A/N: Sorry for not posting in a while. I've had a bit of a hectic week. Thanks everyone for the comments and subscriptions.

Gwen had been avoiding Ianto. She didn't want to think about anyone being with Jack except her. She told herself she did it because she didn't want to hurt Ianto but that was a lie. She found herself doing all sorts of obscure jobs just to be away from Ianto, who seemed to be spending more and more time in the main area of the hub.

Probably watching Jack, pervert, he's mine, she thought to herself as she made her way down to the cells.

They had recently caught another weevil, which needed to be tested. Something about genetic mutation but she hadn't been paying attention to Owen at the time.

She had been trying to get the computer to work, for almost an hour now, she needed help. She hadn't talked to Tosh in a while, so she decided just to contact Jack.

"Jack, this stupid computer won't work" she whined through the comms.

"I'll send Ianto down to help" he muttered back.

"I don't need his help!" She yelled at him.

"Great, the computers working now."

"No," she mumbled defeated. "What about Tosh?" she asked a little too eagerly.

"She's busy, I'll get Ianto to go down."

"Jack!" She whined but he had already disconnected.

Jack stepped out from his office calling down into the main area of the hub.

"Hey, Ianto". Ianto looked up from his coffee machine.

"Can you go help Gwen out with her computer?"

"Yeah sure" Ianto replied lightly. He finished the coffees and set about delivering them. As he set down Tosh's coffee on the edge of her desk she looked up.

"Are you ok?"

Ianto thought it was an odd question, in the last few weeks he had been getting better and better. Jack never stopped flirting, but he had come to learn Jack never stopped flirting. Ianto had got his life back together, even getting the remnants of a life outside the hub. He'd spent plenty of time with Tosh and Owen, who had finally gotten together, removing the last of the sexual tension in the hub.

Tosh knew he was fine, so why had she asked? Then he realised she thought he was avoiding Gwen. Finally understanding he smiled warmly, "Never better, Gwen's been avoiding me, not the other way round. She's the one who's probably panicking about having to see me".

"Severs her right" Tosh muttered looking back to the program she was running.

Ianto finished his coffee round and made his way down to the cells to find Gwen. His footsteps were heavy, he hoped she heard them. If Gwen was on edge appearing next to her without warning would be a bad idea.

Gwen heard footsteps approach. She rolled her shoulder back reminding herself that Ianto was here to help, not steal her boyfriend. "Ianto?" She called slightly nervously to the sound. "Hi" he said coming into view.

Gwen couldn't help it, she was angry. Ianto should have been fired, when Jack dumped him. After all. that was the only reason Jack had hired the Welshman.

"I told him not to call you" she spat at him.

"Well, that's Jack for you" he said simply shrugging. They stood for a moment awkwardly, Ianto not waning to approach her too quickly and Gwen trying to decide wether or not to except his help. She breathed in and reminded herself she was still better than Ianto and the only reason she had him around was to do her work. With Ianto around, she had more time to spend with Jack. Jack… her thoughts wondered to the handsome American, and how little time he seemed to have for her now. They'd only been together three weeks and every now and again he seemed completely bored with her.

"The samples won't come through, but the cable…"

Ianto cut her off reaching for the laptop, "There's another way, pass it here" he offered her a small smile. Gwen saw it as a patronising smirk, she really didn't want to be around Ianto. Another awkward silence and Gwen let the words drop from her mouth before she'd realised she'd said them.

"This is weird".

Ianto nodded noncommittally "Very weird".

Gwen couldn't handle his 'professional' act any longer. She just new he was trying to steal Jack form her, she let out an irritated groan. "I'm so angry! AND I don't know what to do. I'm fighting with this stupid computer, I stink like weevil and to top that all off I'm with you!" Ianto didn't even flinch at out her outburst which made her feel worse.

Ianto wanted so badly to stand up and yell back at Gwen. She hadn't exactly been the easiest person to work with of late. He wished he could yell at her, tell her to stop spending every moment staring at Jack and shouting at him, but he couldn't. He knew exactly how she felt; Jack had the same effect on people. She was unsure of Jack, but she ignored it, so ended up taking her frustration out on anything else around. Something about Jack made it impossible to blame him for things he had obviously done, whenever you were with him the rose tinted view on the world came down. The logical side of his mind told him she needed comfort, because she had clearly hit the stage where Jack was straying. Gwen needed help, his help, so he had to help, it was just in his nature. Without looking away from the screen he spoke calmly and quietly.

"You feel like you're minds on fire, you think you're going crazy, and all you really want to do is go down to the firing range and destroy everything down there, target or not". Gwen was taken aback, "How can you know that?" she tried to sound defensive, as if he was wrong, rather than a child awestruck by a magician. It didn't work. Ianto didn't smile which somehow put her at ease and just continued to speak.

"I've been there before. I used to be with Jack, remember?"

