Hey guys, see, told you I'd be posting more soon ;) Okay cos there has been another big delay, the last part was Rose's Reactions arriving back in London, and the part before that was the Doc seeing her version of Emergency Protocol One followed by ripping the Tardis control panel to shreds before the lovely last lines:

"Where are we going?" Jack asked softly, not sure he really wanted to know, stepping back at the truly evil smile the Doctor gave him as he met his gaze.

"Mars."

Very short recap I know, but I'm keen to just post the next chapter, as I'm sure you're keen to read it if you're here ;) Enjoy :)

MCMC

"Doc you can't just destroy an entire planet," Jack protested as they hovered above Mars.

The Doctor glanced sideways at him as he looked out the doors at the red planet. "And why not?"

"Do you really think that's what she'd want? You murdering thousands, millions of innocent Marsians for something they had no control over happening?" Jack asked, trying to move between the Doctor and the door.

The Doctor gave a soft laugh. "That's the best you can come up with Harkness? What Rose would want? I expected at least a reciting of all the different acts, policies, laws, suspenders and jiggory it went against…you could have even brought in how at this point in time certain technology hasn't been passed on yet and by destroying it now a huge paradox would be created that I'd inevitably be left to clean up…or how any survivors or Marsian families currently on vacation would, when they found out the cause, declare war on Earth which would lead to the almost certain destruction of this entire universe…or at the very least you could mention how their banana season has just begun and I would be denying the galaxy of millions of that particular Marsian delicacy. You really are getting sloppy Jack," he said, patting him on the shoulder sympathetically. "If I had planned on destroying it your drivle might have earned them an extra minute, maybe two," he added before heading back to the control panels.

"You…you're not destroying it then?" Jack asked, completely confused. He was having a hard enough time just trying to keep up with the Doctor's change in emotions let alone next actions.

The Doctor smiled at him with a hint of amusement. "Course not. Destroying one planet each decade's alright, any more than that and the paperwork will bury you for the entire next decade!" he told him as he pressed the final button and they were in motion once again.

"So what are you planning on doing then?" Jack asked, flopping down in the only chair that wasn't in pieces over the floor.

"Just have a chat. Long as I like what they've got to say they'll be alright next decade," he replied, giving him a wink as he headed towards the doors. Stepping out, he smiled as he saw the thrown in front of him. "Perfect landing if I do say so myself," he said over his shoulder to Jack.

"Never got that saying, I mean you've just said it so of course you say it yourself," Jack mumbled as he stepped out, looking around at the impressive and slightly intimidating thrown room.

"You must be the Doctor," the Marsian sitting on the thrown spoke with more force than his small frame would have implied. Well Jack assumed he was a Marsian, after all they were on Mars, he just didn't have the icy feeling the last set of Marsians Jack had encountered did. His skin that was not covered by the brown leather tunic shimmered different shades of green through blue, and he looked quite relaxed with two hands resting on his knees, two on the arms of the thrown and the final two's three fingers interlocked so that his chin could rest on them.

The Doctor tilted his head as he eyed the alien, though he couldn't hide his smile of satisfaction. "Heard of me have you?" he asked.

"Let us say your reputation proceeds you, Last Time Lord," the Marsian replied, moving three of his arms in a gesture that emanated his condolences, to which the Doctor bowed his head. "I am Ybab of the Yllej Clan, current ruler of Mars, you would know me by my markings," Ybab said as he indicated the highest two of his arms with the lower two, where intricate patterns could be seen. "How might I be of assistance?" he said with a slightly odd smile.

The Doctor frowned for a moment, not used to anyone jumping to help him out. "I'm after the cure for Marsian hots," he said once he'd regained his composure.

The odd smile grew. "You know my answer to this," he said, inclining two arms in a way the Doctor could not interpret.

"Yeah, the whole 'there is no cure' isn't gonna cut it today. I have a friend, a human who's contracted it. I need the cure and I need it now," the Doctor replied, folding his arms.

"There is no record of any man of Earth ever surviving hots," Ybab answered, inclining his two arms the same pattern once again.

The Doctor gave a low growl. "I don't care what the records show, I won't let her die. If I have to destroy all of Mars to find the answer I'll do it---"

"Patience young Time Lord," Ybab cut him off, a smile crossing his face at the Doctor's expression at being called young. "When you have lived as long as I have you may give me that expression," he told him as a parent might reprimand their child.

"Don't let my boyish good looks fool you Ybab," the Doctor replied, raising a brow.

