Jack watched as another group of aliens were escorted to the Rift. This was the third group this week, all from the same star system, all saying the same thing...they were all refugees.

He spotted Ianto and walked over.

"Is that all of them?" he asked as the Rift began to close.

Ianto finished writing before answering. "For the moment, if this keeps on we won't be able to cope. UNIT are pressing us for an explanation."

Jack took the clipboard from Ianto and looked at the list.

"Whatever's happening out there it's getting closer to us. I'll have to call the..."

His voice trailed off.

"I'll be in Storage Level Four if you need me," he said to Ianto and turned away, hardly hearing the sound of the Rift as it closed.

Ianto watched as Jack walked away from him, He sighed and closed his eyes, and as he did flashes of that day at the airfield returned.

There had been silence after the shuttle had left. An awful dead silence...until Jack let out a gut-wrenching sob.

"No, no, no...not again... not again!" he'd cried and had collapsed to his knees.

That had been a month ago and Jack had only just come back to this reality...a reality where they were without a Time Lord and no nearer to finding him or the man that had once again taken him.

Jack had torn the city...no the world apart in his search for the Doctor and White Coat, but a month down the line neither he nor the rest of them were near to finding either.

Martha had gone back to London, her duties at UNIT forcing her to leave, but with promises to return if...well they knew.

But there was no news and now Martha was abroad and getting on with her life, and here in Cardiff they had been pre-occupied by the stream of alien 'refugees' pouring through the Rift.

Ianto had been glad of the distraction, it had brought Jack back from the brink of whatever precipice he had been teetering on.

That was until the almost mentioned name, and Ianto had seen the grief pass over Jack's face once more.

He sighed, watched as the Rift closed and walked slowly back to the Hub.

Jack carefully opened the door to the storage area, his hand twitched at the memory of the last time he'd tried to get near the TARDIS.

It had taken his hand at least two days to get any feeling back into it, and another three days to heal.

He didn't blame her, she was suffering in her own way...linked as she was to him...knowing that he was out there, but unable to touch him.

He felt the psychic warning even before he'd closed the door...stay away.

Ignoring the warning he stepped right up to TARDIS but didn't try to touch it, feeling the static charge building in the air.

He sighed and stepped back a pace.

"I know you're angry at me, and I don't blame you. I should have looked after him better."

There was rumble from the TARDIS and it sounded angry.

"I should have killed him the first time."

There was another rumble from the TARDIS.

"I know he wouldn't want that, but none of this would have happened. He'd be here, and instead of you keeping me away, he'd be telling me not to flirt with you."

The TARDIS rumbled again, but this time it was quieter, almost gentle.

Jack smiled as he felt the static charge drop away and gave the blue wood a gentle stroke.

"It's a start, but I need to get inside."

There was another rumble, a bit more agitated again.

"Come one, you must have sensed the Rift opening...he's not here to help us, but you can."

There was silence for a few seconds and then there was an audible click and the door swung open.

"Thank you," Jack said quietly and stepped inside.

He was expecting to see the warm gold and greens of the interior, but what he found made him heartsick.

Gone were the gentle hues, replaced by an oily black and purple half light.

"Oh baby, what have you done to yourself," he breathed.

He walked slowly up the ramp, not enjoying the feeling of the rails. They were warm and seemed to be slick with some sort of liquid...was the TARDIS crying?

As he approached the consol the light shifted from oily black to red and then became pitch black.

Jack stopped moving, unsure of his footing, hoping that at least the black/purple light would return.

Then he heard it...faint at first, but within seconds the noise became ear-splitting.

Jack clamped his hands over his ears as the screaming grew in pitch until his senses were overloaded and darkness took him.

The shuttle landed and the two figures stepped out.

The older figure started to walk towards the building a few yards away from the landing pad.

He stopped when the younger figure didn't follow.

He turned and frowned.

"Are you alright?" he asked, walking back to the figure.

The younger figure blinked several times and shook his head.

"Just a little tired. Would it be okay if I skipped dinner?"

The older figure looked at the younger figure intently, as if looking for something.

"Of course, it's only been a month since your abduction, I've pushed you too hard. In fact there's no need for you to work tomorrow. It will take time for the data to be analysed. Why don't you go into the city, and have some me time."

The younger figure sighed then smiled at the older man.

"Yeah, it's just..."

The older man put a hand on the younger man's shoulder. "I know you're still scared that he's out there, but what are the chances of him being there."

"You're right, I will go."

The older figure watched the younger figure as he stood by the shuttle...something was not right, he thought.

His thoughts were interrupted by his mobile trilling for attention.

"What is it?" he said testily.

He listened for a few moments, a scowl forming on his face.

"Tell them it will be ready when it is ready, and if they don't like it tell them to talk to me personally. My name, tell them to ask for White Coat."