A/N: Welcome back! Thank you so much to Katelyn, Heart of Diamond (whose story I love and you should check out), OTHCharmfan, Jolly Roger1, iPodge, and LadaHathaway for your wonderful reviews and also to those who continue to favorite and follow. Do you like the cover photo for it? I made it myself :] Here's the third chapter for you, I hope you like it!
Tap-tap-tap-tap
Tap-tap-tap-tap
Slipping back into consciousness Rose heard the tapping and she knew the Master was there. She did not know how much time had passed since she had first awoken on this table to the same sound but something in her mind told her it had only been about two days.
Twodaysonehourelevenminutesf iftysixseconds some deep part of her brain told her, but she was too tired wonder how she knew that.
"Oh finally!" the Master said, and Rose heard footsteps coming towards her. One cold finger trailed down her cheek, continuing down her neck and stopping just below her collar bone. It sent shivers of revulsion down her spine. She was always awoken like this after she passed out, the pain in her body and mind becoming too unbearable, allowing the void she had swiftly begun to cherish to take her. It was better in the void, it hurt less there, but as hard as she tried she couldn't just stay there. During the first couple of "treatments" the Master had given her, Rose had tried to fight; it wasn't in her nature to surrender. However, it had just begun to get harder and more painful and the "treatments" became more and more frequent, the time she was allowed to rest decreasing. Rose wasn't sure what was happening to her, she had been told nothing, given no hints. What she undergone was shrouded from her mind and she was unable to recall what happened after the initial wave of pain hit her.
"My dear, sweet Rose, I think we are almost finished," the Master said cheerfully, and Rose opened her eyes, making them focus on the man beside her. In another life she might have thought he was handsome with his short, dark blonde hair, dark eyes that seemed familiar because of the infinite depth of them. But there was something intrinsically sinister about the Master's eyes; they contained none of the warmth that she expected. Part of Rose's mind wondered who the Master reminded her of. She could see vague, brief images of someone. Flickers of dark hair, dark eyes, a smile, a hand…love. However, as with a dream upon waking, the harder she tried to recall this person and the memories associated with them, the more distant they became. The Master was still stroking her neck affectionately, his finger growing more daring while she was lost in her own mind.
"Don't touch me," Rose muttered, attempting to fill her weak voice with as much venom as she could muster, which wasn't much in her state.
"Tsk, tsk, no need for that sweet Rose. Someday you might thank me for this, if you live through it all. We are going to have quite a life together, you and I," the Master soothed, brushing back her hair almost tenderly as she tried to look away. Suddenly he grabbed a fist full it and forced her to look right into his face. "This is going to work!" the Master shouted, shaking her slightly, "You hear me little girl?!" Tears of pain welled in Rose's eyes and he mistook them for ones of fear, "Oh now, don't start crying my pet. You're my new prized possession! He has nothing on you, bad little wolf," A smile broke out across his face as he released her, patting the top of her head. "Now just a couple more times of this and I think, ding! You'll be done!"
He? Rose had time to wonder before the pain started, this time worse than ever, blazing out from the right side of her chest and in her head and she was gone.
~D W~
The Doctor winced as the pain over the link began again and it was stronger than he had ever felt since it began two days ago. Although feeling this other being's pain was horrible, he had almost begun to depend on it. It meant the being was still alive. He had begun to create theories ever since Lucy Saxon's one way conversation with him, swiftly thinking through the details of one before immediately finding a fault and discarding it. It had been awhile since he had been able to use his vast mind and it was a relief to have something to do. His current plan to defeat the Master all depended on Martha now, there was nothing that he could do from his imprisonment on the Valiant and it had been a long, long ten months, eighteen days, three hours, and sixteen seconds.
The Doctor had not seen the Master in two days, which was beyond strange since, previously, the Master would plague him nearly every other hour, if not more. He had often sat down, as Lucy had, and talked to him, well, talked at him since the Doctor rarely responded, something that was infuriating to the Master. He had a feeling that the Master craved a connection to another Time Lord, just as he did, but he refused to give him anything at all.
