A/N: Sorry about the delay. They are not mine, but I do love them…
"Will you help me, Jack?" The Doctor repeated.
"Doctor, what can I do that you can't?" Jack was really confused. The Doctor was a scientific genius, well beyond anything Jack had learned. Jack knew that he was no intellectual slouch himself but he really had no idea of what he could do for the Doctor.
"You have the Rift Manipulator. I need your help to modify it. Rose once told me that it is better with two. She was right. Will you help me, Jack?" There was fear and desperation in the Doctor's voice creeping into the Doctor's voice now. Jack heard it.
"I'll help with one condition; you tell me why you didn't tell me you two got married before this. I mean, we were stuck on the Valiant together for an entire year."
"The Master. He could have forced me to help him cross the Void, he could have hurt her. I couldn't take that chance so I buried the facts and my feelings about her."
"Don't you want her to be happy, Doc?"
"Rassilon help me, no. I'm not a nice man, Jack. I want her to be miserable there. I want her to come home with me."
"And if she is happy, what then. Will you leave her alone? Let her live her life? Will you force her to leave to satisfy yourself?" Jack was really pushing the envelope, but he had to know. He knew how ruthless the Doctor could be to get what he wanted. Jack loved Rose like a sister and would risk never seeing her again if she were happy where she was.
"If I find her and she is happy I will leave, alone. If she wants to, I'll bring her home and we can be together again. As much as it would hurt, I will give her my ring and return…. Alone."
Jack saw the painful desperation in the Doctor's eyes as he pondered his own response for a minute. "OK, I'll help you. But you have to promise me that if you get to Rose and she is happy, you leave her alone to live her life where she wants to; here or there. Deal?"
Relief washed over the Doctor's tired features as he nodded his agreement. He embraced his immortal friend and whispered, "Thank you." with tears in his eyes.
Jack pulled away and held his friend at arms length, alarmed at how thin the Doctor felt to him. "Doctor, how long has it been since you slept or ate a good meal?"
The Doctor looked down at the white rubber toes of his trainers. Jack then knew what the Doctor wouldn't admit; it had been a long time since he had eaten or had any real sleep.
"OK," Jack said, "First food, then sleep, then we work."
"But, Jack…"
"No buts, Doctor. I'm not going to watch you drive yourself to regeneration. Rose wouldn't want that and neither do I. C'mon, I know of a good little place just outside the Centre."
The autumn air was crisp and invigorating as they walked to the pub. Their conversation was easy and showed their many years of friendship. At the pub, the food was good and plentiful. Conversation flowed effortlessly and naturally turned to Rose. It was clear to Jack that the Doctor truly loved his wife. In the five years that they had been separated the Doctor had hardly looked at another woman. His female companions were simply that; friends. There was 1913, but as the Doctor was hardly himself, he felt no guilt or sense of betrayal toward the one he really loved. They spoke of Rose Tyler-Sigma lovingly and Jack's warm laughter reverberated in the booth the pair sat in when the Doctor raised a salted and vinegary chip as if in a toast and said, "To Rose."
Jack raised his water glass and repeated. "To Rose."
Once they returned to the Hub, Jack insisted that the Doctor sleep in his bed, not the TARDIS. Jack did not want to take the chance that his aged friend would work without rest.
Twice during the night, Jack climbed down to his sleeping area when the nightmares struck the Doctor's restless sleep. In an effort to sooth his friend, he held the Gallifreyan while his friend muttered in his sleep. "Rose, Rose, no, don't go! I need you! I love you!" When the Doctor fell back to a deep sleep, Jack left him alone only to hear blood curdling screams shortly after. "Rose! No! Hold On!" Over and over again. Jack just held him close until a calm sleep overcame them both.
When the Doctor woke with Jack's form wrapped around him he was confused. He had slept there, but when did Jack join him? Did they…..? No, there would be residual effects and Jack was fully clothed. But why was Jack there, holding him?
"Mornin', Doc. You always have nightmares like that?"
Nightmares, that made sense. He must have cried out in the night. The Doctor nodded. "Used to be Gallifrey. Now it's Rose. Every time I sleep all I can see is her falling or letting go. I prefer not to sleep until I can't avoid it, Jack. The only time the nightmares didn't come was when she was with me."
Jack felt helpless. What could he do for his friend against such pain? "We'll get her back, Doctor. I promise, we'll get her back." Breeching the void safely may take years, but for the Doctor's sake and maybe Rose's as well, they needed to try.