Saved
by
Astrid C. Giese-Zimmer

Notes: This fic takes place right after the TV story ÒSurvivalÓ. This is how I think the Master survived (heh). Please note that none of my other fics fit into continuity here. This one is a turning point for me, since it is a totally serious fic and not silly like the others. With that in mind, enjoy!

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ÒIF WE FIGHT LIKE ANIMALS, WEÕLL DIE LIKE ANIMALS!!!!!!!!Ó

That was the DoctorÕs cry as the Master climbed atop him. He had almost givin in to the animal nature of the Cheetah Planet. He almost killed his friend/enemy.

But the Master didnÕt listen. He grabbed the bone, lifted it up, and thrusted it down. There was a flash of light, and....................
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ÒWhere... where am I? What? Doctor? DidnÕt I....?Ó

The Master woke up. He was alive. Dazed, confused, and alive. But how? The last he remebered, he was on the Cheetah Planet, about to kill the Doctor, and....

That was all he could remember.

ÒThe planet must have been destroyed.Ó he said to himself ÒBut how did I get here? Am I in heaven?Ó He shook that thought out of his mind. ÒNo, I must be in hell. I donÕt deserve to be in heaven.Ó He looked around his surroundings. He was in a bed, in a red room. Nothing else was there. He pulled his head under the covers. Maybe he was dead. Or maybe he had dreamed the whole thing. But where was he? This certainly wasnÕt his TARDIS. Maybe he was still in the Matrix. No, if he was in the Matrix, there would surely be something more than a red room and a bed.

He heard footsteps. They started out softly, but then grew louder. Who else could be here? Surely not the Doctor. The Master prayed that it wasnÕt. Why should the Doctor help him? At the same time, he thought that if it was the Doctor, maybe he would forgive the Doctor for everything....

He lifted up the covers. He saw a woman standing over him.

The Rani.

ÒI was wondering when you were going to wake up.Ó she said. The Master looked puzzled. ÒYouÕve been in a coma for three weeks!Ó she continued.
ÒHow did I....?Ó he asked.
ÒI saved you, you fool! YouÕre always getting into trouble.Ó
The Master remained silent.ÓI donÕt know why I saved you. Maybe I should have just left you there to die.Ó
ÒHow... how did you get there in time? How could you? It was about to explode!Ó
ÒNever underestimate the power of my TARDIS! Even if you had managed to make it to yours in time, it would never have survived.Ó

The Master listened to her, but he didnÕt quite understand. She saved him, and yet she didnÕt even know why? Clearly she still had memories of their previous meeting, and it was a very uneasy one. She didnÕt want anything to do with him at the time, so why would she now?
The Master spent so much time thinking over this, that he failed to notice that the Rani had left the room. He sunk down under the covers and thought some more. If she hated him, why would she save him? It couldnÕt be that she....? But she was always too caught up in her work? How could she ever have any feelings about...?

Then he realised it. She does have feelings. Just like other Time Lords did. Just like humans. But like many other Time Lords, she had repressed them in order to focus on work. In her case, her work was experiments. But deep down inside, she had a heart. Two of them, in fact.

She saved him because she loved him. No doubt about it.

The Master jumped out of the bed to go find her.

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He found her in her TARDIS laboratory, studying the DNA of some strange creature. She was also muttering something about ÒThat no good...Ó

Suddenly, she dropped something. ÒShit!Ó she said. She bent down to pick it up.

The Master watched her bend over in those tight leather pants. He felt something coming over him.... No! It couldnÕt be! The Cheetah Planet was still effecting him. Now he wanted to take her like an animal. He wanted it, no matter what. He slowly walked up to her.

The Rani spun around fast. She was face-to-face with the Master. His eyes glowed an inhuman yellow. The Rani felt almost scared. He wouldnÕt....

The MasterÕs yellow eyes looked into her blue eyes. A million emotions flashed through him. Lust! Anger! Hate! Sadness! Happiness! Love? Confusion! How could she love him after all that happened? Maybe he was projecting. He had to do something to find out...

Then his eyes turned back into their natural blue. His lips formed a smile. He reached out his hand to her.

ÒThank you.Ó

THE END