Chapter One: A New Beginning

"Rhys, I'm home!" Gwen called, taking a few steps inside.

There was no response.

"Rhys? Are you home?"

Still nothing. "Rhys?"

"Shit!" Rhys's voice called from their bedroom.

"Rhys? Are you alright?"

He came out of their bedroom, closing the door a bit more quickly than usual.

"Gwen! What are you doing back so early? Don't you usually work late?"

"Well, since I've worked late every night this past month, Jack basically insisted that I go home before everyone else did. Why?"

"Oh, well..."

Gwen took a second look at him, and realized his hair was disheveled, his shirt on backwards, as though he had rushed in putting it on, and then she realized that his lips were never that pink.

"Rhys? What's going on?" No way. Not Rhys. Rhys would never... She walked past him and opened the door to their bedroom to reveal a half-naked woman in their bed, her bed.

"Who the hell are you?!" Gwen could feel fire burning in her veins.

"Gwen, love, I didn't..."

"I know who you are, Rhys," Gwen snapped. "Who. Is. In. My. Bed?!"

"My name's Taylor Wilson," she said, sitting up in the bed. Gwen took a better look at her, and the first words that came to her mind were "stereotypical whore." And it was pretty true. This Taylor character had dyed blond hair, smudged makeup that was probably once pretty, and breasts that would make the guys at Torchwood stare for longer than usual... and that said something. "Who are you? What do you mean, your bed? Rhys, what's going on?"

Stay calm, Gwen. Just imagine she's an alien or something. Just like at work. Don't freak out. "I'm Gwen Cooper," she replied, her voice icy cold. "And, last I checked, I'm Rhys's girlfriend, and this is my bedroom."

"Rhys?" asked Taylor. "Rhys, is she-"

"Gwen, love, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to-" Rhys's face turned very, very red.

Gwen turned to face Rhys. "So, love, how long have you been sleeping with this Taylor Wilson?" She tried to keep her voice as strong as possible, holding back tears.

"Only... only..."

"Two months," Taylor said softly. Gwen turned to see the blond woman looking surprisingly apologetic. "But I had no idea, Gwen, honestly, I had no clue. I'm so sorry."

"Gwen, it was an accident," Rhys pleaded. "I was at a club, and I got drunk, and I snogged her, and then I took her home."

"And then you did it again and again every night for two months?" Gwen knew the answer, though.

"What was I supposed to do? You're always out, you're never home, all you ever think about is your special ops and your Captain Jack-"

"How dare you?!" Gwen's eyes filled with tears at what Rhys was implying.

"Oh, like you aren't having an affair as well. You bloody hypocrite. Jack Harkness, you've been shagging him too, I know it. Every night coming home a mess, always working late shifts, yeah, I see right through it." He grabbed her by the shirt, lifted her a few inches into the air, and pressed her against the wall. "I spent three months just dealing with it, and talking about how responsible and hardworking you are, and then I realized exactly what was going on. So what's it to you that I'm sleeping with someone else, huh? And at least Taylor didn't know about you, but Jack knows full well about me and he's still shagging you."

"He's not!" Gwen shrieked. "Let me go, Rhys!" She kicked at him, trying to break free, but he only pressed her harder against the wall, the six drinks he had had clear on his breath. Nobody noticed Taylor creeping out the door to call 999.

"See you tomorrow, guys," said Jack as Owen, Tosh, and Ianto left. "Get some sleep; I have a feeling we'll be running all over the place tomorrow."

He watched his three teammates leave and then sank down at his desk. All he could think about was Gwen Cooper.

He had seen something in her from the very first day, something so special. Gwen reminded him just a bit of his old friend Rose Tyler, whom he was pretty sure had been lost at the Battle of Canary Wharf, but while he had loved Rose like a sister (despite having flirted with her from the moment they met), Gwen was something different. This was so much deeper and stronger than that. This was real love.

If only she loved him the same way.

A beeping noise from Tosh's CCTV monitor pulled Jack from his thoughts. He went over to the computer, and his heart stopped (and then restarted again).

Gwen was finding it harder and harder to breathe as Rhys continued to push her against the wall, the smell of booze so thick in his breath and voice. She could feel herself fading, and she was terrified. She tried to struggle, but Rhys only pushed harder.

