Chapter Ten
"It's where I belong" Toshiko said softy. She turned to the others "I think I can go home"
She hugged them quickly to say goodbye.
"I'm glad" Jack said as they embraced.
"I'm coming with you, I want to say goodbye properly" Owen said
"Just make sure you come straight back Harper, I don't want to going AWOL this soon in"
"Will do"
In the other hub Gwen had noticed something strange was happening on Toshiko's computer. "Jack what's that?"
Jack's face broke into a wide smile "I think if we're lucky we're getting our baby back"
"You think Tosh is coming back?"
"I'm pretty certain"
"What are we waiting for then?" Owen said already halfway out of the door.
Toshiko and Owen walked up to the gateway. He held her hand "I'll miss you, you know"
"They'll be another me back shortly"
"But she won't be you"
"Be careful everyone no one get too close I don't want anyone else falling through" Jack said .
They walked up to where the equipment told them the fault was. They could see Toshiko talking to the other Owen.
"Of course, parallel universe" Jack said.
"Either that or I've been cloned" added Owen.
They continued to watch as the Owen she was talking to cradled her face with his hands, pulling her towards him, their lips meeting in a tender kiss.
"Take care" Owen said as their lips parted.
"Look after the other me when she turns up" Toshiko smiled at tender smile at him before stepping through to the other world. As she did there was the same pause, she could see her friends in suspended animation in front of her. Jack's coat and Gwen's hair was caught on the breeze, although totally still like everything else. Toshiko kept walking and everything started moving again. She was so pleased to seem them and them her. Gwen hugged her and even Ianto did. Jack lifted her off the ground in a great bear hug, he was so glad he had been wrong. Even Owen hugged her, he did try and make it as matey as possibly.
"How are you?" she asked Owen
"I think I have been hallucinating"
They could still see the other Owen as they walked away. Toshiko smiled and waved and he waved back as he began to fade. Owen gave him a searching look and ass they turned to go he put a possessive hand on the small of Toshiko's back.
They all gathered around Toshiko back at the hub.
"We thought we'd lost you forever" Gwen said wiping the tears of joy from her eyes.
"I never gave up hope" Jack said
"Yeah right" chipped in Owen
"Not in here I didn't, no matter what I hold you" Jack said with his hand of his heart "I the curtains can be drawn but there's still a light inside. We can always hope"
"Some people where a little more public in their efforts" Ianto said and Owen tried to look innocent.
"I see my equivalent is mentally unbalanced" Owen said changing the subject.
"So did the Mizlar follow you through" Gwen asked ignoring Owen.
"They must have done, they were sent to kill us, but the didn't manage it. Their boss wasn't happy, it used the Mizlars to get into the hub. You where lucky it thought it was coming to this one. I've got a feeling it inadvertently caused the gap in the first place. Anyway, then he tried to kill us, our guns were no good against it. He killed Bernard"
"Who?" They all asked in unison.
"He was the doctor there"
"Oh" Owen said in surprise.
"Anyway the other world Own saved us by destroying the weapon which backfired and killed the creature"
"Well the other me couldn't have been all bad then" said Owen "But didn't he work for Torchwood? You said the other guy was the doctor"
"He didn't but he does now. It's a very long story"
"You can he didn't…" Owen said insinuating
"Owen!" said Gwen
"I don't want him getting more than me"
"Owen you aren't getting anything you're dead nothing works anymore"
"Thanks for reminding me" Owen spat starting to sulk.
"We didn't" Toshiko whispered in his direction, which seemed to lighten his mood a little.
Jack looked down from his office, happy to see everyone where they should be especially Toshiko, she smiled up at him.
Toshiko was glad to be back where she belonged.
If Things Were Different 2 by Dawn M Duval