First off, thanks for the love I've received from you guys in the reviews. You guys are real nice. Apologies for this time and for future delays in updates. I was an unfortunately very busy 9th grader this year. I come up with ideas for this story all the time; it's just hard to format those thoughts into coherent sentences and conversations.

Now that it's Summer, though, updates should come quicker. I will be working on filming the play the Heathers with my friend by ourselves (no funds, just our own money), so that will keep us busy, but shouldn't affect my updates ^-^.

Also, a slight warning for upcoming debates about the existence of God. As we know the Doctor is an atheist so...Sorry, I recently read Horns by Joe Hill as well. Perks of Being a Wallflower is also really good.

Here's a playlist I made for this story: /mindlessriddle/sad-eyes

+¤×¤+||•》Chapter 5: Eating Problems

"For who would bear the whips and scorns of time... When he himself might his quietus make

With a bare bodkin?"

"Feeling Shakespearian this morning, Doctor?" Jack asked, sitting in a comfortable chair near the bed the Doctor lay in, not looking up from his novel he was engrossed in.

It was barely sunrise, the Doctor had been lying awake in bed, deep in thought staring at the ceiling.

Neither said anything for a few moments, so Jack closed his book, got up and sat down again on the Doctor's bed. He turned his head to look at his friend, but the Doctor continued to stare at the ceiling.

"How are you feeling?" No answer. "Are you hungry?"

"I met him once, with Martha." The Time Lord replied, ignoring the question completely.

"What was he like?" Jack asked.

"...Happy." The Doctor answered, finally making eye contact with the immortal, tears in his eyes.

"Are you?" Jack asked, wiping the tears from his eyes with a gentle thumb.

"I'm on anti-depressants, Jack." The Doctor stated factually.

In Jack's opinion keeping the Doctor cooped up at Torchwood would only contribute to his unhealthy state of mind. So, in hopes of cheering the Time Lord up and getting some food into his almost non-existent stomach he took the Doctor out for Breakfast.

"What looks good?" Jack asked, after watching the Time Lord glance at the menu, his hand holding the menu in the air in front of him while leaning his head in his other hand.

"Dunno. Don't normally do Breakfast. Usually Donna cooks something up for me." The Doctor replied, still looking at the menu thoughtfully.

"Well, what are you hungry for? There's eggs, pancakes, French toast...whatever you fancy." Jack suggested hopefully.

"Banana Pancakes sound brilliant. Do they have those?" The Doctor put the menu down and glanced at Jack.

"I would hope so. Tea as well?" Jack asked knowingly with a grin.

"Yup." The Doctor smiled a little smile back, popping the p.

When their waitress arrived, and Jack made sure to eye-flirt when she did, Jack placed his order.

"I'll have French toast with hash browns and a coffee. He'll have banana pancakes with Earl Grey." Jack told her happily, with a smile.

"Sounds good," she scribbled down the order, "Only we don't normally put banana in our pancakes. It'll be extra, if that's alright with you."

The Doctor moved his gaze from the waiter to the immortal nervously, "I-it's okay, Jack. I'm fine with just a cuppa."

Jack turned to the waiter, still smiling, "It's not a problem, Doctor. How much?"

"€25. Sorry about that, I don't make the rules." The waiter stated, smiling back at Jack.

"Really, Jack. I-I'm not hungry." The Doctor stuttered.

"It's quite alright. We have plenty of quid to go around," Jack winked at the waitress.

"Perfect." The waitress left.

The Doctor was very uneasy, "You should call her back, I can't pay back that kind of money. I don't have to eat."

"You need to stop starving yourself, Doctor." Jack whispered. "I can't expect you to take care of yourself, so someone has to feed you." Jack smiled, "Also, it's my quid, you don't have to worry about it. Okay?"

"Yeah." The Doctor said quietly, feeling reprimanded. He eyed the table, tracing the placemat's pattern.

The Doctor inhaled sharply suddenly.

The Doctor sat on the floor, in tight black jeans, black jacket and a loose black T-shirt. A collar was around his neck, almost choking him, the leash in the Master's hand who sat in the booth above him with his business partners. They were in a bar. The music was too loud for the Doctor's Time Lord ears, while it seemed to be fine for the Master's. He supposed if it would be uncomfortable for the Doctor that it would be worth the annoyance for himself.

"What can I get you fellas?" A waitress appeared, wearing revealing clothes.

The Master eyed her happily, and ordered for himself and his friends. They all ordered some type of alcohol.

"What about him?" The waitress asked, eyeing the Doctor.

"The pet is too expensive to feed. He's learned to starve." The Master looked at the emaciated Doctor sitting at his feet.

The waitress got to the Doctor's level and stroked his hair, and moved her hand to cup the side of his face, "You must be a good boy."

Her cleavage was close to his face, he moved his miserable eyes to her own, uninterested.

