Hell. That was the proper word to describe what Jack had been going through at Torchwood the last month. Really it was the only word. Not only had he lost two of his best agents and closest friends. They had also had an over whelming number of artifacts coming through the rift and the weevils were on the move. He hadn't had a peaceful night's sleep in almost a week now. Not that he really needed much sleep, but even the hour he had seemed a luxury at the moment. He didn't want to wake up as the familiar sound of the TARDIS sounded in the hub.

As much as he wanted, no needed to see the Doctor again, he more just wanted to rest and come to terms with everything that had happened. Owen and Tosh were dead. Owen permanently this time. Even if they had access to another resurrection gauntlet, he wouldn't use it. His own brother Gray, who he had assumed was dead all these years, was now being kept cryogenicly frozen in the autopsy room. He also couldn't even begin to wrap his head around the fact that even though only a month had passed on the Earth, he was now over two thousand years old. He shuddered and sat up in his well lit room at the thought. He couldn't sleep in the dark room anymore or he was overcome with terror that he was buried in the cool dirt of Cardiff again. Reviving and dying for thousands of years as penitence for leaving his brother behind.

The sound of the engines grew louder. He hurried up the ladder and into the hub. He wondered what danger the Earth was in now and if the two of them could handle it without involving his team. He had sent Ianto and Gwen home to rest, shortly before retiring himself. There was no promise that he wouldn't call them but he wanted to give them a break. The fact that they had stayed, even through all the chaos, meant everything to him. When things calmed down he was going to make it up to them, somehow. They were both due a raise and perhaps even a vacation. Though he was going to have to find a replacement for Owen and Tosh before vacations were possible. He had put it off long enough, though the thought of replacing them still filled him with dread. Maybe he could convince Martha to come down from UNIT for a week again.

He exited his office and looked around the hub, not seeing the TARDIS. Yet as the TARDIS engines gave their final thrum, he realized the noise was coming from above him. Looking up the TARDIS had finished materializing near the ceiling of the hub and was gaining speed as she quickly approached its floor. She landed with a thud that seemed to shake the hub and groaned, the light on the top flashing.

"Doctor," Jack cried out as he ran down the stairs and across the hub to where she had landed. He was getting more worried by the moment as the doors to the TARDIS failed to open. Reaching the TARDIS, he pushed on the doors. They were still locked. He felt around his pockets and found the little key that he always carried with him, just in case. Inserting it into the lock he pushed the door open and entered the TARDIS. The interior was completely dark, except for the low light that was coming from the console, but wasn't bright enough to illuminate the room.

"Doctor are you all right?" Jack asked as he walked further into the TARDIS. There was no answer in return. Slowly he walked up the ramp, holding on to the railing with one hand. As he approached the console and his eyes adjusted to the dim light, he finally saw her driver. His heart stopped for a moment. Laying on the floor, near the captain's seat, was the Doctor. He was laying face down and from Jack's angle it was impossible to tell if he was breathing.

Jack fell to his knees beside the Doctor and started to put his fingers to the man's neck to try to find a pulse. He pulled back quickly though as his fingers met with a wet and sticky substance. Holding his hand up closer to his face, he realized that the substance was blood. Reaching into his pocket, Jack pulled out the little pin light that he kept with him and flicked it on. Running the light down the body of the man in front of him.

The Doctor was covered in blood from head to toe. His suit jacket was missing and his undershirt was torn and dirty. His suit pants were also ripped and his legs were splayed out at a strange angle. His left foot was bare, while his right one had the remains of what use to be a shoe attached to it. Jack moved the light back up to the Doctor's head. He didn't see any signs that the Doctor was breathing. He needed to check for a pulse but he didn't think there was a point. The Doctor was dead, he was sure of it.