Regretted Denial (Torchwood, Owen)

[AngelEyes]

This is a story request for @2SHY222. I hope you like it, it's maybe not quite what you were thinking, so I hope it's ok.

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Jack knew Owen thought he was hiding his burgeoning cold from the team. He had spent the last two days avoiding them as much as possible. Jack could hear the increasingly frequent stifled sneezes, and the attempts to blow his nose as quietly as possible. And really, it was inevitable after dealing with the rest of the team’s illness. So he seriously debated involving him when the alert came through of something in Plymouth Great Wood. But Tosh and Gwen were both out, and they didn’t have any info on what it might be, so they really could use his help.

 

Owen was beginning to admit to himself after spending the last two days denying it, that he may be coming down with the cold that Jack and Ianto had just recovered from and which Tosh and Gwen were currently out with. Not that he was ready to admit it to anyone else yet. What had started out as simple sniffles had morphed into an annoying back and forth between congestion and a runny nose. And then there was the sneezing, he thought to himself as his breath hitched for what felt like the thousandth time that day. “Ha Ha HtSCh! Ugh.” He groaned and blew his nose. Just then Jack and Ianto appeared. Offering blessings, they asked if he was ok. “Of course I am,” he replied. “Only I think Ianto hasn’t kept up on the cleaning around here,” he said accusingly.

 

Ianto looked highly offended but chose not to reply as Jack grinned. “Good! Because something just popped up on our radar out in Plymouth Great Wood, and with Tosh and Gwen out, we’re going to need your help.”

 

Owen followed them out of the hub and began regretting his denials as he stepped into the freezing January air and snow that had fallen overnight. At least the sidewalks had been shoveled and the roads plowed by now. Unfortunately he found this was not the case when they arrived at the Wood and started down one of the paths where the snow was just deep enough to work it’s way into your shoes and get your socks wet. To add to his discomfort his nose was running in the cold air. And then he felt the sharp prickling in his sinuses signaling he was going to sneeze. And not just once. Deciding it would be pointless to stifle with Jack and Ianto walking right in front of him, he brought an arm up and sneezed freely. “HatSSHCHihh! HatSSHCHihh! HatSSSHHCHiiiihh!”

 

Jack and Ianto both blessed him, before Ianto, looking at the small device he was holding pointed. “I think whatever it is, is over there to the east, in the quarry.” As they reached the edge of the quarry they saw a sort of spider-like object, about a meter in height, partially embedded in the loose gravel. The snow around it had melted away.

 

“I’m guessing that’s what we came for,” Owen said sardonically.

 

They walked down to it and Jack raised a hand and knocked on what appeared to be a sort of hatch. “You’re knocking?” Owen asked skeptically.

 

Jack grinned. “It’s always a good idea to be polite with aliens you haven’t officially met. Don’t want to get off to a bad start. Could make a bad impression.” When there was no answer he tried opening it, but it was stuck, or locked. “Hand me a pry bar.” Owen opened his kit and handed it over. He wedged it into the seal and gave it a good yank. The hatch popped open with a hiss of steam escaping. Jack and Ianto stepped back quickly, holding their hands in front of their faces. “Oh! Now that is some smell!” Owen was suddenly happy his nose had decided to become blocked up again. As the steam cleared, they peeked inside the vessel. Grimacing, Jack announced, “I’d say our friend here got cooked upon entry.” He closed the hatch and studied the vessel. “Well, let’s see how heavy this thing is. Maybe we can carry it back to the SUV.”

 

They moved around so they could each take a leg and gently worked it loose from the gravel. It was surprisingly lightweight. They started back up the path, Jack and Ianto on either side and Owen in the rear. They had only gone a short distance when Owen called a pause. Jack and Ianto turned to see him with his arm raised in front of his face, breath hitching. “Ha Ha Hah…” Seemingly stuck, he glanced up at the sun before sneezing harshly. “HatSSHCHihh! HatSSHCHihh! Ha Ha HatSSSHHCHiiiihh! Hah HatSSSHHCHiiiihh!”

