Half an hour and three attempts later, Jack and Gwen finally managed to get the tent up.
"I hope we work better together fighting aliens more than we do putting up tents" said Jack.
Gwen laughed. "We didn't do that bad" she said.
"No we didn't, it just took us a while to get there."
Gwen walked over to the car and carried a bag to the tent.
"What are you doing?" asked Jack as Gwen stepped into the tent.
"Getting dressed" she replied blatantly. "You didn't expect me to spend the whole trip in my underwear did you?"
"Good idea" he said.
Gwen zipped up the tent and got dressed as Jack went to the car and did the same. A minute later Gwen emerged from the tent, barely recognising Jack without his usual clothing.
"Look at you" she said surprised. "Jeans?"
"What's wrong with jeans?" Jack inquired.
"Nothing, you look different is all" she said.
Jack flashed her one of his famous smiles and she could see the mischief in his eyes as he suddenly moved towards her. He rested his hands at her waist and looked at her intensely to see how she would react.
"Jack?" she asked.
"Yeah" he said casually.
"What are you doing?"
"Just proving a point" he said.
"And what is that?"
"That I'm not as predictable as you think" he whispered, and moved closer towards her until their lips were mere inches apart.
"Jack" Gwen whispered warningly.
"Give me one good reason why not" he replied.
"Ianto?" said Gwen looking over his shoulder.
"What?" Jack pulled away from Gwen and turned around to find Ianto standing behind him holding a video camera.
Ianto sighed and put the camera down. "You couldn't just pretend that I wasn't here?" he asked Gwen.
"Is it just me, or are you becoming more like Owen?" Jack asked. At first it had been hard and they had avoided using there names. It took time but they pulled through it and now gratefully were able to remember them with fond memories.
"Someone's got to do it" replied Ianto. "Nice job with the tent" he commented.
"I'm just going to go for a walk" said Gwen, desperate to escape the embarrassing situation and quickly started to walk away.
"Be careful" called Jack.
"So…" said Ianto.
"Look, Ianto..."
"It's about time" Ianto finished.
"What?" Jack asked.
"You thought I didn't know? Even Owen knew Jack" Ianto laughed. "I really am happy for you."
"I don't know what I was thinking, coming on to her like that" Jack began. "She didn't deserve that."
"What are you going to do?" Ianto asked.
Jack paused. "We should really get a fire going. It'll be dark soon and-"
"Jack" Ianto said sternly.
"There's nothing I can do Ianto!" he shouted. "It's Gwen. Gwen! I want her to live a normal life. Get married, have kids. I want her to be happy. And she can't have that with me."
"But she tried that Jack. She held onto her life, she got married. And she wasn't happy" said Ianto. "You've got to stop pushing her away Jack. It doesn't do either of you any good. Gwen is happy when she's with you."
"I can't Ianto" said Jack sadly.
"This isn't about Gwen" Ianto realised. "It's about you. You're afraid of getting hurt."
"I can't stand by and watch another person I love die" said Jack.
"And this is easier is it?" asked Ianto.
"Ianto, I appreciated what you're trying to do but I don't want to deal with this right now ok?" he said. "We're here to have fun. It's almost dark so I think we should get a fire going before Gwen gets back."
Ianto let it go and they started piling wood together while Jack told stories. Ianto felt sorry for Jack, because he realised just how much he must love Gwen to want to push her away. He felt slightly jealous that Jack hadn't loved him in that way, but most of all he just wanted him to have what he did.
Gwen got back just before dark and the three of them sat around the fire eating bangers and mash, telling stories and laughing. Ianto's phone rang and smiling at Jack and Gwen, he left to answer it in private.
Gwen watched Ianto on the phone to his girlfriend and a deep sadness filled her.
"Gwen" said Jack after a while. "I'm sorry, about before" he said.
"Don't worry about it" Gwen said distantly, still watching Ianto.
"…I miss you too…" they heard him saying.
"Rhys and me…" Gwen began. "We had been having problems for a while. After the explosions, and Tosh, and Owen…he was really worried about me. He wanted me to take time off, and I didn't. Then he begged me to leave and go away with him, and I refused. And then…" she paused. "He made me choose, and I…" her voice trembled and tears started pouring from her eyes.
Jack quickly moved and sat down next to her. He put his arms around her and let her cry into his chest. "Do you regret it?" he asked after she had stopped crying.
She pulled away from him and slowly shook her head. "It's ok" Jack said wiping her eyes. "I'm sorry, I know it was hard for you. Thankyou for telling me" he said.
Gwen forced a smile as Ianto came back and sat down. "So…Jack" Ianto began. "I was having a look in the SUV and I would just like to know, and I think that Gwen here would agree with me, why there are only TWO sleeping bags?"
"What?" asked Gwen.
"Three people, one tent and now two sleeping bags" said Ianto, slightly amused.
"What?" asked Jack.
"Well you did all the packing remember" said Ianto.
"I swear I packed three" said Jack defensively.
Gwen and Ianto stared at him in disbelief.
"Ok, I know this sounds like something I would do but I swear to you that I didn't" he said.
"What do you think, outside?" suggested Gwen to Ianto.
"Would you trust me to sleep outside Gwen?" Jack asked cunningly.
"He has a point" said Ianto.
"Fine, then you two can share" said Gwen.
"You really, really don't want to put us together in a sleeping bag Gwen" said Ianto.
"Fine" said Gwen. "Then Jack can sleep on his own."
"What about you?" asked Jack.
"I'll share with Ianto" she said. "If that's alright with you" she asked Ianto.
"That would be fine" said Ianto, noticing the disappointment on Jack's face and most of all the jealousy.
"And that would be fine with your girlfriend would it Ianto?" said Jack.
"She trusts me, and I'm sure that she would be happier to know that I'm sharing with Gwen rather than you" he shot back.
"Are you sure?" asked Gwen worriedly. She didn't want to cause any problems between them.
"It'll be fine" repeated Ianto.
So…Gwen and Ianto are sharing, bet you didn't expect that, but will the night really go as expected? You will have to review to find out!
Sorry I took a while to update. I'm back at school now so I'm afraid that I won't be updating as often as I would like, but I will try to get the next chapter up soon xox