Chapter Three

Gwen walked towards the entrance to the Tourist Office, after deciding against the invisible lift in front of the mirror waterfall. The last time she'd used it, she had gotten more than she'd bargained for...a view of Jack and Ianto in a position she hadn't thought entirely possible for two men. She let herself through the small dingy looking door, unsurprised that the door was unlocked. When she reached the bottom of the stairs, the cog door cranked open and the alarm sounded. Then all was silent. She was continually surprised at how much noise Owen and Tosh had contributed to the Hub. She missed that, the hustle and bustle of Torchwood life. Tosh running algorithmic programs; Owen clattering around in Medical, throwing insults and sarcastic comments in all directions! She knew Tosh listened to every word and tried not the take it personally, though she inevitably did. Love as they said was sometimes blind, especially when it involved Owen. Everyone could see the feelings Tosh had for Owen, and how he'd softened towards her. Unfortunately Owen didn't appear to be as good as seeing the thing right in front of him. Gwen hoped that if there was a place like heaven somewhere, they had both ended up there, and Owen would be able to show Tosh that he had more feelings for her than cynicism and bitterness. She knew he had at one time.

Glancing round Gwen walked to the kitchen and made a cup of coffee. No matter what she added to the coffee or how she made it, it was never as good as Ianto's. Maybe he added a special ingredient, but both Gwen and Tosh had searched high and low one afternoon, when Ianto was out with Jack, and they'd turned up nothing. It was strange and they couldn't explain it. Maybe it was the mystery that made the coffee taste so good.

Cup in hand she passed through the hub and switched her computer on, inserting her earpiece at the same time.

"Jack?" Just silence.

"Ianto?" Still nothing.

"Well they've got to be 'round here somewhere. They're usually both in by now," Gwen said to herself. Oh God, she thought. She was going crazy, talking to herself. Ah well! You had to be a little crazy to work here in the first place.

"Jaaack…Iantooo?" Gwen shouted. The sound echoed around the hub and there was a faint screech from the Pterodactyl but nothing else.

There was only one place she hadn't checked. Well, maybe that two places. Gwen mounted the steps hesitantly to the first floor and went to the hothouse. She'd once caught Jack and Ianto in here too, in a very embarrassing, compromising position. She couldn't go in there for days afterwards because she burst into laughter and couldn't stop. The memory brightened Gwen's mood a bit, but when she pushed the door open slowly and poked her head through the opening, with one eye closed there was just plants and unfinished experiments.

Gwen detoured back across the gangway to Jack's office. This was the only other place they could be. Surely they would've text her if there was a hunt of rift activity. They had sensed that she was still a little fragile, and so far she hadn't been allowed to go alone on a mission. It had always been the three of them, or just Jack and Ianto, with Gwen stuck in the Hub manning the computer equipment, most of which were still a mystery to her.

Gwen wanted to knock, but since the trouble in Cardiff Jack had insisted no one knock anymore. Gwen found it odd, but didn't question it. Gwen pushed the door open a bit. Then a little bit more, and only when it was half way open did she stick her head through to peer into the office.

Gwen smiled broadly and stepped the rest of the way into the office. There in the office behind the old desk were Jack and Ianto. Jack sat back in the chair and Ianto sat across his lap. They were holding each other and kissing. There was some passion behind the kiss, but it was buried deep behind tenderness. It made Gwen smile because she knew that they had not shared a moment like this in a while. No wonder they hadn't heard her. They were so wrapped up in each other nothing else registered.

Gwen's emotions tugged, and a tiny drop of jealousy emerged, but she pushed it away. She was glad that Jack had found someone as amazing as Ianto. As much as she used to fantasise about her and Jack being in the same position Ianto and Jack were in now, she had Rhys. Jack and Ianto deserved to have what she and Rhys had. They deserved to love and have someone to come home to at night, and share their day with. She would never begrudge either of them that joy.

As much as Gwen hated to part this show of open affection and love she'd never witnessed between them, she had to eventually.

"Well gentleman, it's been a while since I caught you in a position like this!" Ianto pulled away from Jack quickly. He almost fell off Jack's lap and would have fallen over the arm of the chair onto the floor, had Jack not been holding on tightly.

Jack's face showed surprise and a smug pleasure, Ianto's, shocked embarrassment. He hated it when he was caught doing something he shouldn't be doing, especially not at work. In the boss's office, with the boss. Ianto had turned a bright shade of crimson red for his embarrassment, and Jack touched his fingertips lightly to Ianto's cheek.

"And before you ask, I'd rather not be a part of any naked hide and seek you might be contemplating starting. As entertaining as I'm sure it would be, it'd be a little unfair to Ianto."

"Unfair to Ianto? How so?" asked Jack confused.

"I'm really good at naked hide and seek," Gwen announced, Jack and Ianto burst into laughter.