Our past is our future... [attn: Owen]

Lynne's eyelids fluttered open slowly to the trill of her own phone's alarm clock. Groaning and letting out a yawn, Lynne stretched and tried to regain her bearings. Her alarm was going off...not Owen's. Had she stayed home last night...?

She set the snooze to five minutes and closed her eyes again, rolling over. Her eyes snapped open again and she gasped with surprise when she rolled into someone else.

Owen.

Lynne sat up and rubbed her forehead, furrowing her brow. If she'd stayed with Owen, why was her alarm going off and not his? As she yawned again, she looked around. She wasn't even home; she was at Owen's flat. In Owen's bed. "What the hell happened last night?" she muttered softly.

Owen woke to the sound of someone else's alarm clock. It had taken him a long time to fall asleep, after the previous night's events. Captain John Hart had shown up at Lynne's bar and proceeded to, as he always does, cause problems. He threatened to kill Lynne, Ianto, and Owen before trying to convince Lynne to stab him. At the end of the night, she was pretty rattled, and Owen had told her all about Torchwood, so Jack sent Ianto to bring Owen some RetCon for her. He slipped it into her drink willingly, she didn't need to remember this... Unfortunately, before she fell asleep, she had declared that she wanted their relationship to be official. She wouldn't remember that now, but he would.

Lynne hit the snooze button and rolled into him, almost surprised when she had.

"What the hell happened last night?"

He smiled at her the best he could and pushed her hair behind her ear. "I think you had one too many to drink last night." He kissed her forehead softly.

"I think you had one too many to drink last night."

Lynne furrowed her brow again and relaxed only when Owen kissed her forehead. She was still confused, though. "Didn't I work last night? I don't drink at work..." she said, more to herself than to Owen. "Ugh," she moaned. "Next time, cut me off. I don't even know what day it is...why aren't you at work?" she asked before shaking her head and writing off her failure to remember as just what Owen had said. It wasn't as though he had any reason to lie to her and sometimes she did drink after work; she just didn't usually drink that much...

She cuddled in close to him and kissed his cheek. "Good morning, by the way..." she whispered in his ear as she did so.

"Next time, cut me off. I don't even know what day it is...why aren't you at work?

Owen nodded, "Of course.... And it's Wednesday, I told you I have today off." He hugged her tightly as she moved in close to him. He wished it weren't Wednesday, he needed time to think about something else, he needed to work. Today, he'd be spending most of his day with her remembering everything about the night before while she remained completely unaware...

"Of course.... And it's Wednesday, I told you I have today off."

Lynne sat up, then. "It's Wednesday?! I have to go!" she practically shrieked, snatching up her phone and looking at the clock. "Shit...Owen, I have like ten minutes to take a shower, get dressed, and get to the salon. Please tell me that I at least remembered to bring clothes over here...and that you wouldn't hate me for making you get out of bed to drive me..."

She moved to get out of the bed and realized she was still dressed in last night's clothes. "Damn...I guess you weren't kidding..." she breathed, looking over at him sheepishly.

"Oh, uh, I only have to work until ten," she told him; it was already ten minutes to eight in the morning. "So, I hope you have some idea of what we can do all day, since you're off. I wouldn't hate laying around like a lump or going back to sleep for a few hours, though...I feel like I got hit by a Mack truck or something..." she called over her shoulder as she hurried toward the bathroom. "Hey, can you bring me my clothes, if I brought 'em, or else did I leave anything here another night, maybe?" she shouted through the door as she closed it and turned.

Lynne froze and stared. Owen's bathroom was huge compared to her own. "Sweet Jesus..." she breathed, awestruck, before snapping out of it and turning on the shower.

Owen watched in amused shock as Lynne ran about in a panic. She ran into the bathroom, asking him to bring her clothes in to her, so he went back into the living room and located the bag that Ianto had brought over the night before, and brought it into the bathroom. "Here's the bag you had at the bar. I'm just going to leave it here," he said setting it down. As he was leaving the bathroom, he stopped at the door and said "I'd join you in there, but I don't want to make you late for work," with a laugh before shutting the door behind him.

"Here's the bag you had at the bar. I'm just going to leave it here,"

Lynne finished a hurried lather of shampoo in her hair and smiled to herself. "Thanks, babe," she said reflexively. She paused, hands still in her hair, as she put her head back beneath the flow of water. She hadn't really meant to say that. Maybe he hadn't heard it.

"I'd join you in there, but I don't want to make you late for work,"

She smirked as she wrung out her hair and turned her head in the direction of his voice. She would've replied, if she hadn't heard the door shut just then.

