Chapter Five

Tori tried closing her eyes for a little bit, but it was hard in the position she was chained. She ended up resting her eyes occasionally, but also watching the doors carefully. Several hours went by, Tori could see the sky going completely dark as night settled. She was even awake when the sky started to lighten with dawn. Suddenly, the doors opened and the Master pranced in in a silk dressing gown. He woke the Doctor and grinned.

"Guess what." He beamed. "I've final found your other pet." And strolled right back out of the room.

"Doctor…" Tori started in fear.

"Don't worry, Victoria." The Doctor reassured. "It'll be fine."

The two spent time in silence as they waited for the inevitable return… Tori feared the next time the Master came in would be the last time she would see her friend alive.

"Martha, can I ask you something?" Tori asked. She and Martha were seated around a fire off the west coast of Africa. They had been traveling for about a month at that point.

"Of course." Martha smiled.

"Why do you trust the Doctor? How well do you actually know him?" Tori's voice was small, but her tone was strong. It was something she had been wondering for a while now.

Martha looked at her quietly for a moment, considering her answer. "I trust him completely because he trusted me with his life," she started. "I may not have known him for long, but… long enough to know that I would gladly place my trust in him. And now I have to. The world depends on me trusting him."

Tori looked to the side. "I see."

"Tell me… why don't you trust him?"

Tori's eyes widened. "I never said I don't trust him."

"No, but it's clear. I can see how uncomfortable you are around him." Martha leaned forward.

"That's… not his fault. It's not him, really… it's… well, it's his people," Tori licked her lips before continuing. "Martha… I spent nearly 600 years as a captive and soldier for his race. I just… don't know how to trust a man who comes from the same race that… took my life from me."

"I understand that, I do. Maybe not exactly, but… The Doctor isn't the one who did that to you. He is so much better, Tori."

"…we'll see."

"But anyway, let's talk about something cheerier." Martha smiled. "When did you grow up?"

Tori gave Martha a thankful look. "I was born in the year 2,282."

Martha blinked. "So… technically speaking, I'm about 300 years older than you." She grinned.

Tori laughed finally, "Yeah, yeah I supposed. But I also lived through the 1800s and 1900s, so… I have you beat by that alone. Together I am over 800 years old."

Martha laughed, "Alright then. I guess we should look into some retirement homes when we save the world."

Tori grinned, "Oh you cheeky…" and threw a chip at her friend's head.

"Doctor?" Tori started timidly.

"Yes?" the old Time Lord asked.

Tori thought through her question. "If we get out of here…"

"We will, Victoria."

"…right. When we get out of here, will you… will you take me home?" she looked over at the Doctor with wide, hopeful eyes.

The Doctor softened and smiled at her. "Of course I will."

Tori sagged as much as her chains allowed. "Thank you." She breathed.

"How long has it been…?" he dared ask.

"I haven't seen my family in roughly 800 years." She muttered quietly.

The Doctor frowned in sadness. "I'm so sorry."

"Thanks…"

The two fell back to silence then. But it wasn't for long. Men swarmed the room with the Jones family. More guards came in with Jack in tow. Then, the Master himself came strutting in, proud as a peacock.

"Citizens of Earth, rejoice and observe." He crowed.

Guards pushed in Martha Jones herself. Tori's eyes widened as she quickly looked to the Doctor. He shook his head subtly at her, which calmed her only slightly.

"Your teleport device, in case you thought I'd forgotten." The Master demanded. Martha remained silent, but tossed the watch to the Master, who caught it midair. "And now, kneel." He pointed to the ground with a growl.

Tori pulled on her chains as she watched Martha do as she was told.

"Down below," the Master spoke again. "The fleet is ready to launch. Two hundred thousand ships set to burn across the universe. Are we ready?" he grinned at Martha.

"The fleet awaits your signal. Rejoice!" A man's voice comes through the speakers.

"Three minutes to align the black hole converters. Counting down. I never could resist a ticking clock." The Master was positively gleeful as he shouted, "My children, are you ready?"

"We will fly and blaze and slice. We will fly and blaze and slice." Voices said through the speakers.

" At zero, to mark this day, the child Martha Jones, will die. My first blood. Any last words? No? Such a disappointment, this one." The Master looked from Martha to the Doctor. "Days of old, Doctor, you had companions who could absorb the time vortex. This one's useless."

The Master looked at Tori finally and smirked. "Well, maybe not entirely useless." He looked back at Martha, aimed his weapon, and ordered, "Bow your head. And so it falls to me, as Master of all, to establish from this day, a new order of Time Lords. From this day forward—"

Martha began to laugh quietly, but noticeably.