The statement hit Gwen hard, she had been trying so hard not to think about Ianto and her Jack together. She wasn't given the chance to protest,

"You pretend you don't need him, but in the end you can't even be away from him. You need to be at his side all the time. You can't sleep, for all the tossing and turning, and the nightmares of those cold blue eyes burning right through you. And then, you always want more, and deep down you know he can't give it. So you just turn around, put a smile on your face and take whatever he gives you".

Gwen couldn't handle it, he was exactly right, "You're WRONG!" She yelled but still Ianto didn't move.

"He leaves you dangling, with touches and looks, meanwhile he's giving everything to someone else, someone he doesn't know, and won't get to know. It tears you apart until there's nothing left"

"He's different with me" she yelled, it became clear her interjections were for her own benefit. Ianto didn't care what she said, he looked straight through her and said how she was feeling. She denied all of it, but part of her was telling her that Ianto was right.

Ianto nodded, "Of course," said in a slightly patronising tone. She seemed to genuinely believe that Jack wasn't destroying her.

"Has he given you a silly nick name yet, like Gweny or Pookie" his smile was a little more vindictive than he meant.

"No" Gwen's shoulders loosened just a touch, relief. She was starting to see he was right and she was pleased that Jack hadn't given her a nickname. Ianto knew he was getting through to her, but her hero worship for Jack was entrenched into her soul.

That slight movement spurred him on, a Gwen that saw Jack for what he was, wasn't far off. Ianto paused for a moment, he wondered why he was spending so much time trying to get her out of Jack's trance. He didn't like Gwen that much, her 'human touch' for Torchwood, as Jack described. It was more of an 'over emotional, childish, impulsive, doe eyed, weak, and occasionally stupid touch'.

However he knew that Gwen had the potential to be quiet good, but she let her emotions get caught up in things, which in the end made it worse for everyone. Then he realised it wasn't for Gwen, it was for a girl trapped in Jacks sights, and couldn't break free. He owed it to that woman, and Rhys, but not Gwen.

"Have you ever doubted a kiss like, it was just for show?"

"Well…" Gwen nibbled on her bottom lip.

"It's how he acts, he's not going to change Gwen".

"But, but" she was stuttering, "I…you can't know! HE LOVE'S ME!" her voice was hoarse and sounded as if it were going to break. Ianto sighed, she still loves him, the silly girl, still loves him.

Gwen was ready to fall apart, Ianto was tearing apart her world. Captain Jack Harkness was perfect, he was the embodiment of a god. Ianto was telling her he was different making Jack out to be the villain. Gwen couldn't take it, she leant against the Perspex cell door for support as her knees gave way. She slid down the door until she was seated on the floor her knees tucked up to her chin.

Ianto didn't like to see anyone like Gwen was now, but he knew it was the only way. He had to tear down the rose tinted glass, it was a pity the glass was holding her world together. He pressed on, putting the computer to one side and knelt in front of her.

"He makes you feel like the most important person in the world, makes you think he needs you. Then he just drops you, or stands you up for anything with a pulse that will boost his ego. He wanted you because of Rhys, he wanted you to dump him, because you were so loyal to Rhys. He wanted that loyalty for himself, he picked me because I'd never been with a guy. He would have just as happily taken Owen instead."

"Stop messing with me" Gwen sobbed into her knees.

"It's true," Ianto reached to pull her face free, "clear as day, you just have to know where to look". Gwen allowed him to cradle her chin but refused to meet his gaze.

"So he just wanted me, to boost his ego. He doesn't love me?" Ianto held her face steady, he knew he was getting through to her.

"Yeah, and you'll just keep telling yourself you're happy with what he's willing to give you".

He released her and returned to the laptop. Gwen was slowly pulling herself together, she slowly began to review what she had done over the past few weeks. Through her new eyes she realised how wrong she had been. She wanted Rhys, she needed Rhys.

"But…but" she stood up stuttering. Ianto cut her off, "You'll live, there, fixed it, try feed".

Gwen composed herself, and reconnected the data, everything was working and Gwen breathed a small sigh of relief. Though Ianto had taken out of her trance, she didn't want to spend anymore time with the young man. In a few minutes, he had taken her and Jack apart with startlingly accurate detail. She managed a thankyou and Ianto understood he wasn't welcome any longer.

"No problem," he handed her the computer. "You know, I feel so much better now."

It was true, Ianto hadn't felt better in a long time. He wasn't sure why but he felt light, like a burden had been lifted. Freeing Gwen from Jack's arms was strangely fulfilling, like teaching a child all the intricacies of the world.

"I feel lousy" she muttered.

Ianto gave a wry smile and said dryly "he has that effect on people".

"Should I dump him?" asked in rush the words falling from her mouth without much thought.

"Well, I would, and I did" Ianto stepped forward holding her shoulder tightly, knowing what was coming next.

"Will Rhys take me back?" she whispered.

"He loves you, no matter what you do to him, he will continue to love you, it's just the way he is" Ianto said staring sincerely into her eyes. He released her shoulders and made to leave. Gwen called after him, he considering wether to ignore her not, then turned. She smiled offering a barely audible whisper "Thanks"

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