Jack didn't know what the hell to do next. That night after their brief rendezvous with the Sycorax, the Captain felt good, accomplished. They had defeated an enemy that would've only grown stronger and attack harder when the time came, the Doctor should've felt grateful. But, as per usual, the Time Lord was upset with guilt and grief. When the General died on the TARDIS floor the Doctor didn't say a word to anyone. He sprinted to the console and immediately pressed down buttons and pulled plugs.

You could hear him mutter silently to her, "I'm sorry, girl, I'm so sorry."

Clara, River, the Cat, and Jack, himself, just stood there with emotionless expressions. The Doctor was saved, well, at least, they thought he was. One minute the guy was down for the count and the next he's challenging Sycoraxan War Generals. I mean, the guy was unpredictable. He did feel for the Doctor, hundreds and hundreds of years with no consolation were something the man had to hold, but he was his friend. Jack would do anything for the Doctor.

The Doctor acted as if they weren't there, not like he was ignoring them the Doctor wasn't that type, but as if he really didn't realize they were standing there. It was probably so he could acknowledge that this was his burden to carry alone and not for his friends.

"Doctor?" River cleared her throat.

The Doctor continued to run around the console and talk to himself.

"Doctor," River raised her eyebrows.

Jack saw that he kept doing his things, but a look of sadness crossed his face.

"Doctor!" Clara stepped forward.

The man finally stopped and placed both hands on the console, his head bowed. It lasted for a moment. He swirled himself around on his heels and faced the group. A Cat nurse from the year 5 billion, an omnisexual civil war alien from the Boeshane Penninsula, a human girl with three different lives in three different eras, and the daughter of his best friends that was born on an asteroid and had killed him, multiple times, in the past. This was his legacy and these were his friends.

"Ah, yes," he smiled but his face was filled with sadness, "thank you all for coming and helping protect me and the Mrs.," he patted the TARDIS rail once. Whistles, bells, alarms, and creaks echoed throughout the great hall, "I just need to make a few repairs as she was damaged during the course of events. Please, find a room, make yourself comfortable, tomorrow I will return you all to your respective places in time or wherever your heart desires. It's the least I can do for your efforts."

The Doctor's words were laced with honey but his eyes held immense guilt.

"Novice Hame," the Time Lord bounded down the TARDIS console steps and towards the Sister of Plentitude, "how are things in the year five billion? How's New New York?"

She smiled, "Things are well Doctor, and it's because of you that they are. I haven't seen this new face, your hair is different."

He laughed, "Yes, it is a new look, I'll give you that, but it has been good to me so far."

"I hope so," she placed a furry hand on his cheek, "listen, Doctor, do not be weighed down by the tragedies of the past, but focus on the good that can come out of it."

"Easier said than done," he looked down to the floor.

"Think, if poor Rose Tyler had not been separated from you, you wouldn't have met all these new and equally amazing and talented partners you have," Hame's slitted yellow eyes held wisdom within them, "you are an extraordinary man, Doctor, with an even more extraordinary past, but look for the most extraordinary future. You are just a man, but a man that people love and care about. Don't let them think otherwise."

"Thank you, Hame," the Doctor nodded, "will you be staying for the night?"

"I will for you and because I want a good look around your TARDIS."

She pulled away, a twinkle in her eye, and walked down the TARDIS hall.

"Well, I'll be spending the night with you too, bud," the Captain clapped the Doctor's shoulder, "just like old times."

"Ah, yes," the Doctor said drily, "always a pleasure, Captain Jack."

The Captain gave the Doctor a big, big hug, Clara a kiss on the cheek, and mouthed "Call Me" to River who rolled her eyes.

"That one is one-of-a-kind, I tell you," River chuckled and stood shoulder to shoulder with the Doctor.

"Oh, yes," the Doctor smiled, "but you'll never find another like him."

"I don't doubt that!" they heard an echoing voice from down the hall.

"Oh, get to bed, you big loaf!" the Doctor called, teasingly.

"Doctor, I'll be getting to my room," Clara said, tiredly.

"Wait, Clara," he grabbed her arm as she was walking out, "I just wanted to say thank you and to the Captain for risking your lives to protect me."

"Doctor, you saved a whole planet," Clara said warmly, "it's the least we can do for everything you've done for us."

"I'd like the hear the story soon if you don't mind. The Brave Clara Oswald versus an Army of Sycorax," the Time Lord raised his eyebrows amusingly.

"It wasn't exactly an army," she laughed.

"Sounds better for the title," he quipped, "now, off you go!"

She leaped forward and wrapped her arms around the tweed suit wearing alien.

"I was so scared, Doctor, don't ever do that to me again."

He placed his arms around her back, "Trust me, I don't think we'll be seeing any sun parasites soon."

She pulled away at last and trudged down the TARDIS hall to her room.

"It just leaves you and me now," River called slyly.

"And my old Sexy Thing," he swiped a hand across the Police Box's rail.

"Am I the third wheel now?" she had a bubbly tone to her voice, "is my husband cheating on me?"

He gave her a bemused sideways glance, "How did you get here, River?"

"Clara sent Jack with the Vortex Manipulator."

"What?" he turned around suddenly, "that's extremely dangerous, Jack could've been lost in the Vortex, or you would've never found him, or some other creature could've gotten hold of him, you know the Captain, his Vortex Manipulator never works-"

"Doctor," River placed a finger to his lips, "you're ranting again. Everything worked out fine in the end."

"I wouldn't exactly call it fine," he slipped away and slumped down on the TARDIS steps.

"You have an incredibly vast sense of guilt, Doctor," River sat down next to him, "it's eating you alive."

"All these people that enter my life, even in the smallest way end up getting hurt, River," his depressed tone made her heart tear, "I just want it to stop. I just wish that I wasn't so selfish, that I didn't bring people into my world and save them the trouble."

"You mean to save you the trouble," River pointed out calmly, "look, Doctor, you're the last Gallifreyan creature in this universe, you're lonely. Your charming and attractive attitude makes people want to be around you. You don't force them to enter your life, it's their choice."

"But it's me who offers them a spot in the TARDIS, it's me who shows them the universe, how can someone walk away from that?"

"Mom and Dad did, well, at least, they tried to, sometimes," River bumped his shoulder.

At the mention of Rory and Amy, the Doctor's mood dropped even further.

"Besides, Doctor, you've still got me."

"But for how long?" he turned to her, "how long before something happens to you? Before you get sucked away into another dimension, kidnapped by the Slitheen, killed by the Angels, or swept off your feet by some other man."

"Don't be silly now," River rolled her eyes, "I'm a big girl I can handle myself. If you had forgotten I was born on an asteroid, raised by a military general, and had Amy as a mom. Nothing got past her and you're never ever going to lose me."

"Promise?"

"Promise," she smiled, "now let's go fix our girl."

The Doctor stood up cheerfully and jumped to the main console.

"Time to get to work."