Two hours after her arrival, K'Nar still lay wrapped in Thete's arms, both deeply sleep. Instead of leaving, the blended family sat at his bedside in whispered conversations that helped everyone get acquainted. Fort the first time, the Americans learned of K'Nar's treatment, and her struggle to keep Thete alive. G'Na kept her explanations of K'Nar's ordeal as human as possible. The need to lie so much was giving her a bit of a headache.

Only once, had she asked River to go with her back to the TARDIS. She needed to be with her own handmaiden to decompress and cry for her damaged daughter.

"How long do you think they'll sleep?" Amy looked over G'Na and Martha who hovered over the two.

"I have no idea. Their scans are normal," Martha answered. "They are kind of cute, though."

"I thought he'd just wake up," Hank muttered as he stroked Thete's head.

Martha snorted, "Hank, really. He hasn't done anything the way we thought he would. Why would this be any different?"

To that Hank laughed; the young doctor was right. "I'm going for a walk. Holler at me if somebody groans." He walked past Sarah, and then stopped to kiss the top of her head.

Wilson came, met G'Na and ordered blood work to make sure his electrolytes and blood sugar remained stable without his tube feeding. He fussed at Martha for being overly optimistic, but stopped short of ordering his feeding tube reinserted.

The hours stretched first into the late afternoon and then into the evening. Even G'Na was surprised by the extent of their exhaustion. Both telepathic and bio-scans showed them, for the most part, to be in a normal deep sleep. As the day extended, Thete's nightmares began to rear their ugly heads. They watched him twitch and then wrap his arms tighter around K'Nar, trying to protect her from the demons in his dream. They also watched in amazement at K'Nar's reaction. Even asleep, she reached and patted his chest, calming him.

As the sun set, Hank exacted a promise from Jack that he would call when the two woke up and then took everyone else home. As the hours stretched further into the evening, Jack and River both left to find a place just to lay down for a while leaving the Queen alone with her daughter and Thete. When his nightmares began to re-surface, G'Na moved to block their transmission to her daughter. The horror that she saw in his subconscious made her sick. It was no wonder that her daughter tried to make him forget. Once his mind quieted, she began tickling K'Nar's consciousness, encouraging her to begin the process of waking up. As she sat alone watching the expression on the Time Lord's face, she wondered how much time had passed since he'd actually slept. Weeks definitely, perhaps even months. It didn't seem possible that a man so exhausted had managed to search for a child alone across the universe for as long as he did before making a mistake. It was no wonder that he was such a mess.

Lost in her own thoughts, G'Na was startled by the young woman who slipped in quietly. "You must be Cass." She smiled up at the girl. "Doctor Jones described you." She answered the surprised look on Cass' face. "I am Madam G'Na Llew, K'Nar's mother." She moved to meet the nurse.

"Your daughter must have been exhausted," Cass asked quietly as she checked Thete's temperature.

G'Na smiled at Cass' reaction at seeing the young girl wrapped in Thete's protective grasp. She appreciated how the young nurse tucked the blanket around both when Thete shifted in his sleep.

"More than I realised, I'm afraid." the Queen replied.

The gentleness Cass showed as she brushed Thete's hair away from his eyes reminded the Queen that true healers were the same everywhere.

"How is his temperature?" G'Na asked. The primitive methods these humans used to monitor a patient fascinated her. At home, he would be on a bio-bed with every read-out on holographic display. They would have known the moment he started a dream, let alone become dangerously ill.

"For him, it's fine. He runs a lower temp than most. He's at 96 degrees. Not bad considering he made it to the equivalent of 105 the night we almost lost him. "

"Everyone has become very attached to him, haven't they?"

A small smile played across Cass's face. "I've never had a patient everyone is attached to. It's just weird. Every nurse has a favourite, someone gets attached to, but a patient everyone loves is just - well, weird. Thete has touched everyone's heart. He would be in agony and worry about the patient in the next room, telling us, he could help. The first night, he begged us to find your daughter, but after that, he clung to the band that she left with him as if it were his life line. If we asked if he remembered her, he would stroke that band and stare at the wall. The only time he ever asked for anything for himself, he'd be in the middle of a flashback. "

"What did he ask for then?" G'Na asked quietly.

