Author's Notes: I survived a heart attack to finish this story and although I have enjoyed writing it, I am glad to see it done. This chapter has a different tone to the rest of the story, definitely more humor as the Master meets Jack. I already have an idea brewing for a story with the three of them…

Upon opening their eyes, both Rose and the Master find themselves back in the Zero Room standing over the Doctor's slumped form that is still bound to the chair. "I take it that he'll be out for a while then?" inquires Rose, her voice radiating exhaustion.

He nods and presses his palms against his eyes in an attempt to block out the last few hours with the Doctor before folding her into his embrace. "The TARDIS has put him into a healing trance to expedite his recovery." He leans back to gauge her reaction to his next statement. "He'll remain in that state for several weeks or possibly longer until he's judged fit enough to reawaken, even after we leave."

Her gaze travels to the Doctor's limp form as she murmurs sadly, "Yeah…when we leave." She drags her gaze away from the chained Time Lord and rubs at her arms as if it to ward off a chill. "It's like I told him, it would be better this way, if we left." She glances up at the Master uncertainly. "Wouldn't it?"

His returning stare is firm but not hard, although his tone is unrelenting in his reply. "It is if you truly plan on leaving him for me, Rose. Because I'm not leaving you alone with him and seeing us together every day would be cruel."

A startled expression flashes across her face before one of anger takes place. "Of course, I'm staying with you, that's not even something that you have to question!" Although irritated, she lays each of her hands over both of his hearts and rests her head in the space between, smiling softly when he tightens his hold on her. "It's just that I'm worried about him. We watched out for each other for a long time, it's sort of a hard habit to break."

He kisses her temple in understanding and then pulls away from her to take her by the hand and lead her to the console room. "Any regrets?" he asks while settling down onto the jump seat, his gaze remaining firmly fixed on the time rotor as it slowly returns to life. He releases an inaudible sigh of relief, knowing that this small sign signifies that the TARDIS has deemed the Doctor stable enough to begin returning to its everyday functions.

"Only that we didn't think of this sooner." She closes her eyes and wearily leans her head back against a coral strut.

"We were in time." Barely, he adds for his mind alone. "However, in order to facilitate his treatment, we'll need to leave as soon as possible." His gaze slides over to Rose. "Without a TARDIS, we need to be absolutely sure of our next destination. Which leaves us with the question, where do we go from here?"

Rose's lips quirk into a secret smile. "I actually have an answer for you." His expression remains impassive with the exception of his eyebrows arching questioningly. "The last time that I spoke to Jack, he wanted us to come to Cardiff. Apparently, there's something there that he thinks we should see."

He groans in resignation. "I take it that I'm finally going to meet this famous ex-Time Agent of yours?" A cheeky grin is his only reply. "I'm not going to enjoy this, am I?"

"Not as much as I will, no," she notes cheerfully as she drops down alongside him and rests her head on his shoulder. "I asked him what it was all about but all he would say is that we need to see it to believe it."

"This isn't one of those lewd come-ons that he's supposed to be so well-known for, is it?" he questions warily while putting his arm around her.

Rose's laugh is completely carefree. "It honestly isn't but I wouldn't give him any ideas if I were you." Her smile begins to fade a bit and she anxiously bites her lip. "Do you think that we should stay the night and sleep on it?"

His gaze is full of compassion yet carrying the slightest trace of pity at her last ditch effort to extend her time with the Doctor. "Do you really think that you'd be able to sleep tonight much less leave the longer we stay?"

She remains quiet for a time, searching for any possible argument but finding none. "I guess not."

Her eyes slowly travel over every inch of the console room as she allows all of the memories that she had in this room to wash over her. Some were fantastic, some were brilliant, some were painful and bittersweet, but all of them, she thinks as she blinks back tears were all far too short-lived.

"It's fine with me if you need to cry," he readily assures her. "I'm quite used to these embarrassing displays of human emotion."

"Thanks, Love," she murmurs with a sniff as she snuggles deeper into his side. "You know, you can really be sweet at times."

"Well, you know how I like to give back to the people." He eyes her sternly. "Don't tell anyone though; I wouldn't want it to get around."

Rose snorts in amusement. "No, worries there, Mate. I've seemed to notice that whenever any mention of you crops up in conversation that people tend to leave the room." She offers a teasing glance before looking down to check out her nails. "Why is that, do you suppose?"