"Rhys, please!" she sobbed. But he had no pity, no mercy. It was worse than any alien she had faced. This wasn't a stranger from another world. This was Rhys, her boyfriend, at his worst, drunk and angry and upset, and it was terrifying and heartbreaking.

She silently prayed that someone would come, someone would see her. She imagined Tosh seeing this on CCTV, calling the others, and all four of her teammates running for the car, Jack leading the line with fire in his eyes. But Tosh and Owen and Ianto were all at home, and Jack wasn't watching the monitors. What would Jack say, when she didn't come to work the next day and never did again? Would he miss her?

She wanted desperately to cry out his name, for it was all that was on her mind. But she knew that if she said Jack's name, Rhys would only hurt her more. So she stayed silent, but in her head she screamed, begging for Jack, somebody, anybody, to save her.

Jack broke the speed limit all the way to Gwen's, ran for the door, and burst it open to see a blond woman on the phone. Probably 999.

"What the- I haven't even hung up yet!" Yep, 999.

"I'm not the police, now move!" He ran past her and opened Gwen's door to see something he wished he could forget immediately: Gwen Cooper, his Gwen, pushed up against the wall, feet kicking in the air, struggling to breathe, sobbing and terrified.

"Put her down!" he shouted. Rhys dropped Gwen in shock, and she nearly hit the floor but Jack was ready, catching her and placing her on her feet.

"Jack," she whispered, with tears in her eyes that burned in his heart.

"Shhh," he murmured, pulling her into a quick hug. "I've got you."

The blond woman appeared at the door. "Police are on the way," she said. "Taylor, by the way."

"Thanks, Taylor," Jack replied, trying to keep his voice steady. "Gwen, go with her."

"Jack-"

"Go." He winced at how firm his voice was; he never wanted to be like that with Gwen. But this was an emergency.

Taylor led Gwen out of the room, leaving Jack and Rhys in the room together.

"You." Rhys's voice was icy and fiery at the same time. "Of course it would be you, Jack Harkness the hero, swooping in at the last minute. What don't I know about, you bastard? What have you been doing with Gwen behind my back?"

"Now you listen," said Jack. He took a step towards Rhys, who stepped back in fear. "You know full well that Gwen would never cheat on you. And if you had just been cheating on Gwen, I might've let her handle it herself. But the minute you lay a hand on her, you've got me to deal with. And anyone who's faced me knows that you do not want to get on my bad side."

"You aren't really the police, are you? What can you do to me?"

"No, I'm not," Jack admitted. His eyes filled with flame. "But I'll tell you, you'd much rather deal with them than with me."

The aforementioned police walked in the door, putting Rhys in handcuffs and leading him outside, taking Taylor with them for further questioning. Nobody spoke. The only sounds were of the blaring sirens, and Gwen, softly crying from the couch. He could feel the sinking pain in his chest as he looked down at her, trembling with fear, her head buried in her hands. He sat down on the couch next to her, wrapping his arms around her shaking body.

"Jack," she sobbed. "Oh my God, Jack-"

"Shhhhhh..." Jack placed a hand on her cheek, trying to calm her. "It's okay, Gwen. I've got you. You're safe now." He held her a bit tighter, rubbing her back, murmuring soft words of comfort. And yet she continued to shake in his arms, from the fear and tears, and from shock, which gave him an idea. As though it were a shock blanket, he draped his long coat over her shoulders, still rocking her back and forth and telling her that everything would be fine, that she was safe, that he was there.

Gwen felt Jack's coat on her shoulders and immediately was surrounded by his familiar scent. She breathed it in, and she felt something flutter in her stomach. Something she had never felt when close to Rhys or to anyone else, but that she always felt when Jack was near. She had always pushed that little flutter aside, telling herself that a: she was taken and b: it wouldn't happen. Jack wouldn't ever want her. He was Captain Jack Harkness, immortal leader of Torchwood, and she was just Gwen, mortal, new-girl Gwen who made mistakes all the time.

But there were times when it was just them, and they were so close, in a way that she knew the others envied a bit. They had confided in each other a bit more than they did in the others. She was the only one who knew about his immortality. He always was very kind to her, even with all of her mistakes, and there were times where she wondered if maybe, just maybe, there was something more. And she hoped. Oh, she hoped.

