Jack looked around. All he could see was a gray, featureless landscape. "Hello?" he called.
"Jack."
His mind almost instinctively recoiled. "Doctor?"
The Doctor shimmered into place in front of him. "Jack, can you hear me?"
"Yeah," Jack said, folding his arms. Then he frowned. "Wait. Where the hell are we? What's going on?"
"Jack, this is really important. I need you to just listen. Please. You're dreaming. But what I'm saying to you is real. I'm communicating telepathically. And before you get angry with me, let me explain something. I didn't leave you, Jack. Ontuksians can alter memories, and they have altered yours. The nightmare you keep having? That was real. Your memories of me leaving you? Not real. They're manipulating your memories and keeping you compliant by making you drink that stuff."
"How do I know this is real?"
"I can't prove it beyond a doubt, Jack, but if you think about all the little things you've noticed … the drink, missing memories, no concept of time, you'll know that something is very wrong."
"You … didn't leave me?"
The Doctor seemed to slump slightly with relief. "No. I didn't. I love you, Jack."
"So, where are you?"
"The mirror."
"What?"
"It's a two-way mirror. I'm in a room on the other side. I think the entrance is well-hidden, though."
"Why are they doing this?"
"Jack, we don't have time. I need you to listen. You've gotten most of the chemicals out of your system. Tomorrow, they're planning to reset your memory again, so we need to act now. I'm sorry, but you need to kill yourself."
"And I'll heal my memories?"
"I think so. It's certainly the best option, with all the stuff out of your system. Once you come back to life, get out of here. Find transport and get as far away from this place as possible."
"No. You didn't leave me, and I won't leave you. Tell me how to get you out of there. Where's the TARDIS?"
"They have it. They've been trying to break into it."
"Can you find her?"
"I might be able to. But it's too risky."
"Well, we'll have to chance it, because I'm not leaving you."
The image of the Doctor started to fade. "Jack, please … just … get out of here." He fell to his knees.
"Doctor!" Jack tried to hold onto him, but there was nothing but air. "DOCTOR!"
"Goodbye, Jack. I love you."
Jack nearly fell out of bed as he woke up with a start. He forced himself to stay still until he was sure Yulena was still asleep.
As quietly as possible, he slipped out of bed, grabbed the knife, and went into the bathroom. It wouldn't be tidy, but he had to kill himself before he started to forget the "dream." He stripped and sat in the bathtub, aiming the knife at his throat. He took a deep breath and counted to three before plunging the knife into his own throat.
Yulena awoke to the sound of the shower running. That's odd, she thought to herself. Jack is so rarely up before me. She stretched and slowly got up to get dressed. She smirked into the mirror, wondering if the Doctor was awake and watching. She was surprised when Jack came out of the bathroom fully dressed.
"Good morning," he said, taking her into his arms and nuzzling her neck.
"You're up early today," she commented, leaning into his caress.
"Had a rough night, actually," he replied.
"Oh? You could have woken me …"
"Nah. Didn't want to worry you. Besides, I feel fine now."
She smiled. "Good. I'm glad to hear it."
"Tell me again, sweetheart, how long have I been having bad dreams?"
Yulena froze, her heart pounding in her chest.
Jack stopped caressing her and looked down at her with a steely gaze. "Go on. Tell me. How long?"
Yulena was at a loss for words.
Jack let go of her and grabbed a heavy, ornate chair and flung it at the mirror.
Yulena screamed as it shattered into thousands of pieces. She was too shocked to resist as Jack grabbed her and laid his knife against her throat.
When the last of the mirror had fallen, they could see through the window.
"Doctor!" Jack gasped. He stared in horror at the limp form of the Time Lord through the glass. The other side hadn't broken.
"You remembered," Yulena growled, trying to fight against him.
"I did, Your Highness," Jack said into her ear, bringing the knife closer to her skin. "And if you want to live, I suggest you do exactly what I say."
Guards burst into the room. "Princess!"
"Not another move!" Jack shouted. "I'll cut her throat!"
The guards froze, looking between her face and his.
"Tell them! Tell them to put down their weapons."
"Do what he says," Yulena said, truly fearing for her life.
The guards obeyed.
Jack stole another glance through the window. "Now, I know all the guards are telepathically linked. Have them untie the Doctor."
"Jack, I'm telling you, there's no way out of this," Yulena pleaded.
"DO IT!"
Yulena nodded at the guards. Jack watched attentively as two guards entered the Doctor's cell and started to untie him.
"And while we're waiting, have the TARDIS brought up here. Put it in the cell."
Yulena nodded again.
"Now, princess, tell this nice guard right here where you put my wristcomp and my coat, so he can go get them."
"Jack, you can't do this!"
He shoved her forward, so that her bare feet hit the floor littered with shards of glass.
She screamed as they cut into her feett, causing pale yellow blood to seep onto the floor.
"Want to try again?"
"Okay, okay! Just let me go!"
"No. Now tell him. And then we're going to collect a few other things, Princess."
Nihemse woke up as he was forcibly pulled from bed. He looked at the guards in confusion. "What are you doing?! Stop this immediately! I order you!"
"I'm sorry, Prince Nihemse. It's the human. He has your sister and is threatening to do her harm unless we do what he says."
Nihemse still tried to break free. "Then use the Doctor as leverage!"
"We can't. He broke the mirror and can now see everything that happens to him. We can't touch him."
"So, you're just going along with it?!"
"We must, or risk your sister's life."
"I'll have you all for treason!" Nihemse shouted as they dragged him down the hall.
It took a while, but Jack finally had everything the way he wanted it. He was back in possession of his wristcomp and coat, which had his TARDIS key inside. The rest of the royal family was tied up and sitting on the bed. And the TARDIS was being wheeled into the Doctor's cell.
He glanced nervously at the Doctor, who remained unconscious.
"What the fuck did you do to him?" Jack demanded.
"He's our pet," Nihemse answered after a silence.
"You tortured him. Why?!"
"We did with him as we pleased, Jack. It was fascinating to have a creature whose memories we can't control," the prince replied.
"I swear to you, I will be back. I won't forget what you've done to him, you bastard."
"You can't leave, Jack," Yulena said, trying to stand still on top of the broken glass. "How are you gonna get into that room?"
"You're going to come with me, and the guards are all going to get on the floor, if they know what's good for you. Let's go."
When the guards didn't move, Jack shoved Yulena forward, causing her to scream as she cut her feet again.
The guards grudgingly got down on the floor; Jack could see the ones in the Doctor's cell doing the same. Jack pulled Yulena out of the room with him. "Now, dearest, which way?"
