AN

Hey guys. Sorry this took me sooooooooooooooooo long to update but if we're being fair I've been seriously ill lately. I collapsed in my shower, wasn't good! Hahaha. Anywho I'll update faster now because I have been working on the next few chapters. Hope you like this one!

And I'm very sorry again.

Sash

Xx

Chapter Four – Meat

Jack looked across at Gwen with a loud sigh. The said woman turned around and raised an eyebrow at him. Pure poison was being shot in his direction through her eyes, but now that he thought about it, then he really couldn't blame her. It was his own fault that she was so mad at him, he shouldn't have kissed Ianto, he knew he shouldn't have and he was in the wrong. But he would die before he let her know that.
Gwen gave a soft snort when he stared at her blankly. This was how it had been since the episode a few days ago. Raging arguments had ensured in the hub, roping the rest of the team into their domestic. Of course they didn't know exactly what had transpired between the two of them but they had all guessed anyway.
Picking up the papers from Toshiko's desk he wandered over to her station with that he hoped was a calm expression. Gwen didn't look up from her screen at him. Hearing no objections from her he leaned over her shoulder and began reading what she was typing. It was a report of that day. It had been such a long day and he wanted nothing more than to just lay down, but work always came first.

"hows Rhys?" he asked casually.

"Fine" Gwen smiled a little. "considering what he's been through today. It was a lot for him to take in"

"You mean that his fiancée is an alien catcher?" Jack smiled at her. Gwen was still refusing to look at him. "or that he saw an alien for the first time, not to mention him getting shot because that has got to put a downer on anyones day-"

"Jack, why are you asking me this?" she suddenly asked. In one swift move she had jumped up from her seat and put a safe distance between the two of them. Jacks hot breath on her neck was making her shiver. "you don't care what happens to Rhys"

"No, Im just heartless. I don't have any feelings what so ever" he said sarcastically.

"You're finally getting the picture then?" she shot back. They stood glaring at each other for several long minutes before she sighed and rubbed her temples with one hand. "I don't understand you at all"

"I don't understand you either" he shook his head. "I still don't understand why your marrying someone you clearly don't love"

"I do love him!" she stepped forward in anger. "how can you even say that?"

"because I know you" he closed the gap between her. In an instant he had her trapped against the desk. Gwen shivered and he smiled a little. "I know you don't love him, you've given me enough evidence of that"

"oh really?" she sniped. "You don't know me at all"

"I do" he dropped his face into the crook of her neck. Inhaling her scent he closed his eyes and pushed forward despite the niggling feeling of invasion. "I know you like it when I kiss your neck, like this"

His lips met her soft skin with a fiery passion. Trailing burning kisses all the way down to her exposed shoulders he nipped gently at the skin. Gwen bit her lip to stop the moan working the way up her throat as Jacks hand roamed her back. One hand settled on her lower back, pulling her forward, while with the other he clasped the back of her neck. Tilting her head, he worked his way back up to kiss her jaw line.
The familiar feeling of warmth was spreading through her body like wild fire, engaging her in a battle of wills. This was wrong, this was so wrong. Rhys was her fiancé, she should be faithful to him. Especially now, but it was only one kiss. One kiss couldn't hurt, could it?
Suddenly Rhys' bright smile popped into her mind. Clenching her fists she grit her teeth against the heartache that was building. Grabbing his shoulders roughly she pushed him back. Jack stumbled backwards and looked up at her strangely. Putting a hand to her kiss swollen lips she took several ragged breaths before she could look at him with a steady vision.

"What the hell do you think your doing?" she demanded heatedly. "you cant just go around kissing people!"

"but you liked it" he said knowingly. "Tell me Gwen, why is this so wrong?"

"its wrong on so many levels!" she shook her head. "Im engaged Jack. Do you know what that means?"

"Of course I do!" he said, angry now. "but I know you don't love him, do you really expect me to stand by and watch you make the biggest mistake of your life?"

"jack" she shook her head. "stop it, we can't do this. Why don't you go back to Ianto, hes just begging for you to shag him!"

"You have no right to say that!" Jack spat.

"I have every right" she rolled her eyes. "Seen as you were trying to have both of us at the same time"

"That's not what I was doing, at all" he said in a quieter tone. "I'm sorry Gwen, I made a mistake and I've apologised for that. We can't go on like this forever"

"Oh, can't we?" Gwen asked in a threatening tone.

"Gwen" he took hold of her arm lightly. "I'm sorry okay. I didn't mean to hurt you"

"Well it did Jack" she shook her head "it hurt a lot and I don't think I can forgive you for that"

"I'm sorry" he apologised again. "believe me. I never meant to hurt you Gwen. That's the last thing I wanted to do"

Smiling she nodded slightly. Sighing a deep breath of relief he pulled her into him. Gwen didn't protest and as she wrapped her arms around him, he let his head drop into her hair. Smelling the sweet scent that was signature to the woman he was holding. Closing his eyes he stood there for several minutes before she finally spoke.

"We can't carry on like this" she said softly, her voice muffled against his chest.

"I know" he nodded. "the gang's noticed that there's something wrong with us"

"That's not what I meant" she murmured.

Jack drew back. "Gwen…do you love me?"

"what?" she asked.

"Do you love me?" he asked again.

Something flashed in her eyes. An emotion that he could name because its what he felt for her. Gwen knew he'd seen it too. Turning sharply away she shrugged off his comforting hands and hung her head.
Jack regarded her silently. Why couldn't she just give him a straight answer for once? Then again why did everything have to be so difficult, especially when it came to someone you care about. A special someone like Gwen. Nodding silently he moved away from her.

"You should go" he said softly. "Rhys will be worried about you. Especially now he knows what you do for a living"

"He understands" she replied just as quietly. "we talked about it and yes I told him about the retcon. Rhys agrees with me, he wants to remember everything and I know that he can keep our secret. So you don't have to worry about that"

"I'm not" Jack smiled. "Besides, if he gets out of line I'll pay him a visit"

Gwen smirked at him, knowing he was only joking. Giving him a single brief hig she lowered herself back into her seat. Tapping away at the keyboard she kept her eyes trained on the screen. However she did not miss the look of longing and pain that Jack was giving her. Finally he turned away.