Author's Notes: So, I decided to work on this after having the immense pleasure of meeting Naoko Mori last weekend. It was her first DragonCon, and she was ... wow. She is such a lovely person and I hope she comes back to DragonCon. Unfortunately, Burn Gorman had to cancel. I was looking forward to finally meeting him. Maybe next time. I got to see (and hug) Naoko and Gareth, so I'm not too sad. I've just about decided that the next time I see John at a convention, I'll ask him how much trouble I'll get us both into if I give him a hug. So, in this chapter, Suzie balks at the invitation from Sophia; Tosh has a conversation with someone she loves; and Ianto despairs of them all.

Chapter One

Such an Extraordinary Gift

Safe Haven

Nevada

Later That Day

"I'm not going, and you can't make me."

Ianto Jones was this close to face-palming as he stared at his co-worker and surrogate older sister. This was the fifth time they'd had this argument since Liam told them about the email he'd received from Sophia Tregarth, inviting them to a picnic at the end of the week. Tosh actually did face-palm before wandering out of the room … presumably before she could do something far more damaging, to herself or to Suzie. As she left, she muttered something along the lines of, 'I'll be in my room packing if anyone needs me.' Suzie stuck her tongue out and Tosh immediately reciprocated. Sometimes, he thought he was the only adult around here. Ianto said, as patiently as he could manage, "No one is forcing you do anything, Suzie, no one is making you. But we have been invited, and I do think we should all go." And, because being the annoying little brother was a role he thoroughly enjoyed, he couldn't resist adding, "Although, I'm ninety-nine percent sure that Rhys is going. It'll give him a chance to see Anwen after all. Face-timing isn't quite the same thing as holding her, after all." He was quickly rewarded with Suzie's glare.

"I think she's just afraid to meet her soul-sister in person, find out just how much of a loser she really is … what? It's the truth," Olivia Colasanto snarked from the armchair she favored when she descended from the main house. Ianto merely offered her his most unimpressed look, and the Colasanto heiress went on, "You forget, I've actually encountered the Tregarths. Natalie Tregarth is nothing special, and Suzie will likely be disappointed." There was a low growl from Suzie, and Ianto thought briefly about intervening … but ultimately chose not to. This would be entirely too much fun. He glanced at Rhys, who rolled his eyes in exasperation.

"Nothing special? You call a woman who was recruited by Nick Fury to assist with the care and relocation of survivors from Sokovia nothing special? A woman who made the painful and necessary decision to seal members of the Families in stone, so they could never hurt anyone again … that's someone who's nothing special? My sister has spent her entire adult life, looking after other people. She, along with the rest of her family, helped to take care of her community when the 456 came knocking, and again when your buddies in the Families decided to take over the world. And you? What have you done, except ordered the kidnapping of a family in Wales because you were jealous of a man? My sister, at her lowest, is still better than you could ever dream of being," Suzie snarled out, hands curling into fists at her sides.

"She has a point, though, love," Rhys pointed out, and Suzie spun around to face him, looking betrayed. However, Rhys stood his ground, saying gently, "Not about Natalie. She doesn't know what the hell she's talking about there … either that, or she's as jealous of Nat as she is of Jack, especially since old Angelo trusted his own granddaughter so little, he left his entire home to a girl he'd only met a few times. No, you're afraid … afraid to face what you did to Natalie, and afraid that she'll hate you for it." Suzie glowered at him, which had about as much affect on Rhys as it did on Ianto … which was to say, none whatsoever.

"I'm not afraid of facing Natalie, and I'm not afraid of being disappointed by her. You forget, Lady Olivia, I've spent the last few years in her head. I know how her mind works, I've seen the darkest recesses of her soul. I know she's only a flawed human being, instead of a goddess. I'm not the one who puts people up on pedestals for the sheer pleasure of knocking them down … that's your modus operandi," Suzie fired back.

"Then what are you afraid of, Suzie … because clearly, you are," Koschei observed, sauntering in from the kitchen and eating from a bag of crisps. Ianto glared at him disapprovingly, and Koschei said around his mouthful of crisps, "What? I haven't eaten in three days, and these … Bugles … are good." Ianto just rolled his eyes and returned his attention to Suzie, who was staring at her former lover with a combination of amusement, exasperation, and affection. Which was, now that he thought about it, the same way he often looked at Jack. He decided not to think too much about that.

