I couldn't decide on the ending so this story has two endings. This is the beginning of the first one and I'll post the second as a separate alternate ending.
The Master grinned as the last of the Doctor's TARDIS's energy steadily drained away. Just a few more seconds and…an energy spike flashed across the monitor.
"What?" he exclaimed.
Another energy spike.
"No…no!"
He grabbed the dial and cranked up the amplification. Another energy spike. This one stronger than the last two. The dial sparked.
"Think you're clever do you?" he snapped, racing around the console. "Well," he grabbed a lever, "I'll show you clever."
He slammed the lever down. Then he raced back to the monitor…
The lights in the Doctor's TARDIS came back on, dim at first, but steadily growing stronger.
"You did it!" Amy exclaimed.
"Course I did," Rose grinned.
Both women smiled at each other for a moment. Then Amy remembered the danger Rose posed and cleared her throat.
"Well…" she began before the lights flashed and began to dim again.
"What's happening?" Rory asked.
"That bloody time lord thinks he's clever," Rose snapped as she raced around the console, "but he better think again."
"Wait!" Amy yelled as the woman's hand hovered above the blue button…the blue button the Doctor said to never ever touch under any circumstances. "The Doctor warned us not to touch that button."
"I know," Rose replied. "He warned me too."
In the next moment she slammed her hand down on the blue button.
An energy spike lit up the monitor. The console sparked. The Master pulled his hand away as the lights began to dim. This was her doing. He growled in frustration, but he knew there was only one choice.
He pulled out the keypad and disabled the link. She was using it to drain power from his TARDIS as he'd done to the Doctor's.
As the lights began to grow brighter he typed in coordinates. She might be clever, but she was just a human and he was a time lord. He was the Master and she was about to learn just how far he'd go to win the game.
The Doctor grinned as a familiar sound filled the small room. She did it!
"Of course she did," he replied to his own thought as the door opened and she raced out with Amy and Rory following.
"You were supposed to stay in the TARDIS," he continued, though his chastising was lost in his grin.
"You had no right sending me to the TARDIS," she exclaimed.
"Rose Tyler, you are the most stubborn, never stay put, jeopardy friendly-"
"Oi," she snapped, pointing the pocket knife at him.
"Um…" he glanced from the knife to an unhappy Rose, "…did I mention beautiful?"
"That's a start," she replied with a fleeting grin before cutting the last rope. "Do you know where Sherlock is?"
She caught him as he stumbled. Amy and Rory raced forward to help, but he waved them off.
"He's in the next room. Amy and Rory can get him."
"Right," Amy agreed, turning and running for the door, "come on."
Rory raced after her.
"I thought you wanted to keep them apart," Rory said when he caught up to her.
"I do and the sooner we find Sherlock and stop the Master the sooner we can put an entire universe between them," Amy replied.
Rose helped the Doctor into the TARDIS and up to the console. As they reached it the console chimed. He leaned on it for support.
"Thank you dear," the Doctor said, reaching for a new sonic.
He still seemed weak, but he was inside the TARDIS, which meant he was safe. Sherlock, on the other hand, was still out there. She needed to find him and make sure he was all right. If anything happened to him she'd never forgive herself.
"I should help Amy and Rory," Rose said, turning around toward the doors.
"I'm sorry, but I can't let you leave," he replied.
She heard the strange warbling of the Doctor's new sonic as the door slammed shut. The lock set a moment later.
"What do you think you're doing?" she demanded, rounding on him.
He was standing straight and didn't appear to need any help. It was as if he'd been faking being weak, but why would he do that? She tried to push the suspicion aside. It was that part of her that Sherlock brought out and the more she looked over the Doctor the more that nagging feeling grew.
"Doctor," she snapped, striding up to the console to get his attention as he typed on the keypad, completely ignoring her. He flipped the lever for the time rotor and the TARDIS shifted, making her grab onto the railing. "Doctor!"
"I know what I'm doing," he replied.
"Are you planning on filling me in?" she asked when she reached the console.
"I can fix this," he explained as he flipped another lever, one she knew would launch them into the time vortex.
"Doctor! We can't leave! Sherlock's still out there! And Amy! And Rory!" He pushed buttons and flipped switches, completely ignoring her. "Doctor!"
Thank you to all my brilliant readers!
If you have time reviews are always welcome. :)