-Four years earlier-

"There was another sighting of him overnight in the Soho area last night," Martha informed Jack as she entered his office. Jack looked up from the paperwork that was spread out in front of him. His blue eyes gave nothing away, nor did the expression as he stared up at her.

"I am sure if he was there, he will be gone by now. Just like every other time we chased down rumors of him. We have better things to do then follow rumors that he has appeared again," Jack answered her calmly.

"But this is the third time he has appeared there in the last week. He normally doesn't appear in the same place so often and it would be worth looking into," Martha stated.

"And UNIT can take care of it if there is a problem," Jack responded his voice rising slightly in volume. "The Doctor is not our problem. The weevils that are attacking innocent people in Roath park are though. So I need you to take Mickey and Gwen with you and see if you can figure out what is happening there."

"Yes, sir." Martha didn't argue further. It had been almost six months since the earth had been returned to its rightful place. Since that moment, none of them had heard from the Doctor despite rumors he was on Earth often. They knew Donna had returned to her family without any memories and Wilf had told them why. While they were unsure where Rose was, they knew that he was traveling on his own again and he never did well on his own. Yet, he didn't come to them for companionship or for help, leaving them to live their own lives in Cardiff.

"We are going to have to investigate on our own," Martha informed Mickey. He nodded his understanding. Tonight after work the two of them would head to London. For now, though, they had a job to do.

It was almost seven in the evening before they finally finished their day at Torchwood. The weevils in the park took longer to catch then they expected as many had already retreated to their dens before the small team arrived. They didn't dare enter the den as to do so was a suicide mission and one that only Jack ever willingly went into. So instead, they had to focus on catching the few that still remained out in the open. They ended up having to kill one of the weevils but they were able to take a second one alive. They loaded both of them into the boot of the SUV's taking them back to Torchwood. Once there they transferred the live one to the cells while the dead one was taken to the autopsy room. She then started the autopsy while Mickey and Gwen submitted the necessary paperwork for the day.

"Are we sure it is even the Doctor?" Mickey questioned as they both climbed into the SUV.

"No. It could be the meta crisis that was created but that still doesn't explain why he is hanging around Soho. We should at least go up there long enough to offer our help and if it is the meta crisis, make sure he is adjusting all right before returning to Cardiff," Martha stated.

"We have to be up early tomorrow," Mickey told her trying one last time to change her mind but just as he suspected Martha wasn't going to be swayed. He could hear the determination in her voice and knew that there would be no changing her mind. So rather than spending a quiet evening at home and maybe trying to create a little one of their own, they were going to drive to London to find out why the Doctor was spending time there.

"I will sleep on the way up and you can sleep on the way back. If we get back in time, then we can both have a nap before we have to go into work or if we do find the Doctor we might be able to sleep on the TARDIS before having to drive back to Cardiff," Martha answered. Mickey sighed as he finally put the key in the ignition and started the engine. Martha reached back for the seatbelt pulling it over her lap and buckling herself in. Mickey started out, turning right towards the M4 rather than towards their flat. Martha settled back, closing her eyes as he drove.

"And what do we tell Jack when he asks why we are so tired tomorrow?" Mickey questioned her before she was able to drift off

"I am sure we can think of something," Martha answered with a smile. Mickey smiled back even though she couldn't see him through her closed eyes. Turning on the radio softly, he started on the long drive to London.

The drive was relatively uneventful and Mickey found a parking spot before waking Martha. She seemed confused for a second but then slipped out of the SUV. Mickey got out as well going around to join her. They walked side by side along the streets looking for any sign of the blue box or the man that they both called a friend. He didn't appear that night, though, so after several hours of searching, they returned to the SUV going back to Cardiff. Determined not to give up, they made the journey for the next two nights looking for any sign of the Doctor. It seemed that his time in London was done as they failed to find him. Giving up, they once more returned to the SUV determined to go home. To their surprise, a man in a long grey jacket was leaning against the SUV waiting for them.

"I thought I told you to leave it," Jack snapped at them.

"I believe your exact words were the Doctor is not our problem and we are investigating on our own time without using Torchwood's resources in order to help us," Martha snipped back.

"Yet, you still used your Torchwood issued SUV to drive up here. All I had to do was look at the GPS to know that you disobeyed a direct order by coming up here yesterday as well," Jack seethed.

"I don't understand why you are so angry. What we do in our free time is our own business," Mickey informed him.

"Because I don't need two of my best people running off to London every night. If something were to happen in Cardiff right now, Gwen and Ianto would have to handle it on their own while you chase someone who doesn't want to be found. Now, I want you to promise me that you are going to drop this investigation and return to Cardiff or I am suspending both of you," Jack informed them angrily.

"Yes, sir," Martha answered softly. She wasn't sure why Jack was so angry but she didn't want to lose her job at Torchwood. She loved the work they did there and enjoyed being able to work with Mickey. She wasn't going to give it up by continuing to chase a ghost.

"We'll go back," Mickey promised.

"Then I will see you in the morning," Jack told them. He watched as they both climbed into their SUV starting on their way back to Cardiff. Once they were out of sight, he made his way down the street turning a corner. He went in between two buildings and to another one that sat in a small alley. Staying in the shadows he leaned against the building waiting. He wasn't really angry at them but relieved that they had failed to find the Time Lord or he feared they would have both ended up dead before realizing the danger they had walked into.

He watched on as one of the doors opened and two men came out. One he didn't recognize, didn't care who he was as he straightened his coat hurrying on his way. The other he stared at intently. The Doctor's hair was brushed flat against his head and his eyes looked hollow. His face was skinnier than the last time Jack had seen him and he could almost count the Doctor's ribs on his bare chest. He was wearing a pair of tight leather trousers that left nothing to the imagination going down to his bare feet. He stood in the doorway a second, his eyes turning to look at the dark corner. Jack knew that the Doctor could sense him but the Doctor didn't call out as he scratched the crook of his arm. Even from this distance, Jack could see the red marks that lined the pale skin.

"Well done, Theta." A voice spoke breaking the silence. The Doctor's eyes turned quickly to the blonde-haired man that was approaching. The man was supposed to be dead, but here he was once again manipulating the poor Time Lord who had once called him a friend.

"You promised," the Doctor whined.

"You're right I did. Let's go inside and I'll give you your medicine," the Master told him. The two of them stepped through the door and it closed behind them. Jack just stared wishing he knew how to help when the Doctor had first appeared, Jack too had been eager to see him. He made the long journey up to London to offer his help to the Time Lord. The Doctor though had made it clear that the didn't want Jack's help. He had forced Jack to leave him there even if everything in him wanted to drag the Doctor back to Cardiff. He had stayed in the shadows watching that night as well and that is when he learned the gravity of the situation. The Master was alive and manipulating the Doctor with drugs into doing his bidding. Jack tried to drag the Doctor with him but the Time Lord had refused to leave telling Jack he was fine and in control of the situation. It was a lie of course but he had distracted Jack long enough for the Master to sneak up behind him and kill the Captain. When Jack came to, they were both gone and just like now, he felt defeated. Wondering if he should tell the others the truth, he turned to start on his own way back to Cardiff.