Jack had spent the night in frustration, switching from checking the monitors in the infirmary for any sign of change in the Doctor's condition, to scanning the skies for any alien threat that might take his mind off the Doctor's current situation. Unfortunately aliens seemed to have no interest in the Earth that night, not even the random joy riding teenager appeared. The rift was quiet and even the police scanner had nothing of interest.
In fact, the only activity seemed to be Gwen, who after using the anit-grav handles to move the medical supply cart from the cell block to the infirmary, busied herself rearranging equipment and cabinets in the main Hub area. Her activity produced an almost steady clank and clatter throughout the night. He didn't agree with all of her changes, but rather than protest, he decided could change them back later. He suspected some of the moves were simply a chance on her part to exercise the freedom the handles gave her.
Jack stretched his arms up over his head and leaned back in his chair, the increased pressure against his shoulders brought some needed relief from the tightness that had developed. His clasped hands dropped down behind his head which pressed back against them as his elbows drove forward. The kinks out, he relaxed and let his hands drop to his lap, before reaching forward for his coffee cup. It was cold in his hand as was the contents.
He stared that the multi-colored oily film swirling on top of the dark liquid as he thought about what to do next. The Doctor didn't need his help. He wished he did, he wished there was something he could do. He hated the sit and wait position he was in. With a sigh he shook his head, there was nothing he could do about it. There was however something that did need to be dealt with, Mr. Fisher. Frank had been cluttering up his cell block for far too long. Time to get rid of him, but how.
The sanitation cell the Doctor had been in was overdue for a live test. He briefly considered the idea. It would be appropriate considering Frank had been playing with the controls when the Doctor was in it. He sighed and shook his head. Unfortunately Frank's father was too high up in the government and his disappearance could result in some unpleasant scrutiny. So he was going to have to come up with something else. Something that would explain the MI5 bureaucrat's long absence and not implicate Torchwood.
He went on his computer and started checking for what assets he had available in the area. He wanted Frank controlled and he also wanted him out of Cardiff. He had more important things to do than dance with the idiot. Frank's second wasn't as ego driven, and would make a good replacement. Now what to do with Mr. Fisher?
A plan was starting to form in Jack's mind when he heard the front door. He checked the monitor and saw Ianto was back. Earlier than Jack would have liked, but his return was welcome. He needed Ianto's assistance in working out the details of his plan.
His aide went past Jack's office without stopping, and proceeded right on to the coffee mess. Jack smiled as he saw the Welshman shake his head at the disarray and pour out the contents of the current pot, his nose wrinkled in disgust. Pushing back from his desk, Jack stood and expressed the same disdain for cold stale state of his current cup of coffee. Time for a refill and a strategy session.
Ianto looked up and smiled when he saw Jack approaching. "I'll have a fresh pot in just a few minutes. How's the Doctor doing?"
"No change," Jack replied.
"I'm sorry to hear that." Ianto took Jack's cup and proceeded to wash it, the smell of dish soap became layered on top of the smell of the coffee. "Is there anything I can do?"
"For the Doctor? No, but I have something I could use your help with."
"Yes?" Ianto dried the cup and poured fresh coffee in it for Jack.
"It's Frank, I want to dispose of him before the Doctor wakes up." Jack added a silent, unspoken 'if he wakes up' to the end of the sentence as he took the cup from Ianto.
"Dispose?" Ianto raised his eyebrows.
"Unfortunately not that way, unless you know of something that might work?" Jack himself wasn't sure if he was kidding or not.
"Not for that, but I have been doing some research, I was going to run some ideas by you. I can't keep him sedated forever."
"Why not? No, don't answer that. Did you manage to get some Retcon into him?"
"Yes sir, he shouldn't remember anything and I did report to MI5 that he had gone missing."
Jack sipped his coffee, enjoying the nutty flavor with an overtone of chocolate. His spirits were lifted by it along with the renewed knowledge that Ianto was good for far more than the brewing of the beverage. "Perfect, let's go over these ideas of yours. I have a few of my own. Maybe they'll mesh up."
"What about Gwen? Should I send her home?"
Jack looked around at the reorganized office, Gwen was nowhere to be seen, nor were the handles. Who knew what she was rearranging now. "Yes, send her home and tell her to leave those handles here." Jack felt he was doing more than just enforcing the Torchwood rule against taking alien tech home, he was doing Rhys a favor with that last order. Tripping over moved furniture on the way to your morning coffee was not a pleasant way to start the day.
Ianto left to find Gwen. Jack, glancing at the monitors saw that Martha was up. He poured a second cup of coffee with a dash of cream as she liked it and headed to the infirmary.
Martha was working when Jack entered and didn't look up. Rather than disturb her, Jack watched from the top of the stairs. The Doctor's arm and part of his chest was exposed. Martha picked up a bottle of lotion and deposited some in her hand, then rubbed her hands together before applying it to the Time Lord's bare skin. She worked methodically not pressing hard like a massage, but a smoothing motion that distributed the lotion evenly. Once the lotion was applied on the exposed area, she took his arm and raised it up over her patient's head and then back next to his body. She then took his arm out to the side in a large arc until it was back over his head again. The pattern continued this way with each joint bending and straightening them. The fingers she curled into a fist, then straightened and splayed them, pushing them as far apart from each other as she could, before returning the hand to its resting place and covering up the area she had been working on.
