Who are you? I really wanna know... [attn: Owen, TW3, open]

After a quick shower, Lynne pulled on a pair of homemade denim shorts - probably a pair her mother wouldn't ever let her out of the house wearing - and a halter top of which she was particularly fond, mainly because it accentuated her chest and hid her stomach. She pulled her hair back into a purposefully haphazard bun and secured it, looking at herself in the mirror.

"Knock 'em dead, kid," she told the reflection. It was going to be a busy night at the bar. Ladies' Night - ladies get in free before 11pm. Lynne was scheduled until midnight, so she was sure to have the usual rush of university students. At least there was less a chance of the regular surge of dirty old men.

She turned on her iPod and shoved it into one of her pockets, shoving the earbugs into her ears. Locking up behind herself, Lynne took a deep breath, let it out slowly, and jogged down the stairs and out into the street. She'd run to the bar and pass it by, head around the block, and back around to get inside. It wasn't a very long run, but it was a start. She meant to burn off the weight she'd recently gained - she was sure of it and the scale in her bathroom confirmed it - as soon as possible. There was no way she was letting Owen see her naked again until it was gone. Not a chance in hell.

---

"You're late," her manager grunted as Lynne made her way behind the bar, snatching an apron off the wall and folding it under so that it only covered her from the waist down.

Tying it and looking over at him, she rolled her eyes. "By like forty-five seconds. You know I had to work at the other job today, too," she replied, knitting her brow.

"Once in a while is excusable, Lynne, but all the time?"

"I'm trying, okay? Look, I'll stay five minutes after and make up for it," she offered grudgingly.

It seemed to suit the manager, so he nodded and walked off. It was one minute past seven. "Four hours, fifty nine minutes, and counting," she mumbled to herself as she started wiping down counters. It would pick up soon and she intended to be ready.

Owen had promised Lynne that he'd come visit her after at the bar work. He also promised he's invite his friends, so he invited the Torchwood crew.

He walked into the bar and headed for the counter, looking for Lynne.

He smiled when he saw her.

"Hey."

"Kid. I have to cut you off. This is non-negotiable," Lynne said flatly to the college boy begging for another beer. He'd previously fallen from his stool and shook the bar as he tried to rise quickly, his head hitting the underside with a sickening thud that made Lynne cringe.

He narrowed his eyes at her. "One drink. One," he bartered.

Lynne caught sight of Owen.

"Hey."

She gave a quick smile back at him. "Hey," she replied, holding up a finger to excuse herself for a moment. Rolling her eyes, Lynne turned back to the patron. "No. No more drinks. You don't have to go home, but you can't stay here. I'll call the bouncer if I'm not looking at your back retreating within the next five seconds."

Her eyes flickered back to Owen and she gave a weak smile, rolling her eyes and nodding toward the drunken university student.

Ianto walked into the pub, spotting Owen right at the counter, next to a younger man who could hardly stand anymore. He must have been drunk off his mind.

He walked over to Owen, dodging the drunken guy, giving him a look.

"Evening." Ianto looked around, furrowing his brow. "Where's Tosh, I thought she'd be here by now?"

Owen sat at the counter as he watched Lynne deal with an inebriate. He smiled and waited for her return.

Ianto walked up behind him

"Evening." Ianto looked around, furrowing his brow. "Where's Tosh, I thought she'd be here by now?"

Owen looked around. "She doesn't seem to be here yet."

The drive over to the designated meeting place was a bit hell for Tosh. There had been a three car pile-up on her way there and detours were not friendly. Upon her arrival, her heels clacked as she walked in wearing leisure jeans and a t-shirt. She stopped for a bit, looked around the room for possible signs of Owen and perhaps Ianto and saw the master of coffee walking over to Owen.

"Hey guys!" she chirped, happy to see them. "Sorry i was a tad late, traffic is pretty bad tonight. I hope you weren't waiting too long." Smiling, Tosh switched shoulders with her purse, ready for anything.

Giving a furtive glance in Owen's direction, she saw that he'd been approached by someone; likely, a friend, given that they were in conversation. Lynne took advantage of Owen's distraction and leaned over the bar, fisting the other man's t-shirt and pulling him in close.

"You listen to me, you little punk. Get your drunken self out of my bar or, so help me God, I will lop your dick off with a butcher knife, you understand me? I don't have the time or the patience for your shit," she hissed at him before shoving him away again.

The student stumbled back and looked dazed for a moment. Lynne stared daggars back at him until he finally turned and ambled away, muttering angrily to himself.

When Lynne looked back at Owen, he'd since been joined by Tosh. Lynne couldn't decide if she loved that...or hated it.

Ianto turned to Tosh, greeting her with a pleasant smile. "Oh, no, I just got here, at least." He said, motioning for Tosh to sit on the stool next to his, or next to Owen's.

Ianto turned his head for a moment, and watched as the bartender threw the drunken probably uni-aged guy out, and nodded in approval. She was no nonsense, it seemed.

"Right, drinks?" He asked in Owen and Tosh's direction.

Owen was a bit wary about having Tosh with him to meet Lynne. The last time the three of them had met, it wasn't really a pleasant time. That being said, Tosh was a good friend, and Lynne had told him to bring friends. Owen also made sure that Ianto came. They weren't the best of friends, but it was somebody else.

Owen waited patiently as Lynne finished with her problem.

He turned to Ianto, "Drinking sounds brilliant right about now."

"Right, drinks?"

