(no subject)
Title: Aftermath
Author: lidda_anne
Rating: PG
Pairing: Gwen/Rhys very minor Jack/Ianto
Disclaimer: I don't own Torchwood or any of the characters. I just play with them.
Spoilers: 2x13 Exit Wounds.
Summary: In the aftermath of Exit Wounds Gwen realizes something. Inspired by the cover version of ‘Knocking On Heaven’s Door’ by Avril Lavigne.
Jack and Ianto had walked her to the door of her flat and Ianto had opened it with the keys he had taken from her shaking hands, they’d been insistent on seeing her in and she hadn’t the energy to argue. As she sunk into the familiar comfort of her sofa, she vaguely heard Jack tell her that they would stay till Rhys got home…she wanted to argue that she didn’t need to be babysat but her voice caught in her throat as Ianto sat on the coffee table in front of her, grasping her hands tightly and Jack sat on the couch beside her with an arm around her shoulders. Ianto bowed his head and closed his eyes forcing the burning hot tears to splash over onto their joint hands while Jack glared with misted eyes at the wall in front of him like it had done something to offend him.
Gwen’s eyes were sore and her chest ached from the sobs she had heaved over her co workers and friends and though she knew they were dead a tiny sliver of hope inside her head made her think they would be there when she went into work, Tosh running scans on her computer that would make Gwen’s brain hurt if Tosh tried to explain what they were and Owen making snide remarks. Gwen sobbed loudly; the silent room making the noise seem so much louder in her ears but neither Jack nor Ianto said anything, for there really was nothing to say. Tosh and Owen would still be dead.
Gwen wanted to punch something and scream at the unfairness of it all, they were too young; they still had so much to do. She was sure that Owen was finally noticing Tosh and given time would have admitted it…But he didn’t have time, he was dead, really dead this time and so was Tosh. They would never drink another pint or argue over Owen messing with Tosh’s computer, would never feel the warmth of someone’s hand in their own or the caress of another’s lips.
Harsh sobs reverberated in Gwen’s ears and she watches Jack pull Ianto into his lap and cradle him against his chest, placing kisses tinged with desperation on his cheek and along the side of his face, for his comfort and as well as Ianto’s. She placed a kiss to the back of Ianto’s hand before resting her cheek against it.
“Cariad…” She whispers brokenly but says no more, she wouldn’t insult his intelligence by saying it’s going to be ok. Ianto squeezes her hand lightly and she knows he understands.
“Gwen, are you home? I saw the SUV out front, you lot should really get a less conspicuous car.” Rhys laughing voice calls out from the hallway and Gwen races to meet him, knocking the plastic grocery bags from his hands to the ground before he makes it to the living room.
“What’s wrong?” She can hear the panic in his voice as he clasps her tightly to him but all she can do is cry harder.
“Toshiko Sato and Owen Harper were killed in action today” Jack says in his most confident voice but the quiver in his voice as he says ‘killed’ shows that he is just barely holding it together. Rhys swears and apologises, as he moves further into the room with Gwen still attached to the front of him, the grocery bags completely forgotten.
She hears Jack tell her that he and Ianto are leaving and not to bother coming in tomorrow, a hand squeezes her shoulder and another briefly rubs her back in comfort but she doesn’t remove her face from where she is quietly crying into Rhys neck.
The front door clicks shut and Rhys eases them back down onto the sofa, murmuring into her ear how sorry he is and how much he loves her. This is not her first death; she works at Torchwood and sad as it was she saw death all the time, even her co workers. Torchwood was a dangerous job, she knew this but knowing it and knowing it were two different things, this was personal, this was Owen and Tosh, two beautiful people who had had their lives ripped away from them.
Looking up she catches Rhys gaze and can’t help but be humbled by the love reflected there. She gently presses her lips gently against his, their warmth like balm on her soul and she vows to herself to make the most of the moments in her life, to not let it pass her by thinking she can always do it tomorrow. Because one day it will be her body lying in the morgue and she wants to go to the other side knowing she made the most of the time she had.
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