These are ficlets based on a popular challenge- take ten songs and write a fic to each of them for a specific fandom. I did ten... And then eleven... And then... Well, they just piled up. So, since there are a lot, these are in chronological order. There are also some Torchwood ones... Three, I think. Anyhow, Enjoy!
PS: Includes many different ships, and mild, mild slash.
They- Jem- Theta, Koschei
Theta stood close to Koschei. "I don't understand." he whispered. "I don't understand why they hate us so much." Koschei hugged Theta.
"They just don't like change. They don't like people who are different. We're different, Theta. And they're afraid of that." Theta sat down roughly and stared at the suns above him.
"Why are they afraid of us?" he said, grumbling at that point. "Stupid rules. Stupid… Time-Lords." Koschei sat beside him and ran a hand through Theta's hair.
"Thete, you'll just have to look forward to the day we can leave. When we've got TARDISes and we can do whatever we want to." Koschei hugged Theta on stared at the setting suns. "Then we'll be free of rules."
Thank You- Dido- Theta, Koschei
Koschei sat on the red grass of Gallifrey, next to Theta. He looked at the silvery trees. "It's quiet." Koschei mumbled. Theta laughed.
"Not now." Koschei frowned.
"You know… This has been a great day." Theta turned toward him.
"Then why are you frowning?"
"Because there's something more that I need to make this better." Theta cocked his head to the side.
"And what might that be?"
"Theta, say that you love me."
"I love you, Koschei." Theta said, confused. They sat in silence.
"I want to thank you for giving me the best day of my life."
The Sky and the Dawn and the Sun- Celtic Women- Theta, Koschei
Theta lay in Koschei's arms, enjoying the quiet around them. It was starting to get colder and darker, but he didn't care. He nuzzled his head against Koschei's chest. Koschei tightened his hold on the younger boy. "You're warm." Theta said, crawling on top of him awkwardly. "You're like my own little sun." Koschei smirked and planted a small, teasing kiss on Theta's forehead.
"The moon's coming out. It's going to be night soon." Theta nodded.
"And I won't be moving off of you any time soon. It's cold. And you are not." he whispered and put his cold hands on Koschei's neck. The older boy shuddered.
"Theta, in the name of Rassalon, get your frigid hands off my neck." Theta pulled away, smiling brightly.
"You…." He slid his hands under the older boy's back. "Are so warm." Koschei rolled to the side suddenly and pinned Theta down.
"And you are always cold! Stop trying to use me like a heater." He brought their faces very close to each other.
"You're my sun, though! That's like asking Gallifrey's suns to stay away from her!" Theta cried, laughingly as Koschei kissed him.
Home- Sarah McLachlan- Theta, Koschei
Theta walked alongside the river. He looked back for Koschei, but didn't see him anywhere. He looked across the river wistfully. What else was out there that he hadn't seen yet? When he got a TARDIS he knew he was going to travel. He was going to travel everywhere. The world ahead of him began to blur. A figure was beginning to appear. He stepped back and tried to figure out what was going on. He noticed the outline of a tall man. He had unruly brown hair. He was wearing glasses and a suit. Behind him was a blonde man with a black sweater that had a red shirt underneath it.
"Koschei!" he cried. "Kosch!" The other young Time-Lord came running over. He looked at the figures. "Who do you think that is?" Theta asked.
"I think… I think it's us. Later." Koschei said, looking at them carefully. He noted the cuts on the face of the brown-haired man and the gun in his hand. "What happened to… one of us." Theta shook his head.
"I think that one's me… but…. I don't want to be him."
Violet Hill- Koschei, Theta
Koschei sat, completely alone, on a hill on Gallifrey. The rising light made the red grass look purple. He remembered just days before, when Theta had been laughing beside him. They'd made love in the grass for hours until they were both spent. They stayed there, talking until it was night again…
"Kosch, I love you." Theta declared, sitting up. "You are the only person I've ever loved." Koschei smiled at Theta's attempt at a dignified and profound statement.
"You say that too much. Soon it's not going to mean anything." Theta smirked.
"So that's why you never say you love me. You're afraid that I'll get sick of it? Well, I can tell you now that that's not going to happen. I. Love. You. And nothing is going to change that." Koschei nodded, believing that. The silent moment made Theta think. "Please tell me you love me. Please." Koschei didn't reply.
The next day, Theta was gone, leaving Koschei behind on Gallifrey. Their relationship was never the same again. And it never would be.
My Immortal- Evanescence- Koschei
Koschei walked to the grove of trees where he and Theta used to sit and talk. He looked at the spot in the middle of the clearing. Their spot. He felt the anger well up inside him. He felt his pulse banging in his skull.
"You! I did this for you!" Koschei yelled to no one. He felt angry tears slide down his face. He picked up a rock and threw it at their clearing. "You promised!" The pounding began to get louder. He curled his hands into fists. "After everything I'd done for you." He was sneering. "And you left me alone. All alone." Koschei sat roughly on the grass and rubbed the tears off of his face. He was acting like a child. He tried to keep himself from remembering the boy he loved. The boy who had left him. They might never meet again. The beating was getting louder. Koschei looked to the sky. "I hate you, Theta-Sigma!"
Killer Queen- Queen- Doctor, Leela
The Doctor remembered Leela well. She was very much his opposite. She was volatile and yet strangely obedient to him. She always offered violence as an answer to a situation. There was something about her that was so different from all his other companions. She was prepared and she was sure she could fend for herself. Most of the time, she could. It was strange to have such an independent companion. And Leela was now on Gallifrey. The Doctor hoped that she was doing fine, enjoying herself. She had been such a good companion. The Doctor learned so much from her. His stand-offish companion. He really did prefer her over some of the other people he had travelled with…
Brand New Day- Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog- Doctor, Rassalon
"I've learned a lot." the Doctor said softly. "The rules have changed, Rassalon. I don't want to think about how far Gallifrey has fallen. I know what I need to do. I'm going to do what's right. The Time-Lords are no longer what they used to me. I'm going to do what I have to."
"What might that be?" Rassalon asked.
"I'm sending you into a time-lock. In the Time War."
