Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or concepts from Doctor Who or Torchwood.

Chapter 12

"This can't be right Doctor this…this is Alfava Metraxis." River stared out of the open door, tightly grasping the frame. Feeling the Doctor's presence behind her, she reached out to him, griping his hand as he closed the distance between them.

Reaching out past his wife with sonic in hand, the Doctor analyzed the grim environment, grinning like a child as he darted through the doorway.

"Doctor!" River gasped as he towed her behind him. "Doctor, what it is?!"

"He's here…"

"Bu-"

"Look around you, I mean really look….What do you see?"

"Sweetie, I-I'm not quite following."

"What you are seeing is simply a manipulation of the mind. A safe haven, and if I am even the slightest bit correct, then what we are seeing is what Trevor wants to see rather than what Trenzalor really looks like. I just never thought that he was capable of such a thing. I haven't seen it done since my school days." The Doctor raced up a cliff over overlooking the beach, wife in tow, freezing at the peak. The raggedy man surveyed the empty beach, his heart sinking as he drew a breath. "TREVOR…TREVOR!"

River sensed her husband's distress, watching as he spun around, madly looking for any sign of their son. She sighed as she began a search of her own, frantically scanning the shore line as she prayed for a sign. A breath lodged itself in her throat as she darted down the rocks without warning, paying no mind to her husband who was hot on her heels.

The Doctor quickly realized what it was that caught River's attention as a figure lying in the sand came closer into view. His legs halted to a stop. Observing as River reached the form; he noted the rigidness that remained in her posture as she kneeled into the sand shouting over her shoulder for him to come quick.

River stared down at what lay before her, removing a key that concealed his identity, she was taken aback by the violent head wound that appeared to have taken the life of the great Jack Harkness. River looked up to the incoherent profanity that left her husband's lips as he looked down on his friend.

"Dammit Jack…" The Doctor muttered as he searched the body for further fatal wounds, nearly jumping into the bleak waters behind him as his friend regained consciousness. "Gahh! Must you always do that every time you die? Why can't you do it quietly?"

"It's good to see you too Doc." Jack groaned, slowly sitting up with the help of River. Her maternal instincts kicking in as she wiped away the wet sand that caked itself on Jack's military uniform.

No longer concerned with Jack, the Doctor returned his eyes to the sand, searching for anything that could lead him to his son. A small grin snuck itself on his face at the sight of a familiar emerald object that lay trampled in the sand. Taking the memory in his hand, he held the glass tight in his palm. "He's defiantly been here."

River snapped her attention away from Jack, "What's that you said sweetie?"

The Doctor smiled. "He's been here Riv. We've all been here actually… This is all based off of Trevor's memory of our visit to the beach on Alfa Metraxis for his third birthday."

"Well I could have told you that." Jack chuckled, confusing the couple with his outburst. "Look, you're not the only ones who are confused. From what I've learned, Simeon and his crew took Trevor because of his potential. Apparently his brain is like a dam, full of knowledge and what not, but the levy is leaking and based on what I've seen, he doesn't seem to have much longer until that thing bursts. The problem is that the Great Intelligence managed to figure out my identity before I could learn anything further."

The Doctor stood up, ruining fingers through his hair as he paced back and forth. "Why would they want to take him to Trenzalor? Why Trenzalor? What good would a four year old do? He is bright for his age, yeah, but still…"The Doctor froze, his eyes wide as he looked at his wife, "I…I know what it is…it's my tomb. They want to use Trevor to get into my tomb. Obviously they tried once without prevail; only this time they have the key."

"But Doctor, there is a flaw in all of this." River objected. "If they were to open the tomb, they would need the password, which we both know they don't have."

The Doctor bit down on his fist, his brain wracking for a possible answer, when it suddenly came to him. "Oh! How could I be so stupid! He knows because of us… no, strike that, he knows because of you River!"

"I'm sorry but what is it that the kid knows? I'm not really following you Doc."

