Owen lounged on Sal's couch as she changed out of her work clothes. "You know," he called, "you really have got a hell of a set up."

Sal laughed, the cheery sound muffled by the walls between her and the living room. "I have to do something with all the money Torchwood pays."

"True." Owen picked up one of the magazines on the coffee table and flipped through it. "Do you really read this crap?"

"Yes, I do. And it's not crap." Sal walked out into the living room wearing jeans with a belt and a long sleeved t-shirt. "Well, it is, but it's entertaining crap."

"Sure." Owen continued to flick through the magazine as Sal bustled about.

"Don't be so skeptical." Sal grabbed a red jacket and her handbag from the coat rack, then walked over to Owen. "Come on, then. I'm bloody starving." She smacked her friend lightly over the head.

Owen stood. "Oi! What was that for?"

Sal looked over her shoulder at him as she headed to the door, grinning. "For being such an arse."

Owen rolled his eyes and trotted up behind Sal as she opened the door, grabbing her around the waist.

"Hey!" Sal protested as Owen threw her over his shoulder. "Let me down!"

"No way." The man snickered as he shut the door to Sal's house and carried his friend off the porch. "Not until you say sorry."

Sal snorted. "Fine." She put on a sickly sweet voice. "Owen, I'm sorry for calling you an arse. Even if it's true."

Owen laughed and put Sal down, mussing her hair with his hand. "Good enough." He unlocked his car with the remote on his keys and clambered in.

As Sal slid into the passengers, she remarked "I didn't think you could lift me like that."

"Well, you don't weigh much, do you?" Owen smiled as he started the car. "Plus, I've got that strong, wiry build."

Sal rolled her eyes. "You've got to have, to support that head of yours."

Owen chuckled as he pulled out onto the street. "Be nice, yeah? I'm the one who'll be paying for your lunch."

"Well, aren't you the gentleman."

"Yes, yes I am."

"So, you said chinese?" Sal looked over at Owen, who was, for once, actually looking at the road.

"Yeah, that okay with you?" Owen ignored a stop sign.

"Absolutely." Sal opened her mouth to say something else, but was interrupted by her mobile. Her ringtone was one of those pre-programmed ones, that sound like old fashioned landlines. She dug around in her purse for the mobile and looked at the caller ID: Michael. "You mind if I get this?"

Owen looked over at Sal, smiling. "Not at all."

Sal flipped open her phone. "Hey Michael."

"Hey babe." Michael's voice was low and smooth, like someone from an advert voiceover.

"What do you want?" Sal fidgeted, feeling awkward. Talking on the phone with someone else in the car always had felt rude to her.

"Just wondering if you were up for something tonight."

Sal rolled her eyes at Michael's suggestive tone. "Like what?"

"Dunno, maybe we could grab some nosh then go to mine? It's been ages since you've come round."

"You know how work is." Sal pondered Michael's offer. 'Getting some nosh' with him usually meant getting smashed at his local pub, something Sal would normally avoid. Though, it was her day off, and-

"Babe, you still there? And I know what you're thinking, that 'getting some nosh' usually means the pub, but I thought we could go to a nice restaurant, just 'cause it's been so long." Michael interrupted her thought process.

"Yeah. That sounds lovely. And I'm up for it."

"Brilliant. I'll pick you up at nine."

"Yeah, and-"

Michael interrupted her once again, this time by hanging up on her. Sal rolled her eyes and snapped her phone shut, shoving it back in her purse. "Sorry about that."

"No worries. That your boyfriend?" Owen looked over at her, raising an eyebrow.

"Nah, just a mate. Nosy." Sal flashed a smile at Owen, who, surprisingly, didn't smile back.

"Just a mate, eh?" Owen muttered, shaking his head.

"Yeah, just a mate. And I wouldn't be talking, if I were you." Sal cocked an eyebrow at her friend.

Owen snorted. "You have got a point, there."

"I know." Sal grinned at Owen again.

"So who is this Michael?"

"You're quite nosy."

Owen turned and smirked at Sal. "Again, paying for lunch."

Sal shrugged, admitting his point. "We went to university together, and-"

Owen turned to Sal, surprised. "You went to uni?"

Sal raised her eyebrows at her friend. "Duh."

"I mean, I know you're smart and everything, but you're only like nineteen!"

Sal rolled her eyes. "I'm twenty one."

"Well, you've still been at Torchwood for what, three years?"

"Four. I just went to uni early- and I dropped out." She paused, then added as an explanation "I got bored."

Owen shook his head in disbelief. "I must be the only idiot on the team."

"Quite possibly, yes. Anyways, we dated for a few months, but I got bored so I dumped him."

"I'm sensing a theme here."

"No judgements from you, Mr. Harper. You've got a different person in your bed every night."

"Yeah, but I'm older and wiser."

Sal giggled. "Of course you are. Anyways, he and I have been mates ever since."

Owen harrumphed again as he parked in front of the chinese restaurant. "Mates."