The Master looked annoyed, "What… what's so funny?" he asked in a bored tone.

Martha looked up, "A gun."

"What about it?"

"A gun in four parts."

"Yes. And I destroyed it."

"A gun in four parts scattered across the world? I mean, come on, did you really believe that?" Martha grinned lightly. Tori blinked in confusion. That's all she'd been told about, too.

The Master hid his uncertainty with a smile, "What do you mean?"

The Doctor took a feeble step forward in his cage. "As if I would ask her to kill."

"Well it doesn't matter." The Master insisted. "I've got her exactly where I want her."

Martha continued, "But I knew what Professor Docherty would do. The Resistance knew about her son. I told her about the gun, so she'd get me here at the right time."

The Master bowed his head briefly and huffed, "Oh, but you're still going to die."

"Don't you want to know what I was doing, what Tori and I were doing, traveling the world?" Martha asked. Tori bit her lip.

The Master huffed and sat on one of the steps, "Tell me."

"I told a story, that's all. No weapons, just words." Martha began. "I did just what the Doctor said. We went across the continents all on our own. And everywhere I went, I found the people, and I told them my story. I told them about the Doctor. And I told them to pass it on, to spread the word so that everyone would know about the Doctor."

"Faith and hope? Is that all?" The Master asked impatiently.

"No," Martha breathed, standing up. "I gave them an instruction, just as the Doctor said." She grinned. "I told them that if everyone thinks of one word, at one specific time—"

"Nothing will happen!" the Master exclaimed. He stood and leaned forward. "Is that your weapon? Prayer?"

Martha continued still, "Right across the world, in word, just one thought at one moment but with 15 satellites."

The Master froze, "What?"

"The Archangel Network." Jack said simply.

"A telepathic field, binding the whole human race together, with all of them, every single person on Earth, thinking the same thing at the same time. And that word is Doctor."

Tori's eyes widened as she saw the countdown hit zero and the Doctor began to glow.

"Stop it. No, no, no, no you don't!" The Master began to panic. Voices could be heard around the room and from the television sets, people chanting "Doctor." The Doctor continued to grow and glow to his normal height.

Tori looked at the form of the Time Lord and with all her might, uttered the same word as everyone else. But with her voice, his glow became so bright, she had to look away. Her voice, her essence was the last boost he needed to become the man he once was a year ago. He even began to float from her added power.

"I order you to stop!" The Master shouted.

"Tell me the human race is degenerate now, when they can do this." The Doctor demanded.

Martha ran to her family to embrace them.

"No!" The Master screamed.

"I'm sorry," the Doctor said to the Master. "I'm so sorry."

"Then I'll kill them!" The Master frantically aimed his laser at the others in the room, but the Doctor merely used his energy to yank it from the Master's hand. The Master looked in shock at him and shook his hands, "You can't do this. You can't do this! It's not fair!"

The Doctor began to go towards the Master, backing him up. "And you know what happens now."

"No, no, no, no!" The Master scrambled at the wall to Tori's left as the Doctor landed in front of them.

"You wouldn't listen." The Doctor said sadly.

"No!" The Master covered his head.

"Because you know what I'm going to say."

"No!"

The Doctor knelt down and put his arms around the Master and quietly says, "I forgive you."

The Master glared out into the room and beckoned his children. The Doctor leapt up and ordered Jack to go to the TARDIS.

"Doctor!" Tori cried. She had been watching the Master and saw him pulling out the Vortex Manipulator.

"No!" He cried, jumping to the other man. They both disappeared in a flash.

"You men, with me!" Jack ordered some of the guards. "You stay here." He said to the Jones family.

"Tori!" Martha shouted, running to her friend's side. She tried undoing the chains but couldn't. "We'll have to wait for the Doctor's screwdriver, I'm sorry."

"That's fine, just save the world!" Tori urged.

Martha and the rest went to the controls and tried to stop them.

The ship started violently shaking. Suddenly, the Master and the Doctor appeared in the room again.

"Everyone get down!" The Doctor yelled, catching Martha as she fell. "Time is reversing!"

Tori felt unsteady as she felt the chains keep her from safety. She was struck in the stomach and sides from flying debris and felt a painful jolt in her arm. She cried out, but it was drowned by the others yelling and the noise from outside. Finally, after many moments of being buffered around, the world stilled and Tori was left dangling, panting, with blood running down her left leg and her arm pulled in an awful direction.

Everyone was panting. And the Doctor began to look at the controls. Tori couldn't hear over the blood pounding in her ears. She had had zero protection during the reversal and could do little but catch her breath. She felt the darkness closing in, but knew the ordeal hadn't been enough to kill her.

