The alien was dying. The wound to her head had been deep and she had lost too much blood. If she hadn't been glowing, the hospital would have been their next stop. The only thing left to do, Jack decided, was to take her back to headquarters and try to get as much information out of her as possible. Jack ignored all traffic laws on their way back, something pushing him to drive faster and more wild than usual. Gwen held the woman close, as Owen tried his best to tend her wounds. They were being thrown about the cabin as Jack rushed back to base. As they pulled into the lot, the intensity of the glow increased and the alien drifted back into consciousness. She shifted, her body tensing from the pain that followed. Her eyes shot open, darting left and right between Gwen and Owen. Her mouth started moving like she was trying to speak but only mumbled incoherent syllables could be heard. Gwen and Owen exchanged confused looks. They leaned in to listen closer, but all they could make out was, "Is… Dying… Returning… Burning…" "Make any sense, Owen?" Gwen pulled the woman tighter trying to stop her from writhing around. Blood was again flowing freely from the alien's wound and it quickly stained Gwen's shirt. The smell inside the car was a disgusting mix of sweat, hot breath, and blood. Jack halted abruptly and climbed out. Opening the back door, he immediately took the young woman in his arms and started for the entryway. Ianto was waiting with the door open, positioned to help as needed.

Jack, ignoring everything but the young woman, burst past him. Her mumbling was growing louder but every time she started a phrase, Jack's rushed, long strides caused her lolling head to bobble, eliciting groans and making her lose focus. 'She's fading, and fast'. He looked down into her tear-filled eyes. He started to feel despair, hope fading away as quickly as the woman. Something about her was familiar and he desperately wanted to find out. He did not want to lose her, but he knew there was little hope. She looked so young, except her eyes that is, which betrayed such a depth that you would have thought she'd seen the entirety of time and space. Such a beautiful color, he remarked to himself. Her eyes were a deep-layered hazel, so many facets, so many colors and tints. As he continued to make his way to the morgue, he noticed she was staring at him intently. She was suppressing her groans of pain as she brought her previously limp arm up to his chest, grabbing a handful of his jacket, trying to pull him close as if to tell him something. She was still mumbling and the phrases fell out jumbled, meaning nothing to anyone but her.

Finally reaching the exam table, he set her down as gently as he could. Her head clung to his sleeve, the two stuck together with thickened blood. Despite his efforts, she moaned loudly and started tossing and turning in apparent agony. Jack looked down at her and his brow furrowed. There was not much he could do to assuage it. He needed information and this was his best lead, his ONLY lead in fact. But seeing the beads of sweat and blood running down her face was enough to make him waver as the rest of the team filed in.

"Owen, give her something. Just enough to take the edge off. We still need her to talk." Jack threw down his comms unit and tossed his bloodied jacket up to Ianto who draped it over the railing. Jack rolled up his sleeves and watched as Owen gave the woman a small dose of Morphine. They bound her arms and legs, trying to prevent her from writhing off the table. The woman's breathing slowed and her eyes began to cloud and Jack could see that they didn't have much time. Leaning over her, he did his best to be concise. "Who are you?" No response. She didn't appear to even hear him. Jack noticed that her mumbling was now taking a rhythmic shape, as if it were a song. "Where and when are you from? Are you human?"

Owen moved in, exasperated by the woman's lack of response. "You're bloody glowing. We know you are not from this planet. So who the hell are you, then?" The alien closed her eyes and mouth as if she was trying to shut everything and everyone out. She hummed loudly, the mumbling rhythm now becoming a tune. The pain killers hadn't done a single, damn thing to alleviate her suffering. She was losing her mind as she drowned in the agony. Frustration and hopeless despair were what Jack felt. He was starting to lose control of his emotions. Turning away, Jack slammed a nearby desk with his fists. He stood there, allowing himself to focus on the throbbing in his arms. He didn't notice the alien's eyes flash open and stare at the bright exam lights above her. He did notice when she began to sing. Her voice was raw. No one could tell whether it was the insane mutterings of the near-dead and or the deep insights of someone who knows the future. Whatever it was, it was completely mesmerizing.

