In the underground parking garage of the Hub Gwen climbed out of her car and positioned her breasts in the tightly laced corset style top she was now wearing. It was red with black lace and lace sleeves matched with a pair of black jeans that fitted like a second skin. It was an outfit designed to show off her curves. The time to be subtle was over and she was a woman on a mission. Striding through the Hub she found a very subdued atmosphere waiting for her. Owen was holding Tosh and looked very cosy. She sniffed, he wasn't worth her time when Jack was the prize she deserved. Looking around she wondered where he was and who the fuck was that.

Blaine looked up from the paperwork she was almost finished filling out and frowned. 'You were sent home.'

'I work here. Who the hell are you?'

'I need to talk to Ianto about a company newsletter. I'm Blaine McGonagall, I work here.'

'No you don't.'

'I'm not here to work on my tan.' She muttered.

'You don't belong here, this is my Hub.'

Blaine laughed. 'You need to learn to share.'

'I don't share.'

'Yeah, you must be an only child. I went to boarding school so I'm familiar with the attitude.'

Gwen shook her head. 'Who the hell are you to speak to me like that.'

'It must be the accent because no one can be that dense and still remember to breathe. I told you, I'm Blaine McGonagall and I work here.' She spoke slowly. 'I'm a Torchwood field agent.'

'Oh that's going to change. Where is Jack? I need to have a word with him.'

Owen stepped up beside Gwen. 'He's a bit busy right now. Cleaning up the mess you made with John.'

'I don't know what you are talking about, he wanted to see his son. None of you were helping him.'

'So you dropped him at a nursing home and left him to it. Did it even occur to you that maybe it would be too much to see his son like that?' Owen almost couldn't believe what he was hearing. Almost.

'He wanted to see his son.' Gwen felt her anger growing as she repeated herself. 'It was what he wanted.'

'Those nutters in the national park wanted to eat us but none of us thought that was a good idea.'

'This isn't the same thing.'

Jack's voice cut though the room. 'Isn't it?'

Gwen threw a smile on as she turned to face Jack and wondered why he'd changed as he stood there in jeans and a tee shirt. It looked good on him. 'Jack.'

Owen threw his hands up in the air as he listened to her gush. 'Well fuck me.'

Jack shook his head. 'You aren't supposed to be here Gwen. You were sent home.'

'By the tea boy and Tosh. Oh you are having a laugh.'

'Funny thing, Gwen. No one here is laughing.'

She stopped at how cold his voice was. There was none of the usual smile to his brilliant blue eyes and he looked like he'd aged. Given he didn't stay dead and was actually quite a bit older than he looked she hadn't expected that. 'What's wrong Jack?'

'I'd give you a list but that's more Ianto's specialty.'

'And I suppose he hired Scottish Barbie?'

Jack held a hand up to stop Blaine from defending herself. 'You don't want to go there.'

Giving the blonde a once over Gwen nodded. 'You're probably right, god only knows what I'd catch.'

'Don't worry pet.' Blaine managed to look down at Gwen while looking up at her. 'You aren't my type and I've never been one for going where practically everyone else has already been either.'

'Why you.'

'I wouldn't finish that sentence.' Jack commanded.

Gwen squared her shoulders back and had to force herself to smile sweetly as she looked at Jack and lowered her voice. 'I'm just glad you can see how they speak to me when you aren't around.' She stepped towards him and tried to put a hand on his arm but found him stepping back. 'Jack?'

'Why did you do it Gwen?'

'Do what?'

Jack stepped forward, grabbed her arm and dragged her towards the autopsy bay where Ianto was washing John's face. 'He was destroyed seeing his son like that, a broken shell when only days ago he was a little boy who looked up to his father and wanted to be just like him. You did that Gwen Cooper.' Jack indicated the body below them, his voice cracking with anger and grief. 'His death is on your hands.'

'You're hurting me.'

Jack dropped her arm and stepped away from her. 'I'm starting to wonder if you even have a heart.'

'No. I'm the heart of this team. You all lost yourselves buried underground in this place. You need me to keep you human.'

'Who keeps you human Gwen Cooper?'

'You do Jack.'

'Then I've failed.' He turned away from her and watched as Ianto walked towards him. 'Because I can't have you here. There's no room for you in Torchwood and perhaps there never was.'

Gwen shrugged. 'You can't retcon me.'