"Oh, I don't know," he answers blithely as he notes the rhythmic motion of the time rotor display a somewhat muted hum in acknowledgement of their departure. "Perhaps it's too daunting for them to even be in the presence of the mere mention of my name. A man who's so full of genius, talent, ambition…"

"Hot air?" supplies Rose as he searches for his next word.

"Actually, the oxygen content in my extra respiratory bypass is a rather cool temperature." He rests his head against hers and whispers, "Would you like me to leave the two of you alone to say goodbye?"

"No, that won't be necessary, thank you," she replies with a soft chuckle before releasing an even softer sigh. "Rough going as it was for the old girl, she finally let you in, and you became part of our memories here as much as I did." She draws away to give him an encouraging smile. "Besides, you'll want to say goodbye to the TARDIS too."

"You bet I will," he concurs with obvious delight while blocking her attempted swat with ease.

Tossing him a mock glare, Rose slowly rises to her feet and makes her way over to the console. Closing her eyes, she takes a deep breath and allows the constant hum of the console to pulse through her as she moves her fingers over various levers and switches. Her fingers imitate those of a piano player in the fluidity of their movement, memories swirling around her in tandem with the pulsation of the TARDIS synchronizing with the tempo of her heart. Two separate heartbeats joined as one just as they were so long ago. The light of the time rotor flashes in one last brilliant explosion of color matching the most vibrant smile that the Master has ever seen on Rose as the last of the memories course through her mind. Eventually the memories fade, if not the emotions that they evoked, and a dull throb and soft hues from the time rotor along with Rose's own tears indicate the end of their goodbye.

"Will you be alright?" he asks while coming up behind her and placing his hand on her shoulder. She gives a quick nod and starts to wipe away her tears before turning to face him. "Are you ready to go now?" She shakes her head in the negative. "You want me to say goodbye to the TARDIS, don't you?" She eyes him expectantly. "It's a ship, Rose, a mode of transportation, not an old friend." She responds with a level stare and a lengthy silence that he knows will continue until he abides with her wishes. "Fine, I'll say goodbye! Anything it takes to leave this bucket of bolts once and for all!"

He closes his eyes and gives his head a slight shake of disgust. Good thing finding a bondmate only happens once in your lives because I'm not going through this rubbish again. He moves a bit closer and lays his hand on the console and releases an irritated sigh. Well, go on then, do something. Flash some lights and throw out a few happy hums like I just said something meaningful. The console immediately goes dark and quiet. Of course, what else could I expect from an antiquated piece of machinery, a...dare I say it...an old crock? A deafening alarm suddenly echoes throughout the console room as the lights flash in warning.

"Alright, that's enough," announces Rose as she takes him by the elbow and steers him away from the console. "I'm sorry, Girl, I thought that he could behave himself just this once."

"Oh, I don't think so," he scoffs with a smug grin. "You know how I hate inconsistency."

A quick roll of her eyes ends with her gaze landing on their packed bags by the door and the upturned quirk of her lips immediately turns into a frown. "I guess it's time to go then, eh, Girl?" A soft thump announces their arrival in Cardiff along with one last telepathic farewell. When the TARDIS' presence recedes from Rose's mind and remains silent, she knows that she no longer has any reason to stay. She takes one last final look around and then goes over to pick up her bags and lay her head against the door. "Well...goodbye then," she manages to choke out before opening the door and heading outside.

The Master follows suit, also stopping at the door before he exits the TARDIS. Thank you for taking care of her when I wasn't here. A short burst of pink and yellow color flashes through his mind in acknowledgement. She won't need it again, he sends out as he pushes the door open. Make sure that he knows that when he wakes up.

He steps out of the TARDIS to see Rose scanning the area until a delighted grin on her face indicates that she has found what, or rather who, she has been looking for. "Jack!" she cries excitedly before rushing past in a blur only to be ensconced in a bone crushing hug by a man in an overcoat. Oblivious to the Master's presence, Rose and Jack revel in their reunion as Jack swings her back and forth, refusing to let her go for even a moment. The unadulterated joy of being together again radiates off the duo, reflecting the wealth of feeling foremost in their minds and hearts as they desperately clutch at each other before forcing themselves to part.

Jack is the first to pull away, tears shining in his eyes as he continues to grip one of Rose's shoulders in one hand while cradling her face with the other. "Rose Tyler," he declares in a slightly cracked tone and with a huge grin, "welcome home."

