Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of its characters, places, plots...Yeah you get the picture. My first ever Master/Rose fic, never thought I'd write one, but actually I really love writing it!

Chapter 21-The END of it All!

As soon as the two landed back on the UNIT ship a violent wind swept through the room. The Jones's clung desperately to each other, their hair and clothes flying about wildly in the wind. The Doctor and Martha hit the deck straight away, clasping each others hands tightly and laughing as the air whipped around them. The Master scooted over to his wife who was now clinging onto the stair rail and held her close against him, burying his head into her hair and hoping upon hope that all this was some terrible, terrible nightmare.

Luckily the wind only lasted for a matter of seconds and it died down as swiftly as it had begun, when it had finished the Doctor jumped up, checking over the controls of the ship with a beaming smile upon his face,
"The paradox is broken, everything's reverted back. One year and a day, 2 minutes past 8 in the morning. See," he pointed at the clock, "Just after the President was killed, but before the spheres arrived. Everything back to normal," he turned around to look sadly at the once all powerful couple, who were now cowering on the floor in each others arms, "Planet Earth restored. None of it ever happened. The rockets, the terror, it never was." Martha gave a quick, unconcerned glance down at the Master and Rose and then turned back to the Doctor,
"What about the spheres?"
"Trapped at the end of the universe."

It was Francine who spoke next, her voice was faint and shaky, "But I remember it?"
"We're at the eye of the storm, we're the only one's who'll ever know," he said with a sad look, he knew for all present life would never be the same again, and he was truly sorry for that. In an attempt to cheer up the atmosphere he ran up to Clive, whom he hadn't properly met yet and began a rushed conversation with him.

Noticing that no one was paying much attention to them anymore the Master stood slowly, not drawing any unwanted attention towards them, he took Rose's hand tightly, pulling her up beside him and then he ran, with her trailing him as they tried to escape. Without a word the Doctor and the Jones's turned just in time to see the pair running head first into Captain Jack,
"Whooaaa big fella!" Jack said with a smirk on his face, he grabbed the pair's arms so tight Rose thought she was going to bruise, "You and the Mrs don't want to miss the party. What do we do with these two?" he asked the Doctor.
"Kill them!" cried Clive viciously.
"Execute them!" called Tish, her eyes dark and full of a lust for revenge. But the Doctor shook his head, dismissing their pleas for vengeance straight away,
"No that's not the solution."
"Oh I think so," sounded Francine's voice, everyone turned to face her and the Doctor's face dropped. The woman, clearly driven to the edge by the utter humiliation and torture that they had been put through was holding the discarded hand gun firmly, "Because all those things, they still happened, because of them. I saw them." Pacing slowly towards her, his hands up as if the gun was being aimed at him and not the only other member of his species, his eyes studied her, begging her to let go of the devastating weapon,
"Francine, you're better than both of them." She nodded simply. He turned, happy that the problem had been sorted.

BANG!

The gun was fired and the Doctor spun round on his heel, his eyes wide and accusing as Francine gasped and dropped the smoking gun. It clattered loudly on the floor. Swiftly he turned back to the Master and Rose, looking shocked and horrified. The Master had stumbled back slightly and was clutching at his chest, eyes open and blank as he moved his hands so he could see his blood leaking from his body. There was no blood. He glanced down at his chest. There was no wound. His face showed his relief, and he sighed, thanking the universe that the woman was such a bad aim.

With a cocky smile he looked back at his wife. Rose Saxon stood completely still and quiet, her eyes wide and mouth open as she stared at her hand, she was sucking in long, shaky breaths and she lifted her eyes, smiling softly at him, before her knees buckled beneath her and she fell.

"Rose!" Came the Master's long, low scream as he sprinted with all his strength and speed to her, he caught her in his arms before she hit the floor and bought her down gently to rest upon his bent knees. Cradling her against his chest, his arms wrapped around her limp body, he cupped her cheek lovingly with his hand and stared down into her pained face. His lips quivered but he did not allow himself to cry.
"We were so close," she mumbled, her bloody hand caressing his face, leaving a terrible imprint on his flesh that felt like it was burning, but still he leaned into the touch, savouring it. Laying a single finger against her silky lips he hushed her gently,
"Ssshhhh. Don't talk, save your energy." She sucked in a long, rattling breath of air and smiled lightly, as if none of this was happening, as if she wasn't lying in her soul mate's arms dying. Pulling her deeper into his embrace the Master held her fragile frame in his grasp, as if somehow that would stop Death's fingers prying her from him. He could feel her getting colder, he could taste her blood and smell its bitterness on the air, he couldn't escape from it.
"I love you," she said and then uttered a string of strange, hauntingly-beautiful syllables. Her forehead creased afterwards, those three words never seemed to express the feelings she had for him, she loved him so very much. The Master's teary face broke out into a broken smile, oh how could words ever describe how he felt about this stunning, amazing human girl. His Rose. She was the best thing he would have in all his lives.
"I love you my Rose, forever," he replied honestly, wishing he could convey in those words how deep his emotions were. Moving a hand to support her flaccid neck, he bent his head down and captured her lips with his, pulling on them tenderly. He kissed her with his eyes closed tight, drinking in her taste, her smell, the feeling of her in his arms. He wanted to remember everything about her living self in as much vivid detail as he possibly could. Anything forgotten would be a sin for which he would not forgive himself. "I love you," he muttered again against her motionless lips. Drawing back he gazed down into her face which was dark and lifeless; glassy, dark eyes peered back at him but they were vacant and lustreless.

