A/N: Yay, illness has its positive side :D

Chapter 15 - Last Rites

Flashback…

"We don't have time to stop!" Rose was pacing up and down in agitation, running her hands through her hair. "We've gotta keep moving!"

Jack bowed his head, not even wanting to make eye contact with her as his eyes flickered to the Doctor lying unconscious on the stretcher, Father Jace speaking prayers next to him as Gabrielle tried to make him as comfortable as possible.

"We've been walking for a long time, Rose. We have to take a break."

Rose attempted calm herself down, knowing Jack was right. She cast a glance over to the Doctor; he'd since stopped bleeding, but he was now as pale as a glass of milk.

She moved over to him, lowering herself to sit cross-legged at his head. Father Jace looked up at her, looking as though he were about to say something but afraid to. She looked at him enquiringly.

He looked back down at the Doctor again. "I… I would like to perform Last Rites."

The words cut Rose like razor blades. She took in a breath, shifting the Doctor's head onto her lap and stroking back his hair gently.

"Do it," she said.

Father Jace nodded, reaching into his herb pouch and drawing out a bottle of what Rose could only presume to be Olive Oil. He wet his finger with it before reaching out and drawing a circle on the Doctor's forehead.

"Through this holy anointing may Mondrith in Her love and mercy help you. May She who frees you from the cares of this life pardon whatever sins you have committed. Let Her clean your soul and bring you peace in the Hereafter. Amen."

And without another word, both he and Gabrielle got up and left Rose alone with the Doctor. She just held her Time Lord for a few more minutes, as if willing her strength to pass to him.

As a result, she almost jumped out of her skin when his eyes suddenly snapped open, staring up at her in shock.

"Wh…? What's…? Where…?"

Rose's face broke into a smile, taking his hand and squeezing it. But her smile didn't last long.

"Leela?" he asked, sounding so weak and innocent. Tears sprung to her eyes. He didn't recognise her…

"It's Rose, Doctor. Remember?"

He blinked. "Rose," he repeated, voice croaking. "Rose Tyler…"

"Yeah, that's right," she said gently, still brushing back his hair. "It's me."

"I'm sorry," he whispered, and he wasn't talking about calling her the wrong name.

"You did nothin' wrong," she answered, forcing a smile.

"I…" he paused, obviously struggling to find the right words. "… I can't feel my… my right arm or leg."

"That's all right," she said. "They weren't that important anyway."

He let go a laugh and the sound made her laugh too, even through the tears.

"My…" He was struggling for the right word again, as though he were a foreigner trying to speak a language he was unfamiliar with. "… My… My head, it hurts…"

Rose looked up to find Jack walking over to them both, doing a quick scan with his manipulator. He checked the results and his look of despair only seemed to deepen. She looked back to the Doctor, offering a small smile of reassurance.

"Jack, Rose," the Doctor murmured, his eyes lightly closed. "When I… when… when I die, get back to the… the TARDIS as fast as you can, she'll take you… home."

Jack tried to steel himself. "What do you want us to do with your body?"

"Burn it," he said. "Get rid of the… the ashes. No one can ever… ever know I existed. Leave the TARDIS on some… street corner somewhere. Your keys are… are… indestructible, lock them away in a vault; throw them into a… volcano, I don't mind. Just make sure they're never found."

"Okay," Rose said gently, squeezing the hand she cradled.

"Jack, promise me you'll look after Rose."

"I promise."

"Jack," he whispered again, voice getting weaker. "If I lose my… mind and I'm in a lot of pain before the end, please kill me."

Jack's eyes widened. "I can't do that, Doctor."

"Please," the Time Lord begged. "I… I…"

Rose watched in horror as suddenly the Doctor began to convulse in her arms and she let go, confused and terrified. Jack knew there was nothing they could do so he took Rose into both arms and held her in comfort as she buried her head into his chest – anything to get the fitting Time Lord out of her sight. Eventually Jack let go of her and she turned to see the Doctor lying with his eyes closed, unmoving.

Jack hesitantly reached forward, hovering his hand over the Doctor's mouth. He waited for ten seconds, before moving down his hand on each individual heart.

He sat back, dejected. "I can't feel anything."

Donna had been dozing when the Doctor finally opened his eyes.

She jerked upright and looked down at him, wondering for a moment whether she was dreaming. Martin jumped to his feet, obviously as shocked as she was.

"Water," he croaked, eyes sunken and bruised. Instantly Martin turned on his heel and bolted back out through the door, leaving Donna alone with the Doctor.

"Martin's gone to get some," she said, trying to be gentle. She wasn't very good at caring for the sick, she admitted that, but she tried her best.

He attempted to nod, but the movement made him wince, badly. "Josh," he whispered next.

Donna nodded reassuringly. "He's fine. They didn't touch him."

"You?"

"I'm fine too, thanks to you."

He tried to raise a small smile, but once again the strain was too much to bear and a single tear left his eye and rolled down the side of his face, a small squeak of pain like a hamster in distress coming from somewhere in his throat.

"It's okay, it's okay," Donna found herself saying over and over again. She was sure he was finding it annoying. "Shush, you're in the village, you're safe."

The bedroom door opened again with a creak and Martin came back in, holding a wooden tankard filled with water. Joshua was trailing behind him with his head bowed, looking ready to burst into hyperactivity at the sight of the Doctor awake, but managing to refrain himself. He stood at the side of the bed with his nose over the side, watching Martin and Donna as they attempted to lift the water to the Doctor's lips for him to drink without moving him too much. By the end of it the Doctor's breathing was laboured, one of the lacerations across his abdomen had opened and tears of silent agony were falling down the sides of his face. He drained the tankard within a matter of seconds and let himself be manoeuvred back down before he passed out again instantly.

With expert ease from repetition Martin cleaned and redressed the wound that had been opened before resuming his original position beside the bed – leant forward, eyes closed, head in hands. Wordlessly Joshua climbed onto the bed to lie next to the Doctor, and closed his eyes too.

Flashback…

Rose tried desperately not to believe him. She reached out to rest her fingers on his neck, checking for a pulse… wanting… hoping… needing…

Yes! It was extremely slow and unnaturally weak, but it was there.

"Healin' coma!" she exclaimed suddenly. "He told me once, he can put himself into this coma thing and it helps to heal his body, he stops breathin' durin' it and life signs are like, really faded."

Jack's eyes widened in revelation. "Of course! Rose, d'you realise what this means?"

Rose stared at him, unable to believe what he might be suggesting.

"His body can't heal itself from this much damage whatsoever, no." Rose's face fell, but for some reason Jack was still beaming away. "But it can slow down the infection, buy us some time. If we're lucky Rose, if we move fast, if we get to the bandit camp within hours we might just be able to get some nanogenes to him in time."

Rose could hardly believe her ears, the notion still sinking in. Silent seconds passed before she suddenly jumped onto both feet, gathering things together. "Then what the hell are we waitin' for? Let's move!"

But her heart suddenly sank as Jack went rigid, the smile frozen on his face as he looked around the encampment, and Rose realised the missing element.

"The bandit…" she whispered, feeling numb. "He was taking us there… where did he go?"

"He's gone," Jack muttered, dully. "We're never gonna get there in time now."