This is my very first story. YAY! Thanks to tvnut89 for making me want to write a story. I've been a member for ages, but I prefer reading stories than actually writing them. Anyway here it is! Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own Torchwood.
It had been seven days since the deaths of Owen and Toshiko. Jack had given Gwen and Ianto time off, so Ianto had gone to visit his family in Newport. Gwen was curled up on the sofa on her own trying to fight back the tears that threatened to spill once more when the phone rang, scaring her half to death. She quickly composed herself and answered it.
"Hello" she said, her voice was shaky.
"Hello, am I speaking to a Miss Gwen Cooper?" came a serious voice of a man on the other end.
"Yes but its Mrs Williams now, who may I ask is speaking?" she said a little confused.
"My apologies Mrs Williams. I am PC Walker calling from the Cardiff Police Station. We were told to contact you by a Mr Jack Harkness. I'm afraid we've had to bring him in for drunk and disorderly behaviour. He was found wandering near the Cardiff Millennium Centre in quite a state and we considered him to be of danger to himself and possibly others. He passed out in the cells, but he is awake now. We will release him without charge on the condition that he has someone monitoring him for the next 24 hours. I've been told you used to be a police officer, so I am confident that you can handle this but its entirely your choice." He waited for a response. After all it was a lot to take in.
Gwen had to think carefully about what he had just told her. But she couldn't even begin to comprehend the thought of Jack being drunk. She had thought it were impossible for Jack to get drunk because of his fast metabolism, which meant that he had to have drunk a hell of a lot. He must have gone to at least twenty pubs. She wasn't sure if she could be strong enough to look after Jack. After all he was the one who was always in control, no matter what happened, he was always strong so he could look after his team. But who could blame him after everything that had happened. Of all the times he had been there for Gwen, she finally had a chance to be there for him.
"I'll be there in 5 minutes" she replied, and left the flat.
When she arrived at the station, she was informed that Jack was refusing to leave his cell and that he didn't want to see anyone, not even her.
"What the fuck!?" she thought. And then a small smile crossed her face, as her Captain, her strong and brave Captain, had pride. Not that it was going to stop her from seeing him of course, but it meant that Jack, her Jack was still hidden somewhere deep inside the drunk man in the cells, and she was going to bring him back!
"Well I am not leaving without him, so I demand that you take me to his cell immediately" she said a little too harshly, but her voice was full of authority so a young PC led her to his cell.
The cell door opened to reveal Jack on the bed, lying on his side and facing the wall.
"Jack" Gwen said. Authority still evident in her voice.
"Leave me alone" he whimpered like a child. "I don't want to see you."
"Well then you shouldn't have got the police to call me" she said cheerfully. "Can you please leave us?" she asked the PC.
"Yes, but I would have to lock the cell door and you would be putting yourself at risk Miss" he replied.
"I'll be fine, just do what you have to and I'll call you when we're done." Gwen stepped into the cell and walked over to Jack as the door closed behind her. She knelt down beside the bed and placed her hand on Jack's shoulder. He flinched but she didn't remove her hand.
"Please face me Jack" she asked softly.
"I can't, I don't want you to see me like this Gwen" he said feeling ashamed.
"I understand how you feel you know. They were my friends too." She said nervously as knew this would make Jack angry, but she needed him to face her.
Jack quickly turned over to look her in the eyes. "But they weren't just my friends Gwen! I was their boss, I was responsible for them and it was my job to make sure they were safe!" he yelled, tears in his eyes.
"That's not true Jack" she said calmly. "Yes you were their boss, but they both knew the risks when they joined Torchwood. It wasn't your fault Jack, you weren't there and you couldn't help that! If it was anyone's fault it was mine! I'm the second in command, they were my responsibility while you were gone! I sent Owen to the nuclear power station! I left Tosh on her own in the Hub! So don't you DARE make this all your fault!" she screamed.
Jack just looked at her, speechless. The tears spilt from his eyes as Gwen broke down crying in front of him. He instinctively reached out and held her, also needing her comfort, and sobbed into her shoulder. He never realised she felt that way, then again he had never asked. He had been to busy shutting her out and feeling guilty for himself.
"I'm so sorry Gwen, please don't cry" he said softly.
"I'm sorry too" She said, trying to gain control of her crying. What was she doing? She had told herself that she was going to look after Jack and here she was again, letting him take care of her. She quickly composed herself, gently pushing Jack away.
"Are you ready to go now?"
Jack wasn't ready to let Gwen go, but he admired how quickly she managed to compose herself. He realised she was trying to be strong for him, so he let her.
"Where?" he asked.
"Well you do live at the Hub so…" she was cut off.
"No. I can't go back there. Too many bad memories."
"You will have to go back there eventually you know."
"I know, but just not yet"
"Well…how about a hotel then. That way you can stay there until your ready to go back to the Hub?" she asked.
"Ok… but I don't have any money on me" he said shyly.
"Don't worry, I pay. You can make it up to me by giving me a raise" they both laughed. Oh how Gwen had missed the sound of his laugh, and his smile…
She called out to the PC and they left the cell together. She met PC Walker at the front desk and he gave her some forms to fill out for Jack's release. Jack, feeling sightly embarrassed and on his own accord, apologised to the officer for his behaviour. Just as they were about to walk out, PC Walker called out.
"Oh and Mrs Williams, don't forget… 24 hours"