A/N: Alright, so I wrote this one a while ago but I've only just got around to uploading it. Let me know what you think, reviews are welcome! :D
Title: Discovery
Pairing: Ten/Simm!Master
Rating: PG-13
Word count: 1340
Spoilers: The Sound of Drums, Last of the Time Lords
Warnings: Alternate universe, fluff, slash, violence, romance, hurt/comfort
Summary: After Lucy has shot the Master, the Doctor takes him into the TARDIS to try and save the dying Time Lord. What they discover there surprises them both.
The shot of a gun. That's all it took. The Doctor was kneeling, hunched over the Master as his breathing grew shallow, the beating of his heart coming fast and unsteady.
The Master looked up, meeting the Doctor's gaze. "Always the women," he scoffed. The Doctor said nothing. "Dying in your arms," continued the Master. "Happy now?"
The Doctor spoke this time, squeezing the Master tighter. "You're not dying, don't be stupid. It's only a bullet. Just regenerate."
The Master's eyes hardened. "No."
"Just one little bullet. C'mon." The Doctor worked to keep the tremble out of his voice.
"I guess you don't know me so well," growled the Master. "I refuse."
The Doctor was speechless again. How could the Master give up his pride? Destroying himself? It was the last thing he imagined the Master doing.
The Master smirked. "How about that? I win."
So that was it. The only thing the Master cared about now was hurting the Doctor. Determined to win at his own sick game.
"You can't leave me!" The Doctor's voice was frantic. "We're the only two left, can't you see?" He looked down pleadingly at the Master. "Regenerate. Regenerate!"
But the Master said nothing, only gave a last triumphant smile before his eyes rolled back in his head, body going limp, and let out a long breath of air.
The tears started flowing now, and the Doctor buried his head in the Master, rocking back and forth as he suppressed his breaking grief. But then, he felt something. Just a slight, tiny, two-beat rhythm coming from the Master's chest. One heart. One heart was still going, whispering and begging to be saved.
The Doctor sat back on his heels then, looking to Jack and Martha. He couldn't let them know, they'd want to leave the Master for sure; let him die. He couldn't allow that to happen. With a shuddering intake of breath, the Doctor stood up and carried the presumed-to-be-dead body to the TARDIS. He pushed open the door with his shoulder, letting the door slam shut and lock behind him as Jack and Martha ran to the door.
The Master awoke lying in a tank filled with some sort of plasma. He sat up abruptly, coughing up mouthfuls of the stuff, and running his fingers through his slick hair. Looking around the room, it took him a moment to recall past events, and then he realized what must have happened. The Doctor. The Doctor had saved his life. At first he was relieved, then irritation flooded trough him as he realized that he had been beaten. He would now be trapped forever on the TARDIS, being taken care of. The Doctor's precious pet.
His head snapped to the side as something caught his attention. The door opened, and in stepped the Doctor, looking relieved beyond all question to see the Master up and conscious. The Master glared back, not pleased to see the Doctor in the slightest.
The Doctor walked slowly into the room with his hands in his pockets, stopping a few paces away from the revival tank. He knew the Master was angry with him; he had expected that. But now came the hard part, letting the other Time Lord know that he would be staying in the TARDIS against his will.
But it was the Master who broke the silence first, rolling his head from side to side in a series of satisfying pops and cracks before speaking. "I'm quite disappointed, Doctor. Here I am, fully revived, and you just stand there like a mute idiot." The Master stood up and ran his fingers through his hair again. "No welcoming party, I see? Now that's quite a surprise." He stepped out of the tank, feet plopping against the tile floor, and slid past the Doctor and out the doorway. He opened it to a large bathroom, stepping in and turning on the shower.
The Doctor sighed. He walked up to the door and closed it, then opened it and walked into the control room.
When the Master finally felt he had kept the Doctor waiting long enough, four hours to be precise, he walked into the control room and sat down on the pilot's chair. He was wearing loose dark jeans with a grey shirt, which he had found in the Doctor's wardrobe. He watched the Doctor as he made his way around the console, flipping various switches and pulling a few levers. But the Master was patient; he could wait for hours.
Finally the Doctor couldn't take it anymore. He looked at the Master, who met his gaze with dark eyes. "What now, Doctor?" inquired the Master. "Now that you have me, what are you going to do?"
The Doctor shoved his hands in his pockets, rocking back and forth on his heels. "I'm not letting you go, if that's what you're thinking. You can't be trusted, so I won't allow you to the chance to escape." He walked over to the Master slowly.
The Master watched the Doctor through cold eyes. When he was within range, The Master stood up and swung his fist, hitting the Doctor square in the jaw and sending him sprawling to the ground. "You think you can keep me?" he screamed. "I'll find a way to get out, you just watch." He kneeled over the Doctor, grabbing his shirt collar and pulling him to his feet. He smirked, seeing that the other Time Lord's lip had split, a small trickle of blood flowing down his jawline.
The Doctor's face hardened and he pushed the Master away, coming to lean back against a wall. He glared across the room.
The Master sneered, glad to finally get a reaction from the Doctor after so long. He moved forward, clutching the other's shirt again, and held him against the wall. He could feel the Doctor's hot breath on his face as he whispered into the Time Lord's ear. "I knew you had it in you." He grabbed the Doctor's hair, only to be pushed away again. As he staggered backwards, his foot caught on something, causing him to fall back onto the grated floor and black out from the impact.
When the Master opened his eyes again, his head was pounding in a four-beat rhythm, but it was his own heartbeat thudding against his throbbing skull. He must have only been out for a few minutes, just enough time for the Doctor to crawl over and lay the Master's head in his lap, making sure that he was alright.
The Doctor looked at the Master with concern as he came to, the dark eyes flicking up to his own. The Time Lord didn't look so crazed anymore; the bump on his head must've having done him some good. Then, without thinking, the Doctor leaned in and kissed the Master, lingering for a few moments before pulling away. But before he could, the Master raised his hand behind the Doctor's head and brought him back, kissing like they used to back when they were lads on Gallifrey. It felt so good to kiss the Master again, to feel Time Lord lips against his own after so long.
The Master ran his fingers through the tawny hair, probing the Doctor's mouth with his tongue as they held the kiss, not wanting to let go. By the time the Doctor raised his head, they were both breathing heavily, lips wet and swollen from the encounter. The Doctor placed his hand on the side of the Master's face, who closed his eyes, suddenly exhausted.
Holding him for a moment longer, the Doctor then helped the Master up and they both walked toward the door. The Doctor opened it to the Master's new room, and led him inside to the bed. They shared one last kiss before the Master slunk under the covers, half asleep. The Doctor watched the Time Lord slip away, knowing that their time together might not turn out to be as bad as he'd previously suspected.