Burning Cosmos {A Torchwood Story Three} [COMPLETED]

6. To The Last Man

Smiling to Ianto as he makes me his special morning coffee, I take the mug and saunter down to the autopsy room. I cup it between my hands to warm me on this cool breezy day which seems to be every day in Wales, lean against the wall and start sipping. Around me, everyone is crowding round the autopsy table whilst Owen sets to work on the specimen. It's a little tricky this time, not working the first round and when it does he goes a bit mad, but Tosh calms him down and he gradually sits up on the table. He looks at me, familiarity striking his eyes.
"Hello Evelina."

I smile over my mug, happy to see his friendly face again. "Hello, Tommy."

About twenty minutes later we're all sitting in the board room having a roast, a very special occurrence in Torchwood - because it only happens when Tommy gets defrosted. Hey, the man only gets let out once a year, I'd say he's entitled to a turkey.
"Don't expect the best china," Ianto apologises, but our soldier waves it away.
"I'm starving," he comments between mouthfuls. "Tuck in, there's enough here to feed an army."
Toshiko chuckles at him from the end of the table, and I smile at her. She's so adorable around him! It's proved when he points at her dress and tells her it looks nice, and she lights up against the hardwood walls. Aww!

As we all chat with our old friend, Owen and I next to each other exchange looks. Owen's thin eyebrows go up, and I bite my lip to try and contain my eagerness.
I clear my throat and ask Tommy across from me, "Thinking of going anywhere on your day off?"
"That's what we're calling it now, is it?" he jokes back, and Tosh simpers again. He continues: "I'd actually like to go round the bay again, see the sights, if they've changed or not."

With a side glance at Jack, who is oblivious to our conversation, I swallow the rest of my roastie and say softly, "What about Toshiko going with you again, like last year? We're all busy, but I'll take over your work for a bit, if that's all right Tosh." I direct the last sentence at my coworker, whom currently is the colour of our flametorch.

"I'd love to - I mean, if you'd like, Tommy - might not want to go with boring old me again." Her poor joke sticks out as she tries not to sound desperate, but she could never go wrong in their sweet courtship. He'd never tell her no.
Tommy smiles with shining eyes. "I'd love to go with you, Toshiko."
Owen and I exchange anticipating glances again, before my flatmate puts down his fork. "Well, that's the plan after we've gone through the tests, eh Tommy? Right, eat up, we've got work to do."

We all scoop up our food quickly, anxious to spend as much time as possible with our favourite Freezer Boy.

~∆~

I'm re-organising Tosh's papers on her desk - she got so scatterbrained yesterday - when Owen walks up to me and cuffs me lightly over the head.
I make my face one of shock. "Uh, why would you do that?"
"Cuz I wanted to," he retorts cheekily as he sits down at his desk, and I lean out of the chair to swat at him. He ducks and we both laugh.

"Any changes in Tommy?" I ask, and he shakes his head as he begins to write.
"Nope, he's fine, exactly the same as before. Only problem is-"
I'm all ears. "What? What's the problem?"
Owen turns his head to me, his expression down. "He just gets sad. Whenever nobody's watching him, I catch his shoulders lowering and his face turning down."
I lower my eyes, tucking my brown hair behind my ear. "I get it. It's lonely, being in here, feeling like the only one who gets you. Sometimes I feel like that."

His brows arch inwards. "You do?"
I'm momentarily distracted by how sensitive he's being, before the moment ends and I struggle to remember my train of thought. "Well, I mean, of course I do - I'm the only Time Lord on Earth, with all this stuff in my head and nobody to share it with. It's lonely sometimes."