When she finally caught her bearings, she saw the Master stand and leap towards the door. Jack appeared in the open doorway.

"Whoa, big fella!" he grabbed the Master and turned him around. "You don't wanna miss the party. Cuffs." He was handed handcuffs from the guard nearest him and led the Master in as he bound his wrists. "So, what do we do with this one?"

The Jones were quick to suggest execution.

"No, that's not the solution!" The Doctor hastily argued.

Martha's mum aimed a pistol at the Master, "Oh, I think so. Because all those things, they still happened because of him. I saw them."

Tori watched in alarm as the Doctor lowered Francine's arms and hugged her close before passing her to her daughters.

"You still haven't answered the question. What happens to me?" The Master drawled in a faux-bored tone.

The Doctor stood straight and took a couple steps towards his once friend. "You're my responsibility from now on. The only Time Lords left in existence."

"Yeah, but you can't trust him." Jack argued.

"No," the Doctor agreed. "The only safe place for him is the TARDIS."

The Master grimaced, "You mean you're just going to keep me?" he scoffed.

"Mmm, it's that's what I have to do." The Doctor nodded. "It's time to change. Maybe I've been wandering for too long. Now I've got someone to care for."

Tori saw movement to her left and saw the Master's wife raising a gun slowly and quietly.

"No, don't—" but her cry went unheard as Lucy aimed and shot her husband.

The Doctor lunged and caught the Master as he started to fall. Jack came over finally and began to help Tori down from the chains. Everyone was silent as the Doctor spoke with the Master one final time.

Jack couldn't get the chains free, but picked her up bridal style as much as the chains would allow she the pressure wouldn't be on her injured arm or leg. They watched as the Doctor cried into his friend's hair.

After a few minutes, the Doctor laid the dead Time Lord on the floor and stood. He would have to take care of the body.

"Doc," Jack quietly called.

The Doctor turned and looked to see him holding a now unconscious Tori in his arms.

"What happened?" The Doctor's voice was rough from tears.

"She must have been hit during the reversal." Jack calmly answered. "She's just unconscious."

The Doctor nodded and took his sonic from Martha's extended hand. He aimed it at the chains and carefully lowered Tori's arms from their strained position. Tori cried out as her injured arm was jostled painfully. Her eyes squinted open.

"Welcome back, Duchess." Jack smirked. She managed a small, playful glare.

"We'll have to get that arm of yours reset soon." The Doctor assessed. "And your leg cleaned up. Anywhere else hurt?"

Tori feebly shook her head. "I'll be fine. Go. Take care… of him." she quietly ordered.

The Doctor looked at Tori with kind eyes that expressed his gratitude.

~~.~~

Eventually, they were all brought to land. The Doctor took the Master's body somewhere to deal with and the Jones family went a few yards away to collect themselves. Jack stayed with Tori and Made sure she was comfortable. He called his team and was relieved to hear their voices saying they were ok and back at the base. Martha came by a little while later and reset Tori's arm (eliciting some language Martha never expected to hear from her quiet friend and causing Jack to laugh loudly) and clear her leg wound. Nothing permanently damaged and with her… capabilities, she would be healed, if not sore, by morning. The Doctor came back late that night while everyone was sleeping. He checked on each of his friends before setting the Tardis for the next morning.

As the four of them gazed out at Roald Dahl Plass, Tori breathed in the salty air. She'd never been happier to see the grey skies of England.

Martha spoke, "Time was, every single one of these people knew your name. Now they've all forgotten you."

"Good." The Doctor said simply.

"Back to work." Jack smirked as he climbed under the railing.

"I really don't mind, though." The Doctor started. "Come with me."

Jack looked over, "I had plenty of time to think that past year, the year that never was, and I kept thinking about that team of mine." He looked back at the entrance of Torchwood. "Like you said, Doctor, responsibility."

The Doctor nodded, "Defending the Earth. Can't argue with that." He then grabbed Jack's wrist and started adjusting the controls on his watch.

"Hey, I need that!" Jack cried.

"I can't have you walking around with a time travelling teleport." The Doctor spoke as he fiddled. "You can go anywhere. Twice. The second time to apologize."

Tori smirked.

Jack looked at the watch and then at the Doctor. "And what about me? Can you fix that? Will I ever be able to die?" Tori placed her hand on his arm.

"Nothing I can do." The Doctor said. "You're an impossible thing, Jack."

Jack grinned. "Been called that before." He started a few steps, then turned back around and saluted. "Sir. Ma'am." He turned to walk away again and stopped. "But I keep wondering… What about aging? Because I can't die but I keep getting older. The odd little grey hair, you know? What happens if I live for a million years?"

