Fandomweekly Challenge 33 - Tough decisions

[m_findlow]

Title: Tough decisions
Fandom: Torchwood
Characters: Tosh, Owen, Gwen, Ianto
Author: m_findlow
Rating: PG
Length: 1,000 words
Content notes: none
Author notes: Written for Challenge 33 - Jury's out at fandomweekly
Summary:  There's a tough decision to be made
Disclaimer: I don't own them.

Tosh felt awkward, sitting around the boardroom table, surrounded by her teammates, all of whom were trying hard not to stare at the empty space at the head of the table. It was where Jack always sat. Used to sit, she reminded herself. He hadn't sat there for nearly three weeks now, and it was the very reason they were all sat here now.

Gwen pulled her chair further forward, the legs scraping audibly along the floor.

'Well, I think we all know why we're here,' she began.

'Because you said we had to?' Owen snarked.

Oh, this was off to a really bad start. Tosh grabbed the coffee mug in front of her and tried her make her face disappear into its depths, catching a glimpse of Ianto sitting opposite her, doing the same. Neither of them wanted to be here strictly speaking, but not being here would only cause the rift between the team to deepen.

Gwen ignored Owen's snide remark. 'We need to decide on a leader.'

Tosh wished she had the guts to say what she was thinking out loud. They had a leader. Jack was their leader, even if he wasn't here right now. They didn't need anyone else. This was all just a temporary thing. Jack would be back any day now.

Up until a few days ago, Gwen had been Jack's biggest supporter. Well, perhaps only out loud. If the kiss she'd witnessed when Jack had come back from the dead was anything to go by, Ianto had Gwen cornered on that front. He'd continued to keep up the pretense that Jack was still here, fielding his phone calls, responding to emails using Jack's account, forging signatures on reports, and deftly sidestepping requests for meetings and teleconferences with creative lies about Jack's availability.

'He wouldn't leave us,' Gwen had repeated, reminding them all for the umpteenth time.

'Keep telling yourself that, Gwen,' Owen had replied. 'We all saw him leave. Took his gear with him and ran. He ain't coming back.'

'He'll come back,' she insisted.

'Look around you, Gwen. You've seen the files. He's been waiting for that Doctor of his forever. Now that we know he can't die, why they hell would he hang around this shithole any longer?'

Gwen had been stewing over Owen's words ever since. Now she'd decided that if Jack truly wasn't coming back, it was time to take charge of the situation proper.

'We'll take a vote,' Gwen said, looking confident. 'A secret ballot. No one has to declare who they voted for.'

Tosh knew Gwen already thought the procedure done and dusted. Voting was just a formality to spare everyone's feelings.

'It's what Jack would've wanted,' she added, as if that made a difference.

Maybe if he'd stayed long enough to leave them a message, they would have known what he wanted. Did he have someone in mind? It would have made the decision a lot easier to accept.

Tosh felt the tension in the room. Gwen wanted a quick vote so they could get on with things. Tosh didn't even realise she'd started speaking when she heard her own voice.

'Could we take twenty-four hours to think about it?'

Gwen put a hand placatingly on her arm. 'Of course, Tosh. It's an important decision,' she replied, obviously trying to curry favour. 'We'll reconvene tomorrow.'

Owen slipped out of the room as quickly as possible. She suspected he was off to hit something, or off to the pub for a stiff drink. Gwen floated easily out of the room shortly thereafter, leaving Tosh and Ianto on their own. Once Tosh was sure both of them were out of earshot, she leaned conspiratorially across the table.

'I'll vote for you if you vote for me,' she said.

Ianto frowned. 'Why?' He paused. 'Not that I don't think you're very capable,' he backtracked.

'Because Gwen and Owen will both vote for themselves. We don't need a leader and a vote is a stupid way to break up the team.'

'And you think a stalemate will make it go away? We have to do this. Neither of them will accept it unless it's a majority.'

She slumped on the table. 'You're right as usual. Maybe you should be leader.'

He laughed. It was a nice sound, one she rarely heard. 'No thanks.'

'Right,' she said, standing up. 'Guess we've got some thinking to do.'

The next day they were sat back around the table, a small glass in the centre with four pieces of folded paper tucked into it.

'Ianto, would you like to do the honors?' Gwen offered.

He tipped out the glass, carefully unfolding each slip. Secret wasn't a very good description since their own handwriting gave them away.

'It's Owen,' he announced. 'Three votes to one.'

Gwen struggled to look gracious in defeat. Even Tosh was a little surprised at the outcome. Yes, she'd voted for Owen, because obnoxious as he sometimes was, he'd proven himself over the years. And he came back when the world was ending. Gwen, on the other hand was emotionally volatile. Ianto would have been her second preference. He might not be the action hero, but he had a calm head on his shoulders, and that was what they probably needed most.

Owen seemed a little shocked. He didn't consider himself the popular vote, then again, Gwen had probably riled up Ianto by mooning all over Jack, and Tosh didn't like to rock the boat.

'Well done, Owen,' Gwen said. 'I'm sure we're all agreed that you're the best person for the job.'

'Well, thank you,' he said awkwardly, before remembering himself. 'Glad you lot did something right for once. In fact, I'll be the best bloody boss this place has ever had.'

As he pushed out his chair to leave, he tripped over the wheel underfoot, tumbling to the ground.

'Clumsiest, yes,' Ianto countered, offering him a hand. 'Jury's still out on the rest. But you've definitely got potential.'