Chris opened his eyes.  He was in the Room With No Doors.

Hell.  This was hell.  This was where you were sent to be punished for everything you'd done.  For everything you hadn't done.  This was Justice.  Buried forever in a box, in the dark, alone, because you ought to have been the one who died, you ought to have been the one who was a hero, you ought to have done better, been better, you're never good enough and you'll never be good enough again!

'I'm sorry!' he screamed at the blank walls.  'I'm sorry, I'm so sorry!'

But his voice echoed back at him, and no one answered him, no one came to let him out.

Because he deserved to be there.

And he knew it.


'For Christ's sake, snap out of it!'

Chris opened his eyes.  Joel was thumping him on the arm.  'I'm awake, I'm awake!' he protested.

'Yeah, and so's everyone else, I bet.'

Joel clambered out from under the blanket and slid open one of the doors.  There was no sign of the Doctor or Penelope.

'Moonlight stroll?' joked Chris shakily.

Joel pushed the door shut.  'That must've been a doozy of a nightmare.'

'Occupational hazard.'

'I bet.'  Joel had lit one of the small lamps, throwing yellow shadows over his face.  'Do you want to talk about it?'

Chris said, 'Did you ever meet Liz Shaw?'

`Yeah,' said Joel.  'I did, once.  She came to hassle the Admiral about something or other.  Nice old lady.'

'I killed her,' said Chris.

Joel looked at him.  '####!'

'I don't mean literally,' said Chris.  'If it hadn't been for me, she'd still be alive.'

'Oh,' murmured Joel.  'Occupational hazard.'

'Yeah,' said Chris.  'Come back here - I'm freezing to death.'

Joel wriggled back under the covers.  'This is embarrassing,' he mumbled.

'Circumstances force me into bed with a gorgeous blond from an exotic future,' muttered Joel, 'and it's you.'

'Thanks,' said Chris.  'I think.  What'd you say?'

'Nothing,' sighed Joel.  'Go back to sleep.'