Chapter 5

"Jack?"

"Yeah, it's me," replied the 51st century time traveller.

" Jack !" Rose gasped, launching into his outstretched arms. "I missed you Jack! I'm sorry we couldn't come back and get you but the Doctor's regeneration went wrong and then he said…"

"Whoa! Whoa!" Jack said, placing his finger on Rose's lips, "slow down, honey."

"Sorry, I'm just happy to see you again,"

"Me too. Where's the Doctor..? Rose? What's wrong, sweetheart?"

Rose sniffed and wiped the tears from her eyes. "He left me again," she whispered, "He promised he'd never do it again but he has."

Jack tightened his grip on her. "Why don't you start from the beginning?"

Rose nodded and began to recount her tale from the moment the Doctor left her just over a year ago to the present moment. Captain Jack listened in silence until she had finished when he helped her sit down in the sand.

"Oh Rose. I'm sure he's got a good reason this time and he'll come back," Jack soothed,

"I hope so," Rose said, tilting her head so it lay on the shoulder of the man who she thought of as a brother.

"You two are sure in love. I could see it all that time ago when I first came on the TARDIS. I'm glad you've finally done something about it,"

"Me too," Rose said, smiling as she thought about her lover. "So, how did you get here?" she asked, "The Doctor said it was deserted,"

"I crash landed," Jack admitted with a grin, "I 'borrowed' a spaceship from the Gamestation and flew around constantly scanning for alien tech- by that I mean the TARDIS and the Doctor of course- I found heaps of it but nothing for useful. Then, one day, only a couple of days ago, the control panel went crazy, the engines cut out and I crash landed here. In the middle of that forest actually- I made an enormous hole in the trees! Anyway, luckily I wasn't hurt at all and clambered out to see if I could find anybody to help or work out where the hell I was! But when I got back from exploring and finding out this was a deserted island, my spaceship had just disappeared. All that was left was a load of crushed twigs and grass! So, I've spent the last couple of days trying to survive and working out a way of getting off this island again. And then I find you here!"

Rose laughed slightly. "You alright then?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Bit hungry and dirty but I'll survive. You?"

"I'll be OK,"

"Good, he'll be back. I'm sure of it,"

"Yeah," Rose yawned, "God, I'm tired. It's been such a busy day and it's only mid afternoon!"

"Take a nap. I'll stay here with you, promise,"

"Thanks Jack," she replied, lying back in the sand and closing her eyes.

It was the dull throbbing of the TARDIS engines that woke Rose a while later. Blearily, she sat up and Captain Jack instinctively put an arm around her as they both stared at the TARDIS door.

It burst open and the Doctor stood there. "Sorry I'm a bit late!" he exclaimed, "Ran into a bit of unexpected trouble." He gave them a goofy grin which faded at the sight of them. "Jack..?" he said, "how did you get here?"

Jack frowned. "Who's he?" he asked Rose, "Where's the Doctor?"

"That's him," Rose whispered, "he regenerated just after we left you,"

"Freaky," Jack murmured,

"Yeah, is a bit," said the Doctor, "Rose, you alright?"

"Not really," Rose replied, standing up, "would you be alright if I abandoned you yet again after promising I wouldn't ever again?"

"But I didn't abandon you!" the Doctor protested, "I'm here, aren't I? I left you a message on the sand explaining where I was!"

"Where?"

"There…" said the Doctor, trailing off as he realised his message had gone. He paled. "Oh no, it must have gotten washed away. I'm sorry, Rose!"

Rose gave a bitter laugh. "Save it, Doctor. I thought you were supposed to be a genius." And with that, she stalked angrily away and into the TARDIS.

The two men looked at one another.

"I can't believe I did it again," the Doctor groaned,

"Me neither. She deserves better than you if that's the way you're going to treat her!"

The Doctor nodded and took a deep breath. "I better go speak to her,"

"Give her some time to cool down," Jack advised,

"Good idea," the Doctor muttered, running a shaky hand through his hair, "so, tell me Jack. How are you here? This island's supposed to be deserted and 'people' keep popping up everywhere!"

Jack repeated his words from earlier that he had told Rose as they moved into the TARDIS. Rose wasn't in the control room- they assumed she was in her room. The Doctor sank down onto the captain's chair with another sigh while Jack perched on the control panel, facing him.

"It's good to see you again, Captain," the Doctor said,

"Likewise Doctor. So, where did you go?"

"Raxacoricofallapatorius to see 'Margaret'- I assume Rose has filled you in on the Gwarf and the plan?"