Politik- Coldplay- Rose, Doctor
Rose stared at the Earth below them. It was so small. She shook her head. "Doctor, this is amazing." He walked up behind her.
"Really?" he asked. He no longer noticed the beauty of the planets. They were just rocks floating through space. The only two planets that he had ever loved had lost their glory. Gallifrey, gone, Earth… changed. He looked back at Rose, who was still enthralled.
"Open up your eyes, Doctor! A whole world is sitting there, living their normal lives! A WHOLE world." She turned around to stare at him. "You just don't want to see it anymore." The Doctor shook his head.
"It's not that I don't want to. It's that I can't. I've seen too many planets created and destroyed to care about their… beauty anymore. It's impossible." Rose rolled her eyes.
"Oh, get over yourself. Just look at it. The Earth. Sitting there. In all its glory." she said, trying to coax a different look out of the Doctor. One that wasn't so sad looking or so melancholy. He sighed.
"When you've destroyed whole worlds, it's hard to see the beauty of the ones left."
Dawn of the Dead- Does it Offend You, Yeah?- Doctor, Rose
The Doctor looked at the walls of the TARDIS, thinking about his previous incarnations. Each of them had their own quirks, personalities, tastes, and preferences. He learned a lot in 900 years of traveling the universe, which came as no surprise. And only recently did he have to deal with the Master again and losing his home-planet He remembered how his previous regeneration felt about what he had done. Overwhelmingly guilty… Eight and Nine and suffered for their losses. But he had Rose… He smiled to himself. Rose. He was going to enjoy her as long as she was around. He stood up and walked to the back of the TARDIS. He knocked on Rose's door.
"Rose?" he called. He heard groaning.
"It's the middle of the night, Doctor. Is it important?" He paused.
"Sorry! No! Didn't realize the time!" He slowly and quietly backed away from her door.
Whisper- Evanescence- Doctor, Rose, Daleks
He was alone as Gallifrey burned he was watching the Daleks exterminate everyone he loved .And the Doctor was running. Running as fast as he could. He wanted to get away. A Dalek spotted him and the Doctor ran faster. He tripped and turned to the alien quickly. "Please! No!" he wanted to move… He was frozen with fear.
"Daleks have no mercy." it said, mechanically.
"No! Please!" he screamed hoarsely. He felt someone shaking his shoulders.
"Doctor! Doctor, you're dreaming!" someone called .The Doctor opened his eyes to see Rose in front of him. "Doctor, it's all right." She began to cradle his head. The Doctor realized that there were tears streaking his face. "What was it?"
"Gallifrey… the Daleks. I don't want to sleep." Rose gave a thin smile.
"You dream about them a lot. Just don't close your eyes." she offered. She let go of him and reached over to the night-stand to turn out the light.
"Please don't, Rose. Don't turn out the lights. I don't know what I might see…" She turned to him and nodded concernedly.
"Don't worry, Doctor, I'm here for you. I always will be. No matter what. Gallifrey and the Daleks won't stop that."
My Lover's Gone- Dido- Rose, Doctor
Rose watched as the Doctor's vague silhouette flashed away. He was gone. She was in a parallel world without her Doctor. Her love. He would never return. She collapsed to her knees. "No!" she yelled. "Come back!" She felt cold tears streak her face. Her mother came over.
"Rose. Rose, he's gone." she said, trying to console her now-sobbing daughter.
"No! He can't be!" she screamed. Shesagged into the sand, making herself smaller. "Come back!" she said, begging. She felt the sand grate painfully against her skin, but she couldn't concentrate on anything other than the loss of the man she loved.
In the End- Lincoln Park-
Rose. He was thinking about Rose. He wanted Rose back. He wanted his Rose. He stood up, clenching his fists. It wasn't his fault. It was the Dalek's. They made all of this happen. His hatred built up. The only thing in the universe that he hated…
"You tried… You tried so hard…" She was sitting alone, in her new home… Rose wondered to herself, "But I guess, in the end, none of that mattered."
"I tried so hard. And I lost you, Rose." He felt a sob building up in his chest.
"Oh, Doctor. You fell so far."
"Time-Lord Victorious!" he declared to himself, hating the sound of it. He threw an angry punch against the TARDIS wall. He felt the pain rack through his arm. "And you trusted me! And they just came back! I lost you! I lost Gallifrey!" he collapsed to his knees.
"Oh, Doctor." Rose whispered.
"Rose."
"Doctor."
He let out the sob that was building within him.
"My Doctor."
For No One- The Beatles- Handy, Rose, Doctor
Handy watched Rose sleeping, trying not to disturb her. She was muttering to herself. "Doctor." she called. She turned on her side and a hand snaked out to touch him. He moved closer to her and put a hand in her hair.
"Rose." he said, softly, loving the sound. She opened her eyes abruptly. She smiled after realizing she was dreaming.
"Doctor…" she trailed off. "I was dreaming about you." He nodded, smiling.
"Which one of me?" he asked, feeling a little silly for asking such a weird question. She understood it and frowned.
"You. I only dream of you."
The original Doctor heard the words and cringed. She no longer needed him…
Float On- Modest Mouse- Donna
Donna grumbled to herself and pulled her car out of its parking space. She heard a crash and flew forward in her seat. She jumped out of her car. "Oi!" she cried out. "Watch it!" She stopped ranting with she noted the cop behind her, staring at her over the dashboard of his small, crushed, boxy car. She froze. "Uh, sorry." she said, backtracking. The cop got out of his car.
"It's fine. I wasn't looking." he said, surprisingly complacent. Donna didn't hear him. She was distracted. She remembered something. Something about police. And boxes. And aliens. The thought flittered out of her mind quickly. She thought the blue colour on the small car reminded her of someone. That blue was so familiar. There was someone. She began to get angry at herself. "Ma'am are you okay? Do you need a doctor?"
(I loved writing this one. Especially the last line.)
Baptised by Fire- Spinnerette- Jack, Master, Doctor
Jack pulled at the bonds holding his hands experimentally. He cracked his neck as he heard footsteps approaching. In came the Master, smiling. There were three men behind him.
"Well, now that I have you alone…" the Master smirked.
