The Doctor was still shaking the phone Martha had left him. It had been lucky it had been put back on the console after they'd used it to track a signal to where the Daleks had hidden the missing planets. No-one had told him about charging it though, what did he know about such things as mobile phones? Had Martha even thought about it when she'd left it with him?

He opened a drawer under the console, rummaging through it and throwing things out all over the floor. He remembered Rose was always putting a lead in hers to call her mother and spending ages chatting to Jackie about everything and nothing. That was what he had loved about her, Rose and her ordinary life. Now, it seemed like there was a problem of some kind with his twin by what Jake had said.

He didn't pretend to understand how mobile phones worked if they ran out of charge. Would they retain the last number received, since it wasn't even from this universe? Yes, it had 'Universal Roaming' – the full package but he'd never tried it out personally.

He found a short lead that looked vaguely like what he needed and got down on his knees to the power points his previous form had installed, putting the small end in the phone and hoping it would fit. He put the plug into the socket and switched it on, praying it wouldn't blow every one of the ship's circuits or he'd crash-land somewhere.

"Thank you!" he exclaimed when a green battery light came on the phone's screen. "I bet Martha sneaked that lead in there on her last visit! Right, best leave that for a while and then try calling back, unless Jake calls me first."

He decided he'd be better off staying where he was, Jake could have got a fix on his position if he still worked at Torchwood. What had happened to Rose and his twin though? Had they fallen out for some reason? Who had left who? Maybe he'd been wrong to throw them together and expect them to just get on with it?

Pete was trying to comfort poor Rose when he was told the gap in the void hadn't just closed.

"We'll get him back love," he promised her. "Won't we Jake?"

"Yeah Rose, it's probably something stupid like a flat battery, knowing him," Jake tried to joke. "Let's give him a bit of time, see if he calls back or I'll try him again."

"While we wait, John's chances aren't gettin' any better," Rose began to sob.

"We know Rose," Pete told her. "None of us want that. So, how does that universal roaming work then?" he tried to take her mind off things.

"I don't know, it just does. The first Doctor did something to my phone so I could call mum. He said wait until I got the phone bill," she recalled, a bit of a smile coming through.

"From what she told me, she didn't even know you were gone at first," Pete reminded her.

"John had so much to tell me Dad, about all the things he did and the places he went. He met Shakespeare, Agatha Christie, battled some rogue Daleks in 1930's Manhattan."

"Rose, he still will love," Pete put his arm around her again, offering her another large tissue from the box on the table.

"It doesn't seem like it," Rose sniffed into the tissue. "What if ya can't get the Doctor back on the phone Jake?"

"We got through before Rose, he'll probably stay where he is so he doesn't get distracted," Jake told her.

"Yeah, he's good at doing that," Rose recalled.

"Why don't you get some fresh air?" Pete suggested. "Or at least come up to my office? Jake can make the call from up there."

"Rose, I'll call you right away if there's any change in John," Sammi promised. "You need a break."

"Let's all go to the canteen first, get a drink and something to eat?" Pete also suggested, knowing Rose wasn't eating much.

Jake got up, holding Rose's work phone.

"Come on Rose, when we get up there, I'll try calling him again," he promised.

Rose knew she was being ganged up on and reluctantly let Pete help her up.

"Rose, being in these artificial lights all the time are not doing your eyes any good," Sammi reminded her. "As your physician at Torchwood, take my advice and get some natural light or you'll make yourself ill. You won't be able to help John then."

"Okay, okay, I'm going," Rose knew she couldn't beat the three of them.

"Jake, I'm putting you in charge of keeping her away from here for a few hours," Sammi laughed.

Rose always knew when Jake meant business, he could be worse than her mother. Once in the large canteen just below the cannon room which was the old lever room, the three of them sat at a table by the window.

"Need some sunglasses Rose?" Jake teased her as the autumn sunlight shone through the windows.

"Very funny Jake. Do ya think his phone will be charged by now?" she asked impatiently. "I mean there is a time difference."

"Yes and he's behind us," Pete reminded her.

"Well he can leave it plugged in while he talks," Rose objected. "Sorry Dad. I just want to hear his voice."

"I know love, no need to apologise, we're all making allowances for you but you need some proper rest, or Sammi will be looking after you as well. None of us want that," Pete told her. "If a way can be found to get to the Doctor, you won't be fit to go."

"He's right," Jake agreed, holding the phone and bringing up the number again. "I'll try him again, he might have lost the number if the battery went."

"I want to talk to him Jake," Rose reminded him.

"Jake's the best one to explain about John, then you can talk to him," Pete told her. "We're not trying to stop you talking to him but it's important he understands how urgent it is he tries to get through and what we're willing to do to get him here in one piece."

"We only got here by accident before Dad," Rose replied. "He said his people used to do it all the time but what I don't get is why it stopped?"

