I hope people are liking this story...
The journey back to base camp was slow, due to the icy path that ran through the pass and off the mountain.
Jack sat in the relative warmth of the back of the truck with Seska and the Doctor, who was now cocooned in blankets.
He still looked pale and cold and Jack went to pull the blankets tighter, but was stopped by a glare from Seska.
"I'm not going to hurt him," he said softly and despite another glare he adjusted the blankets.
The crusted dried blood on and in the Doctor's hair told him that whatever had caused them to fall into the hands of Saskia, it had been violent and the bruises he could see showed Saskia's usual lack of concern for something she couldn't sell for a profit.
The skin around his neck was broken and looked infected.
"They had him chained until we got to the pass, you can see the marks made by the neck restraint. They were far too tight, if mother had been awake it would have choked him. They didn't chain me...I was valuable."
Jack wasn't prepared for the boy to speak to him and he had a pretty god idea of what valuable meant. He wasn't sure how to reply, so he said.
"There'll be no chains here," he said.
The boy didn't reply just fiddled with the blankets again.
"He'll be okay," Jack said but the boy wasn't listening.
Jack had a chance to study the boy...yes he certainly was the Doctor's boy...the same dark uncontrollable shock of hair and eyes that were dark and unfathomable but was he like his mother in disposition, well like his mother used to be or was he and god forbid, was he like his father?
There was one way to find out and if he was the former, it might be something he could work with.
As they approached base camp he stood and drew back the covering, knowing what was there and he sat and waited.
Seska had glared at the human when he tried to touch the blankets covering his mother.
"I'm not going to hurt him," the human had said and he still adjusted the blankets.
He wasn't sure what to make of this human; the one his mother said he hated, yet sometimes he'd seen such sadness in his mother's eyes that it belied his words.
Neither of his parents spoke about the time before New Gallifrey but this human and his mother had been friends back then and something had happened to end that friendship.
When the human stood and pulled the covering back his curiosity was piqued and he looked past the human and what he saw was a shock to him.
He'd never seen so many humans in one place and he'd never felt such a wave of desperation. Many of the humans, especially the adults were dressed only in rags and on a cold winter's day and many of the children looked undernourished.
"It's a refugee camp," the human said. "We do what we can but there's not enough food, clothing and shelter to go around. What medicine we have has to be used on our soldiers, so most of these people will die before winter finishes. But there's more arriving every day and soon we'll have to start turning them away."
Jack had deliberately drawn the covers back, knowing that the refugee camp was there. He was looking for a reaction and he'd got one and the look on the boy's face spoke volumes...there was more of the Doctor that Jack used to know in Seska that he'd dared to hope.
The truck finally stopped and Jack jumped out followed by a reluctant Seska.
Jack was greeted by a dark-skinned woman who hugged Jack.
"Martha Jones, good to see you," he said and hugged her tighter.
She pulled away as the Doctor was stretchered off the truck and Seska went to follow his mother, but was stopped by two soldiers.
He looked at Jack who looked apologetic.
"Sorry kid, even I have orders," he said as the two soldiers took an arm each.
"No...Mother!" Seska yelled and switched to his own language and Jack was pretty sure it was all directed at him.
"Sorry kid...but we need leverage."
"What I wouldn't give for an X-ray," Martha said as she lifted the Doctor's eyelids.
"His pupils are blown, pulse is thready...it could be anything from a fracture to a blood clot. I can't even tell if he's in a healing sleep. It would help if I knew how he got the injury. I need to talk to his son...Seska wasn't it?"
"No can do Martha, you know the Council's decision. If we get a hold of more than one of them, they're to be separated."
"You do know if he comes round and he's okay, he's going to one unhappy Time Lord."
Jack sobered when Martha said if he came round. "Is there a chance he may not be okay?"
Martha sighed and pulled the blankets back over the recumbent Doctor and adjusted the IV. "I don't know Jack, all we can do is wait."
Jack sighed. "I better go and report to the Council."
He turned to go but Martha caught his sleeve. "Don't let them run rough shod over you, if certain people have their way, they'll want to put the Doctor down...like an animal."
"Not while I'm breathing," Jack said. "If Ianto and Gwen get here before I'm back, tell them to make sure no-one but you or me go near him."
Martha nodded and turned back to the Doctor.
She checked his vitals again and let out a sigh; she had the feeling they had a very angry tiger by its tail, a Master shaped tiger.
Jack walked towards the main building and was joined by Silas.
He was sporting a nasty bruise. "That boy has a mean right hook."
"So did his mother when you got him angry enough," Jack replied.
"Is it wise to tell the Council? You and I know what they will do."
"You think I should keep this quiet?"
"You could, only you and I know who he and the boy are."
Jack stopped walking and looked at Silas. "And what do I do if he wakes up and starts rampaging through the camp."
Silas said nothing for a moment. "Better he's alive when the Master comes calling. You know he will, he will find Saskia eventually and he will find us."
Jack sighed, Silas was right...had he just made a huge mistake. He made a decision and turned away from the main building and hoped he wouldn't regret making it.
The Master and Ashena had returned to the capital and now the Master found himself alone in the quarters he'd shared with the Doctor.
He lay on the bed and that spicy aroma that was the Doctor filled his nostrils. He closed his eyes and imagined the feeling of soft lips ghosting over his and the touch of slender fingers...he was going to get that back.
Not only did he want his lover and husband and mother of his children back; he wanted his Storm back.
They had so much more to accomplish and the Doctor was at the centre of it all.
His world was a confusing whirl of noise and colour but as clear as day was the scream of his son.
With a snarl of rage he shattered the colours and the noise faded to nothing and he surged back into consciousness.
The first thing he saw was a human shaped blur and with murderous intentions he lunged at it.