Zoe: I promised it, so it's here. :P. Sorry it took so long. I'm going through a bit of a Yugioh and Death Note phase, and I only seem to by able to write during Chemistry :P.

Laila: Yeah, but Doctor Who and Torchwood where her first fandoms, and to them she'll stay loyal. Blame Raura-chan for getting her into anime.

Zoe: Precisely. Umm... aren't you forgetting something?

Laila: *thinks hard*

Zoe: *cough* Disclaimer! *cough*

Laila: Oh, Zoe doesn't own Doctor Who, no matter how much she wishes she did.

Crimson Tears

Chapter 2

The TARDIS's engine is probably one of the most distinctive sounds in the universe. Nothing natural on Earth could ever hope to mimic the sound of the time machine landing. Jack Harkness didn't have a problem identifying it, but he did have a problem identifying the reason behind it. Why would that Time Lord land in the Roahl Dahl plaza instead of the Hub. He normally took no small joy in pointing out how primitive the Hub's security system is compared to the advanced technology on the TARDIS.

Needless to say, the Captain wasn't the only one to notice. Owen and Gwen had already grabbed a firearm and where already halfway out the cog doors before Jack reached his office door. Tosh and Ianto, knowing what the 'threat' was, set up the security protocols and waited while Jack got his coat.

Jack already knew something was wrong as he, Ianto and Tosh travelled to the plaza by the lift. Deeply wrong. The TARDIS looked different as it came into view. The TARDIS had always seemed to have a life all of it's own. That was gone none. The police box looked; there was no other word for it, dead. Jack had expected to see the Doctor leaning against the door, grinning and waving at him. But, there was no Doctor, no smile, no wave. Instead, there was an ominous air, and a certain Torchwood operative attempting to kick the door in.

"Owen!" Jack hollered across the plaza. Jack didn't know what security measures the TARDIS had, but they'd definitely be more then enough to send Owen flying, if not worse. If the Doctor didn't want to talk to them, they wouldn't be getting through that door, no matter how hard they tried.

"Don't!" Tosh's usually soft voice took a note of urgency. She didn't know why, but something told her that the blue police box wasn't to be disturbed, much in the same way as pyramids, the tombs of ancient pharaohs, aren't supposed to be rifled through.

It was too late. Owen already had set off in a running charge. He collided with the door and kept going, almost as if the door had opened of it's own accord. Owen tripped over the threshold and landed, face-first, on the ground.

Now I know something's not right, as he recalled the Doctor's words. "Jack, jack, jack. Genghis Khan himself couldn't get through that door, and believe me, he's given it a go." If that was true, how could Owen get through it so easily? What trouble had the Doctor got himself into? (After all, Jack wasn't the only one who got into tight spots.)

Gwen stepped over Owen, handgun raised and pointed into the dark interior. She came back seconds later. By then, Jack, Tosh and Ianto had reached the police box. Owen crawled forward, clambered to his feet.

Gwen walked back out of the TARDIS. She held a fearful expression and was a lot paler than when she went in.

"Jack," Gwen's voice was barely above a whisper. "You know that 'Doctor' of yours, the one you're always banging on about?"

Jack's heart-rate quickened. "Y-yeah?"

Gwen swallowed before continuing, "Short, messy brown hair? Pinstripe suit? Always wears converse?" She couldn't help but pray she was wrong.

"Y-yeah." By now, Jack was shaking. His body knew what had happened, even if his mind didn't.

Gwen grabbed onto the front of Jacks greatcoat. "You can't go in there, Jack. Please, don't go in there."

Jack pulled himself out of Gwen's grip. That woman's grip was surprisingly firm. He barrelled through the TARDIS doors, knocking them fully open. An arc of sunlight reached the scene before his eyes did. He felt as if he had been punched in the stomach. No. He tried to speak. Tell the team to cordon of the area, tell them there was no threat, but his tongue wouldn't obey him. He opened and closed his mouth uselessly as the tears began to gather.

Closing his eyes to the sight, Jack raised his arm and placed his hand on Owen's outstretched one, slowly lowering his handgun. Owen looked at him quizzically. Jack merely shook his head, his storm grey eyes turbulent, water-logged. He stood there, in silence, biting his lip.

When he finally did speak, Jack's voice was distant, barely sounding out in the Control Room. "I... I w-want you t-to go" he said to the team, his back still to them, shoulders shaking now.

