Sparkling Cosmos {A Torchwood Story Two} [COMPLETED]

14. Countrycide

Owen's complaining about nature again.
"It's dirty, it's unhygienic-"
"Wow, haven't heard that one yet," I say sarcastically, and sitting next to me in the back Ianto, Tosh and Gwen nod tiredly. We've all had enough. We have to go into the countryside, okay - does he have to rant about it the whole time?
"And what is that smell?" he asks, disgusted, and Gwen pipes up in a flat tone, "That would be grass."
He twists round in his seat up front. "It's disgusting."

The SUV parks at a random spot on the common, far away from any civilization except a food van - God knows if it gets any customers out here. Jack is the first to get out, opening up all the doors and beginning to haul out some stuff.
The rest of us order burgers and stand around recapping our case: string of disappearances around here, police are baffled (no surprise there); lack of civilization; so we've been called in. Well, we're not ever called in so to speak - we just kind of hear something through the grapevine and pounce if it's vaguely abnormal.

"We'll start with the most recent victim, Ellie Johnson," Jack continues after we bite into our burgers then spit them out when Toshiko tells us about her friend who got hepatitis from a food van. "We last have record of her making a phone call. She dropped out of signal mid-call. The coverage map has her placed somewhere about here." He points to a small map of the area that he's produced from one of his many pockets, then says, "Looks as good a place as any to set up camp."
The rest of us are fine with it, but Owen's head pops straight up from his burger.
"Sorry - did you say camp?"

I run to get first dibs and pull out a tent bag that I'm claiming as mine and Tosh's. She crosses her arms, looking uncertain.
"I've... never gone camping before," she admits, and I cringe.
"Me neither - Time Lords don't go camping. I'm pretty sure if we spend too long outside of the glass dome over our planet, we'd burn."
My friend just laughs and shakes her head.

Owen and Jack are arguing. Again.
"What am I supposed to do with this?" Owen calls to him, kicking the bag of material and scowling at it in typical fashion.

I stand up from unfolding. "Need a hand getting it up, Owen?"
He stops kicking and turns to me, a smirk on his face. "If I did, I wouldn't ask you."
"Yeah, sure," I scoff, checking Tosh has gone to the SUV before leaving the tent and strolling to Owen with a shit-eating grin on my face. "Pretend like I don't know what drives you fucking wild, Harper - I know what you like," I finish with a mocking wheedle. Owen laughs silently, his nose scrunching up and the skin round his eyes crinkling, and grabs my arm to pull me into him.

"Shut up," he says lowly with a smile on his face, looking into my eyes. I cock an eyebrow.
"Oh yeah? What would happen if I didn't?"
His smile grows, and he pulls me into him more. I bite my lip, grin still on my face, and close my eyes.

"Owen! Get your tent up!" Jack shouts from across the field, and we both tear apart and scoot to the sides of our respective tents. I pick up the plastic, and across from me I hear him darkly muttering, "Already have, arsehole."
I can't help but laugh.

"Oh, come on. It's just a bit of fun," comes Gwen's voice, talking to Jack and rounding over to us. "Who was the last person you snogged?
Owen smirks at her. "You even sound like an eight year old. Who the hell says snog?"
"Mine was Rhys."
"Yeah, well, there's a surprise," I tell her, and she nudges me as we sit down to eat our snacks. Tent building is hungry work.
Gwen smiles at Tosh. "Tosh, your go."
"It's easy for you," my shy friend mumbles, but the newbie won't let it go.
"Oh, come on. Spill the beans!"
Her eyes lower, and she looks up at us. "Owen."

"What?" Owen and I ask simultaneously, both surprised.
"Tosh, love, in your dreams," he says, quite carelessly, so I dig him in the ribs and make him drop his sandwich on the table.
Tosh tucks a piece of stray dark hair behind her ear. "3AM, Christmas Eve, in front of the Millennium Centre, waiting for a cab. I had mistletoe."
Owen and Gwen stare at her awkwardly. I reach over the table and pat her hand, and she looks to me gratefully.
"I mean, d'you wanna change that?" I ask her suggestively, making a funny smooching face to get her out of her own head, and she laughs at me.
"No thanks. But it's not off the table yet."