Chapter 3: Gwen & Rhys

Gwen arrived at home and heard the sound of the tv, good that meant Rhys was home.

"Rhys?" Gwen called from the hallway as she hung up her coat.

Gwen walked into the living room to find Rhys looking at photos from Torchwood and other random ones, and then he turned the page over... it was a picture of Owen & Tosh at the wedding.

That's when Gwen lost it, she just burst into tears.

"Gwen, what's up love?" Rhys asked getting up from the couch and practically running up to hug her.

"Rhys... it's... it's.." Gwen tried to say through the tears.

"Ssshhh... Gwen, just breathe love." Rhys said gently.

What would I do without Rhys, Gwen thought.

Rhys went back to the coffee table, closed the photo album, sat Gwen down on the couch and went to the kitchen to make her a coffee.

He then sat next to Gwen and put an arm around her.

He waited til she had calmed down then asked, "Gwen love, what's wrong?"

Gwen took a deep breath and began to tell Rhys what had happened.

"Today... two Torchwood members..."

Gwen took another breath, Rhys lifted up her chin and wiped away the tears that were forming in her eyes.

"Gwen, if it's too hard, then you don't have to tell me. Ok?"

Gwen knew Rhys felt her pain and she really wasn't sure if she wanted to tell him.

"No more secrets, Rhys." Gwen replied, she knew she had to tell him.

Rhys nodded.

"Today two Torchwood members died, I mean Owen was already dead but..."

Gwen received a confused look off Rhys.

"Look Owen died, from a bullet wound, Jack had this glove, a resurrection glove and he brought Owen back but Owen couldn't die after that. You follow me Rhys?"

Rhys nodded slightly and said, "So Jack brought Owen back to life with a glove & after that Owen was... immortal?"

"Yeah, anyway Owen died again &..."

Rhys interrupted her by saying, "Please tell me that handsome Captain Jack Harkness died as well."

Gwen gave him a dirty look.

"Rhys, not funny."

"Sorry love."

Rhys still had his arm around Gwen & realizing that this was an insensitive comment, he pulled her closer.

"Toshiko, or Tosh as we all called her, died too. Oh Rhys she was so lovely, if you'd have only talked to her properly."

Gwen started to cry.

"Oh Gwen, I wish I had got to know her properly, you told me so many wonderful things about her."

"Rhys I miss her... I miss them both. Owen was an ass sometimes but he was good at his job & he was also kinda sweet at other times."

Gwen was glad she had told him about Torchwood because at least she had someone to talk to at times like this.

"Gwen, about what I said about Jack, I really am sorry love."

Rhys didn't like Jack but he really didn't mean what he said & to prove it he pulled Gwen into himself as much as humanly possible and kissed her.

"What was that for, Rhys?"

"I don't like Jack, but I don't want him dead and the only reason I said it was coz he's the biggest pain in the arse I've ever met."

Gwen giggled.

"I think someone's jealous." She teased.

"WHAT?! Me, jealous of Jack bloody Harkness. I don't think so Gwen."

"Whatever Rhys!" Gwen looked up at him and giggled even more.

"Gwen!... Anyway moving on from Jack, I've made tea for us."

Gwen looked puzzled.

"You made tea? Rhys Williams what would I do without you?"

Rhys knew he couldn't change what had happened but he knew he could make Gwen feel better.

Rhys looked at Gwen and Gwen looked at Rhys & he knew exactly what he was going to do.

But Gwen beat him to it.

Gwen kissed Rhys for what felt like an eternity, like Rhys cared, no matter how many times Jack rung up Gwen for Torchwood, Gwen always came back to Rhys.

Not Jack, Rhys.

Then the kiss had stopped & Rhys realized that it had only been a minute or so.

"Gwen, let's eat. Ok?"

Rhys stood up & headed to the kitchen to grab the two plates of pasta bolognaise that were on the side cooling.

"Mmm... pasta bolognaise, smells delicious Rhys."

"Do you want a brew, love?" asked Rhys as he placed the two plates and two sets of knives & forks down on the coffee table.

"Cheers, that would be great love." replied Gwen, giving Rhys a smile.

Rhys stood next to the couch for a minute and said sweetly, "You should do that more often, love!"

Gwen just looked at Rhys and asked, "What?"

"Smile, especially at times like this."

Rhys gave her a smile, which made Gwen giggle so hard she nearly fell off the couch, luckily Rhys got there in time to catch her.

This made her laugh even more, so much so Rhys had to help her back onto the couch because she couldn't stand up.

"See what I mean Gwen, well try not to seem like a maniac next time."

Rhys heard the kettle boil & went back to making two cups of tea.

When Gwen had finally stopped laughing and got her breath back, she picked up a plate of pasta bolognaise and a knife & fork and dug in.

She had lost her appetite until about half an hour ago.

"Well I see you like it then." Rhys said, looking a little shocked.

"Is that for me?" asked Gwen looking at a cup of tea.

Rhys put a cup down in front of Gwen and replied, "Yes it is love."

"Cheers!" Gwen gave Rhys a smile.

"That better?!" Rhys just smirked.

"Sarcy bugger!" That was Rhys' reply.

They finished their meals & their drinks and curled up on the couch watching tv for a couple of hours.

Well, the TV was on but neither Gwen nor Rhys were watching it, they were too busy kissing, especially after what had happened today. Neither of them wanted the kissing to stop, and they especially didn't want to be alone.

Gwen got up, grabbed Rhys' hand and pulled him up from the couch. He knew exactly what she was doing and turned of the TV then followed Gwen to the bedroom.

They didn't want to sleep, not straight a way anyway, they just wanted to lie in each other's company thinking about what had happened to their lives in just 2 years.

A secret organisation, aliens/alien artefacts, friendships, cannibals, affairs, an ex Torchwood member gone mad with power over resurrecting the dead, a half-converted cyberwoman, lost people, life-saving ghosts, selfishness, a rogue time agent, WW 1 soldiers, Jack's past, Rhys' undercover job, a new member, loss and then resurrection of another member, a past travelling circus with evil members, a missing boy, another secret organisation, an explosion, disappearance of Jack, the death of two Torchwood members (one who was already dead) and an alien invaded wedding (Gwen & Rhys would never forget that! Bloody Torchwood!). A lot had happened in 2 years and Gwen & Rhys knew it was just the beginning. Gwen fell asleep first, exhausted by the day's events. Rhys stayed awake, just watching Gwen sleep, glad that she was sleeping.

Then soon Rhys drifted off but that didn't stop him from keeping hold of Gwen.