Title: Tears of the Weevil
Summary: Grief takes different forms.
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Don't own Torchwood, the characters or anything related to the show.
The funeral, if it could be called that, took place later that night. The four surviving members of Torchwood three stood solemnly in front of the catacombs that housed their former comrades; Ianto, Suzie, and all the men and women who had come before them. As Gwen watched Jack shut the door of the steal tomb she shuddered. Her own dead body lay somewhere inside one of the cold metal coffins. She guessed Owen was thinking the same thing as his grip on her hand tightened.
Had the last time he'd stood in the catacombs been to mourn her? And the time before that to lay poor Ianto to rest? Gwen felt like a fraud standing among her team-mates, having experienced little of the suffering and loss they had over the last three years. She had hardly known their newly departed co-worker and yet she'd been Owen's best friend. Jack nodded at the others, indicating for them to leave the grieving woman alone.
"She hasn't cried." Gwen pointed out. "Not once. She hasn't said a word either. Just sat in silence staring at nothing. I think she's lost it." Owen shrugged.
"To be honest I don't think she's started grieving yet. It's like she can't let herself feel the pain or she'll just break down." He sighed as he pulled Gwen in close. "When this is all over, when she can finally just grieve and cry she'll have a years worth of pain to deal with. Including losing the girl she loves. She's gonna fall apart."
"We'll be there for her." Gwen promised, knowing how close he and the other woman had always been.
"Thank you." The subject of their conversation suddenly appeared beside them. "Can I stay with the two of you tonight? I don't want to stay in the apartment on my own."
"Of course." Owen released Gwen and wrapped his arms around the young blonde. "Whatever you need." She needed Toshiko back; she needed the living embrace to be from her girlfriend, not Owen. Another thing she needed was for Emmerich to suffer for what she'd done to Toshiko. And that was something she could get.