"Maybe," Sulu conceded, voice soft as he stared at Ianto, "But I wanted to come. I would have come when you called if I hadn't been on duty. I'm sorry." He had wanted to come, didn't Ianto realize that? He'd wanted to be here, he'd told Ianto he would be here whenever he could, that yes, he had a job to do but he could balance the two. He wanted to balance the two.

"I couldn't leave my post, you have to understand. I wanted to, but I couldn't. That's just not how it works." And now he felt like he was scolding Ianto, and he knew Ianto would feel the same way, so he quickly continued, "I wish it did, because I didn't want to wait four hours before I could come see you, and if I had any say I'd have been here before you'd even said a damned word. I even had the portkey in my pocket all day."