Chapter 10:
Yet all too quickly the water finished and the cup was removed, his headed slacked down and he finally raised his gaze towards The Master questioningly.
As though reading his mind, The Master replied "Well, I can't have you dying on me. Now Doctor, ready for bath time."
The Doctor eyed the water cautiously, the ice bobbing just above the water. A glass of water was easy to handle, but bucket seemed a tad too far for his drained form. "I think I'll pass, wouldn't mind some sleep, though." He wheezed through the fading exhaustion with a touch of humour in his voice.
"No, I insist Doctor. Take it." The Master proclaimed as though he was talking to an honoured guest, he crouched down towards The Doctor a darker smile growing larger, as he placed a threatening hand around the back of his captive's neck forcing the copper lined collar into his skin, raising his head stare at the freezing cold water bath. "Besides it's not optional."
The Master sent a spark from his hand, the energy pulse round The Doctor's body in seconds. His throat was torn with a scream as the metallic collar conduct the waves into a burst of agony.
"A shock collar." The Doctor muttered flinching and flailing as the shocks kept creeping back. His fingers went to grasp at his collar in an attempt to loosen, but they never reached. The Master was now standing tall above him. One foot pushed down on The Doctor's already bruised and fragile hand warningly, while another pulse of blue static grew in his own hands. "I prefer energy choker", he sent the static down on his helpless foe, restrained muffled groans growing from beneath him.
"No don't." The Doctor's quiet pleading fell on deaf ears. The Master dragged him up and hurtled his body into the water. The icy coldness hit him in an instant; The Doctor's body was engulfed in frosty wet hailstorm. The wounds cooled quickly relieving the pain for a while as he felt himself go numb and everything seemed quiet. But suddenly the coolness became cold and the ice bit at his wounds and froze over his skin. He felt his lips crack and senses derail. The Doctor's survival instinct kicked in, his hands found the sides of the trough and began heaving himself out. His legs trashed frantically splashing water away, he felt the warm air begin to furrow through his hair but The Master wasn't finished yet.
Three pairs of hands set themselves on The Doctor's body, his flailing legs were stilled while his hands were wrapped round his back and tightly cuffed together. The Master tangled his hands into The Doctor's hair thrusting him back in the water, bubbles of air floating to the surface as The Doctor gasped for air. He continued to struggle, fuelled by his adrenaline, his body fought while he calmed his mind readying his respiratory bypass. His energy drained body was no longer working to Timelord standard. Time seemed to slow and he felt himself begin to slip.
The Master watched gleefully as The Doctor squirmed in the water, the power of belittling his nemesis riding into the drums. Twisting his fingers he battered The Doctor's skull to beat of the raging drums till they began to fade. He felt The Doctor slip into darkness and flipped him on his back, still in the water. Groans and mumbles grew from The Doctor's throat as he finally resurfaced above the water, roughly pulled up by tattered drenched lapels of his suit. The Master held him just above the water, coughing and jerking in his hands, till he stilled - gasping quietly for breath.
The Doctor's gaze was hazy and blurred. His brown orbs quickly refocusing on the distorted image of The Master.
The Master studied the dreary body in his hands, realising how much strain The Doctor seemed to be under but paid little notice. He held The Doctor's upper body in one arm placing it beneath him, while the other tightly griped The Doctor's chin as he turned and inspected each damp washed-over side. He seemed paler yet was gaining colour by the minute. 'Timelord Healing', He took a mental note to remember that, for now he'd make sure he was kept weak.
The Doctor was mentally focused but dazed through physical weariness, he was in no fit state to keep playing The Master's sick games. He felt prodding of The Master's damp callous fingers, ignite the numbed pain sensors back alive flinching away as The Master inspected his face.
"We're not done yet, Doctor. Still one question to answer."
"And what's that?" The Doctor gritted through the pain never willing to bend to The Master's ways.
"The question I last left you with."
'My TARDIS' The Doctor knew full well what he wanted, but at that moment he wasn't quite aware of it, the recent past being a strong force of the haziness in his mind. A simple TARDIS blue cloud reminded him, not that he would tell The Master.
"Forgotten have we?" he played along to The Doctor's charade, knowing he hadn't pushed him to the full extent of his Timelord limits, "Why don't I give you a spark to restart?"
The Doctor seemed confused; he raised a quizzical eyebrow lost in the conversation, before fear shot through his eyes with an unwelcomed realisation.
Time seemed to slow as The Master dropped his body into the freezing water, icy coldness flooded round his system again as he became all too aware of his sub-zero surroundings. He emerged at the water's edge coughing and spluttering, as time sped forward again, leaving seconds for The Doctor to make out the images of The Master's erratic hands sparking energy again. The blast shot down towards The Doctor. The water conducted the energy, sending an endless onslaught around his entire body. The collar seemed to tighten as the metal lining sent electrified shocks down his already suffocated throat, his head lurching back violently desperately trying to keep his mouth above the skin of the water. He felt the energy course through him, pounding against his hearts with a fiery wake to be rapidly cooled by the icy water. The Doctor tried to heave himself out, metal-bound hands beneath him tried to push his weight upwards but with every inch he made the shocks kept blowing him down again, fingers crushed under his body. Mumbled groans became torn and then silent screams as The Doctor continue to flail in his prison of crackling blue light. He threw his weight against the container. Taunt gritted muscle thrashed itself against the sides repeatedly, as it tried to shake the energy out. Three shoves later The Doctor has succeeded his escape. He toppled out and over the trough bringing it down with him, as he lay crumpled on the floor. The ice and water spilled out behind him, a cold shudder fell down his spine as it soaked into the carpet beneath him. The Doctor shifted himself onto his side; his drenched suit slumped around him as he eagerly tried to warm himself quicker. He curled into a half formed ball, lacking the energy to see it through.
The drums quieten. The Master circled his drained prey. The water spluttered towards his feet, the bloodstained carpet soaking in the clear fluid. He crouched down to The Doctor's level. His damp fingers searched beneath the collar for a pulse, thready but strong. Stubborn and defiant.
"So Doctor, where is that little blue box of yours?"
He held The Doctor's shivering chin stilling it in seconds. His pale wet lips parted for an answer, water trickling out as he coughed up the remains of the trough.
"That box… is mine…" The Doctor panted out, edging himself out of The Master's hands.
"Maybe your friend can persuade you otherwise." The Master opened the door to reveal a blindfold Wilf being hustled into the room. A wooden chair was set at the back of the room a metre away from The Doctor. A disgruntled Wilf was ushered into the room and sat in his place.
"Wilf" the whisper was quiet but The Doctor's voice fell like a pin in the room.
"Doctor? Is that you? Doctor?" Wilfred could recognise that voice anywhere, dedicated the past few weeks of his life searching for it. Yet he called out the name with a hint of hesitation. The Doctor was ready to reply eager to have someone bar the megalomaniac Master to talk to, but he was cut short.
The Master pulled out a gun…
A/N: Sorry it's late. Again. But please to do review, I've loved the feedback and am taking some time to work them into the story. I'm still open for a few more ideas. But thanks so much for the alerts, favs, reviews, and just for reading this far.