One like himself, a wandering traveller, the lonely god

The great secret, the last words spoken by the Great Face of Boe himself. Always thought it strange, a being living for apparently over a thousand years and not once, in my travels across the stars, had a bumped into him, that time on platform one was the first time. He just sort of grunted, didn't say much if anything at all. Just thought he was another being, just another face. Just another big ol' face. Then back at New New York, saw him again. With his little cat-nurse-nun friend, Novice Hane. Telepathic communication. When I first heard of the secret, figured it would be for me. I was excited, a good old secret - good for the blood I'd say. Perhaps it would be some great legendary secret of Boekind, or maybe the secret cure for some secret disease, maybe even - but no. It had to be that one thing, the one thing I want... need the most. Someone. A someone, and immortal someone to be there and do the things that well, a someone does. So when me and Martha went to New Earth again, I wasn't expecting to find the Face of Boe there... I knew in my stomach what was going to happen but I'm here to make a difference, I am difference.

"You Are Not Alone"

Did I hear right?

You. Are. Not. Alone.

YOU.

ARE.

NOT.

ALONE.

I thought it over and over. Whizzing round my head like a broken record. Then there was that stupid girl nagging me "WOT DOES DAT MEAN DOKTA? DOKTA?!" Am I being rude again? Really shouldn't talk about her like that I mean - she saved the bloody world. She didn't know better, she was still under the impression that there was still a race of Timelords, a living race. Under the blissfull impression that the beautiful, snowy orange planet was still there glimmering away with the stars. She didn'nt know any better. Saying that, if she'd done things differently perhaps it wouldn't have happened. Or perhaps if I didn't - If I hadn't done certain things, the Master would still be alive... Then I find my self asking: 'Doctor, what are you on about?!' The Master's favourite hobby? Killing, ruling the world, ruling the universe, becoming god, etc. The usual.

He's evil. Always has been.

People, when they meet me, assume I'm some kind of angel. Madame de Pompadore, Martha, that fat Abzorbaloff from the neighbouring planet of Raxacoricofallapatorius, what was it called again? Ah yes, Clom. How wrong they are. 'Tis what I liked about Rose and the Master, they didn't see me as some sort of angel. They saw me for the monster I really am. And they accepted it... in their own ways. Rose loved me anyway, dare I say I loved her too. Then there was the Master, okay, his methods were a lot more twisted. He didn't want me to die, I bet somewhere in that stone cold heart he needs - needed me just as much as I need him. He just wanted to see me suffer.

...and I wanted him to make me suffer. I killed so many people. They weren't just my race, my family, they were his too.

So I'm standing there all alone in my TARDIS, Martha and Jack long gone, and suddenly out of the blue it shakes violently throwing me all over the place. Stupid, STUPID defence mechanisms. I walk around the controls to figure out what's what, and then I bump into him. HIM!!! A past regeneration. Dear god, unbelievable. I introduce myself and say out loud pretty much everything I'm thinking. No point in holding back is there? Afterall he'll think them in years to come. So we had a nice long chat and it was time for him to leave, course he forgot his hat just as I remember. So I brought him back and had another mindless rant. Then... the last thing I said... What was I thinking.

"You see Doctor, I'm going to cause a paradox but I think its worth it, but the easiest way to work this out would be... I'll write you a letter." So I got a piece of old Earth paper and my favourite pen and scribbled down a note.

So then, Doctor. You've lost everything. As you know, saving the entire planet Gallifrey and all the Timelords would cause a HUUUUGE paradox, not to mention the situation with the Daleks. Better to wipe them all out. You'll never accept that, I never could and I am you. The final battle with an old enemy, I can't be too specific you know that, and when the time comes it will be you who will have to deal with the paradox. But trust me, as in seriously trust me, I know what I am talking about. Us Gallifreyans were taught to never show emotion as they are a weakness, and reason tells me that this letter is a huge mistake in itself - but I think I shall not listen to reason. I, we deserve to be happy. It's the wife, she's the one to end it. I'm tired of riddles and I'm sure you are too, but when the time arises you'll know what I mean.

"Don't read this until your tenth regeneration. Goodbye, Doctor." and he faded away.

Suddenly, it all clicked in my head. Like a switch to my brain's lampshade light. And I remembered, oh I remembered everything. Telling Madame de Pompador not to listen to reason - got that from the letter, hid it away deep in my mind. Oh my - it's all falling into place, memories I didn't have before piling into my head... My mind, my surroundings fold into nothingness and I think I lost consciousness.

My eyes opened suddenly and I found myself on the floor in the TARDIS, my upper body slightly raised on someone's lap. My vision is blurry, God I'm tired. He pulls me up a little so my head is resting on his shoulder. Yes, it's him. I can sense it. I didn't see him in the few seconds in which my eyes were open, but I can feel it. I can feel his essense in the air and in his hearts. And here I am, in his gentle, loving hold.

I feel an arm wrap loosely around me from behind, I tilt my head towards him and his scent fills the cracks my mind.

And I feel, for the first time in a very long time, at peace.

"Master..."

"So here I am, trying to break all your security protocalls, and suddenly you just black out." I remember exactly what happened. The paradox storm, the 'miracle cure' as they had dubbed it, the past few months in the TARDIS with the Master... I didn't have time to figure everything out, he was already kissing me.

...And as the universe worked it's magic, all fell into place.