"She's been home for quite a while now," asserts the Master as he walks over to stand beside Rose and warn off Jack with a cautionary glance.

Jack immediately takes a step back with widened eyes. "Now, there's only one type of man that I've ever seen that kind of look from regarding Rose, and that's a Time Lord. So that means that you're either the Doctor fresh out of another regeneration or..?" he trails off and darts his eyes questioningly at Rose.

Rose moves closer to the Master as she links her arm through his and presents him with an eager grin. "Jack, this is the Master."

"The Master, huh?" he murmurs while giving him an appraising once-over. "I've heard about you."

"I'm sure that you have," assures the Master, knowing that between Jack's association with the Doctor and Torchwood, the Master's past misdeeds would most likely be an open book. "I'm not that man anymore so don't expect any apologies."

"Well, that will make a refreshing change, won't it?" remarks Jack with cheer. He sticks his hand out in introduction. "I'm Jack Harkness." Giving him another quick inspection, he croons, "Master. Mmm, Mmmaster. You know, I love saying your name, it gives me chills. But only in the best way," he adds with a flirtatious wink.

"Oh, really?" inquires the Master in a bored tone. "That's too bad, I've been thinking of changing it."

"You have?" questions Rose in true shock. They had discussed the possibility of creating a new false identity but she knew that the only name he truly favored was his own.

"I will if he keeps saying it that way," he answers while displaying a distasteful grimace.

Wanting to see exactly how different the Master is from the Doctor, Jack quickly adjusts his pout into a congenial smile. "With everything going on with the Doctor, Rose and I haven't had all that much time to chat. Why don't you tell me about yourself?"

"I'm a Time Lord," he replies succinctly.

"I know," comments Jack with an encouraging nod. "And what else?"

"It's a long story," he responds in a hardened tone, "and I don't intend to tell it."

Knowing that was as much information that he was going to obtain from the man, Jack releases a sigh of frustration and shakes his head as he looks over at Rose. "Oh yeah, he's definitely a Time Lord."

She moves over to Jack and links her arm through his as she rests her head on his shoulder and suggests, "I think it would be best to let us in on your big mystery before he really puts an end to all of your questions."

His eyebrows rise in mild interest but he instantly defers to her wishes. "As I said, you're going to have to see it to believe it and even then, you still won't believe it." He glances over at the blue police box in the corner and walks over to the time ship with Rose in tow. "Hello, Girl, remember me?" The TARDIS instantly emits a hum that can only be taken as indignant before swiftly dematerializing away. Rose offers a comforting squeeze of his arm as Jack stares mournfully at the empty space and muses, "Yeah, I guess you do."

"So, come on then," urges Rose, eager to move Jack past the hurt of the TARDIS' dismissal, "let's see what you've got," she finishes with her tongue-teasing grin. Offering a brief smile, Jack turns them both in the direction of a long dark tunnel. Poor Jack, at least I was able to say a proper goodbye to the TARDIS. What with the way that the old girl is feeling around him, he may never even have the chance.

"Okay." He pauses to give her a quick peck on the temple before glancing over his shoulder at the Master. "You're invited too by the way."

The Master forces himself to bite back a retort and paste on a bland smile when Rose shoots him a pleading look to play nice. Taking a deep breath, he gives them a chance to walk ahead of him so that he can take a moment to compose himself. He was still suffering the mind link's residual influence of the Doctor's inability to withstand the anomaly of the Time Agent, he didn't need the added annoyance of his flirting with Rose to add to his discomfort.

Once settled, he easily catches up to them just in time to hear Jack ask, "So, a mind meld, huh? That's pretty Spock." The Master releases an internal sigh of frustration. He really needs to try to wean Rose off of Star Trek.

A click of a button sounds from Jack's pocket and all at once the tunnel is filled with the strains of Moonlight Serenade. "Remember our song?"

A dreamy smile appears on Rose's face as she mentally travels back to days long ago. "Dancing atop Big Ben on an invisible spaceship? Not exactly something that a plain old London shop girl tends to forget."

"There's nothing plain or old about you, Rose Tyler." He gives her a sweeping glance. "At least not pending further investigation." Jack darts a quick look over his shoulder to gauge the Master's reaction. He may like to tease to test the boundaries but he wasn't a fool. "Did Rose ever tell you how we met?"

