Clara walked into the hallway, determined to make some use of herself. She heard a
faint sobbing down the way a bit, and followed it. She'd walked very far when she finally came
upon a wooden door, the sound of her bitter tears clear. Clara reached for the doorknob and
turned it slowly, pushing the door open.
River was curled in on herself, eyes clenched shut. Every few seconds, a cry escaped her
lips. Her curly blonde hair had come out of its ponytail, and her fingers were clasped around a
Mahogany picture frame that was facing towards her. The tears fell unrestrained onto the
purple velvet carpeting the floor. She had not yet realized that Clara had entered.
"Professor Song…" Clara spoke softly, not wanting to startle her. She looked up slowly,
and her eyes were red and puffy, much like Clara's own. Upon seeing her, River stood and
wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, clearing her throat. She let the picture she was
holding find its place on the little desk in the room, face down.
"We can't let him die. I will not just sit by and do nothing." River said assertively.
"You're right. There has to be a way."
"There's not; but we're going to make one." Clara nodded. She would do whatever it
took to save the Doctor. "We should go back and be with him for now."
They left the room and headed back to the library, where the Doctor lay on the red
velvet sofa. He was still, too still, and it startled River. She rushed to him and was relieved to
see his chest rise and fall, even if it was slower and more shallow than she would have liked.
Teardrops were drying on his face, and River felt guilt in the pit of her stomach, knowing that
she was the reason they were there. Had he not done more than enough for her? And look how
she'd repaid him, running out on him when he needed her most. It didn't matter how she felt, it
was him who was dying. Still, it felt like she was dying with him.
She let herself be divulged in her thoughts, and she realized that if he did… well, if he
died, she could never go on. How on earth could someone live in a world without him? She
couldn't do it, not now, not ever. She got on her knees and leaned close to his face, her own
tear falling onto his cheek. "My love…" She knew Clara was standing in the room with them, but
far enough away to give them space.
River tenderly gripped his head in her hands, lifting it ever so slightly to put his forehead
against hers. "I love you. I love you so much. You can't leave me, you hear? You just can't, I
won't let you." She pursed her lips. "I love you, I love you, I love you…" She whispered, getting
quieter each time, finally drawing in a shaky breath. "I do, I really do. I do. With all of my heart.
But you know that, don't you? Doesn't matter, I'm supposed to say it. That's what makes it all
the more real." Another tear streamed down her cheek as she shifted to sit on the edge of the
sofa, now only cupping his feverish cheek in her hand, their foreheads still touching. "Don't go
away, my love. Don't go away. I won't let you." Her hand gripped his hair gently, the action
both physical and symbolic. She wouldn't let him go, wouldn't let him leave her.
She lightly pressed her lips against his forehead before straightening up and looking
over to Clara. The younger woman spoke. "Who are you to him?"
"I'm his wife." Clara tried to hide her surprise.
"Oh… How did you meet?" She said, not sure of what else to say.
"I tried to kill him… At least, that's when I met him. He'd known me before that. Our
wedding was kind of last-minute, the world was ending, we were on the top of a pyramid and
he was going to die, and all I knew was that I loved him. And when I looked at him, I knew that
he loved me too. And that was all it took, we just… got married. And then I killed him."
"What?!" River chuckled sadly.
"No, no. He faked his death so that he wouldn't have to die. Then, he came back to me.
It's supposed to be that way, he's always supposed to bounce back." The room fell awkwardly
silent. "He can't die. He just can't. He'll pull through, just like he always does."
"He will." Clara agreed. "What can we do to help?"
"We need help. There's only one person I know of who could help, that is, if he chooses
to."
"Who?"
"He calls himself the Master."
"Where can we find him?"
"We'll have to drag him out of the Time Lock… and it won't be easy."
"Time Lock?"
"It's a long story, but basically the Doctor locked his planet away so that the war could
not get the chance to destroy the universe, and all of his people died. The Master got away, but
later on he was pulled in."
"How can we get him out again?"
"Well, I'm starting to think that maybe he was never tugged in." She smirked.
"What?" River ran to the console room, Clara close behind.
"It's a good thing that I can fly her better than he can, or we'd never be able to get him.
The Doctor said he disappeared in a flash of white light with the other Time Lords. We've got to
get there in that exact moment." Her fingers danced over the controls as she made every
measurement perfect and precise. "Alright, here we go!" She pulled at the big switch, and there
was only a gentle sound of movement as the TARDIS lurched onwards.
"I'm better at flying her than he is, after all, I'm practically her child. That's a story for
another time though, Clara. Now, is time for action!" She pounded another button with her fist,
and the TARDIS moved again. She rushed to the doors, flinging them open and reaching out.
