Hello! Okay, I said I'd release a chapter for Christmas... I lied. I'm sorry... BUT I am going to give you two chapters again! And one of them is very long! I hope you'll like them. Also, the Christmas special was AMAZING! And before anyone moans about me still using the old TARDIS interior in this fic - I know there's a new one, but I prefer the older one and I wrote the beginning of this fic before I heard about the redesign. Also, this is a FanFiction. Nothing will fit exactly with the Whoniverse as it's written by me - a FAN. So anyway, enjoy~
Also - That returning character is in this chapter JackieStars!
Also Also - I pronounce Eyphah 'AY-fuh' but the Hebrew is pronounced 'AY-faw'. Pick whichever you prefer. Thanks for asking bitbyacullen!

REVIEW PEOPLES! I have only had 4 reviewers, so other readers please review too! I love reviews and I always answer any questions! Feel free to PM me also! Anyway, enough of that - On With The Chapter!

Chapter 12: Fixed Point

The TARDIS hurtled through the Time Vortex for several minutes before something changed. Within the console room a smell of burnt hair and static electricity began to arise. Moments later, there was a flash of light and an outrageous bang as a person landed within the craft using a vortex manipulator. The Doctor's sonic screwdriver buzzed loudly from beneath him in response to the intruder.

The man - the intruder being male and of human appearance - glanced around the craft. "Huh, redecorated haven't you?" He said as he took it all in. He glanced around the floor and, spotting the unconscious bodies, grumbled slightly. "So you've regenerated AND got a lady friend, huh?"

He tutted slightly. "And gotten yourself into a mess. You don't change much, do you?" The man marched across to the terminal and picked up the bottles sitting on the side. One read Augeas Oforkansi, the other Khumbu Arrluk. He sighed again.

"Time Poison and Mind Killer. You've got yourselves into a right mess you two. Well, only one thing for it..." He strode across to the Doctor and took his pulse. "Meh - you've only been under for about seven minutes. TARDIS old girl, could you give me some Hypo-Cortex Stimu-7 by any chance?"

The time machine grumbled reluctantly. "Okay, if you want him to die..." The man said sarcastically. The TARDIS gave in and a small vial of the requested substance appeared beside the man. "Thank you." He said, tipping the contents of the bottle into the Doctor's mouth.

The Doctor lurched back into life, coughing and spluttering. "That stuff is truly disgusting..." He stopped when he saw the intruder. "Long time no see!" Said the man before him.

"Indeed, Jack Harkness. And not time wasted either." The Doctor replied, pulling himself too his feet. He was shaky and his head was pounding, but he would live. Mind Killer was a terrible poison that didn't kill you - therefore he hadn't regenerated as it wasn't life-threatening. Instead it incapacitated the brain and shut down non-vital brain activity, such as conscious thought.

Once standing, the Doctor looked at Jack again, properly this time. "I thought I disabled your manipulator?" Jack laughed merrily. "Indeed Doctor! You disabled my Type 03 Vortex Manipulator about 3,000 years ago for me! Hah, this is the Type 407.8. Like it?"

But the Doctor wasn't listening. He had bet down next to River and was scanning her with his Sonic. Jack spoke as the Doctor looked at the readings. "I'm gonna guess that she's been poisoned with Augeas Oforkansi..."

"How'd you know that?" The Doctor asked quickly, pointing the sonic at Jack. The American raised his hands up. "Hey, I found these." He tossed the bottles at the Doctor, who caught them neatly. He grimaced.

"You're right..." The Doctor spoke slowly. He sounded defeated as he placed the bottles on the floor next to River. "There's only one treatment for Time Poisoning, and that's Time itself."

"I know." Said Jack. He did not know this woman at all, but she was clearly far more than a friend of the Doctor. He placed a hand on his friend's shoulder. "And I'm sorry."

"No one should have to do that!" The Doctor was fuming. He leapt to his feet and started pacing. "I... I can't do that to her. She's human plus Time Lord Jack! I don't know how it would affect her..."

Jack watched him pace. "If you don't," he said softly, "she'll die."

The Doctor stopped pacing and crouched next to River again, stroking her curls. "I know." His voice was full of emotions Jack couldn't name.

His wife, he decided. That was who this woman was. The Doctor cared for many people, but one of the emotions he had given off so far was that of deep love unlike any Jack had seen before.

The Doctor stood again and entered some coordinates into the TARDIS. Jack gave him some room. Then, midway through typing, the Doctor paused.

"Jack," he said quietly, "there's a girl somewhere in the TARDIS called Eyphah - curly ginger hair and green eyes. Could you find her please? I need a serious word."

"Did she- ?"

"No one else could have. I don't know how she could know what to do, but she is clearly a danger."

"Of course." Jack set off down the winding pathways of never-ending space that made the TARDIS what it was.

The Doctor turned back to typing the coordinates, glancing worriedly at River. "Hang in there, River. I'm going to fix this." He said gently in Gallifreyan. Pulling a lever, the floppy haired Time Lord sent the TARDIS hurtling through the Time Vortex at top speed towards a destination he had hoped never to return to.