28
Jack was beside himself as he leaned against the wall, begging for Ianto to come back.
The coral had faded to a dull gray, solid like granite and Jack couldn't get any response.
Mainframe had gone silent.
The Doctor was confused as he looked around, trying to understand.
"He's a Timelord!" he finally said with wonder.
Jack groaned as his head slammed against the coral.
"His mother was a woman called Jenny. Jenny Storm or Smith. Your daughter from some sort of DNA machine" Tosh told him, "He is your grandson, according to the Mistress, Master … whatever. Apparently the Silence keep taking him and experimenting on him because of your bloodline."
The Doctor gaped, mouthing 'Timelord' as he blinked.
"They used him to create a new breed of Timelord. Some girl called Pond was impregnated? A baby called Melody …. But …. Not …. called River … Doctor?"
The Doctor had dropped to his knees on the mattress as he hyperventilated, Jack finally turning from the wall to look at him with despair.
"Doctor? Bring him back? Please?" Jack's voice was so small and bereft.
"You love him." The Doctor finally said.
Jack shifted from foot to foot as he nodded silently.
"Right. Focus" the Doctor demanded as he slapped himself in the head a few times, rising from the bedding, "Right. The Silence? Right."
He strode from the room and into the hub, then turned on his heel and returned to the room.
"How many?"
"The most we've been able to track at one time was four" Tosh told him and he swung to look at her.
He blinked a few times and suddenly shook himself like a dog, then smiled.
"Doctor Sato! How lovely, long time no see. Different face for me, oooo, wait. What? Four? How did you track them?" he babbled without taking breath.
"I'll show you" Tosh said calmly, years of Jack's excitement coming to good use.
Jack refused to leave the room incase Ianto retuned once the Doctor was gone and Tosh felt a great sorrow as she watched him slump against the coral wall.
The Doctor reviewed the footage, making notes on his palm with a finger like it was paper and Owen screwed his finger around his ear more than once in the universal code for "Cuckoo".
Finally, the Doctor sat blinking as he computed the fact that Jenny had survived her death with a partial regeneration, Ianto was his grandson and River was … wow.
He sighed and walked slowly back to the Tardis/Room as he chewed over the unmistakable fact that he had a duty of care to this young man.
A young man who had some sort of involvement with the last person the Doctor would have chosen as a family member.
Jack was sitting on the floor, still leaning against the coral and as he looked up at the Doctor he saw total devotion.
Jack was not going to move until Ianto came back.
"Ianto. Welsh, right?" the Doctor settled in the bedding.
"He's Welsh. Lovely Welsh kitten" Jack said softly, "My Welshman."
"So I see"
Tosh walked in and touched Jack's arm, "Those sons of bitches are at the door."
She was shaking with rage, fear … determination and Jack smiled as he saw his little mouse show large teeth.
"Don't let them in" Jack said as he sighed and rose to his feet.
"Too late, the bitch already did!" Owen snarled form the doorway.
"I'll take care of this!" the Doctor growled as he shook himself, resetting his feathers.
"You want to see a Timelord, you will get a Timelord." He muttered as he strode into the main hub.
Time to meet the Oncoming Storm!