[Alright, alright I'm sorry. But with the run up to Christmas this is going to get a little hectic. Hopefully because I'm off school after Tuesday next week, the updates should be a bit more paced but at the moment it's a little sporadic.]

But maybe it's a false alarm
And all the answers sound the same
Just colours bleeding into one
That doesn't have a name
Maybe I can't see
Maybe it's just me

False Alarm- FT Tunstall

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang: part 1

'Just a quick message to say that the structural work is done now, the code is four-seven-three-one. If you need anything else just give us a ring.'

The answering machine cut off and Winter sat back in the chair. So Andrew house was finished. Structurally anyway, she'd have to ask Jack to get onto some decorating companies. She picked up the RAF Captains hat and stuck it lopsided on her head again. Standing up with Pip on her shoulder she grabbed her coat from the pile where she'd dropped all her stuff and headed out into the open. She had some time, she may as well go and take a look.

TTT

She punched in the code to the door and pushed it open. A dusty smell accosted her nose and she smiled. The house was clean and sound. A hallway and staircase, a kitchen, a games room, a television room, a study, at least ten, maybe more bedrooms and an office. It was perfect, and as soon as the decorators finished it off she would open it up. Seeing all the planning and work becoming a reality was amazing. She felt high as a kite, so happy she couldn't stop herself laughing and spinning Pip around the room a few times.

She decided to walk back, excess energy coursed through her body and she wasn't looking forward to the explanations that would have to come next. She knew they wouldn't be happy. Did she tell them she had been with Jack and into a hole, surely they would realise something was up when she couldn't get he own vocal chords to work.

By now she was stood in front of the visitors centre and she was frightened. What if he wasn't there? It was a totally irrational fear but it was there, at the back of her mind. The Doctor had said that they had returned just after the President was assassinated. That meant the team had already been in the Himalayas.

What if Ianto had died already, what about the others, would they be there? She pushed open the door, silently kicking herself. If Ianto survived long enough to be killed by the Master then he would have to be alive. As for the others, she'd just have to wait and see.

In the lift Pip's tail curved comfortingly around her neck and she fiddled with the blue skirt of her dress. It was now or never, she pushed the button on the Hub door and watched it roll back before stepping into the Hub.

'Are you going back to him?' She almost fainted. Ianto's voice!

'I came back for you. All of you.'

There was a fast beeping and Tosh turned around only to see Winter standing in the doorway. She took in a deep breath and everyone else spun around. Owen was first to speak.

'What the hell?'

Winter hardly heard, she was staring at Ianto. He was here, alive, but every time she blinked all she could see was a bullet running through his head. Jack answered for her.

'Nemo got, kind of sucked along for the ride.'

'What?' Gwen glanced at Jack and then Winter, 'but you called from London, you were missing, we looked for you.'

Jack walked forward and pulled Winter closer to the team.

'She couldn't say,' Jack replied 'things didn't go to plan and...' Jack trailed off. Unusually quiet, 'A lot happened and very quickly, but we're back and we fought like hell to get here so how about a little less of the twenty-questions.

Ianto fidgeted under Winters stare.

'Fine I understand that and I'll believe it, but am I the only one who's never known Winter this quiet.'

Winter broke her gaze and looked at Owen who was scrutinising her. She bit her lip and opened her mouth. Jack stayed silent encouraging her to talk but after a few moments she relaxed and hung her head. It just wasn't happening.

'She's having some trouble speaking,' Jack replied.

Owen's brow furrowed, 'Why?'

'Nemo?'

She had broken free from Jack's side and was walking steadily toward Ianto. He coughed, uncomfortable with the situation. When she finally made it to him she reached up and hesitantly brushed a hand over Ianto's forehead. Everyone was silently watching the exchange as she examined him for any signs of damage. Then all the tension left her body and she flung her arms around his neck, pulling him tightly against her.

Pip returned to Jacks side and as tears seeped into the shoulder of Ianto's jacket. 'Yan.'

Ianto looked up, bemused, to see Jack motioning to his office. He pulled her inside and swung the door shut. The rest of the team turned to stare at Jack.