 

“Bless you!” Ianto said, looking and sounding impressed, before passing him a handkerchief.

 

He accepted it gratefully and blew his nose, as Jack looked at him concerned. “Bless you. Let’s get this thing back and then I’m sending you home sick. Which I should have done two days ago.”

 

Owen bristled. “Who said I’m sick? It’s just the cold air.” Jack raised an eyebrow but didn’t comment further.

 

Once back at the hub they unloaded the vessel and carefully extricated it’s occupant. Owen insisted on starting the autopsy and Jack didn’t argue. Ianto took him a mug of tea before heading up to Jack’s office with their own mugs. He sat across from Jack’s desk and they drank their tea in companionable silence as they listened to Owen sniffle, sneeze, blow his nose, and curse. Finally Ianto spoke up. “How long are you going to let him carry on like that?”

 

Jack laughed. “I think it’s been about long enough.” He rose and headed down into the med bay.

 

Owen looked up at him with a scowl. “Go away. I’m busy.”

 

Jack rummaged in one of the drawers and came up with a thermometer. Holding it out to Owen, he said, “Say Ahhh!”

 

Owen just looked at him. “Seriously?”

 

Jack grinned. “Yup.”

 

“Fine.” Owen said moodily, snatching the thermometer. About to put it into his mouth he twisted to the side, apparently caught off guard, and sneezed. “HatSSHCHihh! HatSSHCHihh!” Turning back with a sniff he did as told. When it beeped he looked at it before handing it over to the waiting hand of Jack.

 

“37.6°. I think that qualifies you as sick. Which is no surprise after looking after the rest of us. So go home. Take care of yourself,” Jack said sympathetically.

 

“Alright,” Owen gave in, before adding, “Just let me finish…”

 

But Jack cut him off. “The autopsy can wait. We’ll put it in storage and you can finish it when you get back.”

 

He looked like he was going to protest but ended up sneezing instead. “HatSSHCHihh!” He sighed. “Ok. I’m going.”

 

Ianto joined Jack after Owen had gone and they put the alien away for when he came back. Jack looked at Ianto thoughtfully. “Why don’t you send over a Ianto special feel better care package?”

 

Ianto smiled. “Good idea.”

 

Owen had just taken a hot shower and put on warm pajamas, he could actually feel his feet again, when his buzzer rang. When he opened his door a messenger stood there with a package. Taking it inside he placed it on the table and opened it. Tissues, tea, and hot soup from the deli. This had to be Ianto. There was also a note. “I don’t want to see you until you are 100%.” That was Jack. Maybe he should have admitted he was sick earlier.

 

[Jelloicious]

15 hours ago, AngelEyes said:

Tissues, tea, and hot soup from the deli. This had to be Ianto. There was also a note. “I don’t want to see you until you are 100%.” That was Jack. Maybe he should have admitted he was sick earlier.

Awww.....Owen needed some love, didn't he?

This was sweet!

 

[Shamaël]

I must confess... I really like Owen. And I'm really glad you decided to torture him a bit.

18 hours ago, AngelEyes said:

“Oh! Now that is some smell!” Owen was suddenly happy his nose had decided to become blocked up again.

You can write some Owen any time you want, I'll read it with great pleasure!!!

[2SHY222]

This is better than I could imagine 😊. I love this soooo much. Thank you a million times thank you 😁🙌

[AngelEyes]

8 hours ago, Jelloicious said:

Awww.....Owen needed some love, didn't he?

I couldn't leave him totally hanging could I? Glad you liked it!

 

5 hours ago, Aliena H. said:

You can write some Owen any time you want, I'll read it with great pleasure!!!

I'm glad you liked it! Torturing Owen makes for a fun interlude between Jack/Ianto love!

 

19 minutes ago, 2SHY222 said:

This is better than I could imagine 😊. I love this soooo much. Thank you a million times thank you 😁🙌

OMG! I'm so happy you liked it!!! That makes me so happy! 

I'm always open for suggestions! Although I will spending a little while focusing on my Secret Santa entry which I'm psyched about!