"Didn't think you were into me in that way." Jack replied. The Master just smiled further. He shook his head and motioned to the men. They dropped some wood at Jack's feet. He stared at it. "What is that?"
"That's strike one. Three strikes and you're out. Almost literally!" the joy in the Time-Lord's voice was all too familiar.
"You sure get a kick out of killing me, don't you? You know, you're sick. You're no better than any of us humans." The Master grabbed a can from one of the men behind him. He unscrewed the top.
"That's strike two…" he tossed it on Jack and the rest on the wood. Jack shook his head a little to keep it out of his eyes.
"What was that?" he demanded.
"Petrol." he shrugged.
"I dare you." Jack challenged. The Time-Lord shrugged and took out a box of matches, his eyes dancing with glee. "You're too weak to do it! You couldn't kill the Doctor…"
"Oh no! You've reached strike three!" he called, laughingly. As he said the word 'strike', he brought a match across the package. "I know it was a bad pun, but I couldn't resist." he said and tossed it on the wood. It hit the petrol and fire immediately started. Jack felt his feet burning within the first thirty seconds. It soon engulfed his pants. He was sweating and biting his tongue to keep from shrieking. The Master snapped his fingers and his guards brought in the Doctor in his wheelchair. "Nothing like a nice fire to brighten an evening!" he said, looking at the Doctor. There was no expression on the Doctor's face. The smell of burning flesh was beginning to suffocate the Doctor.
"Don't listen to him!" Jack said, loudly, trying to ignore the intense pain.
"S'mores!" the Master cried. "Is anyone else thinking s'mores?" He turned back toward the door. "Lucy, get the Doctor and I some marshmallows. And sticks to roast them on!"
(And I can no longer eat s'mores without thinking of this...)
Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out of- U2- Ianto, Jack
Jack stared at the Hub door. "I'm not afraid of death." he said, frowning.
"Of course you're not, sir." Ianto said softly, looking at Jack. "No one ever said you were." Jack shook his head.
"But you see, that isn't the problem. Fear isn't the problem. I CAN'T die, Ianto. Do you ever think about that?" Ianto nodded.
"All the time, sir. You'll be this way forever and I'm going to grow old and die." He turned away from Jack. "And you'll move on. It's what you always do. But that's the funny thing, sir. You're always moving on, moving on as fast as you can… and yet you're still stuck in a moment in time. You'll never leave, but we always will." Jack walked over to Ianto and stood beside him.
"I can't move on." he said, softly. "Not from you." Ianto chuckled.
"I'm sure that the other people you've told that to thank you." Jack closed his eyes and remembered the people he'd left behind. "In just a moment, this time will pass." Ianto added.
100 Years from Now- Karen Elson- Ianto, Jack
Ianto picked up his diary and flipped through the pages. He picked up a pen and began to write the date in. He didn't hear Jack behind him.
Talked to Tosh about the filing issues, got her new computer hooked up to the mainframe. Spent the night with Jack again. He doesn't seem not notice that it's my birthday today. That doesn't matter. I don't want to get older. In a hundred years, I won't matter to him. I'll be dead and he'll find someone else to love.
Jack read that and tousled Ianto's hair. Ianto slammed his diary closed, tossed the pen to the side and whipped around to look at Jack, who was laughing.
"Did I forget it was your birthday? Whoops…" he said, softly. He tapped his finger against the couch. "I don't have a present, but I think I know what I can get you…" He stooped down and kissed Ianto…
Jack lay beside Ianto, pulling his hands through his hair gently. "And Ianto," he said, softly. "In 100 years, you will matter. You always will."
Electric Feel- MGMT- Jack, Ianto, (quick mention of) Tosh, Owen
Jack smiled to himself and stacked the papers on his desk. He pushed them to the side and stood up. He walked over to his glass windows. He looked down at his team. Tosh was sitting at her computer, typing furiously. Owen was reading some medical book. He snapped it closed and stood up. He said something and walked out of the Hub. Gwen followed him. Tosh looked up at Jack, who was coming out of his office.
"You can go home early today." he offered. She looked at Ianto and then back at Jack. She hit a few more keys and then stood up. She threw her coat on and said her goodbyes. Ianto watched her leave, carefully.
"Coffee, sir?" Jack smirked.
"Unless that's a euphemism, I'm not interested in your coffee." Ianto set the mug on the table nearby him, next to the cold pizza.
"What if it is a euphemism, sir?" Jack strode over to Ianto, smiling. The cup was balancing precariously where it was and nearly tipped over when Jack bumped it.
"In that case, I am much more than interested in your coffee. I'm craving it." Ianto smiled and moved the mug further away from them.
"Be careful, sir. Any mess you make, I have to clean up. And you nearly spilled my coffee there."
Golden Slumbers- the Beatles- Jack, Ianto
Ianto watched Jack's eyes move rapidly behind his eyelids. He was wondering what was going… What was he dreaming about? Jack flipped over to his other shoulder. Ianto moved back from the rapid motion and looked closer at Jack.
"What are you dreaming about?" he asked, softly. Jack frowned in his sleep. "Are you dreaming about your past? Your future? Me? Someone else? Your Doctor?" Jack muttered Ianto's name in the silence that followed. Ianto smiled.
My Last Breath- Evanescence- Owen, Tosh
Tosh gasped as the bullet wound began to hurt worse than before. She forced her head back and tried to concentrate on what Owen was saying, but she couldn't. He was going to die. And so was she.
"GIVE ME ONE GOOD REASON TO STOP SCREAMING!" Owen demanded. Tosh bit her lip and felt tears welling up in her eyes.
"Because you're breaking my heart." Owen stopped. Tosh felt the tears sliding down her face. He was going to die. She had so much she wanted to say, but she couldn't… couldn't concentrate. The words seemed to be slipping from her thoughts. She tried to open her mouth to say that she loved him, but she couldn't. She looked at the red pooling around her and all of her thoughts flitted from her mind. She was cold. So cold…Her fingers were going numb. She remembered the good times, and the bad times, but they weren't separate, they were all mashed together in his jumbled mind. She took a ragged breath as more tears streaked her face… She was fading… Holding her last breath… Fading and dying.
