Despite his condition the Doctor was still aware of the passage of time. He was also intermittently aware of things like the feeling of a cool cloth on his head, soothing hands and the comforting weight of the blankets surrounding him. Alternately he burn and froze as his body worked through the last of the regeneration process. A small part of his mind noted that he would have been in big trouble if this had been happening while he was alone in time and space. The TARDIS, while undoubtedly amazing, would not have been able to help him in this and linked as they were mentally she would have known something was wrong. Who knows where they would have ended up or even when?

The regeneration energy finally dispersed from him, though not soon enough for the Doctor's way of thinking, and his new body stabilized. His mind cleared and he began to feel some strength returning. He also became aware that there was a feeling of extra weight across his arm and opening his eyes cautiously he was surprised to see that it was Becca.

Despite her best efforts to stay awake she had finally succumbed to exhaustion and appeared to be asleep. Some change in his breathing or position must have alarmed her because she snapped to alertness and looked him over. When she saw that his eyes were open and clear, her eyes widened and a relieved smile broke across her face.

"Doctor…?"

Hearing the relief and concern tingeing her voice, he immediately felt sorry to have caused her such obvious worry and stress. In an instant the Doctor decided he would make it up to her somehow…that is, once he had convinced her of who he was. How he was going to accomplish that he had no idea…last time he regenerated it had been right in front of his companion and yet she hadn't know who he was…how could he expect Becca to know him when she hadn't seen him since he had worn pinstripe suits and his long jacket…

Then it dawned on him! She addressed me by name; she already knows who I am?! All his fears and concerns were washed away and a totally different feeling crashed over him. One he couldn't put a name to at first, though he was trying to. He tried to sit up and was grateful when Becca gently helped him and rearranged a pillow to support his new position.

"Doctor…are you okay?"

"Yes...," quickly clearing his throat "...yes I'm feeling much better now…" his voice was a bit hoarse at first but grew in strength. Odd...even my own voice sounds strange to me now. "How long have I been out?"

"Umm…I'm not sure exactly…maybe a day?"

A quick check with his internal awareness of time confirmed what she said…he'd been out for almost 24 hours! No wonder she looked exhausted, especially if she'd stayed with him the entire time! That unnamed feeling intensified and the Doctor was surprised to find his eyes misting slightly. When was the last time he had felt safe and cared for? That without him having to take the lead, someone had known what was needed…he couldn't remember...

"Have you been watching over me this whole time?" he asked trying to distract himself and keep her from seeing the emotion in his eyes.

"Yes", she replied simply, placing a comforting hand on his arm.

"You know who I am…" he couldn't quite bring himself to make it a question, but the wonder and uncertainty was clear to see.

"Of course..." Becca replied with calm assurance, "...you're the Doctor…I mean you look completely different and all, but I'm sure it's you…"

For a moment the Doctor sat thunderstruck as the realization hit him that not only had she recognized him but she had done so without him uttering a single word. He sat still filling with conflicting emotions...gratitude, surprise, disbelief...the feeling that of all the possibilities he had prepared for...the reality was so unexpected, so totally opposite...it left him feeling at a complete loss. Not wanting her to see, he quickly shifted so that he was sitting on the other side of the bed, and rubbed his face as he worked to regain his composure. He never shown such vulnerability to anyone...not in 2000 years.

A few moments passed before he heard movement and sensed Becca kneel in front of him. Hesitantly, she reached out and tried to gently tilt his face to where she could see him. He resisted her gentle attempts at first, still reluctant to show her his face...but then he stopped. She had seen him...really seen him, despite everything. To hide this from her after that seemed almost...uncouth somehow. As he drew in a deep breath, he lowered his hands away from his face…allowed her to see the naked emotion he had been hiding...emotions that he had been hiding from everyone for an aeon. When she saw, he heard her take a sharp, surprised breath.

"Doctor…what's wrong? Is there anything I can do…" she asked carefully, quietly; as if afraid he might bolt.

"Becca, that's just it…you've...you've already done so much…" the Doctor replied softly, continuing to let his emotions flow freely across his face.

Cocking her head to the side, she looked at him clearly puzzled. Sure she'd taken care of him while he was obviously sick, but surely that didn't account for the emotion she saw on his face. The Doctor had saved her life and taken care of her the last time they met, why shouldn't she return the favor? She was about to say this out loud when the Doctor spoke again...

"You saw me…" he said in wonderment, the emotion causing his eyes to turn an even deeper shade of amber gold.

Becca huffed in confusion, "Of course I saw you, and how could I miss you standing there on my doorstep. Obviously you needed help; any decent person would do what I did."

The Doctor's eyes widened, Was it possible? Could she really only think he was referring to taking care of him? Could she really not know what an amazing thing she had just done? It was admittedly a simple thing by some standards- but to him being recognized so soon after regeneration….no convincing, no explanations, no questions or distrustful looks…To the Doctor it was…well he had no words for it. The Doctor was afraid to ask but he just had to know.

"Becca…can I ask you something?" He asked tentatively.

"Of course" she replied, surprised that he would ask permission.

"You said you knew who I was…how did you know?"

Becca almost replied with a dismissive remark, but something in the Doctor's eyes made her pause for a long moment and really consider her answer to his question. How had she known this man was the Doctor? Yes, his face and appearance were vastly different, but she still had recognized him. There was just something about him…call it aura…call it presence…it was something recognizable to her as uniquely the Doctor, and meeting his eyes had only confirmed her impression. So she told him as much.

"Do you have a mirror?" he asked feeling to need to see what he looked like now. Nodding Becca stood and got one off her table and brought it to him.

The face he saw in the mirror was a chiseled face with normal sized ears and chin, surrounded by dark hair. That was all a relief to him…his eyes surprised him however; they were light brown, no he thought as the light hit them- they were golden brown, almost amber. He'd never seen himself with eyes this color before. He barely recognized himself….which made the fact that Becca had recognized him even more staggering. Putting down the mirror he looked at Becca, who calmly met his eyes and nodded. In the calm acceptance he found in her face, the Doctor's control broke and he found himself sobbing, his body rocking forward and back to ease the release of emotions that had been bottled up inside him for who knows how long.

As the Doctor broke down in front of her, Becca's instant response was to wrap her arms around him... and to her surprise he not only allowed the embrace but clung to her like she was a lifeline. As she moved to sit beside him she wondered at what had prompted such a response in him- but instinctively she sensed that he needed this release, and that this was something that had been building up for years. As Becca murmured soothing nonsense to him, the Doctor buried his face into her neck and hair. She didn't stop him but rather allowed him to purge all his pent up fears and pain.

Gently she surrounded him with a mental cocoon of warm and supportive energy- if he needed to breakdown, she was going to be sure he was supported for a change. He won't be left alone to deal with whatever is upsetting him…not while I have anything to say about it, she vowed to herself.