Over the next month the Doctor was slowly deteriorating before their eyes and they were no closer to finding a way to save him. Though the cast on his hand had been reduced, the Doctor still needed a lot of help. Jack's heart broke as he had to help the Doctor out of bed in the morning as his muscles failed to respond to him. His walking was becoming slower and he had to think about each step that he took. The Doctor's thinking glasses were now a permanent part of his wardrobe but Jack still found the Doctor squinting trying to read the notes on the papers he kept with Martha. He was having seizures at least once every other day now and each one left him exhausted and sleeping for hours after. Martha was working diligently trying to find a way to reverse the disease, leaving Jack to the main day to day care of the Doctor.
Jack woke up early next to the sleeping thin pale man. He kissed the Doctor lightly on the head before pulling himself out of bed and heading to the kitchen. Before the Doctor would have been awake for hours all ready, now Jack figured he had a few hours before he would need attending too. He saw the door was still open to the TARDIS and sighing he headed inside to check on Martha. Entering the medi-bay he found Martha on the floor in the corner of the lab, her knees were drawn up to her chest and she was sobbing loudly.
"Hey, what's the matter," Jack asked softly as he knelt down in front of her.
"I can't do it." She sobbed. "It's too much and nothing is working. He is right. We are going to lose him because I can't do it." Jack sat down next to her and pulled Martha into his arms rubbing her back softly.
"Don't give up yet Martha. You two will come up with a solution, but you can't do it if you keep pulling these all nighters. You need to sleep and eat just like everyone else."
"What if I can't?" Martha asked between sobs. "He'll die and you'll never forgive me. I won't forgive myself."
"Then we know that you tried." Jack voice broke as he said it. "We will move on and continue to defend this planet in his name." The two of them sat there holding each other listening to the gentle hum of the TARDIS. Jack felt bad for the TARDIS, he knew she was a sentient being and wondered what would happen to her after... if the Doctor passed. She didn't deserve to sit on some street corner and just rot and be forgotten about. He would take care of her he decided. Even if he couldn't fly her at least he could keep her company, so she wasn't alone. He rubbed the wall with his hand and pushed his mind towards her.
*I'll keep you company if something happens to him* he advised her. He heard a happy hum and smiled despite himself.
"Flirting with my TARDIS, again Jack," The Doctor joked.
"How did you get out of bed?" Jack asked surprised to see the Doctor standing there as Martha quickly wiped her eyes.
"Ianto," The Doctor shrugged. "I called for you, you didn't answer but Ianto did. He even made me tea." He held up his tea cup and took a sip. "Even gets the tea right."
"And I don't?" Jack pouted.
"No, you make it too sweet." The Doctor grinned. "I feel like I am eating sweets not drinking tea."
"Maybe it's because I like you sweet when I taste you." Jack flirted and the Doctor blushed. Jack stood up and went to the Doctor. He took the tea from him and sat it down on the nearby bed. Jack turned back to the Doctor and wrapped his arms around him pulling him close. He kissed him on his head and then softly on the lips. The Doctor tried to kiss Jack back but Jack pulled his head away, making the Doctor groan.
"Just not sweet enough."
"Jaaack," the Doctor whined. The whine turned into a moan as Jack grinded his hips against the Doctors.
"Was there something you wanted?" Jack asked
"Since you're up, let's get to work," Martha interjected as they seemed to forget she was there... again.
"No," Jack answered. "We're all going back to bed. You are going to get some sleep and he is going to scream my name. Then we will start again in the afternoon."
"Am I?" the Doctor raised his eyebrow at Jack.
"You are." Jack responded kissing his neck and nipping the Doctor's ear as he ran his hands lower.
"I don't scream for anyone," the Doctor said cheekily.
"Then I have my work cut out for me." Jack accepted the challenge as he scooped the Doctor up in his arms and carried him back down to their room.
-DW-
They were laying on the bed tangled in the blankets. Both of them were breathing hard. Jack was laying on top of the Doctor and had his head on the Doctor's shoulder.
"Give up?" The Doctor panted.
"For now. I forget how stubborn you can be." Jack relented, rolling off of him and then lifting up his arm as the Doctor cuddled up to him.
"You love it," the Doctor joked.
"I do." Jack agreed. The Doctor used his fingertips to trace the muscles on Jack's stomach and up around his pecs.
"I was thinking we should bring Sarah Jane and K-9 over." The Doctor said casually.
"I feel as though I should be insulted."
