The door eased open. "Owen? Gwen? Hey, where is every-"
"Surprise!" The lights flared on to reveal the rest of Torchwood Three in the conference room, gathered around a table decked with punch and cake. "Happy birthday, Tosh!"
Toshiko squeaked and hid behind the half-open door. Gwen laughed and held out her hands to draw her friend into the room. "Come on, Tosh. Come see the cake."
"Ianto made it himself," Jack put in with a grin.
Tosh went over to the table and looked down at the cake. The frosting was blue and her name was written on top with pink icing. She turned to Ianto, who shrugged modestly. "Not bad?"
"No," she said quietly. "Not at all, it's..."
"Presents first, or cake?" Tosh turned around to find Owen behind her, holding a brightly wrapped package. He handed it to her, feigning indifference. "I'm hungry. Open it."
Tosh's eyes were shining as she tore into the gift, the green paper slipping through her shaking fingers. "This... This is..." She looked up at her team and smiled widely. "This is the best birthday I've ever had."
Jack winked cheekily. "Oh, you ain't seen nothing yet."
Gwen paused the video. She brushed her fingers lightly over the screen, over the frozen image of Tosh's shining face. "She was so happy that day," she murmured. "So happy we remembered."
She turned in her chair to look up at Jack, who stood behind her in silence. "Now I can't forget, Jack."
Jack didn't speak. The birthdays of dead teammates always hurt. Few besides Jack even remembered. Curse Gwen's tender heart and her team spirit. She was one of the few who remembered. And today, Tosh's birthday, it was eating her alive. Eating both of them.