"Not to be taken back," Cass answered. "Well, look what the cat dragged in." She chuckled softly at the sight of the man walking in. "Captain Harkness, we missed you."

"I'm sure. " Jack snickered. "River and I have 38 messages; all of them wanting to know if our sleepy heads have woken up. They range from - is he awake - to - is he back in a coma - to - is the child alright? So, I thought I'd bring you something to eat and check on them. How's he doing, Cass?" Jack's eyes twinkled when he smiled at the nurse who had almost smacked him.

Cass smiled back at Jack. "His vitals are fine. His lungs have improved dramatically since you left. The question is - how are you doing?" She asked.

"I'm doing fine. Learning not to tick off night nurses." He chuckled.

Cass laughed as she headed back to her station, "Let me know if you need anything before my next round. I'll leave you two to chat."

"Thank you, Cass," G'Na smiled at the nurse as she left and then turned to Jack.

She patted the seat next to her inviting him to sit. It was a unique experience for her. At home, he would never be allowed to sit in her presence, let alone be next to her. For the first time in her life, she knew what it meant to be free of protocols. And she liked it.

"I think K'Nar will join us soon, but I'm afraid the Lord Doctor is still deeply asleep," she said softly.

"Thank you," he said quietly as he took a seat next to the most laid-back queen he'd ever met. "I have to ask, why hasn't she reverted ?"

"She keeps his form because they are so tightly bonded. When we sever the bond, she will need to sleep in the TARDIS where she is safe from prying eyes."

"What about you, your Majesty - when do you get to sleep ?"

"I can sleep sitting here for now, but I will need to shift for at least awhile in the morning. "

"Have you scanned them?"

"Yes, he is struggling with nightmares. I have tried to keep them both calm. So far their sleep is good. I miss our monitoring equipment. His dreams would be on a display letting us chart them and stop them before they can become an issue."

"How hard will it be to break the bond? Jack leaned forward to stroke Thete's head.

"If we didn't have the TARDIS here to help us, I wouldn't even try. I would insist we return home, with him in stasis if necessary. He would not survive the neurogenic shock otherwise. As it is, reaching in to destroy that link won't be pleasant for either of them. The TARDIS will re-bond with him, and that should prevent neurogenic shock, but they will both have significant headaches. Tomorrow, my assistant will work with K'Nar while I work with him."

"Damn"

"Captain, If they hadn't been in such desperate surroundings, this would never have happened. I would undo the changes that she made, help him rebuild his shields and life would go on for them both. But they were desperate, and it happened. My husband isn't too happy, though. He worries that she may not want to bond to her chosen when its time." G'Na smiled.

"Does she have one, I mean do you choose her future husband?"

"No, not really. It's hard for humans to understand, I think. The ruling class of our world sits at two levels, a patriarch/king rules the politics and the Chief Healer/ queen rules everything for the social good. We limit her choices to spouses that can fill that role. As parents, we manoeuvre them into the right position. After that, the choice will be hers."

"No offence, your Majesty, but that sounds like an arranged marriage to me." Jack chuckled.

"Perhaps. Technically speaking, an arranged bonding occurs when the child is young. Our girls aren't even allowed to consider bonding until they come of age. That happens when they are eighteen summers. Then, instead of wearing their braid wrapped around their head, they can wear it hanging down. Upon bonding, we wear our hair loose." She shook her hair free of the scarf.

"Politics," Jack muttered as he shook his head.

"Culture," she responded with a laugh.

o0o

K'Nar woke slowly to the sounds of her mother talking to a man that was not her father. When she finally opened her eyes, she realised her head still rested on her Lord's chest. She raised up to look blearily at her mother, "Mother?"

"It's alright, child," G'Na mentally answered as she immediately flooded her with reassurances and a reminder of where she was.

G'Na helped her daughter extricate herself from Thete's protective arm. Almost immediately, he curled up on his side. His peaceful expression brought a smile to both G'Na and Jack. Leaving Thete with Jack, G'Na took her daughter to a private room where she safely transform safely and then eat to restore her energy.

