Today's Matt's 29th birthday and he made sure there's plenty of food and drinks to last the night for the duration of it. He's got plenty of movies to pick from and wanted to share with Ripley as there's some that she never seen before that never existed in her universe.

Troubled him what to start with first, there's plenty of movies he wanted to show her, and not enough time in the day to get through them all.

So, he started with the basics and put on a movie he enjoyed from his primary school days. An oldie, but a goodie, and he and his dad watched it in theatre. Skipped a school day to catch it because it was that popular at the time and made his mum furious with the both of them.

As for the present Ripley refused to tell anything about until this day, she's given it to him, and he's got a bright red face and a wide smile as he relaxed on the couch.

Stepping out the loo, Ripley walked around the couch and sat down beside Matt as he looked towards her.

"What?" Ripley asked him as she settled in the green couch.

Matt babbled, "When you said you had a surprise for me…"

Ripley giggled at him, covering her mouth, and cheekily asked if he liked her present.

Slowly nodding, Matt pushed himself towards her and settled next to her, arm around her waist.

"I… didn't expect it," he mused that he never pictured Ripley to get him that kind of present.

Chuckling, Ripley asked if he felt better.

"I'd be ungrateful if I didn't!" Matt exhaled.

Genuinely, Matt's happy with his present and he'll never forget it for as long as he lives. Having Ripley pull all stops to give him it, he couldn't ask for a better friend and girlfriend!

Ripley shrugged as she smirked, "Wait until your 30th birthday!"

A look came over Matt and he turned a brighter red before he calmed and his face no longer flushed.

"Well, I can't wait to see what you get me then!" Matt smiled as he planted a kiss on her cheek.

He thanked her for her present and she waved her hand, saying it was nothing, he deserved a big send off before he turned thirty.

It dawned on Matt and he got Ripley's attention. He emphasized that while he's grateful for what she done for him, he's willing to hear her out as well. It's only fair. After all, it wouldn't be proper if he had all the fun.

"Oh, don't worry, I'm thinking," Ripley gave him a toothy smile.

Matt grinned as he asked what she's thinking about and she admitted that she didn't know where to begin, but once she figured it out, he'll be the first one to know.

"I can't wait," Matt smiled.

The pair lounged, watched the movie and went back and forth to the kitchen island to grab food from the containers and once they had their fill for the hour, they relaxed.

"Y'know, I think I know what was it," Matt reflected on his past relationships.

Ripley asked him what it was and he told her that he wanted to appease everyone, but at the end he learned he couldn't just appease them. Pouring love and attention and never asking anything in return. Too scared, Matt just grinned and pretended all was well, when he was ignoring his own needs.

In the end, he tried to be what they wanted and it hurt him overall. He never shared his thoughts and feelings much unless specifically asked and even then, he was always afraid of the wrong answers.

With Diana, he wanted to be the boyfriend that was always there, but she didn't return the favour and at the end, they were distant enough that Matt felt that the relationship was beyond help.

Jenna, well, Ripley wasn't wrong, she was dainty, and that wasn't necessary bad, but she didn't see eye to eye with some things as Matt. That wasn't necessary bad, but there were issues long before they ended up breaking up after concluding they weren't meant to be.

As for his current relationship…

Well, Ripley's blunt when she needs to, listens to everything even if she doesn't agree, gives critiques when asked, but always heard Matt when he needed her input and ensured a middle ground.

It surprised Matt the most when she heard him out on things that he always wanted to do, but never did, and more when she obliged.

Maybe she had too much fun with cuffing him.

Regardless, he was able to do things that he never chanced because he never found the courage to ask his past partners. Of course, he listened to Ripley's critiques and she always supported him as he supported her.

Having known each other for almost two years and thousands in the TARDIS if anyone's willing to do the math, the pair could trust each other and well, have fun. Within reason, of course.

"Matt, you're making me blush," Ripley giggled at this.

She then asked about the negatives he found and he summed that when it came down to it, Ripley wasn't the easiest to argue with.

"Learn to checkmate more," Ripley poked him gently.

Matt made a joke, one that shouldn't be said so outwardly, and Ripley shook her head as she sighed at it as he laughed.

"But above all else, thank you, Ellie, for everything," Mat thanked her profusely.

Ripley shrugged her shoulders as she modestly told him that it's her job as a friend, lover, and boss, to help him however she can.

"And I love you for it!" Matt thanked her with a kiss.

They would've enjoyed Matt's birthday in peace hadn't someone knocked on the door.

Pulling away, the two looked up at the door as someone knocked again.

"We weren't that loud, were we?" Ripley asked Matt as he tugged on his shirt.

Matt assured her that nobody hears anything in the building.

His landlady takes her pills and out like a light until her morning soaps come on. Nobody should've complained.

"I'll get it," Matt stood up.

He blushed when Ripley reminded him to check himself and he did.

Thanking Ripley as he fixed his trousers, Matt went to the door and fixed his hair. He exhaled sharply and opened it.

"I'm so sorry Miss Lagniappe, I promise I'll keep it down!" Matt apologized quickly before becoming confused.

It wasn't Miss Lagniappe and as he stared at the person standing there, a look came over his face as he saw a man weakly smiling as he waved.

"Hi!" Jack greeted Matt.

Matt, baffled, responded, "Wha-what are you doing here?"

Jack scoffed as he pointed at Matt. He chided the confused Matt that he left messages and Matt didn't return his calls.