Her hand clenched the fabric of the master's hoodie and yanked him inside, slamming the door
behind them. "Clara, pull the switch!"
She did as she was told, and the TARDIS took a comfortable position drifting in the time
vortex. The Master gasped deeply in shock on the metal floor, a tremor running through his
body for a brief moment.
"What the hell did you do?!" That angry statement was followed by a not-so-
intimidating coughing fit. River and Clara turned sharply to see the Doctor bent nearly double
leaning against the large doorframe. Clara went to help him, but he straightened up on his own,
holding a hand out to stop her. "No, Clara." He took very slow, shaky steps up the slope
towards River and the Master. His fingers gripped the rail so tightly his knuckles were white. His
breathing was labored to an extent that Clara was standing very close to him in case he fell
over.
The Master had composed himself, and was on his knees, looking over the Doctor. "So,
old friend, we meet again. I assume it's been about… 300 years since you last saw me?" The
Doctor was so startled by the appearance of the Time Lord that he could not think of words to
speak. He simply came closer, and the Master stood so that they were eye level. The Doctor's
eyes welled with tears and he threw his arms around the Master's shoulders. He let out a shaky
breath.
The other Time Lord chuckled nervously. "What are you doing?"
"I thought you were dead… I thought you went back… they would've killed you…" The
Master understood, and awkwardly put his hands up to return the hug.
"Well, I'm here." He stepped back so that he was arm's length from the Doctor, and put
a friendly hand on his shoulder. He was now able to thoroughly examine him. His face was
flushed, but his cheeks were a bright pink. His breathing was shallow and strained, and the
Master could feel the heat coming off of him. "You aren't looking so great." He tried not to act
concerned, because of course, he had spent the past 700 years as the Doctor's enemy. Yet, as
he looked into those hazel-brown eyes, he could think of nothing but the child he had spent so
many years with once upon a time on Gallifrey.
The Doctor smiled sadly, but looked away. "Why have you brought him here, River? Did
you not understand when I told you there was nothing that could be done?"
"And when do I ever listen?" The Doctor smiled, but gripped at his chest in pain, gasping
desperately for breath, never quite getting enough. Clara spoke up.
"We should get him back to the library." River agreed and threw the Doctor's left arm
over her shoulders, and Clara did the same with his left. The Doctor was always heavier than he
looked, but now River could feel the difference in his weight, feel his ribs through his shirt and
how fragile he was becoming, and they realized how hard it was for the Doctor to walk, even
assisted. The Master sighed from behind them.
"Let me take him." He stepped forward as the girls let him go gently, knowing he wasn't
likely to stand capably on his own. The Master grumbled, knowing this wouldn't be exactly
comfortable for either of them. "Sorry 'bout this, but if you never mention it, than neither will
I." The Master firmly planted one arm at the Doctor's back and one under his knees, lifting him
up. He was sure if the Doctor was more coherent through the pain searing in his entire body,
than he would have objected.
As the Master took step after step down that hallway, he couldn't help but become
nostalgic. He fell back into a memory from many hundreds of years past.
"Help! Please, someone, help!" Shouting was no use, they were too far for anyone to
hear. The boy Karion, who would one day be known as the Master, looked down at where his
friend was lying still, panicking. They had only been having some simple fun, something that
was hardly allowed for children of Gallifrey. At seven years old, could recite the law codes 1-249
of the planet's order and the first 360 punishable offenses of the Shadow Proclamation, not to
mention he was starting his first few classes on basic pre-calculus at the academy. With all of
that schoolwork, things could get boring. So, he had Amias, who would one day be known as the
Doctor, showing him the other side of life and how beautiful fun could be.
Now, they had been playing in the field beside Karion's father's estate when Torvic had
shown up. As always, Torvic had been looking for trouble, coming to bully them. Amias wouldn't
stand for it, so instead of taking the taunts without a word, he walked straight up to Torvic and
told him to leave. At the time, it had seemed like a wonderfully exciting and brave idea. Amias
shoved Karion back, out of harm's way as Torvic swung around and hit him in the temple with
his abnormally large fist. The impact made Amias crumple to the ground, where Torvic began to
mercilessly kick him. Karion's eyes welled up with tears, screaming at Torvic to stop. Instead, he
reached down and picked up Amias by the collar of his shirt. His neck just rolled back, lacking
the strength to hold it up, which worried Karion all the much more. Torvic finished with one last
blow to the head and began to tread off.
"By the way," He shouted back at Karion, who was already kneeling beside his friend's
body. "If you tell anyone who did that, I can make sure it happens again." With that, the bully
left and Karion found himself in his current dilemma.