Ianto spoke, his voice soft in the vastness of the Hub. 'There is more than one way to make someone forget.'

Gwen began to feel just a little afraid and let the fear harden her tone. 'And the bloody admin threatens the field agent. I guess sleeping with the boss must be one hell of a perk.'

Jack watched Ianto to see what his reaction was to her accusation.

Ianto shook his head. 'Careful Gwen, your jealousy is showing.'

'No, you've got it backwards, you lot are all jealous of me, I'm the only one with a real relationship. All the rest of you have are the pathetic scraps from the Torchwood table.'

'Yes, that explains the fuck me outfit.' He watched as her face changed colour to match her top. 'It seems red isn't your colour.'

Gwen looked around and considered that this wasn't going how she thought it would.

Blaine laughed at the thought the woman was broadcasting so loudly that even with her limited ligilimency abilities she was able to pick it up.

Startled Gwen spun towards the laughter. 'What's so funny?'

'You actually thought you could waltz in here, tell Jack you were sorry and he'd fall into your bed and chuck Ianto for you.'

'You can't know that.' Gwen hissed.

'Looking at what you happen to be wearing several things come to mind, like, what were you thinking? Talk about mutton dressed as lamb. You really have no secrets in an outfit like that. And since I can read your mind you ought to be ashamed at yourself.'

'Read my mind? What the fuck are you?'

Blaine gave her a very McGonagall smile. 'That. Is a very good question.'

Owen looked at his team mates and was feeling left out as Gwen squared off against Blaine while Jack and Ianto stood shoulder to shoulder. It occurred to him that he should have really noticed before now how the two men where the same height. He was also thankful that Gwen's outfit really did have no secrets which meant she wasn't packing a gun and therefore couldn't shoot anyone. This time. He looked to Tosh and saw distress written on the delicate woman's finely featured face and reached for her hand. Drawing her into him he hoped Jimmy didn't blunder back in with Diane any time soon. This wasn't pretty now, he wasn't sure how Gwen would react to a further audience to her break with reality.

Looking back he also considered how he'd missed the signs and that he had previously had the worst taste in women. Suzie who went bonkers and now this mad tart bookended by a string of one night stands. If Katie were looking down on him he knew he'd be embarrassed at how long it had taken him to work out the relationship between him and Tosh. She was well out of his league and he was going to spend the rest of their time together making up for it if she'd let him. Once they worked out what to do with Gwen. Knowing her attention wasn't focused on him Owen wondered if he had time to get to his medical supplies so he could sedate the mad Welshwoman. Rolling his eyes he reminded himself that the same woman was currently facing off against a witch and they had a wizard standing next to their immortal team leader. He settled for pulling Tosh closer and waiting to see how this played out. Knowing whatever happened, Gwen wasn't going to be part of the team after today.

Ianto looked to Jack who gave a sad nod causing him to raise his hand and cup the older man's cheek, drawing Gwen's eye.

'You.'

Ianto watched her walk towards him, put in mind of a cat, back arched as it spat and hissed while it's fur stood on end.

'Me?' His voice pooling with innocence.

'You ruined everything.' She pointed at her chest. 'I should be in Jack's bed, not someone like you. I should be his second and his confidant. Me.'

Ianto's nonchalant question stopped her in her tracks. 'Why?' He watched her face do that goldfish thing she did when she didn't have anything to say.

Gwen pulled her shoulders back and tried to intimidate him with a glare she had spent her life practising. 'Because. I'm a woman and a man like Jack needs a woman like me. With skills like mine. And I was trained by the Cardiff Police and I should be his second. You just do a bit of filing and make coffee.'

Ianto laughed. 'I was honed in a fire you can't even comprehend and that was just while I was at school. Never mind the years between that and when I joined Torchwood One. I do more than just alphabetise paperwork and make coffee you silly child.'

'I am not a child, I'm older than you.'

'Then act your age.' Ianto snapped. 'Mooning over Jack like some lovestruck teenager while you have someone like Rhys at home. You bandy your relationship with him about like a badge of honour that makes you better than us at the same time you cheapen it by shagging other men. All the while lusting after Jack.'

Gwen stepped back as Ianto stepped towards her, he was all but sparking with power and she didn't understand.

'Rhys deserves more than a faithless slut like you at his side. Never mind your delusions that you could lead this team as Jack's second.'

