Torchwood: Divergence
Book Four: Hatchweliad
Chapter 7

Gwen was feeling incredibly conflicted by the time she arrived home, even after driving around an extra thirty minutes. She was boiling from the combination of guilt about upsetting Ianto, disappointment that Jack had turned her down flat once again, and anger that he was blaming her for their friend being reckless and getting himself hurt. She wanted to cry, scream, hit something. But she knew that Rhys would be frantic trying to cook and early supper because she'd forgotten to tell him she was on her way back to the house, and she didn't want to go ballistic in front of Ebrill anyhow. So, she tried to put on a cheerful face and made for the front door.

When she came in, the kitchen light was on but the house was eerily quiet. Cooper went to the table, found a covered plate and a note that said Andy and Sophie were watching the baby, Rhys had gone to take care of an issue for a friend and would be back shortly. The raven-haired woman cursed and stomped off to put away her coat and purse. If her husband knew enough to leave a plate for her, it was a good bet Jack had already called and told him his version of what had happened. Just sodding perfect.

Back in the kitchen, she uncovered the still warm chicken and rice dish, grabbed a bottle of juice from the fridge and sat down to eat alone. It wasn't until she'd finished and washed up the dishes that she heard the front door open, so she headed out with a plastered-on smile to greet her husband and child. Only Rhys was alone and he didn't look pleased.

"What's Jack been filling your ears with?" Gwen asked flatly.

"The truth," Williams replied evenly. "You ignored what I said and did exactly what you shouldn't've. And now there's trouble because of it."

"It's sorted," his wife snapped, all her earlier anger and frustration flooding back. "He told me to piss off and threatened to bloody Retcon me if I ever brought it up again."

"Good," Rhys shot back, striding over to hang up his coat and leave his keys in the tray that normally held them. "For Christ's sake, Gwen. I said you should talk to them both. Let them know why you've been so distracted at work and see if Martha needed to take another look at you. Get it all out in the open and resolved. Not that you should corner Jack alone and try to talk him into sleeping with you. You keep saying how good a friend Ianto is, that he's like your little brother. Would you have still gone behind his back and had a go at his partner if he really was?"

"No!" the one-time PC protested hotly. "And it wasn't like that! I just thought it would be better to iron it out with Jack, I didn't know Ianto was going to hear anything we were saying!"

"But he did!" Williams shouted with equal heat. "And got hurt because of it! What kind of friend does that?!"

"He got shot by an idiot security guard because he went on an alert alone!" Gwen protested. "How are his choices and mistakes my fault? And why the hell are you defending him so hard? If you say one word about his sodding coffee, I will shoot you."

"It's got nothing to do with coffee or how he got hurt," Rhys explained soberly. "The reason I'm taking his part has to with us, Gwen… this house, our daughter, the whole bloody world. None of this would be the way it is now, if it weren't for Ianto Jones."

"Because Jack came back for him and him alone," Cooper sneered, finding that the fact hurt more at the moment than she wanted to admit.

"No," her husband stated firmly, surprising the former constable. "Because if it weren't for Ianto, Jack would still be sealed in concrete at Ashton Down, we'd be in prison or dead, and Ebrill likely never would've been born. And if he hadn't rescued us all, found us a place to hide, then died at Thames House, Captain Jack-bloody-Harkness never would have found the balls to deal with the 456 once and for all, never would've been wounded enough to think of sacrificing his own grandson. Earth would be minus 10% of its children, Gwen, and likely to lose more the next time those aliens came back. The whole damn human race owes their current lives and continued generations to one quiet, confused, too often overlooked Welshman who took his duties as part of Torchwood very seriously, wanted to help save the world… and was willing to die young as long as he was beside the person he loved, whether they loved him back or not. And he deserves better than he's gotten from someone he looks on as a best mate and surrogate sister."

Gwen stared at him, his words sinking in like knives and draining all the anger and resentment she'd been feeling. All that was left was terrible guilt and the fear that she'd caused damage she couldn't repair.

"Andy and Sophie'll be bringing Ebrill back at 8:30," Rhys reported simply. "You go have a soak in the tub and think hard about how you're going to fix this, yeah? You owe Ianto one hell of an apology tomorrow once he's fit to listen to it, and just saying 'sorry, mate, I was out of line' isn't going to cover it. What you did was wrong in so many ways, Gwen. You'd best be apologising to Jack too, but the one you really need to make things right with is Ianto."

"What if I can't fix things?" Cooper breathed, feeling tears threatening. "What if this is the one thing Ianto can't forgive me for?"

"Then maybe we'll have to talk to Jack about the Retcon after all," Williams shrugged, heading for the kitchen to put the kettle on. "Cancel the contract Harwood's has with UNIT. But I don't think it'll come to that. Ianto doesn't often hold grudges from what I can tell. Just don't let him shoulder the blame. This is all on you, love… deal with it. I'll have something hot to drink ready when you're done with your bath."

Feeling like the biggest sack of shit in the Universe, Gwen trudged upstairs to their room and through to the bathroom. Rhys had just given her a very large, cold dose of reality and though he was clearly upset with her, he was trying to help with some tough love.

"He should've used his fucking nine-iron," the former constable growled to herself as she started the hot water running in the bathtub and let the tears of disappointment and shame trickle down her face.

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AN: Yeah… Rhys was more than prepared to truth Gwen into submission.

I will try to post Saturday next time, as I have to prep for a procedure and will not have the time Sunday. If RL gets in the way, I'll try for Tuesday when I'm home again.

Thank you to those reading the story. And thank you to those who have followed, favourited, and reviewed. NM