Out of the Shadows- Sarah McLachlan- Ianto
Ianto sat quietly against the wall of the building, in the shadows. He heard yelling, commands, from across the area around the Hub. He waited until there was quieter. He thought about Jack… Jack had had a bomb inside him… It went off. He was all alone. Who knew if Gwen was still alive? Someone glanced down his alleyway. They were wearing full tactical gear, but they didn't seem to notice him. They moved on. The fear pounding through him abated slightly. The fires around him reminded him of Canary Wharf. All those memories, pain and anger, flooded back, one by one. The lies remained, the dream the same. They were only fleeting words. He reminded himself that Jack could always come back. He could never die. The old nightmares of Lisa and Canary Wharf engulfed him. There was silence. He bolted through the next alley, trying to remember where he was. Was Gwen alive? There was another voice. He ducked behind a trashcan as a light flashed over it. His heart-rate was pounding through him. He felt his body beginning to get tired. His adrenaline was leaving his body. The only thing that kept him going was the knowledge that, if the government found him, they would kill him. By the time it was morning, Ianto was far away from the Hub. How could this all come back together? A wind whipped his suit-coat around him. There was nothing left of Torchwood, only ash remained. What could they build from that? It had been a close call in the shadows, but a light was there. Gwen. He could call her home. Someone like him was still out there. Would there be a way out for him, if Gwen could find a way out. He walked to the nearest pay-phone, body feeling terrible. He wasn't sure how much longer he could last. He needed to rest. He needed at way out. A reprieve. There must be a way out. He thought, tiredly as he dialled Gwen.
A Poem for Byzantium- Delerium- Doctor
The Doctor watched his younger self tear across the plains of Gallifrey, followed by a young Master. They seemed to be having so much fun. Blissfully unaware of the dark future that awaited the both of them. The wind whipped his hair around. He woke gently. Startled, he looked around the TARDIS. With a quiet sigh, he got out of the chair he'd been in. He walked into the control room and wondered where to go next. The empty silence engulfed him before he could decide. The solace of being completely alone. The solitary hollowness that he hated and tried desperately to hold at bay. He wanted to go back in his own timeline. He wanted to see a young Theta and Koschei chase each other back on Gallifrey. He wanted to see Leela, K-9, and his past forms. Susan, Sarah-Jane, Adric Peri. Rose. The Master. He wanted to see everything again. His lonely silence lasted for what seemed like an eternity.
Take Me Out- Franz Ferdinand- Martha
Martha looked at the TARDIS across the street. The little blue box that she had travelled in. The box that she soon fell in love with. And she would miss the man inside it. The Doctor… She couldn't travel with him anymore. She had seen too much. She wanted to be home with her family, away from the insanity. She walked over to the box and stroked its side for one last time. She had said her goodbyes to the Doctor. She heard the familiar whirring noise of the TARDIS taking off. She stepped back and watched the slow fading of the machine that she loved so much. She took another step back as it completely disappeared. The Doctor with it. She might not ever see him again.
"Goodbye, Doctor. And good luck." she said, mostly to herself. She was thanked with the silence of the day. The TARDIS was gone and with it, the Doctor.
Walking with a Ghost- Tegan and Sara- Doctor, Koschei
The Doctor looked at Koschei wistfully. The young Time-Lord was playing in the grass, alone. Theta was nowhere to be seen. The sight cut the Doctor deeply. He walked up to him.
"Koschei." he said softly. The boy bolted to his feet.
"Sir." he said, bobbing his head respectfully. "If you're here for Theta, he's working on some stuff at the Academy…" he stopped when the Doctor shook his head.
"No. I was just hoping we could talk." I just wanted to hear you again. Hear your voice… the voice of innocence. Not that of a monster… The Doctor pretended the thought never occurred to him.
"What is it, sir?"
"Let's take a walk…"
Stolen Child- Loreena McKennitt- Amy, Doctor
Amy sat on the ground, waiting for the man she had just met to return. She sat on her suitcase, glad to finally leave her aunt and London behind. She didn't like it there and she didn't want to stay. "The Doctor" said that he could take her anywhere. And he was fixing the crack in her wall. That scary crack. It terrified her. She frowned thinking about it. She tapped her fingers against her leg. Five minutes. He promised five minutes. And she believed him. He was so different from all the other adults. She didn't know what made him different, he just was. Maybe it was the fish and custard that made her trust him. He was so… silly. She adjusted her hat and smoothed down her nightie. She knew it would be only a minute more before she could leave. One minute. She felt her excitement building. She began to count down the seconds.
30- He'll be here! I know.
26- Please come back!
22- Please, please, please! I don't want to stay here with my aunt!
11- Almost!
6- Please!
2- Doctor, please come!
0- He didn't come.
It took him 12 years to come back. And 14 for her to be able to travel with him.
Lovesong- Annie Stella- Rory, Amy, Doctor
Amy smirked at her Doctor. He didn't notice. Rory turned to her.
"So you always travel like this?" he asked. The Doctor whipped around.
"What is that supposed to mean, Rory Williams? We're traveling in style! In a type 40 TARDIS! Are you implying that this is anything less than extraordinary?" Rory stuttered something and shook his head.
"No. Just… It's… different." Amy was laughing to herself.
"Boys, don't try to kill each other yet, we've still got all of time and space to explore. And if you all get at each other's throats now, I won't get to see half the things I want to." It was silent. The Doctor went back to flicking switches and pushing buttons.
"He insulted my TARDIS." he grumbled. Amy rolled her eyes.
"You can act like such a child sometimes."
The Truth is in the Dirt on the Ground- Karen Elson- Amy, Rory, Doctor, homo-reptilians
The Doctor bent to the ground. "Blue grass…" he shook his head. "Something is obviously wrong here." Amy remembered the Doctor saying something like that. It was the next day that Rory died. It was the same day that she'd been swallowed into the Earth. When Rory was gone… she hadn't remembered him. Before he died, he had seen one of the homo-reptilians killed by a woman who wanted her child back. That was all she wanted. Amy could imagine seeing downfall of the Earth in the flames behind the mother's eyes. That damned blue grass. It made her forget the man she loved. Rory had saved the Doctor, but not himself. Thinking of that moment, Amy's eyes welled with unwanted tears. She roughly dragged her sleeve across her eyes. She had Rory now. The Doctor was fine. He would save the universe. But because of that damned blue grass, she would never think the same way again. There would always be doubts, anger, fear. Fear of what might be under her feet, fear of losing Rory, fear of losing the raggedy Doctor. Her Raggedy Doctor. Fear of losing her life. That grass haunted her memories as she knew it always would.