"There's only forty-five minutes until dinner, mate … for your sake, I hope that doesn't ruin your appetite," Rhys advised. Koschei froze, blinking at Rhys above the bag, and Ianto's fellow Welshman smirked a little, adding, "Yes, Koschei … I made your favorite. Stop sulking, Olivia, if you want to behave like a four year old, I'll bloody well treat you like one. My Anwen is more mature than you are, and she's hardly more than a baby." Suzie smirked at that, and Rhys pointed his spatula at her, adding, "Don't start, you." Suzie lay her hand against her chest with her best innocent, 'who, me?' look. Rhys just rolled his eyes, telling Ianto, "Don't envy you a bit, mate." With those words, he returned to the kitchen, Koschei trailing behind him …

And leaving Ianto once more face to face with both Suzie and Olivia. Wonderful. But Rhys' words found their mark, and Suzie asked softly, her eyes all but imploring, "What if she hates me, Ianto? What if she hates me for creating this connection between us? I know, I know I violated her when I did this. I was only thinking about saving Jack, I never gave a thought to what the repercussions to her would be … but I care about her now." Yes, and that was the problem, wasn't it? Suzie did care, far more than she had when she returned to life in the past.

"Maybe she'll hate you, Suzie," Ianto replied. He couldn't lie to her, after all. Suzie lowered her eyes, and Ianto added, "But maybe she won't. I didn't have much of a chance to talk to her during the Sokovia incident, but from what Cameron Klein and Jack himself said, I don't think she'll hate you. Her family, on the other hand …" Suzie winced, but nodded. Ianto squeezed her shoulder, observing, "Like I said, none of us will force you, but I really do think you should go." He hadn't convinced her … but he did give her something to think about.

And just when he thought it was safe to leave, Suzie observed, "Of course, that begs the question of who gets to stay with Her Ladyship while everyone is gone, because I'm not about to leave her on her own. What? Ianto, if we left Herself to her own devices, she'd probably burn the whole house down!" Olivia scowled and the argument between the two started up once again. Ianto sighed and actually did face-palm this time. Right. Definitely the only adult in the room.

TWTWTWTWTWTW

"Please tell me you're going? I think this is something you really need. Not just to tell Jack that you forgave him a long time ago, but to see Owen as well," Jacob Singer implored her. Some months back, she and Jacob perfected the art of multi-tasking while Skyping. It was necessary, really … considering they could be both called out at any time for their respective jobs. Tosh paused just long enough in her packing to smile at her boyfriend, and Jacob added a bit sheepishly, "Sorry, I just realized what you were doing. Do you think Suzie will go?"

At that, Tosh did stop … mainly because she had to think about what her boyfriend was asking (and it was still strange to her, having a boyfriend, even if he was long distance). Would Suzie accompany her and Ianto to the Tregarth homestead? She thought about what Suzie would gain by joining them, and what she would lose. At last, she said softly, turning to face her boyfriend more fully, "I think so … even though she's afraid of facing Natalie, afraid that Nat will hate her. I won't say that Nat is incapable of hating someone … we're all capable of that … but I don't think Suzie is someone she would hate."

It was entirely possible that she was misjudging Natalie Tregarth (right, she needed to remember that the other woman was now married … Rassilon had shown them pictures and videos of the wedding between their landlady and her handsome English husband). She didn't think she was, and she was slowly getting better at reading people. She still felt more comfortable with computers, but little by little, she was becoming more socially adept.

Jacob nodded thoughtfully, observing, "I didn't spend much time with her while she was here in England a few years ago, but I did spend time with her friend Clint Barton … based on what he told me, I would have to agree with you. Which brings me to my next topic." Oh? Tosh arched her brow, and Jacob said with a small smile, "Since Ultron's attack against Sokovia, Alicia has been approached by several people wanting to join Bulwark. We'll need to train the rookies, but as of right now … as of right now, Toshiko, it looks like I'll be returning to the US in December. For good." Tosh stared at her boyfriend for several moments, stunned speechless.

