A dull thud made Roka jerk awake. From below came a faint light that belonged to the tablet she had been using, and that was now lying on the floor next to the alcove. With a yawn she rubbed her eyes and remembered how she had been insisting on doing some research on those bracelets herself. It had been a foolish attempt, and she was well aware of it. After all, even the Master hadn't found anything during her absence. Still, she wasn't going to give up so fast.
After the drums had been gone, Roka had distinctly felt how exhausted she actually was. And it probably hadn't taken much time for her to simply fall asleep without even noticing it. Now she was alone and recognized sleepily that the lights in this part of the library were dimmed.
Where had the Master gone? Roka got up and placed the tablet on a cushion before strolling around. Somewhere she could make out faint noises, and the closer she got the more they sounded as if they came from a videogame or movie. Right... years ago she had set up a small gaming corner in here. There was a nice comfy couch and a decently sized TV. He probably had discovered it.
Really, there he was, laying on his back on the sofa, gamepad in hand and obviously very amused by GTA 7. Which in return made Roka chuckle.
"What are you doing here?" he asked while racing a car into a group of police men. "Four hours and twenty minutes isn't enough."
Roka blinked a few times and yawned. "Do you always keep track of how long I sleep?" She sat on the floor below the sofa, watching him running amok in an especially lively part of the virtual city.
"Someone has to. Not sleeping properly seems to be a habit of yours."
"Meh, I'm not even that tired anymore. Maybe I'll just get some coffee."
Suddenly she felt grabbed with two arms and dragged upwards onto the sofa. It barely was deep enough for two, but the Master slipped back a bit, so she could sit down and watch for a while.
"Mhmm... not tired at all." A chuckle made her snap awake again moments later, and look down behind her. The Master smiled up to her, sarcasm all over his face. Then he tugged at her arm and pulled her down next to him, before he brought his attention back to the game. Roka turned around to watch the TV and huddled a bit closer.
There wasn't much about the human world that truly amazed the Master. The fact that this race made videogames that had the mere purpose of virtually running amok among their own kind was one of those though.
And while he was aware of the violent nature of humans, he hadn't thought that some of them might be able to sleep soundly to the sounds of screaming people, gunshots and explosions. He wondered if Roka would also look so peaceful, had he told her about the... slightly... decimated part of the library.
Sure it had been only boring crime novels... The Doctor certainly hadn't been happy to find his Agatha Christie selection floating in the swimming pool. The Master on the other hand had felt at ease for the first time in days at the sight of his enemy's devastated face. At least for a few moments. So the remaining rest of the boring collection had - all of a sudden - caught fire over a heated lamp. Whoops!
It had been the Doctor's own fault. Simply for the audacious attempt to talk! The mere thought of it made the Master angry again and he let his helicopter drop onto a particularly big group of people. The blood effects were really not too shabby.
So low had he gotten. Occupied with human distractions... But at least it was loud. A benefit no book in the universe could ever provide. And he was in desperate need for some noisy diversion.
The drums had gotten louder again. And not only slightly, as usually. At first he had thought the TARDIS was still floating inside the Vortex, and it probably was, but when the drums had suddenly gotten even louder, he had recognized his mistake. Worse than that, though, was that this wasn't the only change. It usually took months or even years for them to increase in volume.
Now it were mere days.
It was a very subtle change, and, if he wouldn't be so accustomed to the noise, he would have probably never noticed. But it did happen.
And for the first time in his long life it scared him.
Sure, it was a given that he would sooner or later simply go mad. And up to this point he had been almost looking forward to it. Becoming the ultimate force of chaos... and finally being free from the burden of sanity...
A subtle movement at his side made him look away from the TV and next to him. Why now? Why couldn't the bloody drums wait a little longer? Those few centuries he had been convinced to have left... maybe he wouldn't last that long now. Why couldn't he have that time? Just as he...
He pinched his eyes together and tried to focus his derailing thoughts. A task that got progressively harder, making him wonder, how Roka had managed to withstand this for so long. It must be her human brain that probably couldn't fully perceive or even process the drumming. Maybe it was because it had just been an echo instead of the real thing.
Whatever it had been, he was glad about it. And mad at himself for being... him. That was new. And a little confusing. Or maybe he was just tired. Sleep hadn't been a good friend recently. The drums made it almost impossible to get into a restful state of mind. And even if he managed, he was only greeted by nightmares.
The Master stared at the TV for a few moments, noticing that he hadn't moved in a while. Frustrated he threw the gamepad down to the ground. Roka winced next to him and turned around with open eyes.
"Huh?" He glared at her, then chuckled. "You sleep through the loudest ruckus, but that small noise wakes you?"