'What the hell happened?' Owen growled.

'It's complicated, but he did something, she, saw something,' Jack whispered, 'ever since then she hasn't spoken.'

'Not at all?'

'Not a word,' Jack sighed.

Toshiko fidgeted in the uncomfortable silence and turned to her computer, 'We had rift activity.' She said.

Everyone moved into positions around her desk.

TTT

In the office Ianto stood with Winter still clasped in his arms. 'What is it? What's wrong? Please tell me.' She stepped back and held onto his arms fighting back the tears and trying desperately to speak to him.

'sc…sc…' forced out one syllable but Ianto could tell what it was, just by looking at her.

'Scared?'

She nodded and he wiped the tears from her face.

'Of what?'

She reached up and cupped his face in her hand, tentatively running her fingers into his hair where the exit wound had been.

'Of me?' he asked confused.

She shook her head rapidly, 'Okay, okay, not of me, something about me.'

'l…l…lo….l.l…l' she gritted her teeth and stamped her foot angrily continuing to struggle with the words she needed to say so badly, 'l...l…loss…lossss…lose…losi'

'Losing me?'

She nodded in relief.

'Why? I'm right here, I've been right here all the time, well we went to the Himalayas for a while…' she nodded quickly. 'The Himalayas?'

'tr…tr…tra…'

'Trap?' He bit his lip and pulled her back into a hug, 'Relax.' Don't stress yourself out.'

There was a knock on the door and Jack entered, 'Wow does that feel weird, knocking on my own door. Anyway, we've caught a spike of rift activity. You in?'

Ianto looked down and Winter who nodded, wiping the tears from her face. He smiled and moved towards the door to leave and get the guns ready.

'We should talk abut this tonight,' Jack said, 'The three of us.'

Winter wrapped her arms around herself, feeling like she was only just holding herself together. Ianto nodded and turned off towards the armoury.

'You ok?' Jack asked quietly.

Winter looked down at her feet and shrugged, taking his arm when it was offered, looking up when she felt a soft pressure on her head.

'Here, you dropped this.'

She looked up at him under the brim of his old hat on her head.

'Just look after it,' she smiled and gave his arm a quick squeeze as they walked out into the Hub.

TTT

The ally was dry, but it was still bitingly cold. That was a problem with wearing dresses. Her legs were freezing. She pulled the green jacket, further around her and observed the team. Owen stuck fast to the body of the man who had fallen from the car park but every now and then he would send an angry glare at Jack. Toshiko hardly looked up from the monitor in her hand, Ianto stayed kneeling so he didn't have to look at Jack and Gwen was just ignoring his existence. Until that is he tried to order them around like he used to.

'In charge again are you?' she asked, still refusing to look at him.

'I was hoping for a little power struggle, resolved by some naked wrestling.'

Winter giggled and he winked at her as Gwen stormed off to speak to PC Andy at the tape line.

She followed them all back to the SUV but Jack stopped before getting in and turned around his wrist strap beeping.

'Wow, that never beeps!' Ianto pointed out.

'That's what I was thinking,' Jack replied and flipped it open. A blue figure was projected into the space before them.

'I can't believe I got the answer machine. What can you be doing that's more important than me?' The man said.

Jack had recognition all over his face but it didn't look good.

'Anyway, you've probably traced the energy shift, found the body, all me, sorry about the mess. Bill me for the clean-up. Now, drinks, follow the transmission co-ordinates that's where I am, and hurry up, work to do. Help me Obi-Wan Kenobi, you're my only hope.'

If the situation hadn't been so confusing Winter would have laughed. Instead she watched helplessly as Jack left the whole team again. This time with no car to get them home.

'You see that! He swans back in then he shuts us right out straight away,' Owen yelled.

'I can track him!' Toshiko offered.

There was a sharp whistle behind them and they turned to see a Taxi pull up next to Ianto. They all piled in and Owen argued with the taxi driver who wanted a clear destination. Eventually Ianto offered to pay double however far they went and the two of them shut up.