When Cass walked in to check her patient, the room was dim, quiet, and Thete was alone. At least K'Nar had joined the living. A quiet 'hi' came from Jack as he came back in with a cup of coffee and a donut. "I could get fat here if we stay much longer." He chuckled softly.

"We didn't expect him to sleep this long." Cass brushed Thete's hair back.

"G'Na thinks he was probably not as asleep as the scans say. She thinks even unconscious, in the deepest part of his mind, he was screaming against the dark."

"I guess that's one theory." Cass didn't look impressed. "What's her reason for K'Nar?"

"That's plain old-fashioned jet lag." Jack chuckled. "I mean, we did travel half way around the world, and she is just a kid."

"We'll never know if people can't let sick people sleep." A husky, raw voice interrupted. Cass and Jack both jumped to see a pair of bleary green eyes looking at them.

"I'll be damned; it's about time you woke up," Jack said gleefully.

"Welcome back, stranger." Cass immediately checked his chest for signs it still sounded clear, "How are you feeling?"

Thete stared in confusion at the two, but focused on the question. A slow grin crossed his face. "I feel fine. I don't hurt. Anywhere." He sounded surprised., "I don't even have a headache and I can," he took a deep breath with just a slight cough, "breathe. Where is everyone? Where's Hank?"

Cass and Jack grinned at each other. "I'll let you explain," Cass laughed quietly, "I need to call Doctor Wilson and Doctor Jones."

"Hey Doc, I am glad to see you awake."

"You can't remember a name at all, can you? What time is it?" He looked around the room obviously disoriented.

Jack laughed. "It's almost ten in the evening. Do you want a cup of tea or some water?"

"Water would be great," he said huskily, "Where's Hank and everybody? Where am I?"

"Its sort of a long story. Hank took everybody home because well, they were tired of watching you sleep." Jack grinned as he held the cup while Thete sucked the cup dry then laid his head back waiting for an explanation.

"You kinda had a seizure," Jack continued, "and Martha put you in a drug induced coma, and you have been unconscious for five days. Martha turned the drip off this morning, and we have waited all day for you to wake up. It's my turn to sit with you. Do you have any idea how boring it is to watch someone just - sleep?"

"I had a seizure?"

"Yeah, what do you remember, Doc?"

"I remember; I hate being called Doc," Thete answered huskily. Before he could say anything else, he smiled.

Jack watched as first confusion and then - as he tuned Jack out, recognition mixed with joy crossed Thete's face. Jack knew when his eyes began to sparkle, Thete was talking to K'Nar.

My Lord, you are awake. I was so worried about you.

Thete heard her as clearly as if she were in front of him. Where are you? Are you safe?

I'm fine. I'm here with my mother. Do you remember her? I have missed you, my Lord. Even mentally, she sounded elated.

K'Nar, I thought... I thought that they killed you."

Mother said; you can't remember anything except me. I only wanted to stop you from hurting. They hurt you so bad.

It's alright, child. It'll come back. I don't care about that place, I just care about you. Are you alright.

Yes, I am fine now that I am back with you. As soon as Mother knows, I will come to see you.

He looked up at Jack, grinning after she withdrew. "K'Nar is alive. She came back." It was obvious that the excitement over-rode his weariness.

Jack chuckled at Thete. "Yeah, she's alive, and she's safe. River and I went after her after your seizure. Before she comes in here, try to focus and tell me the last thing that you remember? We just need to know your brain is working."

Thete stared at him, struggling to find the answer. "I remember talking to you and then somebody laughed." His eyes narrowed, "I remember... They're going to hurt her." He looked at Jack with panic filled eyes. "

"Thete," Jack tried to keep his voice level and calm, but his worry went up a notch at the sound of panic in Thete's voice. This was where they had started.

"It's a trick, an hallucination. If she's real, where is she? She would be here by now."

"Listen to me now, Thete!"

Jack's stern voice snapped Thete back from the edge. When Thete looked back at him with less panic, Jack continued. "No one is hurting K'Nar. She is here. The woman who hurt both of you is in jail, and she is never going to hurt anyone ever again. I'll get K'Nar in here, but you need to stay cool, okay? They're next door with River, resting."