December. He would be coming to the US in December. For good. Jacob was looking at her anxiously, and Tosh allowed a broad smile to cross her face, saying, "Then I'll have the chance to kiss you properly." Jacob responded with a goofy smile that made her heart skip a beat. She asked next, "Will you be here in time for Christmas?" Her mind was already racing … could she talk Ianto into arranging a branch Christmas party for both Safe Haven and Torchwood Oklahoma? Well, she was fairly certain she could do that … the question was whether he would let her help him. Then again, if she enlisted Jack's help … hmm, that might just work!

"I think I'll be there a few weeks before Christmas, actually. Alicia is talking about having a last Christmas … the four of us together, the original members of Bulwark. John and Mary are already looking at a place in Nevada. It's gotten into their blood, Bulwark has. They may be associate members, since they have Emily to think of, but I don't see Bulwark releasing its hold on their souls. They're Hunters … even if Mary hated the life, even if she hated that her boys grew up in that life, that's a part of who she is. Even if she tried to leave it, eventually, it would reclaim her. Just like it did the first time around," Jacob answered.

Tosh shuddered a bit. Jacob told her a little about his two compatriots, and about their six month old daughter Emily … named after her paternal grandmother. It seemed that John and Mary's older two children, Dean and Sam, were named after Mary's parents. It was only right that the child born of their second chance together was named after John's mother. According to Jacob, John only recently learned that his father hadn't abandoned him and his mother when he was a child … that instead, he was catapulted forward in time, where he died at the hands of the Hell Knight (whatever that was). And honestly, she wasn't sure about the title of the demon who murdered Henry Winchester, because her mind went blank at the creature's name … Abaddon.

Oh, it wasn't the Abaddon she and the others unleashed when they opened the Rift, so many years earlier … but it didn't matter, because the demon carried the same name, and that meant the same memories for Tosh. Jacob said softly, "I know that look … you're thinking about the demon the killed Henry Winchester. That's why I want you to go to Oklahoma. The last time you saw your captain, he was recovering from being killed by the monsters in human flesh … and you were recovering from seeing him die so many times in the past. You need to go, Toshiko … you need to see that he's all right, that his new team is taking care of him."

"Yes, I do," she agreed, "but right now, what I really need to do is hear more about your plans to come home, and what you'd like to do for our first official date." She had the joy of seeing Jacob's bright eyes light up with pleasure and Tosh grinned. Her boyfriend was coming home. She would be seeing her boss/big brother soon. Life truly couldn't get any better, and she was half-tempted to pinch herself to make sure that she wasn't dreaming. She had come such a long way from that UNIT prison cell where Jack found her.

Back then, and even while she was in Cardiff, Tosh found herself believing that happy endings were meant for other people. Oh, she was beyond grateful to have a second chance at life when Jack Harkness entered her cell … just as she was beyond grateful to his father for her resurrection. But she truly never believed she could be this happy, and swore to herself that she wouldn't do anything to jeopardize that.

TWTWTWTWTWTW

Even as she engaged Olivia Colasanto in their usual bickering, Suzie was thinking. In truth, her mind never really stopped. And right now, she couldn't help thinking about Ianto's point about Rhys. He and Sophia Tregarth were in agreement that the most important thing was the happiness of the daughter they shared … and Rhys acknowledged to Suzie that Anwen (or Angel, as the Tregarths called her) was just as much Sophia's daughter as she was his. He supposed that he could have resented her for being there when he wasn't … but what would the point in that be? At the time she was brought to them, the Tregarths didn't know who her parents were … and he was still recovering from being shot.

Besides, Sophia made videos galore of their daughter. And, if Suzie was really honest with herself, she wanted to meet her small step-daughter. It was her opinion that Safe Haven wasn't particularly safe for small children (like Anwen), mainly because things were so damn unpredictable (she voiced this opinion once to Tosh, who countered that she didn't imagine things were any more predictable at Torchwood Oklahoma. Suzie hated to admit it, but her sister made an excellent point. And that was before Tosh reminded her of the alien children residing here. Suzie really hated it when she made so many good points right in a row).

Eventually, growing bored of trying to bait Suzie, Olivia shifted her body back into her wheelchair and rolled off. Suzie hoped she wasn't off to annoy Lily. The last time she'd done that, Lily retaliated by covering her seat with honey. It was hilarious, but a sodding nightmare to clean. Lily promised to never repeat that particular revenge, but with her creative little mind, she was sure to come up with other plots. In fact, Suzie could guarantee it. Left alone with her thoughts, Suzie began to consider, seriously, what was being asked of her. During the last few years, she'd begun coming to terms with what she'd done. To Max, to her team, to Natalie … even to her father. She'd thought the final victory was hers … the truth was, she'd given him the final victory. That was something she would regret for the rest of her life.

