Time had slowly dragged itself across the day and to John it seemed that every hour had lasted an eternity. Nothing was going on. The constant monitoring of Earth's communication channels had not picked up anything out of the ordinary and even the weather was now unusually settled across the planet.

Unable to rest, John jogged another lap of the circular main corridor and glanced at the central console as he passed by. No word from Alex or the island. No one wanted to talk to him. He wiped the sweat from his flushed face and continued his gentle run.

He couldn't sit still. He would have liked to catch up on some research or study one of the remote star clusters he had been interested in last week but he was too fidgety. And something about the current quietness across the world was making him nervous. He completed another lap of the station and frowned in annoyance as his mind started to replay the events of the Hood's attack. It had been somewhat quiet like this when that had happened and John didn't want to pause for a moment or risk relaxing into a false sense of security.

Finally beginning to tire, John jogged through to his quarters and stripped off his t-shirt and shorts before climbing into the shower. He had a quick wash and then climbed back into his uniform.

His heart was racing at an almost painful rate and John perched on the edge of his bed to take a moment to steady his breathing. Maybe this was what claustrophobia felt like. He had never experienced it before but could think of no other reason for the panic-like sensations that had been brewing inside him across the day.

John fell back across the bed and took a deep, even breath. Suddenly the idea of spending another 18 days up here seemed impossible and he groaned in disappointment.

"This is crazy …" He muttered into the empty room and listened to his voice bounce hollowly off the walls. "You can do this … you are not going crazy …" A smile then pulled at his mouth and he laughed briefly. "At least you're not talking to yourself, John."

With a sigh, John sat back up and caught sight of the box that sat beside his bed. He frowned in intrigue as he edged closer and peered into the open box. Maybe it was time to open present number 2. Or should he space them out? John's frown deepened as he considered his options but a bleeping from beyond the room then interrupted his musing and he leapt up from the bed.

John grinned in delight and flicked open the comm. as he fell into the chair before the console. "Hey there!" He sighed merrily.

There was silence.

"Alex?" John asked carefully.

The click of her connection came and went but she made no reply.

"Alex? Is that you? Are you okay?"

Again a click and then the sound of her sighing shakily. "I'm sorry." She husked.

John frowned in concern. "Why? What's happened?"

"I …" Alex cleared her throat and sobbed slightly. "I wanted to talk to you but … I'm sorry … now I've heard your voice I … oh crap …"

"It's okay," John said softly, "I'm here … take your time." He clenched his teeth and knew that he would have to find some way of being able to see her. The photographs Penny had sent him had not helped as he had hoped they might and he frowned as he opened the file and looked at the images again.

The first was an official shot of her in her police uniform; she looked much younger than she had the other day and he wondered if she had changed a lot or whether it was simply that he had not exactly seen her at her best. The other photograph was more casual and showed her standing between two other people at what must have been a Christmas party; she was raising her glass in a toast and smiling merrily, a strand of tinsel wrapped around her shoulders.

"John? You there?"

John jumped slightly and could feel his cheeks flushing. He tore his eyes from the photographs and turned towards the screen that indicated their open line. "Yeah. Sorry. I'm here."

"You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." John replied quickly, adding to himself that he would be more than fine if she could be with him.

"They called me in for a review." Alex explained after a while, her voice tight and quiet. "They gave me a choice; extended leave or an admin post."

John closed his eyes and groaned slightly.

"I've been doing this for five years, John!" Alex shouted suddenly, "I love my job and I can't - " her voice cracked and the connection clicked closed.

John waited for her to continue and tried to think of something helpful to say.

"But maybe they're right." Alex ventured after a moment. "Maybe this is just a temporary thing and I just need time …"

"Yeah," John soothed, his own voice straining to get past the sudden lump in his throat.

"It's because they don't know me." Alex continued huskily, "If this had happened at my last station then maybe … mind you, that was a small town and then … then this wouldn't have happened in the first place."

"Then we wouldn't have met." John offered quietly, frowning as he suddenly worried if he was now supposed to feel glad of the attack on the station.

"I know … I know …" Alex took a deep breath and sighed heavily, "It's just … no one else understands except you and I've waited all evening to get home so I could call you and then … then I couldn't."

John heard the tears that she was fighting against and smiled in understanding. He could remember what it was like as a child, hearing his mother's voice and suddenly unable to keep the composure that he had managed to muster and it flattered him that Alex had reacted in such a way to him.

"I'm sorry." Alex whispered across the radio.

"Why?" John asked softly.

"This must all seem a bit too intense," Alex explained quietly, "We only met a few days ago."

"Maybe that's how it works, sometimes." John countered evenly, suddenly realising that his palpitations had faded and his mind was calm.

"Yeah, maybe." Alex agreed quietly.

John hated this. Without being able to see her, his mind was inventing all sorts of possibilities behind even the slightest emotion in her voice.

"I'm knackered!" Alex sighed suddenly, "I decided a walk would do me good but it's a long way home from work. Each tube station I kept telling myself I'd get on at the next one and then before you know it I'm home and my feet are killing me!"

John smiled and flexed his own aching legs, weary from running.

"And it was raining. So, all in all, walking was a really great plan!" Alex laughed softly, "It's nice now, though – pretty sunset."

John peered out at the northern hemisphere beneath the station and smiled thinly, realising that for three weeks each month he never saw a sunset or sunrise and he had not thought of it before. He knew when dawn or dusk occurred but, above the atmosphere, the sun glared through the tinted Plexiglas windows in uniform bright white-yellow.

"I guess you'll see it in about eight hours." Alex offered lightly after a moment.

"No." John looked out at the stars that surrounded him and wanted to describe the view to her. "I have no outside windows here."

"Oh. Oh, I couldn't cope with that. I hate confined spaces."