Jack pushed his chair back, and headed for the door, meeting Cass as she came in. "He's alright, Cass, just confused. I don't mean to be rude, but gives us awhile. I'm getting K'Nar and her Mum, and then we need some time. He's going to panic again if he doesn't see her."

Cass nodded. "Your friend Ianto is bringing Doctor Jones in. Hank is a little mad that they wouldn't let him come. Especially when I told them, Hank was the first name out of his mouth."

"Yeah, well give me an hour, and they can all come if this goes right."

Jack pounded instead of knocked on the women's door. A less than pleased River opened the door. From her tousled hair and bleary look, Jack guessed she'd been dozing unaware that K'Nar had communicated with Thete. The sound of the TV told him, they were catching up on the local entertainment.

"What, Jack?"

Jack made no effort to conceal both his glee or concern. "He's awake," he replied. "K'Nar called to him, and he answered her, but he's starting to panic, like before. He thinks that he's hallucinating."

"I'm ready, Captain." River and G'Na turned around stunned to see K'Nar bouncing with excitement after transforming to look human.

"K'Nar? You must tell me what you're doing," her mother fussed.

"I'm sorry, Mother, please," K'nar begged, crestfallen that her mother was upset. "I felt him awake - like I have always done. Please - let me go." She asked desperately. The strain to keep her self control intact was apparent even to the humans.

"Give us a moment, Captain." G'Na closed the door, opening a moment later as Madam G'Na. "I suppose, we are ready," she said with a tired smile.

Stepping back in Thete's room, Jack grinned at the sight of Thete fiddling with the remote. If they'd given him five more minutes; he'd probably make the bed fly. "Okay, Thete, heads up, you've got company," he announced as he stepped aside to let the women in.

The sight of her bond mate was stronger than all the words in the universe. K'Nar didn't care about decorum or much of anything else except the pale, fragile looking man lying propped up in the bed. To see him awake and grinning was more than a relief, it was a joy. Not caring what her mother or the humans thought, she practically flew across to his bed. She ignored her mother's admonition to stay calm as she clambered, straight into to his arms.

Both were oblivious to Jack and the two women who watched with aching hearts. G'Na's flamed red when they touched foreheads. It was an act of intimacy done only by bond mates and healers. For them, the act was as natural as breathing. In her excitement, K'Nar's shields dropped slightly, allowing her mother to catch some of what her daughter said as she chattered telepathically about her home and gardens, and how her mum would help him get well. She did not tell him about their bond.

G'Na hoped K'Nar would be brave. G'Na sent her daughter a mental message: Prepare him daughter; it will make things easier - for both of you. She glanced over at the two humans watching and with a heavy heart beckoned them to follow her. They would destroy their bond tonight. They would hold him down and once again rip his world apart. It was only right to give the two enough time to adjust after everything they had suffered.

It was the ultimate act of cruelty and betrayal to already fragile souls. Before allowing herself to give into her guilt, she made sure her shields were firmly in place. Maybe, she thought, I am the one that needs the time. I am so sorry that I have to hurt you, my daughter. I am so sorry that I have to hurt you both. I promise you; I will see to it that Varak pays for what he's done to you.

G'Na drew a breath and once more sent her daughter another message to prepare her, but she didn't respond. G'Na shook her head in despair. Accident or not, this was a stupid mistake that would take a long time to heal.

"Captain," she said softly ignoring their looks of concern, "you must bring Nela and Taska up here. When we break their bond, my daughter will need her support, and we will both need Taska's healing."

"Yes ma'am." Jack nodded and turned on his heels while G'Na and River headed to the lounge to wait for Martha's arrival. He returned minutes later with G'Na's assistant and a sleepy young teen. The two went straight for G'Na's room. G'Na was grateful her assistant had come. She needed the support of one of her own. Thirty minutes later, they all looked up to see the young doctor rushing off the elevator towards them.

"What's going on?" Martha asked as she reached them. "How much does he remember?" Her concern was plainly mixed with relief that he was awake.

"Nothing beyond K'Nar and coming here. We've left them alone to visit," River answered her.

"What are we going to do?" Martha asked.

