Title: Bar Behaviour
Author: caz251
Fandom: Torchwood
Rating: Pg
Character/Pairing: Owen/PC Andy, past Owen/Suzie, past Owen/Diane, Team Torchwood
Disclaimer: I do not own Torchwood.
Summary: Owen and Andy keep meeting in the same bar.

Owen was sat in a bar, something not unusual for him really, Jack had sent them home early, he had said that they needed a break after everything that had happened with Suzie, but Owen wasn't stupid. They had all left the hub with the exception of Jack and Ianto, and while the girls may not have picked up on it, he certainly had. He couldn't help wondering how long it would take for Jack to break the tea-boy completely, he was already partially broken after Canary Wharf and what they had done to his cybergirlfriend, and he didn't see Jack putting him back together again, if anything the man would make him worse.

Toshiko had left after one drink with him in the bar, muttering about some program or other that she wanted to spend some time on that evening. He knew that it seemed cold but he was glad that instead of spending time with him she was working on some algorithm. He didn't mean it in a bad way, but rather in that numbers, science and logic helped to calm Toshiko, it was something he had noticed in the years they had known each other, cold hard science helped her to de-stress, something that they all needed after the last few days.

Gwen had gone home to Rhys, her recent brush with death having made her feel guilty over what they had been doing behind his back, and to be honest he was glad about it. While things had been fun between them at the start, the fire and lust between him and Gwen was starting to fizz out, leaving nothing but a bittersweet aftertaste, the fact that Gwen had become rather clingy didn't help. Owen hated clingy, Suzie had never been clingy, but then again Suzie wasn't completely all there in the end.

A cough beside him brought him out of his musings as a voice spoke, "You're Torchwood aren't you?"

He was immediately on the defensive internally at least, he didn't say anything, hoping that the man would elaborate a bit, giving him a clue as to who he was and what he wanted.

"You work with Gwen Cooper." The voice spoke again, and Owen recognised the face that went with the voice. Relief flooded through him as he realised it wasn't someone after a fight, or trying to abduct him or extract sensitive information from him. It was just Gwen's old partner in the police, no doubt after some information about how Gwen was. If Owen remembered correctly the man was completely hooked on her, he followed her around like a puppy.

"Yeah I work with Gwen, what can I help you with blondie?" Owen grunted out towards him. This wasn't what he wanted, he didn't want to spend time with the man, he wanted to get drunk then find someone to take home and lose himself in. The policeman at his side was hindering him in his quest.

"Nothing in particular, I recognised you and thought I'd say hello. You look like you've had a bad day, anything I can do to help?" He replied.

Owen really wanted to tell him to get lost, but he doubted that it would work and he'd get a lecture from Gwen about being nicer to Cardiff's finest. "Nah, its fine."

"Do you mind if I join you? I'm Andy by the way." Andy spoke again.

Owen considered it for a moment then shook himself internally at the fact he was considering it. The guy would put him off his game, but there was something to be said for the good guy, bad guy comparison that there was. Women seemed to favour the bad boy, so maybe he should keep Andy around for a while. "Owen," he said, "What are you having?"

If Owen went home to an empty bed that night it was because he had actually been having a good time with Andy. It was nothing to do with the fact that most of the women in the pub thought he was gay and dating Andy.

It was a few weeks before Owen once again found himself in that same bar, trying to drown his sorrows after Diane had flown back through the rift. He hadn't been there long when a figure joined him at the bar, ordering him a drink. He turned to see Andy standing there an indulgent look on his face as he stared down at Owen who was slouched on his bar stool, for some reason the man was there again. Owen had to know something that had been burning in his mind since he had seen the other man. "Are you following me officer?" He snarked at the other man.

Andy just looked at him, faintly amused before replying that he was allowed a drink every now and again, and this was his local. The copper had then gone onto explain that he had been there plenty of times without bumping into Owen, and cheekily asked if maybe it was the other way round, Owen following him so that he got a lift home. Owen just grinned a bit at the other man, there was something about him and his dry humour that made it hard for Owen to stay in his mood.