When she finished showering and dressing, Lynne pulled her hair back - there was nothing else to do with it, while still wet - and came back out of the bathroom. The clock on Owen's wall said she still had about a minute left. "Can I just leave this...?" she asked, holding up the bag. "Ready when you are, if you don't mind playing chauffer..." she added softly, smiling a little at him.

Owen smiled a bit when he heard Lynne call him 'babe'... Maybe she didn't forget everything. It was an impossible thought, and he quickly chased it out of his head as he shut the door.

"Can I just leave this...?"

"Absolutely," he replied. "I'm not going to sell it on the black market or anything. Although..." he grinned.

"Ready when you are, if you don't mind playing chauffer..."

He bowed slightly and offered his arm out, "My Lady."

"Absolutely," he replied. "I'm not going to sell it on the black market or anything. Although..."

"Oh, ha ha," Lynne said dryly, sticking her tongue out at him. "You're hilarious, Owen, really," she added, wrinkling her nose.

Owen held his arm out to her. "My Lady."

Lynne's stomach knotted itself a bit at the wording, but she smiled and linked her arm around his. "My Liege," she replied with a smirk, leaning against him slightly and resting her head on his shoulder.

"You want to stay at the salon with me? Keep me company? I'm only there to man the phones until the receptionist can come in. Stylists don't even show until eleven..." She paused and smiled at him slightly. "Unless you wanted to just go back to sleep and come fetch me in a couple of hours..." she offered, because Owen looked exhausted to her.

Owen led Lynne out to the car, arms linked. She invited him to come keep her company at work. He was tired and didn't want to be reminded of the prior night's events, but at the same time, he didn't really want to let her go, and today he didn't have to. God was he tired, though.

"Sure, I'll keep you company... But I 'm going to need some caffeine pretty quick. How about... I'll drop you off, pick us up a couple of coffees and meet you back at the salon?"

"Sure, I'll keep you company... But I 'm going to need some caffeine pretty quick. How about... I'll drop you off, pick us up a couple of coffees and meet you back at the salon?"

It sounded like a dream to Lynne, because she was dying for a cappucino, but Owen looked positively worse for the wear and suddenly she felt guilty asking him. "You don't have to...you look really tired. Compromise? Drop me off, grab me a coffee, hang out for a few minutes, and then go back to bed and I'll just catch a cab back when I'm done," she offered.

"You look really beat. Like you must've had more to drink than even I did," she added jokingly, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips. She didn't want to let him leave, but she didn't want him to be exhausted and grouchy, either. It wasn't that she thought he'd be nasty to her, because she knew he wouldn't...but she didn't want exhaustion to lead to resentment. That would be decidedly bad.

Owen rubbed his eyes as he drove Lynne to work. "I suppose a nap wouldn't kill me," he smiled. He pulled in front of the salon, "Would you like anything in particular?" He'd still get a coffee himself, if only to stay awake for the drive home...

Lynne would've just taken a cab, honestly, if she had had time. Owen looked about ready to pass out behind the wheel as it was, rubbing his tired eyes, his hair still sleep-disheveled, and his smile, tired. As much as she'd have liked him to keep her company, Lynne wasn't that selfish. Owen needed more sleep and it wouldn't have been fair of her to ask him to give that up on his day off. She wouldn't have wanted him to ask it of her, after all. So, Lynne was glad when he mentioned a nap.

"Would you like anything in particular?"

Looking over at him and smiling a little, Lynne took Owen's hand in her own and gave it a squeeze. "You're the best ever, I fucking love you. I'd kill for a cappucino right now," she replied, stifling a yawn behind her hand. It was a good thing no one was going to be in the salon this morning to see her looking as run down as she felt. She'd be out of a job in no time, otherwise.

"You're the best ever, I fucking love you. I'd kill for a cappucino right now,"

"I could murder a coffee myself," he smiled at her as she stepped out of the car. "I'll be back in a bit." He drove off to the nearest coffee shop to get their drinks.

Lynne counted the drawer to open it, flipped on all the fuses, and dropped down behind the reception desk, promptly firing up the computer and pulling up a game of Spider Solitaire. She'd have preferred Snood, but thought it might've been a bit obvious that she had no intention of actually doing the receptionist's job if she went out of her way to download a new game onto the hard drive.

The gentle lull of the salon's Relaxation Mix, as it had been dubbed, was nearly enough to put her back to sleep. Ten o'clock was not going to come fast enough, that was for sure. She hoped the same was not going to be true for Owen and her cappucino.

It felt weird sitting in the salon completely alone. Normally there was a hustle and bustle about and Lynne didn't have to be in until just before eleven, when the stylists were already setting up and clients were already waiting for their turns. It was too quiet...too easy to think. Lynne didn't want to think; she wanted to sleep. All she wanted was to be back in Owen's arms, under Owen's comforter, in Owen's bed, in Owen's flat.