The Doctor had used his seclusion to attempt to communicate with Martha's family. Giving a slight signal with his face, he had managed to get Martha's mother, Francine over near him while she was clearing up a glass that she had "accidentally" dropped outside his tent flap.
"News?" the Doctor rasped from inside his "house" just loud enough so she could hear.
"Overheard strange stuff from the minions," she whispered, slowly picking up pieces of glass, "And screaming, lots of screaming from one of the locked rooms."
A slight wave of fear and a stronger one of anger made its way from the Doctor's hearts, "What sort of strange stuff?"
"He has a prisoner and has been using your space ship for something to do with it. Always flashes of lights and screams to go with them. One of them said-"
"What the hell are you doing?" the voice of Lucy Saxon demanded and the Doctor heard Francine stand up quickly.
"A glass broke, just cleaning it up."
The Doctor heard Lucy sigh and stride over so she was standing just outside of where he was crouching. "You. Are. So. CLUMSY!" Lucy shrieked, punctuating each word with a slam with her fist on the table and ending it by shoving Francine slightly.
"I'm sorry mum, won't happen again," Francine mumbled, and sunk down to finish cleaning. When Lucy's clicking heels indicated she was over by the bar again, the Doctor peeked out and made eye contact with Francine.
In barely audible whisper he said, "Please find out more. This may be our chance." Francine nodded, gathered up the last of the glass into a dustpan, and left the room, leaving the Doctor alone with Lucy. The information that Francine had given him wasn't much but it was something and now the Doctor was on mauve alert.
He is using the TARDIS on someone? He thought to himself, now wondering if the psychic pain he had been feeling was coming from the TARDIS herself, not the poor person that the Master was torturing. That would make more sense because he knew that the Master was the only Time Lord left besides himself, any other would be impossible. Oh you poor thing, what is he doing to you?
"You must be awfully lonely without my dear husband's visits," Lucy Saxon said from over by the bar, snapping the Doctor back to the present moment. He heard her walk slowly over to his "house", ice in her glass tinkling. "Come out here," she snapped and the Doctor, who would usually refuse, did, crawling out on all fours and righting himself painfully. Perhaps Lucy knew more than Francine.
"Sit in that wheelchair," Lucy commanded, pointing to said contraption that the Master rejoiced in pushing the Doctor around in. The Doctor shuffled over and sat down slowly, leaving his face impassive as he looked up to meet Lucy's eyes.
Lucy walked around to the back of the chair and pushed him over to the round viewing window. The Doctor tried not to gaze out upon the devastation the Master and his Toclafane "children" had wrought but his eyes were drawn down nonetheless.
"Look at what my powerful husband has done," Lucy murmured, taking a long drink from her glass, scotch this time by the smell of it, "For better or for worse I said, and I meant it. I meant it when I vowed I would forsake all others too, but it seems he has not kept that little promise."
"Lucy-"the Doctor started to speak but she cut him off.
"Don't speak unless I tell you to," Lucy snapped, "And don't you dare use my first name, it is Mrs. Saxon to you!" The Doctor heard her sigh behind him, "I never thought that the day would come when my only company would be an old, useless alien. Time Lord. Ha! I had such high hopes…" Lucy trailed off, lost in thought. The Doctor wanted to speak, to try to get information out of her but he thought it might be best for her to just continue on herself.
"Harry promised me the world. Promised me an immortal life, like him. Promised we would rule side by side over our dominion, forever. I actually believed him until I saw his new pet," Lucy tilted the glass all the way back and crunched an ice cube after swallowing the last of her scotch. "He didn't tell me much, but I am smart, regardless of what he says. Yes, I figured it out. I thought all his planning, all that technical rigging up to your TARDIS was for me. But I was so wrong, so STUPID!" she shouted and flung the crystal glass against the wall. The shards rained down upon the carpet, glittering in the artificial lighting.
The Doctor was frozen, mind racing at all of the possibilities. Pet? TARDIS?
