The Doctor felt their eyes on him.

While his hands moved robotically across the small white and red buttons on the stasis' control panel, he sensed them watching his every movement. He knew neither Martha nor Donna was judging his choice. They said they understood why he refused the colonists' request to leave Jenny behind. Instead, they were waiting for him to act or react, and he knew why.

Ever since Jenny died, he hadn't managed much more than a few, fleeting words here and there. His mind felt numb and empty. That was such a contrast to the gnawing pain in his hearts. Sometimes, it bloomed into a choking sob, but so far, he'd fought it off. When he couldn't, he had found a brief moment to escape and release it privately. Now, he could do neither.

There was stuff he needed to do. He wanted to go someplace, any place, but he didn't know where. Well, that wasn't completely true. He knew he needed to take Martha back to Earth. She hadn't asked to be drawn into this. At least he could get her safely home, even if it couldn't do the same for…

Squeezing his eyes shut, the Doctor felt a new chocking sob. He coughed a few times before it went away again. Drawing one long breath, he lifted his gaze. It fell upon the small, elongated window of the stasis pod. A soft, icy haze was settling over the glass, making Jenny's lifeless face barely visible. Still, the relaxed state was clear.

He felt tears prickling at the corners of his eyes, so he pulled his gaze away and forced himself to regain some control again. Drawing in a long breath, he said, hearing the break in his voice, "Time to get you back to Earth, Miss Jones."

In a quiet and tight voice, Martha replied, "That'd be good."

Lifting his gaze in her and Donna's direction, he forced a small smile. Both of them smiled back at him unconvincingly. He tried to pretend he hadn't noticed the falseness of their smiles. Nodding once, he turned and headed out of the TARDIS's med lab. A moment later, he heard Martha and Donna follow after, whispering something just out of earshot.

With a deep sigh, the Doctor knew, this was only the beginning. In time, the pain would dull and he'd find something to smile about. For now, however, he'd have to pretend he was going to be all right.

oOo

One second the world had been full of a thousand and more possibilities for Jenny. She saw them shimmering like tiny gifts in her father' all-knowing eyes. She wanted to believe she could have them all if she just asked. Perhaps she would have, if she hadn't seen General Cobb raise his gun and stepped between him and her father.

The pain had been brief, she remembered. The gunshot wound only hurt on impact. Slowly, an unnerving chill had raked across her skin. The next thing she knew she was lying in her father's arms, feeling oddly calm aside from the alarming dullness gnawing at her will to keep her eyes open.

She remembered her father's face. It was a mixture anguish and hope. She wanted to see him smile again, but when he finally did, there was a lie to the curve of his lips. For the first time in her short life, she was truly frightened. As his voice soothed her, telling her everything she ever wanted but never knew, the world seemed to fade out of existence.

The next thing Jenny knew there was a consuming darkness and utter silence. She couldn't even hear her own voice when she spoke. Worse than that, the strength had been stolen from her limbs. There was vague awareness of shadows dancing just out of view and the absence of comforting warmth. She did not understand any of it, but knew she didn't want to be here. She didn't want to be alone in the silent void.

Almost as quickly as the darkness came, there was a flare of light somewhere out in front of her. She couldn't be sure how far way it was or its size. Of course, that didn't matter, since it was blinding in the dark void. Still, it was a comfort to her to see anything other than the darkness. She intently watched it, becoming aware of a building but very subtle rhythmic noise when it first appeared.

Whoomp... whoomp... whoomp...

As the golden light grew closer to her, the noise became louder. With each curving movement, Jenny noticed the light left a vibrant, golden vapour trail in its wake. The glittering trailed stayed behind, making the light look more as an endless, curving serpent of gold. Around and around her the light floated, encircling her with its golden tail. She was reminded of ropes meant to hold someone in place.

Considering the possibility this light might be sentient and could help, she tried to communicate. In silent words, she said hesitantly, "Hello? I'm Jenny. Who or what are you?"

There was no response at first. The light just kept moving in a circular pattern around her, leaving more interwoven, golden trails behind with each pass. Jenny was baffled, particularly when the light for no apparent reason came to a stop in front of her face. This was the first time she was certain the rhythmic noise was coming from the light.

Whoomp... whoomp... whoomp...

Tilting her head to one side, she looked at it. She hoped that maybe if she waited a bit, the light would respond. When no response still came after a few moments more, Jenny grew frustrated and opened her mouth to try to silently speak again. The second her lips parted, the light surged forward into her mouth.

Snapping her lips shut, Jenny felt the fiery heat of the light warming her mouth and throat. She drew in a deep breath involuntarily and the warmth spread throughout her body. Every nerve ending began to tinkle. Muscles across her body flinched and relaxed in unison. Every hair on her body instantly stood up as a sensation of being tickled skirted across her skin.

She giggled in reaction. That was the first noise she heard herself make, since arriving in the dark void. A feeling of joy surged over her skin before a bitter chill quickly replaced it. Drawing in a deep breath, she felt a coldness surge into her lungs. It bit at them. Groaning, she dared to blink.

When her eyes opened, her surroundings had changed. A smooth, white surface with a fogged up glass centre greeted her. She blinked at it in confusion, before placing a hand on either side of the glass surface. She didn't like it being that close. It made her feel sort of claustrophobic.

Pressing hard against the surface, she hoped to lift it away or push herself up. Neither of them happened. In fact, she felt another firm surface behind her. It was only slightly cushioned. A bad thought, which she wished she hadn't had, rushed forwarded.

"General Cobb shot me. I died," Jenny breathed, looking from one side to the other of her white space. "What if this is my coffin?" That thought was all that was needed for panic to take hold of her.

She began to bang against the white surface. No matter how hard she hit it, it didn't budge or break. "Let me out!" Jenny screamed. "Someone please let me out! I'm not dead!"

There was no answer. She banged on it few more time, even bellowing at the top of her lungs in hope of drawing someone's attention. No one came.

TO BE CONTINUED...