Title: Almost Wedding
Author: CryssieM
Disclaimer: The show and characters belong to BBC, I just borrowed them for fun.
Pairing: Gwen/Rhys, eventually Jack/Gwen
Rating: PG-13
Genre: angst, romance
Spoilers / Timeline: 2x09 Something Borrowed
Summary: the title gives away everything :)
AN: The trailer inspired me :P
Thanks to Kate for betaing this! xxx

"Sorry, Gwen, I can't do this," Rhys pushed his fingers through his hair in frustration. "I've tried to accommodate everything to do with this special ops job to our life. I've tried to accept you choosing work over me again and again. I've been patient, hoping that we could manage it, but... I bloody love you, but I'm tired of this all."

"If you loved me truly, you wouldn't give up on us."

"What do you expect from me, huh? To be a proud daddy of this spawn in you?" he pointed at her round belly. "Pretend that we're a happy family? I'm sorry, but I'm not that strong. I can't go to sleep every night with the thought on my mind that this is what lies ahead the next day. This is too much... too much for me," he sniffed.

Gwen stared at him in shock. So that was it. Rhys chickened out. And part of her didn't blame him for that.

She loved him a lot, yet deep in her heart she understood him. Torchwood might have been magical and exciting for the first glance, but living in it was something different. It demanded your life. Fully. Forever.

Now she understood why Jack had kept wanting for her to have a life outside the Hub. He knew what life in Torchwood had meant, and he didn't want her to sink into the turmoil that never let go.

"I love you, Gwen, but it's not enough," he whispered putting the wedding ring in her palm, and kissing her softly. "I'm sorry. Take care."

Pulling back, he turned and walked away. Tears in her eyes, Gwen was staring after him, the gentle breeze playing with her hair. She should have known this was not going to work, yet she had been hoping for the opposite.

"Where is he going?" a familiar voice called from behind her.

She shrugged but didn't turn around.

Jack immediately sensed there was something wrong.

"Gwen?" he made her turn to him, that was when he saw the tears rolling down her cheeks.

"He left me," she said, then seeing the confusion on his face, she added, "Couldn't accept Torchwood."

These words hit Jack. Sighing in guilt, he bit his lip, fighting the anger, desperation and self-loathing.

If he hadn't brought Gwen to Torchwood, this wouldn't have happened now. Rhys breaking her heart was his fault: He, Captain Jack Harkness broke her heart. God knows, he hadn't wanted that. Seeing Gwen suffer was the last thing he had ever wanted.

"I'm sorry," he muttered guiltily, averting his eyes. "I'm so sorry," his eyes welled up at the thought of what he had done to the person he had loved the most.

Grabbing his hand in hers, she asked, "Look at me, Jack."

Her voice lacked reproach, anger or any other negative emotions, which both surprised and reassured him. So he could hope for forgiveness.

"Can you forgive me?" Jack pleaded with tears in his eyes, turning back to her. "Can you ever forgive me for ruining your life?"

"There's nothing to forgive," she sobbed. "I should have listened to you about retconning Rhys..."

"You did what you felt right. You love him."

Her eyes, sparkling in tears, locked his as she whispered, "But not in the way I love you."

Staring into the most beautiful brown pair of eyes he had ever seen, he saw the mixture of sadness, relief, hope, but most of all, honesty. They had all the answers to his unasked questions, and suddenly everything clicked into its place. There was no more doubt or wonder, but unquestionable trust and the strongest emotion that had ever existed, love.

Moving his fingers to her cheek, he caressed the wet skin, her delicate jawline and the full, trembling, rosy lips, before pressing his mouth to them in a soft kiss.

His tenderness amazed her. She had never thought he could have been so gentle. This was a new side of Captain Jack. And she liked it.

His lips tasted hers softly, their tears melted into each other's, before drying off slowly.

He wrapped his arms around her, pulling into a protective embrace. No one will ever hurt her, he promised himself.

When they broke apart, he didn't hold a broken bride in his arms, but a gorgeous, young woman who was stronger than ever.

"I love you, Gwen Cooper," he whispered, not breaking their magical gaze.

Against all odds, in that moment she was the happiest girl in the world.

"Maybe I should propose you now," he smirked. "So all this preparation wouldn't go to waste."

She laughed. "No offense, Jack, but I don't think of you as someone for marriage."

He grinned, "Neither do I," then he added with a wink, "But who knows, things might change?"

"Captain Jack Harkness? Never."

They shared the first laugh since Rhys had left.

"Even so, I don't want to let you go," he claimed seriously. "Never."

"I'm not going anywhere," she assured him, her eyes staring deep into his. "I belong here. I'm Torchwood."

"You are," he nodded with a smile. You bloody are.