"When she was wearing the Union Jack t-shirt while dangling from a barrage balloon amid a World War II air raid in London? Yes, I've heard the story. Fascinating," he replies with his usual boredom.

"Well, that's how we met," continues Jack, not the least bit put off by the Master's disinterest. "I was a confidence man, pulling one scheme after another, until Rose and the Doctor showed me another way." He squeezes her in a side hug. "You can't be around this one for long without wanting to do the right thing. Whenever I can't decide what to do, there's a niggling brown-eyed bottle blonde conscience that appears out of nowhere to guide me."

Rose gently elbows Jack in the ribs in acknowledgement while the Master sports a half-smile, reflecting his fondness for the blonde in question. "She does tend to have that effect on people."

"Rose always reminds me to do what's best." Jack abruptly stops in his tracks and spins around to face the Master. "That's why I have to know how you feel about her."

"Jack!" warns Rose between clenched teeth, a little more than irritated at his playing the role of overprotective big brother. "That's none of your business!"

"I'm afraid that I have to disagree with you, Sweetheart," he returns without taking his eyes from the Master's unflinching gaze. "What I have to show you is too important to fool around with, especially when it comes to your heart."

Jack walks towards the Master while at the same time pushing Rose behind him so that he can take up a protective stance in front of her. "I've seen how much the Doctor loved her even though he wouldn't say it. He showed her time and space and saved her life countless times but he couldn't save her from heartache." He glances apologetically at Rose. "He strung you along, Sweetheart." He holds up a hand in protest when it looks as if she's about to object. "I'm sorry, Rose, but that's the way I saw it when he wouldn't let you go. Either it was because he didn't want to or because he needed you too much but he tugged at your heartstrings like a puppet." He stares down the Master with a harsh glare. "I'm not about to let that happen again."

The Master remains perfectly still as he silently contemplates the character of Jack Harkness. Rose had told him of a dashing ex-Time Agent whose handsome visage was only matched by his courage. Now having met him, he could concede to his good looks and charm but upon hearing his opinion of the Doctor, he knew that the man possessed intelligence as well.

"I said earlier that I make no apologies, it's even rarer that I make explanations." He glances over at Rose's anxious expression. "However, in this case I will make a one-time exception." As he draws himself to his full height, he focuses his full attention on Rose. "I always want you by my side. Not because I need you there but because I want you there. The word 'need' implies something that you require because you have no choice." His gaze remains steady on her as he steps forward to take her hand. "I want you, Rose Tyler, so I will always choose you."

The Master is instantly rewarded by his statement when Rose flings herself into his arms as Jack looks on in sheer disbelief at witnessing a Time Lord who willingly declares his feelings towards Rose. "Wow," he mumbles in astonishment before proclaiming exuberantly, "that was so hot!"

With one last tight squeeze and peck on his cheek, Rose releases the Master and beaming, faces Jack. "So, has he passed your test?"

"Only if you want to forego the physical examination," he replies with a suggestive grin.

"I think I'll pass," declines the Master as he observes Jack's defeated sigh.

"Fine, but I can see that the two of you have had a rough time of it so let me know if you need some rest," he offers as he turns and continues to lead them down the tunnel. "My couch folds out into a bed and there's plenty of room for everyone."

"Do you ever stop?" questions the Master out of mild curiosity.

"Not once you get me started," returns Jack as he directs them over to an area that ends in a door. "We're here," he announces as he unlocks the door and they all step outside.

Rose and Jack squint their eyes until they can adjust to the sunlight while the Master's eyes narrow the moment his time senses go on full alert. Once Rose's vision focuses, her nose crinkles in confusion at the sight before her.

A quick perusal confirms that they're standing in a garden. Yellow flowers and green foliage cover the area including the rooftop of the small brick building with two old wooden doors. Rose assumes that it's merely a garden shed until she hears a hum. A very distinctive hum. "Is that -" she begins to ask before the Master cuts her off.

"A TARDIS," he finishes for her before pinning down Jack with his gaze. "How did you happen to come across a TARDIS?"

"Don't look at me," protests Jack. "This particular TARDIS arrived here via the rift and I wasn't even completely sure that it was a TARDIS until you confirmed it. The readings are a bit off."