Lynne heard Owen's friend speak up and reacted reflexively, looking over at him, smirking and asking, "What can I getcha, boys?" She leaned against the bar casually and winked at Owen. She couldn't quite bring herself to look Tosh in the eye again, yet.

Owen smiled at her. He loved that wink.

"Guinness. On tap."

Tosh gave a warm smile back to Ianto and she decided to sit herself in the middle of the two men.

"Drinking sounds brilliant right about now."

"Amen to that!" Tosh was in a happy mood. She didn't care that Lynne was the bartender or that anyone else was here, she just wanted to have a good time with her friends. She needed it, work was being a bitch lately.

"I'll have a rum and punch, whenever you have a moment," Smiling she took a pretzel from the basket and it hit Ianto, playfully.

Ianto noticed a little hint of discomfort in Owen's words, but he didn't ask. It wasn't like he cared, if he was honest, and even if he did, Ianto was quite sure Owen wouldn't answer, and would probably say something unpleasant like "none of your business" to boot. Plus, he was already winking at the bartender, so he was alright now.

He looked up at her, smiling politely.

"Thanks. Can I get a gin and tonic, please?" He ordered, right before a pretzel hit him somewhere in the chest. He looked at Tosh, smiled a little, and had a pretzel himself.

Lynne grinned at Owen. "I know," she said in a low voice as she reached for the glass.

Tosh made her order next and then the other man made his. Lynne nodded dutifully. "Comin' right up," she replied, turning her backs on them.

Tosh was sitting beside Owen. Well, between the men, but still. Beside Owen. And, God, she was cute. And thin. And Lynne looked like glorified trailer trash tonight with her hair pulled up, sweat already gleaning on her face and bared upper chest from all the running around she'd been doing the past few hours.

Lynne frowned and told herself to shake it off, filling Owen's glass first and putting it down on the bar, sliding it over to him skillfully before turning back and making the other two drinks. She turned back to the other two and set their glasses down in front of them.

...and then she felt awkward invading their space, stepping away a bit to wipe down the counter on the other side of Owen's male friend.

Owen watched as Lynne made her way to the other side of Ianto. He thought briefly about getting up, but then thought that she was just doing her job. He turned to Ianto, "Did Jack or Gwen say they were coming, Ianto?"

Ianto shook his head at Owen. "I asked Gwen, but she said she was having dinner with Rhys, that if she could she'd pop in later. As for Jack, I didn't see him at all, couldn't ask."

Ianto sipped on his drink, it was very well mixed. "This is good." He commented to no one in particular.

Lynne found herself listening into the conversation and frowning further. She looked at her watch and for the first time in Owen's presence since meeting him, she wished time would hurry up.

The counter wasn't even dirty, at that point; she'd already wiped it down twice. Was he going to introduce her to his friends or was she just 'the bartender' when other people were looking? She frowned again. Jesus, when did it get so slow on her end of the bar that there was no one interrupting asking for a drink to distract her?

"This is good."

Lynne turned around and looked over at Owen's friend. "Thanks, I try," she said casually, giving an awkward smile.

"Thanks, I try," she said casually, giving an awkward smile.

Oh shit. Owen hadn't yet introduced anybody. Well, Ianto and Lynne, anyway.

"Ianto!" he called down, "This is my..." he paused. They had agreed on no titles yet, right? "This is my very good friend, Lynne. Lynne, This is Ianto. We, uh, we work together. And... You've met Tosh." He looked down at Tosh nervously.

Ianto nodded courteously at Lynne, with a smile. It was about time Owen introduced them all, it was clear he knew the bartender from before.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Lynne." He said.

"Ianto!" he called down, "This is my..." he paused. "This is my very good friend, Lynne. Lynne, This is Ianto. We, uh, we work together. And... You've met Tosh."

Lynne nodded at Ianto and Owen's pause was not lost on her. She wondered what that had been for. She thought, fleetingly, like it sounded as though he had no idea how to refer to her and part of that was a good thing...but part of it was, well, decidedly not so good. For the time being, though, she would ignore it, because it wasn't his fault.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Lynne."

"Nice to meet you, too" she said to Ianto, smiling. He seemed nice... Nicer than Tosh had been when they'd first met, that was for sure. And he was impeccably dressed. "Love the suit," she said with a smirk.

Her eyes meandered back to Tosh and she nodded again. "Yeah, a couple of times," she replied, carefully casual.

Owen took a sip of his drink. He turned to Lynne and smiled at her. "And how are you today, love?"

"And how are you today, love?"

Lynne smiled genuinely; she couldn't help it. She loved it when he called her that. "Not terrible," she admitted, deciding to be truthful. "You?"

"Not terrible," she admitted, deciding to be truthful. "You?"

"What's wrong?" Owen asked, forgetting that his two colleagues were even there. "You have a hard time at work or something?"

Lynne shrugged. "Nah, just a bunch of ancient bitches with sticks up their asses, as per usual, at the salon and, you know..." she nodded her head slightly at the dance floor packed with university students happily bumping and grinding to the techno music Lynne so despised that was pumping loudly out of the speakers.

She shrugged a little and smiled at Owen. "Thanks for coming by tonight, Owen," she said sincerely. "Seeing you makes all the bad stuff completely forgetable."

"Thanks for coming by tonight, Owen," she said sincerely. "Seeing you makes all the bad stuff completely forgetable."

Owen smiled and looked down. He took a sip of his drink and looked back up. "Work was..." he sighed heavily, "Less than pleasant for me, too, so I was more than happy to come see you at the end of it all."