Miranda let the wind ruffle her hair as she gazed out over Cardiff from the roof of the Millennium Centre. She had called Nora after the incident with Terfel and Nora had asked her for space. Long weeks had gone by before she'd heard from Nora this morning. She'd just returned from the coffee shop where to two had met for the last time. Miranda had told Nora she wouldn't leave until Nora asked her to and Nora had asked. The other woman had brought several items of hers that Miranda had left at her flat. Nora had tried to return the bracelet Miranda had given her but Miranda refused to accept the gift's return.

She rarely told her mortal lovers what she was and on the extremely rare occasion she did, this was how things ended. The reasons varied, but the outcome was always the same. It was why, time and again, Miranda kept her confidences and left of her own volition before explanations became necessary. She had hoped that Gwen would be right, that this would be the first time but it wasn't. She would continue to watch over the mortal woman, of course, gently easing her life as best she could and not just because of the promise she had made to Nora's father. She would also continue to watch over any of Nora's descendants, if she had any, as she had done with others she had loved and lost.

The moment she'd returned to the Hub, she had sought out the solitude of the roof. She wanted to see why Jack did this so much. Immortal or not, Miranda had a great fear of heights. Now she stood on the edge of the building, staring out over the city. She closed her eyes against the wind and the loneliness gripping her heart. With a deep breath, she chastised herself for her foolishness. Normal never worked out for her, no matter how many times she tried at it. And it never will…

Images and sounds percolated up through Miranda's memory. She heard Nora's laugh and saw her smile. On the breeze, she swore she could hear the sound of the other woman's gasp or a low moan as Miranda remember the taste of Nora's skin. She looked over the ledge, wondering if Jack had ever fallen or jumped. It would be so simple… just to close your eyes and fall…

She heard the access door slam shut and heard booted feet coming towards her, an exotic scent on the night air. Jack…

"I can see why you like it up here, Jack. It's peaceful," she said without turning around. She could feel the warmth of him behind her.

"I'm sorry about Nora," Jack said, as he took hold of her hand.

"Don't be. It would have ended one way or the other."

"You love her."

"I do. But I've lived long enough to know that despite what the Beatles said, you need more than love."

"So you walked away?"

"I told her I wouldn't unless she asked. She asked," Miranda said.

"You could have fought for her."

He was parroting her own advice back at her. She had told him to not shut away his heart, to allow himself to love and to be loved, and that love was always worth fighting for. But she knew that she had done what was right for Nora and for herself. "What happens when she wants children? What happens when she's getting older and starts to resent staring at eternal youth?"

"Ianto-"

"Ianto is different. He understands more than most." Miranda slipped her hands into her coat pockets, still not turning around. "It wasn't the only reason, Jack. What happens when someone else comes for me? Tries to use her against me? Another Adaf Terfel? No, this is the best way. It was what she wanted."

"And what about what you want?" he asked.

She heaved out another sigh, gazing across the city and said, "Sometimes it's better for me to be alone."

"You don't have to be alone tonight, Will," he said, sliding his arms around her. He dipped his head and pressed a gentle kiss behind her ear.

She didn't miss the unspoken invitation. She didn't pull away from the embrace but she couldn't stop the smile that broke out across her face. Sex… The Jack Harkness fix for everything… "No, thank you, Jack. I'll be fine."

"You're not fine, Will. It won't be true no matter how many times you say it," he said and then kissed her neck again.

"Despite what you might think, Jack, sex doesn't solve everything," she said with a wry chuckle.

"No, but it helps," he said, laughing, his breath warm on her skin. He brought his hand up to move the collar of her coat out of the way and sucked on the crook of her neck.

She shivered and leaned into the embrace a little, finding a small amount of comfort in the familiarity. It was with a small sigh that she pulled away from him and started for the access door.

"Is that a yes?" he asked a cheerful eagerness.

Laughing again, she said without turning around, "No, it isn't. I'll see you tomorrow, Jack."

"Will-"

"Go to Ianto, Jack," she interrupted and half turned towards him, her tone serious and level. "Clasp him to you. Tell him how much you love him and then show him. Don't you dare take him for granted. I've not known the likes of what you two share in five hundred years. Cherish it. Cherish him."

Before he could answer, Miranda walked through the access door and descended down through the Millennium Centre and into the recesses of the Hub. It was dark and in night mode. Her head down, she descended the north stairs and turned the corner towards her rooms. She wasn't surprised to see Ianto leaning against the door waiting for her and she wouldn't be surprised if his comm unit was in the pocket he'd just hastily removed his hand from.

"Ifan, are you here to see if I'm fine as well?" she snapped a little.

"You're not fine, Mandy. I wanted to see if you wanted some company tonight," he said, crossing his arms over his chest.

"You've been with Jack too long," she said, rolling her eyes at him.

"Then not for sex, Mandy," he said softly. "I don't think you should be alone."

"I will be fine by myself."

As she reached for the doorknob to her rooms, she repeated what she'd said to Jack on the roof. "Go to Jack, Ifan. Tell him you love him and then show him."

Ianto closed his hand over hers, hooking his finger under her chin. He gently turned her face towards him. His eyes were soft and his voice gentle. "Jack doesn't need me. Right now, you do."

He bent his head down and kissed her, his lips soft and warm. The kiss was gentle but deep. He abruptly broke the kiss, trailing his lips down her jaw and then her neck and then down to her shoulder. She knew exactly where he was headed, a hotspot near the crook of her neck. Jack's been telling tales… When his mouth latched onto her shoulder, her head fell back against the door with a soft thud and for a moment, she allowed the distraction.

She knew what they were both trying to do, but they were both so young. Miranda had lived and lost enough to know that spending the night with one or both of them would chase away the loneliness and would fill the hole in her heart but it would only be temporary. The night would be memorable but when tomorrow came and the next day and the next, she would still be alone and it would hurt all the more for the delay.

She was vaguely aware of him blindly groping for the doorknob to her rooms. When she heard the sound of his hand gripping hold of the knob, she dug deep and summoned her will power. She reached back and closed her hand over his to stop him from opening the door. He removed his mouth from her shoulder and gave her a quizzical look. By the Gods, I must be completely mental… she thought as she saw his lust darkened eyes.

"I know what you and Jack are trying to do, Ifan, and please don't think I'm unappreciative of the gesture. I love you both all the more for it but I don't need to smother my heartache in you or Jack. What I need is time," she said softly.

Ianto nodded and straightened himself up. He took a small step backwards, curling her hand to his chest.

Miranda smiled softly and said to him, "You're wrong about one thing. Jack needs you. You see people, Ifan. You see them for who they are and accept them without ever expecting or wanting change. And that is a rare thing. It's so rare that I have never seen it nor known it in all my life until I met you. So go to him and lose yourselves in each other."

She kissed his cheek gently and then slipped into the dark solitude of her rooms.