"But now I may have spoiled the surprise, Doctor. You'll find out soon enough I am sure, and then you will hurt as much as I have. Especially when I take matters into my own hands."
The Doctor heard her walk away, stumbling slightly and calling for Francine to pick up her mess.
Left to transport himself back to his "house" the Doctor took one last look down upon the planet he strove to protect and wheeled himself backwards. Lucy was jealous, but jealous of whom? The prisoner was most likely female and the Master was using the TARDIS on her. Between that and the paradox machine, his poor TARDIS must be under enormous strain, her energy surely couldn't withstand much more of this. Lucy seemed to think that he would care about the fate of the prisoner, and he would, regardless of who it was, but the way she said it indicated that he had an attachment to them. His mind immediately went to Rose, and for the first time he was truly glad she had been pulled into Pete's World. At least she was safe from the Master's insanity. His mind ran through the long list of his past companions and people he had met on his travels but without more information he was at a loss of who it could be.
Gingerly he stood up, cursing his aged body. He had been elderly before, in past regenerations, but he had grown used to his young and spritely body that could take a hit and bounce right back. The aged version wasn't nearly so much fun what with all the aches and pains. Halfway to his "house" he paused to rest, leaning heavily on the center table. Looking around he noticed for the first time that he was absolutely alone in the room. No guards, no Lucy, nobody. This was the opportunity he had been waiting for, for two days. A chance to explore!
The Doctor mustered his strength and walked as quickly as he could towards the door that he thought might lead to the room that Francine had mentioned. The door slid open with a hiss, revealing a long hallway. Taking a deep breath, the Doctor began walking; listening hard for screaming and footsteps alike but there was total silence. Cursing his old body once again, he picked up the pace, painful as it may be and, turning a corner, he heard it. A faint scream made its way to his ears, coming from a hallway off to his right. The scream was accompanied by a wave of pain from the psychic connection and he knew he had the right place. The Doctor hobbled towards the noise, not caring anymore about getting caught. If he could just get one look!
He rounded a corner just as the screaming stopped. This hallway ended a few paces in front of him, a door being the only other way out. The Doctor knew this must be the right place. A small window was built near the top of the door, and from it a golden glow emanated. Abruptly the glow went out and before the Doctor had time to react the door opened and the Master stepped out. The Doctor tried to catch a glimpse of what lay beyond the door but the Master shut it too quickly for him to see anything except what looked to be hospital equipment.
The Master did not notice him at first; he was obviously deep in thought, a small smile on his contemplative face. Surprise crossed his features when he saw the Doctor, replaced by anger and then…gloating? in sequence.
"Now, now Doctor what are you doing up and about?" the Master asked, his voice full of false concern. He strode over and grabbed the Doctor's arm roughly, steering him, not away, but towards the door. They stopped in front of it and the Doctor was forced to meet the Master's gaze.
"I bet you'd just love to know what lies behind door number three!" the Master said with a flourish, still gripping the Doctor's arm, a look of manic glee firmly planted on his face. The Doctor was determined not to let anything slip, not pain nor the curiosity that was burning inside him. The Master's face took on a mischievous expression, looking like a child that was up to no good, "Go on, open it."
The Doctor could hardly believe the Master was just going to let him open the door but he was not about to miss the chance to find out the answer to the mystery that had been plaguing him. With his free arm he shakily reached out and put his hand on the knob. Just before turning it, he looked at the Master who was gazing at him with an odd expression, one of uncontrollable anticipation. The Doctor took a deep breath, turned the knob, and wrenched the door open; steeling himself for whatever horror the Master had waiting in store for him. Whatever it was, he could handle it.
A/N: Ooooh this was a nice long chapter eh? Another cliffhanger, I know, I know, I am evil. If you want to find out what happens, then please review! I have many twists and turns up my sleeve but I am willing to be a little kind if you'll be kind and feed my muse with reviews! Oh hey, that sort of rhymed ^_^ Until next time, dear readers….