Anywhere Is- Enya- Doctor, Amy, Rory
"And I give to you Raxacloricalfalabratorious!" the Doctor said, smiling and throwing his arms open wide. Amy stepped out, excitedly looking around.
"This… is fantastic! Rory! Rory, come out! It's perfect!" Rory came out of the TARDIS, adjusting his sweater.
"Thank you, Doctor. This is amazing." The Doctor bowed his head.
"Anything for my companions. Now, I'm off to get a fez. You two go have fun and do something… not stupid. I'll be getting my hat." Amy stopped as him as he began to walk away. She kissed him lightly and smiled.
"Thanks!" she said and practically skipped back to Rory's side.
Message in a Bottle- The Police- Doctor, River
The Doctor sat, legs hanging out of the TARDIS. He looked at the stars around him. He took a piece of paper and wrote his name one it. Theta-Sigma and then the date and his coordinates. His figured it as a joke. He jumped up and found a small glass bottle. "Message in a bottle…" he laughed to himself and let it drift into space. He closed the doors to the TARDIS and wondered about where to go next. Then he heard a banging on the door. He looked out. A woman was standing in front of the TARDIS on a bridge from another ship.
"Hello, Sweetie. You should be more careful, there are a lot of people who could have found you and killed you…" she said, smiling. The Doctor sighed. "Lonely enough to send archaic messages written in Gallifreyan?" The Doctor began to close the TARDIS doors.
"Go away, River." She stuck a hand into the door's way.
"Oh, no you don't, Doctor. I can't leave you here, floating through space all alone, in your little blue box." The Doctor scowled and opened the door a little wider.
"You'd better leave soon." he grumbled softly. She smiled at him.
Gloomy Sunday- Sarah McLachlan- Doctor
The Doctor watched the fires engulf Gallifrey. It was a hollow success. What was he supposed to do once it was gone? He turned his back and locked Gallifrey out of time and space for all eternity.
He put a small, white flower in Rose's hair. He sat beside her, laughing at something she had said. It was too much joy for it to last. On Bad Wolf Bay it ended. He said his goodbyes. He never got to tell her how he really felt. It was so she was ripped away too soon.
He was once again with his friend, Koschei, the Master. He'd come back, only to be shot. He came back again. And then Gallifrey itself returned. And the Doctor had to choose what he really wanted. He sent Gallifrey back and let the Master die again. The first time, he burnt his body. The second time, there was no body to burn. He wanted it all back. All of it. He stood alone in his TARDIS with no one beside him. Running.
Fallen- Sarah McLachlan- Doctor
Gallifrey disappearing for all eternity. Jack, completely unable to die and unable to love. River's eyes glinted with brave tears as she smiled, one last time, at the Doctor. Cathy Nightingale, gone forever from time itself, moved into the past. The Face of Boe's dying words, "You are not alone…." echoed beside memories of the Doctor's childhood. The Master, shot in front of him. Adelaide held the weapon to her head, not caring about the Doctor's efforts. Sacred Bob, later Scared Bob, later Angel Bob, communicating through his messaging system to tell them all that he was dead and that the angels would kill them. Rory lay dead on the ground under the Earth with Amy crying for help. He had messed up. "Told you so…" the voice in his head repeated. It was his own voice.
{There are a lot from an alternate ending of the End of Time where the Master actually lives… So… Here they are. And if you've read The Blood of Gallifrey's Children, you'll notice there are some quotes stolen from some of these ficlets, since I wrote them first.}
Fallen Icons- Delirium- Jack, Master, Doctor
"They used to live here." the Doctor said, distracted. There was something odd about these ruins that he couldn't place. He looked around for what it was. Jack commented on something. The Doctor assumed it was unimportant and perverted, so he didn't care to ask the human to repeat it.
"Doc. It's snowing. And I know if you feel it, too, but something's wrong here." The Doctor nodded.
"Yes, Jack. I feel it, too. But I'm not leaving until we find it." Jack leaned up against a wall and shrugged. He looked around.
"Such a cheerful place. No wonder everyone here died." He ignored the human and walked down the row of ancient pillars. There was a scream. The Doctor furrowed his eyebrows and started running. He looked to see a man with a black sweater lying on the ground.
"THE DRUMS!" he screamed. The Doctor froze and began to walk away.
"No. No." he repeated to himself. Jack caught up and looked at the man on the ground. He looked closer and the look of recognition crossed his face. With a snarl, he threw himself at the Time-Lord.
"BASTARD!" he yelled, beginning to punch the Master. The Doctor pushed Jack off.
"Jack! Stop!" The Master was laughing.
"You were hunting for me, weren't you Doctor? You knew I was out here…" He smiled to the sky. "And the drums knew you'd come. My drums. My beautiful drums." Jack sat, panting, glaring at the Master. "Hello, Freak." Jack snarled and the Doctor stepped between them. The Doctor put a hand on the Master's shoulder. The Master began screaming. He screamed. And screamed. And screamed.
Heart-Shaped Box- Nirvana- Master, Doctor
The Doctor sat the Master down in a chair. "What are you going to do to me?" the other Time-Lord asked. "Are you going to kill me? Finally be rid of me?" he spat the words out, laughing. The Doctor shook his head sadly.
"No. None of that. Koschei-" he was cut off.
"THAT IS NOT MY NAME!" the Master yelled.
"Fine, Master. I'm going to help you. I promised that I would. And I meant it. I will take this away from you." The Master froze. He shook his head.
"You can't do that. You can't take away my drums." And the drums can't take away my Koschei… the Doctor wished he could say that, but he refrained.
"I will. Hold still." The Master began to flail. He jerked his head back, causing it to bang against the TARDIS. The Doctor, concerned put his fingers against the back of the Master's head. He felt his fingers sticking together. Sure enough, there was blood. "Master… Master…" The older Time-Lord laughed.
