Jack was at a loss for words. He had always thought that the time he had come from was so much more than the world he lived in now. Advances in technology and medicine had created a race that was very different from those who came from the 21st century.
"Don't judge the 51st century by one man, Gwen." He said softly. "Even for that time, I wasn't typical." He sighed. "There are a lot of events that happen in our lives to make up the people that we are right now. I said what I did last night to protect Ianto. If that Vore had any idea how much he meant to me, it could have been much, much worse. Ianto knows I didn't mean it."
She turned to look at him again, her face in shadow in the evening light. "Did you think that sometimes it would be nice to hear it, though? To know that what you said was just that, words used to distract? To keep the Plasmavore's attention from what I was doing in the background? Didn't you think that sometimes it would help to actually hear it, Jack?"
"I'll talk to him," Jack said softly. "I was planning on it, anyway."
"Then why are you up here, standing on the roof?" She demanded. "You're hiding, Jack."
He sighed. That was what he was doing. Sometimes he needed time alone to process things. It might have taken him longer to get to the conclusion that Gwen was pushing him towards, but he probably would have reached that conclusion in the end, he thought. This thing with Ianto, it was complicated. She didn't understand.
She took several steps towards him and stared up at him. He looked down, meeting her eyes. "Go to him, Jack. Talk. Say what you feel. Not everyone can live with assumptions and guesses. If you care for him the way you say you do, let him know that. Sometimes we don't talk to one another and we get more hurt by the stuff that is left unsaid than those things we do say. Don't do that to him, please."
"How did you get so wise, Gwen Cooper Williams?" Jack asked in wonder. "I'm so glad you are in my life. You make me see the things I don't want to see. And as much as I hate to admit it, you're right when you do it." He reached out and cupped her face in his hands. "Thank you."
She smiled up at him, eyes shining now that she knew she had gotten through to him. "I want you to be happy, Jack. There's so much in this world that we don't have control of, but who we're with and how we treat one another are the things we can control. I know Ianto is important to you. You're important to him. To us. But remember that we don't have all your experience. We can only go off of words and actions. Go talk to him, Jack. He needs you."
Jack leaned down and brushed his lips against hers. "Thanks, I will." He pulled back and laughed. It was now full night, and the stars shown above them. He looked up at them before pulling her into a hug. "Go home, Gwen. Go berate some other man like your husband instead of me for a change."
Gwen laughed. "I don't think Rhys needs berating this evening. If anything, it should be the other way around. But yes, now that I've said my piece, I'll go home. But you're coming off this roof with me now. I'm not letting you stay up here another moment."
Jack pulled back and saluted her sharply. "Ma'am, yes ma'am! At your command, ma'am!" She giggled at his antics. She tugged on his hand and started pulling him down to the access panel which would get them back inside the building. Jack threaded his fingers through hers as he let her drag him back down to earth again.
