The Doctor crumpled the note inside his closed fist and threw it towards the bin. It was from Martha, she was gone. He'd been expecting it but hadn't expected it to be so impersonal. He thought that she'd have at least said goodbye to him.

It was full of the excuses he expected, i "I need to finish my training …become a doctor … my family … too difficult." /i

He nodded, silently agreeing with her. It was too difficult; he longed to run away from the mess he'd created. That was what he usually did, left everyone else to clean up. Not this time, this time his mess had caught up with him.

The Doctor froze, horrified that he'd just referred, albeit mentally, to Rose and, to a lesser extent, Jack as his 'mess'. Trying to shake a growing sense of inadequacy he began the slow walk to Rose's bedroom door.

Jack was standing there, leaning against the door frame with his arms folded, smiling nonchalantly at the Doctor.

"You can't cure it, can you?" His voice was soft, almost a whisper, but the Doctor could hear him perfectly above the TARDIS' gentle humming.

The Doctor shook his head slowly, trying to force every ounce of sorrow, desperation and futility that he felt into the simple gesture, Jack just laughed at him.

"You think it's funny?" The Doctor demanded, anger burning in his eyes, "I've done this to her and I can't do anything to stop it! I should- "

"No," Jack interrupted him, "I don't think it's funny. I just find it ironic. A Doctor who cannot cure, not even two simple human beings."

The Doctor slowly took in his words, understanding creeping across his face as a mask or horror.

"She didn't mean to." Jack added quickly.

"No…" The Doctor's words were slow and halting, like a child taking its first steps, "She just wanted us back… She didn't mean for any of this to happen. Poor, Poor Rose."

They stood there in silence for some time, how long exactly neither of them knew but they silently understood that these words needed to be accepted and properly understood.

Jack's voice broke slightly as he spoke, "And… You're sure?"

The Doctor just nodded, it was all he could do at a moment like this.

Suddenly Jack launched himself off the wall and towards the control room. "Might as well go then, my team need me and all that." The Doctor could tell he was trying to put on a cheerful face.

"What about Rose?"

"Tell her I'll see her soon. I better, with an unlimited life to live."

Again, it was all the Doctor could do to nod.