Hi there! Sorry this has been so weird in posting, it has been sporadic to put it mildly so thanks to everyone for sticking with it! I appreciate everyone who has reviewed, alerted and favourited.....it is wonderful encouragement and very much appreciated! This is nearly over and I will be updating more regularly from now on. Thanks to madaboutms from L.J for beta!

Gwen Cooper

Gwen lay awake staring at the ceiling in her bedroom, and listened to the rhythmic rise and fall of her husband's snoring, having fallen asleep to its melody hours before.

He had certainly earned his husband stripes tonight when she came through the door. He never questioned her, never expected an explanation, just held her until she'd stopped sobbing and then set about creating a normal night in. He drew her a bath, made a home cooked supper and cuddled with her on the couch without making any demands of her. Still raw from the events of the day it was these moments she appreciated the most.

It's not that she didn't want to tell Rhys what had happened it's just that…..it was so hard to explain to anyone who didn't live through it, impossible to get them to understand the sheer nature of it.

She manoeuvred herself out of bed carefully so as not to disturb him, padded to the kitchen and switched the kettle on.

Thinking back to that torn little family made her eyes water all over again, the devastation that thing caused had overwhelmed them all, and to think it had been caused by someone wanting revenge, someone they hadn't been able to track and that was a terrifying thought. It could all happen again and they would be just as unprepared as they'd been today.

Her mobile vibrated on the bench and broke her thoughts signalling a text message from Tosh.

Smiling, she sent back her reply, switched off the kettle and found some clean clothes in the laundry. Taking time to write a short good morning note to Rhys, she placed it on the nightstand beside him.

Looking down to the peaceful form of her husband she bent down and landed a soft kiss on his head. "I love you, you big idiot"

Snuffling slightly, a curious smile graced his lips and she smiled back before grabbing her bag and set off to face a new day.

Earlier

"Gwen, I need you to get a lock on Jack and then take the heavy artillery to him."

"What's going on Tosh?"

"The Golem, it's trying to get the father."

"I'm on my way."

Gwen had already started assembling the gun once she knew what they were up against, finally grateful for something to do other than sitting around on babysitting duties while her colleagues dealt with god knew what.

She thought about locking the SUV so the child was secure when Tosh emerged from the house dragging a small boy behind her.

"Get it to Jack, I'll take care of them Gwen, be careful."

"Ambulance is on its way Tosh."

She didn't wait for the reply and hurried off into the house, juggling the tracker in one hand while hauling the gun in the other. Following the signature on the PDA, she moved as silently as she could to the back of the house.

"Arghhh…NO!"

The scream was Ianto's and it came from upstairs as a deep growl drew her attention to a room to her right.

"Ianto?" she whispered into her Bluetooth.

"Ianto?"

There was no answer; he must have lost his comms in the struggle. Biting her lip, she carefully pushed forward to the source of the noise staring through a crack in the door. She could see the Golem's impossibly big hands wrapped around some legs dangling from a gaping hole in the ceiling. She could see Ianto had his arms wrapped around the father's torso, his face set in a grimace, his body practically shaking from the strain of the struggle. He needed help, and soon.

Juggling the gun against her hip, she glanced down to the PDA that was locked on Jack. The green dot across the screen was moving which meant one thing; Jack was back in the game. Blowing out a relieved sigh she hailed their leader, albeit in a whisper.

"Jack?"

"Gwen?"

He sounded strained; this must have been a violent one as he was always a little shaky when he first revived.

"Gwen report! Get me up to speed."

"I'm on my way to you, Tosh and Owen have the woman and boy outside and are calling for medical assistance."

"And the father? Ianto…."

"Ianto has him upstairs but that thing has them trapped, they need help. Ianto's comms are out, I'm outside the room now."

"That thing, you gotta know how to kill it, I know how we get rid of it."

"Yep already there, Jack. I've brought in the heavy artillery. Ianto thought removing the head should do it?"

"Trust him to know. That should do it, alright."

"Jack, I can get in there long enough to distra….."

A loud growl cut her words off, the Golem becoming impatient with its game.

"Shit! You got that gun ready Gwen?"

"Yes Jack."

"I'm on my way. Get in there and help Ianto."

"On it!"

She dropped the PDA and brought the gun up to a firing position. Without wasting anymore time, she kicked viciously at the door as it gave way, swinging violently off its hinges. Before the Golem had a chance to react she aimed carefully for its head, hesitating for a second.

"I can't hang on Gwen….SHOOT IT!" Ianto pleaded.

She squeezed the trigger, the bullet's cadence echoing around the room. In the same moment, the ceiling gave way causing Ianto and the man to crash heavily to the floor.

It was when she looked up into the eyes of the beast and then to its twisted smirk to see she had missed her target and couldn't help but think that this was it for all of them.