[Sorry this is so late but with school coming up again it's getting pretty hectic over here :( anyway here's the next chapter. I hope you enjoy it.]

You know I love you, I really do
But I can't fight anymore for you
And I don't know, maybe we'll be together again
Sometime, in another life
The Verinicas – In Another Life

Small Worlds: Part 1

'Where have you been?'

When Winter entered Jacks office at 11:20 pm, she expected him to be sitting back listening to music and flicking through an old file, that was normally how he would spend his Thursday nights, but his head was leant back against his chair and his eyes were close and the room was in total silence apart from their combined breathing.

She frowned and walked closer to him, 'Feeding the pterodactyl apparently she got out and stole a few sheep last night. I thought if I fed her up she might not feel the need,' she replied.

He nodded, still not opening his eyes.

'Are you alright Jack?' she asked carefully.

He sighed and she took a spot behind his chair and began rubbing his shoulders while she looked over his shoulder at the report he had been filling in.

ALIEN ACTIVITY: Fourteen confirmed Weevil sightings

Jack moaned in appreciation as she rubbed the knots out of his shoulders.

'Isn't there anything else to report?' Winter asked.

'Apparently not. The rifts been pretty quiet recently. Don't worry I haven't been covertly sneaking around solving mysteries without you.'

She smiled and pecked him on the cheek. He opened his eyes when she stopped rubbing and stared at her, upside-down.

'Good.'

She pushed down his braces and twirled the chair around to find him giving her an amused look. 'Now go to bed.'

The amused look increased tenfold and she rolled her eyes.

'Not like that. You're tired. Go sleep.'

He smiled at her and, to her surprise, did as he was told. She sat back in his chair and picked up the empty frame that had once housed the team photo. It was sad to see it empty; she made a note to get a new one as soon as possible, unfortunately, Toshiko hadn't felt like a party for her birthday last month and since Ianto had been suspended they had all decided it wouldn't be a good idea. Everyone else's birthdays had passed and no one knew when Jack had been born. So it looked like she would have to wait for December. That wasn't too far away, she supposed. It was coming up to the end of October now, in fact there was only one more week of it.

She sat there for a few hours, just flicking through files and books and the computers until, early morning time, a noise from the main Hub made her start. She looked out of Jack's office door warily and grabbed the letter knife from the top draw of the desk. Ever since the cyberwoman incident, everyone was a lot more careful about noises in the hub and movements in the shadows. To tell the truth Winter thought they were all getting a bit paranoid, including herself.

She crept from the office and hid behind the cage around the sliding door. The alarm sounded and someone in black slipped inside. The figure took a few steps inside the hub and Winter leapt at him. They fell scuffling to the floor, rolled over a few times and then suddenly stopped with the mystery person on top.

From the dim lights around the Hub she finally realized who the figure was. He looked at her in shock and she stared back, eyes wide with confusion and that same surprise. His weight on top of her was almost comforting in contrast to the cold floor pressed up against her back. Their heavy breath combined and she could feel the tip of his nose touching hers. This was torture and she couldn't take it. She pushed her head up and pressed her lips against his. At first he was still and so she pulled back and blushed in apology but he pulled her back up to him and crushed himself against her. She smiled and let him roll them over so she was straddling him. Her hands ran through his hair and down his neck as they got carried away in the moment.

The mood was ruined by a noise from Jacks office. Winter looked down at the man beneath her and then hopped up. Pulling him with her. She smiled bashfully and he blushed as he hurried off to the other side of the room. Reeling from the kiss she sat down at Gwen's desk and took a moment to cool down.

Winter watched as the figure in black, who had looked quite ruffled thirty seconds ago, walked past Jacks office looking the picture of neatness.

'You shouldn't be here.' Jacks rich voice echoed around the empty hub.

'Neither should you,' Ianto replied.

Jack followed him as he went to Owen's station and started working. Winter watched the two of them as Ianto's hands sped across the keyboard. Jacks hand settled on Ianto's shoulder and she suddenly felt a pang of jealousy. They looked good together. She'd never noticed it before but they looked really good as a couple.

She knew Jack liked him, in fact she was pretty sure that he'd been telling the truth when he'd told her he loved him and the more she turned it over in her mind the more she realised the weight of what had just happened. Ianto had lost his girlfriend in horrific circumstances only a few months back. He was carrying so much baggage and as for hers…

She was a fair amount younger than Ianto, and she'd never really had a boyfriend before. Never even kissed anyone until Jack in the back of the car. Could she really expect Ianto to put up with all that anxiety and the steep learning curve she'd inevitably have to climb to be in a functional relationship? Worse than that, what if it turned out not to work? They'd have to work together and she would have kept him from Jack and probably damaged him further just because he was Ianto and cute and funny and kind and… she sighed heavily and logged into Gwen's computer.

'What have you got?' Jack asked Ianto up on the platform.

Funny sort of weather patterns.'

Winter chanced a glance at the pair of them as she started searching for a new wardrobe.

TTT

When Jack invited her to come along with himself and Gwen to the fairy talk she shook her head. Being in Torchwood had its perks and one of them was using her influence (or rather Jacks, without him knowing) to get online orders before the normal time. Which, luckily for her, meant that her new furniture was due to arrive while Jack was out.

