A/N: I meant to post this in the last chapter, but it didn't update like I wanted it to. -_- Anyway, this story was inspired by Lunatic, The Impossible Drums, and Playing with Fire! They're the stories that got me into this ship. :3 Btw, see if you can catch the episode reference in this chapter.

Clara screamed and jumped up off the couch, backing away from the Master.

The renegade Time Lord rose from the chair he was sitting in, still smiling. "That's quite a way to greet your lord and Master."

Clara grappled for a small kitchen knife on her counter, pointing it at the Master. "How did you escape?"

"The Doctor ties knots like he does bowties… badly."

"Doctor…" Clara growled.

"And I am to assume you're one of the Doctor's assistants?" The Master looked her up and down.

"I'm his friend." Clara gritted. "All I need to do is wait here till the Doctor gets back."

"Well, I'm not waiting." The Master pulled a key out of his pocket, and it glowed yellow. Clara dropped her knife as their surroundings suddenly changed, and they were standing in a room that resembled the TARDIS, except darker.

Clara spun in a full circle. "We're… in the TARDIS."

"My TARDIS!" The Master corrected, throwing his arms out to emphasize his point.

Clara glared at him. "Take me back."

"I'm afraid that's out of the— Ow!"

The Master stared down at the human girl who had just slapped him, rubbing his stinging cheek. "Why does the Doctor always choose the feisty ones?"

"Take me back." Clara's brown eyes blazed with fury. She raised her hand to deliver another slap, but the Master caught her wrist.

"Ah, ah, ah." He scolded. "You don't want to ruin this face, now, do you?"

Clara did not respond, but pulled her wrist out of his grip with a huff of indignation.

"Besides, it's not like I'm going to hurt you… yet."

"What do you want with me then?"

"To get at the Doctor." The Master said, his gaze darkening. "He's been my enemy for so long, and he doesn't understand the drums, the never ending drums!" He rapped out the beat of four on the TARDIS console.

"What drums?" Clara backed away slightly, starting to think that he really was totally crazy.

"Listen." He took her face in his hands, pressing her forehead to hers. Clara heard the pounding one, two, three, four, echoing through her head.

She broke away quickly. "That's in your head?"

"Every day, every moment, all the time. Each day it gets worse. And the Doctor just doesn't understand what it's like."

"I wish I could stop it." Clara almost whispered. She felt sorry for the Time Lord. If she had that sound in her head all the time, she would've gone mad too. She realized that maybe the Master's actions weren't entirely his fault.

"Well run along." The Master waved a hand dismissively.

"Where?"

"I don't know. Go to the library or something."

Clara's eyes lit up. "A library!" She turned to go, but the Master stopped her.

"What's your name?"

"Clara. Clara Oswald."

"Clara…" He whispered softly as he watched her go. Then he turned back to the console and started pulling levers and pushing buttons, setting course for their next destination.

Clara wandered the hallways of the TARDIS, looking for the library, lost in thought all the while. So, she was kidnapped by an insane criminal alien, and was now trapped on a time-space ship. She hoped the Doctor would realize she was missing and come looking for her soon. She didn't know what the Master had in store for her, but she bet it wasn't good. She tried her best not to feel scared; the Master had said he wouldn't hurt her. Besides, she knew the Doctor would come for her.

She then remembered that she never knew what had happened with the Doctor and the Master in the first place. All she knew is that the Doctor had somehow found the Master, knocked him unconscious, and dropped him off at her house.

Opening a door, she found herself in a giant room with rows upon rows of books. She smiled and walked inside, jumping slightly as the door shut behind her, causing the sound to echo throughout the halls. There was absolute silence in the library.

She walked through the many shelves, looking for something interesting to read. At last, she came upon a classic: Pride and Prejudice.

She pulled the book from the shelf, sending a cloud of dust up as she did so. Coughing, she made her way over to a couch in the middle of the room and laid down on it, opening the book. She read for hours on end, until her eyelids started to droop, and she fell asleep.

Back at Clara's flat, the Doctor stuck his head out of his TARDIS. "Clara?" He walked out, holding a Dalek eyestalk. "Clara, I need your help!"

He ran to the place where the Master had been tied up. "Oh no." The bonds had been loosened. He looked over, and saw a knife lying on the floor. He bent down, picking it up slowly "What have I done…"

He ran back to his TARDIS, anxious to find Clara before something happened to her.