"Amias?! Amias, can you hear me?!" The child didn't answer. "Help! Please, someone,
help!" Karion realized his attempts were futile, and realized that his friend may have suffered
more than just minor cuts and bruises. Even Amias's breathing was becoming strangled, and
Karion knew he needed to get him back to the estate, to the doctors, and fast. He was on his
own. So, trying to keep his friend as still as possible, he slid his arms behind his back and knees.
At first, Karion doubted he'd be able to carry him all the way back, but one glance at Amias
made him realize there was no other way.
Step by step, he carried his friend, lying limp in his arms. If it weren't for the pained
sound of Amias's breathing, Karion would have believed he was dead.
And so it was very similar now, as the Master carried the Doctor back to the library, as
River led the way. After quite a ways, he walked into the TARDIS library. It was vast, even for a
TARDIS. The Master wasted no time in gently relieving his burden onto the sofa, where Clara
laid a blanket onto him. The Doctor was sleeping now, either that or unconscious, but he didn't
look anything near peaceful. In fact, he looked worse off than in the console room. The only
light in the library came from the fireplace, which he assumed was to keep the Doctor
comfortably warm and aware of his surroundings when he woke without blinding him.
It was true, the Master was aware of how to care for the sick, the injured, but he rarely
got the chance. Not since he'd turned on Gallifrey, and come to think of it, that was from his
first regeneration, the academy, the rebellion. If only the Doctor had joined him. They could
have accomplished so much. Still, even with those thoughts, the Master wasn't sure he wanted
that anymore.
He had used his powers in full expectation to go back with the others. He was prepared
to sacrifice what little he had left of what he'd gained to save Earth, of all places. But… no. It
wasn't quite for them, it for Amias. Not the Doctor, the man that stood in front of him, but
Amias, the boy who had taught Karion how to live. He was still in there, in those ancient eyes
there was the child, full of life and adventure, behind them. Even if it became harder to find
Amias as the years went by, and the pain piled up, the nature of that existence was still inside
him. The boy who marveled at the universe, who wide-eyed and determined, dreamed of
adventure. That was before he actually left… to travel the universe. After he actually chased his
dream, he learned that the freedom came with responsibilities that no one should ever have to
bear. If someone didn't make it, it was automatically his fault.
What had he intended to say by giving himself up? He wasn't completely sure. Part of
him wanted to believe it was simply because he did not want the Time Lords getting what they
wanted after making him go mad at the age of eight. But most of him believed it was because,
without those God-forsaken never-ending drums, he was Karion again. And Karion cared about
Amias. He dreamed the same dreams, longed for the same future among the stars. They were
once again children playing, going on imaginary adventures in those vast fields of crimson grass.
He didn't at all believe they could ever truly be companions again, not after all of the crimes he
had committed since then. He couldn't even trust himself, how could he expect anyone else to?
The Master wasn't sure of what he wanted. He wasn't sure of anything at all, except for
the words that River was about to say.
"My name is River Song. This is Clara. We need your help."
He sighed. "I can see that. What has he said about his illness?"
"He said that the time energy was killing him. Said that he always knew it would, after
1000 years." The Master knew, it just hadn't occurred to him that the Doctor really was that
old, and subject to those kind of things. The guy had broken the Laws of Time more often than
anyone could count, why couldn't he get himself out of this one?
"Hate to break it to you, but there's nothing I can do." He said nonchalantly. The way he
spoke was the way he wanted to feel, but it just didn't quite add up. Still, he leaned back in his
chair, and watched as the woman before him swelled up with anger. He could sense it coming
off of her in waves, and was actually afraid of what she might do. He'd been on the receiving
end of a woman's rage before, and it ended with his death.
River looked down at her husband, and didn't want to disturb him. So, she reached
down and grabbed the collar of the Master's shirt and began to pull him out into the hallway,
leaving Clara to look after the Doctor. He tried to struggle, but it was no use. "TARDIS.
Soundproof room. Now." Knowing better than to object, the Master let himself by tugged
sharply into a room on right. River latched the thick door behind them, and let her fury fly.
"I don't care if you need to go across the universe on your belly, you will find a way to
save him. He has done more than enough for you, so the least you could do is try! He has had
opportunity after opportunity to kill you, Master, and more than enough reason to. Now you
ungrateful…" She bit her lip, restraining herself. "You're going to help him." She
clasped her hand around his shoulder as tightly as she could. The Master tried to hide his smirk.