"'S just instinct," Roka mumbled and was barely responsive. But then she looked at him as if she could feel his state of mind. "Whus wrong with you?"
"Why do you..."
"You have that look." She smiled lazily. Then it seemed as if she was thinking about something, before she turned her back at him again, mumbling, "'S probably none of my busyness anyway."
Perplex he stared at her. Was he that easy to look through? Maybe he should tell her about the drums. Now she would understand. But... something kept him from it and instead he only shook his head slightly, turned to his side and wanted to grab this little human to pull her closer.
He hesitated though, realizing how weird this actually was. Roka wasn't the first person, not even the first human, he had been traveling with. There also had been a few, rare, incidences where he had felt drawn to a person, had even been close to them, although mostly physically. But this? It was strange and he couldn't quite understand it. He wanted to have her around him. But it was more like a strong mental connection. It didn't feel weird. And that confused him most, because normally it always did.
Normally the thought of maybe having broken someone also wouldn't bother him. Why did it now? Why had he been so devastated the whole time she had been gone? Why was there so much relief when she had come back, alive and even still sane. It made no sense.
Sleep, the Master reminded himself. He really should get some. And probably somewhere else than here. If he was careful, she wouldn't even wake up.
But when he moved, Roka instantly turned around, eyes slightly opened. Those were some pretty damn sharp instincts! She fully turned around, snuggled herself against him and mumbled something he couldn't even understand. And then smiled! Thad god damn human had the audacity to smile while sleeping next to the man who had claimed evilness for himself! For a moment he just wanted to roll her down to the ground and walk away, but she was already turning away again, fidgeting in her dreams. Nightmares?
The Master cursed himself for a bit, then slid an arm under Roka and drew her against him. Instantly she stopped twitching and relaxed. He smiled at that, and that made him curse at himself once more. This really shouldn't go too far. But for now... just for now... why not enjoy the company? After all he was simply using her, right? That's what he always did. And using someone else for comfort was still using them...
And still, at this moment, he decided to never hurt her again.
He will knock four times.
The Doctor shook his head and concentrated on the cables in his hands while lying underneath the console. Some sparks fell onto his face when he held them together, then there was a rumbling noise and finally a content humming.
Hastily the Doctor got out and up, flicking some switches and hitting a few buttons to bring the TARDIS back into the Vortex.
"At least he took good care of you," he said smiling, patting the controls. "Not like last time..." he added pouting.
He will knock four times.
The words from the bus lady just wouldn't leave his mind. And then there had been the Ood. But what they had shown him was only partially true. The Master had returned. It must have been through resurrection, because his body was still the same. It made sense. The Ood had mentioned his former wife. She would provide a biometric imprint...
But they had also said the whole universe would see him in their dreams... and that wasn't true. He had spent a good amount of time checking on it now. No weird occurrences that could even be remotely connected to the Master.
Had he prevented this part of the prophecy to come true when he had captured the Master? He really hoped so. This hope had made him look for his former friend in the first place after all. Maybe whatever else was supposed to return would also stay away now.
But the lady in the bus... maybe that also wouldn't come true now.
The Doctor sighed deeply and rubbed his neck. What was he supposed to even do with the other Time Lord? He couldn't just lock him away for all of eternity. If only he wouldn't be so stubborn and finally talk to him. They surely could make things work somehow.
He will knock four times.
"Oh, come on! It's not even real!" he exclaimed into the empty room. Not even the TARDIS responded. "Those bloody drums. He never even mentioned them before!"
It wasn't true. There had been a single incident... even before he had fled Gallifrey so long ago. When both had still called this planet their home. Just once had he spoken of them... when...
The Doctor shook his head. It had just been an excuse! Something to hide behind, to not take the blame for his horrible...
With a sigh he sped through the doors and to the library. This time he wouldn't leave until the Master finally talked to him! No matter how long it would take! Yes... that was a good plan. Probably... hopefully...
Absentmindedly he wandered along the shelves, wondering where the other Time Lord might be. The library was so big after all. But finally he heard some noises. It sounded like swords clinking together, and other weird sounds... And then he heard the Master talk, but couldn't quite make out his words. Was he talking to himself? No... he was clearly responding to someone... someone? No one else was in here...
He sped up his steps and reached the part with the sofa and the TV. Here he peaked around the corner, careful not to make any noise. Then he remembered, the same moment he saw her.
The same moment he also remembered the only thing the Master had ever spoken to him. One question. Every single time he had come in here. Always asking if he had seen Roka somewhere. Had she vanished for some time? Even if so, obviously she was back now.
