The Doctor stared into space for a moment thinking about what he was about to do before he moved again. He reached out and touched the console gently, stroking it and setting the coordinates.

Jackie stood beside him and waited for her moment to ask. But it never came, because the Doctor knew what was praying on her mind;

"We're going home," the Doctor said quietly.

"You're not telling us something," Jackie replied. "Why did you send Rose and Jack to bed?"

The Doctor ignored her, hoping maybe that if he didn't answer she wouldn't press the matter. Of course he hadn't thought about the fact that Jackie was a Tyler, and a forceful one at that.

"You're going to tell me what you're keeping from my daughter or so help me I will make your pay," She hissed, grabbing his arm and forcing the Doctor to look at her.

"I'm taking you and Mickey and Jack and Charlie home," the Doctor said removing Jackie's vice like grip from his arm and turning back to the console. "And then I've got Torchwood's project to destroy."

"What project? I thought you'd shut them down?" Jackie said confused.

"When they forced me to regenerate they harnessed the power to use as a force field," the Doctor replied darkly, pulling a lever. "A force field strong enough to contain a Dalek. If they've got a Dalek I have to destroy it before someone finds it and release it."

Jackie saw the dark shadow that passed over the Doctor when he spoke of the Dalek and understood why he'd sent Rose away.

"They murdered your family didn't they?" Jackie said quietly touching the Doctor's arm gently. "They were the one's that destroyed your home."

The Doctor didn't look at her. He couldn't bring himself to. Rose had explained about Gallifrey not long after they had Jack, but the Doctor still found it hard to talk to other people about it.

Rose could make it better. The Doctor didn't know how she did it, but just her presence seemed to make the pain for the loss of Gallifrey ebb away.

"Yes," the Doctor answered finally.

"Then why don't you tell Rose?" Jackie continued.

"Because I can't lose another family," the Doctor straightened up and moved round the console. "When Rose came with me I promised I wouldn't let anything hurt her.
Just because she can regenerate now doesn't mean I'm going to put her in life threatening danger."

Jackie smiled wryly.

"I always wondered what it was Rose saw in you," she said.

"Charming," the Doctor grinned slightly.

"You know what I mean," Jackie replied and the Doctor nodded.

"Thanks," the TARDIS juddered to a halt. "This is your stop."

"Mickey!" Jackie called to the idiot who was chatting to Jack and Charlie. "Come on."

She turned back to the Time Lord, smiling slightly.

"I want you to come home when you get a chance and stay for a bit," Jackie said. "Not too long, I know what you're like, always looking for adventure, but a few days."

"Thanks, we will," the Doctor replied, smiling genuinely.

Once Jackie and Mickey had disappeared through the TARDIS doors the Doctor set the TARDIS off again.

"Where do you two want dropping off then?" He asked glancing up at Jack and Charlie who were stood a few feet away, hands entwined.

"Anywhere outside Torchwood Tower will do," Jack replied. "Listen, thanks for everything, you know… before. I wouldn't have missed it for the world."

The Doctor nodded.

"S'all right," he said pulling another lever. "I'll tell Rose you said bye and I promise we'll come visit, yeah?"

Jack grinned and nodded.

"Yup," he said. He turned to Charlie. "You don't mind them visiting do you?"

"Course not," Charlie nudged his boyfriend.

The Doctor landed the TARDIS and watched them go, breathing a slight sigh of relief. He didn't resent them being there in their time of need but the Doctor preferred the TARDIS when it was just him Rose and Jack.

Rose carried Jack to the bedroom she now shared with the Doctor and sat down on the bed.

"Why did daddy send us away?" Jack asked, as Rose stroked his sandy brown curls.

"I don't know," Rose replied thinking the same thing. "But he knows what he's doing."

Jack looked at her doubtfully.

"At least I hope he does," she continued.

The Doctor opened the TARDS doors as quietly as he could and shut them again. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and looked up at Torchwood Tower, blowing out a mouthful of air.

He walked determinedly towards the building and up the steps. Whatever Torchwood had used the energy he created when he regenerated for, it wasn't going to be good.

He strode through the corridors and down to the basement. There weren't as many people milling about. They'd apparently all been sent home. The Doctor opened the door and stepped into the basement laboratory and froze when he caught sight of the Dalek encased in the golden force field.

It was sound proof so the Doctor could only watch in horror as the Dalek's lights flashed. It was obviously screaming the old war cry and the Dalek's gun was pointing straight at the Doctor.