Then he did nothing, he did not cry, he did not scream, he did not try and attack those nearby in a violent fit of rage as much as he wanted to. Instead he just sat there with a serious expression, pressing her still body into his and rocking her small form back and forth in his arms, her crimson blood stained his suit jacket and shirt, standing out starkly against the black and white. A tainted stain that would never let him forget the love and wonderful life he had shared so passionately with her. It was obvious how much he wanted to cry. The Doctor walked forward, crying silently to himself, not quite believing that the woman he had loved for so many years was finally gone. He placed a soothing hand on the other Time Lord's shoulder,
"I'm sorry."
"Get away from me!" Screamed the Master viciously, he sounded unhinged and carelessly shrugged the hand away, "She's not dead," he babbled convincingly sitting in a pool of her precious blood, though part of him did not believe his own words, "She absorbed the Time Vortex, she'll wake up any minute now, just like Jack."
"Rose raised Jack with the Time Vortex for that purpose; to give life. She didn't do that to herself, she only held the power," he paused, "She's not coming back," he finished finally, his voice soft and low.

It was only then that the Master gave into his bitter emotions. The cry that uttered from his mouth was more beast-like than human; it sent shivers up the observer's spines. Sobs racked his body uncontrollably and painfully, he had never known pain like this, nothing compared to this, not even the feeling of his body tearing itself apart and all his cells changing in regeneration.
"You're wrong! You're wrong! She's not dead! She can't be!" He screamed crazily, and for the first time everyone's heart went out to him. He wanted to be sick. Prising his own fingers from her frozen, dead ones, he picked up her bloodied hand and kissed it, before he buried his head into her shoulder, whispering into her unhearing ears, begging her to wake up. She could not be gone, not after all they'd gone through. He thought he would die because it hurt so much. On so many levels he wished that the Reaper would simply take him as well, sparing him a life without her, which seemed so much worse and unjust than the finality and uncomplicatedness of death. Kissing her lips again and again he tried to revive her, as if that loving touch would steal her from Death's grip. Of course it didn't. "No it's not fair!"
"I'm so sorry," the Doctor said, his heart breaking for his childhood friend, he wiped his tears away and said in a choked up voice, "She knew your Gallifreyan name," the Master nodded vacantly, his eyes fixed on Rose's frozen face, "You really did love her," concluded the Doctor, knowing that such a secret was never revealed but to an immensely special person, the sounds of a Time Lord's true name was their very essence and could be used to help or hinder them, depending on the person who knew.
"More than you could ever know," The Master answered, his sobs slowing steadily, he tore his gaze from his deceased wife for a second and then turned back to her. He laid her down on the floor like she was made of glass and would shatter at the slightest jolt, running his fingers along the lines of her body one last time as he did so.

Slowly he stood, wiping his red, puffy face and smoothing down his crumpled, bloody clothes, the Doctor and him exchanged looks for a second, before the Master dashed forward, slid to the floor and grabbed the gun. No one had time to stop him before he fired a single shot straight into the centre of his own chest with much difficulty.
"NO!" Cried the Doctor, as the last other member of his race sank to his knees, blood seeping through his clothes and mingling with that of Rose's. He ran to the Master and attempted to hold him in his arms, but found himself brutally shoved away, that hurt almost as much as the year of torture. "Why did you do that?" He screamed, his anger at the Master finally coming to surface. Meanwhile the dying Time Lord crawled over to Rose's side, curling up beside her and lying with her back pressed firmly against his chest. He smiled callously,
"What did you say earlier Doctor? Couldn't kill myself? I think I've just shot down that theory!" He stopped smiling proudly at his own little joke, "Hey, that's quite funny!"
"You're not dying, don't be stupid. It's only a bullet, just regenerate."
"No." The Doctor looked down at the Master in shock; he didn't understand what was being said. The Master wanted to die?
"It's one little bullet," he begged desperately, seeing if teasing would make a difference.
"It seems you don't know me so well after all," he argued stubbornly, "I refuse."
The Doctor stood over him threatening, but he could not stop the tears from welling up in his eyes and spilling down his cheeks, "Regenerate, just regenerate. Please, please! Come on!"
The Master chuckled and then gasped as pain seared through his body, "And spend my life alone, without the woman I love and trapped with you," he spat the words with disgust, "Because that's what you'd do, wouldn't you? Keep me. I don't think." The Doctor frowned, he couldn't lose someone else, he couldn't be alone again, "You've got to. Come on, it can't end like this, you and me, all we've done. The axons, remember them, and the daleks. We're the only two left, there's no one else," he pause, hoping that his begging had gotten through to him, however it didn't seem to have changed a thing, "REGENERATE!" He cried, the pain and fear in his voice obvious. With a triumphant smile the Master looked up at the Doctor with a lively glint in his eyes despite his situation, "How about that, me and her, we win," he said happily, his face lighting up. Then his expression became dark and distant, as if he was thinking hard about something but just couldn't reach the answer he wanted, "When will it stop Doctor? The drumming? Will it ever stop?" He met the other Time Lord's eyes and his voice became softer, although he was struggling to talk now, "Will I see her again? Please say I'll see her again." The Doctor nodded, his eyes filled with tears, he nodded sincerely. "Rose," was the last word uttered from the Master's lips softly, he kissed her hair one last time, his eyes rolled back into his head and then closed for the last time ever. Immediately everyone's eyes were on the Doctor, who dropped to his knees heavily, his shoulders hunching over and his body quivering.