"Who are you? No companion would act like this. Now, that girl out there, Clara, I
believe her name was, she's obviously a companion. But you're closer than that. This is no
puppy crush… you've gone and fallen in love with him, haven't you? You do understand that
you'll never get anywhere with that? He's not the type. Sure, I mean, he might fall in love, but
he knows that it'll all end. And now, he's going to d-" River slammed him against the wall, her
voice in a tone so forceful but quiet that the Master was becoming genuinely nervous.
"You know nothing about me, and you obviously know nothing about him." The Master
raised an eyebrow.
"Is that so? Well, it's easy to tell that you are going through the five stages of
grief. I don't blame you, you're human." She pushed him harder against the wall.
"Don't be so sure of yourself."
"Bringing me here in the belief I could help him, that's showing denial." He pushed away
from the wall, grabbing River from the waist and holding her close. Their faces were so close
that if the Master were to purse his lips… River's face was bright red, and if you didn't know her
better you might mistake it as blushing. No, it was, in fact, her immense anger being pent up as
long as she could possibly stand it. The Master let her go, and began to walk casually towards
the center of the room. "Denial, denial, denial." He spun around to face her, chucking at her
attempts to stifle the rage inside her. "And now, Ms. Song, I think you will find that you are
being affected by the second stage of grief: anger." River muttered something that was nearly
inaudible, clenching her fists. "What was that?" He asked lightly.
"Mrs. Song." She said, loudly and clearly. "I'm Mrs. Song, you idiot. He's Mr. Song. He
doesn't have a last name, you know." The Master's eyes widened in realization.
"He… married?" River nodded. "Well, that explains the stages… I guess I owe you an
apology then." She looked at him expectantly. "Hey, I owe lots of people apologies. Doesn't
mean I'm actually going to give them." She rolled her eyes.
"Listen, Master, can you at least try to help him?" He sighed, looking into her deep blue
eyes, and it was easy to see how the Doctor fell in love with her.
"I'll do what I can."
This answer appeared to please River. She unlatched the door and walked out, the
Master following suit. They made their way back to the library and found Clara dabbing at his
forehead with a wet cloth. The Master came closer to the two, and squat so that he was eye
level with Clara. Her hands were trembling ever so slightly, and there were dark circles under
her eyes that were apparent even in the dimly lit room. Her eyes were red and watery, and the
Master suspected that it wasn't solely from crying.
"When was the last time you slept?" He asked her, trying not to sound the least bit
concerned. He knew that the Doctor would never forgive him if he let his companions make
themselves sick. Clara didn't answer him. "Hey, I asked you a question." He nudged her
shoulder, and she looked over at him, muttering before turning back to the Doctor. "What was
that?" He asked, leaning in closer to her.
"I don't remember, alright?! Just leave me alone!" She snapped. The Master realized
that she, too, was going through the stages, just in a quieter way. Great, he thought. Just what I
needed. He knew that with the women emotionally compromised, his job would be a lot
harder.
"Fine. Have you at least eaten?" No reply. "Oh please tell me you've eaten." The Master
Groaned, standing as River walked in. "How long has he been sick?"
"A little more than a week now." Clara answered.
"And I assume that's how long it's been since you've taken care of yourself?" The
Master rubbed at his face. "Well, if I don't change that, he'll kill me. Literally. Now, what I want
you both to do - don't look at me that way Mrs. Song - I want you both to go get something to
eat, shower, and sleep. I'll look after him, I've got to do a bit of research anyhow, and I won't
need to leave the room." He said, gesturing around the library.
"I haven't been here that long-" River started.
"Then get well-rested so that you'll be capable of caring for him when it's required."
"It's not necessary-" Clara began.
"I swear, if I get one more objection from you two… Listen, ladies, you need to take care
of yourselves if you're gonna be able to take care of him. Now you." He pointed to Clara, "You
look like you're about to keel over. There's only so long a person can go without eating and
sleeping. It looks obvious that you're becoming anemic, I suppose you're dizzy, feeling shaky
and weak?" Clara wouldn't meet his eyes, and River kneeled beside her.
"Clara, have you really been with him all this time?" She said gently.
"Well, I couldn't just leave him. I was... well, I was afraid if I'd left he'd end up not being
able to breathe and he'd just die, alone, and I just couldn't leave. I couldn't." Her voice cracked
with the tears welling in her eyes. "He'd keep waking up, this crazy, terrified look in his eyes,
and I'd have to soothe him into relaxing again. If I'd been gone, I was afraid of what he might
do, or what might happen. I just couldn't leave him by himself…" She wiped her tears with the
sleeve of her blouse.
"I appreciate you taking care of him. There could not have a better person to be here for
him, and I must thank you for that. Now, come on, let's get you taken care of, alright? The
Master will watch him." River eased Clara up, and now that she was standing it was
apparent how much havoc she'd been wreaking on her own body. She could hardly walk, so the
TARDIS brought the kitchen closer, and their bedrooms.