"There must have been a reason?" Pete wondered.

Jake had re-dialled the phone he'd called the Doctor on earlier. He waited to hear the ringing tone and was pleased he didn't get any messages saying the call couldn't be connected but what language would they have been in?

The Doctor had been staring at the phone as he sat where he and Rose used to sit. He'd been thinking of the time they'd been laughing at his cheesy jokes while Mickey had been holding down a button then a few minutes later, they'd crash-landed on Pete's World.

Was he going to have to attempt to make the crossing again? He'd tried to recreate it many a time, to get Rose back but as usual, he'd become distracted and then Rose had somehow found him and what had he gone and done? He'd only gone and inadvertently created a clone of himself and left it with her. He'd never even given them time to discuss it.

Had Rose been so mad she'd got Jake to call him for her? He jumped up at the first ring, since he'd dared to turn the phone back on after five minutes.

"Rose?" he asked hopefully.

"Not quite," Jake laughed. "Doctor, I've got something important to tell you, about your twin. He's very ill, he needs you."

"Jake, I can't just hop over there," The Doctor told him, wishing the phone charger lead was longer.

"We have measures in place to help you get here Doctor, we're going to do everything we can," Jake told him. "We're going to get Rose to you, if you stay where you are."

"Are you crazy Jake?" the Doctor asked him. "You can't risk her like that. How are you even going to do it?"

"We adapted those devices they used, your twin helped, before he got really ill. Doctor, it's got something to do with his breathing, the doctors here now think it's the air quality or the oxygen he's being given but they can't take him off it in case it isn't that," Jake tried to explain. "There's also something else."

Isn't there always, The Doctor asked himself.

"He got ill just after he got here," Jake continued. "He thought it maybe had something to do with his creation."

Rose cringed as Jake began to explain. It was painful listening to it again.

"I see then?" the Doctor got all serious. "I don't know what to say Jake. Can I talk to Rose, she must be really upset."

"Sure, I'll put her on," Jake told him.

"Doctor," Rose took the phone from Jake. "I'd have called sooner but I'd completely forgotten I had that phone number from when everyone was trying to contact ya."

"Rose, it's fine. What happened, he seemed fine when I left him," the Doctor replied, wondering what had gone wrong.

Now he knew why there had never been any Meta-Crisis or whatever you wanted to call it. Maybe there had been and the Timelords had kept it quiet because non of them had ever survived. How could he tell Rose that?

"He started to complain just after you left, he said he didn't feel right but put it down to it being a new experience," Rose told him.

"Rose, it could be only that," he told her.

"For all this time?" Rose asked him.

"Sorry. Rose, I don't want you to risk coming to me, it's dangerous," he insisted. "Even the slightest bit out."

"I get it," Rose agreed. "They have everything ready to get you here though. We need you Doctor, John needs you."

"I know you got through Rose but the Tardis won't work over there," he reminded her.

"We've got power cables ready to help with that," Jake spoke up. "You'll have all the power you need. Rose told us about that power cell last time. Doctor, all you have to do is keep one alive and we can boost it for you to get you back. You have to at least try."

The Doctor went silent for a moment. How could he refuse to help his twin? He'd let Jenny die while she'd been saving him, how could he let it happen again?

"How much time does he have?" he asked solemnly.

"We don't know," Pete replied. "He's been sedated, they're doing everything they can for him, he has 24 hour care and Rose won't leave him. You just give us the word and we'll send you the co-ordinates to land in Torchwood's cannon room, that's where all the power's been set up."

"I'm trusting you Pete, you know how I feel about any kind of Torchwood," the Doctor reminded him. "I'll need to make preparations, I'll contact you when I'm ready. Pete don't you dare let Rose attempt to get to me."

"Hey, I'm here ya know," Rose reminded him.

"Sorry Rose, it's just too dangerous. If I was on Earth, then maybe but not in space," he replied. "I'll be as fast as I can but it's still risky getting the Tardis through. Pete, have you something to control the gap in the void?"

"Yes but we never know for how long but we'll tell you how to get through safely and we'll make it big enough for you to get through. We're working on something else for communications but it's in the early stages," Pete admitted. "Rose's phone will be on, just call."

"I will. See you all soon, hopefully," the Doctor replied.

"I'm off to tell Sammi," Rose told Jake and Pete.

"Hold on, not so fast," Pete told her. "Your time's not up yet."

"Are ya both gonna hold me hostage up here then?" Rose asked.

"If we have to. Jake, get some more drinks will you?" Pete asked him.

"Coming up," Jake laughed.

"Dad, the Doctor will be able to get through safely?" Rose asked Pete.

"Everything has been put in place, don't worry," he assured her. "His driving had better not be off by much though."

"Very funny Dad," Rose smiled as Jake came back. "Will ya let me know when he's arriving?" she asked Jake.

