Chapter 4

Hey guys, sorry it's been a while! But here's Chapter 4! Please don't forget to REVIEW!

"How is he?" Rose asked as the Doctor entered the main TARDIS control room a few days later, she was sitting with her back propped up against the controls. He'd just returned from tending to Jack who's been confined to bed in the medical bay for the past few days.

To all intents and purposes he was physically fine, almost too perfect and unscathed for a man who'd just survived battle; not a mark or a wound on him. But he still complained of a searing pain in his head, that he ached all over and he was clearly exhausted. It was almost as though something undetectable was ravaging his body from the inside out.

The Doctor had given him medication to help with the pain and enable him to rest easier, as soon as they'd got back to the TARDIS. He hadn't eaten in the days preceding his safe return, safe but not out of the woods yet. But the Doctor had woken him at regular intervals to keep him hydrated with water, sometimes with added water and sweet juices, although a few hours later he'd spiked a fever and been in and out of consciousness ever since.

The Doctor had spent almost every hour of the day and night at Jack's bedside, damping down his forehead and lightly flushed cheeks with an icy towel in an attempt to keep his temperature down, and administering regular doses of an anti-inflammatory and pain medication to keep him comfortable. It rapidly became evident to both the Doctor and Rose however that Jack was falling dangerously ill, but with what, and why exactly remained unclear, and during brief moments of lucidity he continued to complain of an intense ache throughout his entire body, and a lethargy he couldn't shake.

The Doctor sighed. "He's a little better." He explained, to Rose's evident relief. "He's awake, and coherent now at least. I've moved him back into his own room, but he's still weak. He should be a little more comfortable there, although he's very sick." The Doctor continued, "and I've still no idea how long he may remain so. We'll have to keep a closer eye on him over the next few days."

Rose nodded, "Ummm Doctor," She hesitated, as the Doctor made his way over to the controls. He turned around to face her with this and she sighed. "I'm sorry Doctor." She choked, tears coming to her eyes and spilling over onto her pale cheeks. The Doctor, deeply concerned, was already making his way back to her side at this, arms outstretched, ready to accept her into his comforting embrace.

"Hey, for what?" He asked, stroking Rose's soft blonde locks reassuringly as she placed her head against his shoulder.

"It's all my fault." She sobbed now. "But I swear Doctor I didn't know… I didn't remember what I'd done!"

"Didn't know what? What's your fault Rose?" The Time Lord frowned, perplexed by his young companion's sudden outburst.

"I remembered something last night." Rose explained. "Whilst I was lying awake in bed… I couldn't sleep, I was worried about Jack, and the TARDIS was worried to, I could feel her fear… and then I remembered. I looked into the heart of the TARDIS Doctor, and the TARDIS looked into me. I saw Jack dead, and I couldn't stand it, it broke my heart. It made the TARDIS sad to, we shared each others pain. But she couldn't make me do anything that I didn't want to do, which is why she showed me… and I brought Jack back to life."

She was surprised to see that the Doctor didn't appear at all shocked by this, but she didn't question it. As she looked up into his eyes they appeared to reflect a vague sense of regret back at her, and he took a moment to compose himself before he responded.

"But I don't see how that would explain Jack's symptoms now." He sighed, when his eyes suddenly became wide with dawning realisation and his face lit up with the impact of what he'd just heard. "Unless…" He exclaimed. "Oh Rose you're a genius!" He exclaimed, planting an enthusiastic kiss upon her forehead with this.

"I am?" She frowned.

"Yes, Rose Tyler you're brilliant!" He said, running for the door to the TARDIS control room. "I think you've just discovered what's wrong with Jack… I don't know why I didn't notice I before!"

"What is it Doctor?" Rose asked.

"Time Lord radiation…" The Doctor explained. "He's got Time Lord radiation flowing through him from when you brought him back to life. It repaired the damage done to him by the Dalek's, in the same process which allows a Time Lord to regenerate, but his body is of human design not Time Lord. It can't express the radiation like a Time Lord can, and so it remained inside his body, wreaking havoc internally, killing him slowly from the inside."

"But can you do something for him?" Rose asked.

The Doctor smiled, and nodded. "My regeneration isn't entirely complete yet." He explained. "I'm still regenerating even as we speak. I've got just enough time left to absorb the radiation into myself, and expel it naturally without any risk."

"Then what's stopping you? What are you waiting for?" She grinned, now wiping her eyes and tear stained cheeks as the relief of the Doctor's words swept through her. Renewed hope lightened the load on her shoulders, until she recognised the look in the Doctor's eyes; the hurt and fear suggesting that behind the manic front was an inner conflict which was eating him up inside. "Doctor?" She asked.

"Even if I absorb the radiation, I can't reverse the damage it's already done." He explained. "There is no cure for the radiation poisoning… only time."

"But Doctor… what are his chances?" Rose sighed.

The Doctor shrugged, and shook his head. "Honestly Rose, I just don't know." He responded, before breaking out into a small smile, and directing a reassuring wink in her direction. "But thanks to you we've caught it early, so I'd say his chances are pretty good… you've very probably saved his life. Now," He grinned, before he turned to leave the room, "lets go and tell Jack the good news shall we?"

Rose nodded, following the Time Lord from the control room as she did so, unable to disguise the small smile of relief which spread across her face like spilled ink, as they went.