The thought of that girl made him stop for a moment. How long was she with him now? It was hard to remember the exact time, because he always forgot about her... but it must have been years. In all that time he had never found out much about the young woman. She never talked about herself. Most of the time she had been rather quiet, always reading, always a bit absentminded.
Now though he heard her laugh. Her whole demeanor was different. This weird friendship with the Master must have changed her somehow. If for the better... that was another question. He knew how cunning and charming the Master could be, how easy it was for him to make people believe his words. But what plans could he have with this girl? Except for the glitch there wasn't anything too special about her. And the glitch itself was rather useless...
Carefully he peaked around the corner once more, now taking a proper look at this weird scenery and paying more attention to their words. His mouth gaped open as his brain caught up with the sight. There certainly were a lot of things he would have expected to see, but that... was just so unexpectedly... casual.
Both were sitting on the couch, the Master behind Roka, his arms wrapped around her, and his hands held a gamepad. The young woman was comfily leaning against him, having the widest grin on her face the Doctor had ever seen, while the Time Lord behind her gave off the impression to jump up and smash something at every moment.
"Well... I guess I found out why you hate this game so much," Roka giggled happily. "You're soooo incredibly bad at it."
"Quiet, ape!" the Master retorted, followed by a frustrated grunt. "This isn't even fun!" he whined. "It's only unfair!"
"No, you're just bad," Roka continued to taunt him, then lay her hand around his, as if to take the gamepad away. "Let me. I can't watch this any longer."
"No! This piece of crap won't beat me!" the Master exclaimed and tore his hands away. "And you're a little devil for making me suffer through this! Just so you know!"
"Well... you're a sod and you deserve the pain," the girl chuckled and looked up at him with a grin.
The Master stared down at her with such an angry expression that the Doctor almost jumped out from behind the shelf to prevent... Had he just... kissed her?
Confused and a little stunned the Doctor froze and ducked away. He must have imagined it!
"I could tell you a nice little secret..." came the Master's voice from ahead, somehow a little louder than before. "Didn't you always want to know the Doctor's real name?"
"No!" The Doctor sprang out and ran the last steps towards them, waving his arms. "Don't you dare, Master! Not... a... word!" Panting he stopped in front of the two, far enough away to not let the handcuffs go off, and finally realized that he had been tricked as he looked at the satisfied smirk on the other one's face and Roka's slightly confused expression.
"Oh, I like it, when you use my name, Doctor." The Master purred happily. "Be nice and say it again." He then threw the gamepad towards the Doctor - clumsily he caught it somehow - before he wrapped his arms possessively around the young woman in front of him. "Since you're all useless and just standing around... beat that stupid boss for me, will ya?"
Helplessly the Doctor stared at the small device in his hands, his gaze wandered to the TV where a figure, clad in medieval armor, sat in front of a bonfire that had a sword sticking in it. Then he looked over to Roka, giving her a pleading look to help him out of this. But she simply shrugged and grinned.
Silence spread and the atmosphere got a little thicker. The Master glared daggers at him, as if he wished his gaze alone might let his enemy drop dead. But he also looked strangely... tensed. As if he was concentrating on something. There was also something wrong with his eyes... a slight flickering...
Suddenly Roka sprang up and came towards him. "Could you leave the Vortex?" she asked.
"How do you know we're inside?" the Doctor asked perplex.
"Because of me," the Master growled, got up and wanted to come closer, but probably remembered the handcuffs.
He will knock four times.
The Doctor didn't move. The shocks from the bracelets were strong enough to not let the other Time Lord come dangerously close. It was cruel, and he knew it... but those words... and the murderous look in his eyes right now didn't make it any better. Not to mention that he had intended to kill him not long ago, in that facility. And if it hadn't been for Roka, who had put herself in danger... But now she seemed to be completely under his control. Her bright eyes glaring at the Doctor with a begging look. They used to be absent and far away... now though, filled with life and a fire he had never before seen in her.
"Can you stop them?" she asked. "Those drums, can you..."
"Shut up!" the Master called out, his voice angry. "I don't want his help."
"Don't be an idiot!" Roka turned around. "What if..."
"It's all right," the Doctor reassured and smiled vaguely when she looked up at him again. "They aren't real, you know."
The Master threw his head back with a laugh, then grinned as nasty as he probably could. "Yah, that's what you always thought. Sooo much easier to think that, right? Nothing to worry about. It's just madness!" He produced some unpleasant cracking sounds with his neck.
"You said it yourself," the Doctor retorted defiantly. "No one could ever proof their existence." Carefully he shoved Roka to the side a bit to get her out of the other one's reach. "But I promised it. If you talk to me... I'll see what I can do. I'll try..."
