"It can't be too late!" agonised Jack as he stared intently at Gwen where she was seated at her computer.

Gwen could feel Jacks eyes on her and it was making her very self conscious; she looked over to catch him quickly look away from her pretending to be busy with the papers in front of him. She sighed and stood, walking over to him. "What are you working on?"

Jack looked up. "Nothing really," he replied. "Not much has been happening around here lately."

"Tell me about it," she smiled. "Although I guess it is good to have a break from all the chaos sometimes."

"Do it," Jack thought to himself. "Do you want to go out for a drink?" he blurted out before he changed his mind and chickened out again.

"Yeah, why not," she replied. "I'll just go find Ianto."

Jack grabbed her hand as she turned away from him. "I was thinking maybe just you and I could go…by ourselves…"

"Oh," she replied, trying not to look too uncomfortable. "Okay then."

As they walked across the square she remembered the last time just the two of them had gone out for a drink together – he'd ret-conned her; he took her arm and linked it through his as they walked, opening the door for her when they reached the pub – always the perfect gentleman.

Jack led her to a quiet table in the back and went to get drinks.

"What's he thinking of?" wondered Gwen to herself as she watched him walk away. She couldn't deny she loved Jack – not anymore; but she was married now and she loved Rhys too.

Walking back to the table with their drinks, he watched her watching him. "What's she thinking?" he wondered to himself. He loved Gwen with everything he had and he knew it would be incredibly selfish of him to voice those feelings to her – could he actually expect her to pick him over Rhys?

They'd been sitting in silence for some time; Gwen was getting restless as she checked her watch. "Listen Jack," she started.

"I'm sorry," he said, so softly that she didn't think she heard correctly.

"What?"

He looked into her face. "I said…I'm sorry."

Gwen smiled at him. "What have you got to be sorry for Jack?"

"For being such a coward."

She looked at him more than a little confused; of all the words she could think of to describe Jack Harkness – "coward" would not be one of them.

"What are you talking about Jack?"

It was now or never. "I love you Gwen…have loved you since the first day you came to work with us."

Gwen could feel the colour rise in her face as she looked away more than shocked at his declaration; she always knew there was something there between them – but she never in a million years thought he'd say anything like this.

"I'm married Jack…" she replied looking back to him. "I love Rhys."

"I know…and I have no right to be saying this to you," he admitted.

"No…" replied Gwen, getting a little upset now. "No you don't! Not now!"

He looked back at her. "Not now?"

"There was a time…once," she admitted. "If you had've told me that…things might've been different."

A spark of hope flared in Jack's racing heart.

"But not now! It's too late for us Jack."

"But Gwen…"

"I said no Jack!" she said angrily as she stood to leave. "You have no right to ask me to do that to Rhys!"

Jack watched as she walked out the door.

Gwen started running as soon as the door closed behind her. "How could he do that!" she yelled out into the night as she ran as hard as she could. Then the tears started to fall. She ran back to her car and collapsed behind the wheel.

"I hate you Jack Harkness!" she screamed as loud as she could at the steering wheel; but she knew it was really herself she hated. She knew she should never have married Rhys when she felt the way she did about Jack, but she also thought that she could keep all those feelings hidden away and go on with her "happy married life". It wasn't fair on Rhys – but that was her fault – not Jack's.

Jack watched as Gwen's car raced from the parking lot; knowing she was going home to him just made him feel worse. He walked the rest of the way back to the Hub, thinking that losing himself and his sorrows in Ianto tonight seemed a good option.

Ianto looked up as the sirens blared to life to see Jack walk through the opening doorway; he smiled as Jack looked at him.

He couldn't do it. He wasn't in love with Ianto but he did care about him - that wasn't the problem; tonight he wouldn't be with Ianto because he wanted to be with him – he'd be using him to make himself feel better. And he'd already hurt someone he cared about tonight by being selfish.

"Why don't you call it a night Ianto," he said to the Welshman.

"I thought I might stick around for a while," Ianto replied stepping close to Jack.

Jack smiled and kissed him lightly on the lips. "It wouldn't be such a good idea tonight."

Ianto nodded. "Okay. I'll see you tomorrow then. Goodnight."

"Goodnight," Jack replied as he made his way up to his office.

**************

Gwen entered the unusually quiet flat and went into the kitchen. "Rhys?" she called, at the same time noticing a note on the counter.

"Hiya,

Gone to Dav's for the night

Going to the match tomorrow so don't expect me home before tea time.

Love you.

PS call me"

She smiled at the little smiley face Rhys had drawn at the bottom.

She looked at her phone sitting on the counter next to the note and grabbed it up.

****************

Jack had just sat down at his desk when his phone beeped; he looked at the screen. "1 new message"

Clicking the button he read. "Can you come over? Gwen"

Without thinking he grabbed his coat and headed for the door; he made a new land speed record in the SUV getting to Gwen's flat.

"It's me," he replied to the intercom. The door clicked and he pushed it open; his heart thudded in his chest as he climbed the steps.

Gwen opened the door to him and stepped back to allow him in.

"Where's Rhys?" he asked as he walked past her.

"Out at his mates place," she replied. "He won't be back until tea time tomorrow. "

Jack spun around to face her after hearing this last part; he wanted to pull her to him and claim her lips – but he'd already done enough for one night. If Gwen wanted anything from him tonight – she'd have to start it.

"Do you want a drink?" she asked, more for something to say than out of a need to be polite.

"Ahh…yeah…sure," he replied looking around. He could feel how strained things were between them right now and he was sorry for that.

When Gwen came over to him with his drink he caught her hand. "Listen Gwen…I'm sorry that…"

His apology was cut short by Gwen's slapping him hard across the face.

"You should be sorry Jack Bloody Harkness!" she cried. "I was going to be alright…and then you had to go and…" She turned away from him.

Grabbing her arm he swung her back around to face him. "I deserved that," he said quietly.

"Yes. You did," she replied. From the look in her eye Jack thought she was about to slap him again.

Gwen moved forward, catching Jack by surprise as she brought her lips to his, her free hand coming to rest in his hair.

Jack was suddenly very aware of the drink he held in his hand; all he wanted to do was pull Gwen into him, but dropping the glass seemed out of the question – equally breaking the kiss to put it down was a ludicrous thought.

As soon as Gwen pulled back from the kiss, he put the glass down and pulled her to him; after a moment he broke the silence.

"What happens now?"