A/N: I'm sorry for the really infrequent updates to all of my stories, but real life just has to take a priority. Also I apologise for this not being beta read, but my beta is not well and I do not wish to give her more things to do. Hope is not too bad and could be read without being beta-ed.
It was 17:45 at the Cardiff Castle, well it was the same time all over Cardiff, or at least it should have been, but Bryant Evans had heard some strange stories about the Castle being with a couple of minutes behind of the rest of Wales. Of course it was a big load of bullshit that the Cardiff Tourist Office sprout, in Bryant humble opinion, just to attract tourists, but when you are a guard you hear some strange things. Especially when you do night shifts, he was sure that once he had seen something that wasn't really a student prank but no one would have believed him. Even if he told them about the tall stranger with the flashy smile and swishy coat, despite the fact that Torchwood was a very public secret. Still no one knew what they really did, only that they showed when something 'spooky do' like, in the words of his cousin Andy, happened.
Bryant looked at his watch again and wondered if he should go and do one last patrol of the Castle's premises. His shift was ending in fifteen minutes and he really hoped that the night shift would come for once on time because he had promised his daughter to go to her school concert this time. It was his last chance to show to his ex-wife and his daughter, who soon would graduate from secondary school and most likely go to a college out of Cardiff, that he had changed. He wasn't the loser he used to be when he had his drinking problem and he had managed to keep this job for over six months now, the last step was to show them that he could keep his word and go to the concert as promised. He had been clean off alcohol for over a year, and the fact that Andy had found him this job had turned his life around in the right direction again, all he needed was the trust of his family back.
17:55 and his colleague of the night shift still wasn't here, Bryant growled frustrated knowing that the boy would be late again and he would most likely be late to his daughter's concert. Hopefully the boy wouldn't be late with more than a few minutes and he would still be able to make it to the school by six-thirty when the concert begins. Just in time is better than nothing. Hopefully the boy wouldn't be late with more than a few minutes and he would still be able to make it to the school by six-thirty when the concert begins. Just in time is better than nothing. He wished he could tell the boy off, or at least complain to the office but he didn't dare risk his job, because he was aware how hard it was to find a job, and especially with his record of drunk driving and other minor offences, for which even having a relative in the nick didn't help him. So Bryant kept his head down and gritted his teeth tight when a boy half his age came late to work, hungover, or bossed him around.
A strange sound coming from behind one of the locked doors of the Castle made his decision about the last round of the castle. He didn't want to be late, but he was there to work and he had to do his work. It could have been just an animal, but he couldn't risk it being something else. Gripping his torch more as a weapon than to illuminate his way he approached the door silently. Bryant really hoped that he wouldn't have to do anything than shoo some stray fox away, because he wasn't trained in any combat and he wasn't a hero, despite him being a security this job was supposed to be a nice and safe one. Nearing the door he could hear some really old fashioned music, the kind of which he was sure he had heard only in his ex-wife's Medieval period movies. The hope of it being as easy and kicking a fox out flew right out the window and his guts tightened with fear. Bryant was almost ready to take out his mobile and call Andy and his colleagues in the police when he neared the window and looked through it; there was nothing in the room, just the dark and some dusty furniture. Sighing heavily and giving a self- deprecating huff, then straightened and tried the handle of the door. All these spooky stories had started to play on his imagination and the fact that it was in the middle of October and at this time was already dark didn't help.
He looked at his watch, 18:00, and the night shift still wasn't here, so he wasn't going to make it to his daughter's school, but at least his interest was picked now. The door give in and Bryant wondered why haven't he noticed that he didn't lock it on his closing round. Stepping inside the room was as if going through the wardrobe into Narnia. He span hurriedly around shocked by the sudden noise, brilliant candlelight and swirling colourful gowns and clacks. Dancing, heavy powdered bodies bumped at him and women with beehive like hair and rough cheeks pouted at him, while their dancing partners gave him dark looks for daring to stay in their ways. Feeling panicked and claustrophobic, Bryant ran out the door breathing heavily. Only after he leaned on the wall outside and caught his breath he realised that he was the guard of that place and should have done something. Gripping his torchlight determinedly and switching it on, he made his way inside with the idea of breaking this silly students joke, that now that he calmed down was almost obvious that the boy of the night shift had to had made for him. Why would have he been late exactly today, when all this happened. Bryant was furious because he was sure that he told the boy about his daughter's performance this evening, so why did he had to do this now? Maybe any other day and could have even seen the joke in it. The room was quiet, dark and absolutely inconspicuous. Something that didn't help calm him any, after all the pandemonium he would have been much more reassured if he found the dancing couples and had to shout his way through them. Starting to breathe heavily again, Bryant shone his torch around the room with nervous jerking movements. His hands were shaking uncontrollably and he could feel the sticky feeling of perspiration covering his back and running down his neck in a thin cold sheet.
