So I hope some of you will recognise the title of this fic, it's a song by The Strokes. However, it is not a songfic I just thought it would be a good title for this...I spent ages trying to think of a name for this story and finally I had to turn to my iTunes library for help! Lol.
Also for those of you want to you should check out this great site http:// jackgwen . proboards 47. com/ index.cgi (without the spaces) for all your Jack/Gwen needs!
Disclaimer: wait a minute...wait a minute...yeeeee...nope Torchwood doesn't belong to me.
Gwen knew she shouldn't flirt with Jack, it was bad and wrong and…oh who really gave a shit? So she might be rebounding just the slightest amount on account of recently breaking up with her fiancé but Jack didn't seem to care.
If anything he just revelled in the attention. Everyone else was getting completely fed up with the innuendos and insinuations constantly flying between the two and even Tosh had started to see the sexual side of a pen thanks to Gwen.
Truth be told the rest of the team were slightly worried about Gwen, after Rhys had broken off their engagement on account of her 'spending too much time at her fucking work with her fucking boss and her fucking paperwork' she had gone a little…crazy. Refusing to believe that the man she had been with for the past three years had dumped her she had flown a little off the handle.
She seemed to be settling back down but for a week or two she had hardly shown up for work and when she had she seemed to either be dealing with a massive hangover or still drunk. In short she had been on a self destructive journey that to the rest of the team didn't seem like it would be ending anytime soon.
Jack wasn't sure how to react to this new Gwen, sure he played along but what he really suspected was that Gwen was just out for a feel-good shag and he tried to be flattered that the first person she thought of was him. Yeah he supposed that he had the reputation of shagging anything gorgeous enough…and hell yes was Gwen gorgeous enough but he respected her too much to do something with her that she would most definitely regret later.
Called to attention by the sound of shouting from the main stations in the Hub he left his office to see what was going on.
He was greeted with the sight of Gwen shrugging on her coat and yelling at Owen, "Yeah well it's not any of your business is it? Just stay the fuck away from me Owen."
"I just wanted to know where you're going Gwen, we're worried about you," he replied calmly.
"Well deal with it, I'm out of here," so saying she grabbed her bag and stalked out passing Jack and giving him a lusty wink on the way out.
Ignoring this he turned to his team and sighed, "What are we going to do about her?"
"You're the one who always has the answers Jack," Tosh said
"Well I don't know what to do this time," He said admitting defeat. There was no way he could think of to get Gwen off her self-destructive path, "we just have to hope she'll calm down in time."
The next morning Jack counted the minutes until six thirty when Ianto usually arrived. The cog-door rolled open at exactly the right time and Tosh and Owen walked in half an hour later. Around the same time that Gwen usually arrived…but she didn't come this morning.
"Gwen not here again?" Tosh asked casually as if it were a common occurrence, which it had sort of become.
Jack just shook his head and punched in the number for Gwen's phone. It rang a number of times and then a man answered,
"Hello?" Came the groggy sounding voice
"Who is this?" Jack asked, knowing full well it wouldn't be Rhys and he had no idea what other men would be answering Gwen's phone at seven thirty in the morning.
"Oh shit," the voice said faintly clearly talking to someone else now, "hey I think it's your boyfriend or something…hey wake up…."
Gwen's croaky voice soon was heard, "what do you want?"
"There's someone on the phone for you," the strange man's voice said.
Jack rolled his eyes, so Gwen was picking up random men in bars now. That was great. He had no idea why a sudden surge of heat rushed through his body at this thought but he had a sudden urge to go over to Gwen's place and beat the shit out of this guy.
"Hello?" Gwen said yawning loudly.
"Gwen, get your arse over here now," he snapped, "there's been a rift activity alert we need you here now."
"Alright alright," she moaned, "just stop talking so loud, I'll be there soon"
He hung up and considered his situation. Gwen was not in her right mind, he didn't even know if he should let her on missions. She wasn't so far as suicidal he was sure but he didn't know how great she would be in dangerous situations when she was probably nursing a bad hangover and thinking about the next drink she could have.
It was strange to think about Gwen like this, usually she was so grounded and sure of herself. But now…he just wanted to kill Rhys when he thought about what he had done to her…but another part of him wanted to thank him for releasing Gwen from their doomed relationship.
Jack knew Gwen was never going to marry him when he didn't even know what she did for a living.
And now she wasn't.
His thoughts were interrupted by the rift alarm going off and he hurried down the stairs to Tosh.
"What's happening?"
"Alien activity detected by the docks," Tosh replied getting her laptop prepared for transport.
"I'll get the SUV," Ianto said already on his way out.
"Owen…" Jack started and was cut off by the sound of the door rolling open and Gwen rushing through it.
"I'm here, I'm here turn that bloody alarm off Tosh!" Gwen mumbled her eyes bloodshot and her hair tousled.
"It'll go off in a minute," Tosh replied softly not meeting her gaze.
"So let's go," Gwen said after a few seconds of awkward silence punctuated by the alarm which did eventually stop.
"Gwen," Jack started but she interrupted.
"I know what you're going to say Jack and don't worry I'm fit for duty and…I'm sorry I was late this morning. Just give me a few days," she said quietly obviously sincere in her apology. Turning to face Tosh and Owen she continued, "I know I haven't been myself lately but I'm trying…I'm…sorry."
She said the last two words looking directly at Jack and he felt a thrill buzz through his body at the eye contact.
"It's fine let's go, it's probably just a weevil or something," he said grabbing his coat and ushering the others out in front of him.
When they reached the docks Tosh traced the alien activity to an abandoned warehouse that reeked of old fish.
"Why is it always the creepy old warehouses where they go?" Tosh whispered out loud eliciting a small snort of laughter from Gwen.
"Right Tosh, Owen and Ianto you go around that entrance, Gwen you're with me we're going in the back." Jack commanded quietly.
The others slipped off and gesturing for Gwen to follow quietly he walked off in the direction of the back entrance as the rising sun cast a warm glow over them.
"Gwen are you sure you're up for this?" Jack asked one last time casting a worried look over her.
"Yeah Jack just go already," she snapped and then immediately regretted it as she saw the hurt look that crossed his face momentarily, "sorry Jack…I'm sorry for everything I've done over the past couple of weeks."
She felt tears start to form in her eyes and caught herself before they could slip loose, she would not cry in front of Jack.
"It's fine Gwen," he turned to face her looking straight into her eyes and a jolt of electricity shot through him, "let's just focus now and we can talk later okay?"
She nodded and held up her gun following Jack into the dim interior of the warehouse.
Instantly she could hear the distant snarling and scratching of something moving inside and instinctively she moved closer to Jack.
"That doesn't sound like a weevil Jack," she whispered fear gripping at her.
"Just stick close," he said and then pressing a button on his com he whispered, "Owen what do you see?"
"Nothing," the reply came, "It's pitch black in here but we can hear something, sounds like it's closer to your side than ours."
Jack turned to Gwen and motioned in the dim light from outside for her to follow him. They moved inwards walking slowly, quietly unable to hear anything apart from the frequent scrabbling sound and their own breathing.
Tension was building up inside of Gwen, she expected something to jump out of her at any minute and she hated the darkness. She felt like something was watching her…something from behind her…
Turning abruptly unable to contain herself she felt something hard collide with her head and then all she saw was darkness.
Right so hope you enjoyed that. The more reviews I get the quicker I will update! Although I can't really promise anything because all next weeks I have a ridiculous number of exams thanks to those great things called A Level mocks.