Gwen released Martha a little and looked at her tear stained cheeks.
"What happened love?" She asked gently.
Martha sobbed a little and then breathed in. "He doesn't even want to consider moving."
"Tom?" Gwen asked rocking Martha ever so slightly.
"Yeah," Martha sighed, and sat up a bit. "I told Jack I wanted the job, I phoned Tom to see what he thought and you know work on persuading him." She smiled sadly. "But he didn't even want to discuss it."
"Give him time, he'll come round." Gwen said with an encouraging squeeze of Martha's shoulders.
"I'm not so sure. Things haven't really been great recently."
Gwen thought about everything she and Rhys had been through. "It'll get better." She said.
Martha looked her straight in the eyes, straightened herself up and said "I don't think it will. I told him I wasn't coming back."
That's a bit final thought Gwen.
Martha continued. "This is where I want to be Gwen, here in Torchwood. More than anything or anyone. UNIT is fine, but its not a patch on this, you guys are like family and the job is so much more exciting."
"And Tom?"
"Like I said, its not really working the whole being married thing. If he wants to try again then we can discuss it, but in all honesty," she paused. "I'd been through a lot when I met Tom and I guess I made decisions then that were clouded by that."
"By a lot, that would be that 'intense' period you sent with Jack?" Gwen asked.
Martha's face relaxed into a smile, "that would be it, was one hell of time."
Gwen smiled back. How many relationships might Jack have screwed up in his lifetime. More than most probably, he'd had long enough. Little did she know that Jack probably wasn't to blame for this one.
The boys reappeared, Ianto was still carrying Carys and Mickey seemed to be laden with carrier bags.
"Did you buy enough?" He asked Gwen as he unceremoniously dumped the bags at her feet.
"We got a few bits," she said in her defence, "didn't want you going hungry."
Mickey grinned.
Ianto handed Carys back to Gwen and began sorting through the bags. Suddenly there was a spread of food arranged across the floor, it looked at a proper picnic, albeit one of the indoor variety.
"What do we do now?" Mickey asked tearing a large chunk of baguette and chewing the end.
"What we always do," said Ianto with some resignation.
"Carry on." Said Gwen confidently. "Collect the last of the rift deposits, set up the hub and keep our eyes and ears to the ground for alien activity."
Ianto rested his elbows on his knees and cradled his head in his hands; so that was work sorted, what about his life outside? That big house and everything he and Jack had chosen together just the other day.
Gwen however seemed to have entered fully function operation Torchwood mode. "So, Mickey once you've eaten can you get us an ETA for the next dump? Ianto, Martha, we'll get the car unpack and see if we can't make this place a bit more functional. I had to order most of the medical stuff, but its due in the next few days; keep our fingers crossed the weevils don't decide to make an appearance before then."
"Yeah sure no worries," said Mickey, "but shouldn't we be looking for Jack? You know just incase."
Ianto looked up. "Not if he's left with him again." There was some disgust in his voice, the other three looked slightly uncomfortable, no one really knew what to say, they could only imagine how it felt to be in Ianto's position right now. "He'll come back when it suits him. If it suits him." And with that he stood up, straightened his waistcoat and strolled out of the hub.
Martha and Mickey exchanged glances.
"He'll be ok." Mickey said, "Jack wouldn't just desert us would he, I'll go check that time."
Martha turned to Gwen. "He's done this before, hasn't he?"
"Yeah." Gwen said bitterly. "Three months, last time. I don't know what it did to Ianto then, and after everything I said this morning I can't believe he had the cheek to just walk out on him again."
"What happened this morning?" Asked Martha as she began clearing away the lunch.
"Oh," said Gwen with sigh, "I questioned his intention towards Ianto and we ended up having a row."
Martha turned and raised her eyebrows but didn't say anything.
"I didn't, and definitely don't after this, think he's as serious about Ianto as Ianto is about him. I just know its all going to end in tears."
"He looks pretty serious about it from where I'm standing." Said Martha.
