Rose and the Master watched as the Doctor disappeared down the hatch. They turned their heads to look at each other, each arching a dubious brow, and then glanced back down.
"After you," Rose muttered.
"Scared?" the Master countered.
"Nah, just don't want you running off."
The Master stared at her blankly. Then he shook his head in obvious disgust and started lowering himself into the hole. "You and the Doctor deserve each other."
Rose frowned. "Oh? Why do you say that?"
The Master looked up, taking off his sunglasses and placing them in his jacket pocket. "Because you're both idiots who can't see the obvious."
Rose opened her mouth to retort, but the Master had deftly disappeared into the murky blackness down below. Rose grumbled a few choice words aimed at him and climbed in after him. What had he meant by that, though? What was obvious that she was supposed to see?
Her thoughts were cut short as the gloom enveloped her. She had to rely solely on touch alone and hope that her footing was sure. Though she was hoping to 'accidently' step on the Master's fingers. She could distantly hear heavy breathing, or maybe it sounded heavy as it echoed up to her ears. The minutes stretched out into what felt like forever as they slowly made their way down and Rose vaguely wondered if they would ever reach the bottom.
Hand and foot upon rung, the movements became monotonous, and so she was startled when she felt strong hands grip her waist and gently lower her to the ground. She turned around awkwardly in the hands of her helper and blindly fumbled around, her hands feeling the slight stubble on a lean jaw. As she groped upwards, she felt wild, thick hair beneath her fingertips and she grinned when she heard his breath hitch.
Entangling her hands in his hair, Rose pulled the Doctor's face down as she rose on her tippy toes and planted a firm kiss on his lips. The Doctor gave a low chuckle and his arms encircled her, drawing Rose closer. There was something thrilling about kissing the Doctor in the complete dark, their other senses becoming heightened and sharp and making the experience that much more thrilling. Rose's pulse quickened as she felt his tongue demand entrance, and she gladly obliged.
A bright glare of light caused the two the pull apart and shield their eyes from the onslaught.
"Oi! You two! We have a mystery to solve and you two want to act like a bunch of human teenagers. Time and place, kids. Time. And. Place," the Master grouched as he swung the beam of his torch away from them.
If it weren't so dark, Rose was certain the Doctor's face would be as red as her own. Nothing like being reprimanded and being made to feel like a wayward child.
"You don't happen to have a spare torch?" Rose asked the Master.
"Maybe in my pants," he purred.
"Or maybe nothing at all," Rose retorted, quite pleased with herself at the quick comeback, making the Master splutter and the Doctor chuckle in turn. Then two torches clicked on and the Doctor handed her one.
"Right, let's go and investigate!" the Doctor exclaimed enthusiastically. If his hand wasn't holding the flashlight, Rose was sure the Doctor would be rubbing his hands together in anticipation.
Rose swung the beam of her torch around. They seemed to be in a tunnel. But what was so jarring about this tunnel was that it was made of polished stone. There were no rough edges or crudeness and it was perfectly round and definitely not man-made. Rose glanced behind her – the hatch and the tunnel had been made of metal. A metal that showed no signs of deterioration or rust, not even after two thousand years.
"Coming?" the Master asked.
Rose turned to face him, but she could not make out the features of his face in the dark. "Doesn't this feel…weird to you?"
"Yes," the Master admitted. Then he took her hand in his own and gently tugged her to his side. "We'd better get going. The Doctor is already ahead of us."
Rose let the Master lead her through the tunnel, their flashlights bouncing off the smooth and copper colored walls. Up ahead they could see the Doctor's flashlight, like a shining beacon, bouncing back and forth as he searched for clues.
"I wonder how far this tunnel goes?" Rose mused, more to herself than him.
"Not sure," the Master muttered beside her, his hand still firmly holding on to hers.
They continued walking, each silent and lost in their own thoughts. Then the Doctor called out and Rose glanced up, surprised to see that the darkness was receding. She tugged on the Master's hand, and together, they raced toward the Doctor.
The inky well of gloom was now washed away completely as they stepped into a cavernous open space, vast and huge. As Rose's eyes adjusted, she realised they had stepped into an underground city. They stood on the ground level and Rose noted that there were various stone stairs that led up to other numerous tunnels in the walls that surrounded the city. Where those tunnels led, she wasn't sure, but it would take years to explore each and every one.
Small square houses lined the streets, each made to look identical and each made of polished stone, though these stones were a different color than that of the tunnel. Where the tunnel had been copper in color, these stones were the color of limestone. There was no glass in the windows or doors in the doorframes. It was disconcerting how eerie it felt here.
Up ahead, in the middle of this 'city', loomed a temple or structure, domed in shape and brilliant emerald green. The color stood out in stark contrast with the rest of the structures and a cold foreboding seemed to emanate from it.
"Where is the light coming from?" Rose asked as she gazed around her in wonder. There was no obvious source of light. No lamps or holes in the ceiling to let in the sunlight.
The Doctor had his sonic out and was staring at the readings. He glanced up at her question and pointed at one of the house. "Look at the stone, Rose."
Rose let go of the Master's hand and stepped closer, peering at the structure. And then she gasped as she discerned the almost imperceptible glow radiating from the stone. Here was the source of light. And the whole city was made of this stone. Enough to light up the whole place.
She whirled around. "Oh, that's brilliant!" Then she frowned. "But why wasn't the tunnel giving off any light?"
"To make it difficult for us," the Master grumbled sarcastically, pocketing his flashlight.
The Doctor, ignoring the Master's comment, replied. "Different type of stone. Though it is a valid question. Why not keep the tunnel illuminated like the rest of the city?"
"Unless the tunnel and the hatch were built by someone else. Someone who came many years after the previous inhabitants disappeared," the Master mused, circling around as he took in the sight of the city. His brown eyes were narrowed and searching, a slight frown etched on his brow.
"Good point," the Doctor praised, snapping his fingers at the Master. The Master merely narrowed his eyes in disdain at the act.
"If that is the case, then what happened to them?" Rose asked.
They all paused, thinking of plausible explanations.
"Probably went back home after they explored this place," the Doctor suggested.
"My money is on some nasty coming out of the woodwork and devouring them," the Master piped up.
"Not helpful," Rose hissed.
"The truth is rarely helpful, Rose," the Master said matter-of-factly.
The Doctor tapped his sonic against his chin, his tongue pressed against his top teeth and a thoughtful look on his features. Then he seemed to come to a decision. "We could search these houses for clues, but something tells me that we're not going to find anything in them. Just empty space. I think that temple will yield some answers," he stated, pointing his sonic towards the temple in question. "What say you? Want to go exploring?"
Rose nodded and the Master sighed. "If I must."
The Doctor, ignoring him once more, took Rose's hand in his and they started walking to the temple, the Master grudgingly following behind. An eerie feeling washed over him and he glanced back over his shoulder, the uncanny feeling that they were being watched coming over him. And if past experience had taught him anything, it was to trust his gut instinct. And right now, his gut was telling him that whatever was observing them was not of the friendly alien variety. It usually never was. He turned his attention to the front and hastily caught up to Rose and the Doctor. And by the way Rose kept glancing over her shoulder, her brows slightly furrowed with worry, she sensed it, too.
A/N: Thank you to everyone for taking the time to read this story. I just wanted to leave a little side note to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! I hope it's a good one.