Nothing changed in the room but he could hear the rustle of clothing behind him, turning around he couldn't see anything, the space behind him was as dark and lifeless as the room Bryant was in.
Gwen ran all the way to her apartment building and stopped at the entrance, looking up at the building. It didn't seem to have sustained too much of a damage on the façade, but she knew that her bathroom at least was ruined, or so Rhys had let her know, very vocally. She waited a bit to catch her breath and not let Rhys know that she had run worried for him the moment he sent a message. He might start getting ideas.
After leaning on the brick wall and taking a deep, steady breath she straightened her appearance and put the key in the door. Gwen was surprised to see her hand shaking and the key missing the keyhole. She knew that Rhys must be ok since he had texted her, and then called her to rant about the apartment, still she worried that she would find him hurt. Finally opening the door and entering she made a dash on the stairs not caring anymore if it will give Rhys any ideas about her being too needy, she just needed to reach him and see for herself. Before she could even try to open the door, it flew open and she was enveloped in a tight hug with face full of cotton shirt and a handful of Rhys.
"You are alright, pet!" Rhys exclaimed happily tightening his hold on her further.
Gwen spluttered and tried to pull herself off, but it only served to make Rhys squeeze. When she finally managed to wriggle her hands between the two of them and push away from Rhys' chest, although still securely held in his arms, Rhys looked at her questioningly.
"Not that I don't appreciate a snuggle with you, love, but I need to breath you know," she said grinning at him showing the full brilliance of the tooth gap in her smile. "'Course I'm alright, you called me just a few minutes ago. You are the one that I was worried about."
She pulled off and hit him playfully on the arm. Gwen looked around the room with trepidation of what she was going to see, expecting upturned furniture and smaller or smashed objects splattered all over the place, however, the place didn't look all that bad. There was the damage to the kitchen window, which Rhys had informed her about, she could see it through the open plan living room. The whole glass plate was gone and Rhys had very skilfully replaced it with cartoon boxes. She had to smile despite the fact that it was going to cost them a fortune and had evidently pissed Rhys enough that he had called her.
"Of course I was worried," Rhys said sounding a bit irritated. "We never get earthquakes in Cardiff, maybe a few weeks ago I was gonna believe this, but not now. I was sure it was one of yours. Ya know some alien or something, or that Captain Flash of yours."
Gwen's grin became even wilder despite the situation and the fact that she was yet to see the supposedly ruined bathroom. Rhys had found about aliens a few weeks ago and instead of running away screaming the first time something strange happens and he isn't around Torchwood, he worried about her and rants about Jack. Bless him.
"What are you smilin' at?" Rhys admonished trying to stay stern but she could see a smile creeping over his lips.
"You," Gwen said keeping the smile on and hitting her fiancé playfully on his arm. "I better do that before I see the bathroom."
That was the sobering moment remaining them that she had just left work not because she just couldn't wait to see him and kiss him hello, she needed to assess the damage. At least the worry about Rhys, that was the reason behind her mad dash at home, was out of the way now with him standing in front of her and looking pretty annoyed.
"Yeah, the bathroom 's ruined, and who is going to have to take days off and work on it?" Rhys stared on one of his patented rants. Instead of chastising her, Gwen's grin grew in volume and she tried to stifle a snigger. Rhys the rant, indeed. Oh, how she loved him.
"You are doin' it again, Gwen," he huffed at her sounding something in between annoyed, resigned and amused.
Gwen's only answer was to grab his shirt in her fists and pull him into a passionate kiss.
"Shut up," she said grinning when they brock up the kiss for the need of air. "Don't ever let me forget how much I love you. We will work it out, is just the bathroom."
"Jus' the bathroom?" Rhys prepared himself for another complain, but the grin on his fiancé's face stopped him with his mouth hanging open; before giving in and placing one more sound kiss on her lips. It was so rare to see her gazing at him so adoringly and grinning genuinely happy ever since she left the police, so Rhys just couldn't help but go along with what she wished to do at moments like this.
"Do you want some lunch before heading back to Captain America and saving the world?" Rhys asked her over his shoulders while making his way towards the kitchen.
Still grinning happily, Gwen nodded, and then remembered that Rhys was turned with his back to her and couldn't see her.
"I'd love to," she shouted in answer and followed him taking a bottle of wine from the liquor shelf and two glasses from the kitchen.