'Reports coming in of a bar disturbance,' Toshiko informed them, 'Same co-ordinates as the SUV.'

'Tell the police we're dealing with it,' Gwen replied.

'Okay, so who was that bloke in the hologram?' Owen asked, his gaze turning to Winter, she shrugged.

'Looked like Jack recognised him,' Ianto told them.

'Then why didn't he let us go with him?' Toshiko asked.

'Cause he's typical Jack isn't he, he disappears he comes back and then he runs away again. He shuts us out, we don't even know his real name,' Gwen vented.

'Or which time he comes from,' Tosh added

'Exactly he's supposed to be our boss and we know nothing about him. It drives me crazy,' Gwen finished her rant and stared silently ahead.

'It is more fun when he's around though,' Ianto added.

Winter smiled, as everyone agreed with him.

The car was silent for a moment and then Owen interjected, 'We could always try and bring him down a bit, you know put Gwen in charge, he could be second in command for a while. See what its like to be us.'

'N…n…n…no!' Winter stuttered.

They all turned to look at her, for everyone but Ianto this was the first they'd hear her speak since she'd returned. 'D…d…di…n…t'

'He didn't?' Ianto asked, she nodded.

'W…w….wa…'

'Want.'

'S…s…so l...l...lon...'

'He didn't want to go for so long,' Ianto translated.

She put her head in her hands and nodded.

'What happened to you?' Gwen asked quietly.

Winter slid her hat off and pulled roughly at her hair in frustration. She wanted to explain. She wanted to tell them everything. They were her team, her friends. They could help her. But she couldn't get the words out.

Ianto put a hand on her shoulder, 'Don't worry, it's fine. Take your time.'

She nodded and wiped away an angry tear. Getting an idea she sat up and pointed at each of them in turn and then made a triangle with her arms.

'Us in the mountains,' Ianto guessed.

Owen looked at him in confused disgust.

'Always been good at charades,' Ianto told them.

Winter tapped her watch and they watched her again. She pointed to herself and the RAF cap then mimed her hands in cuffs.

'Oh! You and Jack captive,' Gwen guessed, the others turned to look at her and she blushed, 'We play every Christmas.'

Slowly Winter pointed to each member of the team and after each dragged a finger across her throat until she got to Ianto.

'Dead,' Owen murmered.

'And me?' Ianto asked.

Winter glanced up at him wondering how to put it. There wasn't much choice through her primitive sign. She held out her hands to mean captive again, then signed "walking" with two fingers and pointed to herself and the hat again.

'I was captured and...walked...was taken, to you and Jack. I don't remember...'

She shook her head and took a deep breath, before pointing two fingers like a gun at Ianto and pulling the fake trigger. He breathed in sharply and she turned the hand on herself miming the spray of blood.

The car was silent for a moment. Winter tapped her watch again and then made a circle over it with her finger like she was winding back the hands.

'Time reversed,' Tosh said.

Winter nodded and the awkward silence settled in the car broken only by their arrival at the bar. Everyone piled out and Ianto ran over to the SUV and opened the boot as Gwen worked out her plan of attack.

He pulled a long object out of the car and handed it to Winter, 'Thought you might want this back.'

She took her sword gratefully and smiled at him. He looked at her quizzically as if just noticing something, 'Are those my beads?'

Her hand flew to her neck and she silently cursed herself. He had no knowledge of her taking them, he'd been dead. She looked up like a rabbit caught in headlights unsure of what to say or do. He smiled and pulled the Captain's hat to the side slightly, 'suits you,' he commented quietly. 'I guess it figures, you two are so alike sometimes.' He turned and headed back to the others.

She let out a breath she hadn't realised she'd been holding and looked at the sword in her hand. It felt like years since she'd held this. It was such a welcome weight in her hands.

They silently entered through the front and hid behind the doors and pillars. Gunfire suddenly broke the silence and Winter yelped as the glass next to her shattered. Gwen pushed her back as a voice called out to them.

'Alright, everybody out.'

They entered the room, Winter behind Gwen and Ianto.

'Everything alright Jack?' Gwen yelled as they entered the room.

