Disclaimer: Not mine; never will be. I'm just borrowing it.

Life and Other Things That Never go as Planned.

Chapter Two — Persephone and Hades

Rhys was waiting for Gwen to get home; most of his things packed into boxes and suitcases by the door.
"I thought we were…" Gwen stared at the untouched mug of tea "I thought we were good. Putting things behind us"
"It's been falling apart Gwen" Rhys sighed "It hasn't been good for about a year"
"You don't have to…" she glanced at the boxes "Where are you going? How long have you known?"
Rhys couldn't look at her.
"Just before the election, I was going to talk you in to coming. But we fought and you ran off to where ever"
"That was three weeks ago" her knuckles turned white "And when I got back…"
"I'm sorry Gwen" Rhys reached for his keys, removing the key for the flat "I left an envelope by the computer. The lease, the insurance papers"
"You'd better go then" Gwen sounded distant "Hope the door hits you on the way out"
"Most of my mails been redirected" he dropped a card in front of her "But, just in case"
Gwen glanced at the address, some where in Manchester.
"Get out"
"Gwen… I'm sorry"
Gwen waited, making sure he'd really left, before throwing the mug at the door.

Gwen had moved out soon after, not wanting the constant reminders. She'd stayed at the Hub while house hunting. The contents of a half forgotten savings account ('£ 1672 untouched for 10 year plus interest and the results of a few well paying, if risky investments equalled how much!?'), allowed her to put a deposit down on a house; 2 bedrooms upstairs, kitchen/dinning/lounge on the ground floor. Bathroom and laundry tacked on sometime in the 50's. Lavender, roses and an apple tree enclosed by a spindly wrought iron fence and gate. A walkway led towards the back of the house, where there was a small vegetable patch, herb lawn and the old outside laundry which was used as a garden shed. Ianto helped her with the paper work, agreed to be a co-signatory on the mortgage and got her a discounted rate with the guy who did the repairs at the Hub. Owen only knew where Gwen lived because Tosh and Ianto had made him help paint and move furniture.

Owen had helped a still slightly sedated Gwen change clothes and get into bed. He'd waited until she was asleep before heading towards the kitchen. He paused, looking into the second bedroom. The office furniture he'd helped move in (desk, filing cabinets and a pair of large heavy bookshelves) had been moved, squashed into a corner. The computer was probably downstairs. Owen stepped into the room. The changing table, tallboy and narrow set of bookshelves are new, as are the curtains, blue with fluffy white clouds. The set Tosh had put up had been dark green, fresh out of the packet. Owen can see where Gwen wants the crib to go. He inspected the book shelves. One was filled with 'what to do when you're expecting' type books, another held children's book, nursery rhymes and a handmade stuffed rabbit. Owen recognised it from a market Gwen said she shopped at and the stall he'd almost knocked over, while running after alien tech. A slightly battered looking teddy bear sat on the changing table, a baby name book next to it.

In the kitchen Owen puts the kettle on and riffles though the cupboards. Gwen's gotten rid of any alcohol and the only coffee he can find is de-decaffeinated. Owen has to think to remember the last time she ordered anything alcoholic. Gwen had never been a big drinker, usually just a pint and a shooter or cocktail if Tosh was having one. Bit it's been about three months since she's ordered a drink that didn't involve the words 'virgin' or 'soft'. He'd thought it had to with Jack not being the only one drinking water.
There's a no smoking sign on the kitchen bench. About half a dozen shakeable pancake mixes, five jars of blackberry jam and three jars of green cocktail onions in the pantry. The pomegranates in the fridge have Owen shaking his head to get rid the image of Gwen as Persephone, trapped in the Underworld, wondering if he or Jack was Hades.

Owen pulled out his phone, selected a number, waited while it rung.
"Max?"
"What the hell do you want Owen?"
"A favour. I need you to do some stuff."
"I'm on vacation. Can't it wait?"
"It won't get done if we wait"
"What exactly do you want me to do?"
"Move some furniture. Sort out a security system-"
"It can wait"
"All without waking the pregnant lady."
Owen waited impatiently.
"Is there something you ain't telling me?" He heard Max sigh, "What's the address?"

To be continued.

AN: This story (6 chapters)is also posted on Whofic. I, however, object to being told to repost after fixing the punctuation the administrators told me to, when other fics are being posted with obvious spelling mistakes.