She found Rhys dishing out shepherd's pie that smelled divine, and once again counted her lucky stars and decided that she was a blessed girl. She helped him put the plates and glasses on the table and opened the wine.
"Are you sure you should be drinking this? You are technically still on duty, love," Rhys commented pointing at the bottle with his fork, but didn't look like he was going to protest too much on having a nice lunch and a glass with her. Gwen just smiled but didn't grace his question with an answer, they both knew that she shouldn't, but they also both knew that when Gwen's rebellious streak was at work not amount of reasoning would work. And by the look of it, she had an argument with her boss and now was going to rebel, even if it was just a little petty thing like having a small glass of wine.
"I've talked to Banana Boat and decided on him as a best man for the wedding," Rhys said effectively changing the subject to something more private and pleasant to him than Gwen's job and boss.
"Banana Boat?" Gwen spluttered and put her fork in the plate hastily to grab the glass with wine and flash the food that was threatening to chock her stuck in her throat. "No, way! The God sent to any single woman in Cardiff?" Rhys could hear the quote marks in Gwen's words perfectly clear. "Don't you have any better option?"
Rhys shrugged, knowing his friends; Banana Boat was really the least evil. Whoever else he would propose to be his best man, Gwen would have something to say about.
"Well, there is always Fat Johnny, or Stuttering Phil, or maybe Drunken Dave? Pick any one of them then. "
Gwen looked with horror at Rhys and then just burst laughing needing another large gulp of wine the wash more dangerous food down her throat before it got stuck there. She knew that she shouldn't discuss matter like this with Rhys over a meal, but they had hardly had a time to talk for an extend amount of time otherwise.
"Yeah, maybe you are right. Banana Boat is the least worse man," she said grinning.
"Yeah, 'e is. An' 's not like Margaret 's any better as bride's -mate of honour. If you don't remember she used to date Banana Boat."
"Yes, an' she is going to regretted it for life." Gwen shook her head and took another mouthful of shepherd's pie, washing it down with the wine. There was a moment in which felt a bit guilty for drinking while on duty, but she was at home, and lately Jack was making her feel as if she was on duty all the time. She needed to feel normal at her home.
She looked briefly at her finger framed by the diamond ring and wondered if she was going to regret her choices later the same way as Margaret? She made her choice, because really who else was there when Jack was away, but now she wasn't sure that it was the right one. When she saw the look on Jack's face the moment he spotted the ring. Gwen was sure that there was a moment in which she could have given him a chance, if only he had asked her out. Instead, he had complimented her on her engagement and she had to keep believing that she was content with her choice.
She lifted her head, and noticed that Rhys was talking about something, but she hadn't heard a word of it. Luckily, Rhys hadn't noticed her faraway look either and was going on and on about whatever he was talking about. Either that, or he was becoming really good at pretending that he didn't notice his fiancé not paying him attention and daydreaming about more exciting things than a lunch at home.
Gwen's phone beeped on the table alerting her to the fact that Torchwood once again needed her, and Jack Harkness wasn't going to wait for her to finish her domestic meal before dragging her off around the city chasing after monsters.
She jumped from the table and grabbed her leather jacket, giving Rhys a hurried kiss.
"I'm sorry, but I've got to go. Love you."
"One day, Gwen, one day, you will come back and I won't be here. Then you will notice that there is more than work in your life."
Her face fell but she didn't dare turning around because if she did, she wasn't sure that she could leave the place. And despite her feelings and regrets Torchwood needed her. With one last whispered, 'Sorry,' Gwen dashed down the stairs and cursed her earlier decision not to use the car coming to the apartment.
It was drizzling outside so she pulled her jacket on and snuggled into it. Ianto kept on telling her that this jacket wasn't suitable for all weather purposes especially in the rainy October days, however, she was not going to part with it too easily. It snuggled the curves of her upper body in just the right way and she could see it in the eyes of her male colleagues. Even in Ianto's gaze however much he tried to look impartial to her looks. She smiled and lifted her head up letting a few tiny rain drops to fall on her face. The rain was cold but not stinging, and it wasn't that heavy either, she thought that she might just be able to make it to the Hub before it starts to fall heavily.
Her phone beeped urgently again, and she discovered an address into the message, apparently Jack had taken the team out to the scene before Gwen could come back. The address was of a pub called 'The Dragon', just off the Wyeverne Road. So, not a quick dash to the Hub before it had started raining then, she stepped out and ran quickly to the neared big road to haul a taxi, wondering what the case this time would be and if Owen wasn't just making a joke on her seeing as it was a pub.