Toshiko Sato watched the taxi drive away and disappear around the corner. Then she turned and climbed the steps to one of Cardiff's newest bowling alleys. "Strike 10" flashed in large neon letters above the entrance door.

The place was buzzing, with nearly every lane booked, which surprised her for a weekday.

Forlornly, she looked around until she spotted Gwen, Jack and Ianto on lane nine. Their Captain looked quite out of place, dressed in his new bowling shoes combined with his usual outfit, great coat included.

"Hi, guys," she waved as she approached. "I hope I'm not late."

"Nonsense, Toshiko Sato is never late," Jack said as he shook off his coat into Ianto's hands, who carefully folded it and draped it over one of the chairs.

"Where's Owen?" Tosh asked, looking around, but their medic was nowhere to be seen.

"He's in the next room, borrowing a pair of shoes. If you need a pair yourself, it's straight through that door," Gwen said, pointing across the room.

"No, I'm fine, I've got my own," Tosh said as she padded her bag.

The computer expert had never set foot in a bowling alley before, so she'd spent the last couple of evenings watching online tutorials to avoid looking silly on her first try. It didn't take long for her to realise it was all about mathematics and physics, which piqued her interest. She also realised that a good pair of shoes with a good grip could make all the difference. So she decided to invest in a new pair for herself. Now, she was ready to find out if all her preparations would pay off.

"I decided to leave my own ball at home, and we're all using ten-pin house balls to keep things fair. This is going to be so much fun!" Gwen exclaimed happily.

"You're almost a pro, I'd hardly call those fair conditions," Owen interjected as he joined the rest of the team. "At least Ianto said he hasn't been playing since he was a lanky teenager."

"I thought we were just playing for fun," Tosh interjected, confused.

"A little competition can't hurt," Owen said, lifting different balls in turn to get a feel for their weight. Jack stood on the edge of the foul line, looking out over the many lanes in front of them.

"Gwen, would you mind explaining the rules to us who have no clue?" he asked.

"Of course!" Gwen smiled. "In general, it's really easy. When it's your turn, pick up one of the balls and insert your fingers into the holes. Then, you throw or roll the ball down the lane and try to hit the pins at the end. Just be careful not to step over the foul line and stay out of the gutters on both sides. Your ball is out of play if it rolls into the gutters. Hit as many pins as you can in a single throw. It takes some practice, but it's not that difficult. A game consists of ten frames, and if you don't hit a strike, you can roll the ball twice per frame."

"What's a strike?" Owen enquired.

"A strike is when you knock down all ten pins with one throw. A spare is when you knock down all the pins over two throws. Scoring sounds a little complicated at first, but I can be the scribe for tonight," Gwen smiled and looked at her friends. Any questions?"

"Can I get us some drinks first?" Ianto proposed and was greeted with enthusiastic cheers.

Gwen's idea for a team evening at the bowling alley was a huge success, full of laughter and fun. It didn't take long for their group to make friends with the hen party on the next lane, and everyone tried to show off their existing or non-existing bowling skills.

Nobody was surprised when Gwen hit the pins well from the first frame, but Ianto also played much better than he initially claimed.

Tosh reflected on how he always preferred to downplay his own abilities as she watched him throw a strike. Tosh herself needed the first few frames to get a feel for the weight of the ball and the length of the lane, but she was pleased with her results after that.

Jack, on the other hand, was lucky when he didn't hit the gutters. He kept getting distracted by the girls on the next lane and strutted around like a rooster in a hen house.

Owen's performance was also average. At first, he seemed to accept the challenge of beating Gwen, but then, like Jack, he became distracted and lost focus. After crossing the foul line for the second time that evening, he slumped into the chair beside her.

"Bloody hell, is there no one here, who can help me with my dry throat?" He turned his empty glass over.

"It's self-service, Owen. Can I get you something?" she asked.

"Oh yeah, why not? A fresh round of beer for everyone!" He exclaimed loudly.

