For the Sake of an Angel:

Chapter Three: Key

Addie had never witnessed a reunion as touching as the one between Padra and his mother. It was unfortunate that it had to be spoiled by Jack's inevitable flirtations.

"Stop it." The Doctor chided, pulling Jack away from the newest object of his affections. "Give us a hand with this; it's half deadlocked. I need you to overwrite the code. Let's find out where we are."

"Careful," Addie warned, recalling a tidbit of information. "There's a - "

The door slid open and the Doctor was halfway out the door before she could finish her statement. He swung out precariously over the edge, with Jack just barely managing to pull him back in.

"Drop." She finished.

"How did you cope without me?" Jack teased as the Doctor gave him a brief nod of thanks. Martha squeezed into the doorway and stared in awe at the ginormous vessel, remarking, "Now that is what I call a rocket."

Seeing that there was no room for another person, Addie backed off and leaned against the wall next to them. Besides, she wasn't a huge fan of heat, and the humid air blasting from the engine of the rocket was enough to convince her to keep her distance. She watched the huddles of people lined up and down the hallway and resisted a strong urge to explore, knowing that the Doctor would not be pleased.

However, since Addie was the only one whose head was not craned up at the rocket, she was the first to see Professor Yana striding towards them. "Doctor." She prodded his shoulder. "You're about to have a visitor."

"What?" He twisted to face her, closing the door in the process. Then, Yana arrived.

"The Doctor?" He wheezed, pointing at Jack.

"Er, that's me." The Doctor redirected.

"Good! Good!" Yana grabbed his hand and dragged him away. "Good. Good. Good. Good. Good. Good. Good. Good."

The Doctor clarified unnecessarily, "It's good apparently."

"Not for long." Addie groaned from the end of the procession. She completely missed the rogue Futurekind that eyed their group with a sinister smile.


"Chan, welcome, tho." The blue alien greeted them as they entered Yana's laboratory. The Doctor had gone on ahead to assist Yana, but she, Martha, and Jack had lingered behind.

"Hello, who are you?" Martha inquired.

"Chan, Chantho, tho." Chantho answered.

"Nice to meet you, Chantho. I'm Addie." She stuck her hand out, and the alien shook it hesitantly.

"Captain Jack Harkness." Jack introduced himself.

Overhearing the conversation, the Doctor briefly looked up from the technology. "Stop it." He warned. Addie took the time to appreciate his brainy-specs and mourned their loss when he turned away again. She had never been able to rock glasses, and doubted she ever would be able to flaunt them as well as the Doctor.

"Can't I say hello to anyone?" He complained, still grasping Chantho's hand.

"Chan, I do not protest, tho."

"Maybe later, Blue." Jack winked before clapping his hands together. "So, what have we got here?"

He went to the side of the room and dropped off his bag. Martha, despite knowing that curiosity killed the cat, made a beeline for it and immediately started unzipping as soon as he moved to inspect the schematics. Knowing that she would be of no help explaining any of the technology, Addie followed her over, if anything, just to keep an eye on her when she inevitably found the Doctor's old hand.

"And you think this is a good idea because…?" Addie whispered half-jokingly, crouching down next to her.

"He's the Doctor's old friend who traveled through the vortex on the side of the TARDIS." Martha elucidated, pulling on a handle she found. "He's got to have some interesting things in here." She heaved the translucent container out and Addie bit back a giggle at the expression on her face.

"Oh, my God. You've got a hand?" Martha choked out. The Doctor rushed over, abandoning his work. "A hand in a jar. A hand in a jar in your bag."

"But that, that, that's my hand." The Doctor whined indignantly, peering up at Jack.

"I said I had a Doctor detector." Jack said unabashedly.

Chantho looked slightly disturbed. "Chan, is this a tradition amongst your people, tho?"

Addie tuned them out as she took the opportunity to dig deeper into Jack's bag. There was nothing special in there besides the hand; she found a wallet, which she quickly looked over then set aside, and a package of what she guessed was a form of birth control. She shoved that far to the side. Addie felt around for anything else and her fingers brushed against a small piece of metal. She took it out and examined it, eyes widening in realization at what it was.

"Jack," Addie interjected, drawing the man's attention. "Where did you get this key?"

Jack shrugged as the conversation around them continued. "I just found it in my coat pocket a couple days ago. No idea how it got there."

"You know that this is Gallifreyan, right?" Addie brandished the key. "You don't seem too concerned."

