With Jack gone, the Doctor opened his eyes again staring at the vacated seat as Martha took a seat in it. She had been able to tell from the monitors that the Doctor wasn't really asleep despite his eyes being closed. She could also tell that his heartbeats were a little higher than they should be when he was resting meaning that he was agitated and she had a good idea at what. The Doctor rolled his eyes seeing that she was giving him her doctor's look meaning that she wasn't there for just a friendly conversation.
"What is it, Martha?" the Doctor asked irritably.
"I couldn't help but notice that the last two times that Jack was in here, the two of you were arguing and he leaves angry while your heartrates increase despite the fact you are resting. I also know that you didn't want to talk to him yesterday morning," Martha commented.
"We're fine," The Doctor interrupted before she could finish. He knew she was wondering if they were having marital problems. He didn't think they were despite his threating to take the children for their own safety if Jack tried to bind them. He didn't even know for sure if he could. "He is frustrated and scared and trying to rationalize what happened with Kui'la only he isn't a strong telepath so he can't completely understand it. He is also worried about me as he knows I am hurt but he can't help me get back on my feet quickly. Normally, he would come to me for sex or get a drink but he can't at the moment. So instead he is getting angrier and angrier as he tries to deal with everything that happened. I am just happy that I didn't tell him about my dream or he would be worried about Imogen as well which could make it worse."
"About that," Martha responded. The Doctor reached up with his right hand, rubbing the bridge of his nose between two fingers. He mumbled something in Gallifreyan that the TARDIS chose not to translate. He let his hand fall to cover his face as he squeezed the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes.
"What happened?" the Doctor wondered.
"Jack had brought the children in to see you while you were sleeping earlier. Since they were in the medi-bay anyway, I took the opportunity to examine both Imogen and Grey. Grey is perfectly fine and his energy levels are normal. Imogen's hearts sound fine, however, her energy is a little low and I will need to provide medicine later to help bring them up," Martha explained.
"Which is only going to worry Jack more," the Doctor sighed. Immy may have not been Jack's by blood but she was part of his heart. He loved her just as much as his own two children and was the first one to the medi-bay each time she was sick. He had been just as devastated and worried back when they first discovered that Imogen was sick enough to need surgery. Now, the Doctor didn't know what Jack would do if he thought that his baby was getting sick again on top of everything else.
"This isn't the first time that I have had to give Imogen medicine for her energy and it won't be the last. Jack knows that her energy levels are always unstable and that is why we run the periodic tests," Martha responded.
"Normally, he understands. Right now, he isn't thinking with his head. If he were, he wouldn't want to bind Kui'la," the Doctor mumbled. He let his hand fall away from his face so that he was able to see Martha.
"Forgive me but I don't understand what binding means," Martha told him.
"To put it simply, binding a telepath stops them from being able to use their telepathy. There are three main types of binding used depending on the age and the offense. A child is usually bound by a stronger telepath when they are infants. They grow up knowing there is something missing from their mind but are unable to break through the barrier. Sometimes the binding is released when they are adults, other times it stays in place for their entire lives. It is generally agreed that it is best to bind as an infant but I disagree. Being a touch telepath, I sent feelings of love and happiness to my children before they were even born. I also used my mind to comfort theirs in order to soothe them as babies and I still do when they are upset. Binding them would take away that comfort and many experts state that binding them so young does more harm than good. A study once suggested it was better to wait and bind a telepathic child around a year. The problem is that by then they are starting to use their telepathy and will notice if it is suddenly cut off from them," The Doctor explained.
"But wouldn't they be too young to remember?" Martha questioned.
"They would be but by then they also know the comfort of the mind and the psychological damage of losing it suddenly hasn't been fully studied," the Doctor agreed.
"So what are the other ways to bind someone?" Martha wondered.
"The second type is chemical. The chemical is usually a pill but it can be an injection that stops someone from temporarily being able to use their telepathy. It tends to be used on criminals or individuals who use their telepathy to hurt others. If the person is able to be rehabilitated than the treatment is stopped and they are allowed to return to society. The last option is surgical. During the surgery, a device is placed in the telepathic circuits of the mind that render them useless. The device is a permanent solution and is rarely successfully removed," The Doctor finished.
"Does the telepathic strength of an individual as dictate how they are bound?" Martha asked.
"It can. Take Kui'la for instance. If Jack ever tried to bind her, the easiest way would be chemical as he doesn't know anyone strong enough to telepathically bind her nor does he have access to a doctor that would implant the device," the Doctor answered. He looked over towards the door where Jack had disappeared from. He connected briefly with the TARDIS to find that Jack was still on board. He expected to find that his husband was studying how to bind Kui'la still but instead was relieved to find that he had gone to his old room to rest. He wasn't surprised that the rest involved a bottle of alcohol. He reached up rubbing his temple with his good hand.
"Do you have a headache again?" Martha wondered in concern.
"It hasn't ever completely gone away. The medicine has dulled the pain but it is still there," the Doctor admitted. It wasn't anything that he couldn't handle even if the dull pain was always noticeable.
"I have run several tests and besides the injury to the back of your head, I am not finding anything else that could be causing your headaches. If you would like we can run more tests and try other medications to see if it helps," Martha suggested.
"It won't. I just need to wait until my head heals," the Doctor closed his eyes blocking out the light in order to help with his headache.
"Rest then. I will just be on the other side of the medi-bay if you need me," Martha reassure him.
"Before you go back to your desk, can you please give Immy her energy medication," the Doctor asked.
"Of course," Martha agreed heading to the medicine cabinet. She filled a needless syringe with the correct dosage then returned it to the cabinet. Looking at the monitor, she saw that the Doctor has slipped off into a light sleep. Hoping that he stayed asleep while she was gone, Martha left the medi-bay to find Imogen.