"They would be," declares the Master without sparing a glance at either of them as he approaches the disguised shed. "This is a much more advanced model than what you're used to." His stride halts once he is but a foot away from it, the hum having grown increasingly steadier in its intensity as he had come nearer with each step. The quiet slowly drags on as Rose and Jack watch in puzzlement as both man and machine seemed to be facing each other either in silent communion or some sort of stand-off. When the Master finally stretches out his arm and places his hand against the brick of the shed and the wooden doors open with a soft click, they know that they have their answer.

"Well, come on then," urges the Master when Rose and Jack remain in place studying the shed with wary expressions. Glancing at each other, Rose nods her head in encouragement to Jack. "Might as well, he obviously knows what it is." Jack quickly shoves his hand in his pocket, weapon ever at the ready, and whispers back, "Yeah, but what does that mean for us?" The Master's look of impatience hurries the two along and within moments, they are all inside the shed as the door shuts and locks behind them.

The darkness engulfs them at first until a spark of pale blue light from the center of the room slowly expands until its shine dimly reflects off of the metal columns that align the walls. Is this what I think it is?" inquires Rose while standing stock-still, completely unnerved as the haziness of the dim light begins to fade away and the sight before her becomes more distinct.

"Yes, answers the Master in a voice full of satisfaction as he runs his hands across the console, "it's the time rotor."

"But how is that even possible?" questions Rose, her gaze roving around the room until it lands back on her lover. "Does that mean that there's another Time Lord?"

"No," he murmurs in a dead tone, "still just us two."

Jack watches as the Master's hands run over various dials and switches seemingly making corrections and adjustments in a very familiar way. "You seem to be very comfortable with this type of TARDIS. Have you piloted one before?"

"Almost..." his voice trails away as he steps away from the glow of the time rotor. "There wasn't time before the end of the war."

Not wanting him to lose himself in memories of the Time War, Rose moves closer to him and gently turns him to face her. "You obviously know more than you're telling us. Is it more than this type of TARDIS; is it this TARDIS in particular? Did you know the pilot?"

"There were two pilots actually," he admits with a bit of a grimace, "or at least, there were supposed to be." He gives Rose a direct stare. "I was one of them."

Picking up on the meaning behind that look, Rose's mouth tightens for but a moment and then she forges ahead. "And the Doctor was the other?" A curt nod is her reply.

"Why?" asks Jack as he steps closer into the surrounding light. "The Doctor has his own TARDIS."

"Not like this." The Master places his hands against the console and briefly closes his eyes. It had been years since he had piloted a TARDIS. The bond between a Time Lord and ship was something he could never forget but still...he opens his eyes and feels a little bit more at peace than he had been before, the way it could overwhelm your senses was something that he'd have to reaccustom himself to. "This particular TARDIS was a prototype, a last-ditch effort if you will at ending the Time War. It was to be an advanced type of Battle TARDIS, combining the sentience and capabilities of a time ship along with carrying enough armaments to end a war...any war."

"Wait a minute," interrupts Jack in a disbelieving tone. "Are you telling me that in the middle of a war that threatened everything in existence, the Time Lords chose you and the Doctor to pilot a time ship that held that much power?" He shakes his head in instant denial. "I can't believe that."

"The Time War was on the verge of ending and not in our favor," states the Master firmly. "The Time Lords were desperate." He shoots a smile that's half smirk at Jack. "Obviously."

"And you never piloted it?" quizzes Rose. "Why not?"

"As I said, there wasn't time." He turns to lean against the console. "The Daleks were closing in before it was ready so the Time Lords hid it away to keep it out of their hands." He releases an amused chuckle. "Chancellor Flavia said that they had sent the TARDIS to where the Doctor or I would end up once we burned all other bridges as we always do." His brow furrows in thought. "That's actually quite an insult."

"To you or to Earth?" teases Jack as he walks over next to Rose, his grin slowly fading as he poses his next question. "Seriously though, what exactly is this TARDIS capable of?"

"Don't you mean what am I capable of?" he queries shrewdly with a brief smile. He then stubbornly remains silent until Rose nudges his side with enough force to persuade him to relent. With an impatient sigh and a few presses of buttons, he accesses the TARDIS Index File for the information he needs. "There are dual isomorphic controls, various armaments including time torpedoes and a fully functioning chameleon circuit, or at least it will be once I'm done with it."

"What kind of armaments?" demands Jack.

"The kind we won't be using," affirms Rose before focusing her full attention onto the Master. "If you can fix the chameleon circuit, then why didn't you ever fix the one on the Doctor's TARDIS?"

