Fandomweekly Challenge 18 - In their own time

[m_findlow]

Title: In their own time
Fandom: Torchwood
Author: m_findlow
Rating: PG
Length: 1,000 words
Content notes: none
Author notes: Written for Challenge 18 - Stages of grief at fandomweekly
Summary: The team are all dealing with Suzie's death in their own way.

Owen pulled the pen from his mouth where he'd been chewing it and tapped it on the table in time to the beat.

'This is a mystery not to be solved, but be minded, like minded, I'm gone, still I'm with you, I'm begging you...'

Tosh pulled her glasses off and set them on the desk. 'Can you please stop singing, Owen?' she pleaded.

'What? I like this song. Beats sitting here listening to that bloody water tower. Makes a bloke need to go, if you know what I mean.'

'Well, find something else. Please.'

'Why? What's wrong with it?'

She cast a glance across she hub to the now empty desk where Suzie had spent so many hours tinkering, always with the radio on low whilst she worked, humming along. 'It's just... never mind.'

Owen followed her gaze and then shrugged. 'Song reminded me of this bird I met last week.' He leaned back in his chair as far as it would go, propping a foot up in his desk and carried on his story. 'So, there I was, sitting at the bar, minding my own business and this girl walks up to me any says she just texted her date to say she wasn't feeling well and that he shouldn't bother coming out to have a drink with her. I thought, well today's your lucky day, son. So, she sits down and then-'

'Owen!' the sharp bark of Jack's voice cut through the air.

Owen faltered in the chair of a split second, throwing his arms forward in a desperate attempt to grip the edge of the desk before he went backwards onto the floor instead. Assured he had himself upright and secure he threw his glare in the direction of Jack's doorway. 'What?' he said, rather more aggressively than he intended, though attempting to match Jack's tone.

'Where are you at with the analysis for that isotropic conductor gel?'

'Same place as when you gave it to me.'

Jack folded his arms across his chest, his expression dark. 'I wanted it done, Owen. Wasn't I clear in my instructions?'

'Not my fault it's not done,' he argued. 'I've got other stuff to do, you know. If Suzie were here...' It had been her project, after all.

'Well, she's not so now it's your job.'

Owen felt his frustration growing. 'Well, maybe if she hadn't topped herself.'

'Just get the damn thing done or she won't be the last Torchwood employee around here who ends up dead!' Jack turned his attention to their newest team member. 'Gwen! When you're finished summarising those police files, report for firearms training.'

'Yes, Captain, my Captain,' Owen muttered under his breath.

Jack spun, his ears catching the comment. 'And as for the rest of you,' he snarled, fixing each of them in turn with an icy glare, 'three hours minimum shooting practice before you go home.'

Ianto pulled back his sleeve and checked his watch. 'Half six now, so...'

'Just do it!' Jack stormed back inside his office, slamming the door so hard it caused everything else to rattle in its wake.

Owen sighed audibly. 'What's got his knickers in a knot?' Ianto fixed him a look that suggested the answer was obvious. 'Seriously, people,' Owen said, 'Suzie's gone. Can we all just get the fuck over it?'

Tosh pushed away from her desk. 'I'm... just going to go check on the servers downstairs. I might be awhile.'

Owen watched her depart quickly and silently, keeping her eyes down and focused on the floor in front of her. 'Why's everyone suddenly so touchy?'

Ianto set a pile of files down on Owen's desk. 'You could try being a little bit more sympathetic, Owen. Tosh worked with Suzie a lot longer than any of us. It's... not easy.'

Owen groaned. 'She's dead, Ianto. She was a whack job who got what was coming.'

Ianto's blue eyes betrayed a moment of hurt. 'You're not helping. Haven't you ever lost someone you cared about?'

'Oh, go make a coffee or something. Or go cry on Tosh's shoulder. Maybe you could shag the boss. That'd no doubt cheer him up and get him off my back.' Owen gave him a look that challenged him to mention Katie.

Ianto tugged at the edges of his cuff, clearly restraining himself. 'I think I'll go and see if Tosh needs any help.'

'Good idea,' Owen replied. 'Best you've had all day.'

Ianto's footfalls faded away and Owen let his gaze settle on the only one left. Gwen was chewing her lower lip and staring straight through the screen in front of her, desperate not to be noticed.

Owen leaned back in his chair again. 'Oh, cheer up, newbie. Not like it's your fault she'd dead.'

Gwen turned to face him, her eyes afire with emotion. 'Isn't it? If I hadn't gone poking my nose around...'

'Yeah, and she'd still be a crazy serial killer.'

'I'm a police officer. I should've been able to stop her, talk her into putting the gun down. There had to be another way things could've ended. 'Gwen looked around the hub, still full of that same awestruck wonder. 'I shouldn't even be here.'

'Better you than her. She'd have knocked one of us off eventually. Did everyone a favour, even if most of the people she knocked off were losers anyway.'

'Just because you've accepted she's gone doesn't mean everybody else has.'

Owen sighed. 'Listen sweetheart, you haven't been here long enough to know it yet but this isn't a walk in the park. We deal with shit nobody else does. You either learn to deal with it or you end up like Suzie and off yourself.'

Gwen stood up, heading for Jack's office and stopping at Owen's desk on her way past. 'I'd rather be like them than be a heartless bastard like you.'

'They'll get over it too, Cooper,' Owen promised her. 'They're no different to me. The question is, will you?'