The Doctor grinned. "I really don't know."

"Ok, vanity, sorry. Yeah, can't help it." Tori snorted. "Used to be a poster boy when I was a kid living on the Boeshane Peninsula. Tiny little place. I was the first one ever to be signed up for the Time Agency. They were so proud of me. The Face of Boe, they called me. Hmm. I'll see you."

The Doctor and Martha stared after him in shock.

"No." The Doctor insisted.

"It can't be." Martha gasped.

"No, definitely not. No. No!" They both started to laugh as Tori just raised an eyebrow.

Jack stopped again and turned one final time. "You coming, Tor?" he called.

Tori smiled sadly at him. "I'm going home, Jack."

Jack pretended not to understand. "Ok, I'll see you later then."

"Jack…" she tried again.

Jack's shoulders fell. "Yeah… I get it. Go, go home! Be with your family. And hey, come find me. You'll always have a place with Torchwood."

Tori leapt over the railing and sprinted to Jack, flinging herself at him. He spun her around in a tight hug. Tori felt some tears stream down her cheeks.

"Thank you, Jack. Really, thank you." She murmured.

"Of course, Duchess." He whispered, holding her tight.

"I love you, Jack." She looked into his eyes. She had a year to think about it. A year to reflect. Understanding passed between them and they hugged again.

"I always wanted an older sister." He joked. "Didn't expect her to be hundreds of years older than me."

Tori gave a watery laugh and smacked his arm.

"But seriously. Come find us when you get home." Jack nudged Tori's chin lightly.

"Definitely." She grinned at him.

"Love you too, Duchess." Jack kissed her lightly on the cheek and then he turned and ran.

Tori watched a few minutes until she was sure Jack made it to the base, then turned back to the Doctor and Martha. They were trying to be respectful and not watch, but the Doctor was anything but subtle. Tori smirked slightly.

"Back to the Jones'?" She asked.

"Yes, please!" Martha chimed. And then they were off to see Martha's family. Tori stayed in the TARDIS while Martha went to talk to her family. The Doctor stayed outside, leaning on the blue box, watching the family through a window.

Tori looked around the console of the TARDIS. All the blinking buttons and wires made zero sense to her, but she couldn't help but feel drawn to them. She glanced at the door and then back to the console. She leaned forward and touched the edge. She felt more than she heard a deep murmur in the back of her mind that caused her to gasp and jump back. She was about to try again when the TARDIS door opened and the Doctor came striding up the ramp. He tossed his jacket on one of the weird beams and made his way to the console. He looked at it and around. Tori could tell the Doctor was remembering how it looked when the Master perverted it. She stayed quiet until his gaze fell on her. He offered her a light grin.

"How are you feeling?" He asked.

"A little sore. My shoulder feels like it needs a good stretch, but other than that, I feel fine." Tori answered.

"Good, that's good." He nodded. The two fell into awkward silence.

It was a few more minutes before Martha pushed open the door and came up the ramp. The Doctor peered around from his seat in the pilot's chair and sprung up.

"Right then, off we go!" He cheered. "T he open road. There is a burst of starfire right now over the coast of Meta Sigmafolio." He started flipping switches and pressing buttons around the dash. "Oh, the sky is like oil on water. Fancy a look? Or back in time. We could, I don't know, Charles the Second? Henry the Eighth. I know. What about Agatha Christie? I'd love to meet Agatha Christie. I bet she's brilliant."

Martha didn't say anything, just looked at him.

The Doctor stopped and calmed down. "Okay." He said softly.

"I just can't." Martha shrugged helplessly.

"Yeah," he breathed.

"Spent all these years training to be a doctor. Now I've got people to look after. They saw half the planet slaughtered and they're devastated. I can't leave them." She said emphatically. The Doctor looked down.

"Course not."

They looked at each other in silence before the Doctor offered her a tiny smirk. Martha smiled back. "Thank you." The Doctor said. He went up and the two embraced tightly for a minute.

"Martha Jones, you saved the world."

Tori smiled as she watched, but backed up a bit to let them have their moment.

"And you!" Tori heard Martha raise her voice. She looked up to realize Martha was addressing her.

"Yes?" She asked cautiously.

"You stay safe out there." Martha started. "You don't give yourself nearly enough credit, but believe me. You're more than a match for the universe. Just have to trust yourself more."

Tori blinked and slowly smiled. "Thanks, Martha." She muttered. The two women came closer and embraced much like Martha and the Doctor had.

"Take care of this one, yeah?" she nodded towards the Doctor.

Tori hid a frown, knowing she would be leaving soon as well. "Of course." She managed.

