The Doctor scanned the skies. A ship. There had to be a ship. He tried not to think about what happened the last time he'd been deceived by Flesh and what happened after with Amy and River. It couldn't be her. There was no way. No, possible…The door opened and Sherlock entered carrying Rose.

"Take her to the sick bay," the Doctor said, motioning to the corridor. "Upstairs then left and left again. Lay her on the bed, I'll be there as soon as I finish running this scan."

Sherlock crossed the control room and entered the corridor without replying. He was worried. The Doctor could see that, but he had to run the scan first and then…well, then he'd have to make sure. The meta-crisis had been flesh and that meant there was a chance she was too. A chance she was still missing.

He checked the scan. Nothing? No, no that wasn't right. Couldn't be right. Unless…he ran another scan. This one over the planet, looking for alien technology. Anything out of place. Anything that shouldn't be there. He took a breath as he waited, running his hand over his face. Someone…someone was responsible. Someone had orchestrated everything, like moving pieces on a board.

The scan came back with nothing. Nothing? That couldn't be right. The Flesh hadn't appeared out of nowhere, well, unless he was Flesh when he came through the crack, but the Doctor doubted that. Whoever was responsible must be cloaked, hiding, knowing he'd run a scan. If they were hiding and they were good, which they obviously were, he wouldn't be able to find them. He'd have to wait and he hated waiting. He slammed his fist into the console and the TARDIS sent him a shock.

"Sorry, sorry," he apologized, rubbing his hand.

He sighed, running his hand over his face again. He couldn't find them. Well, there was only one thing left to do. He crossed the room to the corridor and began the walk to sick bay. He had to check, had to make sure. He pulled out his sonic as he started up the stairs, looking for the setting, the one he used on Amy, well, not Amy, the Flesh Amy.

He entered the sick bay. Rose was lying on the bed, Sherlock was standing over her, holding her hand. He paused, reconsidering. Maybe he shouldn't check yet, maybe he should wait. No, waiting wouldn't do any good.

"Move away from her," the Doctor said, brandishing his sonic.

Sherlock looked at him, then at the screwdriver and the way he was holding it, pointing it at them.

"What are you doing?" the detective demanded, anger flashing through his eyes.

"I need to do this."

"Do what?" Sherlock asked, stepping in front of her protectively.

"I need to do this and you need to stand away!" the Doctor ordered.

"Not until you tell me what the hell you're doing!"

"The meta-crisis was Flesh. I have to check."

Sherlock glanced at Rose.

"You think…you think she is too," the detective deduced.

"Yes, now I need you to move."

Reluctantly, Sherlock backed away, never taking his eyes off of her. The Doctor pointed his sonic and held down the button to block the signal. The sonic warbled and…nothing happened. He tried again. Again nothing.

"Is something supposed to happen?" Sherlock asked.

"Yes, I…I blocked the signal," the Doctor said, looking at his sonic to make sure he got the setting right. Yes, he did.

"Does that mean she's not Flesh?"

The Doctor looked at her. Rose. She really was Rose. He crossed the room toward her.

"Yes…I mean, no, no she's not Flesh. She really is Rose."

"Good," Sherlock said, relieved, as he returned to her side.

"Yes, but I mean, I don't understand. Why would the meta-crisis be Flesh and not her?"

"Did your scan turn up anything?"

"No, their ship must be cloaked."

"Ship?"

"Flesh is future technology."

"Then they have a ship like yours?"

"No, no one has a ship like mine."

"But if it's future technology that means they can travel in time."

"Yes, but not with a ship like mine. They're using some other means of time travel."

"There are other ways to travel in time?"

"Of course there are," the Doctor replied walking over to one of the drawers and retrieving a bottle of fluid and then looking around for a medical gun.

"What are you doing?" Sherlock asked.

"Counteracting the sedatives she was given."

He pulled open a drawer, but there wasn't a medical gun in it. He swore put one in there. He opened another drawer. There! He grabbed the gun and loaded the bottle of fluid.