The Master offers a slight shrug. "The TARDIS refused to ask me nicely. Besides, why ruin the displeasure of seeing that eyesore announce its presence?"

"Yeah, that's good to know but now we need to get back to business," insists Jack, his total focus on Rose even though his inquiry is about the Time Lord in question. "I need the truth, Rose. I can trust him with your heart, but can I trust him with this TARDIS?"

"Do you honestly think that you could keep me from it if I decide to lay claim to it?" The Master pushes away from the console and rises to his full height. "Your little problem of immortality has given you delusions of grandeur, Harkness. I've cheated death far longer than you."

Rose can feel the temperature in the room rise up in synch with the tension from the challenges that the two men are issuing each other. She knows how the Master reacts whenever someone poses a threat to either of them; he acts quickly and without regret. She glances over to Jack and immediately realizes that the connection they once shared remains as strong as it ever did, because what she sees there instantly calms her nerves and allows the confidence to hold herself back as they work it out between them.

"I may not have your experience," counters Jack with a hard stare, "but I can hold my own." His countenance suddenly shifts into a lascivious grin. "Of course, you're more than welcome to help me with that." Rose has to cover her mouth to stifle her giggling when she catches the look of incredulity on the Master's face in response to Jack's offer. Once Jack knows that he has the Master's attention, his tone becomes more subdued. "I've given up my life for this planet, more than once, and I'll gladly do it again but I won't do it needlessly. I've seen what a Time Lord can do with a decommissioned TARDIS so you can imagine that I'm a bit leery after the stories I've heard about your previous life."

"It was a previous life," returns the Master flippantly, "several of them in fact." He prowls around the console, keeping his eye on the ex-Time Agent the whole time until he stops where he started, alongside Rose and in front of Jack. "I admit that I used to revel in death and destruction but that was a long time ago. Since then, I've seen heights of atrocity that would make an immortal cringe." His eyes flicker to Rose for affirmation. "And if you can't believe me then you can believe her."

Rose moves forward and squeezes Jack's hand. "It's true, Jack. When he says that he's not that man anymore, it's not just because he changed his face, he's changed everything. She lifts his hand and tightens both of her own around it as she holds it over her heart. "I have trusted him with my life, my family and friends and the safety of both of my universes." The look she gives him implores him to believe her. "Trust me, Jack, we can do this."

Jack's gaze sweeps over the Master for one last assessment. He's heard the stories and the legends about the evil Time Lord but now he's met the man. Jack remembers the cons that he used to pull, the choices that he's made and the things he's done that he's not proud of so he's not going to be so quick to judge him. Jack is no longer the man that he was because he chose to be someone else; maybe the Master has made that same choice. Who was he to judge?

He lifts Rose's hand to his lips and drops a quick kiss on it while keeping his gaze trained on the Master. "Alright, Sweetheart, let's give this a shot." With his free hand, he points at the Master and warns, "I'll be keeping my eye on you!"

The Master's features remain stoic. "I expected nothing less." A slight smile appears as he inquires, "Is it too much to hope that your amenities are more accommodating than U.N.I.T.?"

"I can offer you all sorts of amenities," assures Jack without a trace of teasing, "but I figured that you'd want to bunk here." He reaches into the pocket of his overcoat and pulls out a package wrapped in brown paper and hands it to Rose.

"Brown paper wrapping, Jack?" she questions with a sly grin. "Typical."

A loud laugh sounds throughout the room. "Oh, I have missed you, Rose Tyler." He taps the package. "And that's exactly why I bought this, it reminded me of you." He steps back and claps his hands together. "Well, I'll leave you to talk things over for a few minutes and then I'll give you Torchwood's grand tour." He turns and walks over to where they entered but only finds a blank wall. Grinning widely, he purrs, "Planning on keeping me captive?"

"My ship, my rules," declares the Master airily. "But seeing as how it's you...," he flicks a switch on the console and then points to the now open door, "go!"

Jack's grin falls flatter than a pancake. "Yes, sir, he is definitely a Time Lord." His hands drop into his pockets as he heads out the door. "I'll be outside," he calls out as the open door shimmers into a solid wall behind him.

"Enjoy your wait! And be sure to hold your breath," he mutters under his own as he turns back towards the console. "I wonder if he's ever suffocated to death?" he inquires off-handedly. "There was an immortal that I once knew and I seem to recall that he could hold his breath underwater for an exorbitant amount of time, quite an impressive feat to the women." He stares off into the distance in recollection. "Yes, his name was Poseidon." He runs his hand alongside a loose section of console and attempts to pry it open to examine its contents. "Did you know..."

