The sirens rang out but the atmosphere that met Megan as she walked out was not welcoming, tension hung in the air; the members of Torchwood seemed almost frozen as they glared at each other.

"What's going on?" she asked breaking the spell

"I was running a language programme on my computer, I went to the archives for my files and when I came back they" she pointed accusingly at Owen and Gwen "had unplugged my computer."

"Lay off Tosh it was an accident the football hit it and… "

"Football, you were playing football around the computers, well that's just… stupid."

"That's what I said and now I've lost all the data I had and I'll have to start all over again" Tosh's voice raised and Megan could see she was upset but she wanted to do something to help so she moved over to Tosh

"Is there anything I can do Tosh" she asked ignoring Owen as he started to go back to the med lab "do you want me to go and get the files from the archives or…"

"Leave me alone!" Tosh shouted causing Megan to take a step back. "Sorry Megan just leave me alone, let me work." Megan nodded and slunk off to find Ianto. She hadn't gone very far when she heard Owen say.

"You know what Tosh sometimes I think that stick up your arse has a stick up it."

"I told you to leave her alone" Ianto said as Megan walked into the archives and towards his desk.

"Ok, ok there's no need to get all… you know…" she huffed sitting on the edge of the desk and waving her arms around.

Ianto smirked "No I don't, all what?"

"Oh shut up" She said, smiling herself now and giving him a playful shove

"Look Tosh isn't used to having a shadow following her round ok so just give her some space; after all you know what you're like when you get pissed off."

"So you know what happened"

"Of course I do, I know everything and I saw it on the CCTV."

-xxx-

When Megan got in the next day, she decided that for once she'd take Ianto's advice and give Tosh some space after what had happened yesterday.

That, however, didn't stop her from getting worried when first Owen then Gwen appeared, but not Tosh. She was considering ringing Tosh when the peace of the hub was disturbed by the sirens from the cog door and she gave a brief smile of relief when she saw Tosh walk out. 'Oh thank god' she thought, but she still couldn't help worrying about whether she would still be upset about what had happened yesterday.

"Morning Megan," Tosh said as she put her bags down and removed her jacket.

Megan beamed, "Morning Tosh," then she turned round and headed to the archives. She'd promised Jack to look up some files that could be useful in identifying the giant metal stapler thing that he was working on.

-xxx-

Half way through the day and Megan was still looking. She had a couple of possible folders but there wasn't enough information on the object to make a definite or even slightly confident match, so she'd just have to make do.

"Megan?" she heard someone shout. It wasn't Ianto since he would just walk in and find her.

"Yeah?" she shouted back. Why couldn't people just let her work?

"Where the hell are you?" Well that was definitely Owen.

"Wait there. I'll come to you." If it was Owen then something had to be wrong. He never came to the archives. She ran round to the entrance and sure enough Owen was there leaning against the doorframe, looking very relaxed. "What is it? What's wrong?"

"Lunch," Owen said, turning round.

"Oh. Is that all?"

He stopped walking and stared at her as though she was mad. "Is that all? Megan you've been down here for…" He checked his watch, "at least three hours."

"What? Really?" She looked at her own watch and sure enough it was 1 o'clock. "Hmm… didn't realise I was that long."

"Come on. I'm starving."

"You're always starving, wait I'll just be a minute." She quickly went back into the archives and grabbed a couple of folders off the desk for Jack, then had to run to catch up with Owen who was walking like a man on a mission.

Lunch was a very small affair - just herself, Ianto, Jack and Owen. As usual Gwen was out with Rhys and Tosh was… well… not there. Megan tried not to show her disappointment at that, she'd been hoping they could chat like they normally did.

Tosh and Gwen wandered in while they were finishing and though Tosh went straight to her desk to start working, Megan noticed subtle differences with her. The first was the small smile she'd had on her face all day and now she was looking, Megan could see the glint in her eye that hadn't been there before. There was only one way that Megan could think of that they had gotten there and the thought made her smile.

