Just Imagine...

Kill For You

It was over. Martha was safe, Tosh was shutting down the building. The Pharm had been defeated. Sam was still sad that so many innocent people and animals had to die - well, save for those giant bugs, they were creepy beyond belief - but she felt a wave of relief wash over her as she ruffled the fur on Zephyr's neck and looked around the now deserted yard, the brick walls cast in shadow but illuminated in places by the eerie floodlights. On the other side of the chainlink fence surrounding the compound was woodland, tall trees and rustling bushes. It was nothing like the rainforest at home, but if Sam closed her eyes she could almost imagine that it was, that she could look up and actually glimpse the stars through gaps in the leaves.
The wind picked up slightly and the trees gave an urgent whisper, to Sam it almost sounded like watch, danger, watch, but she ignored it, only for half a second. Zephyr suddenly growled and whipped around, massive teeth bared. Sam followed the tiger's gaze and froze.
Aaron Copley had appeared out of a side door, malice in his eyes and a gun in his hand, pointed at the others.
"It's over." Jack growled to him. Copley shook his head.
"No it's not." He sneered.
"NO!" Sam barked, and in the same moment Zephyr charged forwards, knocking Owen to the ground and letting out a deafening roar in Copley's face. Copley seized up, paralyzed by the terrifying sound. Sam saw her opportunity and raced towards him, drawing her dagger from her belt. Time slowed down as she leaped at Copley, tackling him into the dirt. She was blinded by rage and fear, the only thing left inside her was the urge to protect the others. Without a second thought, Sam drove the dagger into Copley's exposed throat. Hot blood sprayed in her face, it blotted out her vision and the scent and taste of it filled her nose and mouth. It was over in an instant, Copley was dead.
"Sam!" Gwen exclaimed, horrified. Sam looked over her shoulder and saw Ianto flinch - she knew there was blood on her face but she didn't care. She pulled the dagger from Copley's throat, letting the blood drip off of it. Her eyes fell on Owen, still pinned to the ground by Zephyr's big paws, though her claws were sheathed so she didn't hurt him.
"He was going to shoot you." Sam panted. More blood dripped into her mouth and she spat it out on the ground. "I was trying to protect you. And he harmed so many innocent people and aliens. He wasn't gonna get away with that alive."
Zephyr chuffed in agreement, bending down to sniff Owen's face and check that he was alright. Martha shakily walked over to Sam, still unsure of her footing but getting stronger by the second, and offered her a hand. Sam smiled at her, taking it and letting Martha lean on her shoulder when she was standing.
"You smell horrible." Martha said with a laugh.
"I've smelled like worse than blood." Sam huffed, wiping her face with the back of her hand.
"That was really brave, you know."
"What? Me killing someone? No, Martha, that's how I'll end up driving these people away."
"No it isn't. You did what you had to. You saved Owen's life. You should be proud of yourself, Sam."
Sam watched as Jack helped Owen to his feet and Tosh gave him a hug, then backed away slightly with a shy smile, tucking her hair behind her ear self consciously.
"You think?" She asked.
"Yeah," Martha murmured, "except you might wanna wash all that blood off before you think about starting a group hug."
Sam raised an eyebrow at her and she laughed. It really struck Sam in that moment how beautiful Martha Jones was - sure, when they'd first met Sam had thought Martha was pretty, but looking at her now made her heart tingle, like it had when she'd met the rest of the Torchwood team. Did that mean Martha was a part of her Soul Family? Sam wouldn't mind at all if that was the case.
Zephyr paced up to her, letting out a happy rumble and head-butting her thigh. Sam smiled, ruffling her fur.
"Good girl, Zeph," she said, "very good girl."

"So... you really did that to save me?"
Sam looked up at Owen's voice to her right. The hub was dark now, pretty much everyone had gone home for the evening, and Sam had been sitting alone at her desk, staring off into space as Zephyr lay on the floor behind her chair.
"What?" She asked, "killing Copley?"
Owen nodded.
"Well... yeah," Sam said, "duh."
"You really cared so much you set your tiger loose on him?"
"Oh, I didn't set her loose. Zephyr has a mind of her own, she did what she did on her own accord. But, I think the two of us are connected on a level even we don't understand. She seems to know what I'm thinking and feeling without me expressing it, and sometimes she does things that I was about to do."
"Like save me? Jump in the line of fire?"
"Perhaps."
Sam grinned at Owen, and he smiled back - a genuine smile, which some might consider a rare sight. Zephyr padded around Sam's desk, nodding her head and chuffing as she paced up to Owen.
"Umm... thanks?" He tried as she looked at him with sparkling peridot eyes. "Can she understand me?"
"Dunno," Sam said with a shrug, "she might be able to, based on your body language and your tone. I think that's how most animals work, actually."
"Sam," Owen sighed, "I... I know you think killing people all over the place will drive us away from you but... you saved my life. And I want to say... thank you. You could've been killed or injured yourself getting in my way like that. It was pretty impressive."
Sam felt her face get warm.
"Oh, well... i-it was nothing, I would've done it no matter what."
Owen smirked.
"Don't get too flustered," he said, "I'm thanking you so you don't beat yourself up over this, not because I love you or anything." He let out a startled yelp as Zephyr reared up and playfully tackled him to the floor. She chuffed again and began licking and nuzzling his face and neck. Owen laughed loudly, pushing her away. "Cut it out!" He exclaimed, "Sam, get your giant tabby cat off me!"
Sam just sat back and smiled, heart bursting with love as tears rolled down her face.
"I love you too, Owen." She said quietly. That was the loudest she'd ever say it, to any of them, and Owen couldn't even hear her over his own laughter as Zephyr's long whiskers tickled his neck - something Sam would investigate later, yes, note to self; investigate how ticklish Owen is.
Sam knew someday she might have to leave this all behind, go home to Saint Lucia. But would it really be home without the team? Sam already knew the answer, and it was breaking her heart just to think about it. So she didn't. She made a silent promise to herself that she'd save the memories of the others smiling and laughing, dancing and singing, just living their best lives. Because they were her Soul Family, and they were the best part of Sam's life.