The next two months were bliss.

Despite the up rise in weevil activity (Owen reckoned it was breeding season) and the large amount of paperwork, Gwen had felt like she was floating on a fluffy cloud and according to Tosh so did Ianto. Owen was disgusted and continually made rude comments but Gwen finally learned the art of ignoring Owen (much to the stapler's relief). Their first date went smoothly with a dinner in a fancy restaurant followed by an old black and white movie in an old cinema that Ianto found.

One thing Gwen could never fault in Ianto is that he knew all the places to go and how to surprise her. They went to various restaurants, had picnics in the park, ate fish and chips on the docks, went to multiple fun fairs (where Gwen had gleefully won a stuffed bear for Ianto); saw movies and once Ianto surprised her by getting her to dress up and taking her to a proper dancing club. Never before did she feel like a duchess or something than that night when Ianto taught her all the classical ballroom dances.

The only downside to all of this was Gwen finally learned how much of a life Owen and Tosh were lacking. The pair was always in the Hub, watching the CCTV whenever Gwen and Ianto went on a date. So they knew exactly where they went and what they did. Gwen made a habit of turning CCTV off in the Hub if Ianto stayed over much to Owen's annoyance.

Also to Owen's annoyance Gwen had numerously dragged him and Tosh along for a 'double date'. "We're not a couple" he would grumble each time. "So why bother" and Gwen or Ianto would quickly change to topic to hide Tosh's rather hurt look.

To Gwen's immense surprise, Ianto had asked her to move in not soon after. "I hate seeing you living in the Hub, it's unhealthy and you shouldn't need to worry if Owen is perving at you in the shower on CCTV" to her even more surprise they got on even better at home as they scheduled the chores to each other and had similar habits even if Gwen was a lot more messy than Ianto.

Everything was perfect and right and comfortable and Gwen was barely thinking about Jack these days. Neither was Ianto or Tosh or Owen, they had learned to live without him.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

The door opened to reveal a chubby, brunette who had a large and beautiful smile as she ushered Ianto and Gwen in. "come in, come in, oh come here and let me hug you" she said pulling Ianto into a bone crushing hug. "You're still skinny! How do you manage?"

"Rhiannon, it's good to see you again" Ianto said pulling away. "This is Gwen Cooper my girlfriend"

"Hello sweetheart, oh look at you, Ianto she's gorgeous" Rhiannon said enthusiastically as she hugged Gwen. "So how did you meet?"

"At work" Gwen answered. "I'm actually Ianto's boss"

Rhiannon made a dramatic shocked face. "Ianto you naughty boy" she said smacking her brother's shoulder. "What have you been up to?" she turned back to Gwen. "You're Welsh as well? Local?"

"Oh yes, my family has been in Cardiff for centuries" Gwen said.

"A lovely Welsh girl that's also your boss at that top secret civil servant place" Rhiannon said looking satisfied though slightly miffed that she didn't know what the top secret civil servant place was. "You have done well Ianto, Mum and Dad would approve, well come into the living room, don't dawdle in the hallway, let me take your coats"

"Civil servant?" Gwen whispered in Ianto's ear.

"Well we do clean up after the aliens don't we?" Ianto replied.

"True"

"Kids say hello to your Uncle Ianto and hopefully your future Auntie Gwen"

Both Ianto and Gwen blushed, Ianto looked horrified that Rhiannon was being so forward about things like that. Two children with brown hair didn't even look at Ianto as they continued to play their console game. Ianto pulled out his wallet and took out two tenners which he pressed in the children's hand before whirling back.

Gwen gave him a look and he shrugged back. "Hello" Gwen said to the children. "I'm Gwen Cooper" the children pressed pause on their game and turned round, the girl smiled up shyly at her while the boy stared at her, examining her carefully.

"Weren't you that policewoman who gave us the crime prevention talk?" the boy asked.

"Err...probably but I got promoted and now work with your Uncle Ianto" Gwen answered. The boy shrugged and turned back to his computer game just as the living room door was thrown open and a chubby brown haired man ran in scooping Ianto up into another bone crunching hug.

"Ahah! There you are Ianto! What's this I hear you got a girlfriend? I thought you were gay?"

Gwen muffled her laughter at Ianto's annoyed expression as he sighed heavily and struggled to get out of his brother in law's grasp.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

"So how was meeting the family last night?" Owen asked as the four of them ran down the street chasing after someone who might have useful information on the latest rift activity.

"It went fine, they were perfectly nice and made me feel welcome" Gwen answered.

"You never lived with them" Ianto muttered darkly. "And do we have to talk about our personal lives when the guy is getting away?"

They sped up their run and chased the woman down an alleyway; she scrabbled desperately up the wall only to fall back down. They pulled out their tranquiliser guns and held them up.

"Freeze or we shoot" Owen growled. The woman looked round desperately before pulling out her own gun. "Ah shit" Owen said. "Look Miss we don't want to hurt you, we just want to take you in and ask a few questions and then let you g-"

The woman pulled the trigger and Gwen automatically pushed Ianto down, falling on top of him as the bullet flew just where he had stood. Owen snarled before shooting the woman with the tranquiliser gun.

"You two ok?" he asked, Ianto nodded. "Gwen?"

Gwen sat there shell-shocked as she stared down at Ianto. "You were almost killed" she whispered.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

"For the millionth time I wasn't" Ianto shouted, he was frustrated, irritated and just plain annoyed. Gwen managed to get over the shock when they were in the Hub and suddenly turned into a ballistic nagging woman. "I'm here, I'm fine, you saved me now please get over it. This is Torchwood; we risk our lives all the time, hell you died once!"

"That's not the point!" Gwen shrieked. "And that doesn't matter, I'm alive and it's over"

"Oh so it's ok for you to die or almost die but it's not for me?" Ianto snapped banging a hand on the kitchen counter. They were in his flat, it was getting late and he just wanted this ridiculous argument to be over. "It's ok for me to feel useless, shell shocked, horrified at the prospect of losing you, thinking I have lost you and yet when it's the other way round it's against the law?"

"I didn't say that!"

"You implied it!"

Gwen sunk down onto the sofa and buried her face into her hands. "It's just...i love you so much" she mumbled, Ianto was thankful that he understood what she said because it came out very muffled. She pulled away from her hands and looked at him, tears falling down her cheeks. "I want to spend the rest of my life with you and I almost didn't get the chance to tell you...if that bullet hit..."

"But it didn't" Ianto said softly, he walked out of the kitchen and round the sofa, knelt in front of her and took her hand into his. "I'm here, I'm never leaving, I'll be by your side forever"

"You promise?" Gwen whispered.

Ianto slipped his hand into his pocket and pulled out a small box. "I do more than promise" he flicked the lid open to reveal a small diamond on a silver band. "I'm asking...Gwen Cooper, will you marry me?" Gwen's eyes widened in shock. She sat there motionless and speechless, Ianto edge away slightly. "I know it might be a bit too soon and the timing isn't right. I was planning on asking Christmas or maybe New Years but...well..."

"Yes" Gwen whispered.

"Yes?"

"Yes, Ianto Jones I will marry you" Gwen said half crying, half laughing as he slipped the ring on her finger. She wrapped her arms round his neck and pressed her lips hungrily on his.