Jack peered over Ianto's shoulder as he typed something into the laptop. After awhile Ianto looked up and noticed Jack looking at Clement who sat on the couch enjoying a freshly cooked hot dog.

"Why don't you try talking to him," Ianto suggested.

"And say what? Sorry you spent most of your life in mental institutions but what I did to you was for the greater good?" Jack said sarcastically.

"You can't change his past," Ianto said, "but you can help him now."

"And how do I do that?"

"You can start by talking to him. Explain what happened and why you did it. You owe him that much."

"It's my fault, Ianto. He's suffered for over forty years because of me. And besides he's terrified of me. He won't listen to a word I say. For all he knows I could just be telling him another lie, like I did that night."

"He'll know you're telling the truth."

"Yeah, how?"

"You don't know about his hypersensitive sense of smell? He knows things just by smelling."

"I've heard of that, something about a person can tell things by means of smelling."

"That's it then because he smelled me and called me a queer."

Jack chuckled. "He did what?"

"He smelled me and knew I was gay. And he smelled Gwen and knew she was three weeks pregnant."

Jack raised his eyebrows impressed by Clement's ability. He looked over at Clement once again. His heart sank as he remembered how he had frightened the poor man half to death earlier that night.

Jack knew the trauma Clement had experienced in 1965 had left him scarred for life. His tormented mind was still trapped in the '60s. Clement's body had aged but emotionally he was still an innocent child, reacting to things around him like a frightened eleven year-old boy. It was because of him that Clement's childhood had been stolen.

And now the ugly truth was out. Jack knew what he had done in 1965 was inexcusable. Ianto was right. He had to explain his actions to Clement. Jack knew he didn't deserve Clement's forgiveness but he had to explain why, why he had done the unforgivable.

Jack sighed heavily and straightened his shoulders. "Okay, I'll give it a try."

Ianto nodded and continued typing into the laptop.

The Captain walked over to Clement who began to squirm in his seat as soon as the man approached. Clement nearly jumped out of his skin when Jack sat beside him.

"Are you okay? Can I get you anything?" Jack asked.

Terror seized Clement's heart! He couldn't breathe! He looked around for Gwen. Where was she? Clement began to cower and whimper as Jack reached out to touch him.

"Don't be afraid. I'm not going to hurt you," Jack said softly.

Clement closed his eyes and shook his head vigorously. Beads of sweat popped out on his forehead. He was wracked again with tics. Why was the man speaking to him? What did he want from him? Clement found he couldn't catch his breath! He had to get away! He dropped his food and bolted away from Jack. Clement then rushed to the wall of the hub and pressed his body against the cold concrete.

Gwen saw what happened and rushed toward Clement. Jack put his hand up to stop her.

"Let me handle this."

"He's terrified of you, Jack," Gwen said forcefully. "What are you doing?"

"I need to talk to him. That's all. I won't hurt him."

Gwen was unsure of what to do and looked over at Rhys who stood cooking at the portable burner. Her husband gave her a nod and put his hand out to her. She looked at Jack and then at Clement.

"Make things right, Jack."

"That's what I'm trying to do. Trust me," the Captain said.

Gwen wanted to protect Clement from any more pain. She thought about it for a moment and decided to let Jack handle the situation as he had asked. She joined Rhys as Jack moved toward the terrified older man. Clement continued to whimper as Jack approached.

"Clement, please look at me," Jack said.

"NO!" Clement squealed. "Leave me alone! LEAVE ME ALONE!"

"I know I can't change what I did to you. All I can say is…I'm so sorry for what I did….what I did to you and your friends. I'm really sorry."

"You're in every nightmare I've ever had! I dream about you and them almost every night. I'm always scared. I don't know what it's like not to be scared," Clement said as tears streamed down his face.

Clement's words ripped into Jack's heart. It was because of him the broken man before him had been in care for over forty years. He had never lived a normal life and had never had a moment's peace. What Clement had gone through since the age of eleven was so unfair. How could he put right something so horrific?

"Clement, please look at me? Please?" Jack pleaded.

Clement pressed further into the wall and brought his hands up to cover the sides of his face. "I won't look. I won't! I won't! I won't!"

"I'm not leaving until you look at me. Please, look at me. Please?"

After a long silence Clement brought his hands down to his sides. It took every ounce of courage for him to look at Jack. He turned around slowly to quickly glance at the tall man standing before him before his eyes found it safer to look at the floor.

"Why, why did you do it?" Clement asked softly.

"I thought I was doing the right thing. If I hadn't done it millions of people would have died. I sacrificed 12 children to save millions of people. Can you understand that?"

"But what you did was wrong."

"I know! I know I was wrong!" Jack's voice raised a notch in his frustration.

Clement backed into the wall and slid down until he was sitting on the floor with his knees up to his chest. He covered his head as if to protect him from the verbal blows he expected would come. "Stop! Stop! Stop! STOP!"

TO BE CONTINUED…