Pain. That was what his world had been reduced to. Nothing but the blinding pain that seared through his body. When he could think, he wished for the pain to end, but not even the relief of death kept the pain away for long. No, it just made the pain worse as he died, reviving with nervous newly healed and the pain worse than ever. It never took long for him to start screaming again, even if he swore to himself that he would never give them the satisfaction of hearing him scream or beg them to stop. Now he was sure that his screaming never stopped, even though he could no longer hear himself. He couldn't see, couldn't breathe, couldn't hear, he could do nothing but feel pain and scream.

Then just as suddenly as the pain began it stopped. He barely dared to believe that after so many days, weeks or even months of screaming it was over. For all he knew it could have even been only hours that he was trapped, but he doubted it. He tensed, panting as he tried to prepare for the pain to start again. This had to be a trick of theirs. There was no other explanation for it. He opened his eyes, trying to see out into the dark room. He didn't see anything so when a gentle hand stroked the side of his face, he jumped. He stopped himself from leaning into the hand, still telling himself it was a trick. Even as the shackles that were holding him in place were released, he didn't dare to believe it was over.

-DW-

The Doctor looked confused at the monitor as the TARDIS landed. He had been aiming for a planet in the Sundorsa system, just trying to cheer himself up. It had been a month since he had removed Donna's memories and returned Rose to the other universe. His thoughts since then had become dark and he found himself feeling as if the laws of time were his to control. He ran his hands over his face as he sighed. How could he consider himself a winner when all that had happened is that he ended up alone, again? He had allowed himself hope that he didn't have to be. When he had been aboard the TARDIS, surrounded by his friends, he had imagined for one moment that they weren't going to leave him. That he could travel on in their company. It was a fool's hope, though, and because of it, he had ended up feeling more alone than ever.

He considered changing the destination on the TARDIS, pulling the handbrake and leaving. There was one thing he had learned, though, in his years of traveling. That was the TARDIS always took him where he needed to go. If she brought him here, there had to be a reason for it. Whether or not he wanted to deal with the reason was another matter. Sighing, he headed slowly for the door, grabbing his coat as he stepped out onto the dark planet. The TARDIS had landed in the middle of a dirt path. To either side of the path, it was lined with trees, making it impossible to see what was waiting for him in the distance.

There was little to see under the starlit night in the forest. Around him, crickets chirped and occasionally an owl-like creature called out. Using his sonic as a torch, he walked along the dark path. Trees rustled around him and made him uneasy. He had never liked the dark nights, not even as a child. He wasn't going to let the darkness stop him, though. He was curious of what was at the end of the path. As he walked he saw the outline of a small building finally. He picked up the pace a little, happy to finally have a destination. Getting closer to the building, he saw that it was surrounded with caution signs, warning whoever was approaching to turn around. The Doctor smiled. He loved ignoring a good keep out sign.

Reaching the small building, he realized that it was a cabin. He knocked on the door of it, his pyschic paper already in hand with his prepared story that he was a Forest ranger. When no one came to the door after a minute, he tried the door handle, finding it locked. His sonic made quick work of the lock letting him in. He poked his head into the unfurnished room.

"Hello?" He called out. He received no answer, not that he expected one. The room was obviously unused. He was about to turn around and leave when he heard a noise. He stopped, listening for it. He heard it again, almost like a squeak. Furrowing his brow, he walked further into the room. As he approached the empty kitchen, he heard it louder. Scanning with his sonic revealed that there was someone alive in the basement. Going to the closed door, he opened it. He stepped back as he was greeted by a stench that made him gag. He put his shirt sleeve over his mouth and nose continuing forward.

"Oh Jack," he whispered as he reached the bottom of the stairs. Standing in the middle of the room, shackled to the floor and ceiling was the immortal. He had been stripped naked and was standing in a pile of his own filth. A power cord was attached to the floor and Jack writhed, trying to scream as electricity coursed through his body. The Doctor used the sonic to quickly disable the mechanism. He walked forward, looking into Jack's unseeing bloodshot eyes. It would be kinder to let him die again. The Doctor wasn't going to let that happen, though. He stroked the side of Jack's face and Jack flinched away from him.

"You're alright. I'm not going to hurt you," The Doctor reassured him. Using the sonic, he released Jack from his bonds. Jack crumpled to the floor, unable to cry out due to screaming. He lay there shivering, even as the Doctor took off his coat, trying to lay it over him. Jack didn't move as he lay there shivering. The Doctor leaned down, tenderly picking Jack up in his arms. Jack weakly tried to fight the Doctor. He didn't have the strength to do anything but make carrying him difficult. The Doctor held him tightly as he started on his way. It would have been easier to go get the TARDIS, but the Doctor wasn't about to leave Jack alone even for a moment. Jack needed him and the Doctor wasn't about to let him down again.