Jack had no idea how long it was that he sat on those stairs, it could have been five hours or five days, it didn't matter. He simply sat there, staring out at nothing, and thinking of all his mistakes. It was a long list of things he'd failed in. And as he'd long ago assumed, everything he touched fell apart.

He couldn't let that go on. He just couldn't.

His shirt was torn and he had traces of blood on him, and so eventually he thought to change. Change and fetch his coat that had been left out in the bedroom what seemed like an eternity ago.

But then there were so many small eternities.

Standing, he brushed himself down, and he walked steadily towards the room. He walked in, but hadn't expected to find the Doctor there. Immediately he made to move back.

"Sorry, I didn't realise you were-- I'll come back later."