Chapter 7 – Humans (Posted May 7th 2010)

AUTHOR'S NOTE: You all know who Jenny is, right? Well, I'm sure you do, but if you don't I'm not going to spoil it for you. The Master doesn't know, so it's pretty important that he find out now, don't you think? Let me know! Also, there was some confusion in the last chapter (when the Master asks if the Doctor returns his feelings and the Doctor says no, then he turns around and says he's falling for him) so I thought I'd try to clear that up before I get started. The Doctor was supposed to say he doesn't love the Master, but he might be starting to possibly have those sort of feeling for him. I'm sorry I didn't make that too clear before. Also, I got some reviews last time that really made me feel good! I'm going to try and get this story out as fast as I can! Now... onto the story!

"Nice to meet you, Jenny." the Master said, extending his free hand to hers. They shook each other's hands and Jenny smiled.

"Nice to meet you too!" she bewildered him with her sweet smile yet again.

"So," the Doctor said to Jenny, "how old are you know?"

"I just turned six!" she announced.

"Really?!" the Doctor shouted. "Six years! I'm sorry it's been so long. How've you been?"

She was about to answer but the Master interjected. "Wait!" he said. "Six? How can she be six?" he gave the Doctor an expectant look.

"She was born six years ago." the Doctor stated matter-of-factly.

"I got that." the Master retorted. "But how can she have been born only six years ago? She looks like she's 20? She is human, right?"

"Looks can be deceiving." the Doctor said. "You of all people should know that! And, yes she's human. Didn't you see her in my memories?"

"Um... no?" the Master looked thoroughly confused.

"You mean, you don't know who she is?"

"No."

"Master," the Doctor said, "Jenny is my daughter."

"What?" the Master's voice was smaller than usual.

"What do you mean 'what'?" the Doctor asked. "I thought... I thought you saw her when you saw my memories."

"She's blonde..." the Master said, making Jenny look puzzled.

"Yeah, so what?" the Doctor asked. "You feeling ok, Master?"

"You didn't... is she... who's her mother?"

"Oh!" The Doctor laughed, but he sounded apologetic. "That's what you were worried about! You don't have to worry. I'm her father, but I'm technically also her mother. She was made when I stuck my hand in a progeneration machine. It just created a new life from my DNA alone. That's why her name is Jenny."

"Oh." the Master breathed a sigh of relief. "I thought... well nevermind what I thought. It's very nice to meet you, Jenny. I had no idea I'd be seeing you today. Now I know why I recognize your smile." the Master said this and smiled himself. "But how can she be human?"

"Well," she said, "that's how the machine was encoded. I guess, really, I am whatever you are, but with human qualities and parts, so I'm human."

"So," Jenny said, "what happened to the girls I saw you with last time? The loud one with red hair and the pretty darker one? What were their names again?"

"Oh yes," the Doctor said. "Donna and Martha. Well, Martha is still working with... related projects, and Donna is back home with her family."

"Really? Then, who are you traveling with?" she asked, sliding her eyes to the Master suspiciously.

"I was alone for a while. But, recently, the Master has joined me. We're traveling together." the Doctor was kind of embarrassed, and didn't quite know what to say.

"Yeah," the Master added, "We just started out together."

"So, you two are... more than companions then?" she asked, nodding at their entwined fingers.

"Yeah." the Doctor said, surprising the Master a little.

"That's great! I'm happy for you, dad, congratulations!" she said.

"Thanks." the Doctor said, curling his fingers a little tighter around the Master's. Their hands were so tight, they were probably about to fall off, but it felt like they were still so far apart.

"Well, it was great seeing you! You'll have to visit me sometime." Jenny said. "I don't really stay anywhere for extended periods of time, but I'm sure you'll be able to find me. I'll be thinking about you." she threw her arms up and hugged the Doctor, and he hugged her back, letting go of the Master's hand. "I'm glad I got to see you!"

"Me too!" the Doctor said.

"And you, Master, I'm glad I could meet you today." and she threw her arms around him too. Caught a little off guard, it took a second before the Master hugged her back. "Take care of my dad."

"I plan to." he said, after they released each other.

