The day dawned bright enough, but Owen had a heavy heart as he dressed in a black suit.

The tears fell as he watched the funeral from the trees. He was close enough to hear the vicar speaking but far enough away not to be noticed. He felt an arm around his shoulder as the tiny white coffin was lowered into the ground.

"Why this one Owen, what's so different about her?" asked the male voice.

Owen turned to see the arm belonged to Ianto.

"How do you do it Ianto?" he asked.

"Come on, let's get you back to the Hub," he said as he gently steered Owen towards the car park.

Ianto looked round for Owen's car.

"I walked," said Owen quietly.

"Good job I didn't then; it's a long walk back to the hub," Ianto said, smiling at Owen.

"Why you doing this, Ianto?" he asked climbing into the SUV's passenger seat.

"Doing what?" replied Ianto as he got behind the wheel.

"Being nice to me."

"Because I know what you're feeling right now; the first one I did took me weeks to get over. I went to the funeral and even returned to put flowers on the grave," he said as he remembered the first body he returned to a family.

It had been a 32-year-old man; his wife had just given birth to twin girls and had a three-year-old to cope with, as well as the sudden death of her husband from a car accident.

"How do you cope?" asked Owen as Ianto drove the SUV from the cemetery car park.

"I talk to Jack. It helps, Owen," he said gently as if willing Owen to open up and talk to him. Owen, however, remained quiet. He wanted to talk about it, but he didn't know where to start.

***

Jack was taking Martha a light breakfast in medical; Owen had asked her not to leave medical. She didn't mind as she didn't feel like walking round anyway. Her stomach hurt this morning; she knew it was the tumour taking over.

"We need to talk, Martha," said Jack as he handed her a slice of toast and a glass of orange juice.

"I know I don't have much time left Jack," she said, nibbling the toast.

"Has Owen spoke to you then?" he asked.

"He didn't need to–it's my body, remember? I know what's going on; I've lived with this tumour for the last seven months, I know it's eating into me."

Jack just nodded.

"So how long?" she asked.

"Not long, Martha," Jack said, not actually wanting to say it.

"Jack, tell me. I need to know."

"Two to three days Owen said, but he could be wrong," said Jack with tears in his eyes.

"Jack, don't," Martha said, reaching up and wiping the tears away.

"This is my choice, Jack. I want my daughter to have the chance of life."

"I know, but I'm going to miss you," he said.

"I need you to do something for me, Jack," she said, taking his hand in hers.

"Anything," he answered.

"I want you to call the Doctor when it's time; I need to see him before I die," she said.

Jack nodded. The Doctor was the last person he wanted to call, but he'd promised Ianto he'd call him and now Martha had asked to see him before she died.

"Want me to do it now?" he asked.

Martha shook her head.

"No, call him when Owen says it's time," she said.

"Anything else you need me to do?" he asked, part of him hoping she'd say to call her parents.

"I know what you're thinking, Jack, and no, I don't want you to call my family. They made their decision when they called me a liar. All I need is you and the rest of team here. And the Doctor, of course."

Jack nodded again and left Martha to eat her breakfast alone. He walked into the Hub.

"Tosh, I need to see everyone in the conference room when Ianto and Owen get in," he said. Without waiting for her to answer, he walked to his office and closed the door.

Tosh just nodded to his retreating back.

***

Ianto parked the SUV and got out.

"Come on, Owen, let's get you inside for a nice coffee," he said, gently steering Owen towards the entrance.

Tosh looked up as the doors rolled open. She was immediately on her feet when she saw Owen. He looked ill, pale and drawn.

"Ianto what's wrong with him?" she asked, concerned.

"It was that little girl's funeral today," he said.

"DANIELLE, HER NAME WAS DANIELLE!" screamed Owen.

"Owen, it's ok," said Tosh as she took his hand and squeezed it.

"It might be for us Tosh, but it won't ever be the same for her parents, will it?"

"No, it won't; but it will get easier," said Ianto.

"Jack wants to see us all in the conference room," said Tosh, remembering Jack's earlier request.

"Where is he?" asked Ianto, looking round for him.

"In his office. He walked out of medical, said he wanted to see us all then closed the door; he's been there ever since," she said.

Ianto nodded.

"Tosh, do me a favour and take care of Owen," he said, smiling at her.

Tosh nodded and slipped her arm round Owen and led him to her workstation.

During all this, Gwen just sat at her workstation and watched, not saying a word. She still had to get used to the idea of Owen and Tosh.

She picked up her mobile and texted Rhys:

Rhys

Why won't you answer my calls?

We need to talk,

I love you.

Gwen

****

Ianto opened Jack's office door without knocking; he was the only one that could. He walked, in expecting to see Jack sitting behind his desk, but he wasn't even in the room. The trapdoor at the back was open; Ianto walked over and climbed down the ladder. When he reached the bottom, he could hear a gentle snore. Jack was asleep on the bed. Ianto walked over and looked at him–there were dry tears on his cheeks. Ianto kicked his shoes off and climbed onto the bed and took him into his arms. Jack turned in his sleep and pulled Ianto to him.

"Jack," he said quietly and planted a gentle kiss on his partner's lips.

"Yan," he said, opening his eyes.

"It's me, Cariad."

"Where did you disappear to?" he asked, snuggling into Ianto's arms.

