Burning Cosmos {A Torchwood Story Three} [COMPLETED]

34. Blessed Be The Fruits Of Love

So. I think I finally got my happy ending.

We get off early, having had enough excitement in the last twenty four hours to last us the rest of our lives. Toshiko goes home to see her mum and her boyfriend, Banana (real name Jonathan!). Owen and I go home together, him not having any family to speak of but having me. We have each other, and Torchwood, and they're the only people Owen wants to see.

As soon as we're through the front door of our flat, we kick off our shoes and collapse on the sofa in the living room. We're too tired to do anything else. My head falls backward, resting on the seat cushions, as I watch Owen rediscover what it means to be alive.

"I mean, I'm warm," he exclaims with an air of awe. He touches each of his fingertips. "I can feel my fingers, my nails - and my pinkie is fixed and there's no cuts on my hand!" He waves it in my face, and I laugh and take it to kiss on the palm and pinkie where his previous injuries are.

"Oh my God, I just realised," I announce as soon as I think it, looking from his hand to his face, "we can shag again!"
His dear rat face lights up like a kid at Christmas. "Yeah! But not right now, if I'm honest," he adds. "I'm kind of still getting to grips with the fact I was dead, then in a state of permanent living death, then destroyed forever, and now I'm fine again. It's a bit of a ride."
"Understandable."

We settle down on the sofa again, my head on his shoulder and his head resting atop mine. He asks me how I did it, how I restored him and Tosh, and the whole way through my explanation he breathes deeply, enjoying his breath back.
"You brought me and Toshiko back to life using raw energy from before Time itself."
"Yep."
"Weren't you worried? Couldn't that have torn reality apart?"
I take my head off his shoulder and look him directly in his eyes. "I told you I'd pull reality apart. They say that the Doctor destroys armies and implodes worlds for the people he loves. I get it now."

"You know," I tell him, "I think I've actually met the Doctor before, you know, back on Gallifrey. Memories are still steadily coming back to me."
"Oh yeah? What happened?"
I frown, pinching my memory. "The Doctor gave me a card once, when we were in the Time Academy."
"What was it for?"
"It was a Get Well Soon card."
"Ah, no, what happened?"
"Nothing. He just wanted me to be better."

Owen laughs and moves his head to kiss the top of my head, then tilt it to kiss my forehead, my nose, both my cheeks, and finally my lips. I've missed kissing him, feeling how soft his lips are, his warmth.
"I love you so much," I murmur, and he smiles against my lips.

He wriggles away to lie down on the sofa, his head in my lap. Out of instinct I stroke his hair, just the way he likes it, with a little scratch right at the top of his skull. He smiles as he finally feels that soft caress and light dig of my nails; he settles down into my lap, completely at ease, serene as he closes his eyes. I have to admit, though, I do pause what I'm doing to make sure his heart hasn't stopped.

I continue stroking his hair, looking down at him. "So what now? We've repeatedly confessed our undying love to each other, you're alive again, I'm an immortal Time Lord. And we still work at Torchwood. The road isn't exactly paved with gold."

"I don't know," he says. "You ever thought of getting married?"
My eyebrows rise as a cheeky smile plays on my lips. "Only if Jack's your best man and Ianto's the bridesmaid."
He snorts and replies, "You kidding me? Jack would kill to be bridesmaid."

When I finish laughing, I look back down at him. "Would you really want to, though? It hasn't exactly worked out well the last few times we've been involved in weddings."
"I meant it when I said I want to be with you forever, Evy," he says, his tone and expression serious. "We've lost each other before; I never want it again."
I consider his words. Then look back down and say, "We'll put it on the back burner for now. Marriage is a sacred thing on Earth, and I technically don't even have a birth certificate."
"But you would?" His face lights up so excited and warm that I can't help but giggle and kiss him again.

"Yes, Owen, I would marry you, in a big white wedding, or just at the registry office, it doesn't matter as long as we have each other and our friends. Then we can cook and clean and kiss and cwtch until the end of time itself."
"Even though I won't live that long," he teases. I go to tip him off my lap, laughing.

Steadying himself, he asks me, "Cwtch?" and I reply nodding, "Cwtch."
"Yeah, I've heard Ianto say that, too. What does it mean?"
"It just means cuddle or embrace, offering warmth and love," I reply. "Studies show that people from South Wales aren't fluent in Welsh, but phrases and words are still said in normal dialogue, like colloquial slang."
"God, you're so smart; I love you."

I laugh with him and lean down to kiss him, never having enough of his sweet soft warm lips. He opens my mouth with his and we indulge how we've wanted to for months. I sigh in content: I want nothing else to happen, ever; just us, like this.

But despite my wishes, my senses suddenly pick up on something - something massive and unexplainable to a human. I spring up from Owen's lazy embrace and begin to take down everything we have on the walls or shelves. One of Owen's eyebrows are up as he continues sitting.

"What's going on?"
"The Earth is about to move alarmingly fast," is my reply, followed by a sputtering response.
"What, like, through the air?"
I only nod as I frantically pull our books off the shelf. I'm so invested in this preservation that I don't even notice Owen is next to me til he pressed his slightly chapped lips to my forehead.

I turn to look at him making that goddamn adorable expression. The one he makes when he's looking at something exceptionally intriguing to him.
I smile slowly. "What was that for?"
He smiles back lopsidedly, and winds his hand round mine. "You are the most amazing person I've ever met."

My smile reaches my cheeks as I ask, "Really?"
He nods, his grin reaching epic proportions. "You know you are. Come on then, let's get ready for the Earth moving."

We continue working, our hands still entwined. Until I sense it's beginning any time now, in a few seconds, so I stop him and pull him into the small utility cupboard we have in the kitchen to brace ourselves.

The planet moves through space and time, for a reason I haven't quite figured out yet, but as I look at Owen I know we can save the world again. With the help of Toshiko, Ianto, Gwen, and Jack, our best friends in the whole universe.

Torchwood may put us through some crazy shit; but with us together, Owen and I, we can do it.