AN

Okay, heres the second instalment. I'm a little behind with the episodes as you can see. But the third episode should be up in a couple of days.

Hope you like it :P

Sash.

Sleepers

Jack sighed loudly and put his hands behind his head. Leaning back in his chair he looked at the screen with Beth on it. They would have to tell her what she really was. However, he wasn't any good at these things. Usually he just put everything in a careful, yet blunt manner. This kind of thing needed sympathy.
When Gwen had first joined TORCHWOOD he had given her the title of human resources. This fit her job description perfectly, but ever since he had kissed her, she refused to be in the same room as him, unless there was somebody else present.
Standing he pushed his chair back under the table. It wouldn't do, she would have to tell Beth, it was Gwen's job after all.

"Gwen with me"

"I have to-" she began.

"Now" he commanded.

The uneasy look on her face was not missed by the others around the table. Owen took a step towards them both but she shook her head before following out the door. Owen sat back down with a sour look on his face, true they were no longer sleeping together but it still stung when she snubbed him like that.

"What the hell was that?" Gwen asked heatedly.

"What was what?"

"Ordering me about like that" she snapped.

"In case you hadn't noticed we have a job to do" he told her seriously. "So get over it"

"Jack-" she frowned. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Nothing" he shook his head. This was neither the time or the place to get into their little snogging session. Like he said, they had a job to do. But if the opportunity arose to speak to her about it, then why shouldnt he? "Now I want you to tell her exactly what happened to her-"

"Why me?"

"Because she trusts you" he explained calmly.

"but you know all about these Sleepers" Gwen frowned. "I don't"

"That wasn't my only reason" he said softly, taking a deep breathe to calm his nerves. Why did she make his heart race by just standing next to him?

"Well then why else am I here?" she asked loudly. Anger tinting her usually docile tone.

Jack looked at her strangely, she wasn't supposed to have heard that. Stopping he crossed his arms in his usual stance. Regarding her silently for a moment he saw the confusion in her eyes, and the anger that was lining her face. Gwen was one of those people who didnt take being reprimanded in front of other people very well. By yelling at her he had sparked something in her. An anger that she didnt usualy show. 'Bloody women' he thought.

"I want to know why you've been avoiding me" he said simply. "Ever since we kissed you havent even looked at me. Everytime we're in the same room you run out as though you've forgotten an urgent appointment or something. You've been ignoring me"

"I haven't" she continued walking, avoiding his eyes.

"Yes you have"

"No, I haven't"

"Yes you have"

"No I haven't" she shook her head. Jack raised his eyebrows at her. "Well maybe just a little bit"

Descending down some stairs they emerged into the area that led to the cells. It was cold and dark. Through the cell door they could hear Beth crying, then over that they heard the sudden cry of a weevil. Beth called out for someone and Gwen went to pull open the door. Gritting his teeth he slapped his hand on the door and slammed it shut. Gwen looked at him furiously but he simply smiled.

"Why are you scared to be in the same room as me"

"I'm not" she tugged at the door.

"Oh you are" he grinned. "What's the matter don't trust yourself?"

"Yes…no" she scowled darkly at him. Jack smiled warmly at her and she felt the scowl melt away into a smile that said everything. Jack was far too close, he was eyeing her with the same interest he had the other day. Closing her eyes she steadied her breathing. When she opened them she realised he had come closer, she could feel his breath on her face.

"Don't Jack" she begged.

"Why are you pushing me away like this Gwen?" he asked. "We both feel-"

"Yes" she answered instantly. "God yes, but I can't Jack"

"Why not?"

"Me and Rhys we're-" she began. Frowning as she tried to explain. Why couldnt he just understand that they couldnt be together? It would complicate everything, maybe if he had said this, done this, before then she probably would have. But now, everything was totally different.

"You and Rhys?" he repeated mockingly. "You don't love him Gwen"

"yes I do" she fidgeted as she said it.

"No you don't" he told her. "Maybe once…but not now. Not after everything we've been through together"

"Jack you're my boss for god's sake!" she stepped away from the door. Throwing her arms up in anger.

"So?" he shrugged. "That doesn't make any difference"

"Yes, it does!" she said angrily.

Making a scathing noise she turned away from him. Concentrating on the wall to try and get her anger under control, if she blew up at Jack then they would be arguing all day. A creaking noise echoed behind her and she span around. Jack had pulled open the door and he was waiting patiently. As their eyes met he gestured her through it. Clearly telling her to get back to work. Storming forwards she slammed the door shut again. Jack raised his brow and dug his hands into his pockets.

"No, it doesn't make any difference. What makes a difference is that I've made a commitment. If your not human enough to see that then tell me now Jack."

Jack remained silent and stared at her impassively. Stepping back from the door she shook her head again. There was one thing she couldn't understand, and that was why he was being so persistent. There had always been something between them, he had just never acted on it. God, her first day at work she had actually kissed him! Jack was bound to remember that, but then she also remembered what Toshiko had said. 'he'll shag anything as long as its gorgeous enough'
Gwen didn't think of herself as goreous. Rhys always said she was, but she was like every other girl; sometimes she thought she was the ugliest woman in the world. On a good day she would call herself pretty, but she had never thought she was gorgeous. So why was Jack doing it if he wasnt playing around like he normally did?