"Well, you should have seen me a couple days ago, then." Jack chuckled. "I had all of my team members analyzing it like crazy. No information about it in all of time and space." He noticed how her eyes were fixated on the key. "You're welcome to have it, Tiger."

"Oh, stop it." She glared at him. "What happened to 'Vixen'?"

"The Doctor's nickname is better, what can I say? Would you prefer the former?"

"No." She shot him down instantly. "And I don't prefer the latter, either."

Jack only rolled his eyes before standing up and reasserting himself into the conversation. Addie rubbed her fingers over the Gallifreyan engraved in the key one more time and then followed his example, slipping the key into her pocket.

"You're stuck on this planet. And you haven't told them, have you?" The Doctor was leaned up against a machine, watching Yana. Addie picked her way through the wires on the ground and stood next to Chantho on the side. "That lot out there, they still think they're going to fly."

"Well, it's better to let them live in hope." Yana explained sadly.

"Quite right, too. And I must say, Professor er, what was it?" The Doctor pushed off the machine and threw his trench coat at Jack.

"Yana."

"Professor Yana. This new science is well beyond me, but all the same, a boost reversal circuit, in any time frame, must be a circuit which reverses the boost." The Doctor took the mechanism out of the stunned Professor's hands. "So, I wonder, what would happen if I did this?"

He soniced the end of the cable, and with a whoosh, the power surged back on.

"Chan, it's working, tho!"

"But, how did you do that?" Yana was flabbergasted.

"Oh, we've been chatting away, I forgot to tell you." The Doctor paused. "I'm brilliant. Now, Addie, go plug this in over there for me, will you? Jack, help me with this."

Addie did as she was asked, and for the next few minutes, it was chaos as the excitement of the rocket launch set in. Martha and Chantho went off to fetch some materials, leaving the rest of them to run around like chickens with their heads cut off.


Ten minutes later, and the Doctor and Jack had gone down to attend to the stet radiation chamber after the system had been sabotaged. Martha was still reeling over the fact that Jack was immortal, and, at the moment, the four remaining were eavesdropping on the two men's conversation.

At this point, however, Addie was paying more attention to Professor Yana. He had, on several occasions, spaced out upon hearing mentions of the TARDIS and time travel, and Addie's anxiety was skyrocketing by the second. It had been easy enough to ignore the impending future when they had been busy trying to figure out the machinery, but now, it all felt too soon. Too real.

She had always thought that her foreknowledge would be a gift to help them save lives, but the combination of the potential for paradoxes and her frank inability to prevent tragedy made her realize that it was not a gift. It was a curse. All she could do was sit and watch these hopeful souls crash and burn. And the Doctor would hate her for it.

Addie hadn't realized that tears of frustration had built up in her eyes until Martha shook her to get her attention. "Addie, you all right?"

"Yeah, fine." She hurriedly wiped her eyes. This was not the time to be crying; this it was the time for action. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Just checking on you." Martha inspected her before moving on. "Did you hear what the Doctor said, about regeneration? Haven't got a clue what he means."

Addie nodded, about to speak, but was interrupted by Yana. "Time travel. They say there was time travel back in the old days. I never believed." He stared off into the distance, lost in thought. "But, what would I know? Stupid old man. Never could keep time. Always late, always lost. Even this thing never worked." He took the fob watch out of his pocket.

Martha locked her widened eyes with Addie's. "Can I have a look at that?" She asked nervously.

"Oh, it's only an old relic. Like me." Yana said absentmindedly.

"Where did you get it?" Martha pushed.

His eyes were fixated on something they couldn't see. "Hmm? I was found with it."

"What do you mean?"

"An orphan in the storm. I was a naked child found on the coast of the Silver Devastation. Abandoned, with only this." Yana mused.

"You haven't opened it yet, have you?" Addie clarified, flinching slightly when his vacant eyes looked at her. For a second, she didn't know if she had imagined it, but she could have sworn she had seen a flicker of recognition before it was snuffed out. She stepped back, disturbed.

"Why would I? It's broken."

"How do you know it's broken if you've never opened it?" Martha persevered.

Yana sighed. "It's stuck. It's old. It's not meant to be. I don't know." Finally, he handed the watch over to Martha, who instantly flipped it over. "Does it matter?"

Recognizing the design on the back, Martha quickly returned the watch to his hand and backed off much like Addie had done. "No. It's nothing. It's - Listen, everything's fine up here. I'm going to see if the Doctor needs me. Addie, are you coming?"

