AN

Hello again! This is 'To the Last Man'. I had a bit of trouble with this because of the fact that Jack snog's Ianto grrrr

But I think it went alright.

Happy Reading.

Sash

Xx

Chapter Three – To the Last Man

Gwen let a loud sigh escape her lips. Toshiko didn't move, she just sat staring at the wall as though she had never seen it before. In her hands was the black Jacket she had bought Thomas a few days ago.
Owen was sat in front of her, clutching a cup of coffee that Ianto had brought a few moments ago. Toshiko's own cup was left steaming and abandoned to one side. Looking at her Gwen felt her heart twist, usually Toshiko was the one who always remained in control. The Japanese woman was adept at hiding her emotions, she could handle anything…but this…she wasn't handling it at all.
Moving forward into the boardroom she jerked her head at Owen. Understanding the signal he pushed back his chair and left the room. Sitting down in his vacant seat Gwen clasped her hands in front of her.

"Tosh" she said quietly. The woman didn't move. "Listen…I know you don't really want to talk to us but…I just wanted you to know that it's not your fault"

Toshiko finally moved. Lifting her head she glared straight at Gwen. "You don't know that"

"I do" Gwen smiled, reaching forward she clasped the older woman's hand. "It's not your fault, in the end the decision was his"

"But I forced him to make it!" Toshiko cried.

"No you didn't" Gwen shook her head. "NAME could easily have walked away but he didn't. Thomas did it to save all of us, to save you. Can't you see that?"

"I just keep wondering if I'd have done things differently in the past. We could have at least had some time together" Toshiko said quietly. "It all keeps going around in my head. What he said to me and what we did"

Gwen smiled sympathetically. "People in love do strange things Tosh"

"What do you mean?" Toshiko asked.

"It doesn't matter" Gwen shook her head. "What matters is that he loved you, and he wouldn't have done anything for you."

"I don't know" Toshiko shook her head. "At least…at least he remembered me. In the end"

"How could he forget you?" Gwen asked smiling. "He won't ever forget you Tosh; he won't forget the time you two had."

"You don't understand" Toshiko replied. "Tom is shot for cowardice. Two weeks after he leaves the hospital. He was only shell shocked but they shoot him anyway"

Tears were running fast and thick down her face. Looking at the table she let go of Gwen's hands and clutched the material again. The grip was brutal and strong, as though she didn't want to let it go.
Gwen sighed again; she didn't know that, none of them did. If it was her, she wouldn't be able to send him through, knowing that he was going to die. Toshiko had made an extremely brave and difficult choice.

"How do you know this?" Gwen asked.

"Jack told me"

"Jack's been wrong before" Gwen smiled. "Go home Tosh. Get some rest. Everything's going to be fine. Thomas chose to leave and I know that hurts sweetheart but you've got to accept it. He wouldn't have wanted you to be upset like this"

"I know" Toshiko sighed. "But I just wish things had gone different. I wish I'd have acted differently"

"How?" Gwen asked. "There's no way you could have known what was going to happen"

"I don't know" Toshiko sniffed. "I should have listened to what my heart was telling me. Rather than get so committed to my work and to everything else. Its funny isn't it, what we ignore. But I guess that's TORCHWOOD, that's the price of working here. Doing what we do"

"I don't think its just TORCHWOOD Tosh" Gwen said softly. Speaking of something else.

"Goodnight Gwen" Toshiko got to her feet. "And thanks"

Gwen nodded. Smiling a little Toshiko picked up the jacket and departed. A strange air of depression hung in the boardroom. As though it had soaked up Toshiko's emotions and was still relaying them back even though she had left.

Sitting back in her seat she thought about what Toshiko had said. 'I should have listened to what my heart was telling me'. That more than anything else struck Gwen. Were she and Jack that different? Both feeling something but unable to act upon it.
As soon as she said it she knew it wasn't true. They weren't the same as Toshiko and Thomas at all. They were completely different. Sure there was always that possibility that Jack was going to disappear, but at least he'd be able to come back if he did. Tom was lost to Toshiko now; they wouldn't be able to see each other again.
Besides, if she really wanted to be with Jack then she could. It was possible for them to be actually happy together. Even Gwen could see that. The trouble was that she was already taken. In the cliff notes version of things Rhys had got there first. Jack had been too slow and now he was paying, but so was she.
Totally different.

"You look deep in thought"

Gwen jumped visibly and then mentally slapped herself. It was only Jack; he smirked at her as he wandered into the room. Picking up some papers he idly flipped through them before taking a seat.

"So what's up?"

"Nothing" Gwen said. "I'm just worried about Tosh; she's really distraught about this. Maybe we shouldn't have asked her to do it after all"

"There was nothing else we could have done" Jack sat forward, resting his elbows on the table. "Historically this has already happened. The TORCHWOOD in the past knew that she would help him to go through. If we changed what has already happened then the consequences would be disastrous"

"I know, I know. It would rip a whole in the fabric of reality or something"

"More like something" Jack smiled.

"Listen-"they both said at the same time. Grinning foolishly they looked down at the table.

