Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed! Still nor sure on the pairings, this chapter went very Ianto/Owen but we'll see. Sorry that this isn't as long as promised and for the long update time.
Owen didn't like to admit that he suffered from nightmares. The scientific side of him might argue that it was completely understandable what with everything he'd seen but there was another side that said, quite plainly, don't be such a baby.
Sometimes, when he couldn't sleep, he'd drive his car up to the Torchwood Hub and sit there. He watched it, going over things in his mind. It helped him relax, before he had to go back to being Owen the grumpy git.
Sometimes he saw Ianto leave the Hub early in the morning. The younger man would be smiling to himself. It was the only time when he looked like he was at peace with himself.
Ianto was also always the first to arrive the next morning. Immaculately dressed, of course. He didn't seem to need much sleep.
Gwen was next. She always seemed to enjoy the experience of entering the building, like she couldn't quite believe she was part of this organisation. It still seemed like a game to her.
Tosh did it naturally, getting out of her car as she pretended to chat to someone on her mobile phone. She thought it distracted attention from her. He wondered if she had ever been the centre of attention, if she had always been happy to hide in the shadows.
Owen would time his 'arrival' perfectly. Late enough so he wasn't early, but not too late. It was about 5 minutes after Tosh went in, enough time to become surly.
That evening, he decided not to go to the Hub. He'd just have to try and sleep. He just couldn't get Ianto out of his mind.
"Damned tea-boy," Owen muttered. Sighing heavily he pulled on a jumper before wandering to the living room. He'd have to watch a film or something. As he scanned the rows of DVDs on his shelf he noticed one that he hadn't seen before. When had he bought Brokeback Mountain? Opening it up Owen saw 'Ianto Jones' written neatly on in marker pen. Remembering that they had all swapped DVDs and that Ianto had bought this as a joke, Owen smiled. The DVD would let him forget Ianto's problems and it was one he hadn't seen before. He hadn't wanted to go and see it because he did care what people thought.
He envied Jack and Ianto, for not caring what people thought of them. He had to control that, control how people viewed him. Even if that was grumpy, at least he knew what they thought.
Groaning, he opened up the case and slipped the DVD in. At the very least, it should get him off to sleep.
Against all expectations however he found himself emerged in the story. He watched the end with baited breath, not even groaning at the kiss like he normally would.
He'd killed a couple of hours but he still had the night to go. And now, whenever he closed his eyes he could see Jack and Ianto kissing.
"Damn gay cowboy film." Owen muttered. The point had been to forget about Ianto and his problems. Knowing that he probably wasn't going to forget about his friend now he figured that the best thing he could do was decide how to approach the problem.
Once he had gone through some subjects that might be the problem in his head he logged on to his computer and got up the medical reports of all the Torchwood staff. Apart from being underweight, Ianto seemed perfectly healthy. Frowning, Owen pulled up his emails and composed a message to Jack.
'I need to do a health check on Ianto, so may as well make it everyone. Tell them it's routine check ups or something so I'm not just singling him out okay? That includes you Jack.
If anything happens tell me, any incidents, anything. So I can help him, because honestly, you know you can't. He's too careful around you-' Owen paused, his fingers hovering above the keyboard. Was that saying too much? It hit him suddenly that he didn't want Jack to help Ianto. He wanted to do it.
Was he…was he jealous?
Dismissing that thought Owen quickly signed off his email and sent it. Then he sat back and started surfing the internet, trying to waste time. Eventually he gave up and drove to the Hub.
Just in time to see Gwen enter. Owen watched Tosh drive up and go in absentmindedly, his mind skipping over thoughts of Ianto, Jack, Brokeback Mountain, Ianto.
Jack and Ianto are together. You can't change that.
Do…do I want to?
Shaking his head again Owen climbed out of his car and entered the Hub. Last one there as usual.
Only something was wrong.
Ianto wasn't there.
"Where is he?" Owen demanded, irrational panic rising in him.
"Who?" Gwen questioned softly.
"Ianto!"
"Oh, love, don't worry I'll make you a coffee…" she soothed him.
"I'm not worried about that…" he exclaimed. Did she really think he was that shallow?
"He's just late, that's all. Maybe he's with Jack." She consoled.
"Is he still in his office?"
She nodded mutely, her eyes confused with Owen's impatience.
'Don't you see!' he wanted to yell. 'Jack's always up! Ianto always gets here before you! Don't you know that?'
"Owen, why exactly do you want to know?"
"I need to talk to Jack."
"If he is in there with Ianto then-"
"Don't worry. Ianto isn't in there."
"How do you know?"
"I…just know, okay Gwen? Oh, by the way, health check today."
"Okay."
Owen ran to Jack's office, knocking urgently before bursting in.
"Where is he?"
"At his home."
"You bugged him?"
"His phone."
"Why?"
"In case he was working for someone else. Making regular trips to a base or something."
Owen nodded; annoyingly, it made sense.
"Why is he late?"
"I don't know. He went same time as Tosh last night, even though I'd asked him to come help me with something…I don't know, Owen. I'm-I'm worried." Jack admitted, eyes downcast.
Owen nodded. "Do we go to his house or wait?"
"If he doesn't turn up, then we go."
Owen nodded again, unhappily. He didn't want to admit that he didn't like leaving Ianto, that he wanted to make sure he was okay. He didn't want Jack to know that he felt that way.
He had to control how people viewed him. The fact that he might fancy Ianto would ruin how Jack thought of him.
Did he fancy Ianto?
"You okay?" Jack said, watching Owen's face.
"Not as stupid as you look."
"Hey, brains and beauty, I got it all." Jack boasted.
"Yeah, yeah. I'm fine. I just hope Ianto is."
So, very Owen/Ianto but...Ianto and Jack are so perfect...maybe I should just do all three like Raven Sky Costello suggested. I'll decide by next chapter, promise! There will be loads of Ianto angst next chapter and less Owen because he was only mentioned in this one. I'l try to update quicker!