Ripley explicitly told Jodie to hold any calls or messages for the duration of Matt's birthday. She didn't want anyone or anything to put a wrench in his plans.

"Why are you here?" Matt crossed his arms.

Jack gestured, "Well, I need your help!"

He begged the bewildered Matt for his help.

Matt told him that he took today off and that he'll be back at it the next day, for now he wanted to relax.

"Please, you're the only one I know who can help me!" Jack cupped his hands together as he begged Matt.

Conflicted, Matt chewed on the bottom of his lips before exhaling sharply. "Jack, if this isn't an emergency, I'm afraid you'll have to wait," he scorned Jack.

Unless something absolutely needed his attention, Matt didn't want any part of any adventure. Today's going great and he wanted to keep it that way.

"I'll pay you back, pinkie promise!" Jack offered.

He pleaded with Matt that if he helped him, he'll put all stops with anything Matt needed. If he needed an army, he'll get an army. If he needed a bomb, he'll get a bomb bigger than the sun. Anything!

"What's going on here?" Ripley crossed her arms as she stood near Matt.

Her dark eyes narrowed on Jack as he tried to smile and she shook her head.

"Am I interrupting something here?" Jack stopped and looked at them questionably.

Matt told Jack that today was his birthday and he wanted to spend it at home with his mate and then some.

"Tisk, if you'd told me, I would've brought you a birthday present!" Jack chided Matt for not telling him it was his birthday. He would've pulled all stops to get him a nice present and a cake too!

Sighing, Ripley asked Jack what he wanted and his chocolates eyes glistened as he smiled. He told the pair that he needed their help because there's been multiple deaths in his quadrant over the last couple of weeks and they're too eerily similar to be the run of the mill.

"A serial killer?" Ripley raised a brow at this.

Jack raised a finger as he then told them the next bit.

"All the bodies we found, they've all been drained of blood," Jack told them.

It lined up eerily to something Ripley's all too familiar with, in stories that is, and she wearily said, "Vampire?"

Nodding, Jack affirmed that it's a vampire. Only, it's not the vampire that Ripley's familiar with. Kind of a hybrid.

"We traced it to the originator. I'm not going to bore you with the specifics, but it's basically a space vampire. Came down, took a human form, sucked bodies dry, that kind of deal," Jack gestured with his hand.

Matt inquired why haven't Jack's team dealt with the vampire and Jack explained why. The originator, his team cornered and killed, but the murders still happened, all with the same MO.

"A copycat?" Ripley asked.

Jack shook his head. He swore that it's not and he's certain that the originator's the only vampire they found. His team thorough they made sure that they didn't miss anything.

"That's why I'm coming to you, Doctor, if there's anyone who can find things people can't find, it's you," Jack pointed at Matt.

While Matt's touched Jack thought of him, he's curious as to why Jack wanted his help.

"It's… a touchy subject," Jack winced when he said the sentence.

Ripley worried and asked if it's Ianto and Jack shook his head.

He assured her that Ianto's fine, it's just that the touchy subject came when one of the bodies of the victims went missing from the morgue.

"We have a recruit, his name's Lee. Sweet guy. Did drag for a living to make money before he joined us. It was his girlfriend's body," Jack explained to them what he meant by touchy subject.

Lee's girlfriend, Vena, went missing one night after leaving work around the time the killings started and the team hoped that she'd turn up.

"Found her in an alleyway, same as the others," Jack frowned.

He met Vena many times when Lee started at the institute. She was a spitfire, kinda like Ripley, but she was overall a sweetie and often baked for the team. Jack always wanted her carrot cake recipe, but she would never give it to him. He playfully joked he'd get it out of Lee if he could, but she made sure that Lee wouldn't tell him.

"Her body went missing and… I don't know what to do," Jack felt distraught as he stood in the doorway of Matt's flat.

Jack, arguably, didn't earn his position just flinging flirts and smiling, he worked hard and nearly died multiple times. Here he was, beside himself, unable to think of what to do.

"Does Lee know?" Ripley asked him about Lee's knowledge of Vena's missing body.

Jack shook his head.

"I hate doing this to him, but if I told him her body's missing, he'd be out on the street every night looking and I can't risk my teammates," Jack bitterly sighed.

He never wanted to do this again, so help him God, and he couldn't stand the sight of Lee's anguish. He used to be so jovial, so happy, always a ray of sunshine on a cloudy day. Having the support of Vena helped him better himself and become a productive member of Jack's team.

The fact that it's his girlfriend's body missing amid the crisis, it doesn't look good, and Jack doesn't know what to do.

Hence him coming to the only person he knew could've done something.

The Doctor.

"So, will you help me, I promise I'll make it up to you, but you gotta help me. If Lee finds out, it'll tear him up. I can't stand seeing people cry, Doc," Jack clutched his hands together as he pleaded with Matt.

Looking at Ripley, Matt slowly nodded as he turned his head back to Jack.

"Alright, we'll help. Give us a few minutes to put everything up and we'll go, fair?" Matt gave Jack his answer.

Jack smiled and nodded, thanking Matt profusely.

Disappearing into his flat, Matt and Ripley worked to clean everything up and turn off the movie.

Stepping out of the flat, Matt locked it from behind and followed Jack out of the building. There, to their amazement, the TARDIS waited for them.

"I guess one of my messages got through because it came and got me," Jack pointed at the TARDIS. "Usually it ignores me!"