Two men dropped the boxes off in the visitor's centre and she convinced Owen to help her carry it down to one of the rooms near the range. He didn't ask why she was moving out of the tunnels under Jacks office but he helped her put everything together.

'It's a bit dull in here,' he said, looking around at the bare stone walls.

She shrugged and began placing her books in the bookcase they had stolen from the archives.

'That's why I popped out and got this,' said soft voice from the doorway.

They both turned to see Ianto standing with a couple of tins of green paint and some rollers. Owen moved the furniture already built into the centre of the room while Ianto and Winter just stared at each other. Finally, Owen coughed and thrust a roller in her direction and the three set to work painting the room.

It was small so it didn't take long but Owen refused to do more than his one wall and the white ceiling claiming they were just too slow and he'd done more than enough already. So, Ianto and Winter finished the room together, in silence. It seemed neither wanted to be the first to talk and they laughed and blushed each time they crossed paths at the pain pot.

'I'm sorry about last night, Ianto,' Winter started.

'No, it's fine. It's about time really. I always knew she was dead. Deep down at the bottom of my heart. I just ignored it.'

'No,' Winter said flatly, placing her roller down on a piece of newspaper.

'No?'

'No, that's not why I'm sorry. I shouldn't have kissed you,' she didn't know how to do this painlessly, it was awkward and she could feel herself wanting to cry, 'last night was a mistake Ianto. I was tired and a little frightened you were obviously the same. It shouldn't happen again.'

She picked up the roller and busied herself with her wall, hearing Ianto continue with his own wall after a few moments. They worked in silence.

TTT

Once the painting was done Winter popped out to the town centre to pick up some new toiletries and bedding. She had wandered in the shops for a while aimlessly and finally realised she would have to go home now that the shops were shutting.

The hub door rolled open and she slipped downstairs to her new room. Opening the door with her back and turning to dump her purchases on the bed. What she found made her gasp.

The paint was dry and all the furniture had been pushed back into place. Her books and clothes were all put away and someone had strung fairy lights around the ceiling with swath of blue fabric pinned over the top so each individual light poked through giving the illusion of the night sky. A note in Ianto's perfect hand writing had been left on her bedside table to tell her that he's added a coded lock to the door if she wanted to use it. She smiled and put away the things she had bought before heading back upstairs.

No one was around but the conference room light was on so she made her way up to the door. Only Jack, Gwen and Toshiko were inside and when she entered Jack looked up.

'Ianto said you were out.'

She nodded and sat down next to Gwen, 'Just needed some things.'

He studied her for a second but it was obvious he had more on his mind at the moment so he soon moved on to the case. A man they had apparently found dead in his cell. Gwen gave her a quick run down on the 'fairy' aspect and then handed her the file so far so she could read through.

'You know the dead man was a convicted paedophile. He used to hang around Schools.'

'But why the petals in his mouth?' Gwen asked.

'Just a bit of fun on their part,' Jack replied.

'You call that fun?' she retorted.

'Just the way these creatures like to do things, they play games, they torment and then kill.'

'Why?' Winter asked quietly, 'I mean he's a paedophile, most people would want him dead but why do they care?'

'As a punishment or a warning to others. They protect their own, the chosen ones. Somehow children and the spirit world, they go together.'

'So they were protecting a child he wanted to molest?' Winter asked.

'It's the most likely reason.'

'So how do we stop them?'

Jack looked at Tosh and crouched to the table edge.

'First we have to find out who they want, and we can't trap them, they have control of the elements. Fire, water, the air that we breathe. They can drag that air right out of our bodies. Sometimes I think they're part Mara.'

'Mara?' Toshiko asked.

'Female daemons from Slovakian myths,' Winter told her, trying to remember a book she'd read on European myths the year before, 'They didn't have a true form but they could shift into a form of their choice. They would enter a sleeping person's room and sit on their chest, causing a nightmare. If they were angry they could cause difficulty breathing or suffocation. It's likely that's where we get the word "nightmare" from.'

The phone rang and everyone jumped Jack answered and they heard the voice of an old woman.

'Jack. It's me, Estelle.'

'What is it?'

'You were right Jack. There are bad ones they've come to me.'

'Estelle we're on our way, stay where you are don't go anywhere near them, you understand?'

'Yes.'

Jack leapt into action and they sped after him, grabbing Owen on the way. Winter hopped into the front seat next to Jack and they sped down the roads listening to Toshiko scanned the weather patterns.

'It makes no sense, it's a fine night but the weather map says there's rain.'

Jack brought the SUV to a stop outside a pretty little house before jumping from the car and rushing through the garden. Winter followed close behind, barely taking in the surroundings. They ran around the back and found the old woman lying on her pathway. Owen pushed past and checked but everyone knew she was dead.

The look on Jacks face was heart-breaking. He bent down and closed her eyes before lifting her into his arms, holding her protectively. Winter knelt down at his right, her hand on his shoulder, trying to offer some comfort. Gwen crouched down in front of them.

'It wasn't your dad that was in love with her all those years ago was it?'