Alone in the library now, the Master began to take in his surroundings, trying to
determine how the books were organized. It didn't seem like it was alphabetical, or by year, or
even by subject. He was getting frustrated, how could he possibly find what he needed in all
this?
"I'll never be able to find anything on Time Lord history or physiology in here!" He
muttered angrily. Just as he'd finished that sentence, some of the shelves began to shift, and a
single book fell from great heights to land at his feet. He looked down at the title, which read:
THE HISTORY OF THE GREAT TIME LORDS. Another book fell perfectly on top of it: GALLIFREYAN
ANATOMY. Then another: TIME TRAVEL AND IT'S EFFECTS ON YOU. Book after book fell from
the shelves of the TARDIS library, all of them relevant to what the Master had asked for. He just
sat and watched until he was quite sure that She was done. "Well, er-thanks." He began to pick
a few of the books up and move to the chair across from the Doctor, who was currently
struggling in his fevered state. It was easy to tell he didn't have much time.
"Why'd you have to go and get yourself exiled?" He said, very upset. "We could've had a
life, you and me." As soon as the words came out of his mouth, the Master felt guilty. It was
him, after all, who'd turned on the Doctor. Him, who'd turned on Gallifrey. Worst of all, he'd
turned on Amias, who'd tried so very hard to save him from himself. Those drums. Those
stupid, stupid drums ruined him. Those stupid Time Lords. The Master tried to push the
thoughts away by burying himself in the books surrounding him.
The Master knew he couldn't let the Doctor die, not when he'd just found himself. He
finally had a second chance, but the man had to just go and start dying. In what universe was
that okay? Certainly not this one.
He went through book after book after book after book. All of them said the same thing:
Time Lords must travel together, in groups of at the very least six people, to minimize risk of
being poisoned by the vortex. That there was no hope for someone undergoing it.
After a few hours, he threw the books in his lap onto the floor in frustration. He shook
with anger. He pinched the bridge of his nose and leaned back in his chair. After a moment, he
looked up at the Doctor, whose eyes had just opened slightly. The Master sighed, moving closer
to his friend, and sitting cross-legged on the floor so that they were about eye level. "Amias."
He said, smiling gently. The Doctor looked at him, eyes sparking with realization. He
smiled back.
"Yes, those were better days, weren't they? Karion, Amias… our pre-academy names.
We were children then, Master. It was so beautifully simple. No Daleks, no Time War. Just us.
Just Gallifrey. Don't you miss it?" The Master nodded gently.
The Doctor struggled to shift onto his side, leaving him breathless. He winced at the pain
at his chest, letting out a soft breath in his pain, eyes clenched shut. The Master stood quickly
to help him adjust. "Hey, hey, easy buddy. It's alright. It's alright."
"I'm fine." He said, trying to sit up.
"You sure that's the best idea? You need to rest."
"You know as well as I, judging by your research, that it doesn't matter if I rest or not."
He had nothing to combat that. Instead, he helped him sit up, watched him fight for air. They
sat in silence for a long time, the Master staring at his old friend, and he remembered.
Young Karion carried the limp form of Amias into his father's estate. "Help! We need
help!" A maid came, face shocked and concerned, relieving the child of the burden by taking the
injured boy, who in reality was very light. His breath was rattling, and he was still unconscious.
She hurried him to the sofa, hitting the button on the wall. "Medical services required
immediately." A hologram of a woman appeared.
"Hello, what will you be needing from us today?" Other maids and workers had begun to
gather around to see what the commotion was about.
"I am at the RedGrass Estate. I'm with a little boy who had been severely injured."
"There is a medic on their way."
The help came, they took Amias to a hospital. Karion followed. Amias was still
unconscious, and young Karion waited outside the door, anxious to see him. A nurse came out.
"Is he alright?" She smiled down at him, kneeling to be eye level.
"Well, he is very weak. It's hard tell what's going to happen, he was hurt very badly. " A
couple of stern men began to come down the hallway, and by their attire, Karion could tell they
were law enforcement.
"Are you Karion?" One of them asked. The child nodded his head nervously.
"And you were with Amias here when he was hurt?"
"Yes."
"So you know who did this, then."
"I-I uhh, well, I…"
"Did you, or did you not see who hurt him?" The man's voice was raising, becoming more
forceful. The nurse gave him a disapproving glare, and the man softened his approach. "Look,
Karion, we need to know what happened. We know that someone did this, the injuries are of a
beating. Someone hurt Amias and we want to punish them for it. We only want to help."