Ah, so that's what I'll be spending the next two hours thinking about. Owen. ...I definitely won't hate that... she thought to herself with a small smile. Part of Lynne wondered when she and Owen would be ready to step it up officially another notch. He'd offered her space in his closet and drawers for clothes, so clearly he was at least ready to consider it. Lynne just didn't really know if she was, yet.

She sighed. "One hour, fifty-four minutes to go..."

Owen pulled back in front of the salon and hopped out of the car, carrying a cappuccino in one hand and drinking a coffee in the other. Lynne was staring dully at the computer screen, no doubt playing some preinstalled game. He set the cappuccino down in front of her, "Here you are, darling." He smiled lazily.

Owen came back in, causing the door's bell to tinkle gently. Lynne looked up as he set the cappucino down on the desk in front of her.

"Here you are, darling."

"Thank you; you're amazing," Lynne replied airily, standing and leaning over the desk toward himto kiss him as she closed one hand around the cup. "You want me to call you when I'm about back to your building so you can let me in, or you want me to just knock and hope you hear it?" she asked.

"You want me to call you when I'm about back to your building so you can let me in, or you want me to just knock and hope you hear it?"

"No, I'll come and pick you up," Owen said, but this was paired with the thought that he really was tired, and probably wouldn't wake up in time. "Uh... You should probably call," he smiled apologetically, kissing her back.

"No, don't..." Lynne said gently. "Don't worry about it. Better that you get more sleep. I'm just gonna strip and climb into bed the second you let me in, anyway," she added, laughing. "It's not really a day off unless you sleep til noon." She gave a firm nod and tried to keep her face drawn serious. She failed, wrinkling her nose as she giggled.

Lynne cupped Owen's face and ran her thumb gently down his cheek, suddenly serious as she took in the dark circles beginning for form under his eyes. "Owen, what time did you go to bed last night...? Or should I say this morning?" she asked, concerned.

Owen smiled at the plans Lynne had drawn up for the day so far. Sleeping was great. Sleeping with her was better.

"Owen, what time did you go to bed last night...? Or should I say this morning?"

Owen's face became serious for a moment as he tried to figure how to word this without lying to her. "You seemed a bit ill last night, I stayed up to make sure you were okay..." he smiled tiredly. He stifled a yawn, "I'm gunna go now... Get some sleep." He kissed her again. "See you later, love." He smiled at her as he walked out the door.

"You seemed a bit ill last night, I stayed up to make sure you were okay..."

Owen kissed her again and walked back out of the salon, leaving Lynne alone with her cappucino and her thoughts.

He'd stayed up to take care of her. No one had ever done that for Lynne. Well, she was sure her mother had when she was a child, but... Part of Lynne wanted to cry, just to release some of the overwhelming emotion overcoming her. He'd taken care of her...and she didn't even remember it to appreciate it. He really was perfect...

---

When the receptionist finally showed up - fifteen minutes late - Lynne promptly tossed the empty cappucino cup into the trash and clocked out before standing. "Later," she said.

"Going to see your boyfriend?" the receptionist asked mockingly as she took over the seat behind the desk Lynne had vacated.

Lynne raised an eyebrow. "I don't have a boyfriend, but thanks for asking," she said awkwardly. And then it dawned on her. "Oh, Dan? Yeah, he's just a friend. I haven't heard from him since, either, so...you can relax. I don't think he'll be crashing the party in this hoppin' joint again anytime soon. Especially after the shitty looks he got from you. Really professional, by the way. Later," she snapped, cranky for a rough night's sleep and keen to get back to Owen. She didn't give the receptionist time to say anything else before she walked out of the salon, letting the glass door drop shut noisily in her wake.

She hailed a cab and when she was a couple of blocks from Owen's building, she dialed, hating to wake him up, but having no way to get in otherwise.

Owen groaned angrily at his ringing mobile until he remembered that Lynne said she'd call. He picked it up and answered groggily, "Hello?"

"Hello?"

Lynne frowned sympathetically although Owen couldn't see it. "I'm so sorry..." she replied as she paid her fare and climbed out of the cab. "I'm on my way up..." she said softly.

He was glad to hear Lynne's voice and not Jack's. After last night, Owen thought, there would literally have to be a massive black hole sucking the city up in order for Jack to be justified in calling him... "No, no," he said, "I was a bit afraid you'd be Jack calling me in... I'll open the door for you..."

"No, no," he said, "I was a bit afraid you'd be Jack calling me in... I'll open the door for you..."

"Jack?" Lynne asked as she climbed the stairs. "Your boss, Jack, right? Why would he call you in when you only get one day off a week? I'd have to have a talking to with that man if he did," she said, smirking slightly. She stood outside Owen's door. "Should I knock or just wait for you to get across the flat?" she joked.