"I'm afraid that when she spoke to him earlier, she actually strengthened their bond. They can - not move on like this. We have no choice. We must break their bond tonight," G'Na answered, "and connect him back to his ship. The longer we wait, the more difficult it will be for them both. Doctor Jones, when I break the bond, you must take K'Nar out to Nela and my assistant. She will be upset, and she will have a headache. Nela and Taska will comfort and care for her until I can get to her. Doctor Song, when we start you must hold his hand, and act as a channel for the TARDIS. Captain, you will restrain him as I reach into his mind. Once the bond is broken, the ship will send her energy, and then I will put him to sleep. In the morning, we will start putting the pieces of their lives back together. When they are well, I have a favour to ask."

Jack grinned at her, "Your Majesty, you can have anything I can get for you. Whatever you need, I will figure a way. What is it?"

The queen clenched her fists. All of the rage that she worked so hard to overcome now flooded through her. She was queen. She'd spent a lifetime controlling her emotions. She'd spent hours in prayer begging the Goddesses to help her overcome her abhorrence of Varak and the Continuum, and now it was back.

"I want you to take me to Regulus for the trial," G'Na replied. "My husband does not want us to go, but I want to see the evil that did this to my daughter. I want my daughter to see it destroyed. Then I want help to track down Varak. Vshak is not equipped, and the Shadow Proclamation will tear across the galaxy."

"Your Majesty." River took the Queen's delicate hands in hers, " Believe me, that won't be a problem. "

The Queen stepped back studying River's face and smiled. "No one will ever know, Doctor Song."

River gave her a puzzled look, then realised the Queen knew what she and Jack had done.

o0o

The four outsiders stood in the doorway of Thete's room just watching K'Nar cuddle next to her Lord. The four just managed to keep their expressions neutral. At that moment, the four weren't sure how they could live with committing the ultimate act of betrayal. The two survivors lay in each others arms. Oblivious to their presence, their expressions radiated joy at being together. Thete had no idea why his joy at seeing K'Nar was so profound or why he felt as if mud were washing away from his brain.

Tears brimmed G'Na's eyes. She mentally chided K'Nar for failing to tell her Lord what was about to happen. The guilty look on her daughter's face when she glanced over nearly sent the normally stoic queen to her knees. Life and criminals had placed her in an untenable situation. She was about to cause untold misery to someone fresh out of coma who was just starting to feel alive. She sent a prayer to the Goddesses for forgiveness, and that he survived what they were going to do.

The sweet innocence and a goofy grin on his face when he saw them clenched their stomachs. "Martha." he beamed when he saw her. "This is K'Nar. Isn't she brilliant? She's alive, and I have her back. I have her back."

"Yeah - she is," Martha answered. "Thete, this is K'Nar's mother, her Majesty Queen G'Na LLew. To make things easy, it's Madam G'Na. She was here this morning; do you remember?"

Thete shook his head and looked at K'Nar with surprise written all over his goofy expression, "You're a princess? You never said."

"It wasn't important, my Lord." She smiled. "When you're well, you can come see our palace and walk in the gardens."

"My Lord, we must talk to you." G'Na swallowed hard at his immediate look of worry and distrust. "K'Nar is fine. She is safe and well protected. I promise that no one will ever harm her again. When we received word that you were ill, we came as soon as we could - to help undo a mistake."

"What mistake?" Thete reflexively pulled K'Nar closer.

"You were badly hurt and asked K'Nar to help you protect something. Do you remember that?"

Thete stared at her in confusion and shook his head. "I don't remember anything, but her being there, in that place."

"It's alright," G'Na answered gently. "I am going to help you remember. I am ... a healer. K'Nar will be one when she grows up. But, she isn't grown, and when she tried to help you, she made a serious mistake. That mistake has caused you immense pain. It took away your memory and left your thinking cloudy.

"Mother..." K'Nar sobbed.

"I don't understand. What are you talking about?" Thete pulled K'Nar closer.

G'Na noted that he put his cast between her and K'Nar. She had no doubt that he would use it as a weapon to protect her daughter. "My Lord, what do you remember?" she asked gently.

Thete shook his head. "I remember that I hate people asking me that question," he answered tersely. His expression changed and softened. G'Na felt her daughter tell him to be kind.