"...and cure me? Aaaw, listen to you. Isn't that adorable?" Anger glinted in his eyes. "Maybe put some human medicine into me, how about that? I heard they have a nice assortment for crazy people." He took a step forward, his eyes wandering to Roka, and he didn't look very happy about seeing her at the Doctor's side.
The young woman moved, was about to go back to the Master. Couldn't she see and feel the anger that was hovering around him like a cloak? Quickly the Doctor grabbed her wrist and shook his head at her questioning glance.
"Och, look at that. So protective. Seriously, what do you think I'm going to do to her?" The Master sneered.
"I don't even want to know!" the Doctor exclaimed and felt a tug.
"Let me go, Doctor," Roka demanded and tore at her arm.
"I don't want you to get hurt!" he tried to explain. Why couldn't she understand? What had he done to her mind? "Whatever it is, that he did to make you trust him, be careful."
"Yes, be careful," the Master parroted, his voice oozing with contempt. He took a step towards them, but that made the bracelets send out a shock and he backed off again and instead hissed, "Just for once, Doctor, assume I might not want to hurt someone. Surprise!"
"As if!" he shrieked. "Each time I hear that from you, someone dies!" The Doctor gripped Roka's wrist only tighter. No, not this time! Not again! He wouldn't let him kill someone again. Not if he was able to prevent it! The girl tore at him, but he shook his head, begging her with his eyes to understand.
"Can I make own decisions?" Roka asked aggressively, giving him a venomous look.
His eyes darted back and forth between her and the Master, trying to understand, what in the universe was going on here. The other Time Lord looked uncomfortable all of a sudden, stood straight and folded his arms in front of his chest.
"What will you do?" the Master asked in a calm tone. Too calm. "You forget her anyway, soon. What does it bother you?"
"What does it bother you?" the Doctor retorted. "What do you want from her?"
Suddenly the Master chuckled, then laughed for bit. Not his mean and cruel laugh, but honestly amused. "So difficult to believe I could make friends?" he finally asked, a wicket grin on his face. "It's just that. No secret plans. I just like her."
The Doctor's mouth gaped open for a moment. A glance at Roka told him that she wasn't surprised at that. Sure, she had told him they had become friends, but... but... No. He knew the Master for too long to believe it. He knew too well how often he offered his friendship...
A humourless laugh escaped him. "The same friendship you offered to Lee before you killed him?"
"Tze, he was just a tool." The Master shrugged nonchalantly, enraging the Doctor even further. "Never cared for him."
"And then you think I would believe..."
"Maybe this once I do, for fricks sake!" the Master snapped. And if it weren't for the bracelets he surely would have attacked him by now.
"Like you cared for Lucy?" it wasn't good to be so angry. The Doctor knew it. But too much had happened recently. He had lost too much and too many to stay calm.
"Don't be ridiculous," the Master snickered.
And the mean grin on the other one's face let the Doctor snap once and for all. "...the same way you cared for your daughter?" he hissed, and almost regretted his words immediately after.
A heavy silence spread, filled the air around. Roka was glaring up at him, then at the Master, whose face suddenly was a carefully sustained mask of calmness; but it would only take a wrong twitch to let it break. There was more hate in his eyes than the Doctor had ever seen before.
"Don't you dare..." the Master said, quietly, his voice ice cold and sharp as a knife as his gaze wandered to Roka.
"Why not?" the Doctor gave back. "Afraid she could see, who you truly are?"
The girl snorted. "As if I wouldn't know that already," she murmured.
"I really don't think you do," he looked down to her, giving her a warm and understanding look.
He knew so well how deceiving the Master could be. She had to see at last. Again he glanced up at the other Time Lord, saw his warning look. He tried to step forward once more, but an electric shock prevented it, letting the mask break and rage shine through, radiating from him.
Roka tore at her arm again. "What's wrong with you, Doctor? That's not like you at all." She gave him a confused look.
"But he murdered her!"
The words hung in the room for a moment. Everyone's eyes rested on the Doctor, and he gulped, opened his mouth to say more. She had to know! He knew it was cruel, knew it was wrong. But how else could he protect her?
"Doctooor!" the Master howled, cutting him off. Enraged he took a step closer, managed to ignore the first shock, managed to stay conscious through the second, stronger one even, before the third finally forced him down onto his knees, clutching his head. "Don't..."
"Stop that!" Roka shouted, again ripping at her arm. "Please! Why are you doing this to him? Step back!"
