Author Notes: Thanks to those who reviewed, it's great to get feedback, and thanks to those who just took the time to read! Here's the next chapter!

Chapter 2

Cold fingers snaked their way around his arm as Toshiko unconsciously curled into him while she slept. Owen, on the other hand couldn't sleep. All he could do was watch those things. They would wait at the doorway, picking who they wanted to play with for the next day or so, sending Suzie in to collect them. Owen didn't know what he hated more; the tortured screams of the people as they struggled, knowing what was coming next, or the lifeless reactions of those who had been here too long. Owen did not know what happened beyond their compound, and neither did Tosh; he had a horrible feeling their hosts were actively building their sense of dread. It was working.

But the day had come. That shrivelled white finger pointed through the bars at him as if it was an entity all on its own. Relieved whimpers permeated the air, and he heard Tosh's barely audible moan. But she was strong. He hoped.

Refusing to give Suzie the satisfaction, Owen rose to meet her, repressing a shudder as she grasped his arm in a way so unlike Tosh had, pulling him away. He was guided out of the stinking room, and they followed the gliding creature of white. Owen tried to keep track of the facility, but found it impossible. Corridors that led nowhere, paths that snaked and looped across themselves time over time and doorways that fell into nothing. He shivered. This was all just so wrong.

They came to an abrupt halt, and Owen found himself forced to his knees in a blinding white room that stung his eyes as they desperately tried to acclimatise to the light. The room showed up every speck of black on his skin, every tear in his clothes, and every shadow on Suzie's face. The creature had disappeared. "So, what now?" His voice, spoken loudly, sounded alien and bizarre, having never spoken to Tosh in anything above a whisper since their arrival.

Suzie's face cracked and split, her sunken eyes regarding him with cold distain, "Now they see how fun you are."

"Wha-" His body jerked, as if invisible strings had been holding him upright all this time, and now they had been cut. He could barely raise his head to look at Suzie's feet, which began a steady circling.

"So, Owen. How did you die in the end? I heard you got shot, and I got so excited with the prospect of seeing you again, but then Jack tore you back to life. They were not pleased, I can tell you. I would be thankful, if I were you, that they do not hold you accountable, or you would have ended up like me."

"Yeah, how is the whole Servant of Death thing working out for you?" Owen bit out.

"You could not think to comprehend." Was all she had as a reply, before continuing, "Well? If it was not a bullet, then what? It must have been spectacular to get you down here under the influence of that glove. And at the same time as sweet little Tosh; now that was an efficient gunshot."

"If you know so much, then find out for yourself."

She sighed, "Still stubborn I see. We'll have to fix that."

And then Owen screamed. He was not in pain. He was not angry, or scared, or any other of the multitude of feelings and emotions that might have made him scream under any circumstance. No. It was worse that if his body had been set aflame. His mouth had just opened of its own accord, and sound had begun vibrating through his throat. He was soon trying desperately to gasp for air, to regain control. Tears gathered in his eyes as his lungs heaved against the pressure. And then as suddenly as it had started, it stopped. He slumped to the floor, muscles shaking.

Suzie crouched in front of him, taloned fingers grasping at his hair, forcing him to meet her eyes, "You are our puppet. Remember that. While you are here, you are subject to the body we made for you. It is not yours to control, and trust me when I say that there are so many more things we can do to you than inflict physical pain."

She let go, and he fell forwards, barely catching himself. Anger swelled in his throat, "You think I give a shit? I was practically a fucking zombie after Jack brought me back! This is just hell in a different form for me!"

"Oh, come now Owen, we both know that isn't true. Admittedly, I can't imagine you handling the situation particularly well at first, but I'm sure after a while you would have acclimatised yourself to the situation and used it to yours and Jack's," she spat the name in his face, "advantage."

"You don't know me, Suzie."

"Really? Then how about we try a new game? If our conventional methods will not work on you, then how about on Tosh? How about you learn the fine art of watching?"

And Owen replied in the worst way, "Don't you dare touch her! I'll kill you!"

Suzie laughed a breathless laugh, "I am already dead, Owen." She paused, before examining him closely, "Although I did not expect this from you. Toshiko never seemed your type."

"What?" Owen's tone turned cold. He wasn't sure where this was going, and he didn't like it.

"Well, Gwen, my quaint little replacement, I could understand, but Tosh?" She laughed again, "How sweet, Owen, you've actually grown up. Pity you always seem to do it at the wrong moments; first Katie, then Diane, now little Tosh. And yes, being dead does not mean that I miss out on these little scraps of information. You actually care!"

"Shut it."

"Succinct as ever. But let me let you into a little secret." She leaned forwards so that her falsely glossed lips grazed his ear, "I don't share my toys."

Owen's entire being froze as she pulled back and placed a delicate kiss on his temple. His heart pounded in his ears, and he used all his strength to jerk away from her, "Don't touch me." He inwardly cringed at how weak it sounded.

Suzie cupped his chin in her hand, "Maybe we should leave Toshiko to later, hmm? I've missed you Owen. Remember how good we were together?"

"I was grieving for Katie and you fucking know it! You're the one who lured me, not the other way around!" Venom laced his words, the truth spoken aloud for the first time, as he tried to wrench from her grip, failing miserably as it refused to relinquish.

She laughed, "True, very true, but you cannot deny it was fun."

"Fun? You were a fucking psycho in life, let alone when you came back, and don't even get me started on this new and improved you!"

Her smile widened, eyes skimming leeringly over his skin, "Again, very true. Do I still scare you Owen?"

Owen exploded, "What do you want, Suzie? What do those freaks want with us? I don't give a flying shyte about Jack's immortality – it's not our fault!"

"Sshhh." She placed a finger against his lips, and his throat seized up, unable to continue. And then a wave of horror and disgust crested over him, drenching him cold. He suddenly knew. "You forget what I told you, Owen. Your body belongs to us, and it is such a wonderful path into your mind."

Weakly, he pulled away, attempting to crawl backwards into the stark white walls, but suddenly his body was no longer listening to his commands, and he became an observer, aware only of images, sounds and sensations as lips crashed into his, suffocating him as teeth sunk harshly into his lip, causing blood to trickle in a metallic river down his throat.

He did not regain control of his body until like a broken doll he was thrown down in the cell next to Tosh, shivering from something other than the cold, stomach rebelling, but only eliciting acid. He tried to explain to her, he tried to warn her, but she was torn away too soon.

He curled into himself on the inhospitable floor, silent tears finally able to be free from his eyes, trying to ignore what was happening in that white room right now. He both hated Jack and wished so dearly that he would come save them, but he knew it was futile.

Instead he made a promise.

Somehow, by whatever means, by whatever pain, he would get Toshiko out of here. Even if it meant that the only way out would break the cardinal rule of his oath as a doctor, he would get her out of this hell. She was too good for this.

He swore it, but it would take sixty eight more burnt sunrises before his promise could be made true. Sixty nine more nights of suffocated stars, keeping each other sane, before he would get his chance.

To Be Continued...

Author Notes: Well, I did say it would be dark! Love to hear what you thought of it!