Thete drew a breath and answered, "I remember getting beaten; hurting so much and I remember her gentleness. Thinking - just got... hard. I remember when she was around, it was ... easier."

"That's because you are both telepaths. K'Nar is a brilliant telepath, but she is untrained. You asked K'Nar to help you protect your ship. Your shields were down, and you were terribly lonely and in tremendous pain. As a telepath cut off from other telepaths for so long, you reached out to the first strong telepath that you met. That was K'Nar. Until her kidnapping, K'Nar has never been cut off from other minds leaving her terribly frightened. She hid her skills from her captors, forcing them to believe she was a mind-blind, but she met you and the two of you - talked.

"Wait - what are you talking about?" He was totally confused.

"You are a telepath," G'Na said slower. "You were badly hurt. K'Nar tried to help by entering your mind to strengthen your shields, but you latched onto each other. But in your weakened state, with your shields gone, K'Nar saw your name, your real name. You intertwined - bonded as one -as mates. She left a symbol of the connection between you, and you have clung to it with all your strength. When you were forced apart, it was too much for your mind to handle. Badly hurt, without your memories and shields to protect you; you shut down to a barely functioning child."

The confused look on his face broke her heart. G'Na looked at the humans in the room. Silent tears traced down the cheeks of all four. Nothing in her life prepared her for this. She turned back to see complete confusion in Thete's eyes. "I know how hard all this is for you, but try to search your mind. Try to understand." G'Na said.

"Yes, right, absolutely. No - no, I don't. I don't understand what you want. She's a bloody child, and she's my friend. I am not a child stealer." His joy turned first to panic, and then to anger.

"Go away - all of you. My head is splitting. This isn't right." Thete began to hyperventilate as he clung protectively to a sobbing K'Nar.

"My Lord, this wasn't your fault." G'Na tried to reassure him and defend her daughter. "K'Nar didn't intend for this to happen. She tapped into your deep-seated loneliness, but I have to break that connection."

"You're making her cry! Go away!"

"I am so very sorry, Lord; this isn't fair to either of you, but I have no choice." G'Na felt as much an abuser as the people who had tortured him.

"You want to take her from me. You want to rip her away! I won't let you!" Thete's voice shook. "No, I just found her! I won't let you take her away from me again!" Thete buried his head in her neck. "K'Nar what happened, what did you do?"

"You were hurt, and you wanted so much to go home." K'Nar sobbed. "I planted a link, so we could communicate, but we accidentally bonded - as mates."

"You mean friends?" Thete couldn't absorb what she was saying.

"No, Lord. It was an accident, but I initiated - the marriage bond. I turned off what makes you not human so you could hide, and then..."

"You're a child, I can't... Wait, what do you mean - I'm not human? If I'm not human... what am I? This isn't real. I'm dreaming, God, this isn't real. K'Nar, tell me, you're real."

"My Lord," K'Nar clutched his hand to her face, "I am real: see, feel my hand." She sobbed.

"K'Nar, don't let them take you from me, please. You can fix it right?"

"My Lord, I..." K'Nar sobbed.

"She cannot, my Lord." G'Na answered firmly. "I cannot permit it. K'Nar is a child. I must protect her, and I must protect you from her. She is brilliant, but right now, she is an untrained, traumatised child. I must break this bond for both your sakes."

"No - no - no! Everybody takes things away from me!" He used his cast to push G'Na away while he increased his grip on K'Nar. "I keep trying, and I lose. I lose everything. Not this time, you can't."

"Mother, please, I can fix this." K'Nar begged as her Mother pulled her off the bed.

"Please, she is all I have! I won't let you. Hank!" he screamed as loud as his hoarse, weakened voice would allow. "Get out of here!" He batted at G'Na's hands as she stopped his attempt to grab K'Nar's hand. "No. No ... I'm not letting you do this. Nan, please ... help me! Don't let her do this to me." His joy turned to fury.

"Captain." G'Na leaned back. They all had tears running down their faces. "Doctor Jones, take K'Nar out."

"No! K'Nar, no! " He screamed as Martha pulled the girl away from the bed.

"Doc, I'm really sorry." Jack came over and sat down, "River, hold his hand."