"Don't you think she should rest?"

"Yes, but we need to find out what she knows," the Doctor said, stepping over to the other side of the bed.

"You're going to wake her to question her?"

The Doctor eyed him.

"Isn't that what you'd do?"

"I…" Sherlock trailed off.

-0-

Sherlock growled under his breath. Yes, it was exactly what he'd do, but she wasn't some witness. She'd already been through so much. He sighed. The Doctor was right. They needed to find out what she knew, especially with someone else behind her kidnapping. They needed to be ready if the person responsible tried again.

The Doctor reached for her arm and then paused, glancing at the detective.

"I need you to wait outside," the Time Lord said.

"Sorry?" Sherlock asked.

There was no way in hell he was going to wait out in the corridor while the Doctor woke her and then proceeded to question her.

"We both know she's been through a lot and I think it would be easier on her if there was only one of us in the room with her."

"And that has to be you?"

"I've been down this road before. I know what I'm looking for. Can you say the same?"

Sherlock glared at the Doctor, but he knew the answer.

"No." He turned on his heels and strode out of the room, but paused at the doorway, "If you harm her-"

"I would never do that," the Doctor shot.

"I don't mean physically. Her mental state-"

"I realize that, but this has to be done."

Sherlock stepped into the corridor and to the right, leaning against the wall. He didn't like the idea of leaving her alone with the Doctor. It wasn't because the man had feelings for her, it was the way he'd brandished his screwdriver like a weapon, pointing it at her. In that moment he'd seen darkness in the Doctor's eyes. Sherlock had his own demons, but nothing…nothing compared to the darkness in that man.

-0-

The Doctor lifted her arm, pressing the medical gun against her skin. He didn't want to do this. Didn't want to cause her more pain than she already experienced, but it was the only way to keep her safe. He took a breath and pulled the trigger. He turned around and sat the gun on the counter behind him. When he turned back her eyes fluttered open. She gazed around the room as if she was trying to figure out where she was.

"Rose," he said, gently, not wanting to startle her.

Her eyes snapped to him. She sat up in one fluid motion, her eyes filling with fear and she screamed.

"Rose, it's me," he said, reaching for her to calm her down, but she pulled away.

"Get away from me!" she yelled.

The Doctor backed up as the woman he loved looked at him in a way he'd never seen before…as if he was some nightmarish monster. Both of his hearts broke and he was frozen by the fear in her eyes.

-0-

As soon as Sherlock heard her scream he was through the door. The Doctor was reaching for her and she screamed at him, making him back up. The detective warned the man about her mental state. They had no idea what she'd gone through. She might be strong, but every mind had a breaking point. He took a step toward her and then paused, not wanting to push her closer to the edge.

"Rose," he said, gently.

She looked at him. He could see the fear in her eyes, but then they changed, fear, but also disbelief.

"Sherlock?" she asked, as if she wasn't sure he was really there.

"Yes, I'm here."

She turned back, looking at the Doctor.

"D-Doctor?"

He seemed to have recovered, but there was something in his eyes…pain.

"Yes," the Time Lord said, taking a step toward her, but she shied away from him.

"No," she said, standing up on the other side of the bed. "I'm sorry. I just…I can't…not right now."

The Doctor looked stricken, but he merely nodded and then walked out of the sick bay, giving her a wide berth.

"I'll take us back to your flat," he replied as he stepped out the door.

Sherlock watched her as she leaned on the bed and seemed to be trying to pull herself together. It took all of his willpower not to run to her, pull her into his arms because he wasn't sure how she'd react to that and he didn't want to frighten her.

"Do you want me to leave too?" the detective asked.

"No," she said, her shoulders sagging and her voice so low he barely heard her.

She wasn't pulling herself together, she was falling. He crossed the room and reached for her. She turned around, wrapping her arms around him as she buried her face in his chest. He wrapped his arms around her as she cried, wishing he could take her pain away.


Standard Disclaimer.

Thank you to all my brilliant readers!

If you have time reviews are always welcome. :)