I didn't used to, John thought to himself.

"Well, you could always pop outside for some fresh air." Alex offered helpfully.

John smiled in amusement, knowing full well what would happen if he simply opened the door, let alone 'popped' outside.

"Or maybe when you go home." Alex continued.

"I'm here all night." John countered.

"Oh."

"I work better at night." He explained, "My genius is at its peak in the early hours."

"Oh, really!" Alex laughed softly.

"Yeah." John enthused, "Not that I'm a mad scientist or anything."

"And the white hair and mysterious 24 hour lab work do a lot to help convince me of that." Alex chuckled.

John was about to protest and then laughed as he realised that she did have a point.

"I wouldn't have put you down for a geek." Alex continued merrily.

"Oh, thanks!" John smiled, "That's one of those odd 'is she complimenting me or not?' phrases!"

"It's a compliment!" Alex urged. "You don't look like a geek. When you're with your brother you look like you belong in a boy band!"

John laughed loudly and shook his head in disbelief. He then pictured himself standing with his younger siblings and for a moment he could agree with her.

"Scott's a bit of a lady's man." Alex continued.

"Yeah." John agreed with a chuckle. "He's the lead singer."

"Okay, okay!" Alex sighed, "I'm sorry! I was only teasing."

John smiled and wondered what his brothers would make of her idea. They would probably revel in the notion of being famous stars stuck on the bedroom wall of every teenage girl across the world.

"Is it just you and Scott?" Alex asked after a moment.

"No, I've got four brothers."

"There are five of you?" Alex chuckled in amusement.

"Yep." Scott smiled, "But we're all too busy for a record deal right now."

"Shame."

"What about you?" John asked.

"What? Have I got a record deal?"

"No, silly! What's your family like?"

"Oh," Alex sighed, "Mum and dad live about an hour away. Dad's a vicar and mum's a school teacher."

"A vicar?" John frowned. "Like, a priest?"

"Yeah, kind of."

"Is he real strict?"

"No!" Alex laughed softly, "But we do differ on many topics. It makes Sunday lunch entertaining."

John nodded and recalled how raucous family dinner on the island could be. Last Saturday evening was the first time they had all been together for a long time and it had been wonderful. It was unfortunate that it had taken such an ordeal to get them together and he wondered if they ought to make a point of meeting up more often.

"I've not seen them for a while, though. We don't really speak much."

"Oh?"

"My dad doesn't approve of my chosen career." Alex explained and then laughed suddenly, "He doesn't know that I had thought of applying for the army before this came up!"

John smiled and then was distracted by a flashing motif on one of the plasma screens before him. "Can you give me a second, Alex – I just need to sort something."

"Sure."

John closed the connection to Alex's frequency and opened the link on the other channel. "Gordon." He smiled in greeting.

"Hey dude." Gordon nodded and stifled a yawn. "Just checking in to make sure you're okay."

"Thanks, I'm fine." John affirmed, "You?"

"I'm exhausted." Gordon sighed heavily, "Dad's decided that the twerp should have some official training. I've spent most of the day stuck out in the ocean in Thunderbird 4 with the little sprout."

John groaned in sympathy and his smile grew. "And how is dearest Alan?"

"Hopelessly in love and high on life." Gordon rolled his eyes in exasperation, "God, he can talk! My ears are ringing!"

"At least he's happy." John observed with a shrug and saw the concern that crossed Gordon's face. "I mean, it's good that he's so cheerful after what happened."

"I think he's overcompensating." Gordon countered.

John laughed and shook his head slowly. "Man, I'm glad that I'm away from all that sometimes."

"Yeah!" Gordon enthused, "It's not fair! You have it easy! Get your ass back down here and do your share of the Alan-sitting!"

"Nah!" John laughed again, "I think I'll take my chances up here." Suddenly his heart was racing as he recalled that there used to be a time when being up on the station was not taking a risk and he wished he could go back there.

"He's locked up, John." Gordon offered quietly, a deep frown settling over his dark eyes as he watched John's demeanour change. "You'retotally safe."

John's smile returned gradually and he took a deep breath. "I know, Gordy … I know. I just wish someone would tell that to my nightmares."

"I just did." Gordon shrugged.

"True." John nodded, "Thanks."

"No problem, dude." Gordon yawned loudly and waved a farewell.

"Later." John acknowledged and closed the line. "Alex? You still there?"

There was a slight pause and then the connection opened. "Yup! I was just getting some snackies."

John laughed softly and nodded in agreement, realising he was also hungry. "What you got?"

"Cheese and marmite on toast." Alex replied.

"Marmite?" John frowned and then gasped as he recalled something that Penny had given him to taste once. "Oh man! That's the brown stuff that burns through your tongue!"

"Only if you have too much!" Alex laughed, "It's lovely. Perfect comfort food – and good for a hangover."

"Eww!" John groaned.

"Yeah!" Alex enthused, "Marmite on toast and a glass of milk."

"Nasty!"

"Have you finished what you needed to do?" Alex asked in interest.

"Yeah." John agreed, smiling as he recalled Scott's observation and realising how good it felt that Gordon was compelled to call him and tell him about his day.

"I've got some stuff to sort out before I go to bed." Alex sighed heavily, "I don't want to go but …"

"I know." John smiled, "I understand."

"I'll call tomorrow." Alex offered lightly.

"Yeah." John agreed, wishing that he could call her when he needed to but he didn't know where she might be and she wouldn't have her radio tuned to this frequency if she was at work.

"Sleep tight."

"Be safe." John responded and switched off the connection.

Wandering through to his bedroom, John flopped face first onto his bed and groaned softly into the pillow. His mind was calm and his heart drummed a steady rhythm in his ears. Deciding to make the most of it, he curled up on his side and sighed contentedly as he quickly drifted to sleep.