"I could have told you that."

"I'm sure you could have. Because you watched it on the telly in your world. I found out the old fashioned way - digging it up. Which one do you think is more impressive."

She grinned.

"Of course, make this all about you! You're as impressive as Jack thinks he is - happy?"

"Sarcasm? Or is this harassment?"

She just laughed and danced out of his reach as she pulled out yet another box of Maltesers - where she'd been keeping them, he didn't want to know.

He rolled his eyes. She grinned, opened the box and popped yet another chocolate in, then crunched it in Ianto's face.

"You seem happy. I take it whatever Jack wanted to talk with you about went well?"

"Yep!"

She wanted to tell him, that was obvious, but wanted him to ask. Pretending he didn't know that, he waited.

"Aren't you going to ask?"

"About what you know about P.C. Gwen Cooper? You wouldn't tell me."

She sighed and shook her head.

"No, I wouldn't. I can't - I don't know what's a fixed point and what's in flux, so it's safer to just assume it's all fixed and do what I can to not change any of it."

"What about Lisa?"

"What do you mean?"

"You're helping me help her. Does that mean you know she's going to come out of this? Or don't you know what happens?"

Lucy was silent for a moment. She wasn't going to answer. Ianto decided to take the pressure off.

She had stopped dancing around out of his reach, and was walking quietly beside him. He reached one arm around her back - and stole the box of Maltesers right out of her hand.

This time he was the one dancing out of her reach, holding the sweets where she couldn't get to them.

"Ianto!" she shrieked (he was having a very difficult time holding onto a straight face - but he did manage it. Barely)

"Give me my chocolate!"

"Tell me what Jack said, and I'll think about it."

"Aaargh!"

It was becoming more difficult by the second not to crack a smile.

"You are a twat."

"I know you want to tell me, I'm just giving you an excuse."

"All right, fine." She grinned. "Eighty percent accuracy with all standard weapons at three different distances, and I start working on the database with you."

"That sounds quite doable."

"I'll have it in three months!"

With great ceremony, he offered her back her Maltesers - the formality shattered as she snatched them from his hand and turned, shielding them from him with her body.

"MY PRECIOUS!"

He really really tried not to. He did. They called it "corpsing" in the theatre - when an actor could not stay in character (particularly one playing a corpse) because the laughter would not keep away.

It started with a snort. It didn't stop there, though. He didn't intend to double over, breathless. He certainly didn't plan to collapse against a wall because he simply couldn't keep it in any longer. And though she was still shielding her precious candy and muttering something about his 'tricksy hands,' Lucy was breaking too. And then they were both collapsed against each other, holding each other up. He could feel the box of chocolates in her hands, but weak with laughter, he couldn't have taken them away from her even if they'd been made of gold. He hadn't enjoyed himself this much since that camping trip with Lisa.

With Lisa. He stopped. Pushed himself upright. This was… was Lisa right to be jealous? No. He'd never do that to her. He took a deep breath. He loved Lisa. This wasn't right.

But he shouldn't be shutting out his friend either. Another deep breath.

"So" the 'butler' mask fell back into place. "Does this mean you've chosen tonight's dvd?"

Lucy took hold of the railing and pulled herself to her feet. She leaned over and caught her breath. She tucked the box up against her chest, clearly still not quite trusting Ianto not to take it again.

"MY precious!"

"You keep on using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means."

She stood up, composed at last.

"It's going to be a busy day tomorrow. Maybe we should take the shorter option."

Ianto raised an eyebrow.

"As you wish."