"So what brings you out this time?" Andy asked, the curiosity in his voice plain for all to hear, "Bad day at work?"

When Owen ignored the question the other man carried on, "Oh, a woman."

Owen glared at him, he really didn't want to get into a conversation about Diane with anyone, especially not with Gwen's ex-partner on the force, the other man was way too cheery for his tastes. He just grunted and drank his beer quietly hoping that the other man would go away, he had no such luck though, but at least the other man dropped his line of questioning. It appeared that of the two of them Andy had been the more subtle and tactful cop than Gwen. Instead he launched into a story about his day, obviously trying to cheer Owen up a bit, something that he was surprisingly grateful for.

The story wasn't that funny, but it seemed to bring Owen out of his depressive mood just a bit and he stopped knocking back drinks as quickly as he had been. He had gone out that night to get completely drunk and then either get into a fight to make himself feel alive or take someone home for a night of fun. Neither happened though, once again due to Andy, and although he did go home with someone he was pretty sure that was just Andy wanting to make sure he didn't end up in a police cell somewhere. that the man spent the night on the couch probably meant nothing more than he couldn't be bothered going home, the police officer had drunk quite a bit in an attempt to keep up with Owen's drinking binge.

They didn't speak much as they ate the fry up that Andy had made, the man was obviously just trying to be nice or had been hungry, there was no ulterior motive to him making breakfast. On their way out however, Owen heading to work and Andy heading home, Owen gave him a grudging thanks for the night before. He would never imagined it, but he was actually becoming friends of a sort with PC Andy.

They didn't see each other again until Owen was in hospital after his bought in a cage with a weevil. Andy had been at the hospital with a victim of a stabbing and had heard someone mention the grouchy doctor by name, and doing what he did best he investigated. Owen was surprisingly glad to see him when he stopped by his hospital room, all his other visitors had been the team. Ianto and Jack filling him in on work or filling in forms for a psych evaluation, and Gwen and Toshiko had played the sympathy card, Toshiko a lot more genuinely than Gwen. Andy however had no idea what he had done or gone up against and had greeted him and treated him pretty much as normal.

"So what happened to you then?" Andy queried, "I thought you were just a Doctor for that lot?"

Owen groaned, knowing exactly where the other man was going with his line of questioning. Was it a work thing, or had he gone out and picked a fight.

"I am, but that was what was needed for the op. Unfortunately, my cover was blown." Owen stated calmly, hoping that the other man would believe that it was just an undercover operation that had tanked, in a way, it was what had happened.

They chatted for a while and as usual Owen felt like he could be himself around the other man, it was rather disconcerting, but he was getting used to the feeling.

"So when are they springing you from this place then?" Andy asked.

"Today, I hope." Owen grumbled, "I am a fully qualified Doctor, I can look after myself, why?"

"I was just wondering if you maybe fancied going out to a bar with me, I finish at six and am off tomorrow." Andy stated quietly.

"Painkillers mate. I'm not meant to drink." Owen said the disappointment in his tone coming as a surprise to him, he found that he really wanted to go out with Andy that night.

Andy looked at him obviously considering something before he spoke again, "What if I come to yours, I could cook for you or we could order take-out and watch some tv."

The question was laced with hope and Owen suddenly found himself realising where all their little meetings had been leading to, or rather where the other man had been hoping they would lead to. Surprisingly he was okay with that, it wasn't as if he had never been with a man before, and the other man was rather attractive in a way.

"Chinese?" Owen questioned, he had no idea what the other mans cooking was like, but he supposed that he should err on the side of caution.

"Eight o'clock okay?" Andy asked him, looking like he hoped it would be.

"Eight is fine." Owen replied smiling at him a bit, it hurt to do more than a quick grin, "It's a date."