She listened to Jack's heartbeat, that heartbeat that could never ever stop, and she felt herself calming down. She still felt the pain of Rhys's betrayal, still felt the aggressive pressure of his hands against her body, the wall behind her back, her lungs unable to fill themselves. But even that seemed to fade as Jack continued to hold her, one hand on her back, and another gently running through her hair. She felt her body relax a bit in his arms, her mind calmer.

"You're safe now," he murmured in her ear. He had said it a few times already, but this time, it registered.

Jack felt Gwen's body become more still and relaxed. He pulled away a bit, wanting to see her face, despite how he knew that seeing her in that much pain would break his heart again. Taking a breath to brace himself, he met her eyes.

He could barely look. Her eyes were streaked with red, hollow and clouded, lacking the brightness he always saw in Gwen when she was in action, that he loved so dearly in her. He felt as though he was going to break down in tears right then, but he forced himself to be strong for her, wiping a tear from her eyes, tucking a loose bit of hair behind her ear.

"Jack," she whispered, her voice shaking. She was on the verge of tears again, he could tell. He gently laid a palm on each cheek, cradling her sweet, beautiful face in his hands. "Jack, you came..." She sounded so shocked, as though she never thought he would come for her.

"Of course I came, Gwen." He tilted her chin up so she could see his eyes. "I'll always come for you."

"I'll always come for you," said Jack. Gwen looked into his eyes, and her heart skipped a beat. He had always been able to capture her gaze with one look, somehow keep her from turning away, but this was different. His eyes were so... caring. Loving, even. Like he loved her. Could he...?

He held her face in his hands for just one more moment, and then brought his hands down to her shoulders. She winced as his thumbs grazed the spot where Rhys's thumbs had pressed her against the wall. Leaving a trail of goosebumps in their wake, he moved his hands down her arms, and eventually took her hands in his. Still he held her gaze captive with those luminous eyes, and she felt herself blush.

He sighed softly, and then let go of her hands. "Go and pack your things," he said.

"What?" Gwen looked at him quizzically.

"I mean, unless you want to spend the night here." He grinned cheekily. "Come on, get your stuff and let's go." He reached out a hand to help her up, letting his hands linger on her shoulders for a moment.

Gwen smiled slightly at his usual playfulness. He could always read her feelings, know her thoughts. Of course he'd know she wanted to get out of her flat as fast as possible. She breathed deeply and began taking slow steps towards her room. She didn't want to go in there, smell the traces of alcohol, see the remnants of Rhys's betrayal. But then she felt Jack's hand in hers again.

"Like I'd let you go in there alone," he said. She could hear his smile without looking up. More sure of herself now, she walked into her room for the last time.

"Ready?" Jack gave Gwen's hand a slight squeeze. He hadn't let go since he took her hand to lead her to her room. Even while she packed, he held her hand or else kept a hand on her shoulder as she folded clothes. All this time he had longed for contact with Gwen, but Rhys had gotten in the way. But Rhys was gone now, gone forever, and he could have his Gwen now, just as he always wanted to. So he relished in every second that he held her hand, every time he got to look at her without feeling guilty about it.

"Ready," Gwen replied softly. He could still hear the pain in her voice. But he could help her with that pain now. He smiled, just thinking about her, and, brushing his thumb along the back of her hand, led her out to the car.

Gwen didn't speak as she climbed into the passenger seat and buckled her seatbelt. She was a bit shocked and overwhelmed as she realized, we're leaving, we're leaving, he's taking me away, Jack's taking me away, Rhys is gone for good, we're leaving, we're leaving, we're leaving. She looked over at Jack, driving at typical Torchwood top speed down the streets, the only car on the road as it was the ass-crack of dawn, and suddenly she began to giggle.

"What is it?" asked Jack, glancing over at her, smiling slightly.

"It's three in the bloody morning, and you've just picked me up, and you're taking me home with you." Gwen tried to keep her face straight but she couldn't.

"You could look at it that way, I suppose," Jack chuckled. "Or you could look at it in the ridiculously clichéd I-just-rescued-you-from-an-evil-villain sort of way." They both burst out laughing.

"I don't know which one is more like you," Gwen admitted through laughs. "But I'll tell you, it's better than the truth." Her face fell.

