That moment of madness was a flashback to Nathan's teenage years. What with Duke's taunts, his father's cold indifference and the whisperes behind his back all the frustration had to be channelled somewhere. Nathan smiled at the flickering flame as it licked his arm greedily. It was so beautiful, so dangerous and yet he couldn't even feel its heat. In a way it made him feel worse. It was a grim reminder that despite his diesperation Nathan could feel -
"Nothing." He said to himself and turned to face Audrey.
She stared at him, horrified. His face was red too, as red as the burnt arm. She dreaded to think of what he'd been doing to himself whilst she'd been gone. This was not the cop she knew.
"Nathan?" Audrey called hesitantly.
His bloodshot eyes seemed to penetrate her. Repressing an urge to shiver she looked away, breaking the eye contact. He laughed. Nathan's new psychotic tones were unrecognisable. He started to approach her and Audrey began to back away. He held out the lighter.
"Will you do the honours?" he asked, but it was his eyes that were pleading.
What scared her the most was the serious tone.
A part of him longed for her to do it. She'd always helped him before, maybe if Audrey did it he'd finally be able to feel the pain? His heart sank as she took the lighter from his hand and threw it out of the window.
"I'm not going to help you destroy yourself. You've got the virus, you're not thinking straight." she responded firmly.
His eyes were fixed on hers so he didn't see her hand pulling the vial from her jacket until it was thrust into his face. Nathan staggered back, his head reeling but he still couldn't feel a thing as he collapsed into unconsciousness.
Audrey rushed over to his immobile body. She cast a glance in the Doctor's direction.
"None of the others reacted to the cure like that!"
"I depends on what happened during his psychotic episode." informed the Doctor.
"Will he be okay?"
"He should recover. But the mental scars if he remembers – " he trailed off.
Audrey sighed. All in all, the Doctor looked as clueless as her.