"Right then." Martha stepped backwards down the ramp. "Bye." And then she was gone.

A second went by and then Martha came back in.

"Because the thing is, it's like my friend Vicky. She lived with this bloke, student housing, there were five of them all packed in, and this bloke was called Sean. And she loved him. She did. She completely adored him. Spent all day long talking about him." she rambled, walking up the ramp again.

"Is this going anywhere?" The Doctor asked.

"Yes!" Martha insisted. "Because he never looked at her twice. I mean, he liked her, but that was it. And she wasted years pining after him. Years of her life. Because while he was around, she never looked at anyone else. And I told her, I always said to her, time and time again, I said, get out." She paused for the Doctor to understand. "So this is me, getting out."

Martha tossed him her phone.

"Keep that, because I'm not having you disappear. If that rings, when that rings, you'd better come running. Got it?"

"Got it." The Doctor smiled.

"I'll see you again, mister, miss lady." And then, Martha Jones really did leave.

The Doctor sat in his chair for a moment, reflecting on the days past. Tori didn't want to interrupt him, but she had to.

"Doctor?" she asked softly. "If… if it's still alright, could you…"

"Yes, of course!" He chirped in a false cheery tone. "Where and when would you like to go?"

"Edinburgh. October 10, 2310. As close to Afton Place as possible." She recited breathlessly.

"Very good. Hold on!" he called as he flipped a switch. Tori hardly had the time to grab the railing next to her before the TARDIS was off and flying through the Vortex. A moment later, they landed with a thud and the two of them fell to the floor. The Doctor sprung up and offered Tori a hand. She gratefully took it and stood gingerly.

"Home sweet home. When is this for you?" The Doctor asked curiously. He ran down the ramp and opened the door. Tori followed slowly, cautiously behind. She was speechless as she took in her home for the first time in over 700 years.

"This is the day after I was taken." She breathed.

The Doctor turned to look at her. "I can't tell you how sorry I am." He muttered.

Tori shook her head. "I know. But it wasn't you. I had a whole year to think about it and… I don't blame you at all." She smiled slightly at him.

The Doctor beamed kindly back at her. "It was a pleasure knowing you, Victoria Renata."

"You too, Doctor."

The Doctor turned and stepped through the TARDIS' door but turned around. "By the way… how did you escape Gallifrey? I've been dying to ask."

Tori smiled faintly. "A woman, Time Lady I supposed, helped me. She discovered me one day while I was unattended. She found me and realized what had happened. She came back every day for three months, trying to find a way to smuggle me out." Tori's eyes went distant as she recalled her escape. "One day, she told me to run. So I ran. She led me to her TARDIS, but she never made it in. I got in and the doors automatically closed.

"I heard shouting and weapons firing, but the woman never came in. The silence came eventually and I realized I was stuck. But…" Tori paused.

"Then what?" The Doctor urged.

"I can't explain it, but… somehow the TARDIS started and brought be to Earth. Mid 1800's. I stepped out and the doors closed behind me just before the TARDIS died." Tori finished softly.

The Doctor looked down, as if it were his own TARDIS that had died.

"Funny thing is, though… the woman didn't have one of your fancy title names." Tori interrupted his thoughts.

The Doctor's eyebrows furrowed. "What do you mean?" he asked.

"She said her name was Susan. Susan Foreman."

The Doctor's eyes widened so suddenly, Tori thought they would pop out of his head.

"What?" he demanded.

"Her name was Susan, she was the one who helped me escape." Tori repeated.

"She… Susan…" the Doctor's face broke out in a large grin for a moment as he laughed briefly. Then he frowned slightly. "You said her TARDIS died?"

"Yes… And… I'm sorry, but I think she died as well." Tori looked up at the Time Lord. "Did you know her?"

The Doctor didn't answer for a long time, so Tori decided to leave it.

"Anyway…" she started. "Thank you… thank you so much, Doctor." She said earnestly.

The Doctor gave her a bright grin. "My pleasure, Victoria."

"I honestly hope we meet again." She said, smiling.

The Doctor nodded, sticking his hands in his pockets. "You know what, I hope so, as well. Take care of yourself, Victoria Renata."

Tori smiled and nodded once before walking off down the street she knew so well. She heard the TARDIS disappear behind her, but didn't turn to look. Home was ahead.

As she approached her childhood home, the place she hadn't seen in centuries, she had a horrible feeling come over her. When she came closer to the place her home would be, she saw why…

There was no house there anymore. Just ash and rubble. Ambulance bots were loading gurneys of covered corpses… four of them. Her parents and… her two brothers. Felt the ground beneath her crumble as she stumbled to a bench and sat down.

Her world was gone. And she was alone.