"Hey," said Jack, taking a hand off of the wheel to brush hers. "It's over now. It's over for good. And if anyone ever tries to do that to you again, they'll have me to deal with." He cracked a smile. "Over my dead body, Gwen Cooper. That will happen to you over my dead body."

"Oh, now I feel a lot safer," Gwen grinned. She liked being the only person who knew Jack's secret. The others just thought he was crazy stubborn. Owen called him a cat with nine lives. But Jack wasn't a cat with nine lives. He was a cat with infinite lives. And if he promised he'd protect her as long as he lived, she knew she was safe forever.

Jack parked the car and stepped out. "God, it's freezing out!" he called as he got Gwen's suitcase from the back. "You have a coat on, right?"

"Yeah," said Gwen. She followed him out of the car. "Oh, it is cold."

"Here." He pulled Gwen closer, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "Better?"

"Yeah," Gwen smiled slightly as she felt Jack's fingers on her arm.

Both Jack and Gwen sighed deeply in relief as they stepped through the circular door of the Hub. They were home.

"You've been crying a lot," Jack murmured, looking into Gwen's eyes. "Hold on a second. I'll get you some water. Just wait here, okay?"

Gwen nodded, curling up on the couch, a bit sad that he was leaving her even for a few moments, when she felt his coat on top of her again.

"I figured you might want this." Of course he knew exactly what she needed. It was one of the things she loved best about him. He always knew.

Jack went into the kitchen and got Gwen a glass of water, and then he had an idea. Quietly, so as not to tip her off, he went into the cabinet and pulled out a little bottle of clear liquid. He put a few drops into the glass and brought it back. The liquid was a sort of sedative, not the same one that he had given her the day they met, but a different sort of sedative, designed to bring deep and dreamless sleep. He could tell that she was tired and could use a good night's sleep, especially since she was always working extra hours. And, more importantly, she didn't need to be having any flashbacks of tonight plaguing her dreams.

"What took so long?" Gwen asked curiously as Jack returned.

"Owen left the kitchen a bit of a mess," Jack lied quickly.

Gwen chuckled, buying the fib. "Of course he did." She took the glass and had a few sips. "Oh my God, I needed that. Thanks."

"No problem." He picked up the coat and hung it in its usual spot before settling next to Gwen, who had by this point downed the glass of water.

"Jack?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you. For everything." He looked into her eyes and he was pained to see how truly grateful she was to him. Like he had done her a favor by saving her from Rhys.

"Don't thank me," he murmured, pulling her close. He buried his face in her thick, dark hair, breathing in her sweet scent. Her arms wrapped around his waist, her head burying deeper into his shoulder. Unable to resist anymore, he pressed a tender kiss to the top of her head.

Gwen felt the gentle kiss in her hair, and her stomach began turning circles. "Jack?" she asked, her head spinning, confused. "Jack, you-" Her hands began to tremble.

"Shhhhhhh..." Jack took her hands in his, trying to steady them. "Yeah. I did."

"You... you just..."

"I know," he said softly, brushing her hands with his fingertips in a way that made Gwen's gut flop about like a fish out of water. "And are you upset about it?"

Once again he captured her with his eyes, and though she felt herself blush, she couldn't look away. Come on, Gwen. Just answer him. You know you can. Just do it. Say what you've wanted to say all this time. Just one word. "No," she whispered, not sure whether she had actually said it aloud or not.

Jack smiled softly, giving her hands a gentle squeeze. She could feel the pressure on her hands and she blushed yet more, still unable to turn away as he leaned in closer to her, his lips brushing her forehead this time. Her breath caught in her lungs as he moved his hands again to cradle her face, and suddenly a great rush of emotion flew through her. She threw his arms around him and pressed her lips to his, her heart racing at top speed.

Jack felt Gwen's lips against his and his heart soared with joy. He wrapped his arms tightly around her back, all of his pent-up love for Gwen rushing forward and coming through into the kiss. Sometimes, he had kissed people and his brain had gone numb, but not this time. And it was better this way, he thought. His mind was clear and coherent as he continued to kiss her, and he was so conscious of his feelings for her, and it was incredible.

Gwen, on the other hand, felt her mind fading away. She lost herself in his arms, in the taste of him in her mouth. She felt as though her body were disintegrating, melting into him. This had never happened before, not with Rhys, not with anyone. And she wanted it to last forever.

