Martha spent a long time in the medi-bay, even though she really didn't need to. The TARDIS had agreed with her almost immediately that she needed to perform the biopsy so she could find out what was wrong with the Doctor's kidneys. The Doctor's body worked similar to a human's in the way that the kidneys removed waste his body though could last longer in the distress it was in at the moment with his kidney problems. Still the sooner they found out what was wrong with them, the quicker he would be back to a full recovery. She left the medi-bay and returned to the autopsy room to let the Doctor know.
She was surprised to find that both him and Jack were asleep on the Doctor's bed. Jack was holding the Doctor tightly and the Doctor had his head rested on Jack's chest just above his heart. The plate of food he had been given was empty and Martha hoped Jack hadn't eaten it. There was no way to know for sure though until Jack woke up. She went to check the Doctor's vitals and Jack opened his eyes a crack.
"Sorry I woke you. I just need to check on the Doctor," Martha apologized.
"He ate his meal and talked a little bit," Jack reassured her. She smiled as the Doctor grumbled at Jack talking and shifted his head a little bit.
"That is good. When he wakes up later, I will remove the feeding tube. Tonight I am going to run him through dialysis again. Then at midnight I want him nil by mouth so I can perform the biopsy tomorrow on his kidney." Martha informed Jack. "I am going to need you to help with it, because I want to go in through his back using the ultrasound. I just need to know he is going to corporate with us."
"We won't know until tomorrow." Jack whispered, trying not to disturb the Doctor again. Since the Doctor was asleep, Jack normally would have just gotten out of the bed, but the Doctor was not only using him as a pillow but also a leg rest. Martha came around the bed and carefully maneuvered the Doctor's bandaged wrist out. She slowly removed the bandage to check the stitches that Jack had put in. They were professionally done and looked better then the stitches she normally managed. There was a little bit of blood on the bandages, and she checked to make sure he wasn't still bleeding.
"Martha," The Doctor moaned opening his eyes to stare at her unhappily. He didn't try to pull his hand away as she continued to examine the cut.
"I didn't mean to wake you, but since you are awake, I am going to bandage you back up then remove the feeding tube," Martha told him. "How are you feeling?" He shrugged.
"Fine," He lied.
"Don't you dare just say fine. You are not fine," Jack scolded him. The Doctor hung his head.
"Miserable," he admitted. He smiled a little as Jack pulled him closer into the hub again. Jack was warm and even if he didn't want to admit it, it felt nice just to be held for a little while. He trusted Jack not to try to take advantage of him or cross over the line they had set so long ago. Jack was a good man, even if he did have pheromones that made the rest of the human's fall for him.
"Well let's make you a little more comfortable," Martha suggested. She had Jack get out of the bed, which the Doctor protested. It made him colder not more comfortable. It was worth it though to have the feeding tube removed from down his nose. He had hated the feeling of the tube against his face and the tape made him itchy. "Even though I am removing this, if you stop eating again, I won't hesitate to put it back. You are far to under weight not to eat at the moment. That being said, you are going nil by mouth starting at midnight so I can perform the biopsy tomorrow morning. After I expect you to eat again without argument is that understood?"
"Yes Martha," He agreed knowing it wasn't really a choice. He either ate or he was going to be force fed. Martha gave him a head to toe check up before taking a new sample of blood. She wanted to make sure he was able to have the biopsy performed tomorrow. After she left, he moved over and Jack climbed back up on the bed.
"So tell me about Donna," Jack suggested as he held the Time Lord again. The Doctor sighed against his chest.
"Can't we watch the telly instead," The Doctor wondered. Jack chuckled.
"I will turn the show on again if you tell me about Donna." Jack tried to bargain with the Doctor. The Doctor went quiet for a moment and Jack worried that he was just going to go back to sleep without talking.
"She was amazing. I told her one time she was nothing special and she believed it, but she was Jack. I miss her," The Doctor said softly. "I had to take her memories in order to save her and she knew it. She begged me not to though, she wanted to remember even though it would kill her."
"Have you thought of a way you can give her those memories back and keep her alive?" Jack questioned. The Doctor shook his head.
"A human's brain can't handle a Time Lord's mind. Her body was also burning up with the energy that she took in from the metacrisis. I would have to be able to remove the energy and then be able to unlock the memories of me, but not all of my memories or it will overwhelm her. I could draw the energy into myself. I wouldn't know if I could build a wall to contain the memories though, unless I was able to see her. I can't see her without killing her though," The Doctor explained, talking more then he had in days. His voice was so low though that it wasn't to Jack though even if Jack had asked the question. The Doctor was talking to himself.
"What if we sedated her and brought her here? Then you could check on her without her knowing it was you," Jack suggested. "I am sure Wilfred would be willing to bring her. He wants her to be with you again."
"I need to think about it more," The Doctor replied. He hadn't realized that he was talking out loud until Jack had answered him. He didn't know if he was strong enough to help Donna, but he wanted his friend back. It would be a delicate process to close most of the memories behind while letting memories of himself free again. He didn't know if it was worth the risk just because he missed her.
Jack leaned over and picked up the laptop. He placed it on the small table that had held the Doctor's meal and started up the show again. Though the Doctor watched it, he continued to think about how he could help Donna. When supper time rolled around, Martha was nice to him yet again. This time she gave him a light fettuccine noodle dish with a milkshake to supplement most of the meal. He picked up the fork eating it, not thinking about the food again or the amount he was eating. It was yet another problem that they were going to have to deal with, but for now at least he was eating.
-DW-
The next morning the Doctor lay miserably on the bed waiting for Martha to enter. He wanted a cuppa but he was being denied food or tea until Martha got done torturing him. Jack had informed him that it wasn't torture but had received a snide remark from the Doctor about the fact that Jack wasn't the one about to get a needle shoved into his back. Jack was so happy that the Doctor had argued him, he couldn't even be upset that he was snippy.
Martha didn't keep them waiting to long though, as she arrived to work early and then came straight down to the autopsy room to prepare for the procedure. She checked the Doctor's vitals and then had him turn over on his stomach while she prepared the items she would need in order to perform the biopsy. Jack winced when he saw the length of the needle she was going to be using and felt the Doctor's complaints were even more justified. The Doctor wasn't stupid and he knew exactly what Martha was going to be doing to him, even without an explanation from her. Still Martha had offered to explain it to him last night and he had declined.
"Are you ready?" Martha asked as she laid the special sheet with a small hole in it on his back.
"Yes," He responded, gripping the bed tightly in his fist.
"Remember I am trusting you that you will listen to my every instruction. Failure to do so is going to hurt you even more. So when I tell you something, I expect you to comply without argument," Martha reminded him.
"I will," He answered.
"Then let's begin."