"Don't be. I was coming to tell you in the TARDIS when you distracted me." He lifted his head and pressed his lips firmly against Jacks. He kissed him deeply and passionately. "She might be able to help and I want to see her and K-9 again before I go blind."
"I will call her. She will have to bring Luke with her."
"Who," the Doctor asked.
"Her son Luke. He is a good kid. He is a genius. You met him briefly."
"I remember now," the Doctor yawned. "He can come too, I suppose."
"I will go and call her while you get some sleep," Jack kissed him on the head and tried to dislodge himself. The Doctor clung tightly to him.
"Stay until I am asleep, please." The Doctor whined.
"Of course." Jack laid there holding the Doctor as he fought sleep. He would be almost asleep and then he would shake himself awake or force his eyes open. Jack stroked his head and tried his best to comfort him.
"It's okay you can sleep."
"I'm afraid." The Doctor finally admitted in a small voice that Jack barely heard him.
"Of what?"
"What if I wake up and can't see, or what if I don't wake up at all?" The Doctor whimpered. "Whenever I close my eyes I feel like I am sinking and my body is to heavy."
"You need to sleep." Jack said softly.
"Please don't make me go to sleep," The Doctor begged.
"You don't have to. Let's take a shower, get dressed and then I will call Sarah." He tried again to stand up but the Doctor didn't move and continued to cling to him. "Or we can stay here."
-DW-
After almost two hours of fighting it, the Doctor's body had finally won over his mind and he was sound asleep. Jack was grateful as he stood up and stretched. His back ached and his arm and leg felt of pins and needles. He limped slowly to the shower and cleaned himself before getting dressed. By the time he made it into the main hub he was walking normal again and felt better. Though he was even more worried about the Time Lord. He hoped that his being afraid to sleep was just a side effect of being so worn out. Jack decided he would talk to Martha about it and if necessary they could probably add a sleeping pill to the night time medications. The Doctor now took at least six pills four times a day. Jack hoped he wouldn't question adding a new one to the regiment.
He found Martha in the Torchwood meeting room, sound asleep on the couch in there. Jack had no idea how long she had been asleep but he was happy to see her taking his advice. He turned off the lights and then headed to Ianto who was down on the rift computer.
"Where is Mickey?" Jack asked him.
"Out, we had something come through the rift in the last hour," Ianto replied.
"Why wasn't I informed immediately?" Jack voice took on an official tone.
"I didn't think you wanted to be disturbed, sir." Ianto responded just as plainly.
"I am still the boss around here." Jack countered. "I want to know when he is back. I will be in my office." Jack started stormed into his office and sat down behind the desk. He had no right to be angry and he knew it. He had been so busy taking care of the Doctor in the last month, he had begun to neglect the normal duties he did around Torchwood. The paperwork on his desk was pilling up as well as the artifacts that needed to be cataloged and put into the vault. He picked up his phone and dialed Sarah Jane.
"Hello?" Sarah answered.
"Sarah, it's Captain Jack," He said happily.
"How are you Captain?" Sarah asked.
"I'm fine. I was wondering if you would be able to come to Cardiff for a few days."
"Has something come through the rift that you need help with?" She asked confused.
"No, maybe. I honestly don't know. It's just the Doctor is here and he wants to see you." Jack advised her.
"He wants to see me?" Sarah stated in surprise. "I can't come down until the weekend and he will probably be gone by then."
"Not this time." Jack responded.
"How can you know for sure?"
Jack sighed, he really didn't want to have this conversation over the phone but he knew he had to. "He is dying Sarah."
"He will just regenerate."
"Not this time. I don't quite understand it myself but he has lesions on his brain that are stopping him. If we don't figure out how to stop it he will be dead within a couple of months. He has been here almost two months now and he has been getting worse in front of my eyes. He is having trouble walking and he is quickly going blind."
"Why didn't you call me sooner," Sarah Jane asked.
"I have been so focused on him, I didn't even think of it. I should have and I am sorry I didn't. But please come down here, for him."
"Of course I will, I just need to pick Luke up from school and then we will be there tonight."
"You don't have to come before the weekend."
"Yes I do." Sarah Jane replied.
"Thank you, I will let him know. He is staying here at the hub with me. Just call me when you get here and I will let you in."
"I will see you soon," Sarah started to hang up the phone.
"Oh Sarah," Jack said quickly.
"Yes."
"Bring K-9." Jack told her, happy that he remembered before they reached Cardiff.
"Anything else?"
"No, I will see you tonight." Jack hung up the phone and leaned back in his chair for a moment before setting to work on the papers that had piled up.