Thanks to everyone for their reviews (and death threats I might add) including Jessa7, scousedancer, Diamondsshine4ever, Perfect Pirate Captain, MythStarBlackDragon, phoebemoon, starry eyed torchwood lover, kateg123, bad2wolf2mcgee, shadowxwolf, storm-fox8, Shadowhex, Xeelia, bakerstreetirregular, starlite1, Kazz the 13th, Itchigo, Pandora of Ithilien and Crash n Burn. Srry its so short anyways...


Chapter 13

"Where the hell is he?" Tosh cried, "I swear on my ancestors I am going to give him a piece of my mind when he gets in!"

"Tosh, Gwen just left and you're mad at him?" Ianto asked.

"It's his fault she left," she yelled angrily, "I should have foreseen this. I could practically sense how upset and troubled she was yesterday! And he, he just let's her swan off."

"But-" Ianto went to defend Jack, but Owen put a hand on his shoulder.

"Let her vent," Owen whispered.

"But-"

"Trust me, you don't want to endure the wrath of Tosh. It is not pretty. Take my advice."

"Geese, why can't he just tell her? Why?"

"Ask him yourself," Owen muttered as the Cog door rolled over.

Jack stepped through. He barely noticed his team as he headed straight for his office. Owen noticed Tosh's face getting more heated with anger as he continued crossing the room and as soon as he looked up to them Tosh gave out a cry and began to run straight for him. Owen had to jump and hold her back.

"Owen, let me go," Tosh growled as he held even tighter.

"Let her go. Tosh, you have a problem my office is just this way," Jack's authoritive tone boomed.

Owen released his grip on her and she marched her way into his office with him following behind. Normally Tosh wasn't one to argue, but Gwen was her friend and the two of them not doing anything when it was so obvious was bad enough, but this was the final straw!

"How can you let her go!" Tosh yelled.

"She chose to go," he said hanging up his coat.

"Yes, but you love her and don't look at me like that we all know! She was heartbroken and you're just going to let her run off."

Jack was fuming, but he didn't want to yell at Tosh. She didn't understand so when he spoke he spoke as calm as he could, "Tosh, I didn't make her leave. She left on her own. It's not my problem-"

"-Damn straight it is your problem!" Jack took a step back. He had never heard Tosh speak like this before let alone to him, "You want to know what your problem is Jack. You don't fight for her. You fight with her, you protect her, you die for her, but you are not willing to put up a fight for her. When she was going to marry Rhys, you were just going to let her marry Rhys. You let her get away with murder even though you know the consequences because you can't bear the thought that she might actually leave you over it. And now…she's left and you're just going to let her get away."

"Tosh, I can't afford to fight for her. I can't promise her all the things, the normal, happy who-ha life. I can't promise that I'll be here in the morning with a cup of coffee and the latest rift reading and she knows it. I have too much baggage that I don't want her carrying and when the times when I have to let her go…I just can't do it and I'd rather know that she is out there starting on that normal path and that she is happy."

"You really think she's happy? You think she wouldn't give up all those things just to be with you?"

"I know she would, but I don't want her to give up anything for me."

"Then I don't know who's the bigger fool, you or her."

Tosh began to pace. All of this was getting to her head. In truth it really was none of her business, and she knew that, but she couldn't just stand around and watch this fall out of place. No, strike that, the whole Jack and Gwen thing had become the entire team's business the minute they laid eyes on each other.

"So, that's it then?"

"Yeah, that's it," he confirmed taking a seat at his desk.

He began to look over some paperwork trying to ignore the incredulous look Tosh was giving him. She threw her hands in the air and left slamming the door behind her. Jack could hear her high pitched whispers as Owen tried to calm her down, but she wouldn't be had. She walked out the Cog door not daring to give anyone a second look.

Jack looked at Ianto and Owen who had just turned and looked away. He didn't want to be bothered. He had spent six hours just sitting in Gwen's abandoned apartment. The basis of where 

she lived her life, whether she was watching the telly or going to sleep. It was empty place of her memories now. She was just a memory now.

She deserved a life outside of all this, he just kept telling himself. She deserved so much better. It was for the best. Tosh couldn't find her anyway.

Ianto dropped the papers on Jack's desk rather loudly awaking Jack from his focused thoughts of paperwork and reflection.

"Tosh left these. She was able to break through the lock about two hours ago and found Gwen's location. Gwen never was too computer savvy, was she," Ianto said, "Anyways , in case-"

Ianto was cut off with Jack taking the papers and shoving them into the wastebasket. He glared at the younger man who took it as a sign to leave. Jack watched as he pulled on his coat and Owen followed him out the Cog door.

Even if Jack did find her he knew he wouldn't be able to forgive her. Not for something like this. She left him, deserted him even though she knew how much he needed her. But what about how much she needed you, a voice in his head asked. He tried to shut it out.

"You don't fight for her."

Tosh's words echoed in his ears as he stared out in front of him. The Hub was empty. The place seemed tighter and he felt claustrophobic. He stood up leaning against the doorway of his office. His arms crossed. He looked to Gwen's deserted desk.

He could feel a void forming within him. His heart was breaking. He just wanted to fall to the floor and curse everything around him. You don't fight for her, you don't fight for her… On the rooftop after Rhys' death.

"True. That is what Torchwood fights for, but what do you fight for Captain Jack Harkness?"

"I fight to protect people like you," he had replied.

He fought to protect her, but he didn't fight for her. He sighed. But what if he did this time. Hopeful thought, but what of he did. For once in his fucked up life, what if he made the effort.

No, he argued, but could he really do this. Could he go every day without a smile from her face when he knew he didn't have to? Fight for her, just this time.

Jack turned back in his office and pulled the papers he had flung into the wastebasket out. She was on a bus. CCTV picture just barely capturing her face behind a hoodie. He grabbed his great coat and climbed on to the lift. As his form appeared in front of the Millenium Centre Ianto, Owen and Tosh's forms were standing in front of the SUV all grinning at him.

"Well, it's about time," Ianto said.

"Owen , you owe me," Tosh said as Owen pulled out some money from his pocket and put it in her hand, "If you break the speed limit you should be able to meet her at the bus stop. Now,go get her."

Owen threw Jack the keys and he smiled at his team. He hopped in, tires screeching the street, the smell of rubber as he sped off into the distance.