He held his hand up to stop them from firing, 'It's okay! Okay! Okay!'

'You've got a team!' The new man said. 'How sweet.' He surveyed Winter and Toshiko as they approached cautiously. 'Oh! Pretty little friends. No blond though, you need a blond.'

'God, he's worse than Jack,' Owen sneered.

'Oh! Do you have a team name? I love team names! Go on.'

'Torchwood,' Jack told him.

The man seemed to deflate, 'Oh? Not Excalibur? Blizzard? Bikini cops? No? Torchwood. Oh dear.'

Jack looked around at his team as they lowered their guns, or in Winter's case, moved to the side to sit on a table. Jack gave her a 'you shouldn't have come' look but she shrugged and nodded at Gwen. He smirked but then turned to the man in the red coat, next to him.

'Gwen Cooper, Ianto Jones, Nemo, Toshiko Sato and Owen Harper meet…'

'Captain John Hart,' the man introduced himself, nodding to the team.

'We go back.' Jack looked at John un-amused.

'Excuse me, we more than go back, we were partners,' John argued.

'In what way?' Ianto asked, his gun still trained on John.

'In every way,' John replied, 'and then some.'

'It was two weeks,' Jack argued.

'Except that two weeks was trapped in a time loop so it was five years. It was like having a wife.'

Jack suddenly lost his serious look, 'You were the wife.'

'No you were the wife.'

'You were the wife.'

'Yeah but I was a good wife.'

It was like watching a tennis match until Toshiko butted in, 'I bet you were.'

They all turned to look at her.

'What?' she defended, 'don't pretend you haven't noticed, he's cute.'

'They're just shy,' John told her.

Winter sat and listened to John's story of a mysterious woman and the canisters spread out across the stars. Jack moved to stand by her side but he didn't look like he was buying it. To be honest it did sound a little unbelievable. He didn't look like the dying wish follower to her.

Jack waited until he was finished and warned him, 'We do this, you get out of here right away.'

'Does this mean I get to see your house?' He smiled and Jack walked away.

Winter hopped down and followed but John hurried to stand right next to her. 'So where's your gun?' he asked.

She frowned and motioned to her sword.

'Oh more of a blade type, short and to the point huh.'

She glared at him.

'Nemo? Was it?'

She nodded.

'Silent type huh? I dated a girl once, no mouth. Wasn't much for conversation but boy could she …'

'John!' Jack yelled.

Winter smirked, despite herself and the look Jack was giving them. Jack opened the SUV door and motioned sharply for John to get in. Winter climbed into the boot, followed by Owen.

'We really need to get more seats put in this thing,' he moaned as they were tossed around in the back.

Jack got out with John and they continued into the garage. Winter picked Pip off Ianto's sliver tray and went to sit in the conference room but when she got there, to her surprise, it was filled with plants.

Gwen called up to her from the ground floor, 'We had a small spate of Alien plant sales. It was the only place we could fit them. The new conference room is round the corner from your room.'

Winter frowned and made her way down to the new and improved room. It looked very much the same, same art deco table, same chairs and filing cabinets. She took a seat near the end and the team began to filter in. She watched, suspiciously as John took a seat opposite her. He stared at her unnervingly and Ianto took up a protective stance at her side. Jack and Gwen sauntered in a few moments later and the meeting began.

Toshiko stood up by the main screen. She pulled up a map and fed in the graphics. 'Seven hours ago we logged a minor surge in rift activity across three locations,' she told them.

'Seven of us, three locations, that's simple. Two people per canister and one to stay home and make celebratory cookies,' John told them.

Jack turned around and smirked at the man, 'Excuse me, I give the orders.'

'Well give some, big boy,' he shot back.

Winter smirked at Jacks face at being called 'big boy'.

'John's right, I'm sorry do you prefer John or Captain?' Gwen asked.

Winter rolled her eyes and crossed her legs, moving Pip into a more comfortable position on her lap.

'With eyes like yours? You can call me Vera I won't complain.'

'h…he's n…not serious?'