"Yes, my Doctor?" The Doctor knelt in front of the Master.
"I don't care what you say. I am going to take your drums away. I can't sit here and watch them do this to you, take away the boy I used to know."
Love Song- The Cure- Master, Doctor
The thought of having to be alone with the Master made the Doctor sweat. He didn't know why. He just… didn't know what he wanted. The thoughts of young Theta and Koschei made him question what his intent was of keeping the Master locked in his TARDIS. He needed to go into the room. He needed to talk to the Master, but he wasn't sure he could do it. He opened the door and felt himself lose all of his nerve. He felt like a child again, trying to find his place. They had chased each other across the universe, creating and solving so many problems, and yet, suddenly, the Doctor didn't know what to do.
"Doctor!" the Master exclaimed, looking up from the bloody towel in his hands. "You look so happy. Being able to travel freely. Wherever you want." The Doctor nodded, not quite hearing what was being said. He kneeled beside the other Time-Lord and pulled his head forward carefully. He looked at the blood seeping from the back of his head. "It was so much fun." he said, licking the blood from his own fingers.
Black- Sarah McLachlan- Master, (a tiny moment with) Doctor
The Master sat in silence, in the corner of the room the Doctor had shoved him in. It was so quiet, except for the beating sound pulsing insistently through his head. It would never stop. It never did. It kept going. He opened his eyes and saw that he was shaking. He curled his hands into fists and felt his nails cutting into his palms. He crawled over to the door and tried to open it. He wanted to scream, but he couldn't open his mouth. He wanted to kill. He wanted to feel cold blood dripping down his hands. The soothing rush of adrenaline would surely cause the drums to go away. He smiled as he imagined tearing the Doctor's hearts out slowing. Having the pulsating red warmth cover him, bathing in the Doctor's glorious blood. The spurts coming out in beats of four, just like the beats in his head. The sounds that only he could hear. The almighty sound racked through his body and he crumpled to the floor, his blood-lust building. He wanted to taste the metal on his tongue. He felt his pulse synch with the beats in his head. He screamed and threw his head back wildly. It hit the floor and he felt his pulse further. He brought a hand up to his mouth and bit it as hard as he could. The metallic, warm taste of blood curved his bloodlust. He waited a moment before spitting the blood onto the floor. But the relief only lasted a second. When the Doctor rushed in to see what was causing the Master to scream, he found the Master lying on the floor, tearing at his face with his nails.
Hunter- Dido- Doctor, Master
The TARDIS lights were out. The Doctor sighed and walked down the hallway. "Master!" he called. "Stop it!" There was laughter.
"I'm not doing anything." a maniacal voice replied. The Doctor opened the door to a room. "Let me out, Doctor!" he yelled. The Doctor shook his head.
"I can't do that."
"FREE ME!" he yelled, again. The Doctor frowned as the lights flickered back on. The Master was curled up in a corner.
"Master, stop it." The Master laughed.
"Why do you keep me here? Like an animal?" the Doctor sighed and sat on the bed.
"That's what you did to me, wasn't it?" The Master chuckled.
"Looks like revenge suddenly is your forté." The Doctor frowned.
Shelter- Sarah McLachlan- Master, Doctor
"Why do you love them so much? Your silly pink apes? They destroy everything and congregate into the smallest spaces. They destroy their own planet thoughtlessly. It doesn't matter to them. How can you love something so… disgusting?" The Doctor shook his head.
"You're looking at humanity." he said, dismissing the question.
"Yes. Humanity. I'm talking about its hopelessness." the Master stated, annoyed with being ignored by the Doctor.
"You're looking at all of them as a group. You can't do that. If you looked at the Time-Lords, you wouldn't see us. You would see Time-Lords like Rassalon. The individuals are what matter." The Master scoffed.
"You cannot compare those apes to the Time-Lords. And you would know how important the individuals are, wouldn't you? You love to have your fun with your toys and then leave them behind. You always did love to do that." He added the last part bitterly. The Doctor walked over to the Master.
"Master… I'm sorry." the Doctor said, pulling him into a hug. The Master backed away, snarling.
"Don't touch me!" he hissed. "I don't need your pity or your protection like those helpless, useless bipeds sitting lazily on their dying planet. I'm a mighty Time-Lord!" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Welcome Home- Coheed and Cambria- Doctor, Master
No one was left. It was the end of time. The universe was gone, emptiness in all corners. Silence. A deathly silence that engulfed everything. And the Doctor stood above it all; above all the horrors in his little blue box. Behind him was a blonde man. He was looking at the chaos greedily. "The drums!" he exclaimed. The Doctor ignored it and stared sadly at the remnants of Earth. "Gallifrey stood here once, did it not, Doctor?" the blonde asked, smiling maliciously. "Oh beauteous Gallifrey! Brought to her knees by one of her own children. Right, Doctor? All the dead Time-Lords…" he exclaimed sadistically, watching his Doctor stare blankly at the chaos and death around them.
"Please be quiet, Master." he asked, almost begging.
"No. A murderer like you loves to relive their crimes, right?"
"Master! Stop!" the Doctor said, wheeling around. "I loved you once and I don't understand why. You love to torment me, watch my pain, and make me suffer like no one else had ever suffered. Why?" The Master looked at the world below him.
"Because this is GLORIOUS!" he yelled.
"You... could have been all that I wanted. You used to be." the Doctor said, shutting the doors to the TARDIS. "When we were younger, Koschei. Remember?" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Life for Rent- Dido- Doctor, Master
"Why don't you ever… just… stop?" the Master asked, sitting back in a chair, watching the Doctor repair the TARDIS. He tugged against the handcuffs holding him where he was.
"Stop what? Running?" the Doctor asked, stopping his movements. "I can stop that about as well as you can stop the drums." The Master scowled at that comment.
"Can we stop at a beach or something? I want to swim."
"No." the Doctor said. "I don't know why you're acting like this and I don't care. All you're doing is succeeding in annoying me. We're not stopping at a beach. And I'm most definitely not freeing you."
"I never asked for the last part." he grumbled.
"You were thinking about it."