Jenny started to walk away when the Doctor yelled back to her. "Oh, Jenny, if you ever want to take a ride in the TARDIS, just let me know. Might be fun."

"I'm not so sure about time travel. And I don't want to get in your way. But maybe next time. Bye!" and she skipped off.

"That was brilliant!" the Doctor shouted as he grabbed the Master's hand once more. "It's been a long time. Probably longer for her, but I'm sure we'll meet again. How are you feeling, Master?" he asked, placing his other hand on top of the Master's head. "Jeez, you're worse than you were before. Do you wanna go back to the TARDIS?"

"No. I've just been introduced to your daughter. Your daughter! Do you know how much that means to me?" the Master cupped the side of the Doctor's face with his hand. "I just met someone important to you. And she met me! And you said..." the Master looked like he was about to cry.

"What? What did I say?" worry was clearly audible in the Doctor's tone.

"You said... well, she asked if we were more than companions... and you said 'yes'. I don't know if you understand how you really make me feel, sometimes, Doctor. Just hearing you say that, it's like... it's a step in the right direction. You being able to admit that we're more than friends now makes me so happy..."

The Doctor gave a relieved and sexy laugh. "I'm glad it made you happy. I wasn't sure what to say, but when I said it... I didn't even really think about it. It just came out."

The Master's face was full of awe at this. "Really? You didn't even think about it? That is so... like a novel I read on Earth. I guess your humans know what they're doing. Sometimes, anyway."

The Doctor gave an embarrassed little laugh and hung his head to one side. The Master let go of his face and he felt kind of awkward. Until he felt the Master's arms wrap securely around his waist and felt the Master's lips on his own again. He was getting used to this happening by now, but he wasn't quite sure how to react. He didn't know what to do with his arms, how to hold the Master. But it was over before he was able to figure it out. And the Master started walking away, turning around after a few steps to check that the Doctor was coming.

"Come on, Doctor! I couldn't have stunned you that much." he said as he came walking back to the Doctor.

"Sorry. It's still hard to... it's like I only just really realized I'm with someone. This is new for someone like me. I've never..." the Doctor was really trying to get his feelings to come out.

"I'm sorry. I know, I said I wouldn't rush you, and I won't, but you've gotta tell me when you want me to stop. Because I will, if you ask me to."

"Well,... it's not that. I just get a little shock every time I think about it."

"I do too." the Master said, making the Doctor raise his eyebrows. "To think that I'm even here with you now, even if I was only your companion, it still amazes me how being with you makes me feel."

The Master and the Doctor just kind of looked at each other for a while. Then the Master had to break the silence, fearing that anything might ruin his chances.

"Did you plan on buying anything? Do you even have any money?" he asked.

"Money? No, money confuses me like you wouldn't believe. Bartering though, now that's what I do. These people want money," the Doctor said as if teaching a lesson, "but they're always happy to trade."

"What have you brought to trade?" the Master asked, as they walked side-by-side.

"Well, Wilf's gun, for one thing. I am never going to use it, and I think these people would be fascinated with its primitive design."

"They're not all like you, Doctor." the Master laughed.

"No, but who doesn't like a good antique once in a while?"

The two Timelords browsed what seemed like every piece of technology the market had to offer. They were not very interested in much, until they came to a table with a sleeping old man behind it.

They perused the odd-looking components. The Doctor looked like a human child in a toystore, and the Master took the time to appreciate seeing him like this.

"What... is this?" the Doctor asked quietly as he picked up something that looked like a black plastic box. There was but one button on top of the box, which, of course, the Doctor had to press.

A high-pitched, quick beeping noise rang out from the box, and characters flashed across a screen the Doctor had not noticed before.

"That..." said the old man, now clearly awake, "is a Life Counter. Whoever turns it on will have their age down to the last second displayed on that screen."

"Ooh, where'd you get this?" the Doctor asked, inspecting the machine further.

"I got it in a trade and figured I could make something off it." the old man replied.

"What is the time measured in?" the Doctor asked.

"That's the funny thing. It's measured in Earth years. For such a primitive people, they sure do surprise us once in a while."

"Yes, they do, don't they?" the Doctor said, even more fascinated.

"Well, guess they didn't do a very good job with it though. It says your over nine hundred years old! Something must've gone wrong in the wiring." the old man said.

