Burning Cosmos {A Torchwood Story Three}

11. Norman Vs Veronica

"Goodbye Meilokinos!" I call to my new friend as they disappear in the beam of the galactic honing device, and the rest of the team bar Gwen and Owen stare at me.
"What language was that?" Toshiko asks inquisitively, and I look to Jack with a side smile as he has a confused expression on his face. Ha ha, he doesn't know either; so much for being a know-it-all.

Instead of answering them I sling my arm round Ianto, pat his back, and announce, "I'm hungry. In the mood for cheese, really. Anywhere that does cheese?"
I can tell he's trying to keep in a smile. "No cheese specific places open, Evelina, but we can get you a cheese pizza."
I shrug. "It'll do."
The four of us get back in the SUV and drive back from the empty side of the Bay industrial park to the Hub, where Owen is likely just finishing up his work.

What I didn't know (because I forgot my comm as well as my gun) was that Rhys had been shot just before I got to the warehouse. Apparently he jumped in front of Gwen to save her - what a dumbass. Gwen could've taken that hit better.
When we get through the cog door we head to the autopsy room, where Owen indeed is just finishing his stitches in Rhys' chest, and Gwen is holding her fiance's free hand. What a darling picture. It kind of ruins it for me when my brain reminds me Owen slept with her behind Rhys' back once upon a time.

Owen's face remains stony throughout, contemplative; moody. My heart aches once again for him, and I walk down the steps and pause for Tosh's nod before putting my hand on his lower back. His muscles shift at my touch, and I swear I can hear his breath wobbling. Or that could be mine.

Poor, poor space whale. And poor Owen Harper, who had to do the right thing. I know by experience how hard that is.

~∆~

I twist the key in the lock and our front door opens. I go first, chucking my keys onto the end table and going to get a bottle. I have a feeling it's a relapse kind of night for Owen.
He follows me through the door and grabs the beer from my hands without a word. He begins drinking as soon as he lifts his arm, and disappears into his room without closing the door.

I hover uncertainly, torn between going to him and keeping my distance, but my love wins in the end. God damn those feelings.
"Owen?" I say quietly as I cross his doorway; he pauses for breath and glances at me with his eyebrows in a straight line, the ends turned down. He's trying not to let his sadness out.

"Owen," I continue, sitting next to him on the bed, "it wasn't your fault. We couldn't have gotten it out; it was logistically impossible. You did the right thing, and if you hadn't been there it would've been hurt even more."
"I know that, Evy, it's just..." He places his bottle on the black coaster on his bedside table and waves his arms around, trying to find the words. "It's just another thing that I've killed. There's so many creatures that I've come across dead, and I know that's my job as a doctor, but sometimes it... Sometimes I can't take it all."

I catch one of his hands and hold it in my own. "At least we helped Meilokinos."
"Yeah, who was that?" Owen asks, taking his beer again, and I eagerly take the opportunity to distract him.
"Alien from Glibafla; got caught in the Rift, so I used Jack's galactic honing device he thinks I don't know about to send them back."
"Glibafla," he repeats, then out comes a short laugh. "Sounds like Gabalfa."

I shake my head and smile fondly at him. My lips find their way to his cheek, just as a little gesture, but his head turns and we end up kissing. His hand cups my jaw, his thumb turning lazy circles on my cheek, and I murmur at his touch. I bite his lower lip gently, how I know he likes it, and I can feel his smile.

And I smile back. Because at least he's distracted.

After a few minutes we come up for air, and he looks at me like he's about to say something, but in the end doesn't.
"I'm gonna get another beer," he tells me instead, "you want one?"
"Ah, sure, why not; keep ya company. I'm just gonna lie down a sec," I say as I yawn at the same time he gets up.

"What do you want me to do?" he calls from the kitchen, and I say back sleepily, "Water the cactus."
Owen pauses and comes back through the room. "We have a cactus?"
I nod slowly. "Mm-hm."
"Where is it?"
"Under the coffee table," I reply, then dig my head back under the pillows as he moves about. "Oh - his name's Norman."
"That's a dumb name for a plant, Evy."
"Well, you can name the next one then."

There's another pause before I hear him quietly say to himself, "Veronica. Yeah."