"It is returning through the dark

Doctor, you have met your mark.

Your song is ending, so don't cry,

When you hear him knock four times."

At the mention of The Doctor, Jack spun around in shocked confusion. No one moved. Not even a breath was heard. She was singing as if the Doctor was in the room with them. He listened, utterly absorbed, not daring to move an inch, lest he break her trance.

"You're going to regenerate,

Some new man saunters away,

No time for games tonight we fight,

For the fate of all mankind."

'Who are you? How do you know the Doctor?' Both thoughts ran through Jack's mind, but above all else, he wanted to know what the hell she was talking about. Any fights for "the fate of all mankind" would certainly include Jack Harkness if he had any say in it. Her answer caused the hair on the back of his neck to stand up.

"The Time Lords returning, the earth will be burning,

The last white point star is a trap for the Master.

The Doctor is dying, the Doctor is dying.

The Doctor is dying, the Doctor is dying.

Jack was reeling. This was incredible and unbelievable. He was in awe when suddenly her voice changed. She cried out in pain.

I don't want to go...

I don't want to go..."

Something about that phrase made tears well up in Jack's eyes. The woman's expression was so pained. The song seemed endless. Jack did not move, did not dare breathe. Sweat covered his face mingling with the tears as they fell.

Just one more thing before you fall,

You'll be getting your reward.

Back in time for those you know,

Martha, Donna, Jack, and Rose."

Every eye in the room was now upon Jack. As she sang his name, the Alien had turned to look at him. Jack stood motionless as the tears were falling silently onto his cheeks. The Alien's gaze was intense. Anyone else would have shied away, but Jack held it.

Silence. Jack and the alien just stared into each other. Then she raised her hand, beckoning him over. He moved towards her. She reached out and Jack leaned down, moving closer to her. She placed a bloodied hand on his face and heartbroken, she said,

"…And I'm so sorry, Jack. I really am, but there is nothing that you can do to stop any of it from happening."

She closed her eyes and the memories began to flood the Captain's mind. Images of bright lights, of powerful gods, of a resurrected madman, of a brave old soldier and lastly, of the familiar face of an old friend.

A whirring mess of thoughts and questions ran through his mind. He backed away from the table, ceasing the flow. He replied, "Time can be rewritten." He expected what came next, but he didn't want to hear it. "Not this event… It's a fixed point." Her eyes were once again clouding and she couldn't train her eyes on anything in particular. She did seem solemn and completely earnest but Jack needed more than that. "How do you know? Tell me who you are." He hovered over her so that she couldn't look away. Everything she had said terrified him, but only if it was true. His emotions were getting the better of him but he didn't care. She chortled. "As for the how, I do know that this event takes place in other universes, just as I have told it... In regards to who I am, you will know in time. I have one thing to say to you and to your team… You must listen to me… very closely…" They all unconsciously leaned in to hear. Her breathing was growing shallow and quickening in pace. She was but minutes if not seconds away from death.

"Run… Get out of here. You know that I can't stop the process once it's started and in a small room like this, the amount of energy released will vaporize anyone in here. So, run Jack Harkness." With that, the glow coming from the alien spiked and golden particles started to surge away from her skin. Realization dawned on Jack. He smiled and turned to his team.

"We've got to get out of here. Seal this area off as best you can, but after that get to a designated safe zone." He signaled for Ianto to toss down his jacket. Gwen gaped, "What is she, Jack? What's happening?" Pulling his coat on, his smile broadened and racing up the steps he answered her question. "She's a Time Lord… and she's regenerating! Ha!"

They rushed out of the morgue, Owen hit the quarantine button and a door dropped from the ceiling just as the Time Lord screamed.