Torchwood and all Torchwood characters belong to someone else. I just hoped that I might have improved them.

Once they arrive back at the hub Owen retrieved a couple sleeping gas canisters and told Gwen and Tosh to go and retrieve the weevils before someone found them or worse they found someone. The two headed out as Owen turned his attention back to Ianto who continued to remain stubborn about receiving medical attention but Owen insisted that he look him over. After a few more choice words are exchanged between them, Ianto gave in and they both headed down to the lab once there Owen instructed Ianto to sit on the table.

"Okay please take your shirt off." Owen puts on his surgical gloves and turns to look at Ianto who hasn't moved." Come on Ianto I need to dress those wounds."

"I am sorry Owen I do not take my shirt off for just anybody. I really don't believe this is necessary. "

Owen just stared at him solemn and silent." I see. I seem to remember when Jack is around you have a harder time keeping that shirt on. I need to examine you or this could lead to an infection. Now take it off! That is a direct order"

Staring sternly into Owens eyes he can see how determined Owen is and decides it will be easier to just give in. Ianto removes his shirt and Owen begins examining the wounds.

"Well this one is a little deep I want to put a few stitches in that." Owen fishes around through some draws retrieving what he needs." This is going to sting a little." Owen uses and antiseptic cloth to clean off the scratches and then injects him with a syringe. Ianto flinches a bit.

"Sorry about that mate. This is a little something to help with the pain." Owen pulls out the suture kit and prepares the needle.

"What did you mean when you said I can't keep it on around Jack? I am always a professional when I am on duty."

Owen begins suturing the wounds. "It was just a joke I was trying to make you relax a little."

"Well Jack has never said anything to me about not dressing properly."

"Jack wouldn't do anything to jeopardize his shag buddy." He continues stitching him up.

"I am more than just his shag buddy." Ianto sounded very indignant.

"Well if that was so then he would be here with you instead of out there somewhere with that doctor." As soon as he said it he wished he hadn't. His acidic tongue took over and just spat it out. The look on Ianto's face said it all. He was crushed. "Shit Ianto I didn't mean it like that. I am sorry."

"Just finish this up I have coffee to make." Those Welsh vowels were dripping with sarcasm.

Owen ties off the stiches and puts on a sticky plaster. "Ianto I apologize that really was uncalled for. I miss him too." Owen pulls out a second syringe and injects him. "This should prevent any infections. You need to keep this covered to give it time to heal."

Ianto glared at Owen he felt angry, dazed and confused. What is this Owen apologizing for something… is the world ending? He looked at him stood up put his shirt on then headed for the stairs not saying another word he just continued to glare at Owen who paid him no attention as he began cleaning up the lab. Ianto ran up the steps and hoped Gwen and Tosh were back. He was lucky this time they were just coming up from the cells as he walked into the main hub.

"Alright, that man down there in the lab is NOT Owen Harper! He's an imposter!" Ianto raised his voice as he spoke.

Gwen nodded her head in agreement." I said it earlier; who is that man and what did he do with Owen."

Tosh as always comes to his rescue. "Come on guys he's really trying. He's doing all he can to keep the team together in Jacks absence. "

Gwen scoffs," Yes trying to be human for a change." Her and Ianto laugh. Tosh just rolls her eyes at them.

They don't see Owen pause as he started to walk into the room he stood there a moment and then turned around sprinting back to the lab. Dejectedly he sunk down on a stool just sitting there head down looking at the floor. He thought to himself that no matter how hard he tries he is still rejected by the team. No one will ever respect him. He knew that shortly Tosh would come down to check on him she never leaves him alone for long. He wanted to avoid a confrontation so he stood then walked back up to the sounds of laughter. Knowing he is the butt of the joke he can barely contain himself. He just nodded at them and feigned being tired. He told them he was going home to get some rest and that they should do the same. Then he rushed out the circular door, never looking back. Gwen asked the others what that was all about and they just shrugged their shoulders gathered their things and said their goodnights.

Owen came in early the next day and went right to work. As the others filed in he greeted each of them and handed them their assignments for the day. He said nothing of the remarks made about him the night before but busied himself as much as possible and waited anxiously for the next rift opening to happen. He was determined to win their respect and to show them he was capable of doing the job.

Time passed and a routine was set. When it was a quiet day after work they would all go to a café or pub to eat. Owen would go with them telling jokes and laughing, he put up a convincing facade but deep inside, he felt separated and alone. He was trying his best to fill Jacks shoes even though he knew he could never be anything like Jack but that wouldn't stop him from trying.

The days turned into weeks the weeks into months. The hub stayed a hive of activity. Owen stepped into the role of leader giving it his all even risking great danger to himself. Time after time he managed to avert disaster using the team's individual talents to get through the hairiest of situations. After each mission they always returned to the hub chatting on about what happened and who was almost killed or hurt. Relieving the tension they would laugh and carry on but none of them stopped to recognize what a good job Owen was doing.

Sometimes on quiet evenings as they sat in some pub together they talked and Jacks name would be brought up. They spoke about how mysteriously he disappeared, and how he never bothered to say good bye to anyone. Ianto would sigh, feeling as if he has been abandoned. Gwen would speak of missing him; Tosh would just nod in agreement but Owen was feeling something else. He would look around the room at each of them proudly. He was keeping the team together not Jack. He was doing his best to keep everyone safe and unlike Jack he could die trying.

If everything was going so good why did he feel so angry? Every time he closed his eyes to try and sleep the same image played over and over in his mind. Jack showed up and Owen walked right up to him punching him hard in the face enjoying the sound of the bones cracking as he broke his nose. He then shoved him to the ground kicked him in the face over and over again then as quickly as it started the images faded. The rage was bubbling inside him but what was feeding it?

The rage was slowly spilling out there were days when the team was at work that he wanted to scream at Tosh to just leave him alone to go away. Other days he looked for a way to make Gwen stop talking about Rhys. How great he is how happy they are on those days He felt the beast inside him clawing digging scratching to get out. Somehow he managed to hold it all in he had to be professional to do what is expected of him stay in control and that's exactly what he did well most of the time. The only major arguments came when they were trying to decide the best way to approach a weevil or to dispose of a rift object. He held it all in; kept it back, stayed safe, he became a new man while inside the beast gnawed at him soon to devour all that he is or ever was. Why he was so angry he wasn't sure but what he didn't know was he would soon find out.

Just when was sure he finally had everything under control it happened, they were answering a call about a fish driving a car and were dealing with the situation when out of nowhere Jack appears standing there with a sappy grin on his face and all he can say is, "Hey kids, did ya miss me?"

More to come soon please review good bad or ugly I will take the comments