What He Meant
Disclaimer: I don't own Doctor Who...BBC Wales should hire me...
"Oh! I know what it's like. It's like when you fancy someone, and they don't even know you exist. That's what it's like." the Doctor said to Jack and Martha, then darted out the door. To himself, he whispered, "Literally, in my case." He remembered a time when he could just lay on the scarlet hillsides next to the Master, holding hands and safe and happy inside the knowledge that they were loved. Not worrying about the future or anything at all. A time before the Doctor became the Doctor or the Master became the Master and before they both were guilty of murder.
"Like ghosts." Jack said as they slipped the keys over their heads.
"Yeah. That's what we are. Ghosts." the Doctor agreed. They thought he meant the three of them. He meant the Doctor and the Master, Theta Sigma and Koschei, from all those years ago. Ghosts of something happy but unlikely to return.
"I'm not here to kill him. I'm here to save him." The Doctor watched the Master across the landing strip. He was as energetic and lively as he was on Gallifrey, and it hurt that he was right there, but that he couldn't talk to him. He had, on the phone, but now that he was just across the way, it mattered they couldn't meet. If the plan works, you can. He kept this in mind, as motivation.
And he did want to save him, but he also, however selfish it may be, wanted to save the image in his mind of two boys, madly in love, laying on the red grass on Gallifrey watching twin sunsets. He wanted to have that back so badly, to feel that safe and happy again. But somewhere he knew it couldn't happen, because times had changed so much and he had other people now that he must protect.
A/N I re-watched SoD and LotTL and this came to me during that scene, so here's just a short little thing that's pretty angsty, because feels. Thanks for reading!