An idea burst into her mind and she replied, "No, I'll stay with Professor Yana. How about you take Chantho?" Martha appeared confused but ultimately agreed, taking a politely protesting Chantho by the arm as she left. Addie could only hope that her act had saved the blue alien, otherwise, her staying behind had all been for naught. Hopefully, she hadn't changed anything major.

"How kind of you to stay and give the old man some company." Yana chuckled, and Addie joined in uneasily. "What was your name? Adelaide, was it?"

"Yes." She replied tersely, but he didn't seem to notice.

"How did you meet the Doctor?" He asked absentmindedly, turning the watch over in his hands.

Addie moved forward cautiously, ready to intervene. "I guess you could say an angel sent me to him."

"Interesting…" He trailed off, wincing as the voices in his head grew louder.


Martha and Chantho skidded around the corner to where the Doctor and Jack were getting ready to launch. Chantho leaned against the wall, not used to such activity. "Doctor - " Martha started.

"Ah, nearly there. The footprint, it's a gravity pulse. It stamps down, the rocket shoots up. Bit primitive. It'll take the both of us to keep it stable." He talked rapidly in his exhilaration.

"Doctor, it's the Professor. He's got this watch. He's got a fob watch. It's the same as yours. Same writing on it, same everything." She blurted out.

"Chan, what do you mean, tho?"

"Nothing, she means nothing. Don't be ridiculous, Martha." He brushed her off.

"No, but I asked him. He said he's had it his whole life. Chantho, you were there, you heard him too."

Chantho started to look doubtful. "Chan, yes, tho."

"So what, he's got the same watch." Jack called from further down the hallway.

"Yeah, but it's not a watch." Martha said frantically. "It's this chameleon thing."

"It can't be." The Doctor considered the possibility, his hearts lifting.

"That means he could be a Time Lord. You might not be the last one!"

Not wanting to get his hopes up, the Doctor focused back on the task at hand. "Jack, keep it level!"

"But that's brilliant, isn't it?" Martha cheered.

"Yes, it is. Course it is. Depends which one. Brilliant, fantastic, yeah." His face fell. "But they died, the Time Lords. All of them. They died."

"Not if he was human." Jack came over to them, having finished his side.

"What did he say, Martha? What did he say?" The Doctor demanded, finishing his side as well. Now, he had nothing to distract him, but there was a single thought niggling at the back of his head. What was it? What had he forgotten?

"He looked at the watch like he could hardly see it. Like that perception filter thing." Martha stuttered, taken aback at the Doctor's panic.

"What about now? Can he see it now?" His sweaty face jerked towards hers. Martha could do little else but gape and nod her head wordlessly. Hearts racing in his chest, he still couldn't figure out what was missing. He surveyed the group in front of him desperately and suddenly realized what it was, dread pooling in his stomach. "Martha, where's Addie?"


Addie didn't know whether she should steal the watch and run or let events happen as they had in the show, but her decision was made for her when she heard her name being called from a monitor. Casting a glance at Yana, and seeing that he was still zoned out, she moved to the screen. "Addie! Addie, can you hear me?"

That was the Doctor's voice, and he sounded terrified. "Yes, I'm here. Is everything okay down there?" The sound of metal hitting metal echoed behind her, and Addie turned to see what was going on. Yana was standing in a posture that was very different from how he had been before and his eyes were stone cold.

"Yes." The Doctor's voice was hurried. "Wait, no, the door's just shut and - "

A hand smacked down on the monitor, effectively turning it off. Addie swallowed and got out of her seat slowly, as if she were approaching a rabid animal. "Hello, I can see that you've woken up on the wrong side of the bed." Her voice quavered.

He tilted his head. "On the contrary, I find it nice to wake up to a familiar face. But, you are in my way, so if you don't mind." He pushed her. "Kindly move."

Addie watched helplessly from the floor as the Master turned off the silo's defenses. He went around the room, flicking switches and yanking levers. "Are you just going to lay there?" He asked. "Or are you going to help me?"

"Help you?" Addie stood up, an idea forming in her head. Perhaps this one would be better than her last. "Why would I help you?" She shifted closer to the cable that was still sparking dangerously in the corner, fresh off of killing Jack for the umpteenth time.

"Well, why wouldn't you help your cousin? You're certainly old enough to be of some use to me now." The Master said offhandedly, not knowing that he had just delivered the news of a lifetime. Addie froze, convincing herself that it was just a ploy to distract her.

"E-excuse me, what?" She stuttered.

Now, the Master paused and stopped what he was doing, circuit board in hand. "Oh, stop playing games; you know that's my job. How could you possibly have forgotten me?" He came closer, searching her face. "Tell me you haven't forgotten about your favorite cousin, little Adelaide."