Jack realized the coffee in his hand was getting cold and cleared his throat as Martha was pushing the sheets from the Doctor's leg from the hip down. "Is there a queue?" he inquired as he descended the stairs.
Martha looked up and smiled at him as she shook her head. "For receiving or administering?" she replied as she started to apply the lotion to the exposed leg.
"If I have a choice, I'll take both. What are you doing anyway? It's not like he's awake to enjoy this." Jack smiled and held out the cup of coffee.
"I doubt he would enjoy it, or even let me do it, if he was awake," replied Martha as she finished applying lotion to the leg before reaching for the offered coffee and taking a sip. "His skin is dry. I can at least help with that. Give his body one less thing to deal with."
"And all the bending?"
"Range of motion, helps a little with blood flow and keeps the joints flexible so when he comes out of this he isn't stiff." Putting the coffee down on the counter she went back to treating the Doctor, flexing the hip, knee and ankle joints.
Jack watched patiently while she finished her work and allowed her another sip of coffee before asking, "Has there been any improvement?"
Martha sighed. "Not that the instruments show. But there is one thing." She set the coffee down on the counter and walked over to the bed. She pushed back the bed clothes from his arm. On his upper arm was a bluish purple spot ringed greenish brown. "That was red yesterday like the others around it. But it's healing now, maybe it means other things will start healing soon."
Jack studied the bruise. Such a small sign. Just one bruise out of many. It was grasping at straws, but right now he would take even a single straw no matter how weak and soggy. His thoughts were broken into by the sound of someone coming down the stairs. He looked up, expecting to see Ianto but instead it was Gwen, carrying a blanket.
"Why, aren't you on your way home?" Jack questioned.
"I am, as soon as I deliver this," Gwen answered. She looked over at Martha. "I've been changing them out all night. Did I do the right thing?"
Martha smiled nodded. "Yes, you did and you must have been very quiet about it. I slept much longer than I thought I would."
"I tried not to disturb you. I checked with Ianto by the way, and he's going to get one of those warming cabinets. It should be here this afternoon. Give the dryer a break at least."
"If you two ladies are done chatting," Jack interrupted as he took the blanket from Gwen and handed it to Martha, "it's time for Gwen to go home."
"Alright, I'll go, but why can't I take the handles with me? It's not like they're dangerous."
"You know the rules, plus I want to you to get some rest. If you took them with you, you wouldn't. So come on, get going." He put his hands on Gwen's shoulders and turned her towards the stairs. Gwen needed no further urging and left.
Jack turned to see Martha back at work. She had swapped the blankets and had rolled the Doctor onto his side, using the other blanket as a bolster to hold him in that position.
"You're worried about bedsores?" Jack asked.
Martha arranged the sheet and blanket, and combed the Doctor's hair back in place with her fingers as she replied, "He's bony enough to get them easily and I don't know how long he is going to be in this condition."
Jack nodded his understanding. "It looks like you have everything under control here then. Ianto and I may have an errand to run later. Will you be okay without us?"
Martha sighed as she sat down on a small black stool, still staring at the Doctor. "Yes, I'll be fine. There's really not much I can do for him at this point. It's just watching and trying to support him any way I can. But…" She put her hand to her forehead and unnecessarily smoothed back her hair with it as she looked down at the floor, her voice choked with emotion, tears starting to form in her eyes. "Jack, I have to be honest, he may not come out of this. I know what I would be telling someone in my position, but this is the Doctor and I have to keep hoping."
Jack walked over and put his arm around her shoulders, for a moment she stiffened and resisted, then she relaxed into him. "I've seen the Doctor do incredible things," he assured her with more confidence than he felt. "I don't believe your hope is as unreasonable as you think. You're doing a great job. If anyone can pull him out of this it's you." He stepped away and turned her on the stool to face him. With a single finger he chucked her under the chin and lifted her face so he could look into her eyes.
"When did you eat last?" he asked.
Martha blinked and stammered at the unexpected question, "Uh… I…"
Jack smiled. "That's what I thought. I'll have Ianto get you some breakfast before we go. They should have taught you in medical school to take care of yourself as well as your patient. Is there anything else you need?"
"I only have enough of the IV fluids for another day. I'll write up a list and if you could get some waterless shampoo."
"How about a shaving kit?" Jack suggested.
"Yes that would be good. Thank you."
"Alright, I'll leave you to take care of him."
Ianto was already preparing a tray when Jack returned to the office area. On it was eggs, bacon, some hash browns and toast. "Where you listening in?" Jack accused light heartedly, trying to counter the seriousness of the situation.
"Actually no, I saw she was up and knew there was no food down there. I also took the liberty of ordering your breakfast. Given the state of the coffee, I doubted you'd eaten."
"You're right, I hadn't. By the way, Martha has a few items she wants, a shaving kit, dry shampoo and the rest will be on a list she's writing up."
"I have a spare shaving kit here. I'll have to check around for dry shampoo."
"If you can find some she'd appreciate it. She's trying to get him squeaky clean. When he comes out of this I don't think he's going to need a shower for a year."
Ianto placed a fresh cup of coffee on the tray and picked it up. "I'll be right back, your breakfast is in your office."
In his office, Jack found a couple of wrapped breakfast sandwiches. He ate absent mindedly with one hand while operating his computer with the other, continuing his search for a solution to the Frank problem. The one idea he'd had earlier didn't really pan out. Another on further consideration was too risky. For him, not Frank. There was however one possibility. He actually started to smile, it could work out very well.