Finally, she had to pull away for air. Her heart pounded in her chest, her breaths short and weak, Jack's hands now cradling her face again. God, she loved it when he did that. She leaned into his caress a bit, nuzzling her cheek into the warmth of his palm, her eyes yet again unable to move from his.

"Gwen," Jack murmured, his fingers softly brushing the little tendrils of hair by her ears, causing her to blush, which he happened to find rather cute. "Oh, Gwen, you have no idea how long I've wanted to do that. No idea." He leaned in to whisper in her ear. Despite there being nobody there, he wanted what he was about to say to be heard by Gwen and Gwen alone. This was his moment to tell her what he had wanted to tell her since God knows how long, and nothing was going to ruin it.

"I love you," he whispered. "Gwen Cooper, I love you." He paused for a moment to let the words sink in, before whispering it again, wishing there were better words to describe how he loved her but unable to find them. Again he murmured in her ear, relishing in the feeling of the words on his tongue as he finally got to say them out loud.

She looked up at him with wide eyes. "You... you...?" She couldn't get the words out.

Jack looked into her gorgeous green eyes, knowing full well that he had the ability to capture her gaze with his own. "Yes." He was about to say more when Gwen's eyes began to glimmer with tears.

"Jack..." She broke down again, her body shaking. Jack acted on his first instinct. He scooped her into his arms, kissing her forehead gently as he placed her on his lap, supporting her back with one arm and using the other to brush hair and tears from her face.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. And then the floodgates opened. "I'm so sorry, Jack, I was just so afraid to admit it!" she sobbed. "I do love you, I really do, I should've said it ages ago but I didn't want to, I was just too afraid... Oh, God, I'm so stupid..."

Jack felt fire burning in his heart. His Gwen, his sweet, perfect Gwen, loved him... but she was crying out an apology. He knew what he had to address first. "You don't need to be sorry," he soothed. "There's nothing to be sorry for, okay? Nothing. And you aren't stupid, Gwen. You're brilliant. You are strong and smart and beautiful and I love you. And I will spend the rest of my very, very, very long life reminding you that if I have to. I'd suggest you get that into your head quickly, though, because an eternity of my saying that could get a bit boring." He hoped beyond hope that his humor would lighten the mood, and to his relief, she looked up at him and smiled slightly before resting her head against his chest. The sedative was starting to kick in, he realized. She'd probably be asleep in a few minutes.

"You tired, Gwen?" he asked gently, tucking a loose strand of dark hair behind a perfectly adorable ear.

"Yeah," she murmured. "I don't know why, I wasn't that tired earlier, but just now... Wait a minute! Jack, did you drug me again?" Jack felt his face reddening a bit. That Gwen, she was so clever... and he loved it. "Oh, you bastard! What did you give me?"

Jack planted another delicate kiss on her forehead. "I just gave you a little something to help you sleep," he cooed, cradling her cheek with his free hand, rocking her back and forth a bit. "That's all, Gwen, nothing that'll hurt you. Just something to keep you from having nightmares tonight." He kissed her forehead again. "See?" he asked, his voice sweet and calming and a bit seductive. "See, Gwen? Everything's okay."

"You manipulative ass," Gwen muttered under her breath. Of course she saw right through his sweetness.

"But you love it," Jack teased, shifting her a bit on his lap.

"Yeah," she murmured, settling again in his arms. She yawned rather loudly.

"Whoa!" Jack laughed. "Someone's tired."

"I wouldn't be if you hadn't drugged me," she retorted.

"Touché, Gwen Cooper, touché, but you do need to get some sleep." He stood up, still cradling her in his arms. "Come on."

Gwen nuzzled into his shoulder, knowing that Jack had no intentions of putting her down, especially as the effects of the sedative became stronger and stronger. She felt herself falling asleep already.

Jack carried her into his office, through a locked door which he opened with his special watch, down a flight of stairs, and into a little bedroom that she realized must be where Jack slept. "Sorry there's only one bed," he said, looking down at her with a playful smile. "We'll have to share."

"Like I mind," she replied sleepily. Jack sat her down on the bed, where she took off her shoes and tossed them onto the floor. She was still in her clothes but she didn't care. All she wanted was to curl up close to Jack and sleep. Burying her head in the very soft pillow, she pulled the blankets over her and settled in the incredibly comfortable bed.