'She Speaks!' John exclaimed happily.

Jack glanced at Winter, 'That's good! It's getting better.'

She smiled and looked down at Pip to hide her blush.

'Tosh and Owen take the North, Ianto and Jack go West. Me and Vera will take the docks.'

Winter smirked but then stopped, 'N…not st…taying!' she glared at Gwen.

'Fine, go with Jack.'

Winter banged her hand on the table and signed something less than polite to Gwen who definitely got the gist and didn't look pleased. John however looked thoroughly amused.

'Oh, say that again.'

Jack broke in, 'Excuse me not to repeat myself…'

'Have you got a problem with this Jack?'

Everyone glanced between the pair. The tension was almost visible.

Jack smiled and looked slyly at John, who gazed straight back. 'Not at all,' he replied.

'Now, given the canisters are radioactive, don't open them,' John advised them.

Gwen clapped her hands together.

'Let's go guys,' She turned to leave and Winter stood up, the monkey safely tucked under one arm.

'Gwen, I need a word.'

Winter looked back and forth between Gwen and Jack who motioned to John. 'Keep him company for a moment, will you?'

'Oh, can't I watch this bit,' John moaned. 'He's gonna give you all the do's and don'ts I love it.'

Jack pointed to Winter and the door. 'She'll be with you in a second.'

'c…c…come on.' Winter grabbed her hat and motioned to the passage way and John kept in line.

'So, you stutter.'

She rolled her eyes, was that the best conversation he could think of. 'L...lately' he glanced over as she neared the door to her room.

'Lately? What happened?'

She punched the code in quickly and headed inside to grab a jumper. John strolled in and lay down on the bed. She looked over and rolled her eyes again before going back to rifling through the clothes in her wardrobe.

'Fr...friend. Sh...sh...ot,' she replied, quietly.

'Someone got shot. In front of you?'

She stopped rifling and nodded.

'Yeah I know how that feels. It's happened a couple of times to me,' he mentioned, in an off handed way. 'Of course at least one of those times I was the one shooting.'

This broke the tension slightly and she resumed hunting for the jumper. The cap was suddenly lifted from her head.

'Is this Jack's?' he asked.

She nodded as he examined himself in the mirror for a moment the put it back on her head.

'I don't think you should come,' He told her.

Her face grew stormy, 'W…w…why?'

He bit his lip, 'It's not safe,' he replied.

She opened her mouth to argue but he placed a hand over it.

'I'm not safe.'

She furrowed her brow.

'You may want to record this 'cause I never say it but…' He paused for a moment and backed up to the door. 'I'm sorry.'

With a quick smile he opened the door and slid through, she sped towards it but when she yanked at the handle it didn't work. She typed in the code but it still didn't work.

'I've reprogrammed the lock. You're in lock down,' he yelled through. 'It'll open in roughly three hours. Trust me, it's for the best.'

Then there was silence. She glared at the door and hammered for a few moments before giving up and lying on the bed. Pip sat next to her and squeaked.

She looked dejectedly at the monkey and he shook his head and lay across her stomach.

Reviews make my heart grow warm, and it's bloody freezing in here so if you don't mind?

['Zaziness': you know me, everything's as dramatic as physically possible :D The whole TARDIS in her head came to me as a flash of inspiration on the bus home from school. I was talking the story out with the same friend who invented Pip (well more like I talked, really fast, at her and she just nodded along) and the idea just popped into my head. Say hello to our new recurring storyline :) Don't worry at least one very important hug is on the way!

'1945': Thank you! I'm glad your enjoying, it's always great to hear back from new people

'Sonotalady': Hee hee, well I need to keep them guessing somehow. That team do nothing in between my stories. Honestly you should see them. They just lay around at their desks drinking coffee and waiting for me to use them.

'Rachy Babes': I'm so glad you love it :D don't worry she will start speaking again but it'll be a long road to recovery. Oh God don't tell me he's you favourite now! Now I'm going to be panicking that he's wrong! *runs to bed and dives under duvet* although good to know you love Pip and Winter because I know I can write them well. *wipes brow*]