"So who is he?" Megan asked as she sat next to Tosh at her desk.

"Who do you mean?"

"Tosh, there is a glint in your eyes that wasn't there before and in my opinion there is only one way it could have gotten there." The older woman blushed and looked away slightly, confirming Megan's suspicions. "So who is it?"

"No one you know," Tosh said quietly and hushed Megan when she gave a small squeal of excitement.

"I knew it! Tell me everything"

"There's really nothing to tell!"

"Is he the one with the weird fetish?"

Tosh's face suddenly fell. "What do you mean?"

"Your necklace, I mean it's a bit odd what with the shape and pattern it kinda looks like something from Mythology. Anyway, gotta get to work. Jack's got me looking up files on that weird stapler thing." Megan didn't push the subject, remembering what Ianto had said yesterday about Tosh not being used to having a shadow.

She went to the small kitchen to make herself some tea when she felt something niggling in the back of her head. It was odd and reminded her of training at Torchwood One. Just to be on the safe side she pulled up some mental shields, smiling to herself when the feeling went away. But it didn't last for long. Only a couple of minutes later it was back and stronger than before. It felt like a bulldozer was trying to break through her shields. 'Argh!' And they weren't being subtle about it. Megan put a hand to her head and staggered out the kitchen. She had to get away from here. She needed to put more energy into being able to walk without doubling over but that would take away some of the strength from her shield which was already quite weak to begin with. In her brief lapse of concentration she didn't notice the crack in her shield until it was too late. Another push from the invisible force created a hole. Megan didn't notice her mug slip from her hands. God there was so much pain. A rush of emotions filled her head and it screamed. Then it was gone. Just like that. Her mind cleared and she looked up to see everyone staring at her with confusion and worry, which were two emotions she couldn't stand so she ran from the room and down to the archives.

Thank god for the quiet space: no thoughts or emotions and she could rebuild her shield so it was nice and strong. She was curious though. She'd created that shield the last time she was in London. It shouldn't have broken that easily. Ah-well, it was something she'd have to bring up with Dr Steinberg when he finally came to Cardiff. But now she had work to do - find more folders for Jack. And maybe see if there was any footage anywhere of Tosh and her mysterious 'friend.'

'Today had been a weird day, in every sense of the word,' Jack thought, 'everyone was acting weird.' Gwen and Owen were actually working for once. Tosh was a hero (not that he'd ever doubt that) and had been asking weird questions about Greek Mythology and Megan was smashing mugs. In fact the only person acting normally was Ianto but he'd hardly seen him all day and he'd been unusually quiet at lunch. It was as though the younger man was avoiding him. Well he couldn't have that.

"You know I never did like the archives." Jack said aloud as he approached Ianto's desk, where the younger man was working away and he didn't startle him.

"Why not?" was the calm reply as though he'd known Jack was there the entire time. Which knowing Ianto he did.

"They're dark, gloomy and too many places for people to hide." Ianto looked at him with an arched eyebrow as Jack sat on the edge of his desk, he looked over the back of his chair at the great expanse of passageways and shelves, going on for seemed like forever, that were the archives.

"Some of the things in here are hundreds of years old so we can't have bright lights and as for them being vast. Well, you know how much stuff comes through the rift."

"Good, good."

"What?" Ianto looked up at him frowning

"I thought you were avoiding me."

"What made you think that?"

"You've been hiding either down here or in the Tourist Office all day."

"Sorry," Ianto looked down at his hands "bad day." Ah… well now that made sense.

"Sorry."

"Doesn't matter. You should have seen the archives in London. Seriously, you think these are big." Jack couldn't help the tight feeling in his chest when Ianto spoke about Torchwood One with so much admiration… and maybe also… longing.

"Where they as gloomy?"

"No, Dr Steinberg made some artificial lights that wouldn't damage the older items."

"Maybe he could make some more, I worry about you and Megan being down here all day."

"Don't know, I'll ask him when finally he comes down."

