Jack just stared as the door to the hub closed. "Okay, what just happened here?" He asked the only remaining member of his team, Ianto.
Ianto looked up from the mugs he was clearing off Gwen...Jack's desk. "What do you mean, sir?" He asked as he placed the last mug on his tray and headed towards the door and passed Jack.
"I mean..." Jack followed after Ianto. "I thought I'd get a little more out of them than a less than thrilled welcome home Jack, that's what I mean."
"I don't know what to say, sir." Ianto actually knew what was wrong because he felt it too. Jack just appears, after a year and a half away, while they're on a case and expects everything to just go back to the way it was. Well, it couldn't because a lot had changed in his absence, including each and every member of Torchwood 3. He began to place the dirtied mugs into the small sink that made up their kitchen area; it also contained a single electric burner, a small fridge, and coffee/tea maker.
Jack folded his arms across his chest and eyed his sometime lover. "You know what's wrong, don't you? Tell me." He ordered.
Ianto took his time rinsing the mugs out and only when he finished did he turn to face Jack. "I don't know what you mean, sir."
"Would you stop that!" Jack snapped tired of the professional tone that Ianto was using. "It's Jack not sir, I thought I broke you of that habit about two months after I recruited you?" He gave him a sly little grin that reflected that he was remembering something particularly naughty.
"I'm sorry, si...Jack." Ianto blinked and tilted his head to the side, sizing up Torchwoods wayward leader. "Are you going to take command back from Gwen?" He asked out of the blue. He liked Gwen and he had to admit that she was a good leader.
Jack's naughty thoughts came to a screeching halt. "Gwen really was in charge? I thought you lot was just pulling my leg." He brought one hand up to stroke his chin as if he was deep in thought. "Why didn't Owen take over? I thought he wanted to be in charge. If I remember correctly, he did shoot me to take over." He questioned then pointed out.
Ianto leaned back against the sink and crammed his hands into his pockets making himself look like a schoolboy instead of a member of a top secret organization that answered to no one but themselves. "That's what we thought to begin with but he was adamant that he didn't want the job; said he was too busy to take on the mantle of command. Tosh was the next logical selection but she doesn't have the skills to lead so it fell to Gwen. She fought the promotion tooth and nail but she later conceded." He explained. "She's a good leader, Jack. She kept the team together while you were gone. Because I gotta tell you, there was a lot of anger swirling around." He added in a low whisper in case one of the other team members came back for something.
"So Owen refused and Tosh wasn't experienced enough to lead. What did Rhys have to say about all of this?" Jack asked after a moment. He really didn't like the man and even more so when Gwen refused to wipe his memories after the whole ordeal with the alien meat.
"Rhys..." Ianto shifted, uncomfortably. Sometimes were best left alone but Jack needed to know so he didn't make things worse sometime down the line. "Rhys was killed two months after you...left." He started to explain, tenitively. "It wasn't our fault, if that's what you're thinking."
Jack moved out of his spot and joined Ianto in leaning against the sink. "What happened?"
Ianto sighed and shoved his hands further into his trouser pockets. "He went out with one of his mates, got plastered at the pub, then decided to drive home. He made it two blocks before he wrapped the car around a tree. Gwen was devastated when she got the news. She didn't talk to anyone for a week after the service which we completely understood. She stayed here, unable to return to a house full of memories. Then in the beginning of the second week of silence she broke down and told Tosh that she was pregnant. That's why it hit her so hard. Her and Rhys were having problems and she had just found out about the baby the night of the...accident."
"Pregnant?" Jack whispered and he looked away from the other man. It hurt to know that Gwen had another mans baby. "What happened to the baby?"
"She went into labor during a particularly trying case. We tracked an alien to a warehouse and when we went in, it attacked. Owen almost died because he threw himself between Gwen and the...we're still not sure what it was. Seems that when Owen knocked her out of the way, her water broke. So we rushed them both to the hospital. Owen when into surgery and Gwen went into labor. Twenty-fours hours later both were fine and we were welcoming the newest member of our team, Cooper Owen Williams, into the world." Ianto explained with a fond little smile on his lips. "She made me Godfather, can you believe it?" His chest puffed out proudly. "Said there wasn't anyone else in this world she'd trust more to protect little Owen, except maybe big Owen, who got the honorary title of Uncle bestowed upon him by the new mother."
Jack blinked, this was a lot to take in. Uncle Owen? "She doesn't bring the baby to the hub, does she?"
Ianto shrugged. "Sometimes when the sitter is busy, she will. Tosh usually keeps an eye on the tot while he's here. He loves her as much as he loves his mum, I think it's because he gets to see her everyday."
"Everyday?" Jack questioned.
"Gwen and Tosh share a flat. She never could return to the house. She had Owen and I go box everything up and put it in storage. She sold the place a few weeks later. Her and Tosh have been living together ever since. I think having each other as roommates has done wonders for both of them." Ianto told him.
Jack let out a breath. "A lot has changed, hasn't it?"
Ianto nodded. "It has. But at the same time, a lot hasn't. We're still Torchwood and we still hunt aliens." He pulled his hands out of his pockets and headed for the kitchen door. "It'll just take some time, Jack. Everyone has to get used to you being back and in charge."
"Where are you going?" Jack yelled after his retreating friend.
"Gwen and Tosh are throwing a flat warming party, they had to move into something bigger to accommodate little Owen and all his stuff. She's always complaining that we spoil him and I'm tending to think she's right." He threw over his shoulder as he gathered his coat and headed towards the door.
Jack stepped out of the kitchen and watched Ianto get ready to leave. "You think they'd mind one more guest?" He asked, hopefully.
Ianto paused as the door slid open. "Don't think so since they asked me to invite you along." With that said he stepped out the door.
"Why you..." A smile blossomed on Jack's face as jogged after Ianto. He had a baby to see and probably spoil just like the rest of them. Because no matter what, little Owen was apart of Gwen and he loved her.