'How dare you suggest such a thing.'

'Granted Jack should never have let you in the field when we had the alien sex gas you let out of the meteor. You had no training then so you can't be expected to be held responsible for those deaths. But the death of Ed Morgan is on your hands.' He watched her face lose colour as she remembered the man she had stabbed.

'It was an accident. He ran at me when I was holding the knife.'

'With the blade up.' Ianto snorted. 'Learn that in your police training did you?'

'It was an accident.'

'Perhaps, but it's a fine line between accident and negligence around you. I've seen your file.'

'What did it matter, he was a rapist anyway.' She shrugged dismissively. 'It's not like I let the fairies in the trees steal a little girl from her mother.'

Jack's voice rang out. 'Enough!' He reached out to Ianto. 'Thank you but I think I need to say something to Gwen.' He walked up to her. 'You are a child thinking you have earned a place at the table and I don't need anyone else to tell me you have no love in your soul. The bitterness of you drips around you and how that poor fool waiting for you sees past your faults is beyond me. You do not follow instructions given but rather question those who know what they are doing. You're a terrible field agent and regretfully I thought I saw something worth redeeming in you and indulged you long after I should have let you go.'

'But you need me Jack.'

'No. I need you gone. How long before the person you get killed in the field is Owen or Tosh? They don't come back like I do.'

'You can't retcon me.'

'And you prove yet again that you don't listen. I have Ianto and Blaine so retcon isn't really an issue.'

'What do you mean?'

Jack exchanged a look with Blaine, knowing she was reading him as he nodded at the witch.

'What he means, is I'm a witch, not a Sottish Barbie doll.' She pulled her wand out.

Gwen laughed and looked to Tosh and Owen for reassurance. 'This has to be a joke, there's no such thing.'

Tosh gave her a look of pity that made Gwen feel ill.

'Come on you guys, this is barking.'

Blaine laughed. 'Sounds like you've got the market cornered on that.' She looked Gwen up and down. 'Your dress sense doesn't leave much room for imagination, although it's brave to think a woman of your age can pull that look off. Never mind my being a witch.'

'So you point a stick at me and I'm supposed to be scared of you?'

Ianto rolled his eyes. 'Not all of us need a wand.'

Spinning around Gwen frowned. 'Are you supposed to be a witch too? Although it would explain your hold over Jack.'

'Actually, I'm a wizard. And I've never needed magic to keep Jack interested.'

'That's your secret, the one Mary kept alluding to. It's how you stopped me when I tried to shoot you.'

Jack sighed softly as he exchanged a look with Ianto. 'I'm sorry, I hoped she hadn't.'

'Yeah but we both knew she tried.' He looked back to Gwen. 'I should thank you for admitting it I suppose. Makes it easier to finally answer the question of what to do with you.' He gave a flick of his wrist and froze her in place. 'This feels awfully familiar you know.'

'She isn't trying to shoot you this time if that helps.'

'Yes, thank you Jack, it actually does.' Ianto looked to Blaine. 'Can you take her to the cells please. Make sure you check she doesn't have anything in her pockets or shoved in her cleavage.'

'I'll expect danger money for that.' Blaine muttered as she used her wand to levitate the now prone woman.

Owen followed her. 'Right handy you lot are.'

'Yes Owen. Ianto said he and I should open a moving company if the Torchwood gig doesn't pan out.'

'And here I was going to offer to check her pockets for you.'

Blaine barked out a laugh. 'I thought I'd just flip her over and see what fell out if I shook her a few times.'

'Na, clothes that skin tight require a more hands on approach and I happen to carry gloves with me at all times.' He smiled. 'Being a Doctor has it's advantages.'

Tosh watched as Jack pulled Ianto into his arms and held his lover. She smiled as their leader whispered in the wizards ear. It was clearly a reassurance as the posture of both men relaxed and Jack brushed his lips across Ianto's forehead.

Ianto pulled back with a smile he usually saved for when he was alone with Jack, letting his eyes tell him what words couldn't.

The three of them looked around as the cog door rolled back and alarms announced the arrival of Jimmy and Diane in the Hub.

'I picked sandwiches up, I wasn't sure if anyone had stopped for lunch and it looks like we missed all the fun.' He looked around and caught the image of Owen locking Gwen into the cells. 'Did she go mental again and try to shoot someone?'

