The Confusion of Owen

Owen looked up as Ianto placed a mug of coffee on his desk, something was different. If he was honest with himself he was half expecting cold tea or decaf after he accidentally broke the tea boy's precious coffee machine. The lack of retaliation was spooky, or more spooky than things usually were in the Hub. Owen took a tentative sip of his coffee. 'Bloody hell tea boy, that could strip paint.'

Ianto looked at him before handing Toshiko her coffee. 'It's industrial strength.'

'You got that right.' And no reaction to being called tea boy, was he in a parallel dimension, had he fallen though the rift? He looked over at Tosh. 'Have I missed something?'

She looked over at him and smiled sweetly. 'Probably Owen.' Before turning back to her translation programme.

Owen frowned, even she looked at him like he had missed the memo. 'Jack hasn't been testing his amnesia pills out on us again has he?'

Tosh frowned. 'What are you on about Owen.'

'Everyone seems to have gone mad Tosh, that's what I'm on about. Jack gave us the day off yesterday, and I could swear he was humming this morning. Then there is Ianto, he's been moping about for ages and now he almost smiled at me. I can't put my finger on it Tosh.'

'Probably best you don't Owen.

Owen sighed, something was wrong, even Gwen was starting to get on his nerves, where ever she was today. 'God I hope he doesn't have another bloody cyber girlfriend in the bloody basement.'

'Owen what are you talking about?'

'The bloody tea boy!'

'You really shouldn't call him that.'

'Oh, and why not? He makes the tea, it's what he does, and he's only ever been out in the field the once.'

'Yes and he probably saved my life Owen Harper.'

'That's Doctor Owen Harper thank you.'

Tosh just glared at him until he turned away.

Owen cringed, even the usually easy going Tosh was in a mood, but that had been a bad day, Ianto's first foray into the weird, wonderful and sometimes down right insane life of a Torchwood field agent. No wonder they didn't last long. Just because he'd ended up shagging Gwen didn't mean it had shaped up as well for the others. 'I'm sorry Tosh, but there is something going on here and I aim to get to the bottom of it.' He frowned. 'What did I say Tosh? Why are you laughing?'

Tosh smiled, she had a pretty good idea what had happened, suspecting Jack had indeed gotten to the bottom of, well, things.

'Tosh? What's so funny?'

She shook her head. 'Nothing Owen.' She sipped her coffee. 'Oh wow.'

'See, it's the bloody strong strong stuff he usually just gives Jack, unless someone has a hangover and I wasn't exactly on the pull last night. I tell you, something is going on.'

Tosh just smiled as she pulled her focus back to her computer programme, so far Owen had managed not to unplug her computer again. Things were still a little weird between her, Gwen and Owen. And now Jack and Ianto seemed to have gotten closer, she felt even more alone than ever. Although, the few times she had seem them together, she couldn't be one hundred percent sure they were together. It was just a feeling and Ianto seemed happier than he had been since, well, they had all shot his girlfriend. She had missed seeing him smile, this was better, but the coffee was very strong. She looked up from her computer and jumped. 'Jack, how long have you been standing there?'

'Not long Toshiko, did I startle you?'

'A little, between the last few days, the double strength coffee and now Owen convinced something is going on, I guess I'm a bit jumpy.'

'Yes, things have been a bit,' he paused. 'How are you Toshiko?'

'I'm okay Jack.' She didn't want to think about the thoughts she had listened in on when she had the pendant Mary had given her. 'One day at a time Jack.'

'And the rift? Anything we can expect?'

She shook her head. 'It's still unpredictable Jack, but it is quiet for now.'

'Good, go home and I will see you Monday.'

'Baring any emergencies, I know.' She stopped. 'And how are you Jack?'

He smiled his trademark grin. 'I'm good, very good.'

'And.' She took a breath and just said it. 'How is Ianto?'

'How does he seem to you? Not missing your pendant are you Toshiko.'

'Oh god no, but he was smiling today, I can't remember when he last smiled. And he didn't even threaten to kill Owen for messing with the coffee machine, or even just threatening him with instant coffee.'

'I think we have forgotten what it was like before we all met our Ianto Jones.'

'I'm not sure I'll ever get used to the pterodactyl.'

'Yes, that is unique isn't it, but that's Torchwood.'

'I.' Tosh hesitated. 'I looked up Torchwood One, and Lisa...'

Jack stopped smiling. 'Why?'

'I wanted to know who she was before...'

'Does it change anything.'

Tosh frowned, Jack hadn't asked a question. 'No, I guess not. I'm just glad he's happy.'

'Go home Tosh, have a bubble bath or whatever it is you do when you aren't here. We spend enough time in this place.'

She collected her things before locking her computer. 'Okay Jack, see you Monday.'

Owen walked over to Jack. 'Oi, where's Tosh off to?'

'Did you do something to the coffee machine Owen?'

Owen looked at his feet, hands shoved in his pockets. 'Maybe, look if the tea boy had been around...'

Jack shook his head. 'His name is Ianto and I managed to talk him out of murdering you.'

'Was it hard?'

Jack smiled. 'It certainly was for a while there.'

'Thanks Jack, I mean it.'

'Oh don't thank me yet Owen.'

'Look, I appreciate you taking one for the team.'

Jack smiled as he recalled how he had indeed, taken one or two or perhaps three for the team. He frowned, or was it four? He looked back at Owen. 'I coped, but Owen.' He put his hand on Owen's shoulder. 'Don't do it again.'

'All right, I won't touch the tea boy's precious coffee machine again.'

'That's another thing Owen, tea boy?'

'Well, that's sort of what he does isn't it.'

'He does more than that Owen.'

'Yeah, that's another thing, something is going on.'

'The rift alarm hasn't gone off, it's quiet, there's nothing going on. In fact, it's so quiet you should probably take the rest of the day off.'

'What?' The world had really gone mad, first they had yesterday off, now the rest of today?

'Go home. If there is anything I can't handle I can call you.'

'This is how is starts you know.'

'How what starts Owen?'

'Pod people, folks start acting out of character and then you find out they are pod people. Who are you?'

'I'm Captain Jack Harkness. And I think you need some time off, nothing is going on, it's quiet for a change. And you know this place, it never stays quiet long so take advantage of it, and go home. Unless you want to do your paperwork?'

Owen blanched. 'I hate bloody paperwork, we never used to do this much paperwork before the bloody tea,' Owen stopped himself. 'Well, before Ianto turned up.'

'We never had coffee that we could actually drink either.'

Owen shrugged. 'All right, your the boss.' He was even more convinced than ever that something was going on, but who was he to exchange a day off for paperwork.

Jack watched the door close behind Owen and grinned. Gwen was at the dentists getting a root canal, which wasn't half as much fun as it sounded, and meant she wouldn't be back today. And now Owen and Tosh were gone too.

Ianto looked up as Jack stalked into the archives.

'Ianto.'

'Sir?'

'I've sent the others home for the rest of the day.'

Ianto gave Jack the ghost of a smile. 'We are alone in the Hub then Sir.'

'You, me and the pterodactyl, Jones, Ianto Jones.' His hand resting lightly on Ianto's shoulder. 'And have I mentioned how good you look in your suit today?'

'That's sexual harassment Sir.'

Jack grinned. 'No Ianto, this is sexual harassment.' As he pulled him into his arms and kissed him.