This chapter might be a little more serious. Hopefully it will be short lived.

Jack pulled on his coat, and though he should be hurrying he found that he couldn't move any faster. He hadn't missed the wide smile, very similar to his former self, and knew that it wasn't because the Doctor enjoyed bad things happing. It wasn't the event that made him smile; it was the chance to move again.

Jack knew; as anyone who had lived to many lifetimes, and had too many chances to do wrong, sitting still left time to think. If you were moving you couldn't be bothered to think about all that hurt you, or all the lives that you have hurt. There were times Jack thought that all those extra years were good for was adding weight to the soul.

And that was why he had asked the Doctor to come along. He needed a rest, finding himself too tired and it wasn't as if he could just call it quits. He had wanted his Doctor, the previous one, though it seemed silly to have that thought. It was the same man.

The same man, who couldn't sit still for fear that he would have to remember. He and Jack had that in common. Though Jack found with good company he could forget, he thought the Doctor had more on his shoulders than good company could keep at bay.

It was as he was zipping the coat that he heard a knock on the door, before it swung open. The Doctor didn't look around the room, which was just as Jack had left it, but focused only on Jack. The smile he had on his face now was one of understanding.

"All right, Jack," he asked softly.

They should be hurrying, the scream had been pressing. But the Doctor cared enough to ask about him.

"Sure," Jack agreed moving towards the door, hoping that his face hid what he wore underneath.

The Doctor reached out and touched his arm softly, "Jack?"

He didn't miss the look of compassion the Doctor gave him, but he didn't have it in him, nor did they have the time to talk about it right now, so he put on his best smile. "Unless you want to stay in my room all night, we should go."

The Doctor smiled back, and Jack was certain he knew that this was just a dodge but he took it. "Right, River will be waiting."

It was then that Jack noticed that the Doctor had pulled on a heavier coat then he normally would wear. "Coat?"

"River," he murmured.

Jack didn't push, just smiled as they made their way out of those doors, and saw River tapping her foot.

"Ready?"

The Doctor nodded and they began to move towards the town that lay just beyond the beach. When they arrived the Doctor pulled his sonic screwdriver out of his coat pocket and led them, following what Jack hoped was a life sign.

It wasn't long before they reached a building that looked like it hadn't been used for some time. The Doctor didn't hesitate, pulling open the door that wasn't locked and walking in. River found the lights, and it was then that Jack saw the blood.

It was thick and green and the creature that it was pouring out of was the same color as the blood. It wasn't thick though, tall and very skinny, with scales over its body. The wound would be on what Jack would call a stomach, though he wasn't exactly sure.

The Doctor squatted down. The creature was talking, though the TARDIS didn't seem to be translating. But the Doctor was speaking to it.

"Easy now," he spoke softly, his hand touching the head of the creature softly, kindly. "Do you know what happened?"

Jack heard the creature reply, and then let out a whimper. Screams and whimpers, seemed to sound about the same throughout the universe. Sounds of pain always clear if you listened.

"All right," the Doctor was gently rubbing the creatures head. "It's okay. Just rest now. You're okay."

The eyes closed, and though he had no idea what it was, it was dying. Right in front of his eyes, and it wasn't remotely human but it was enough to stir a memory within him.

A memory of a body he had held in his arms, a life lost that he had tried to blame the Doctor for at first. But he hadn't been able to maintain that feeling for very long. The universe needed the Doctor, not just him, and he hadn't told him about it because he knew the Doctor would take that blame. And it would be another pound added to what he carried.

It was River who touched his arm this time, and he knew that he had fallen into his thoughts. He forced a smile, wiping his eyes, and looking to the Doctor who was standing now, watching him as well.

"We need to talk Jack," he told him.

Jack just nodded.

"Not now," the Doctor clarified, "This Amerioto says that it was another one of his kind that killed him. Apparently there is a small band that made their home here."

"Are we going to find the killer?" River asked.

The Doctor paused and then shook his head. "No, I don't think that is a good idea. I'll alert the local authorities and they can come take a look. Best to leave them to it."

River nodded. "Back to the TARDIS?"

The Doctor nodded. "We'll stop by the home planet, and then head back out."

They followed the Doctor back out, and Jack was careful not to think about how mild that adventure had been until they were safe inside the TARDIS. The Doctor was at the console, talking to River easily, when Jack walked to his room. His exposed skin was actually very cold, and he thought a hot shower was just what he needed.