"Please don't interrupt me while I am being extremely clever, I was about to get to that, thank you!" The Doctors comment caused Jack to roll his eyes as the Doctor jumped back on to his explanation. "Anyway, as I was saying; River! Because you are a Time Lord, you passed certain knowledge onto our offspring very much like genetics. This ability allows for Gallifreyan family histories to be preserved and blah blah blah, so anyway he knows my name because I told you my name….so it's more my doing than yours but that's not important."

"Sweetie, remember that little thing we talked about? You're doing it again."

"Right! Sorry! So this means that if The Great Intelligence knows, they can in fact get into the tomb, and destroy time as we know it."

"Well then, we better get a move on!" Jack jumped to his feet.

River stayed put, crossing her arms over her chest. "So then you know where they are?"

"Not a clue."

The Doctor threw his hands up in frustration. "Then what the hell did you do while you were here Jack!"

"Doc you didn't let me finish. I was going to say that I know where camp is set up…that is of course if they haven't moved already."

"How about we stop the bickering and start moving, yeah?" River stepped in. "And if I hear one more snide comment out of the both of you, so help me, I will leave the two of you on a desolate planet without so much as each other for company. Understood gentlemen?"The two men nodded as River turned on her heel, making her way back up the sand.

"You can boss me around any time" Jack mumbled with a smirk.

The Doctor smacked the Captain upside the head growling, "That's my wife. You touch her and I'll kill you."

"Immortal." Jack teased.

"Don't think that will st-"

"BOYS! I said enough." The two jumped at Rivers command, running with tails between their legs to catch up.

The three adults stood atop a cliff, surveying the land. "See that patch of brush?" Jack pointed. "Past it is a clearing and that's where we should find the base."

The Doctor began to push past the two. "Well let's go then!"

River grabbed a hold of her husband's arm. "Doctor wait! Before we just throw ourselves in the line of fire, we need to make a plan….that is unless one of you blokes has already come up with one, and by that I mean preferably you Captain. No offense sweetie, it's just that these men are armed and we can't risk anything." The Doctor snaked his fingers between Rivers, giving her hand a tight squeeze and an understandable nod.

The Doctor felt his hearts in his throat as they approached the camp. While it appeared empty, there was a faint smell of smoke from the charred wood in the fire pit as well as pitched tents surrounding the perimeter of the clearing. Jack's plan was to simply enter the camp and see what he could find while River and the Doctor kept watch, and as simple as it seemed, there were millions of possibilities to how his plan could falter. The Doctor's anxiety rose as he built various scenarios in his head, each ending with someone dead. He was lifted from his imagination to the familiar sound of his name being called.

"Doctor…Love are you there?"

"Hmm? Umm right, sorry could you possibly repeat that again please?"

"Jack asked if we are ready. Remember its real simple; we keep watch so Jack can come across what we need to find Trevor. Okay?" The raggedy man nodded; cupping her cheek he placed a kiss on her forehead. "We're ready when you are Captain. Stay safe." River muttered into the radio.

"Got it."

The two sat back to back, keeping a watchful eye of their surroundings, slightly jumpy of any sounds that did not come through the grainy waves of the radio.

"Doctor…" River finally whispered. "Do…do you think we'll get to him in time?"

"Yeah… I'd like to think so…or at least hope so."

"Hope." The woman scoffed. "It's a funny word; one puts such certainty into it, as if it truly makes any difference whether or not they do. But all it really is...is a word."

"But it's a strong word…even if it's only for psychological purposes."

"Shouldn't you two be keeping watch rather than musing over the meaning of hope? Anyway, I've found a diagram of the planet, which should be ackkk-"

"Jack!? Jack, what's wrong?"

"River…"

"Hold on sweetie, something's wrong. JACK?"

"River, I don't think this can wait."

