"Hold it!"
Everyone in the Hub froze, staring. Ianto Jones never shouted.
"Just hold it," he said again, much quieter and much scarier. "What do you think, Gwen? That we were all born here? That we've never had lives outside of this Hub?"
"No… of cour-"
"Shut it! You think you're so much better than us, you think we're a lot of miserable, heartless people, is that it? Well, let me tell you something Gwen Elizabeth Cooper – every one of us is standing here today for only one reason. Love. It's not my place to say more than that, but if you think otherwise, if you've never bothered getting to know us – without making it feel like a police interrogation – even while you've been banging on about being more compassionate and people-focussed the entire time you've been here… then you are one self-centered, ignorant b-"
"Ianto. Easy."
"I'm sorry, Jack, but I've had enough of it. And as for you, you need to be a bit more forthright as well. You let her tear you down again and again when you have every right to stand up for yourself."
"I'm not always right…."
"Of course you're not. No one is. Apart from me. But that doesn't mean you have to put up with being shouted down. There's a right way and a wrong way to offer critique. I think you'll find I've demonstrated the wrong way, Gwen. And don't think I didn't do it on purpose."
Gwen's eyes were popped so wide that Ianto had a squash a chuckle at the thought that they might just pop out of her head.
"Furthermore, Gwen, if you think that what goes on inside this Hub, be it our work or our relationships with one another, is less important than anything that goes on outside of here, then I have no idea why you're here at all. Unless you simply don't think people you know are as worth your concern as people you don't know. Frankly, I think you rather prefer to project how you feel about yourself onto the rest of us so it can be our fault instead of yours. You probably really need a word with yourself.
"Well, then… I think that's my outburst for the year. I don't know about the rest of you, but I've had rather an annoying day. See you at home. I expect I'll be doing pasta - marinara - and salad," Ianto said, turning to Jack then heading directly for his coat and out to the garage.