A pair of arms slipped around her waist and Suzie smiled to herself as a light kiss was dropped where her shoulder and neck met. Rhys murmured, "You do realize I could hear you thinking all the way in the kitchen … is the idea of meeting my daughter and your sister all that terrifying?" Suzie thought briefly about lying to him, about saying that she wasn't afraid of meeting Anwen or Natalie. But then she remembered her wedding vows, and the one promise Rhys asked her to make to him the day before they were married.

"Yes. I just keep thinking of what I've done, the people I've hurt. What if Natalie hates me, Rhys? I violated her mind … it was for a good cause, to help Jack, but I hurt her when I did that. And that's just what I did to her. I have hurt so many people … I'm afraid I'll end up hurting Anwen as well. You can forgive just about anything, but along with me lying to you about something important, I know you wouldn't be able to forgive me for that," Suzie answered. Rhys kissed the side of her head and then gently turned her to face him, his hands sliding up to cup her face in his hands. The love in his eyes stole the air from her lungs, because of all people, how was it that someone like her could be loved by someone like Rhys Williams? She'd never truly believed in mercy, until he told her that he'd fallen in love with her … because the love of Rhys Williams after the crimes she'd committed was truly a mercy, a grace, that she would never take for granted.

He said now, his voice barely above a whisper, "You know, you're right … if you ever hurt Anwen deliberately, simply out of spite or selfishness, I never would forgive you. And if you lied to me or kept something from me about something other than what you were getting me for my birthday, I'd have one helluva time forgiving you. But I don't believe for one moment that you would ever deliberately hurt Anwen, especially not after what that arse of a father did to you. As to the lies … you told me the truth about the ugliest part of your life, what you most wanted to keep hidden. You kept nothing back … not Max, not your father, not even the Glove. You told me all of it, and you let me work through it. You didn't make any demands on me, just let me come to terms with it. That was a gift, Suzie … and that was when I knew that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you. You would never hurt Anwen deliberately … never. And the only time when you might would be to protect her from something worse. I know you, wife. Anwen might not be your daughter, but you would protect her with your dying breath."

Rhys never raised his voice once. He didn't have to. Suzie blinked back tears and threw her arms around her husband, whispering, "I love you so much!" It wasn't like her to say it. Words were easy, and cheap, and meant so very little when all was said and done … she preferred to show people that she loved them, rather than tell them. But in this moment, with her husband's arms around her, with his fierce words resonated within her soul, Suzie had to say the words. She felt, rather than heard, Rhys' laughter as his arms tightened around her.

"Rwy'n dy garu di, my Suzie. I take it this means we're going to Oklahoma to see my daughter's other family, then?" Rhys asked and Suzie nodded into his shoulder. Yes … yes, they were going to Oklahoma. Not just so Rhys could see his little girl, but so Suzie could face her other sister … her anchor. And if Natalie hated her for what Suzie had done to her, she would figure out a way to live with that. But she owed it to Natalie to let her make that choice … especially after the choice she'd robbed Natalie of initially.

"We should start packing. I … eep!" Suzie began, and then squeaked when Rhys swept her up into his arms, one arm still around her waist and the other under her knees. She clung to him, laughing, as he carried her into the pantry to have his wicked way with her. Eternally practical, her Rhys … they were close enough to keep an eye on supper and away from prying eyes at the same time! It was just one of many reasons why she loved him so much.

TBC

Additional Author's Notes: (slightly sheepish look) Okay, yeah, so there's a spoiler for the other stories here, after all. And yes, for some reason, I can't let go of the idea of Suzie and Rhys together. I truly love the idea of this couple … have no idea if Indira Varma and Kai Owen would have anything even approaching chemistry, but love the idea of Rhys and Suzie together anyhow. The chapter title refers to the extraordinary gift that is love, something that both Suzie and Tosh reflect on, though in different ways. And to any Welsh readers I might have, if I messed up the Welsh translation of 'I love you,' I apologize. I looked it up on the internet, and I may have used the wrong version.