The Doctor stayed still, his gaze begging her for forgiveness. "You have to know." And hastily he blabbered on, "It was a massacre. His own... it was horrible. She wasn't even initiated yet. And they found him... laughing!" With a quick glance he made sure the Master still couldn't move. The electric flow must be strong enough to keep him at the fragile brink of consciousness, paralyzing his muscles. "It was the only time he mentioned the drums to anyone. Never before and never again after that." The memory hurt and he decided to keep the details. They were too gruesome. He had been there that day, had found his friend. There had been so much blood and the Master was there, amidst the mess, grinning.
Roka gaped at the Doctor, disbelieve all over her face.
"I know. It's...I just don't want to find anyone else like that. I only want to help," he pleaded and thought she would finally see the truth.
Suddenly the girls eyes went dark and cold though. "Then let me go already and get lost." Her voice was as icy as her gaze. It almost scared him for a moment. There was a lot of similarity between those two, more than he wanted to admit. "Is that your way of helping now?" She nodded towards the Master.
"He is only using you," the Doctor said in a desperate tone.
Roka only gave him a grim smirk. "Don't I know? But so am I." Once more she ripped at her arm, and this time he finally let go and also took some steps back to release the Master. Actually... his eyes darted back and forth between the two. Had he gotten it wrong? A sudden instinct buzzed through him like a shock. What had he done? He just wanted to help!
Helplessly the Doctor turned around and almost fled the library.
Roka had never before been angry at the Doctor. But he also had never done something so cruel. At least nothing she had witnessed. As she turned around, the Master had recovered from being electrified and stumbled to his feet, holding his head as if it was hurting. When his eyes opened they twitched badly and he moaned quietly, swaying back against a shelf.
She hurried towards him, and saw relieved that the twitching stopped shortly after. What stayed was pure rage and barely contained hatred. And hurt.
A moment later the Master caught her completely off-guard, spun around, pinned her against the shelf and stared at her with dark eyes. "Haven't you heard him? Go away!"
He let go, stumbled back and bent down as if he felt sick, then rammed his fist against the shelf and let out a short and furious cry. Roka was completely frozen and just stared at him. Although she couldn't see his face, she could feel such a raw anger that she had no idea how to respond to that.
Moments passed in silence, before the Master started to chuckle quietly. Something dripped on the carpet, or had she imagined it? When he looked up again his eyes were dark, but there also was a barely noticeable shimmer. He glared at her and probably was about to say something snarky, but she didn't let him and instead simply stepped closer to wrap her arms around him.
"What the heck..." He tried to push her away. "...are you doing?"
"People call that a hug, moron," she replied sternly and clutched tighter, then she mumbled, "It was an accident, right?"
"Why would you think that?" he grunted, but gave up on getting her to move. "I very much enjoyed it."
"Mhm, sure. From all I've learned... It were the drums. Maybe even the very first time they got so overwhelming..."
The Master froze, then dropped his chin on her head and stayed silent for a good minute. Eventually he raised his head again. "You're the first person who ever believed it. Sure, they didn't know about the drums. I never told anyone."
"Why not?" Roka looked up.
"They wouldn't have let me visit the academy, if they'd known." He gulped and looked to the ceiling. "I told the Doctor afterwards, but... you see how that went."
Roka felt a lump in her throat and clutched him even tighter. "I'm sorry," she murmured against his chest.
"Huh? What for?"
"That you had to go through that."
She glanced up and met his utterly confused eyes. "That makes no sense," he said slowly.
"It's called compassion," she chuckled. "Just because all people you met so far have been dorks, doesn't mean I have to be one too."
A sarcastic smirk wandered over his face and he pushed lightly against her shoulders once more. "Go, have that for someone else. I don't need that. It's stupid."
Roka sighed, shook her head and let go of him. "Because your hands are dirty?" She reached for his hands on her shoulders, gently slid her fingers between his, while watching his puzzled face. "Because you're out to drown the universe in blood and flames?" she continued calmly. "I don't care about that. I don't care if there is no one to ever reach you a hand or lend you a shoulder. Because I will." With that she took a step back and gave him a warm smile. "Just so you know."
He looked at her with a slightly tilted head and as if she had told him the most complicated mathematic problem he had ever faced. On one side it was funny, on the other... it made her sad and she slightly pulled at his hands, making him take a step forward.
"I don't get you," he finally said and clasped her hands a little tighter, raised them to draw her fully against him and leaned down. "I still might break you. Even if I don't want to."
The Master placed a gentle kiss to her lips, then her forehead, before he let her go to walk away.
"Maybe..." Roka went after him. "You should show me how to raise some mental barriers." When he arched an eyebrow she continued with a smirk, "Well, you are dangerous after all. I should have some defences to survive the next centuries."
A grin widened on his lips, spread to his eyes and finally banished the darkness from them. "Yeah, that's not a bad idea."