"Oh get over yourself, Doctor. You always did think you were better than you were. I'm not begging for your mercy and I never will. You're still a worthless murderer. And I will never say that you've been forgiven." The Doctor would never have admitted it, but his hearts broke to hear those words coming from the mouth of the man he loved.
"No beaches." he said, supressing his emotions. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
On the Bound- Fiona Apple- Doctor, Master
The Doctor sat in his TARDIS, imagining a beat of four repeating over and over in his head. He heard the tapping begin to become realized as the Master began banging it against the wall. The Doctor stood up slowly, a sad look on his face and walked to the room where he was keeping the Master. He opened the door and closed it behind him. "Master…" he said, softly, looking that the man that had fallen from so much. The Master gave no notice to the other Time-Lord and continued to bang the wall to the beat in his head. "Master, please stop." The Time-Lord on the floor gave a crazed laugh.
"Stop! Stop like I can make them stop!" He laughed again. It was too much. The Doctor couldn't let him continue.
"Master, stop it. Stop it right now." He grabbed his wrists. The Master laughed.
"Doctor!" he cried, laughingly. "The thing is, THEY DON"T STOP!" he yelled loudly. "THEY NEVER STOP!" The Doctor, not knowing what else to do, hugged the Master.
"Master, stop. I can't take it anymore."
"Neither can I."
"What do you need?"
"I need you."
Going Under- Evanescence- Master, Doctor
"I hate you." the Master growled, pulling at his handcuffs. The Doctor pretended not to hear. "I BLOODY HATE YOU!" he screamed tossing his head wildly. "The drums, Doctor! The drums! THEY ARE EVERYWHERE!" The Doctor turned around.
"Master, stop it." The Master just laughed and tossed his head back.
"Why? What have you ever done for me except give me the drums and leave me on Gallifrey, all alone!" the Master asked, tilting his head dangerously. Except make me love you. He closed the thought out.
"The drums were not my fault and I have done so much for you!" the Doctor yelled back, losing his battle to keep silent. "I have done so much and all I ask is for you to stop!" The Master snarled and sat back quietly.
"Then give me something I want." he demanded.
"Like what? The Earth? My TARDIS? Gallifrey back? My own head on a silver, maybe even gold, platter? It's not going to happen, Master. Not now. Not ever." The Master stood up and walked over to the Doctor.
"Give me your hearts." he demanded, bringing the Doctor into a violent kiss.
Train Wreck- Sarah McLachlan- Master, Doctor
The Master walked to the kitchen, his need for blood beginning to drive him insane. He needed something… something…. something… He found a knife. He held it to his arm and held the blade there. He was about to pull it across his skin when the Doctor rushed in. He took the knife away.
"Why?" the Master was about to make a rude comment, but couldn't as he looked deeply into the Doctor's eyes. The drums began fading. There was a light in the younger man's eyes, leading him out of the dark.
"Because you… you did this to me! It all started when you left me alone on Gallifrey! All alone!" he let the words slip out. The Doctor stared. Had the Master just admitted that he was hurt? With that, the Doctor through the knife on the floor. He pulled the Master into a hug.
"Shh, shh, shh. I'm sorry. I am so, so sorry." he whispered into the Master's ear. "I know. I know." The Master kissed the Doctor's cheek, surprising even himself. The closer he was to the younger Time-Lord, the quieter the drums got. They found each other's lips and there was a moment where the drums, and both of their hearts, skipped a beat.
La Sonadora- Enya- Master, Doctor
The Doctor walked into the library to see the Master sitting on a chair. He was reading a book in Gallifreyan. The Doctor walked over to him.
"What is it, Doctor? Are you going to try to rip my drums away from me again? It won't work. It hasn't before and it never will." The Doctor shook his head.
"No, no, Master. That's not what I want. If you want to keep your drums, you can." The Master scoffed. The Doctor was making it sound like he had the power to actually take them away. Both of them knew he couldn't. He could never take them away. Lessen them, maybe, but they would never disappear, their torment would never fade. The Doctor held out a hand. The Master raised his eyebrows, but accepted it. He stood up.
"You couldn't get rid of them even if you tried." he muttered. The Doctor laughed.
"Believe what you want, but you never give me enough credit."
Holiday-Green Day- Doctor, Master
The rain bouncing off of the TARDIS's surface was calming to the Doctor. He looked across the table at the Master, who was obviously not enjoying the food in front of him.
"Do you usually serve this crap to your companions? If you're under the impression that you can cook, you're wrong." he said and took a small bite of whatever-it-was that the Doctor had piled in front of him.
"My other companions never complained." he said and sat back. "And you had better get used to it unless you want to cook." The Master scoffed, in time with the third beat of the drums in his head.
"Cooking is a woman's chore. It suits you well." His intent was to bother the Doctor, but it didn't seem to get past his cool demeanour that he'd had ever since he'd dragged the screaming Master into his TARDIS. "I vote you let me go."
"This is a dictatorship. Not a democracy. The TARDIS and I are the ruling party. You're a minority." The Doctor took a sip of his tea, watching as annoyance splashed across the Master's face. He scowled and knocked his plate onto the floor.
"Sorry." he said, obviously sarcastic.
"Clean it up." the Doctor offered.
"No."
"This is a dictatorship. You messed up my TARDIS, now clean it off her. Now."
Angel- Sarah McLachlan- Doctor, Master
"Redemption." the Doctor said, softly. "Please forgive me. That's all I'm asking." The Master smiled evilly.
"Why would I forgive you?" The Doctor ignored the response. All he wanted was for someone to say that it was all going to be okay. He wanted a refuge. "Doctor, you're clinging." he added.
"Master… Please." His begging fell on deaf ears.
"Please what? Tell you that everything will be okay? That I forgive you?" he asked, taking the words from the Doctor himself. He paused. "Well I don't think that that's going to happen any time soon." The Doctor moved away from the Master, the words stinging him harshly. He ignored the pain and walked down the hallway to his bed. He closed the door behind him and sat on the comforter. He wasn't going to find a refuge in the Master. He was going to have to pretend that he wasn't alone in the universe.