The Other Doctor spoke from next to the Master, "Forgive us, he's asexual. We're working on it."

The waitress stroked his hair again, tenderly this time, and put other hand on his chest. She then moved her hand inside the pocket of his jacket, leaving a candy bar, unnoticed by the Master.

The Doctor opened his mouth and began to say a 'Thank you' in his unused voice, but the Master saw him attempt to speak and tightened the collar, choking him.

When the waitress left the Master slapped him hard on the cheek for speaking without his permission.

"Doctor?" Jack brought the Doctor back from the throws of his time with the Master.

"Hmm?"

"The food is here." Jack replied.

"Oh..." The Doctor looked at his plate. "Sorry," he said in a quiet voice, looking up at the waitress only long enough to say, "Thank you." Then looked down.

The waitress looked at the Doctor worriedly for a moment, then left.

Jack was almost done with his meal when he noticed that the Doctor hadn't touched his food. The Time Lord had his head in his hands with his elbows on the table.

"Are you okay?" Jack asked sensitively.

The Doctor didn't move from his position, "...No." He replied quietly.

"Maybe you'd feel better if you tried some of your pancakes."

"I'm not hungry, Jack."

"Do you want to take it home? You can eat it when you get hungry later."

The Doctor ran his fingers from covering his eyes to ruffle his hair before pushing his plate to Jack, "You can have it if you want."

"I got it for you, though."

No answer.

Jack took one of the Doctor's hands and rubbed the inside of his palm with his thumb, "Please eat it, Doctor."

"I can't."

"How come?" Jack asked curiously.

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Why not?" Jack pushed.

"I don't want to talk about it."

"You can tell me. It'll help me understand and then we can fix it." Jack said sensitively.

"Jack, please—" The Doctor had tears in his eyes.

"Would you like to take that to go, sir?"

Before he could start sobbing, the Doctor ran into the bathroom, covering his face.

"Is he okay?" The waitress asked.

The Doctor locked himself inside a stall, curled up with his head and knees to the floor, his hands pushing his head to the floor hardly. He was uncontrollably sobbing.

The Doctor screamed against the ground. He had to ruin everything. Jack was going to be angry with him now; he hadn't eaten when Jack had told him to, he had wasted his money, and now he'd embarrassed Jack.

"So bloody stupid! Stupid, stupid, stupid!" He banged his head against the ground to the words.

He stopped slowly only because his hands had grown tired. He was crying softly now.

Jack walked into the bathroom with the waitress, "He's severely depressed." Jack whispered.

The waitress nodded, understanding.

"Doctor, come out, please." Jack cooed gently.

"Leave me alone. You can't fix me."

They were quiet for a couple of moments, the Doctor still sniffling.

"Have you taken your medication?" Jack had a feeling.

"Why do you care?"

"Because I love you." Jack shocked the Doctor for a moment.

"You can't love me." The Doctor was adamant.

Jack looked at the waitress, out of ideas.

"God loves you," the waitress proposed.

"He can't love me."

"Why not?" the waitress challenged.

"Because I'm broken."

"He loves you anyway."

"He doesn't exist. If he did...he wouldn't love me. The Devil would. Because I destroy everyone that I love. So it's better that I'm unlovable." The Doctor was leaning his head against the door now, still kneeling.

"I love you."

The Doctor chuckled hollowly, "You just met me."

"Doctor, come out." Jack was worried.

"Why?" The Doctor was monotone, "Are you afraid I'll kill myself?"

Jack motioned and the waitress gave him the keys.

Jack had a sad look on his face, "Yes."

Jack unlocked the door to the stall.

"Your head's bleeding."

The Doctor was silent.

Jack reached in his pocket and handed the Doctor two pills.

"They don't work." The Doctor said, but took them anyway.

Jack stood up to leave, but the Doctor was still kneeling on the floor.

"Jack, could...could you...h-hug me?" The Doctor was shaking with sobs again.

Jack hugged him and the Doctor clung to him like a lifeline.

The immortal somehow knew what he needed, "I really do love you, you know?"

The Doctor buried his face in Jack's shoulder and the Captain rubbed his back softly.

The Doctor fell asleep on the drive home and Jack carried him to his bed.

As soon as he laid the Doctor down, the Doctor grabbed his sleeve, half asleep. "Stay...please?"

"Okay." Jack got into the bed.

The Time Lord curled up against him and fell back asleep.

When Martha walked into the room, Jack was still awake. He put a finger to his lips, and whispered, "He's sleeping."

"I think you make him feel safe...and loved." Martha smiled at the Time Lord.

"He still wouldn't eat when I asked him to." Jack didn't believe her.

"We need to be patient with him. He's still adjusting." Martha stroked the Doctor's hair.

"He's going to starve to death, Martha."

"I won't let that happen." Martha assured him.