Ybab just shook his head, giving what could only be described as a laugh. "I have never heard of one less than twelve centuries describing themselves as more than an adult. You are truly unique," Ybab said, causing the Doctor to turn crimson as his meaning sunk in. "As for your friend, you need not try express how deeply you feel on this, your eyes say it so much better than your words could possibly attempt. I beg your patience young Time Lord. Rethink that what you know and you shall have all your answers."

"Is it just me or does he seem like a six-armed Yoda?" Jack murmured from behind him.

The Doctor ignored him as he held Ybab's gaze. "You refuse to give any further assistance than this?" he asked, holding back his annoyance by a thread.

"This is great assistance, have patience and you shall see I am right. But if you do not trust in this, know that if you have not come to your solution after rethinking it, I will offer more," he replied as his arms returned to the state of relax they'd been when they arrived.

"Why not tell me now?" the Doctor asked.

Ybab inclined his head as though affronted that the Doctor should speak first when he had clearly ended the conversation. "I have begged your patience young Time Lord. Rethink that what you know and you shall have all your answers," Ybab repeated his earlier words.

"What does that mean?"

"Rethink that what you know and you shall have all your answers," Ybab repeated.

"Yeah I heard you, that doesn't answer my questions."

Ybab held his two middle arms in a gesture that was obviously frustration. "The answer is in the doing."

Before the Doctor had a chance to show his own frustration, Jack grabbed his arm, pulling him back into the Tardis, calling their thanks over his shoulder before closing the door. "Doc if there's one thing I've learnt, you don't piss off the ruler of a planet, even if it's one you plan on destroying later," he said as he went over and stole the seat before the Doctor could.

"Hover somewhere…over Earth," the Doctor told the Tardis as he paced the room. "What did he mean---"

"Rethink what you know!" Jack told him, apparently just as frustrated by the Doctor's lack of understanding the idea. "Just think over everything you know about the hots, about Rose getting it…everything!"

The Doctor glared at him for a moment, but continued pacing, dropping his gaze as he fell deep in thought where he remained for what felt like hours to Jack, though was probably only minutes, if not seconds. "I worked it out wrong," he said suddenly.

Jack frowned. "Worked what out wrong?"

"Time!" he said as he scrubbed his face. "Going on Rose falling into the lake at midday, she'd have lost six hours on the Tardis by the time we arrived at Jackie's. I put two hours for dinner and another two for breakfast, plus an hour in the Winter Wonderland, so…if you put it how long it counted for the 48 hour period, it would be sixteen hours all together since you'd have to double all the non-Tardis times, giving her thirty-two hours on the Tardis. That's how I worked out four in the morning."

"I follow that. What's wrong with it?" Jack asked, glancing at his watch. How had it taken him so long to work this out when he was apparently a Lord of Time?

"I was the one that only spent two hours at dinner and breakfast at Jackie's. Rose stayed the night."

"Wait if she stayed---"

"She was on the Tardis for six hours, off it for 18 at Jackie's, slept for six, an hour out at Winter Wonderland…that's already 25 hours!!" he exclaimed, raking his hands through his hair as he tried to make sense of it all.

"But you said on the Tardis---"

"I've already taken that into account Jack, or didn't you notice 6 plus 18 plus 6 plus 1 don't add up to 25?" he asked teasingly.

"Doc there isn't a reported case of anyone ever surviving more than 24 hours," Jack said as the information sunk in.

"Well there is now, because she was up to 26 when you arrived! Thirty by now!"

"But how is that even possible?"

"I don't know, but I'll bet that the answer to that is the cure! Tardis take me to the earliest possible second you can in London…preferably outside the Powell Estate," the Doctor commanded.

Jack frowned. "If you can just tell her to do it why all the controls?"

The Doctor smiled at him. "She doesn't like being told what to do. Thinks I'm being lazy…plus she can land on a pinpoint on a particular nanosecond, whereas Time Lord's intuition might land you a bit off your target, but it'll get you to where you're most needed."

"Sorry I asked," he replied with a laugh as they landed. They glanced at each other before taking off towards the door at a sprint, not stopping till they reached the door of their destination, which also happened to be Jackie Tyler's front door.

So did any of you see that coming? ;) Oh and Seshat (just found out what that means! Groovy!!) – see now you FINALLY get to see the character you inspired with your first review (if you missed it, check out how the Marsian leader introduced himself ;))

Anyway, hope you all liked it despite it being short. And if you've read, please spend that little extra time to review, means the world to me :)

Cheers

B