The white light burned through her closed eyes for a moment before flashing out into darkness, the after image floating red behind her eyelids. The high-pitched electrical screaming was gone too-- only, there was a new sound. She tried to get her bearings, feeling rough dirt under her cheek. She sat up, blinking, trying to find the source of the awful noise. Something was howling, a long drawn out "ohhhhh" of despair.

She rubbed her face, not caring that she was smearing dirt and tears across her cheeks. She brushed the hair out of her eyes and looked around blearily. There was nothing much to see-- a charred nightmare landscape of twisted blackened shapes and ash stretched to the horizon. The sky was full of billowing dark gray clouds cut with occasional flashes of a sickly yellow-green light. And still the moaning didn't let up.

"Doctor" she tried to yell, but only choked on ash. She tried again "Doctor! Jack! Donna!"

"I'm here," came a reply from behind her. It was Jack, his face smeared with soot. He reached out and pulled her up. She burrowed into his coat, trying to get away from the harsh wind, the terrible sky, and the horrible sound.

"What is that sound?" she gasped into his shoulder.

"It's the Doctor."

"What?!"

"I saw it-- I saw him," said Jack. She realized he was crying, tears streaking through the soot. "We appeared here. He took one look around and collapsed, he's been like that for a couple of minutes. I thought he was hurt-- I thought... but there's nothing wrong with him. Nothing that I can see anyway." He shook his head and held her tighter.

"Where are we?"

"I don't know," he kissed the top of her head. She didn't protest.

"What are we going to do?"

"I don't know."

A new sound cut across the never-ending keening noise. A cough and a splutter.

"What?! What the bloody hell was-- where are we?" Donna sat up behind a low rise of ash, coughing and huffing. She stood up stiffly, brushing uselessly at her clothing.

"Donna!" they shouted in unison, rushing over to her.

She straightened up, looking around for the first time. "Oh no. No. No no no." Her hands fell limply at her side. "Not here. Anywhere but here. It'll kill him." She turned and starred at them. "It'll kill him." She covered her face with her hands, shoulders shaking. "I can't look," her head shook. "No, it's bad enough to know about it. But to see it. Oh make it stop." she was almost whispering.

"Donna?" Martha put a hand on her shoulder. "Donna? Do you know where we are?" She tried to brush the hair and ash out of her face. "Donna, there's something wrong with the Doctor..."

She shook her head, tears streaming down her face. "I can't. I just can't. It hurts too much to think about it."

"Come on Donna," Jack said gently. "We need to know where we are. We need to know what's wrong with the Doctor. And you're the only one who knows."

She just shook her head again, turning away from them. He took her shoulders and turned her towards him.

"Look at me." He looked into her eyes, his expression softening, a slight smile even playing on his lips. He brushed the hair back from her face.
"Just look at me and nothing else."

"Jack," Martha hissed, "this is so not the time for--"

"No," he didn't take his eyes off Donna's, "this is exactly the right time for this. She's got a Timelord's mind, but she's still human. And I can help her focus on the human part."

Martha had to admit that Donna seemed to be relaxing, her eyes unfocused, her shoulders sagging. Jack pulled her closer, her head resting on his shoulder. Her eyes drifted closed. "You," she mumbled into his coat, "You smell really good."

Jack laughed softly, throwing a shrug at Martha. "It's a 51st century thing."

Donna appeared to be trying to snuggled all the way into Jack's coat. Martha finally came over and gently pushed them apart. "OK, I think it worked."

"Jealous?" asked Jack, cocking an eyebrow. "I've got another shoulder if..."

"Enough," said Martha firmly. She turned to Donna. "Donna, are you better now? Do you think you can tell us where we are?"

Donna wiped her red eyes and sniffled, then nodded.

"I'm beginning to have a hunch myself," said Jack, offering her a handkerchief.

Donna looked past them, at the Doctor's huddled form, then down at the ground.

"Well?" Martha looked from her to Jack pleadingly.

"Gallifrey." Donna whispered horsely. "We're on Gallifrey."