"Doctor?" Called Martha from the arms of her mum. Silence was the only reply, from across the room Jack met her eyes and shook his head, telling her to let the Doctor mourn. Then they were all left standing silently in a room which echoed with the raucous, pained sobs of the Time Lord, now truly the only one in existence.

Later, once the Doctor had stopped grieving, Martha, Jack and him gathered to discuss what they were going to do next.
"What are you planning on doing?"The Doctor replied blankly, as if his mind was not focused on what was happening, he was distant and his eyes were glassy and pale. Martha found herself not only saddened by his pitiful state, but a little scared as well,
"I can take you guys home, drop everyone back at Martha's for a while."
"But what about you?" Martha asked, she was concerned for him as was everyone who knew him, the death of Rose and the Master had not done the lonely Time Lord any good what-so-ever. The Doctor sighed, his eyes dropping to glance quickly at the entwined bodies of the two people who had once meant everything to him, lying still in a lake of sinister, scarlet liquid. His face was soft and sad as he looked back at Martha and Jack, but never quite met their eyes,
"Whatever they did, they should get a proper send off...I can't leave them here." Jack placed a hand on his shoulder,
"Do whatever you feel is right." The Doctor nodded, holding back the tears, they could be shed when he was alone, but now they needed to get off of this ship before the authorities took over and he needed to be strong for the overwhelmed and terrified Jones's. He owed Martha that much.

That night, when the sun had gone down and all had retired to bed for some much needed rest, the Doctor stood in the middle of no-where at the foot of a large funeral pyre. All was silent as he walked forwards brandishing a flaming torch in his shaking hand and leaned down, setting the wood alit. The fire took over swiftly, engulfing the motionless bodies of Rose Saxon and the Master. Looking into the orange-red blaze and watching as the flames dancing around the corpse's the Doctor shed a lone tear, allowing just one tiny part of his grief to be revealed to the Universe he'd protected for so long. He hoped it would help. It didn't. Bending his head in as close as possible to the pyre without getting singed, he closed his eyes and whispered,
"Goodbye."
There it was. He'd said his last ever farewell to the wonderful woman who he'd never believed he'd see again, and the one being in the entire cosmos that would have completely filled the gap felt by the destruction of his home planet. They were both gone now. There was no one left. Nothing would be the same again. So with that thought lingering in his mind, the Doctor stepped back in absolute silence. He watched the twisting tongues of fire for a little longer and then turned away, leaving the pyre to burn and erase all trace of the two people who had so deliberately broken his hearts. He never turned back.

As the sky turned purple and the rising sun began to peek over the rolling hills in the distance, a female sneaked up to the smouldering embers. Falling to her knees she scrambled around for a while in the warm, grey ashes that stained her skin and clothes. Finally she seemed to find what she was looking for, a shining green and silver ring. She picked up the item lovingly; it was cool despite the scorching fire that had just surrounded it, and fondled it in her smooth, lean fingers. Within her head she could hear maniacal, ringing laughter echoing round and round, getting louder and louder, she could not help herself but burst into a fit of hysterics as she shoved the item into her pocket, where it would wait until it was ready.

SO there it is...
THE END!
I'm so sad to end it here. It's been my favourite story to write so far and I've been blown away by all the reviews I've receieved, I'm thankful to every single one of you beautiful, beautiful people. Well, let me know how you liked it...Loved it? Hated it? I know it wasn't the end alot of you wanted, but I thought it was the best way to end it.
I am currently beginning to write the PREQUEL, 'How It All Began', so you might wanna read that when it's up as well.

THANKYOU to all you people who have read and reviewed and followed this story so loyally from the beginning. I could not have done it without you. I love you guys from the bottom on my heart. Goodbye for now!!