I Want You (She's So Heavy) - The Beatles- Doctor, Master
The Doctor would never admit it, the Master was positive. He would never say anything about how he felt. There was a time, long ago, when Theta had said he loved Koschei, but now they were totally different people.
"I want you." the Master said, cornering the Doctor. "I want you so bad." The Doctor tried to slip to the side only to be blocked by the Master's arm.
"Master, get off of me." he said, weakly. The Master smirked at his weakness.
"Say it." he demanded, pressing his lips softly against the Doctor's. "Say you want me. Say you love me. Say you'll do anything for me." The Doctor shook his head, breaking the contact.
"No. I won't." The Master chuckled and brought his hands to the Doctor's face. He kissed him sweetly and pulled away. "Now?" The Doctor shook his head. The Master kissed him deeper, coaxing the Doctor to open his lips to him. He did after a moment and the kiss became very heated. The Master bit the Doctor's lip and heard him moan. "Now. Say it now." The Doctor gave in and pressed his weight against the TARDIS to keep from falling to the floor since his legs felt like they no longer had bones in them.
"I want you. I want you so bad." The Master smiled at his success. He then stepped back and began to walk away.
"What?" The Master asked, looking back at the shock on the Doctor's face. "Did you want more? Silly of me. I thought you were just going to love me for a moment and then leave me. Maybe people do change…" His summary of their past and future was cold. The Doctor straightened his tie and looked at the other Time-Lord.
"Master, what do you want, really? To torment me for as long as I keep you here? You know I won't give in. I won't let you have whatever you want." The Doctor walked up to the Master and held his shoulders.
"You know what I want, Doctor." The Doctor knew all too well. He nodded. "Good. I. Want. You." and he pulled the Doctor into another kiss.
Possession- Sarah McLachlan- Doctor, Master
The Doctor lay next to the Master, tiredly. "I've been so alone." he said, sure the Master was asleep. "All those memories… Running through the dark, eternally, so alone." He didn't care that he was beginning to ramble.
"Doctor, I'm here for you. You aren't alone." the Doctor smiled. "You've betrayed me so many times." He shook his head.
"It's not me. It's the drums." the Master said and kissed the Doctor. "And I'm sorry. Koschei's sorry." The Doctor sighed. He laid an arm across the Master.
"When morning comes, we'll have to pretend that this never happened."
"What makes you say that? I don't want to go back. I will be here. You don't have to be alone." Theta shook his head.
"Close your eyes, Koschei. Pretend it never happened. Nothing ever happened. Close your eyes."
The Birds They Circle- Karen Elson- Master
It was strange. The drums were quieter than normal. For once, the Master could think straight. He felt emotions wash over him, cleaning him of his years of psychopathy. But they were still there, the drums. Hovering above him, waiting to take him back. As soon as the Doctor left, they would start. The brave Doctor, everything the Master could never be. The thought of his being bested bothered him. There was one thing, though that the Master could always win. And that was when it came to getting what he wanted from the Doctor. That had never been an issue. He got the Master to take off his handcuffs and let him roam free about the TARDIS… The drums may not have been as torturous, but they were still there. Beating slowly. Waiting. Biding their time. There would be a time when the Doctor had to do something and leave his Master behind. And then they would seep out from their hiding places, their shadows and devour him…
Volcano- Damian Rice- Master, Doctor
"What have I done, Koschei?" the Doctor asked, quietly and tearfully to himself. The Master rolled his eyes and walked away from the Doctor.
"Get over it. Get over yourself. What does it matter if a few people die? You and I were busy..." He got to his feet and looked the Doctor over. "You're a mess." he declared. The Doctor didn't reply, but curled himself into a small ball on top of the bed. "Oh don't do that. You'll hurt yourself, old man." When the Doctor continued to ignore him, the Master hissed. He walked back over to the bed and sat beside his Doctor. "It'll be okay." he said, disgusted. He couldn't believe the words were coming out of his mouth. He then remembered something.
"I…" the Doctor was cut off by the Master.
"You have a time machine and you're not reversing it. Which means you've chosen me over those pathetic apes!" he began laughing. "Doctor! I think that you need me more than you need the Earth!" The Doctor felt tears streak his face. He would never admit that the one thing he really needed, the Master, was slowly killing him and everything he believed in.
Islands- The XX- Doctor, Master
The Doctor woke up first; the Master was sleeping soundly beside him. The Doctor kissed his head and he stirred.
"Doctor?" he called. Theta nodded and put a hand on his arm. "If you're going to run off with another one of your companions and drop me off somewhere, I will kill you before you can do that. "It was a true threat. The Doctor nodded.
"I'll never leave you, Master."
"You can't leave. Because you're mine now." Theta laughed and brought his body closer to the Master's.
"I was always yours. I've belonged to you since we were only kids, on Gallifrey." The Master cracked his eyes open.
"Glad to know your recognise that fact." he said, and kissed the Doctor.
A Thief at my Door- Karen Elson- Doctor
The Doctor sat still. He was trying to push out the thoughts creeping into his head. He felt the Master move beside him. It made him think about Gallifrey- the grass, the trees, the Time War. He shook the thoughts out. Roses… He thought of Rose, the only human he ever loved. The human whom he sacrificed. He brought a hand to his head. "Stop it…" he said to himself. "Go away." He repeated the words quietly. He ran away from his own thoughts, locking out all things the memories held. He wanted for forget. Forget everything. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Full of Grace- Sarah McLachlan- Master, Doctor
"Doctor?" the older Time-Lord called. The Doctor opened his eyes, feeling extremely tired, which was unusual for him.
"Huh?" the Doctor asked, the sounding coming out more strangled than he thought that it would. He saw the Master looking over at him. He thought that he saw a concerned look, but it disappeared quickly.
"You just…. Passed out there." He noticed that he was on the TARDIS floor. "I tried to drag your fat body to a room, but you weighed too much." The Doctor sat back, feeling too exhausted to move.
"Was there something else?" he asked. The Master shook his head. Then the Doctor noticed the swelling above his eye. "Did you do that to yourself?" the Master nodded. Then the Doctor pieced his fragmented memories together. "I.. punched you…?" There was no response for a moment.
"I was asking for it. Anyway, I think that I showed you who your Master was." The Doctor felt the banging in his head.