"Ya know I will," he replied. "I'll let Sammi know, she'll have someone on standby to take John to him."

"I hate to have to bring him here to save his own twin," Rose told them.

"Rose, think how he would have felt if he'd found out when it was too late," Pete reminded her. "At least John has a chance now. You and your mother weren't gone long, let's hope it doesn't take long for the Doctor to get here."

"Can I go now?" Rose dared ask as she finished her drink.

"You have to keep taking proper breaks," Pete insisted.

"Well once the Doctor's here and he can make John well, there won't be any need," Rose smiled as she got up.

"I'm off to make more arrangements, now it's happening," Jake told her.

"Yes, I have to go explain why we're having to widen the gap," Pete told them both.

"Dad, they won't turn ya down, will they?" Rose was suddenly worried.

"They know how urgent it is that John gets help," Pete assured her. "Do you want to call your mother?"

"Geez no, not her and the Doctor together," Rose groaned, making Jake laugh.

The Doctor could hardly believe what Jake had just told him. Something had gone seriously wrong with the process when his twin had been created. From what he'd gathered, Donna had been compelled to touch his hand in the jar while the Tardis had been on fire and a new version of himself had been formed.

Maybe some sort of battle was taking place for dominance, between his Human and Timelord sides? He couldn't see it being anything to do with the air quality though, it had to be something else. He set about getting ready for the co-ordinates to land in the other universe, knowing the ship wouldn't thank him for it and would probably try to resist. He put his hands on the console.

"It's for my twin, he needs us," he spoke to the empty room. "Rose needs us."

The ship hummed her approval to him and he let go. Now, he just had to wait, there wasn't much else he could do, except hope that tiny power cell from before would survive yet again. Maybe it was the ship's way to ensure her survival no matter what?

Everything was ready in the cannon room. It had been chosen because it had been thought Rose would be going to find the Doctor but now, he was coming to them – well so they hoped. Jake was doing the final check of the co-ordinates.

"I tell you, it's not going to be precise enough," Simon, the head technician was telling Jake as Pete joined them.

"Every minute we delay doesn't help John," Pete reminded him.

"I'm sorry Director, I'm fully aware of that and I have every sympathy but if the Doctor has moved even the slightest bit, we may not be able to help him through, it's very complex."

"So what do you suggest?" Pete wanted to know, since things would be getting critical and the gap had only just reopened again.

"Someone goes over," Simon replied, looking at Pete.

"That's out of the question, the Tardis is in a nebula. If whoever we send misses, I don't have to draw a picture," Pete told Simon.

"Sir, may I make a suggestion? Jake could get the Doctor to somehow guide whoever we send so they land safely and they in turn have the exact co-ordinates that can't be given over the phone," Simon seemed pleased with himself. "We put everything the Doctor needs on a pad. The only thing is, as soon as the agent goes, we have to be ready to widen the gap for the Tardis to get through right away with not knowing the time difference."

"Leave that to me. Get that information on a data pad. Jake, get ready to go and make sure you contact the Doctor to be ready."

"Pete, Rose will go crazy if you don't send her," Jake reminded him.

"Jake, I can't send her and you know it," Pete told him.

"He won't let anything happen to her, he'll make sure she reaches the Tardis," Jake replied.

"Call her, it's up to her," Pete had to agree. "Simon, get ready to open that gap to get someone through, then widen it again and keep it open. No-one closes it, understand?"

"Yes Director, the gap's ready to be widened."

Jake was on to Rose.

"I don't care Jake, I'm going," Rose told him. "Have ya told the Doctor yet?"

"I was just about to, he'll make sure you get there. You understand the risk?" Jake had to ask her.

"Yeah, it's what I signed up for, remember?" she reminded him. "I'm on my way, ya'd better call him."

"Are you going over to get him then?" Sammi had been trying to listen.

"I have to Sammi, they can't guide him through, it needs precise co-ordinates. He'll make sure I get there."

"He'd better. Be careful Rose," Sammi went to give her a hug,

"I'll be back with him before ya know it," Rose smiled at her friend.

Rose went over to kiss John's forehead.

"You just hold on, do ya hear me?" she whispered to him. "I wish ya could hear me. I'm off to get him, he's coming here to make ya better, just don't give up on me."

"I'll stay with him," Sammi promised her.

Rose went off to the cannon room where everyone was busy with their tasks. Rose didn't bother getting changed, there was no point but had to wait for her phone as Jake was still using it.

"She's here Doctor, you know what to do when I end this call. Wait 30 seconds and we'll activate the cannon at our end and just remember, you'll have to answer to her mother if this goes wrong," Jake added.

"That's what I'm afraid of," the Doctor replied. "Is everything ready Jake?"