"He said he'd come back… if I said anything. I don't…" His eyes welled with tears. "I don't
want Amias to get hurt again, please." The other man sighed, shaking his head.
"We can protect you both. But you have to tell us who to protect you from." The man
knelt down and gently gripped Karion's shoulders. "I promise, this person will never hurt you or
Amias again. You have to tell us who did this." After a moment of consideration, Karion nodded.
"It was Torvic."
"Thank you."
"Can I see him?" The nurse looked kindly at him.
"Soon. Not quite yet, he's not completely stabilized. I promise, as soon as he's ready, I'll
bring you in. Okay?" Karion nodded, biting his lip.
Every time the door would open, the little boy would get as much of a look as he could.
Amias looked bad, really bad. There was a tube down his throat to keep his lungs working.
Apparently, one of his lungs had been punctured by a broken rib. Time Lord medicine was very
advanced, but since Amias was so young they wanted to take it slow. His body wasn't past the
first aging stage, and they didn't want to do anything that could alter it, perhaps leaving him a
child forever. He had some sort of brain injury too, but Karion didn't hear much about that.
"You're remembering it, aren't you?" The Doctor asked, smiling. The Master nodded.
"Yeah, me too. Torvic wasn't very nice, was he?" His voice held a deep trace of sadness.
"No, he wasn't." Now they were both remembering a different time, one they did not
wish to remember. The Doctor held the back of his palms to his eyes, taking a shaky breath.
"I'm sorry."
"It wasn't your fault. You saved me."
"I didn't mean for him to die, really, I didn't." The Master put a comforting hand on his
shoulder.
"He would have killed me. He was angry, I sent him to prison for years!"
"If only I had been stronger in that field…"
"Don't you dare blame yourself for that. When Torvic died, Doctor, he was more a
monster than a man. You know that nothing could have been changed. I only wish you hadn't
been the one who needed to do it."
"I killed him. But I guess, in the end, I killed all of them. All but you. How can you not
hate me, Karion?" The Doctor's face revealed how he genuinely did not understand.
"I think we've both done our fair share of harm. I've nearly destroyed humanity many
times now. There is forgiveness for everyone, Doctor. Even you and I."
A voice cleared her throat by the door, and they both looked to see River. The Doctor immediately brightened, and she crossed the floor to meet him. She grabbed his hand and kissed his forehead. "Have you found anything?" She asked the Master. He shook his head.
"I'm not going to find the answer in a book. I've got to try and figure something out myself."
"River, I told you, it's…" The Doctor said, trying to cut it.
"Can you do it?" She ignored her husband.
"I-I don't know."
"Please try."
"I will. I'll be in the console room, the answer may lie in the core of the TARDIS he stole. I have a theory."
The Doctor raised an eyebrow. "Really?"
"Yes, really." The Master paused, looking around. "You need to be in bed. A proper bed, with covers and pillows and a mattress."
"It's alright, really. I'm okay here." The Doctor insisted. River came behind him and gently rubbed his shoulders.
"Sweetie, it's a good idea. You need to be resting as much as possible, and I'm sure you're uncomfortable."
After some persuading, he agreed, and the Master supported him to the door. "Where is your room?" He asked, and the Doctor pointed forwards towards the nearest door. The Master moved to open it, but the Doctor waved his hand to stop him. He rested his hand on the wood door, and starting at his palm, the door began to change color, becoming a deep mahogany color. Once the entire door had changed, the Master pushed it open.
The room was not what the Master had expected, but it made perfect sense. Nothing about the Doctor was ever predictable. The walls in the room were covered in circular Gallifreyan. It made the Master feel warm, at home once again. There were pictures, all over the room. Different faces, and planets, and companions. It was all very cluttered, and River automatically began to straighten it, just a stack of papers, a crooked picture frame. The bed frame was the same color as the door, and the floor was wood paneled. A gentle melody played very softly throughout the room, and he paused to listen, recognizing it in a matter of seconds. A small smile played at his lips as he helped the Doctor ease onto his bed.
"You recognize it." The Doctor said, smiling as well. Moving had taken a lot out of him, so River pulled the blankets up over him.
"I do. That so was long ago, such an old melody. Ancient, even for us." The Doctor let his eyes slide closed, and River lovingly stroked his hair as he fell asleep.
"Do you think you'll be able to save him?" River said seriously, as soon as the Doctor's breaths evened in sleep.
"I hope so." There was a tap at the door, and they turned to see Clara.
"Wow." She sighed, looking about the Doctor's room. Her fingers traced the Gallifreyan, all written in a deep black speckled with gold, contrasting comfortably with the medium blue walls. Her eyes flicked from picture to picture for a few moments until she looked to the other three occupants of the room.