Winter looked up and glared at Gwen, this was not the time to interrogate him.

'It was you.'

A hiss escaped Winter's mouth but she was stopped from getting up and dragging Gwen away by Jack's reply.

'We once made a vow,' he looked down at the woman in his arms who looked almost like she was sleeping. 'That we would be with each other until we died,' he lay Estelle back on the floor and stood up. 'I need a drink.'

He turned and left. Leaving Gwen on the ground with an angry Winter.

'I'm not going to argue with you while she's lying here but I want you to know that I think what you just did was highly insensitive. Get Owen and help him bring Estelle to the car. I'm not leaving her here until the police find her.'

Gwen looked at her surprised and then her eyes glinted with a flash of anger. 'What gives you the right to order me about?'

Winter clenched her hands to stop herself from striking out. 'I just thought you had enough decency in you to work out that it's what Jack would want and there is no higher authority than Jack.'

She turned and stormed off to the car. Jack sat in the driver's seat, clutching the wheel, his knuckles turning white. She opened the door causing him to start and climbed onto his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck.

For a moment he didn't move but then he shuddered and clutched to her tightly. When the light inside the house turned off she pulled back and wiped his eyes on her sleeve. He smiled a little and she gave him one last hug before slipping out onto the pavement and round to the front seat.

He said nothing as they loaded Estelle's body into the back, nor when they got back to the Hub. He just disappeared off to the bathroom for a few minutes. Long enough for Owen and Ianto to take Estelle down to the morgue.

When Jack reappeared his face held no hint of crying. He wandered between Owen and Tosh for a few minutes, collecting all their intel and giving them orders and then he shut himself in his office.

Winter knocked and opened the door. She didn't move until he offered her a chair and a glass of whisky. She took the small glass and watched as he poured himself a large helping. They sat for fifteen minutes chatting about the book Winter had read on the European myths and legends but eventually they were interrupted by a quiet knock on the door.

'Hang on,' Jack yelled he turned to Winter and looked at her carefully. 'It's Gwen. Owen tells me you had a little tiff earlier about her questions. She's gonna keep asking.'

'I know, it's just so rude though. I would have shot her if it was me.'

He smiled and said, 'That's why I'm the Captain.'

She smirked behind her whisky.

'Look, if you're feeling trigger happy you can always leave. I don't really want to have to find a new team member right now, but I'd like you to know whatever it is I tell her so…'

She sighed dramatically. 'Alright I'll be good. Cross my heart.'

He smiled again and called, 'Enter.'

Gwen came through the door, looking a little nervous, especially at the presence of Winter behind the desk.

'You have questions for me.' Jack stated cutting to the chase.

She nodded and he motioned to the seat in front of him taking out a large book and flicking through the pages. For a moment she was silent but finally she spoke.

'Where did you and Estelle meet?'

'In London, at the Historia ball room a few weeks before Christmas. She was 17 years old and she was beautiful. I loved her at first sight, but nothing lasted back then. Promises were always being broken.' His voice quietened. 'Estelle, to have to die like that.' He shook his head and took a large gulp of his drink.

'Those petals in Goodson's mouth, where had you seen that before is that during the war?'

'No. long before then. On a troop train in Lahore in 1909. Fifteen men with me in charge. Everyone happy. Too happy. Too noisy. Then we hit a tunnel, we thought some birds had flown in through an open window, then came the silence and when we came out of the tunnel, all fifteen men were dead. They'd been suffocated. My squad, men I was responsible for.'

'But why were the men killed?'

'About a week earlier, some of the men got drunk. Drove a truck through a village, ran over a child, killed her. That child was a chosen one.'

The words seemed to ring in the air. Gwen nodded and the three of them sat in silence until she excused herself to go home to her boyfriend.

Jack didn't feel up to sleeping, they talked for a little longer but Winter could tell his heart wasn't really in the conversation and soon he got up and meandered out of the room to see Estelle.

Winter went to her new room and glanced around. It was beautiful and the heater Ianto had slotted into the corner kept the whole room at a lovely temperature. She had a quick shower and slipped on some fresh pyjamas before wriggling under the covers for a quick nap.

TTT

[Allons-yallonso: don't worry about it, you've reviewed now and that made me really happy :) I was quite worried when I first started this story that Winter would be a bit unreal, but I tried really hard to keep her human and to give her flaws, and of course to figure out a real reason for her having purple eyes, which wasn't as hard as I thought really. As for Jack I think he's such an interesting character but there are cirtain things I believe he would never do and say. The number of stories I've read where he's totally steryotyped as flirting with everyone and everything with no morals, but I think he does have morals and he knows when to be serious. Thanks for your review I love hearing from everyone.

Rachy Babes: I loved those pieces two. The chat with Jack was very important to me as it showed the mutual trust of Jack and Winter and leads too Winter's choices over Ianto. As for the diary scene I needed to prove that she wasn't mad at Ianto and she still wanted him back at Torchwood because she knows that in the same situation she would have acted like he did too. Thanks for the review I really appreciated it :)]

[I'm sorry I've been away so long. We've been decorating the room with the computer in it but it's done, and I'm back. *waves* hello!]