"Yeah. Hopefully, we'll see ya shortly and don't worry, we'll take care of the Tardis, you just take care of John," Jake told him.

"Thanks for taking care of him," the Doctor replied.

Simon signalled everything was ready. Rose was stood where she was supposed to be, Jake handed her the phone and the data pad and got out of the way. The technicians started the process as on the other side, the Doctor was preparing to guide Rose the rest of the way, hoping the ship's extended shields would protect her if she landed a few feet short.

He'd not had much time to alter the distance they covered but he trusted the Tardis knew what he intended them being extended for. Then if Rose didn't appear in front of him, he'd open the doors and prepare for a rescue mission after tying a rope to himself.

Rose felt a rush of air, having taken a deep breath, which she had got used to doing. She had glanced at Pete and Jake then everything had gone black and she usually closed her eyes until she felt she had landed. She never knew exactly how long it ever took to get to where she was going, which had been mostly missing the Doctor and landing in the wrong time period or in made-up worlds.

She trusted the gap had been made bigger, she didn't need the hand-held device to get back this time, they were waiting for the Tardis going back instead. The signal for keeping the gap open was contained in the data pad, Jake had told her.

The Doctor was watching the monitor and looking around at the same time for any signs of Rose, his two hearts beating faster than normal. It hadn't been that long since he'd seen her but he'd missed her. Then he suddenly heard a gasp as Rose landed.

"Oh! I'm here, wow!"

The Doctor moved the monitor away so he could see.

"Rose! You clever girl, you made it!" he laughed, going to greet her and then picking her up and spinning her around. "Oh it's good to see you. How could John get so ill?"

"I don't know, he just did. We were still on that beach and when we got back home, we took him to Torchwood and it just went from there. I'll let his doctors explain it. This is what ya need to get us back," she told him, handing him the data pad. "I'll let them know I made it, good thing Pete never told my mum I was coming to get ya."

"You're telling me," he agreed, turning on the pad.

"Oh, the signal to keep the gap open is on there as well, just in case it decides to close, it's a safeguard," Rose told him as she followed him.

"You can explain it another time," the Doctor replied, following the data as it appeared on the screen. "Let's get you back."

After a quick call to Jake, who was relieved to hear her voice, before they knew it, they had landed on the floor of the cannon room, everyone having been told to stand back. The bad news was that every single power circuit in the Tardis had gone out, one by one as they had done so.

"I told you," the Doctor wagged his finger at Rose in the glow of the Tardis coral while grabbing a torch from under the console. "This way."

He shone the beam at the doors but as he opened them, they were greeted by Pete and Jake.

"Welcome back Doctor," Pete told him, holding his hand out.

The Doctor put the torch in his pocket and shook Pete's hand.

"Pete Tyler. Well thanks for landing me safely, I hope that's the right sort of power?" he pointed to all the cables.

"They'll power anything you may need in your labs if you need them and we'll bring lighting in. Do you want to go down and see him or we can bring him up here when we've powered up your ship?" Pete asked him.

The Doctor thought Pete wasn't messing around.

"Ah, Jakey boy!" he then greeted Jake. "Can you go inside and under the grating, there should be a green light. If there is, can you bring it to me?"

"Sure Doctor. Does it need powering up?" Jake asked him.

"No, only I can do that, it got me out of here the last time," the Doctor grinned.

"No need to worry about that Doctor, we won't let you get stuck here, we'll get you back," Pete promised.

"Thanks Pete. Right, best go see him, then I'll know if I need him in the Tardis lab."

"While we're gone, we'll get the lighting in, just in case," Pete told him, waving to the chief electrician. "Coming Rose?"

"You won't tell mum I went to get him?" she wanted to make sure.

"I won't if you won't," the Doctor joked as he nudged her.

"Here ya are Doctor," Jake called from the Tardis doorway, handing him a small green light.

The Doctor kissed it, breathed on it and it started to glow.

"Huh, another ten years gone," he told them as they waited for the lift.

"Sammi, the Doctor's with us, we're coming down," Jake was telling her.

Sammi didn't know how to break the news to them. She'd been about to call Pete after getting Owen to join her.

"I don't know what else to do Owen," she had told him. "He's barely hanging on and there's nothing I can do."

"Okay Sammi, we've done all we can, hopefully Rose will bring the Doctor back with her. Don't give up yet," Owen told her, putting his hand on her shoulder.

She would have normally told him to go away but not now. Rose was going to be very upset when she found out. She jumped when her phone rang and it was Jake.

"Tell me you have some good news Jake."

"We're on our way down – with the Doctor."

"Jake, it's not good down here, don't tell Rose, please," Sammi begged him.

The Doctor knew something was going on as he saw the look on Jake's face. He took Rose's hand.

"So, you've not had much time together then?" he asked her.

"No, he started getting really ill. We got our own place but we had to move back to mum's," Rose replied.