"Mother, please - don't. You're scaring him. Please, Mother. Let me help. I. Won't. Go!" K'Nar tried to twist from Martha's grasp as the doctor pulled her from the room.

"No! K'Nar!" Thete tried to sit on his hand, "Stop it. No! Sarah!" He arched away as she pulled his hand out. He slapped her, and then swung his cast at Jack, connecting with his nose. Blood splattered as he fought to prevent anyone from touching his face.

"Damn Doc - that hurt!" Jack leaned against him, pinning him to the bed while River secured his head allowing G'Na to place her fingers on his temples. With her daughter's voice echoing in her head, she forced her mind into his, easily steam rolling over the mental blocks he through up in defence. She pushed through until she found him, screaming and begging her to go away. He turned his back to her in a vain attempt to protect his image of K'Nar.

"I'm so sorry." G'Na attempted to flood him with peace.

She grabbed the thin red line and yanked easily snatching the glowing balloon from his hand crashing him into the darkness. He screamed in horror as she destroyed the link to K'Nar. G'Na immediately flooded the cave with the light of her own energy. The sight of the terrified boy on his knees in grief at the sudden loss of a connection that he had clung to for so long tore at her soul. His screams filled her mind as she felt his body buck against the bed. The rush of adrenaline did little to help his weakened body fight against the healthy adults holding him down.

"Now, Doctor Song!" G'Na ordered. River placed her hands on his face and good hand and opened her mind to the TARDIS who immediately flooded her Thief with golden energy pouring through River. It poured out of her hands and eyes, back in his mind. G'Na guided the energy to switch the deactivated sections of his brain back on. It would be days before the damaged areas would be healed, but at least it was a start.

Thete's struggle ended abruptly. Soaked with sweat, he dropped against the bed as artron energy raced through his mind, finally settling into the form of a woman. G'Na watched in fascination as the frightened child stood to face the strange, dishevelled woman who held her arms out to him and began singing She guided him to the woman until he fell into her arms. G'Na watched strands of the golden energy weave in, around, and through them as he began to transform back into a young man. She watched him collapse into the woman's arms. Before she withdrew, she placed him in a deep state of sleep. She felt as if she'd committed the ultimate act of betrayal against her daughter and watched a miracle all in the same instant.

Martha stopped an anxious Cass from entering, reassuring her that he was alright. She told her that Thete had his first session and had a flashback, but that he was quiet now. She was incredibly glad that the Munsons and Nan Carson were all safely at home and blissfully unaware of his pain.

The remaining three stood back watching in fascination as artron energy began glowing around the injured Time Lord's head. Gold shined through his closed eyes Slowly, it dissipated, his face relaxed and he looked at peace. They left the Time Lord sleeping. Now the real work would begin. G'Na left the room to tend to her wounded daughter whose agony screamed in her head.

o0o

Two guilt ridden, enraged friends stared down at Thete's sleeping face. River lovingly kissed Thete's forehead and then looked at Jack who leaned over and did the same. "Just - sleep, Doc. I'm - so sorry." Jack reached an arm around River's trembling shoulders and pulled her close.

Her voice dripped with venom. "How's your nose?"

"It's fine, I've had worse," Jack answered, sounding as if he had a sudden cold. "Why?"

"I have unfinished business. Do you want to come?" River stepped away, keyed in a set of coordinates into her vortex manipulator and reached for his hand tucking it safely in hers A millisecond later, the two disappeared in a flash of light.

"Where are we?" Jack asked as they materialised in the shadows of a concrete building.

"Tbril, it's the Stormcage of the 42nd century. Ten years to the second after I gave NaV0 the drink," River answered with a cold, bitter tone.

Using the sonic screwdriver, River disabled the camera and then stepped from the shadows. "Hello Nashta Vorron, I came back to keep a promise," River snarled through a forced smile.

An older woman in prison grey turned to face her. A look of horror crossed her face. "No... You can't, I have rights," She shouted as a wave of pain ripped through her head. Blood trickled from her nose as she collapsed on the floor screaming.

A bitter smile crossed River's face as she and Jack stepped into the shadows and disappeared. When the guards found their prisoner, she was mindless and blind. The last thing she saw or heard was a ten-year old nightmare named River Song.