Her eyes widened as he continued. "You never did get to go to the Academy, did you? No, your mother snatched you away before that. No title for little, baby Addie, how unfortunate."

A pounding sounded on the door, followed by panicked shouting. "Addie! Professor! Where are you?! Adelaide, are you there? Professor, please, I need to explain. Whatever you do, don't open that watch."

"It's a bit late for that, now, don't you think?" The Master said conversationally, turning away to unplug the power cord from the TARDIS. "He's wasting his - "

Addie took the opportunity to shove the cable at him, revolted at the suffering and betrayal she saw in his eyes as he tottered around to face her. At the same time, the other four burst into the room.

"Addie!" Martha gasped in relief. She had been cursing herself the entire time for having left her alone. "Thank goodness!"

But Addie's attention was still focused on the Master. "How unfortunate." He wheezed. "No memories left. Pitiful."

"You're wrong." She stated strongly. His lips twitched, but the Doctor's thundering footsteps coming from behind her changed his mind about whatever he was about to say next. He lurched into the TARDIS and deadlocked the frame.

The Doctor shot past her and pounded on his beloved TARDIS doors. "Let me in. Let me in!"

Addie stood as if she were in a dream. It couldn't be possible, what he said. She didn't have a fob watch on her anywhere. Almost methodically, she searched her pockets and her hands came up empty. The fog in her mind began to clear at the evidence (or lack of) that she found; surely, if she were a Time Lady, she would subconsciously know not to be parted from her actual soul. Addie relaxed at her own reasoning. No, it was impossible, and the Master was known for playing mind games. This was surely one of them.

"Addie, a little help over here?" Jack demanded, exerting as much force as he could against the door. The combined forces of him, Martha, and Chantho were barely enough to hold back the swarm of Futurekind.

Addie sprinted over to the door and shoved her body against it. An arm reached through the crack and slapped her in the face, but she only winced and pushed harder. Suddenly, a glorious yellow light filled the room and Addie knew that she had been the cause of it. She felt a sliver of guilt, but knew that she did what she had to do.

She did what she had to do.

"Doctor! You'd better think of something!" Jack roared as the Futurekind made the gap larger.

Maniacal laughter came from the TARDIS. "Now then, Doctor. Ooo, new voice. Hello, hello." The voice got deeper. "Hello. Anyway, why don't we stop and have a nice little chat while I tell you all my plans and you can work out a way to stop me - I don't think."

"Hold on, I know that voice." Martha burst out.

The Doctor stood stricken in front of the TARDIS. "I'm asking you really properly. Just stop. Just think!"

A pause. "Use my name."

Another pause, then. "Master. I'm sorry."

"Tough!" The Master started up the time rotor. Instantly, the Doctor had his sonic screwdriver buzzing.

"We can't hold out much longer, Doctor!"

The Master noticed the effects of the sonic on the TARDIS. "Oh, no you don't! End of the universe. Have fun. Bye, bye!"

"Doctor, stop him! Help us! They're getting in!" Martha screeched as one of them reached in and grabbed Chantho's arm.

"Chan, please, tho!" There were tears in the alien's eyes as she pried at one of the Futurekind's fingers. "Chan, I don't want to die, tho!"

However, the Doctor was all but deaf to their pleads, and was glued in place as the TARDIS dematerialized. Their only mode of transportation - gone. With bloodthirsty Futurekind about to slaughter them, and no way out, their futures weren't looking too bright.

Addie's main source of comfort was that, as the Doctor turned around with fury in his eyes, she could see that the Futurekind's weren't either.


Hello!

Thanks to KittyCatKate and ak-47 for their reviews! I apologize for the shortish chapter, but I can promise you that the next few I have written are much, much longer.

Ak-47's review led me to realize that the Doctor and Addie need a ship name (although it should be anything but Daddie, because that honestly made me a bit uncomfortable, no offense, ak-47). Do you have any clever ideas? Just a reminder that their friendship will be deepening throughout all of season four, and that season five is when it turns into romance. Basically, a ship name focusing on Eleven and Addie would be nice. ElevenAide? BeautyandtheBow? BowsandBobs? Other suggestions?

Also, what do you think of Addie's interference in this chapter? Ooh, and about the Master's claims about her being his cousin? Oooh, and the mysterious Gallifreyan key?

Breadcrumbs, my friends, breadcrumbs.

On that note, I hope you have a lovely week! Thank you so much for continuing to read :)

- Entitea