"Rested?" The Master asked. She nodded. "Good. I'm going to the console room. Take care of him, ladies." He strolled out of the room, heading into the console room. He tampered with wires and hooked different things to the computer screens. He had to find a way to save him, he had to. There was no other option.
"What are we going to do?" Clara asked exasperatedly, looking to her best friend. River wasn't going to answer, but as she thought deeper and deeper about it, her eyes widened and she sat a little bit taller.
Within a couple of hours, the Doctor's sleep grew restless, fitful in his fevered mind. He began to thrash around violently. "Clara, get some ice!" River said, trying to restrain the man's flailing fists. As Clara ran from the room, River leaned in by his ear. "Come on, wake up, sweetie. It's only a dream, a dream. Wake up, Doctor. Time to wake up." His eyes shot open and he continued to struggle. "Shhh, shhhh, it's okay, you're okay."
"River." His eyes welled with tears and his feeble hand reached out to cup her cheek. She rubbed his shoulder.
"It's alright, it's over my love." After a few tears spilled from his hazel-brown eyes as he released the breath he'd been holding. He blinked away the remaining tears, and River wiped them. She didn't ask, she didn't need to. Clara returned with the ice water and several rags.
"He needs to get into lighter clothes. If you could, just for a moment, Clara." She gestured towards the door, and Clara stepped out. River turned to her husband, sitting on the edge of the bed and working at the buttons on his shirt. Once they were all undone, she carefully tugged it off of him. The Doctor began to shiver, his teeth chattering. River slid a thin t-shirt over his head, and began unbuttoning his pants.
Once he was in a pair of comfortable pajama pants, River called Clara back in. They took the rags and dipped them in the basin, dabbing at the Doctor's hot skin. After a few minutes, they draped his blankets back over him and left a towel on his forehead.
"I'm going to go check on the Master." River said, standing and leaving after Clara nodded. Clara moved to the seat closest the Doctor's head, gazing at him. Simply thinking about what was to come made her eyes swell with tears.
"Don't leave us…" She whispered. "Don't leave me." She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. The Doctor's eyelids cracked open, and Clara grabbed his hand. "Hey, hey. How are you feeling?" He simply smiled at her. She readjusted the towel to sit on his forehead more comfortably.
"I'm okay." He said, once he'd found his words. Clara forced a laugh.
"Yeah, definitely."
"I am. How are you?" He asked, looking her up and down.
"I'm fine, you dolt." She said, smiling at him. He smiled too, but it slowly faded.
"Do you want to go home?" He said after a considerable amount of silence. Clara's face melted into confusion.
"You don't want me here?" She asked, hurt evident in her voice.
"No, no! Not at all, no. Of course I want you here. I'll always want you here. But, Clara, there's no more adventures, not for me. I have nothing left to offer you."
"You're my friend. My best friend. I'm here because I choose to be, because you've done more for me than I could have ever imagined possible."
"I'm going to die, Clara…" She sighed, another round of tears making their way to the surface.
"If that is to be the end, Doctor, then I will stay until the story is over." The Doctor squeezed her hand, willing his tears to stay unshed.
"Thank you." His voice was tight, the lump in his throat threatening to choke him.
River walked to the console room, where the Master remained working busily. He turned for a moment to verify her presence, then went back to what he was doing. "You really are a genius. Whenever he mentioned you, he always said how smart you were. Smarter than himself, he always said." The Master paused for a moment, shaking his head. He continued working, but spoke as he did so.
"No, he was always the brilliant one. I might have known more, but he understood so much more. About the important stuff, about what is good and right, about everything. I never could. That's why he turned out so much better than I did." They stayed in silence for some time, until River broke it.
"Do you need help with anything?" She asked.
"No, I'm good here. I think, maybe I could reverse it. Have the TARDIS take the time energy from him, pull it into itself. It was designed to handle that kind of power."
"Could you really do that?"
"I don't know, but it's worth a shot."
"Thank you so much."
"He was always there for me, always. No matter what. Even when he needed help himself, he was more than willing to help me if he could. There's no reason why I can't do the same for him." River nodded and left him to his work.
When she returned, she found the Doctor awake, and talking softly to Clara. "Good, you're awake. I've been talking with the TARDIS, we've agreed on something." He raised an eyebrow. "Just look." A hologram screen appeared before the Doctor, showing an image of Martha Jones and Mickey Smith. They were raising their little boy, Christopher, and he was well. They were happy.
"How old is he?" The Doctor asked.