Ianto's first instinct was to refuse. He had seen Jack this upset, ever. Not even after he 're-spawned'. He licked his lips and prepared to voice his objections when Jack turned to him. Ianto's carefully prepared words died on his tongue. Ianto could read Jack's moods better than the rest of the team put together. He looked haunted, vacant. Jack looked like he was dying inside.

"P-p-please?" Jack managed to mumble past his lips.

Wordlessly, three of the team turned there and then. Ianto turned to leave. Just as he went to leave the TARDIS, he turned back again.

"I'm sorry Jack, I am so sorry." Ianto's voice was thick with emotion. He didn't see Jack's response. He'd turned to face the sprawled out figure once more, on his knees beside the body.

A wave of emotions hit Jack when he heard those words. 'I am so sorry' Images reeled through his head. Just how many times had the Doctor said those words? How many times did he apologise for the universe? How many times had he blamed it all on himself?

"I know how you feel." Ianto had lost his mother a few years back. He knew that it was like to feel as if the world has fallen away from your feet and the anguish threatens to tear you up on the inside.

The sunray retreated as Ianto closed the door. It clicked, leaving Jack in the gloom. The first of many tears flowed down his cheek. "N-no, you d-don't" he whispered and began weeping in earnest.

*****

When Jack had cried himself dry, he opened an eye. It was dark now. The first thing he saw was the smile on the Doctor's frozen face. It was almost as if he was happy to d...

No. The Doctor wasn't gone. He couldn't be. He was Oncoming Storm, the Lonely God, the Avenging Angel. He couldn't be gone. Jack let a broken gasp pass his lips. The Doctor couldn't be de... Jack couldn't bring himself to think the word. Of course he wasn't. He was... he was... sleeping. That was it. All the Doctor was doing was taking a well-deserved rest. He loosed the Doctor's grip on the electrodes, prying the fingers away.

Jack knuckled the tears out of his eyes before reaching a shaking hand forwards is push a few strands of hair out of the Doctor's face. He slowly lent over and kissed the Doctor's forehead. "You get t-that sleep," Jack whispered with a smile, though tears had started gathering again, "God knows bags d-don't anything for ya."

Weakly, Jack pushed himself up off his knees. He stumbled back minutes later with a small blanket clutched in both hands.

"D-do you remember this? When Rose was here?" Jack got down beside that Doctor again. "You used to put it over your knees when you where r-reading. Rose always told you t-to stop acting your age. It d-didn't suit ya..." Jack's voice broke off as he focused on placing the blanket over the Doctor's legs. "S-so you don't get cold" he explained.

Jack felt empty, hollow. He pulled a small mobile out of his pocket. He pulled up his contact list and put in 'M'

"Martha?" he asked after the call connected, his voice was steady, "I've got some bad news for you."

*****

Between Martha, Sarah-Jane and Jack, it was decided that the TARDIS should be kept where it landed. They invented the excuse that it was a piece of modern, abstract art. When he was feeling reflective, Jack would often walk the TARDIS corridors, reminiscing.

Surprisingly, after two days, the TARDIS had placed the Doctor's body in a status field, freezing it in time. Martha often visited the field. At first, it was to confess everything she never had when he was alive. Then, when she moved on, she'd visit to talk and remember the good times.

Sarah Jane had been a star. She was the only person who understood exactly what Jack and Martha had been going through. She was always ready with a cup of tea, a hug and a sympathetic shoulder.

Today, the TARDIS still stands in the plaza. It looks identical to the way it was, except for one thing.

One the left hand door, there is now a small plaque. Oddly, it was Tosh's idea. You have to be quite close to read it. Engraved in the silvery metal is a quote Jack reads every time he puts his TARDIS key into the lock. It makes him smile every time he reads it. Mainly because it's true.

Now the sunlight's glinting off it, but if you squint, you can make out the words.

"Sometimes, the guardian angels of life fly too high for us to see, but we always know that they are there, looking down on us."

Zoe: *sniffles*

Laila: *eyerolls* Oh, grow up you pansy. *hands over a tissue*

Zoe: Sorry for the angst fest there. I wasn't feeling in a terribly great mood when I wrote this.

Laila: *whispers* Guy troubles.

Zoe: Anyways, Like it? Hate it? Wanna disembowel me for writing it? Then tell me!