Ianto snorted. 'Nowhere to stick a gun in what she was wearing.'

'Oh so you got lucky then.' He set the box he was carrying onto a work station. 'Good news is, we got Diane here signed up with the flight instructor.' He decided to pretend this was normal and carry on as if he hadn't just seen the team medic lock the former constable in the cells, again. Actually, he considered that this wasn't as abnormal as it first appeared and looked over to see Diane throwing her arms around Jack and gushing her thanks.

'I made a few calls, but Gert wasn't sure he could fit you in before Christmas.'

'He still can't, there are snow warnings so we'll be going up in the new year but it's okay. I know I can wait. I just.' She looked around. 'Where's John?'

'There was a.' Jack rubbed a hand over his face and realised he'd forgotten about the dead man in the autopsy bay and felt tears welling up as the inevitability of loosing everyone reared up once more. He was sad John had felt death was his only option, but the reminder he would loose his team in time was the underlying catalyst of his own grief. Because that included Ianto in the inevitability of death and he wasn't ready to face how that made him feel.

Ianto stepped in. 'There was an incident and John is no longer with us.'

'Oh.' Diane looked around and thought for a moment she could actually see sadness like a mist around the people in the room. 'I'm sorry. I was a bit worried about how he'd adapt but I didn't expect.' She straightened up. 'What arrangements are we going to make? I don't know how that works given our current circumstances.'

'I thought.' Ianto lead Jack to a sofa and Diane followed on the other side of the normally flamboyant man. 'We could have him cremated and place his ashes with his wife.'

Diane nodded. 'I'm sure a body would raise questions in someone that's been missing for over 50 years. It seems logical and is a kind gesture.' She looked around as Blaine and Owen walked back into the central Hub area. 'But did I see Gwen being locked up?'

Ianto sighed. 'Yes. It seems she is no longer a suitable fit for the team.'

'I didn't know her very well but I'm not surprised. What happens next? I'm sure you can't just put a vacancy notice in the paper.'

Jack laughed. 'Are you asking for a job?'

Diane shrugged. 'I have to do something. I can shoot a gun, I flew planes in the war and I'm not stupid. I know you all have dangerous jobs but I can also see that what you do makes a difference. And I'm not sure I'd fit in anywhere else, even when I get my pilots license back.' She looked at Owen and Tosh and smiled. 'And I'd like to think I've made friends.'

Jack looked around him at his team and smiled. 'We can put you on the team on a trial basis but we do deal with aliens as well as displaced people the rift moves though time and space.'

'It would be no weirder than working with a witch.' She said with a smile.

Ianto gave her a look. 'Do I want to know how you know?'

'I worked for the war department transporting planes to where they were needed and lets just say that McGonagall isn't a common Scottish name.' She looked at Blaine. 'You have your grandfather's eyes.'

'You knew my grandfather?'

'I knew one of his friends better if that's what you're asking.' Diane smiled.

'Then you should know I'm a wizard.'

'I wondered. You give off a crackle of energy like her grandfather and his friends did.'

'I think I remember stories about you, was your code name Little Bird?'

Diane nodded. 'That makes this such a small world.'

'Oh you have no idea.' Ianto agreed as more connections drew them together as a team.

Owen looked around. 'Hang on, is that lunch?' Eyes resting on a box with a bakery logo on the side.

Tosh slapped him. 'How can you think of food now?'

He just looked a her as his stomach rumbled and grinned when she rolled her eyes.

Jimmy took the hint and brought the food over, setting it on the coffee table. 'Go on then, before you starve to death.'

'Thanks mate.' Owen dived in, handing a ham and cheese sandwich to Tosh before unwrapping his own and taking a bite. 'I was starving.'

Jack shook his head. 'And you talk about my table manners.'

Ianto nodded. 'Yes, I do.' As he watched Jack follow suit.

Jack watched as his little family grew to replace what had been lost but it didn't answer the question of what to actually do with Gwen Cooper. Sensitive to his moods Ianto reached for his hand, no fear of such an open display of affection and he accepted the comfort provided.

'We do still have to work out what to do with her.' He looked to Ianto. 'Ideas?'

'If we weren't a secret government agency she'd be on charges for attempted murder and would likely end up in prison.'

'Is there even a woman's prison in Wales?' Diane asked.