"Why are you doing this to me?" she asked. "Why now?"

"Because I missed out on so much" he said passionately, stepping towards her. "While I was gone all I could think about was being back here"

"So why didn't you come back earlier? eh? why wont you tell us where you went?"

"I couldn't" he shook his head. "It's too long and complicated to explain. I came back as soon as I could. You have to believe that I came back for everyone here. I came back for you"

Shrugging his hand off her shoulder she opened the door again. Sighing heavily he followed her through into the room beyond. Catching her arm he pulled her towards her.

"Gwen…I won't give up on this" he warned her.

"I know" she nodded. A small smile illuminated her features. "but right now…we have work to do"

The room span suddenly as he sat abruptly up in his chair. It creaked loudly and echoed in his new office, seemingly too loud in his sleep clogged hearing. Blinking the sleep from his eyes he leaned against the desk and rubbed his face.
What a day it had been. After saving the world yet again he had been stabbed by one of the sleeper's blades and almost blown up. Beth was turning out to be more hassle than he anticipated. As soon as he thought that he winced. Beth had been shot down by a firing squad mere hours ago. A firing squad that consisted of almost the entire TORCHWOOD team.
Beth's broken blade lay on the desk in front of him, catching the light. Rubbing his eyes once more he let out a long breath and picked it up. Sleepers…they were so useful to their masters yet so difficult to locate. Using Beth's DNA he hoped Toshiko could write a computer programme to see if there were any more Sleepers out there. As soon as he located them all, the better the human race would be.
Turning the blade over in his hands he considered the implications. Before any solid conclusion had begun to form footsteps approached. Setting it back down, he sat back and put his feet up on the desk. Gwen smiled a little as she entered. Obviously upset by the death of Beth.

"Do you think we stopped it?" she asked. The Sleepers had gathered so much Intel while they were here, it was a question all of the team had been too afraid to ask. For all they knew, the information gathered would be enough.

"Maybe. Maybe we just put it off for a while. I dunno." he shrugged a little. "we don't know anything"

"We know plenty" she said. "We know about the implant. We can disable their force-field, we know how they attack. We know that they can be killed. And when they think they have the element of surprise, we know they haven't, but until that day we just keep doing what we do"

"oh, them be fighting words they be Gwen" he said in a strong pirate accent.

Gwen smiled broadly and he laughed at her expression. Gwen laughed in response and gave him a loving and tender look. They stared at each other for an incomprensible minute, and he knew she wanted to say something to him. Something that should remain unsaid.

"So have you set a date yet?" he broke the silence with a sensible question.

"Oh, don't get me started" she rolled her eyes. "I've already had my mum have a go. 'What about the local church Gwen? Its ever so lovely'"

Wishing he had never said anything her took a deep breath. "Go home" he gestured to the door. Gwen smiled at him and nodded. "Keep doing what we do"

Gwen didn't have to ask what he meant. Those words he had said to her that very first day of work hung in the air. 'Do me a favour. Don't let the job consume you. For me' Inclining her head in respect she bid him goodnight and turned away. Picking the blade back up he stared at it carefully, but he couldn't concentrate. Gwen's face kept swimming to the front of his mind.

"Jack" she said.

Shocked he dropped the blade. Gwen was standing half hidden in the shadows. Moving forward she put her palms on the table and leaned closer to him. After several long and tense moments, where she just bit her lip and said nothing, Jack finally asked her what was wrong.

"I have to do something" she said in an awkward tone.

"Oh?"

"We nearly died today Jack" she commented.

"Well…you did. I'm not so sure about me" he smiled. "and you just had to tell me that?"

"No" she stood. "I just wanted to say I'm sorry"

"Oh?" he said again. A slight smile on his face.

"about…well about earlier" she said emotionally. "About everything really. This thing between us Jack…"

"So there is a thing" Jack sat a little straighter. Gwen has actually admitted there was something between them, that was a start. If there was a start then he was certaing there would be an ending. "its not just me?"

"Its not just you" she smiled a little then. "But its not fair Jack, on either of us."

"So where does this leave us?" Jack asked. "What do we do now? Because I don't have any idea. I know a lot Gwen, too much. But situations like these…I have no idea what I'm doing"

"I don't know either" she replied honestly. "Goodnight Jack"

"Gwen!" Jack jumped up from his seat. Gwen didnt reply so he shot to the door, banging into the edge of his desk as he did so. The cog door rolled behind the office door and he pulled it open. Calling her name again she stopped and turned, already halfway out of the base. Slowing to a stop he gulped and stowed his hands away into his pockets.

"Yes?" she asked.

"I meant what I said earlier…I'm not giving up".

hoped you liked it,

Sorry if the flashback was a bit confusing. I really didnt know how else to write it.

Thanks for reviewing!