"I'd better go" she stood. "Rhys will be wondering where I am"

"Good old Rhys" Jack said tartly.

"Jack-"

"I can't help it" he stood. "After what's happened today with Tosh and Thomas, I can't stop thinking about you"

"Jack" she pleaded as he moved closer to her. "Please don't"

"Gwen" he said softly. Tracing the line of her jaw with his hand he smiled. "Stay. Just for a little while, stay"

"Okay" she nodded. "I'll stay but just for a while"

Jack smiled. Resting his head against hers he took a deep breath. Gwen wrapped her arms around him, pulling him closer to her as she raised herself up onto the balls of her feet.
Then they were kissing, passionately, sweetly. Jack groaned slightly against hers lips, aching to do so much more. Gwen had initiated the kiss that he had been dying for ever since that first night, he had to go slow. Wrapping his own arms around her, he crushed his lips to hers. Running a hand through her hair he felt her body react, arching against him as she pushed her body against his.
Stumbling backwards she was vaguely aware that Jack was sliding her onto the desk behind them. Hands seized hold of her thighs, wrapping them around his waist so he could push himself closer to her.
Gwen closed her eyes and revelled in the pleasure that was running through her body. Sparking other feelings she never knew she could feel. Still they were kissing. The heat and passion was making the room spin faster and faster and faster.

"JACK!"

The spinning abruptly stopped. Breathless, Jack pulled away from her. Gwen swayed forward trying to prolong the touch. Mewling at her sudden loss of warmth she managed to open her lusty eyes, as soon as she realised who was stood there she gulped.

"Ianto!" Jack growled.

"What…what are you doing here?" Gwen asked, sliding off the table.

"I came down to check on Toshiko" he snarled at her. "Instead I find the both of you practically sleeping together on a table!"

"We had clothes on" Jack grinned.

"Jack!" she frowned.

"What?" he asked innocently.

"Jack, what the hell are you playing at?" Ianto demanded. "You can't just string both of us along like this. If I mean nothing to you then just say so now because…"

"Hang on; what are you talking about Ianto?" Gwen asked.

"He hasn't told you?" Ianto asked. "Why doesn't that surprise me?"

"Jack?" she asked.

"Well…I sort of…" he let out a breath. "I sort of kissed him-"

"WHAT!" she yelled.

"Well quite a few times actually"

Rolling her eyes she snatched her jacket from the back of the chair. Shrugging into it she flicked her hair out of the collar. The lust that had racked her body before was now replaced by a pure and undiluted anger, aimed directly at Jack.
How could she have let her guard down and start believeing on the crap he was spouting off! Not only had she snogged his face of she had actually started forming a plan in her mind. The excuses to Rhys why she hadn't come home that night, it was an alien at work, totally out of hand. Was she shagging Jack? Yes, but she wouldn't have told Rhys that.

"You are unbelievable" she shook her head. Glaring at him now "Unbelievable and I actually, argh!"

"Gwen" Jack went after her. Ianto stepped out in front of him. Hands in his pockets and looking extremely angry. "Move out of my way Ianto"

"I think you should leave her alone" Ianto said calmly.

"Why, because your jealous?" Jack demanded.

"No" Ianto replied. "Because I don't think she's going to want to talk to you"

"Get out of my way Ianto!" Jack commanded.

Frowning Ianto stepped aside. Jack nodded and then stormed past him. Breaking into a run he shot down the corridor and into the main part of the hub. The cog door rolled closed and he hammered the button until it re-opened.
Pulling open the door to the stairs he sprinted up them, ignoring the pain that was beginning to burn in his chest. Dashing out of the small shop Ianto held he caught sight of Gwen at the end of the walkway.

"Gwen wait!" he yelled. Running after her he caught her arm. "Listen to me"

"Get off me Jack" she pulled her arm away. Walking faster she refused to acknowledge him.

"Will you at least let me explain?" he asked.

"Why should I?" she rounded on him. "After all your little speeches and everything else you were shagging Ianto!"

"I was not shagging Ianto" Jack scowled. "I just kissed him, there's a difference"

"Is there?!" she asked. "Because I can't see one"

"Gwen please"

"NO!" she yelled. "Toshiko said something to me earlier that made me stop and think. I actually thought I might be doing the wrong thing marrying Rhys. I actually believed you!"

"Gwen" he reached for her.

"Just leave me alone Jack. I'm going home. To Rhys"

That stung. Blinking he let his arm drop back to his side. Totally stunned he couldn't say anything for a moment. Then what she had said washed over him. Shoving his hands into his pockets he stared back at her moodily.

"Fine!" he finally snapped back. "I made a mistake, I admit that. You've made plenty of them in the past. If you want to go and make the biggest mistake of your life then fine!"

Something snapped in her and she lashed out. True to her aim, her fist hit his face with a slamming force. Grunting in pain he put a hand to his nose, it came away red, covered in blood.
With one last filthy look at him she straightened her jack and stormed away. Shaking his head in disbelieve he wiped the blood from his nose with the back of his sleeve and walked in the opposite direction.