'No, she'd be sent to England, which she'd love or we turn her over to Unit but we've already ruled that idea out.' Ianto shook his head. 'The woman is a menace and it's way past the point where she could be returned to the Cardiff Police even with her memories altered so she forgot she'd tried to shoot me.'

Owen snorted. 'Your buddy Swanson made as much pretty clear. She's not welcome back there.'

'No, and with her nature she'd only wind up in our way again anyway.' Jack admitted.

'There is always the looney bin.' Owen suggested. 'Somewhere like Providence Park.'

'Alter her memories and see if they can't treat her obsessive personality?' Tosh asked.

'She's got to have something wrong with her that needs medicating. People don't get like her when the are functioning members of society.' Owen added.

'That is one idea.' Ianto agreed.

'What if we just wiped her memories of Torchwood and sent her home with a fake head injury to account for the memory loss and let her and Rhys figure it out for themselves.' Jimmy put forward.

'Plant an insurance pay out and convince them they want to emigrate to Australia?' Blaine asked.

Jimmy shrugged. 'It would get rid of the mad woman.'

'And punish Rhys. The man may be a fool for not seeing her as she really is but we can't condemn him too.'

'He was doomed the first time he decided she was the woman for him.'

Ianto shook his head. 'It isn't up to us to judge the man for his mistakes. We may be above the police but we are still subject to the laws of common decency.'

'What if.' Tosh looked around at the team. 'We let him know what she did and give him the opportunity to make his own mind up. Maybe even let him decide her fate, since it effects him too.'

Owen grinned. 'And that is just one of the things I love about you.' Blushing at his declaration in front of everyone. 'Oh.'

Tosh smiled and patted him on the knee. 'Maybe we should talk about that later.'

'Um, yes?'

Ianto looked at Jack who nodded and turned to his team.

'Actually, Tosh may be right. We should come up with a few ideas but I think it's time that Rhys met the team and found out what his girlfriend has been doing.'

'Other than lying to him?' Owen asked.

Tosh snorted. 'I think she's been doing that for a lot longer than we've known her.'

'Alright.' Jack looked around him. 'So we introduce ourselves to Rhys, let him see the CCTV of today's little incident, and give him some options to choose from.'

'Which are?' Tosh asked.

Jack looked at Owen. 'Providence Park.' He pointed to Blaine and Jimmy. 'An insurance pay out and the option of leaving Cardiff.' He reached for Ianto. 'We could frame her for murder and send her to prison or see what Rhys comes up with.' He looked at Tosh. 'Because I wont let Unit have her.'

'What's the other option?' Diane asked. 'The one you aren't saying out loud?'

Ianto looked at Jack who nodded. His voice soft as his welsh accent said the one thing everyone was thinking but didn't want to say.

'A bullet or a staged accident that leaves Rhys a widower with memories of a woman who never really existed for anyone but him.'

Diane nodded. 'I'm getting the idea that this isn't really a job you get to leave.'

'Still time to change your mind.' Jack gave her the option. 'We modify your memories slightly, give you your own head injury and payout and leave you free to make a new life. You could go anywhere you want.'

She laughed. 'And miss the excitement of chasing aliens? Hardly.'

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

Rhys Williams strode into the Tourist Office on the Plass and tried to work out why as the door clicked closed behind him and a young man in a suit seemed to be waiting for him.

'Ianto Jones. We spoke on the phone.'

'Yeah, Rhys Williams.'

'It would be a pleasure to finally met you if we were meeting under different circumstances Mr Williams.'

'You can't call me Mr Williams, you're younger than me.'

'Rhys. If you could follow me. I'm sorry if this is all a bit of a shock.'

He laughed nervously. 'Some bloke calls asking me to come here to collect Gwen from work because she's in a spot of bother and I meet you.' He indicated Ianto and his pinstriped suit. 'Apologising for this all being a bit of a shock and I'm asking myself. I ask, Rhys, what the bloody hell has the fool woman of yours got herself into now. And why is he directing me to a tourist office.'

'Do you believe in aliens?'

'Oh you are having a laugh.'

'Then this is going to be a bit awkward.' Ianto pushed a button and the wall moved away, making Rhys jump.

'She doesn't do a bit of filling and make tea for special ops, does she.'

'No. That's more my job than hers. And we aren't really special ops, not exactly.' He ushered Rhys into the lift and they descended into the Hub.

