AN: Reviews show mixed feelings about this so far, and I suspect that will continue. Still, it means I haven't just re-written something that's been seen a million times.

PART THREE: GWEN

Gwen awoke to a pounding headache. Without opening her eyes, she knew that she wasn't in her own bedroom, and she could feel her father's hand (strong and warm) holding her own. Her mother's voice murmured in the background, and she could hear another, Welsh and male, answering her back. Gwen opened her eyes just a slit, then slammed them shut when the world lurched around her. She groaned and fought back the nausea. He father's grip tightened, and she heard her mother hurry to her side. The Welsh voice stopped, and her mother spoke.

"It's OK, everything is going to be fine. What's the last thing you remember?"

Gwen thought back. Things were a little blurry, but she was able to recall. "Last night I was out on a call with Andy. Andy Davidson, my partner. There was an RTA, and we needed to hold the public back while they cleaned up."

"Oh, sweetheart…" said her mother. She sounded so distraught that Gwen opened her eyes. She ignored the spinning sensation until it ceased, then focused on her parents. They looked as if they hadn't slept in days. The Welshman she had heard speaking to her mother was standing discretely by the window. He was young, handsome, and he casually wore a suit as if he were born to it. He looked… almost familiar. She scanned the rest of the room. Rhys was nowhere to be seen.

"Where's Rhys? Is he all right?" asked Gwen.

The young man stepped forward. "He's in another room." Gwen started to say something, but the man held up his hand. "He's injured, but stable. You and I have some things to talk about, then we'll bring him in so you two can recover together. Mary, Geraint, if you'll excuse us?"

As her parents left time room without argument, Gwen wondered who this quiet young man was, that he had been able to convince her parents to leave her side. He sat down in the chair her father had vacated and picked up an attaché case.

"I'm Ianto Jones," the man said, answering her unvoiced question. "We worked together."

"I've never seen you before in my life!"

The man, Ianto Jones, she reminded herself, opened the attaché and took out a slim A4-sized envelope. "I was afraid that might be the case, so I brought these. Gwen, this is going to be a terrible shock to you, but you haven't worked with PC Davidson for nearly 18 months. I'm afraid you've lost quite a bit of memory."

Gwen's mind reeled. She couldn't have lost a year and a half, she couldn't! She remembered the night before, clear as day! She'd had a late shift, so she and Rhys had been able to enjoy a rare evening together before she went in. They'd gone to a little bistro, and over coffee had talked about their future. Marriage, they had decided. Not yet, but some day. They'd save up for a house, then she'd take time off from work, and they'd have children. Rhys would be a wonderful dad, look how well he looked after Gwen! She was lucky to have him. There were more exciting men out there, she knew, and more attractive ones, but that didn't matter to her. Rhys was everything she'd ever wanted in a husband. If she truly had lost 18 months of memories, she was fortunate that Rhys was still in her life. She looked down at her hand and saw an engagement ring, but no wedding band. It helped her believe what Mr. Jones had told her, that she had amnesia. Surely a proposal wouldn't have simply slipped her mind. She held up her hand questioningly.

Mr. Jones smiled. "You always were quick, Gwen Cooper. Yes, you're engaged. The wedding is only six weeks away, and it's all planned. When we bring Rhys in you may want to discuss whether to keep to schedule or postpone. If you need to reschedule, I'll be the one helping with the logistics and cost. Your condition is the fault of your employer, and we'll be doing our best to help you through this, and into the future."

"My employer?"

"About 16 months ago, you were pulled off the beat and moved into Special Ops." Mr. Jones pulled pictures and documents from the envelope and passed them to her. He continued speaking, but Gwen barely heard him as he explained her job and the events leading up to her losing her memories in a narcotics sting gone bad. She was transfixed by the sheaf of papers in her hands. There were pictures of her in places she'd never seen, casually carrying a gun. An image of her drinking coffee with Jones standing in the background, in what she would bet good money was the same suit he was wearing today. There was an NHS record of a hospital visit for a shotgun injury. A memo written in her own handwriting about the theft of biscuits from her desk dated six months after the day she'd awakened expecting it to be. There were also pictures of her with Rhys, restaurant receipts, the title to a new car, and a smaller envelope marked 'Wedding Plans'. She didn't open it. Everything supported Jones' claim that she'd lost a good deal of time.

"- you've also been given separation pay and a disability pension. I know it won't make up for your loss, but we're hoping to make your life easier."

Gwen looked up. She'd missed nearly everything Mr. Jones had said, right up until the end. "I don't have a job anymore?"

"I'm afraid not. It's not the memory loss, that should ease a bit in time. The issue is that you're now known among Cardiff's underground. For your safety, you're being relocated to Swansea; we've arranged for you to be shown a few possible homes in the area, but you can find one on your own if you prefer. We'll assist you in every way. You'll want to recover a bit, and so will Rhys. After that, if you choose to work you'll have glowing references, but we rather thought you might want to use the opportunity to start your family. I know you were excited about that before the incident."

Gwen wasn't sure what to think of that. Yes, she'd wanted to settle down with Rhys, but as far as she knew, they'd only just talked about it last night! And they'd always intended to settle in Cardiff. In any case, it was Rhys and her family she needed to talk to, not this reserved man who knew her better than she knew him. She wondered how she could tell, through his distant but kind demeanor, that he was deeply uneasy.

"What now?" She asked.

"Now you rest. I'll have Rhys brought in, and you two can sort things between you. He's lost time too, but only a week or two, so he may be able to help you fill in the gaps. He was shot while- during the incident." Mr. Jones set a card down on the bedside table. "Here's my contact information. You'll probably have questions and concerns, and you'll need to let me know what you decide about the wedding, and about housing. If you start remembering things and need help sorting them out, please don't hesitate to call. Long term, I'll check up on you regularly. Sometimes I may visit, but mostly you'll just see me around."

It seemed so simple, and yet so overwhelming. Nothing was as she expected; the world had moved forward, and she was stuck in her past. Something about that niggled in her mind, but she brushed it aside. Mr. Jones would take care of things, and Rhys would be at her side soon. "OK," she said. "I'll call you."

"I look forward to it, Gwen Cooper. I hope you find happiness in this new chapter of your life. Whether you remember it or not, you've earned it."

At his words, Gwen felt unaccountably light, as if a burden had been lifted. She felt free. She might not remember her past, but her future was unlimited. Mr. Jones patted her hand fondly, stood up, and moved toward the door. As she watched him go, she had the strong urge to ask for a cup of coffee, but she ignored it. Caffeine would do her no good right now. She reached for a glass of water instead and resolved to remember as much as possible before Rhys was brought in. Lost in thought, she never even noticed the tall man in the long coat who stood silently just outside the door.

And there you have it! For this story I really wanted to do something different, and in every Meat resolution I've ever seen in which she was Retconned, it was incredibly punitive, and the whole team was furious with her. I tried to make this more about Gwen's behaviour being dangerous to herself, the team, and their job, rather than about her being a bad person (That story waits for another day). I wanted to write it as an unpleasant reality, one that everyone regrets the necessity of.

A million thanks to all the reviewers, hearing the differences of opinion (and, oh boy, were there on this one!) makes me think, and helps me become a better writer.