Jack, meanwhile, was changing as quickly as possible into a t-shirt and sweatpants, hoping that Gwen would see him and at the same time hoping she wouldn't. Once he was changed, he too crawled beneath the sheets and settled himself next to Gwen.

Gwen felt Jack behind her, and she couldn't help but roll over to look at him. He was, as always, an assault of sexiness on her eyes. But tonight she saw more than just his irresistible hotness. She saw something deeper in his eyes, heard it in his voice as he murmured "I love you" again, and as he pulled her closer to him, felt it as well. She settled into his arms, wishing she could stay conscious of this moment forever, but soon the drugs pulled her under and she fell into a deep and dreamless sleep.

Jack became aware of the shift in Gwen's breathing and realized that she had succumbed to sedative-induced slumber. Usually, he didn't spend much time in his bedroom, instead wandering about the Hub all night performing tasks that he hadn't gotten to during the day. But tonight, as he looked down at Gwen, his gorgeous, perfect, incredible Gwen, her sleeping body so perfectly fitting in his arms, he realized he wanted nothing more than to spend the entire night holding her. He traced circles on her back and buried countless little kisses in her hair, telling her over and over again how much he adored her, knowing that she wouldn't stir. He felt as though his love for her had built up like pressure in a bottle of soda, and with each touch and kiss and guiltless word of affection, the cap got unscrewed just a little bit, releasing that pressure and making him feel so less burdened.

After at least half an hour of just holding her close, he realized that he too was quite tired. He closed his eyes and let sleep take him over, his dreams of having Gwen Cooper in his arms finally fulfilled.

Gwen woke up with a familiar scent in her nostrils. Rhys, her half-asleep mind told her. But this wasn't Rhys; there was no alcohol smell. She opened her eyes and realized that she wasn't in her bedroom, and then the scent became clear to her. She looked up a bit to see Jack, sexier than ever in the morning light, and then she remembered everything that had happened the previous night, why she had just woken up in Jack Harkness's bed, the sound of his eternally beating heart in her ears, his arms wrapped around her protectively.

Jack was only lightly asleep, so Gwen's motions immediately brought him to consciousness. He opened his eyes to see hers, a smile playing on her face. "Morning, sunshine." He sat up a bit, bringing her with him. "Did you sleep well?"

"Like you don't know that," Gwen gave him a playful glare. "I will get you back for that, Jack Harkness."

"That's Captain to you, missy," he said sternly. "For your disrespect, I'm afraid I'll have to punish you severely." An idea had just formed in his head.

Gwen played along. "Oh? How are you planning on punishing me, sir?"

He gave her his trademarked cheeky smile that just made him look so damn gorgeous. "Here at Torchwood, we go big or go home. It's torture for you, Gwen Cooper." He grabbed her and began tickling her ruthlessly.

"Jack!" she shrieked. "Jack, stop it!"

"This should teach you some respect for your superiors!" Jack tried his best to sound like a drill sergeant.

"Oh, yes... my boss is... tickling me... I have... such respect," Gwen managed to say through laughter.

"Watch your attitude, Cooper," Jack tried as hard as he could to maintain a straight face, but he couldn't help it. He too burst into laughter as he continued to tickle Gwen, who shrieked and squealed, trying to get out.

"Have pity! Oh, God, have pity on me, sir!" Gwen writhed in his arms. "Please have mercy!"

"No mercy for you!" Just then, Jack's comm lit up, and they heard Tosh's voice. "Um, Jack, is everything alright? What's that shrieking noise?"

"Shit!" Jack muttered, making a funny face. Gwen tried to stifle her giggles. "Yeah, Toshiko, everything's fine... Are you the only one here?"

"No, everyone's here except Gwen. Have you heard from her? She's never late."

"She's with me," Jack replied, trying to hold back laughter. "Everything's fine, Tosh. We'll be there in a few minutes. Tell Ianto to start making coffee."

"Already on it," Ianto's voice came through.

"What the hell is going on, anyway?" Owen's voice came through the comm. "What are you two up to?

Jack gave a slight sigh before giving Gwen a quick peck on the cheek. "Alright, Gwen, I guess that's our cue. Time to face the day."