"Yup. Did 'Margaret' recognise you?"

"Nah didn't expect her to. Anyway, she's coming with some guards to arrest the Gwarf tomorrow morning in a spaceship. I've given her the co-ordinates for here so we just have to wait and keep an eye on things,"

"OK," Jack replied, slowly. He suddenly gasped. "Rose said that you saw the Gwarf in an empty area in the middle of the forest!"

"Yeah… It looked rather suspicious,"

"I bet that was where I crashed my spaceship and it disappeared." He gasped again. "The power source the Gwarf was talking about! It's my spaceship, I bet ya!"

"I think you're right," the Doctor said, "let's go and take a look around there. I'll go get Rose."

The Doctor strode off while Jack watched him, feeling rather apprehensive.

"Rose?" the Doctor called, knocking on her bedroom door,

"Go away!" Rose yelled, "I don't want to talk to you!"

"Please Rose," the Doctor pleaded, entering the room and sitting on the edge of Rose's bed. "I'm really sorry but I had to go alone."

"I said go away!" Rose said, from where she lay wrapped up under her duvet. The Doctor placed his hand on her shoulder and winced as his companion visibly flinched.

"Me and Jack are going to go out to that clearing in the middle of the forest," he said quietly, "we think the Gwarf have taken Jack's ship and are using it as their power source. Do you want to come with us?"

Rose made no reply but the Doctor could hear her breathing shallowly, meaning she wasn't asleep.

"Please speak to me, Rose," he begged.

Rose remained silent and the Doctor sighed. "We'll be going then. See you later and stay safe."

He walked to the door and then stopped. "I'm sorry." And then he left.

In her bed, Rose gave a choked sob and curled up tighter in a ball.

"Doctor," she whispered.

The Doctor and Jack crept into the outskirts of the gap in the trees and peered around.

"I'll do a scan for alien tech," Jack offered, pulling out his sonic blaster. "Damn! Battery needs charging!"

"Don't worry. I got it," the Doctor replied, fishing in his pocket.

"Hey! You still have the sonic screwdriver!" Jack said, sounding delighted, "put up any cabinets lately?"

"Yeah! Rose needed one in her room for all her stuff. Honestly, I don't know how that girl needs so much!"

Jack laughed. "Good old Rose."

"Yeah. Lovely Rose." He sighed. "Jack, what am I going to do? I tried talking to her but she refused to listen…"

"We'll think of something. Maybe she needs more time. I'll go see if I can get her to open up to me later, alright? Anyway, come on. Let's search for my ship."

The Doctor sighed again before following him.

"Rose honey, can I come in?"

"Sure Jack," she replied.

The Captain walked in and shut the door carefully behind him. Then he came and sat on Rose's bed, leaning against the headboard. Rose placed her head on his lap and he idly played with her hair. They had often sat like this before when one of them needed comfort or simply because they wanted to relax.

"So you gonna tell me what's really wrong? It can't just be the Doctor doing a disappearing act on you again. You'd have forgiven him for that already and we'd be happily planning our next adventure," asked Jack, gently,

"I know," Rose replied, "I'd forgive the Doctor for anything; I love him too much not to,"

"So what's up?

"He promised me," Rose mumbled,

"Promised you what?"

"That he'd never leave me again. The other day, when he finally came back to me, he said several times to me and to my Mum and to my friends that he'd never abandon me again and only, what, four days later, he's gone and done just that! Thankfully, it wasn't for the same long period of time but still!"

"So, it's not the fact that he left you again- although sure that's gotta hurt- but it's because he broke a promise. Is that it?" Jack checked,

"Yup," Rose said, "I feel like I can't trust him to keep his promises anymore and I have to know he will. Earlier today, he told me he'd trust me with his life and I thought I felt the same but I don't know anymore,"

"Oh Rose, honey," Jack said, stroking her hair gently, "If you can trust anyone, it's the Doctor,"

"I hope so,"

"I know so. Now, come on. Tell me what I've missed since we last saw one another on the Gamestation,"

"Well… the Doctor's regeneration went a bit wrong and he took me home on Christmas Eve…"

Jack and Rose talked for many hours, recounting past adventures before falling asleep. The Doctor came by after a while and his hearts twinged in pain and perhaps a bit of jealousy as he saw his companions wrapped up in each other's arms; the sadness that Rose felt, still clearly visible on her face even in sleep.

"I'm so sorry Rose," he whispered hoarsely, "I'm such an idiot."