Rhys looked around and saw the tiled sign. 'Gwen's bloody Torchwood?' He saw Jack. 'I've seen you, don't you usually have a long coat on?'

'It's at the cleaners. Captain Jack Harkness.'

'Rhys Williams but you know who I am.'

Jack nodded. 'Yeah, we know. This is Doctor Toshiko Sato and Doctor Owen Harper.' He looked around. 'Jimmy Jones, no relation to Ianto, Blaine Mcgonagall and Diane Holmes are the rest of the team.'

'You lot are an urban legend, and you're telling me my Gwennie is bloody Torchwood?'

'She was.' Jack looked to Ianto. 'Perhaps you could make us all a coffee while we take Rhys to the conference room.'

'What do you mean was? Is she alright?'

'For now. That's part of what we need to discuss with you.' Jack didn't wait for Rhys to follow as he strode across his Hub.

Ianto walked in with a tray of coffees. He'd missed Jack's explanation and was in time for a replay of the days events.

'You'll excuse us if we don't have Gwen in here to try and explain herself. We want you to see what happened and let you draw your own conclusions.' Jack looked to Tosh. 'If you will?'

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

Rhys was stunned as finished watching the CCTV footage. He turned to Ianto. 'You're a wizard?'

'Yeap.'

'And the blonde, she's a witch?'

Ianto nodded. 'We went to school together.'

'Of course.' He sat back. 'So why am I here?'

Jack sighed. 'Yeah. We can't have Gwen working here any more and it was pointed out that any decision we make effects you too.'

'Meaning? Because this hasn't sunk in yet. You've just told me aliens exist along with magic and that Gwen has gone bonkers and wants to sleep with one of you and shoot the other.'

'I think that about sums it up.' Ianto agreed.

'Bloody Hell. So what are these options then?'

Ianto listed the options dispassionately. 'She ends up in prison, Providence Park or she relocates with or without you.'

'She admitted she tried to shoot you.' He shook his head. 'I'm not sure what to say to that. It's like I don't know her any more, even before you showed me this she hasn't been my Gwennie for a while now.' He sighed wondering if there was a way forward for them. 'I need to speak with her.'

Ianto lead him though the Hub towards the cells. 'I wont lie, we have given her a truth potion so whatever she says she will believe is the absolute truth.'

'Might be a nice change.' Rhys muttered as he stepped though the door into the cells area.

'Watch out for Janet.'

Looking around Rhys jumped as a creature lumbered towards him with sharp teeth bared. 'What the bloody hell is that?'

'Rhys?'

He looked around and saw a tear streaked Gwen huddled in a cell. 'Gwen.'

'Why are you here? They had no right to bring you here and expose you to this world.'

'What world is that Gwen? The one where you try and shag your boss and shoot your co-workers?'

'What are you talking about?'

'Stop pissing me around Gwen. You've gotten too used to lying to me, fobbing me off like the idiot I obviously am.'

'There's stuff you don't understand.' She climbed to her feet, eyes pleading with him.

'Clearly since you're in a cell and I've just seen footage of you admitting you tried to murder someone you work with.'

'Fine. I don't work for special ops.'

'Well that's one lie down. And are you going to tell me I'm daft and you never had any intention of sleeping with Jack?'

'Of course I want to sleep with him he's gorgeous.' She slapped her hand over her mouth.

'Yeah, I'm finally getting the truth.' Rhys shook his head. 'Do you even see a future for us or am I just a habit you can't be arsed breaking?'

She felt tears spilling down her checks as there was no answer she wanted to give him.

'And how many times have you dropped your knickers for someone else while we were together?'

She bit her words out, not wanting to answer but unable to stop. 'I don't know.'

'Oh that's just bloody marvellous Gwen that is. Since we're playing twenty questions, what about trying to shoot Ianto?'

'He was in my way.' She was openly sobbing now. 'What have they done to me?'

'Given you a truth potion apparently. Christ Gwen, did you ever care about me?'

'Of course I care Rhys. You look after me and give me someone to come home to.'

'Oh good old reliable Rhys is it, his hearts in the right place but he's not that bright.' He spun around and threw his hands up. 'It's like I don't even know you.' He began pacing up and down as the rant began to build.

'You know what they asked me? They want me to help decide what happens to you because it effects me too. But I'm not so sure it does any more.'

