"Clara? Clara!" The Master walked into the library, his voice echoing throughout. "Hello?" Rounding a corner, he saw the girl, laid out on the couch fast asleep, a book open on her stomach.
The Master tilted his head. It took him a moment to remember that humans slept far more than Time Lords did. He enjoyed watching her sleep. She looked so very peaceful, and there was a small smile on her face, as if she was having a pleasant dream.
He figured he had better move her to a bed, so she would be more comfortable.
Clara came awake slowly. At first, she didn't remember what had happened, but then it hit her: She was on a TARDIS with a crazy Time Lord.
She felt soft sheets under her hands, and a fluffy pillow under her head. She sat up. How had she gotten here?
She was sitting in a bed in a richly furnished room. The carpet was a deep velvet blue, and the walls were a lighter shade of the same color. There was a couch on the other side of the room, as well as a bookshelf and a door that probably led to a bathroom.
She looked down and saw beautifully embroidered quilt placed over her. The Master must have carried her here. The thought made her heart flutter a little.
Stop. She thought to herself. Quit doing that.
On her bedside was a lamp, a clock, and her book, Pride and Prejudice. A small piece of paper with bookmark scrawled on it was stuck between the pages, marking the spot she was on before she fell asleep. Taped to the lampshade was another piece of paper that said: The kitchen is down the hall to the right.
She jumped up, seeing that the clock read 8 AM. How long had she slept? She grabbed her book and walked out of the room. It looked like a typical TARDIS corridor. Walking down the hallway, she stopped at a doorway that she supposed looked like the kitchen. Opening the door, she found she had supposed correctly.
On the counter in the middle of the room, a loaf of freshly baked bread lay on a cutting board. At that point she remembered that at least the Doctor's TARDIS made bread every morning, and apparently this applied to other TARDISes as well. Opening the fridge, she also found a quart of fresh milk.
She poured herself a cup of milk and cut a thick slice of bread and settled on a barstool against the counter, reading while she ate. She sat there for a long while until a voice interrupted her.
"Good morning."
She jerked her head up. The Master leaned in the doorway, smiling at her. "You humans sleep for the longest of times."
He had cleaned up considerably since yesterday. He was now dressed in a dress shirt and gray vest, with black slacks to match. He had actually combed his hair back, though the slight stubble remained.
Clara didn't realize she was staring until she heard the Master say: "Like what you see?"
She quickly took her eyes off him, trying not to blush. "Why are you dressed like that?"
"It goes with the times. We are going to land in twentieth century Manhattan."
Clara gasped. "I gotta get dressed then!" She brushed past him and ran down the hall back toward her room. "Be back in a moment!"
A few minutes later, Clara joined the Master in the control room. She had changed into a plain red dress, and had done her hair up in a bun. She wasn't exactly sure what she was doing, about to step into Manhattan with a madman, but he seemed fine enough, for now.
The Master stretched forth a hand to her. "Shall we go?"
Clara took his hand. "We shall."
As they were walking towards the doors, the Master realized for the first time how short she was compared to him. He was at least half a foot taller than her. She was mini sized.
As they stepped outside, they found themselves in a small alleyway. The Master turned to face the TARDIS, yelling: "Come on! Not another busted chameleon circuit!"
This TARDIS had changed itself into a police box, much like the Doctor's TARDIS, except this one was a darker shade of blue.
Clara watched the Master bang on the side a few times. "It's another snogbox." She said quietly, hoping the Master didn't hear as she began to walk away.
The Master locked the TARDIS and caught up to Clara, grabbing her hand in his. "Let's hope it lives up to its name."
It took a moment for it settle upon Clara, and when she realized it, her face undoubtedly turned as red as it possibly could be, and the Master's hand in hers sure didn't help her in the situation.
As they began walking down the busy sidewalk of the city, Clara asked: "So, what are we doing in Manhattan?"
"This is one of the last places the Doctor would ever come."
Oh great. "What would keep him away from such a place as this?"
"All I know is that the Doctor lost some very dear friends here. I'm not sure why though. I'm here to stay away from the Doctor, but I'm also quite interested in finding out what killed his friends."
"Well, if you're so bent on staying away from the Doctor, and apparently keeping me away from him too, then what do we do in the meantime?"
"How about visit the Statue of Liberty?"
"Sounds like a great idea."
The Doctor was on the run too. An earthshattering explosion rattled the ground around him, throwing him and the Dalek eyestalk he had gotten to the dirt.
"EX-TER-MI-NATE THE DOC-TOR!" The harsh screech rang out.
"Not today, boys!" His TARDIS was in sight. It had brought him to Skaro for no good reason, maybe as an escape from the Time Lords chasing him, and had locked him out, leaving him to wander the Dalek ridden lands.
Now he was running back, hoping and praying that his ship would let him in. As he reached the door, he fumbled with the key, shoving it in the slot.
"EX-TER-MI-NATE!"
The door opened, thankfully.
"Bye!" He slammed the door in the Daleks face.
He really needed Clara's help. First he was being chased by Time Lords, and now Daleks.
