As Charlotte reaches nine months old...
Gwen got a call from her parents. Gwen's parents didn't spend much time with Charlotte and wanted to treat them and so invited her and Gwen on a weekend away down on the coast and Gwen agreed, thinking Charlotte should spend some time with her grandparents. Gwen had asked Jack if he'd like to come but he'd refused saying that someone needed to run Torchwood and keep monitoring the rift. So it ended just being Gwen and Charlotte.
"You look after Mummy eh" Jack smiled as he held Charlotte for the last time before buckling her in Gwen's car.
"We'll be fine" Gwen smiled as she kissed Jack's lips tenderly.
"I'll miss you" Jack said sweetly.
"It is only two days" Gwen said positively.
"I know but" Jack started.
"I know" Gwen nodded with a smile before kissing Jack again.
She then got in the driver's seat while her parents got in the car as Gwen wound down her window.
"I'll call you as soon as we get there" she smiled before driving off.
Jack was lost, he was gonna be so bored without Charlotte to play with and Gwen to help him in the hub.
Two days later...
It was early on the Monday morning, Gwen, Charlotte and her parents would be heading home. Before Jack left for the hub he sat down on Gwen's bed and pulled a little box from his pocket. He opened it to reveal a beautiful ring. He was still trying to work out how he was going to propose to Gwen and then he had the perfect idea. He placed the open box on her pillow and then left the house.
Jack made his way into the hub as usual and was distracted by his mobile ringing. It was 8:30 and when he took it out of his pocket it wasn't Gwen's number on the screen, it was a private number.
Jack answered it reluctantly but was shocked when the voice on the other end was from a hospital, the hospital in the town where Gwen, Charlotte and her parents had been staying.
"You need to get down here now, there's been an accident, I heard you're Gwen Cooper's boyfriend?" the doctor said in a rather dull tone.
"Yeah, I'm coming" Jack said worriedly before snapping his phone shut and running out of the hub.
Jack arrived an hour later at the hospital and was directed to the right ward where he ran up to reception desk.
"I'm here to see Gwen Cooper" he said to the nurse.
"Ah you must be Jack Harkness" came a male doctor's voice from behind him.
"Yeah that's me" he said as he turned around.
"I'm Dr West, if you'd like to follow me" he said before leading Jack around a corner and to the entrance of a side room.
Jack waited outside as the doctor went into the room and emerged with Charlotte in her rocker bye.
"Someone's been waiting to see you" the doctor smiled.
"Hey gorgeous" Jack smiled as he lifted Charlotte out of her rocker bye.
Charlotte smiled at Jack as he hugged her before balancing her on his hip.
"So um her Mum Gwen, where is she?" Jack asked as Charlotte reached for her teddy.
Jack bent down and reached just as Dr West gestured for him to sit down.
"Is she ok?" Jack asked as he sat Charlotte on his lap.
"The accident, Gwen's car was teetering on the edge of cliff; she hit a pot hole and lost control of the car. Gwen's parents got out, and then Gwen made them get Charlotte out first. Gwen's leg was jammed under the steering column and by the time rescue got there it was too late; the car had already gone over. I'm really sorry, Gwen didn't make it." Dr West said trying to keep calm and sound sorry.
"No," Jack said softly as tears ran down his cheeks.
"I'm sorry, for your loss" Dr West said before leaving Jack and Charlotte alone.
When Charlotte realised something was wrong she too started crying and Jack knew she knew her Mum was gone as she reached for the blanket that Gwen always wrapped her in.