"He puts on a very convincing show." Said Gwen dismissing this opinion. "Its all red and rosey when it suits him, and then when it doesn't he just goes swanning off with whoever."
"The Doctor, is a special man," Martha said, "assuming that's where you think he's gone."
Gwen looked suspiciously at Martha, "well lets hope he's worth it, cause for all I've seen he's not done anything to help. Lets get his car unpacked"
Martha's face fell, it wasn't even worth explaining, Gwen was pissed off and she was on a mission; mainting her team, dealing with Jack's disappearance and apparently raising a family at the same time.
Nobody said much that afternoon, the portable radio played local radio and the 4 of them busied around ferrying various items out the back of Gwen's car. Before long the boot was empty and the began to look more like an exhibition centre with lots of little stations dotted about. Rhys popped in on his way home from work to collect Carys and examine their work, he didn't stay long, and didn't look too impressed when Gwen informed him she'd be home when she was finished for the day.
The Doctor had promised before sunset, but by the time Jack reached the hub he could make out the stars in the sky. He hoped it was still the same day, and that the said day had been uneventful for his team. Gwen's car and the SUV were both parked outside, so he assumed that at least a couple of people were still working. The large warehouse door rattled a little as it opened and Jack stepped inside closing it behind him. The cold metal against the palm of his hands felt exceptionally cold and slightly exciting. He could feel the adrenaline pumping round his body; he'd never felt so alive.
Inside looked more organised than he had left it. Ianto and Mickey stood in the centre fixing bits of the old hub into place. Most of the water tower had been found and now stood tall like a centre piece. The clatter of metal as the door closed had attracted Ianto and Mickey's attention, both men turned to stare at where Jack was standing. Gwen and Martha appeared from a behind a screen towards the back of the hub.
"Hey guys." Jack said, pausing to assess their reactions.
"Where the hell do you think you've been." Gwen said storming across the hub.
"Whoa!" Jack exclaimed. "An old friend dropped by he needed a favour and it was a bit urgent. I figured you guys could handle things for a few hours while I was gone." He looked past Gwen to wear Ianto stood. From this distance he couldn't read the expression on his face, he certainly didn't look as outright angry as Gwen, maybe just a little tired, he was bursting to tell him the news.
"Did he fix you this time?" Ianto asked tartly.
Jack couldn't contain it any more; a grin wider than the Cheshire cat's spread across his face.
"No way." Said Martha eyes as wide as saucers.
"Apparently." Said Jack still not taking his eyes of Ianto.
Ianto looked confused. Gwen continued to look angry and slightly put out by this distraction from her scolding.
"He fixed you?" Ianto asked with no attempt to hide the disbelief in his voice.
Jack crossed the gap and stepped in behind Ianto and slid both arms around his waist while resting his head gently on the side on Ianto's. "Yeah he did."
"You're mortal?" Asked Martha.
"Believe so, though I don't plan on testing it."
"Hey hey!" Mickey shouted, punching the air.
"So the next time you die, you aren't coming back?" Asked Ianto quietly.
"Less of the implication that's going to happen sometime soon." Jack protested.
"It might be sooner than you think if you don't explain whats going on." Gwen informed in.
"What's to explain? My doctor popped by, he cured me, and her I am. No longer a fixed point in pace in time."
But seriously Jack." Gwen said, the anger not yet absent from her voice. "If what you say is true, you'll need to learn to be a lot more careful."
"Would I lie to you?" Jack asked.
"Course not." Said Mickey, thumping him hard on the back, "congratulations mate."
"How does it feel?" Asked Martha, "What happened, how do you know?"
"Oh wouldn't you like to know." He said, eyes sparkling with excitement.
"Well yes actually Jack, we would." Gwen said,
Jack smiled, he place a hand of each of Ianto's hips and whispered in his ear.
"Of course." Ianto said and slipped out of Jacks hold and disappeared behind the screens, a coffee grinder could be heard bursting intp action and the clinking of mugs on a work surface.
"Gather round kids!" Jack said as he pulled a chair up for himself. "I'll begin at the beginning. Nice chairs by the way."