"Seven." He smiled at the family, flying kites at a playground. "They've resigned from UNIT, they wanted to raise their child safe and happy."
"Good. Very good."
"You gave them each other, Doctor. You gave them that life." When he didn't answer, River changed the image. It showed many people now, all of them happy. "The Titanic, the airship you saved? These are the lives you helped happen. They were able to go on, because of you." He carefully examined each situation, eyes again welling with tears-they seemed to be doing that a lot lately. River changed it again. "Look, these are the people from New New York, the ones who were trapped in the underground highway. Their children are seeing the world for the first time, experiencing wind and rain and sunlight. Freedom. You gave these people freedom."
It continued like that for a several more hours, different people, different times. All of them influenced positively by different faces of the Doctor. "There's only one more, Doctor." River announced. He'd been quiet the entire time, other than a passing remark or sigh of content. He waited for the next video to come up, and when it did, he couldn't restrain his tears. "Rose." He breathed, smiling wider than he had in years. River tolerated it, because she knew. After the war, Rose had been there. Before River had arrived and stole his heart, Rose was the one. And that, that was okay with her. It was a different face, an entirely different man. In the end, when the time came, he had chosen her without a second thought. He loved her unconditionally, and that would never change. But she also knew that Rose filled a special hole in his heart, a hole that had been burned deep when Gallifrey fell. The romance was gone, but the pure bond of friendship certainly wasn't. So seeing his face liven at the sight of his old friend gave her hope. Hope that maybe, just maybe, this would be enough to keep him fighting.
Rose was stepping out of a car, reaching into the back seat. The Tenth Doctor Duplicate, John Smith, came from the driver's side to stand beside her. "Hey, look, it's me!" He said, a goofy smile making its way onto his face until a coughing fit took him. On the screen, Rose pulled a little pink bundle out of the car, holding it to her chest. John stood on his toes to peer over her shoulder, giddy with delight.
"John," Rose said, laughing, "you have to get out of the way!" He immediately jumped out of her path.
"Right, right!" He rushed to the door and held it open for her. Once they were inside, he closed the door behind them, and they stood there for a moment. Rose looked down at the little bundle.
"Oh, just look at her." Rose sighed with content. He reached forward, pulling back the blanket. A tiny hand reached up, and the face of a beautiful newborn baby girl became visible. The Doctor, lying in his bed, could hardly contain his joy.
"Hey there, Emma." John said. Rose nuzzled into the girl's head, beginning to speak.
"This is home, sweetheart. Your home. We are going to have the very best of times." She said, rocking the child back and forth in her arms. River reached her own hand towards the screen, fast-forwarding the images. Night fell for the Smiths, and Rose sat on the back porch with her family. John had his arm around her shoulders, looking at Emma. Rose's eyes were cast upwards, gazing at the stars.
"Are we going to tell her?" Rose asked.
"About what?"
"The other planets, the universe."
"Of course we will. With a mother running Torchwood, it would be hard to hide that from her."
"Will we tell her about us? About you? About the other you, still out there, doing who knows what?"
"All in good time. One day, we will tell her. And maybe she'll have her own chance to explore. She'll do whatever her heart leads her to do." Rose smiled.
"Yes she will. And she'll know that her Daddy is the savior of worlds in galaxies through all of space and time, more than she can count. She will know he used to live among the stars, going wherever he could, helping those who needed to be rescued. She'll look to the sky at night, wondering, just like I do every night. And she will, I know she will." They both looked up into the sky together. The hologram fizzled out.
The Doctor wiped his eyes as he struggled to sit up. "Do you see now?" River asked as she helped him. "Do you see why you can't go? You've helped so many, you've got to stay. You've got to keep helping them." A sad smile softly graced his features.
"I've hurt people too, River. Lots of people. Good people." He looked around the room, at the pictures and Gallifreyan.
"No one ever regrets meeting you, Doctor. We are always changed for the better. Can't you see?"
"Then I have done my fair share of help and harm, don't you think?" He took her hands. "River, I am old. Impossibly old. And I'm tired. If the Master can save me, all the better. If not, that's okay too. Everything ends, River, whether or not we want it to. This is the only ending I can deal with, River, because it's mine. You have to be ready to let me go." River shook her head.
"I can't do that."
"Yes you can."
"I love you so much, River."
"I love you more." She wrapped her arms around his waist and dug her face into his chest, sobbing.
"I love you most." He kissed the top of her head, his eyes full of raw emotion. Clara fingered her bracelet. It wasn't pulsing or glowing like it normally was, because he didn't need her, not now. The only person he needed that moment was River Song. So, she slipped out quietly and left them to hold each other, because a day might be coming soon when they would no longer have that pleasure.