"Sure," Tosh said, trying not to let her face slip. Why did he keep including the entire team when she was addressing him directly? He kept sabotaging every private moment between them.

With a sigh, she stood up and went over to the bar. While she waited for the bartender's attention, someone leaned against the counter next to her.

"Thought you might need some help carrying the glasses," Ianto said as she looked up at him.

"Thanks, Ianto," she said gratefully.

"How's it going with Owen?"

A sad smile hushed over her face. "Sometimes I think it's hopeless."

"Why?" Ianto wondered.

"Perhaps I'm too subtle, I'm not sure. I'm really trying. Doing nice things for him, asking him out for a date. But he doesn't get it; he doesn't even really look at me!"

"Owen is a brilliant medic, but can be really daft sometimes," Ianto sympathised.

That made Tosh laugh.

"You're so right about that. How's it going with Jack?"

She'd purposefully changed the subject, and now the tables were turned.

He returned his gaze to their lane, where he saw Jack encircling Gwen and demanding practical bowling lessons. Their bodies were inches apart as she stood behind him, showing him how to plant his feet and hold his hand to make the ball roll better. After he scored his first strike, they both laughed happily, and he lifted her and spun her around. Everything reminded him of Jack's shooting range routine. Only the roles were reversed.

Ianto shrugged. "It's fine."

"Don't say that."

"What?" He asked, confused.

"Things are never just fine. Don't use hollow phrases on me," Tosh said sternly.

Ianto's shoulders sagged slightly. Tosh and Ianto had grown closer during the months when Jack had gone travelling with the doctor, sharing their fears and sorrows over a cup of coffee or long walks. They hadn't had much time for such things lately, but she could tell when he was downplaying his worries.

"I don't know how things are going with Jack," Ianto admitted, defeated. "We've been on a few really nice dates, and everything went well... I think. But on nights like this?" Ianto returned his gaze to Jack, who was now flirting with two women from the hen party. "Nights like this put everything back into perspective, I guess."

Tosh placed her hand on his. "Whatever happens, don't let go of him."

She gave him a warm smile.

Suddenly, they heard a loud whistle and Owen yelling, "Tosh, stop gossiping with the tea boy and get us that bloody beer!"

Tosh and Ianto both rolled their eyes.

Then she turned to the waiting bartender and ordered another round of drinks.

The evening flew by, and it was already half past ten when they finished their last frame, and the bowling alley was about to close.

Final Scoreboard:

Gwen Cooper 250
Jack Harkness 115
Ianto Jones 202
Toshiko Sato 269
Owen Harper 121

"Congratulations, Tosh!" Gwen squealed as she hugged her. "How did you do that?! I thought you said you'd never played before!"

"I haven't. Nothing a bit of geometry and physics can't solve," Tosh said shyly as she received hugs from everyone. "If anyone is interested, I can explain..."

"Only if you want to break us losers' brains," Ianto said affectionately, making Tosh laugh.

"What have you two been doing, blowing every other round?" Gwen blinked as she examined the detailed results of Jack and Owen on her scoreboard. She'd been so preoccupied with her own game and keeping score that she hadn't noticed how uneven their results had been.

"Getting distracted by these lovely ladies," Owen chuckled, wrapping one arm around a blonde hen party member's waist.

"It would have been rude to ignore them," Jack said, smiling at the giggling girls.

"We're going to a nearby nightclub; you can come and join us!" one of them said, with a meaningful look in her eyes.

Jack's grin broadened, and he laughed.

"I think I'll pass," he said as he drew Ianto closer for a kiss. "I will go home with this one, celebrating third place." With a much lower voice, he said. "And I think I want to pay off my debts."

Ianto was surprised by how quickly the spotlight had shifted to him and nodded dumbfoundedly. He started blushing, but his eyes sparkled.

Tosh had to suppress a grin. Seeing the hopes and dreams of a whole group of party girls crumble and shatter with a single kiss was quite a sight.

She wouldn't be as lucky tonight. Owen was a difficult case to crack, but she decided it was worth the effort to keep trying.