Title: Collateral Damage

Author: evalentine99

Rating: Mature 16+

Fandom: Torchwood

Genre: Angst, Angst and more Angst, with a double helping of Angst on the side.

Pairings: Jack/Ianto Past. Jack/Gwen Past. Rhys/Gwen. OC

Alternate time line.

Beta: milady_dragon Torchwood- Copyright BBC. This Fan fiction has been created for enjoyment and is not for profit.

Prologue.

Jack lifted his braces onto his shoulders.

"How are we going to cope once Ianto stops his little excursions?" Gwen slid her bra back on. She turned, lifted her hair and Jack did up the hooks.

"I've been called innovative," Jack said as she turned and placed her forearms over his shoulders. Jack placed both his hands on her buttocks and pulled her in close. "I'll think of something." Jack found her lips.

"You're insatiable," she said as they came up for air.

Jack smiled and Gwen felt her insides melt. She loved the way he made her feel. She always thought they would be great together and she was right. He was the most attentive lover. It was like he had been born a woman. He knew exactly how to make her feel all wobbly.

"Jack Harkness, if this keeps up we will never get any work done," she teased as she pulled her blouse on followed by her jacket.

"I would rather do you," Jack growled.

"You'll have to catch me first."

Jack smirked as she took off up the stairs. "I need to introduce you to the delights of naked hide and seek." He leapt up the stairs two at a time

Reaching the top step he barrelled into the back of her.

"Got ya…" He stopped midsentence and followed Gwen's gaze.

"Myfanwy you are a bloody nuisance," she cursed. Myfanwy called out a cry of indignation from her nest. "And what have you done with my purse you bastard bird?" Picking up a lipstick she followed the line of scattered eyeliners and compacts to the far side of the room. "Ruined. I had over a hundred pounds of makeup." She turned and looked at her desk.

"My desk screens, keyboard..." she saw her chair went to move it and the back came off. '"And I am going to need a new chair."

"I'll talk to Ianto about releasing some petty cash," Jack bounced up the steps to his office.

"Petty cash! It's going to take more than petty cash. I had over one hundred pounds of makeup, my chair, keyboard, screens." As she spoke the last remaining screen crashed to the floor to join the others. She looked up in disgust then huffed up to Jack's office.

Her eyes widened at the devastation. His desk was turned over along with every filing cabinet and his book case. Books were ripped in half. The contents of the cabinets were strewn around the room. All the small objects that adorned his desk were in pieces. The precious coral was now nothing more than dust and fragments on the floor.

"She never, she couldn't Jack, she can't get through the door." Gwen bent down and picked up a fragment of coral. "This looks personal."

"Incursion, something has come through the Rift." Jack pulled out his Webley. Climbing over his desk he checked down the manhole that led to his quarters. He could see his coat on the floor but nothing else. He placed the cover over just in case.

"John Hart?" Gwen asked as she moved to what had been Owen's work station.

"Something or someone nasty," Jack shouted back.

"I'm putting the Hub into lockdown," Gwen added. Jack now started to sweep the main Hub level. The room echoed as the large roller door clanked into place.

"I'm calling up the CCTV footage now." Skilfully she found the time span. There was her and Jack kissing by her desk. She reminded herself to make sure she wiped it clean. They were getting carless. She felt a fission of guilt followed by a feeling of surety. She and Jack were meant to be. He loved her because he had told her so this very day. They were made for each other; it was just a question of time then they wouldn't have to hide any longer. Jack had to speak to Ianto; he must know it was coming. You could see it was all over. Whatever they had was long gone. She paused for a moment and her fingers hung over the keyboard.

It was always tragedy that was the breaking point. It was only then you found out people's true feelings. Happy times...well, anyone could make a relationship work when you were happy. The breaking point had come when Jack had turned to her after Owen and Tosh had died, and not Ianto. Only she could give Jack the comfort he so needed. Something caught her eye and she stopped the tape and scrolled back.

Finishing his sweep of the main Hub level Jack looked across and saw Gwen holding her hand over her mouth. "What?" He raced over and looked at stilled footage.

Jack pushed her aside and with a flick of the mouse watched the entire sequence.

"You said he had called and he wouldn't be back until tomorrow?" she accused as she saw Jack's face stiffen, blush then pale.

Jack pulled out his mobile and saw several missed text messages. He pressed speed dial four. He listened as it went to voice mail. Fumbling he tried other numbers to no avail.

His knees went and he staggered backwards then started too move towards the garage. Gwen stepped in front of him.

"Where the hell do you think you are going?" she demanded and looked at him, confused. Jack looked like a man coming out of some kind of deep sleep. If she didn't know better he looked like his world had ended.

"I have to go." He said it like he couldn't quite find the words to speak.

"It's happened Jack. You can't be surprised at his reaction. It's over, he knows. I'll speak to Rhys and we can be together," she cooed gently reaching out towards him in an effort to hold him.

"What?" Jack stared at her as if she was mad.

"You and me Jack...together." She drew back as his lip curled into a snarl. "You love me. You told me you loved me Jack. Here today. You held me in your arms and said those words, Jack; not just once but over and over," she argued, angry at his sudden turnaround.

"You don't understand."

"I understand we don't have to hide any longer. I understand that at last you and I can be lovers in every sense, Jack. We can build a life together. Together we can rebuild Torchwood and have a family, a life."

Jack took hold of her upper arms and shook her. "I just destroyed Ianto and you still want me?" He shouted into her face. Pushing her he reeled away.

"Yes," she called out to the empty room.

"Please tell me where Ianto is?" Jack pleaded as he stood before Rhiannon on her back door step, her arms crossed, blocking the way in to her house.

"He doesn't want to see you," Rhiannon told him point blank.

"Please I need to explain."

"What...you were lying down with your pants off, she tripped and fell on your dick?" Johnny said in disgust as he joined Rhiannon.

"No that's not it," Jack shouted back.

"He caught you in the act! Just how do you think you can talk your way out of this?" Rhiannon pointed out.

"I'm not trying to talk my way out of this. I just need to see him please."

Rhiannon stepped down and pushed a finger into Jack's chest. "He warned me you would come here; he said you would spin me a whole lot of lies about how much he means to you and how sorry you are. He warned me you would use all and any means necessary to find out where he was." She used her finger to punctuate every word, pushing him back. " I'm telling you, you cheating miserable bastard, you've broken my brother's heart."

Johnny spat at him. "Playing them both. Right, nice little game you had going. First him then her; it's disgusting."

"It's complicated. Please, I left messages, been to his flat. Do you want me to beg?" Jack got on his knees.

"Begging won't help you. Ianto is not here. Right now I don't know where he is. Even if I did you would be the last person I would tell." Rhiannon crossed her arms.

"He went somewhere today. He had an appointment and he wouldn't tell me anything. He said he would tell me when he knew. Is that why he came back early? He left a series of messages saying he needed to talk. Please I need to find him; make sure he's okay, please." Jack brought up his hands in supplication.

Rhiannon flared "Okay? You want to make sure he's OKAY? You broke his fucking heart with that slut and you want to find out if he's okay?"

Johnny put his arm around Rhiannon who was visibly shaking. "I think it's time you moved on," he said sternly.

"This is not over," Jack said as he moved back down the path.

"Nothing is ever going to be okay again," Rhi sobbed in Johnny's arms.