Deciding not to out stay his welcome and the fact Ianto had turned round and started working again, Jack turned and left the archives. He paused for a moment outside the basement. No wonder Ianto was having such a bad day after all he had to walk past this place to get to and from the archives, maybe he should see about getting the corridor bricked up after all it was unlikely anyone on this team would ever use the room again.

His thoughts were interrupted by footsteps coming down the corridor. He turned to see Megan coming towards him; her head buried in a file. "Hey Megan."

Her head flew up and she snapped the file shut. "Oh. Hi Jack. I was just looking for you. I have another file for you about that stapler and a race called the Arcateenian."

"I've heard of them but I always thought they were a peaceful race."

"Well maybe they are but all planets have their black sheep," she said with a shrug and turned to go but Jack had one more thing to ask.

"How do you do?" She turned back to look at him, frowning in confusion. "I mean, at the quiz… last night… Tosh said she went to a pub quiz so I assumed you went too."

She shook her head. "Never assume anything Jack. No, I didn't go. Maybe she went with her new boyfriend or whoever it is she's seeing after all, I wouldn't want to assume anything." With that she turned and walked to the archives leaving a rather confused Jack.

Tosh had a boyfriend? When had that happened?

He looked down at the file in his hands. Ah-well. He'd better get on. At least this might explain Tosh's odd behaviour. Might.

-xxx-

Mary was gone, sent to the centre of the sun. Once it was over Ianto took Tosh by the hand and led her up to the conference room, before making her some sweet tea. For a while they sat together in silence while they finished their drinks and calmed down from the adrenaline rush.

Ianto pulled out a piece of paper. He needed to get her account of what happened; although this was normally done independently. Ianto had an idea that it would be easier if he asked questions and Tosh answered them.

It turned out he didn't really need to say anything. The weight of everything and the guilt seemed to have taken its toll on Tosh and she blurted out the whole story from the wine bar where she had first met Mary to letting her into the hub and everything in between.

It was all facts. They didn't discuss what she had heard among the team, just anything that influenced her actions.

Finally they were finished. Ianto looked outside and saw Gwen and Owen standing just outside. He squeezed Tosh's hand as she stood to leave, warning her of the danger threat and offered his help. Kindly, she refused, saying she had to face it some time.

He saw them turn on her as she went out. He decided he'd wait a couple of minutes before going out. He heard a loud shout from Owen and saw him pointing at Tosh. 'That's my cue,' he thought.

"That's enough, Owen," he said, coming out and standing a little in front of Tosh. "It's been a long day. If you're not going to say or do anything useful then just go home."

"You can't tell me what to do, Teaboy."

"Owen its… nine o'clock. Go home," Ianto said firmly, standing a little taller and folding his arms. After a couple of seconds just staring at each other, Owen threw up his arms and stormed down the stairs. "You too, Gwen," he said quickly when she opened her mouth. "Go home to Rhys." Ianto raised his eyebrows as though challenging her to say anything, but she didn't.

Once they had left he turned to Tosh. "I know you wanted to face them but they had no right to gang up on you like that, not today at nine o'clock at night. You should go home too."

"But Jack-" she tried to protest.

"Can speak to you tomorrow." Ianto put his arm around her shoulders, gave her a squeeze and kissed her temple then he left, probably to file her report.

It was colder than she'd thought out by the water tower, but then maybe she shouldn't be surprised it was Cardiff after all. She didn't look up when Jack sat down beside her and they talked about the pendant: what she'd heard and what she'd done.

She looked at the remains of the pendant, the last surviving piece of Mary so easily crushed beneath her boot. She stood up and started to walk away. But then she stopped. She looked back.

"Jack-" He looked up at her and she took a couple of steps towards him. "When I used the pendant on Megan I got very little, when I tried to push harder… well… that was when she dropped the mug and ran off."

"I think we all know that there's more to Megan than meets the eye. Don't worry about it Tosh. Take tomorrow off. You've had a hell of a time and you look shattered." He didn't say that the rest of the team needed to come to terms with the fact she had read their thoughts. It didn't need to be said.