'Don't leave me.' She stumbled towards the cell door and leaned against the perspex.

'Why the hell should I stay?' He waited but she said nothing.

Sliding down the cell wall she sat there sobbing.

He shook his head. 'You know what, I'm done.' He walked away and ignored her calling his name.

He waited outside the door to the cells and tried to catch his breath, looking up only when Ianto approached him.

'I'm sorry Rhys, I wish we could have met under better circumstances.'

'She tried to kill you to steal your bloke and you're trying to offer me comfort?'

Ianto shrugged. 'Of course.'

Rhys sighed. 'I never thought I'd see the day I said what I'm about to say. But my mother was right about that woman.' He broke down. 'I thought she was going to be the mother of my children, now I can't stand the sight of her. Seven years and I don't even know her.'

Ianto threw his arms about the broken man standing before him.

'And now you want me to tell you want to do with her.'

'Not if you don't want to. But if you stay with her then it effects you too and that is what we wanted to talk to you about.'

Rhys let Ianto lead him back to the conference room and he took the glass of brandy he was handed, tossing it back in one mouthful.

'Go easy, that's the good stuff.' Jack muttered as he splashed a refill for the shattered man.

'So apparently you're gorgeous and probably one of the few guys she hasn't slept with.'

Jack clapped him on the shoulder. 'Yeah, sorry about that. I mean I'm not sorry I didn't sleep with her but I'm sorry it all happened this way.'

'Whatever. I don't actually care what you do with her now. Wipe her memories and dump her on Barry Island or give her back to her parents or something.' He pushed the glass away. 'I'm done.'

'I can send Ianto home with you to help pack her things if you like.'

Rhys nodded. 'Yeah, thanks. Will he zap my memory too?'

'If you want.'

This time he shook his head. 'I'd rather remember if I could.'

Ianto sat between Jack and Rhys. 'It could be helpful. Either way we have to generate a cover story for whatever we decide for her.'

'Oh, right. Now we need to make a decision about what to do with her.' Jack looked at Rhys.

'How about the truth.' The heartbroken man suggested. 'She lost her job due to incompetence and I kicked her out because I found out she cheated on me. We load her crap into her car and she drives into the sunset.'

'Car crash effecting her memories?'

'No.' Rhys shook his head. 'I'm guessing there are things you don't want her to remember but how does the memory loss thing work?'

Ianto began to consider what Rhys might be asking. 'If we use magic Blaine or I can target specific memories leaving the rest, there are no gaps to trigger her to go looking for something that isn't there any more.'

'So do that. She can figure out what the hell she wants to do with no job and no relationship.'

'There was another idea I did consider.' Ianto began. 'The police don't want her back, this much has been made clear and without some sort of staged injury it would be more difficult to effect that. However, she could always be employed as a prison guard in a woman's prison. In England.'

Rhys laughed. 'We break up after she loses her job and the only one she can get is in England.' He clapped Ianto on the back. 'Oh I like you. Promise you'll stay in touch after all this.'

'Of course. We'll have to monitor you anyway.'

'Of course you do.'

By the next day Gwen's memories had been removed and altered so she now believed she really had been making tea and doing the filing on a secondment to special ops like she'd told Rhys so many months ago. Due to gross misconduct she had lost her job and Rhys, finding her cheating on him kicked her out of their flat. Leaving her and as much of her stuff as would fit in her car currently on the M6 heading for North Yorkshire and the job she had barely managed to line up at Askham Grange, woman's prison. The rest of her belongings were now in storage at her parents house.

The big surprise was Owen moving in with Tosh, and Diane renting his flat giving life and Torchwood a chance to settle into a new normal. Which is how Jack found himself sitting at Ianto's table for Christmas dinner with a smile on his face. His team had grown even closer and he enjoyed the warm hearted Rhys who turned up for Christmas dinner with home made bread and a lasagne. Unapologetic as he sat at the table with Torchwood. Ianto had been both detailed and explicit in his explanation around the benefits of keeping the logistics manager of Harwoods Haulage as a friend. The point by point presentation punctuated with blow jobs was a tool Jack hoped Ianto would consider for further such conversations moving forward.

The only thing left for Jack to do now, was wish everyone around the table a merry Christmas and a happy New Year. The curious matter of Gwen Cooper was now resolved.