Title: Death
By: ninefics
Word Count: 433
Characters: Jack Harkness, Ianto Jones, Suzie Costello, Owen Harper, Tosh Sato
Rating: 16+
Warning(s): Death (non-graphic; not a major character)
Spoiler(s): No
Disclaimer: This is a work of fanfiction. I am not affiliated with the television series Torchwood, nor any of the cast and crew. No harm is intended. It's all just for fun.
Author's Note: Because I apparently have this need to make you cry at least twice a month.

The five of them sat at the meeting table, various containers and wrappers from the Chinese takeaway covering the surface. Everyone was chatting and laughing and Jack was telling another one of his seemingly outrageous tales that frequently included the phrase "so there I was, having sex with this alien."

During a lull in the conversation, Ianto spoke up. "Jack, don't forget. I won't be in on Friday. I've got to go to Swansea."

"Swansea? Why? Who'd you kill?" Owen laughed.

"No one yet," Ianto replied as he picked through his dinner, looking for the last bit of chicken hidden in all the vegetables. "But it's my family, so there's no guarantee."

Jack nodded. "Chrissy, right? Just had the baby?"

"Wait, Chrissy?" Tosh interjected. "Wasn't it just six months ago she got married?"

"The baby is incredibly premature," Ianto said pointedly. The expression on his face made it clear that that was the "official" story, even if no one would believe it.

"Gotcha."

Suzie stretched and pushed her half-eaten dinner away. "I envy you, Ianto. Such a big family. Think you'll have children of your own one day?"

"No, I doubt it."

"I'd love to," Suzie said wistfully. "A big house and a big family and a dog..." she trailed off as her mind constructed her ideal.

"Me too," Tosh said. "Well, not a big family. Maybe just one or two children. One. A little girl."

"Mini Tosh," Jack teased.

She shot him a look. "What about you, Jack?"

"Are you kidding? Can you imagine me as someone's dad? Fighting aliens with a kid in a sling across my chest?" He shuddered.

"I was a dad for about three hours," Owen said. His voice was so quiet that it was apparent he wasn't joking. "I had a son. Back when I was still in school. She was a waitress. We went out a few times, had a bit of fun, and then I got wrapped up with school and getting a position in a hospital and just forgot to return her calls. Met her again at the emergency department. She'd been in a car accident. Wasn't serious, but she was going into labour and they had to do a c-section. He was just too little to make it." He shrugged and stood up. "So. Been there, done that, and chose not to get the tee shirt. I've got to get back to work."

Wordlessly, the others drifted away from the table and back to their workstations.