A/N: Yes, "Don't say the 'Z' word!" was from Shaun Of The Dead :P And YAY! I've figured out what's going to happen. Kinda. Maybe.

Chapter 4 – Lies, Lies, Lies!

The next morning Jack's first priority was to check on their guests.

Rose was still sleeping so he adjusted the cover over her before going to check on the Doctor. Lifting the lid that led to his further underground bedroom he cast his gaze downwards to the bed at the foot of the ladder – but it was empty.

Jack's eyes shot open, alarmed. He instantly got to his feet and span around the hub, looking for any sign of him. "Doctor? Doctor?!"

"Here," came the Doctor's voice from above. Jack breathed a sigh of relief, bounding up the stairs three at a time to enter the room where the Doctor – still looking dead – was relaxing back in the chair behind the desk, feet propped up on the desk. All the previously sealed boxes in the archives with implements in Jack had swore never to touch again were open everywhere, their contents spread out over the desk.

"Help yourself Doctor," Jack remarked casually, gesturing at the sight. The Doctor gave a half-smile but didn't respond verbally. He was holding the telepathic pendant that Tosh had found, examining it intently over with both hands.

"This is fascinating, and soancient. Powers of telepathic parapsychology crammed into one pendant. Where did you find it?"

"…Long story."

He chose not to venture. "And this." He dropped the pendant and next picked up the Life Knife, mesmerised by it. It was similar to a normal knife, save for the extra two blades shaped like wings on the flat edges. "I can't figure it out. What is it?" Without waiting for a reply he held it between his forefingers, examining it over. He suddenly gasped in pain, the knife dropping to the table as he instinctively drew back. Jack caught the pinprick of blood where the point of the knife had rested on his finger, the Doctor staring at it as if it wasn't possible.

"I was gonna say, 'Life Knife'," Jack answered, grinning slightly. "It likes you."

"Well it would," the Doctor shrugged after a moment, sucking on the end of his finger. "Seeing as I'm dead."

"Did you see who killed you?" Jack jumped in at the opportune moment. The Doctor just stared at him.

"I was facing away at the time you know," the Doctor said patronisingly, as if Jack were a small child. Jack sighed.

"Yeah I know, but fact is Doctor, you're a corpse. We need to find the thing that killed you so we can sort this out."

"I just need the TARDIS so I can run some scans. Where is it?"

Something wasn't right here, so he decided to lie, "they're sending her on by lorry. She'll be here tomorrow, then we can check you out properly," as he spoke he could almost see the TARDIS where he had left her in one of the cells. Jack didn't trust the Doctor enough yet to take control of the TARDIS.

The Doctor nodded. "Good, good. How long was I dead, dead?"

"About five hours."

"You don't waste time, do you?"

Jack beamed. "Nah. Anythin' you need?"

"Some fresh air, if you don't mind?" he asked tentively, leaning forward slightly in anticipation. Jack couldn't blame him for needing some, but it was hardly appropriate for a man in his state.

"No offence Doc, but you'll scare little children. You look like Death having a hangover."

The Doctor pulled back dejectedly, rising from his seat. "Okay. Looks like I'll have to go back to bed. I'll see you later."

Jack nodded, watching as the Doctor slipped out of the room and back towards the hole-in-the-floor-bedroom, pulling the lid over his head as he disappeared inside. Jack turned back to the mess on the table, frowning through concentration. Something was definately not right.

"Has he been awake?" Rose asked Jack anxiously as the day rolled on, hopping from foot to foot as she lingered near the hole-in-the-floor-bedroom.

Jack nodded, much to her relief. "He was wanderin' around this mornin'."

She smiled. "Good! I'll just go check on him."

She turned towards Jack's bedroom, but stopped when Jack called out to her, "Rose, be careful."

She looked back, a frown of confusion evident. "Of what?"

He paused for a moment. "Just…don't wander off with him, okay? Stay in sight. Somethin' might happen."

"Alright," she answered, shrugging as she turned and left.

"What does it feel like to be walking dead?"

The Doctor looked up at his companion, lifting a cold hand to her face and brushing back a stray lock of hair. Rose shivered at his touch. He sighed, looking up to catch his reflection in a conveniently placed mirror affixed to the wall.

"It's just like being alive, except I can feel I'm empty."

"What d'you mean?" Rose asked, intrigued.

"Like…there's a part missing. You know you're dead, you're just…wandering around in a dream."

"So I'm a dream," she summed up in a laugh, but his facial expression didn't change.

"Sometimes I wonder," he muttered. She froze, staring at him for a moment.

"What did you say?"

"I said sometimes I wonder if you're a dream," he repeated slowly and clearly, and Rose just gawped.

"Doctor I-"

He shushed her gently, placing a cold finger on her lips. "Don't say anything. I just want to preserve this moment." She stood still as his fingers caressed her face gently, examining every inch over. "You're so beautiful."

She swallowed. "I…I don't know what to say."

He gave her a half-smile. "You don't have to say anything. Just kiss me," he whispered, leaning towards her and placing soft lips on hers. She melted in his kiss, somehow forgetting the fact it was technically necrophilia. They parted after a short while, the Doctor resting his forehead against hers. "You don't know how long I've been waiting to do that."

"Oh I think I do," Rose breathed, falling onto him in a hug. "I love you."

"Even if I'm dead?" the Doctor queried as he tightened his hug. Rose smiled and closed her eyes.

"Living is overrated," she said simply, unaware of the Doctor's hand slipping into his pocket and withdrawing the ready loaded colt 45 he'd taken from Jack's firearm cabinet. He reached around her back and aimed the pistol towards her head. One squeeze and she died. He smiled at the thought.

"I agree," he said, staring at the gun with concealed glee. "Have you ever wanted to die, Rose?"

She paused for a moment, burying her head further into his chest. "Yeah. Jimmy Stones." She didn't feel the need to elaborate on it, and thankfully he chose not to venture. "It's funny," she continued, "Jack told me to be careful around you."

"Why ever did he say that?" the Doctor asked, strengthening his grip on the gun. "He just has a grudge against dead people since he can't die himself."

"Huh?" Rose asked, suddenly drawing away from him and backing straight into the cold barrel of the gun he held. The Doctor's finger went to tighten on the trigger, but suddenly the gun went flying across the room as he cried out and grabbed his head.

"Run Rose!" he yelled to the girl, dropping to his knees and thrashing around, still holding his head. "GET AWAY FROM ME!!!"

Rose nervously began to back away, torn between helping him and obeying him. "Doctor what's goin' on?!"

"Please!!!" he screamed, gasping for air. Rose stared, shocked. He was…breathing? She had to go and find help. She turned from him only to meet with the entire Torchwood crew led by Jack, who grabbed her and pushed her behind him.

"Jack what're you doin'?!" she yelled, trying to push back through. "He needs help!"

"Rose, he tried to shoot you!" Jack countered, pointing to the gun abandoned on the floor where the Doctor had thrown it. Rose couldn't believe her eyes.

"But he just…" she began, only to get cut off as the Doctor shook his head violently and straightened, suddenly no longer breathing. His eyes connected with Jack's. Slowly they both looked to the gun on the floor…and then they were running. The Doctor dived as Jack attempted to push him out of the way, successful scooping out the gun and swinging back around to the advancing Jack, firing a single shot straight through his head. Jack collapsed to the floor, dead. The Doctor jumped to his feet and aimed his gun straight at the rest of them.

"Don't think I won't shoot, there's enough bullets for every one of you," he spat, panning his vision around at them all. "I just want the TARDIS. Give it to me…" – he loaded the gun with a distinct click – "…and I won't hurt anyone."