"What was that?" Tosh asked as the pair walked out of Jack's office. "Honestly, what were you two up to?" And then she noticed that they were holding hands, Gwen's head ever-so-slightly leaned into Jack's shoulder. "Aha! Oh, I knew it! I knew that that was coming!"

"Knew what?" asked Jack.

"Owen, come see this!" Tosh shouted. "I was right!" Owen swiveled his chair around. "Right on both accounts, Owen! Jack isn't regular-old-gay, and he and Gwen are a thing! You owe me twenty quid."

"Hey, hold on a second." Jack let go of Gwen's hand to hold both of his hands up in the universal "Whoa, Nelly!" position. "When did I give you two authorization to make bets about my personal life?"

"Oh, give them a break, Jack," said Ianto, bringing over a tray of coffee. "I mean, it's Owen. He's a self-admitted twat, orders pizza under 'Torchwood,' and if he was stupid enough to bet twenty quid on something that had already happened, then that's twenty quid out of his pocket and a good laugh for us."

"True, Ianto, very true," Jack admitted. "But I still don't exactly appreciate that those two were making bets."

"I'll give you ten of the twenty quid," Tosh interjected.

"Alright, we're good." Jack grinned and the whole team laughed, Gwen especially. Last night was awful and terrifying. But today was a new day, and a new beginning for Gwen Cooper. She thought for a moment of Rhys, of Taylor Wilson, of her old friends on the police. They were missing so much, she thought. They were missing out on the experiences, on the friendships, on the discovery of what it really was to be a human (as opposed to a weevil or something). She never wanted to go back to that mundane life of eating lasagna and watching crap television, of smelling booze and being afraid. She had a new life now. Everyone and everything she needed was here in the Hub: three incredible, clever, hilarious friends, constant adventure and newness each day, and Jack, her Jack, who loved her so very much and would always protect her, hold her, be there for her. It would be a bit weird, and a bit difficult sometimes, but the universe is weird, Gwen thought, and there are a tremendous number of things to be optimistic about.

"Gwen? Earth to Gwen," Jack called, snapping her out of her thoughts. "Hey, you, ready to get going?" He gave her that cheeky smile that she loved so much, before grabbing her hands and pulling her across the floor towards him. "You know, I have some good news."

"What's that?" Gwen asked.

"You are going to live a good long life filled with great and terrible moments you cannot even imagine yet!" He spun her around and then dipped her like they were dancing or something.

"Indeed I will, Jack," Gwen laughed, her ponytail brushing the floor.

Jack pulled her back up, her face inches from his. He looked as though he were about to kiss her, but then pulled away and gave her a playful grin. "So let's get started."

Hey there folks!

Here's the first installment in "Tales from the Hub!" It's dedicated to one of my best friends, Rafael, who got me into Torchwood and has just been an absolute saint this year. Ah, Rafael, it's a lonely life, being a Gwen/Jack shipper in the vast and dark sea of you Jantomaniacs (I made that word up). But I stand by my ships until the end of time. Unfortunately, after that, Steven Moffat takes over and things begin to decline. (See what I did there?!)

I really liked writing this one. At first, I was going to make The Other Woman (whose name had not been decided) into more of a bitch, but then I thought that perhaps she would be better as sort of a Molly Hooper character, ignorant but sweet. It wasn't until I made that decision that I decided to name her Taylor. Don't ask me why.

I don't like Rhys much; he pales in comparison to Mickey Smith in my opinion, and so writing Rhys as the primary Big Bad was rather fun.

And, since it is a Nerdfighteria holiday today (Hanko de Mayo), and it's a month before the TFiOS release, and because Pemberley Digital and PBS just announced collaboration, I did put in a few nerdfightastic references in here. If you can catch them and PM me your answers, I'll enter you into my Oneshot Sweepstakes (see my Sherlock fic, "Spark," for details)!

I am willing to take prompts for this one, as long as they aren't Janto, just because I really don't ship them. I respect you shippers, but I just don't ship it. I do ship Owen/Tosh, so if you want to send me ideas for that, I can do that as well!

Love always,

Kathryn-Willa

UPDATE 6/19 - Decided to revise this one a little. I was a bit bugged by some of the sentence structure and so forth. Kate xoxoxo