"I don't do families. You know that."

"But-"

"No. No buts. I'll pick you up on Sunday."

It had only taken a couple hours of moping before the Master set himself beside her on her head and handed her what seemed to be be a blank piece of paper. Rose stared at it for a moment before raising her eyes to look up at him, one eyebrow slightly raised.

"It's psychic paper of sorts. Go on. Write something on it."

She frowned and lifted a pen from the bed side table and scrawled the word 'Hello' across the page. Rose stared for a moment, waiting for something to happen. When the words started to fade into the paper, the Master pulled a piece of his own out of his back pocket and unfolded it just in time for Rose to see her handwriting begin to appear across the page. With a quick swipe of his hand, the paper was clean again. He looked up at her with a smile before writing his own 'Hello' across the page. He nodded to the paper in Rose's hands as the word appeared on the page.

"Like I said, psychic paper of sorts. Anything you write on yours shows up on mine. If you need to tell me anything while you're gone, just write it down."

"Even if it's just to remind you to feed the Dalek?"

"Especially if it's to remind me to feed the Dalek."

Rose couldn't help but give him a grin, her lips turned up slightly at the ends as she nodded up at him. Leave it to him to find a way for her to keep in touch considering he never seemed to have his phone on him. It would be the first time he'd let her go off on her own. Even if it was to see her mum, it was kind of a scary thought…being away from him.

They'd gotten themselves into so much trouble together that being safe without him just didn't seem possible. But, it was just London and her Mum. And he had given her a way to contact him if anything happened. She shouldn't be so anxious about it

Rose glanced over her shoulder at the suitcase on the bed. She'd packed for three days with a couple of extra outfits in case Jackie wanted to go somewhere special. It happened. Not often, but it happened. "I guess we should get going."

The Master nodded and pulled her into his arms for a moment, holding her tightly before pressing a soft kiss to her lips. "I'll see you soon, alright?"

She returned his kiss, nodding against him. "Be safe. Don't do anything stupid."

He pulled away and looked down at her with a mischevious grin. "Stupid? Me? Wouldn't dream of it."

Rose,

It's Sunday morning and I know I should have told you sooner but I didn't want to worry you. I got into some trouble. The TARDIS is stuck. She'll be fixed in no time, but I'll be late.

-Master

What do you mean you got into trouble?! You said you were going to be careful. You said you wouldn't do anything stupid. What did you do? You broke the TARDIS. How the hell do you break a TARDIS?

Rose,

Calm down! I didn't break the TARDIS. I just momentarily decomissioned her. That's it. I'm fine, the TARDIS is fine once I get her up and going. Just calm down.

Master,

It's been two days since I heard from you. I need a status update. I'm running out of clothes and Mum is driving me crazy. I need to get out.

And I miss you. And I'm worried about you. And…Just write me.

-Rose

Sorry. Still working.

Will write soon.

It's been a week since your six words…

Are you coming back for me or not? I'm starting to worry again.

Koschei…please don't leave me here. Don't leave me behind. I don't want to be left behind.

Koschei…

I love you.

Rose finally gave up on writing him letters that never seemed to get a response. She'd started to resign herself to being stuck at her Mum's for the forseeable future, had almost given up on seeing him again. But there was a part of her that wouldn't let him go…a part of her that held onto the hope that he hadn't forgotten her, that he hadn't left her behind.

She curled around her pillow for what felt like the hundreth time in a month. Her tears started to fall as she made the decision to turn in early for the night. She had just started to finally drift off when there was a loud rap on her bedroom door.

"Mum! I'm sleeping."

Another loud knock.

With a groan, Rose pulled herself out of the bed and pulled her bedroom door open. "I said I'm-"

A pair of arms wrapped tight around her waist and pulled her to a familiar body. "Your Mum let me in. Said you were up here." His hands tangled in her hair as he pulled her back to look at her. "I'm sorry. I should have written you."

Rose looked up at him, her own hands pressing against his chest as she felt the tears roll down her cheeks. She stared at him, unable to really believe that he was there. "Y-you…I though…" Her breath caught and she pulled one hand back and slapped him hard across the cheek.

The Master hissed, his face scrunching in the slightest bit of pain before looking at her, an apology in his eyes. "I deserved that."

She nodded and pressed herself against him, holding him tight to her. "I thought you left me."

With one hand pressed to the back of her head and the other around her waist, he nosed against the top of her head. "I'd never leave you, Rose Tyler." He pulled away slightly and pressed his lips against hers. "Let's go home."