"Probably, yes." the Doctor smiled and pressed the button, turning it off and placing it back on the table.

"Wait." the Master said, picking it up. "I want to see what it says for me." So he pressed the botton and what showed on the screen confused all three of them.

The Life Counter kept flashing. It showed a number a little larger than the Doctor's, but it also showed a much much smaller number. It kept alternating between the two numbers, further confusing them all.

"Two weeks?" the Master said. "Why's it saying two weeks? There must be something wrong with it."

"That is extremely weird." the Doctor agreed. "Give it here" he said as he grabbed it and reached into his pocket for his sonic screwdriver. He hit it with the sonic beam and looked at the screwdriver. "No, it's in perfect condition. Nothing's wrong with it at all."

"Do you want it then?" the old man asked.

"Sorry, no, we were just looking around. Thanks for showing it to us though." the Doctor said, walking the Master away.

They stopped near an empty area and whispered closely to each other.

"It got your age right!" the Master said. "How come mine was wrong?"

"It wasn't wrong." the Doctor corrected. "Not really."

"What could you possibly mean by that?" the Master asked seriously.

"I mean... how long ago were you resurrected by your disciples?"

"About... two weeks."

"And the body you have now," the Doctor continued, "was created then. You are a little older than myself, but this body specifically is only two weeks old. That's why it kept flashing. It got confused because it was getting mixed readings."

"I... wow... that's a little scary. But this body looks just like it did when I died." the Master argued.

"So. That's how they brought you back. The Secret books of Saxon were just that, Saxon. They brought back the regeneration that was Harold Saxon." the Doctor said. "Plus, you're a little different now. You don't look as young. You're not too thin anymore. And your hair is blonde, and thicker too."

"You noticed all that?" the Master asked, smiling slyly.

"Yeah. Why?" the Doctor said.

"Nothing."

"Anyway, that's kind of funny. I wonder how long it will be until you regenerate then. This body might actually last you a long time."

"I hope it does. It's the best-looking one I've ever had." the Master said, looking at his hands and then feeling his face.

The Doctor laughed. "Are you thirsty? I'm going to get a drink."

"I guess so, yeah. Where is the bar?"

"You're not having any alcohol. Not in your condition. We're finding a vendor and getting a juice or something." the Doctor said.

"I am fine, Doctor!" the Master protested. The Doctor gave him a serious look, a look that was more of a warning, and the Master said "Fine, whatever you say."

Then the Doctor gave his quirky smile and a little nod of the head. They walked until they found a stand selling snacks and all sorts of things. The Doctor read the menu, he didn't know what language it was but thanks to the TARDIS he could understand any language, but that didn't mean he knew what the things on the menu actually were.

"What does that say?" the Master asked.

"Oh," the Doctor started, "just look a little closer at it. You've been inside the TARDIS long enough, you should be able to read it."

"I can't read it." the Master said.

"That's not funny."

"I'm not trying to be funny. I can't read the menu."

"That is not a good sign. We need to get you back to the TARDIS right this second."

"But I don't feel bad at all." the Master was being completely honest.

The Doctor knew the Master probably did feel just dandy, but he placed his hand on the Master's head anyway just to make sure. "Nope. You're head is definitely fuzzy. You can't feel it because it's... well... fuzzy. You need to sleep. You shouldn't have gotten up right away."

"I don't care! You think I was going to pass up an opportunity to actually go somewhere with you? Not a chance." but the Master was starting to look tired. He looked unsteady and droopy.

"Come on." the Doctor said, grabbing the Master's hand and pulling him back towards the TARDIS

"Humans..." the Master said in a tired voice, "why do they make so much trouble?"

"What do you mean, 'trouble'?" the Doctor asked, looking sideways at the Master.

"Well, they lure you in to save them and then they don't thank you. They use your DNA without your consent to create Jenny, who is lovely by the way, but she's not a Timelord. They create some weird device to calculate any living creature's age, and we just happen to come across it. And now, I'm sleeping like them. I haven't slept so much since I was in my original body." The Master loosened his grip on the Doctor's hand.

"It's not so bad though." the Doctor said.

"How so?"