"To fetch Owen; he went to Danielle's funeral."

"Why?" asked Jack, sitting up.

"Because he wanted to say goodbye. Jack, I went to the first funeral," Ianto said as he too sat up and cuddled up to Jack.

"I remember it hit really hard didn't it?" he said.

"Yes and it has for Owen, but I can't get him to talk. I thought maybe you could talk to him."

"I'll try. Right now, I need to talk to you before the rest of the team."

"About Martha," said Ianto.

"Yes, I spoke to her this morning and told her what Owen said. She's asked me to call the Doctor when Owen decides it's time for the operation. She wants him there," said Jack. He didn't hide the fact that he wasn't happy about it.

"If it's what she wants, Jack, you have to do it."

"Yes, I know. I just need to make it clear to the others that they are not to question the Doctor about anything; it's not why he will be here."

"You mean Owen?" said Ianto, smiling.

"Yes, I mean Owen," he said, also smiling.

Every time Jack had mentioned the Doctor, Owen's eyes lit up. He wanted to get some blood from him and run it through the computer, but Jack wouldn't let him even ask the Doctor. Owen knew Torchwood was originally set up to protect the earth from the Doctor and Rose Tyler. He also knew that they had been knighted by Queen Victoria in 1849 and then subsequently banned from ever returning to the earth. Which was kinda hard for Rose to comply with, as she hadn't even been born yet. And just as impossible for the Doctor because he loved the earth. What Jack was trying to hide from Owen was the one fact that no one except he and Rose knew: the Doctor was half human.

***

Apart from Ianto, Tosh was the only member of the team that could make a half-decent coffee. So after settling Owen at her workstation, she left him with Gwen at his side while she went to make them a coffee. She came back to find Owen was actually smiling and laughing with Gwen.

"That's better," she said handing him a cup of coffee and passing one to Gwen.

"I feel better. I should never have gone to Danielle's funeral, I had no right to be there," he said, looking at Tosh.

"Yes you did, you gave her body back to her parents so they had something to bury and mourn," said Tosh, sitting next to him and taking his hand.

***

Jack and Ianto walked out of his office hand in hand and Jack smiled at his team.

"We need to talk in the conference room," he said, and then seeing they all had coffee added,

"Where's mine?"

"I'll make it, Cariad," said Ianto, letting go of Jack's hand.

"Don't be long I want to get this over with," said Jack so only he could hear.

"I won't be."

The team stood up.

"I'll just check in on Martha and I'll be right up," said Owen, handing his coffee to Tosh.

"I'll be two minutes," he said to her, smiling.

She nodded and headed to the conference room with both her coffee and his in her hands. She was closely followed by Gwen.

"So, Tosh, when did all this happen with you and Owen?" she asked.

"The night we thought Martha might lose the baby. We didn't mean to hurt you Gwen," she added, smiling at her friend.

"I know, what with everything with Rhys I know I've been a bit out of it lately," she said.

They all filed into the conference room and took their normal seats around the large oak table. The seat immediately to Jack's left was left empty for Ianto, as was the seat immediately to his right for Owen. Gwen sat next to Ianto's chair and Tosh next to Owen's. Jack sat down and they waited for the other two team members. A few minutes passed before Ianto walked in, followed by Owen. Ianto put a mug of coffee in front of Jack and sat down. Owen remained standing.

"Owen, what's wrong?" asked Jack.

"We don't have much time, Jack. The baby is starting to show signs of distress," he said.

"Is it urgent?"

"Can we get this finished so I can prepare for the surgery? I'll have to do it today," he said with a heavy heart.

Jack nodded.

"This won't take long."

He motioned for Owen to sit down.

"As you all know, Martha has asked that we all be present when she gives birth to Rhiannon. Everyone she trusts is in this room, apart from one person and she has asked me to call him when Owen says it's time. It's only fair that I tell you all who this other person is."

He paused and looked round the room, Tosh was the only one with a slight smile on her face. She had correctly guessed that Jack was talking about the Doctor.

"Martha has asked me to call the Doctor; she wants the chance to say goodbye to him. When he arrives, I just want to remind you all that he is here simply because Martha wants him here, he is not here to answer any questions or perform any medical tests," at this last bit he looked directly at Owen.

"What, all I want is a sample of his blood," he said.

"Well, you're not going to get it so quit asking," said Jack.

Owen hung his head and nodded. The Doctor was coming for Martha's sake, not for his. Besides he'd never give Torchwood a sample of his DNA. He hated everything Torchwood stood for, the only reason he tolerated Torchwood 3 was because of Jack.

"Is there anything else, Jack?" asked Owen.

"No, that's it. I just wanted to keep you all up to speed," he said, smiling.

"Right then. I'd better go and call Sara at Cardiff and ask her to ready a side room with an incubator."

"Owen, I've arranged for a private nurse to be with Rhiannon at all times while she is in the hospital," Jack said.

"Jack, Sara can cope."

"I know she can and I trust her because you do; I just don't want too many people asking questions about Rhiannon. The room will be completely closed to everyone except us and Sara, is that clear? No one but Torchwood 3 personnel enters that room."

The team nodded. They all knew the questions that were going to start about a side room being closed off containing a newborn baby and the word 'Torchwood' on the door.