His voice trails off as Rose tears off the wrapping to reveal a copy of The Odyssey. Printed in 1959, its rose-red cover adorned with gold vines along its border encases a story of valor and determination that can only be found in the pages of myth and legend. She flips through the pages until they all fall together and sees Jack's familiar scrawl across the inside cover.

Dearest Rose,

I miss you. Of course, that goes without saying. However I won't say that I'll always miss you because I refuse to believe that it will be this way forever. I've known you to stand up against a horde of gas-masked zombies, a Slitheen and a fleet of Daleks. I can't imagine that a void and a parallel universe will keep you away for long. That's why I bought this for you, to give me hope, because even Odysseus eventually found his way home. Until we meet again, Rose Tyler.

All my love, Captain Jack Harkness

Smiling gently, she holds the book close to her heart and murmurs, "I want to stay."

"What?" questions the Master in astonishment, more in surprise at her statement than the interruption of his story. "Why?"

"Seeing Jack has made me think of everything that I've missed since I've been away." She offers a wry grin as she recalls how often they've discussed longing to travel the universe again, to not be stuck in one place and time. "I don't want to miss out on my friends and family anymore."

Rose may want to defend the Doctor at every turn but he knew who called the shots when it came to visiting her loved ones. He may be a new man but he definitely wasn't the Doctor. "That's quite the change in attitude, are you sure?" He pinches the shell of each of his ears and pulls them out to the side. "Did I mention that it travels in time?"

Rose laughs delightedly. "That was a poor imitation but yes, I'm absolutely sure. I'd like to stay."

"You'll have to forgive my suspicious nature," he reasons as he watches her carefully, "but it's a rather odd statement from someone who claims to love running so much."

"Some people get tired of running." She steps closer to him and entwines their hands. "Some people need something to run to," she leans up and gently kisses him. "Some people need someone who won't run away."

"You chased after the Doctor for a long time," he acknowledges flatly.

"Yes, I did," she draws back slightly in irritation, "and it took being trapped in a parallel universe to stop." She wonders where he's going with this.

"You've never had to nor will you ever have to chase me," he remarks with assurance.

"No," agrees Rose with the barest shake of her head and a smile.

"And I'm not letting you go," he declares firmly while stepping forward which forces Rose to step back and bump into the console.

"Sorry about that," she apologizes with a hasty pat before answering the Master with definite encouragement. "I should hope not!"

"You, of course," he leans in and whispers in her ear, "would never be dim-witted enough to let me go."

"Definitely not," she murmurs back with a slight shiver in her tone.

"Then it's decided," he proclaims magnanimously, "we're stuck with each other and our new ship!" He eyes her with pure intent. "Your chasing days are over."

"They were the moment I met you, I just didn't know it yet." The teasing leaves her eyes for a moment. "It's not the end of our story though, it's just the beginning." She pauses in thought. "Again."

"Well, now, there's only one other thing left to decide." He draws back and eyes her expectantly.

"What's that?" she asks as she watches him flip a switch which immediately corresponds with Jack emitting a yelp of pain.

"What to do with your little playmate out there." He jerks his head in the direction of the door. "The Captain shouldn't lean against the side of the TARDIS," he notes with a dark chuckle, "or eavesdrop."

She shoves him away in anger. "Don't hurt Jack; he hasn't done anything to you!"

"Not that he wouldn't want to." He waves his hand dismissively. "Besides, he's immortal, he'll be fine." A twist of the dial and Jack's angry visage appears on the scanner screen.

"That's very funny, you two!" He jiggles his arm to shake off the last of the voltage. "Are you two coming out or not?" He grins suggestively. "If you'd rather stay in, we could all work on the TARDIS together. I happen to excel at TARDIS maintenance, which Rose can attest to. I'm very good with my hands."

Rose laughs outright at the Master's exasperated expression before reaching out to tug him to her for a kiss. "No good, huh?" chirps Jack. "Then how about some golf? Is anyone up for a threesome? Hello?" He shouts impatiently. "Are you even paying attention to me?"

"No, we're not," assures the Master as he leans down to kiss Rose again. "Or as a wise woman once said, 'definitely not'."

The End