"Well, if it wasn't for those tiny little creatures, I wouldn't be who I am right now." the Doctor admitted.

"Yeah, you''d be younger and possibly more open about your feelings." the Master said darkly.

"Don't be like that." the Doctor said. "I only meant that, during the days after the war, I went to those people and saved them time and time again. Granted, I saved other worlds too. But Earth is all thanks to me. I saved them so many times, and they've given me great friends and happiness."

"You really love those stinky apes, don't you?"

"I feel responsible for them. Like stray animals. You feed them once and they keep coming back and you just keep feeding them because you feel like you have to, but you don't mind. And you become attached." the Doctor's eyes were far off somewhere, reliving some memory or other.

"That's an interesting explanation." the Master whispered.

"There's the transport." the Doctor pointed to a pod that looked like the one they'd ridden in earlier. "Let's get on and then we'll be back at the TARDIS."

"Alright." the Master said, beaten.

So, they climbed into the pod, and within minutes they were back where they began. The Doctor snapped his fingers and opened the TARDIS doors, and they walked inside. They scooted right past the controls. Right as they were about to enter the halls, the Doctor turned and stared into the Master's eyes. "Are you going to want me to stay with you?"

The Master looked down, as if he was ashamed. "Yes."

"Let's go in this one then," he said as he steered them into his own bedroom, "I don't like the bed in your room. It's not big enough."

"Are you crazy? That bed cold hold ten people!" the Master said, just as they entered the Doctor's room.

"Well, I still don't like it. I toss and turn when I sleep."

"How do you know that if you're asleep when you're doing it?" the Master asked as he stood with the Doctor.

"Once, I slept on the bed in that room and woke up on the floor behind the chair." the Doctor said with a totally straight face, making the sleepy Master give a little laugh.

"I'm telling you, I'm fine."

"You're falling asleep as we're talking!" the Doctor said. "Here, lay down. Go to sleep. Your head isn't right, you need to let your mind rest."

"Fine." the Master said, crawling slowly onto the expansive bed.

The Doctor walked around to the other side and saw that the Master was ready to fall into a deep sleep within seconds.

"Doctor." the Master called.

"I'm coming." he said as he laid down beside the Master. The Doctor stretched out and put his arms behind his head. He felt the Master nudge a little closer to him, but not touch him. He turned his head and saw the Master staring at him through half-closed eyelids, as if he was deciding on something.

"What?" the Doctor asked.

"You don't want me to touch you." the Master pointed out.

"I never said that." the Doctor refuted.

"But you never said you wanted me to touch you."

"No." the Doctor confirmed.

"So, do you?"

"Do I what?"

"Do you mind if I touch you?" the Master asked, a little hurt.

"No I don't mind."

"Do you want me to?" the Master asked. The Doctor just stared at him, unsure exactly how to answer. "Well, do you?"

"I don't know."

"How can you not know? It's a yes or no question. Either you do or you don't. No grey area. Just tell me 'yes' or 'no'." the Master said sternly.

"Yes." the Doctor whispered.

The Master smiled a little before saying, "Yes, what?"

"That's my answer to your question."

"And what question might that be?" the Master asked, obviously trying to trick the Doctor into saying it out loud.

"I... I want you to... touch me." the Doctor admitted quietly.

"Ok then." the Master said, curling up against the Doctor, and falling asleep.

And so the Doctor held him while he slept. He was tempted to watch the Master dream, but decided against it. So he just held him, and thought about their relationship. Their past. And their future.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: So, there you have it! Chapter 7! So, what did you think? Please tell me it was ok. Some of you were surprised I brought Jenny into this. Honestly, this will not be the last time she shows up in this story, but I had to introduce her to the Master before they meet again, or the story wouldn't make sense. She'll come later though. But also, I put her in now to kind of let the Master into the Doctor's personal life a little bit, and to show him that even the people that should be close to him might go years without seeing him. I also wanted him to feel like he knew a little more about the Doctor, knowing that he has a daughter made him feel like part of the Doctor's life. It was supposed to make him feel important. That's why I had her hug him too, it was too cute to resist. So, look out for chapter 8... it'll be coming your way very soon! And remember: more reviews = chapters being uploaded faster 333