Title: Secret Sorrow
Summary: Everyone has a past, a life before Gwen Cooper joined Torchwood, and she's about to find out about Owen's.
Disclaimer: I don't own Torchwood or anything related to the show.
Rating: PG-13 (Language)
A/N: Gwen/Owen. Angst-y one shot.
"Owen." Toshiko approaches him slowly. His expression is a concoction of remorse, anger and regret. He stands stock still, hands shoved in his pockets. His suit is soaked through and his hair is a damp mess. "It's time to go." She places her hand on his shoulder and he stiffens.
"She's not there… all that's down there is a wooden box with an empty shell." She places a hand over his heart. "She's in here." He nods but doesn't try to hide his silent tears.
"She hates being alone." He mumbles, barely audible above the pouring rain. Toshiko remains silent, watching as he kneels down and traces a hand over the cold carved stone. His fingers move along the engraving, tracing the shape of the 'G'. "I can't leave her Tosh…" And he hasn't, he's remained there, silently mourning her since the funeral, two days earlier.
"Owen, you're going to make yourself sick." She pulls him to his feet, almost ready to burst in to floods of tears herself. He's already way past sick and it it's killing her to watch him fall apart. "You need to go home, get changed out of those wet clothes, have something to eat and get some rest."
"Why?" He looks up at her with wide pleading eyes. He needs an answer, a reason to keep on going, and she can't give him one.
"For her." It's a cop-out and she knows it, but it's all she has for him. "Come on." She leads him away from the grave towards the SUV where Jack's been waiting for the last hour. Everyone takes the death of a colleague badly, but for poor Owen, it was more than losing someone he worked with.