Turning her head, the radio slipped from her grasp as her eyes meet the empty white slits of a whisper man. The two time lords scrambled backwards as the creature moved forward. River gasped as her back pressed against a tree, blocking her escape. "No no" She squeaked, grabbing her husband's hand as tears ran down her cheeks "No please!" She begged, her biggest fear inching its outstretched hand towards her chest. The monster disappeared into thin air as its attack was interrupted.

"Doctor! River?"

River sat paralyzed against the tree, her husband at her feet, trying his best to comfort her.

"Doc? What the hell happened? What's wrong with her?"

"I'll explain later, did you find what you need?" The Doctor rushed.

"Yea and mor-"

"Excellent, can you give me a minute alone with my wife." His protective tone giving Jack everything he needed to know as he stepped away with his back turned. The Doctor's soft tone retuned as he took his wife's shaking hands into his. "River…Love you are safe, it's gone, it hasn't hurt you." He had never seen his wife like this, in a near petrified state. Moving to her side, he warped an arm around her. "I am here. Nothing will hur-"

"You…you don't understand sweetie."

"Understand what?" His wife turned to look straight into his eyes. Her own eyes, blooming with an array of emotions.

"That…that monster…that thing is what is trying to destroy our family. It took my grandfather and replaced him with a Zygon. It took our son. It killed our baby! What's next Doctor? Where is it going to stop? At me? At you?"

"River-"

"I don't want protection Doctor, I just want them dead. I want them dead and I want our little boy back."

"And that's why I am here." The couple looked up to see Jack hovering over them. "I apologize for the eavesdropping but I couldn't help but hear mention of two other victims to the Great Intelligence?"

"Jac-"

"No love it's fine. My grandfather, Brian Williams, was captured and replaced with a Zygon. They used him to get information out of me as well as a distraction to grab Trevor and attack me…"

"Oh, we'll he is defiantly alive I can promise you that. And I don't mean to pry but the other?"

"Is none of your damn business!" Snapped the Doctor, River sighing as she held her husband's tense hand.

"Right…sorry Doc." Clearing his throat, the Torchwood Agent moved onto the next important topic. "Anyway as I was saying earlier before our interruption, I found a diagram of the planet. I can't really make it out, but I'm assuming that you could. Also if you would kindly follow me, I can show you what else I've got."

The two gladly took the Captain's hand to stand and followed him into the camp. Anger still coursed itself through the Doctor's veins as he viewed the living remnants of his son's abductors.

"How long have they been here Jack?

"Depends on who you are referring to. I showed up right before Trevor was brought here, obviously posing as a Cleric. There were originally fifteen men including myself, but obviously things happen and it is now down to nine. Ah here we are!"Jack smiled as he entered the tent. "Meet Cleric Phillip. Nice young man, aren't Ya Phil!" The young man struggled in his bindings that attached him to a chair. "Phillip here is going to help us get to the tomb…Isn't that right buddy?"

"Mmmmm" Was all that could be understood.

"According to our friend, they left less than fifteen minutes ago, so if we get a move on, we should have no problem catching up to them." The captain directed his attention back to the young soldier. "Now Phil, I am going to release you. If you run I'll kill you. You scream I'll kill you. Anything happens to the boy, his mother over there will probably kill you…and if she doesn't then I sure as hell will, understood?" The man nodded, signing as his binding where removed.

"Wh- who are you?"

"Me? I'm Captain Jack Harkness. But in all honesty you should be more afraid of the boy's parents than of me.

Hello! I apologize for the wait but I hope that this chapter was worth it. I had a lot of fun writing this one and had to stop myself from turning this chapter into a short story! Now that I've got my head wrapped around the direction that I want to take, it should become easier for myself to continue on with this story. I hope that you all had a wonderful holiday, and have a Happy New Year as well. As usual, thank you for taking time to read The Doctor and His Boy, leave any comments, and follow/favorite if you like it! Thank's again and I'll see you in the next installment of The Doctor and His Boy!