Unto the Universe

Chapter Sixty-Three: The End of Time: Searching

By Lumendea

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any spinoff material, and I gain no income from this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

AN: I now have two family members in the hospital for different reasons so I make no promises for next week's update. This is early since it was written and I want to post it before anything else happens. Sorry folks, take care of yourselves.

…

The Doctor was prowling like a big cat. Pacing back and forth between the walls of the command centre behind the rows of computers. Rose could see that the techs were very aware of him as they ran the programs to search for any sign of the Master. Based on the looks that Kate was throwing his way, she desperately wanted him to calm down or at least go into the TARDIS. Rose didn't think it would be long before the woman outright said as much.

Jack had taken a position near the only doorway into the room and was eyeing the two one-way emergency exits. He'd only flirted the tiniest bit with Kate and a young-looking tech before taking what Rose could only think of as a protective post. Even his flirting had been lacklustre for him, more a show for her and the Doctor. That was worrying. Everyone was worried. It hung in the air like a foul smell.

Rose eyed the screens at the far end of the room. Nothing interesting yet. Images were flashing across the individual screens as scans checked through hundreds of images every second. Replaying all the stories she'd heard about the Master from her friends and her own experiences with him, Rose tried to guess what he'd do. But the Master was too chaotic for her to guess. The first time she'd met him in his earlier body on Earth while helping the White Guardian, he'd been very different from the man they'd just encountered. She could see shades of him, of course, not unlike the Doctor, but whatever crazy had long been simmering under the surface had begun to boil over. Then two familiar figures walked into the room and immediately brightened Rose's mood.

"Malcolm!" Rose grinned at the sight of Malcolm Taylor. He was dressed in his usual lap coat and thick glasses but also had string and tags hanging around his neck. She vaguely wondered just how they were organizing the Black Archive. "Good to see you."

He beamed at her, his eyes lighting up and stepped forward for a hug. Rose was more than happy to give him one.

"Good to see you, Rose," Malcolm said into her shoulder. His glee dimmed, and he looked her over quickly as they parted. "Are you alright?"

"Already been a long day," Rose admitted. "But I'm alright." She wasn't going to reveal that she apparently had a terrifying healing factor. "Just one of those days."

"Indeed." Malcolm nodded. "You missed a small invasion two months ago." He chuckled softly. "In South America. UNIT division in Brazil is gloating over not needing to call your phone number." He leaned forward and added, "Their scientific advisor did call and request it, though, so it was close."

"Oh, I rather like not being called for everything," Rose answered. And that was absolutely the truth. "Fewer invasions now?"

"Ah, yes, compared to when you were living on Earth." Malcolm frowned a little. "Not sure what to make of that, but it's probably for the best. Though I suppose you did a good job of establishing some allies for us who probably warn some species off."

Rose would go with that version of things rather than tell him that it was because she wasn't on Earth as a heavy point in time and space, drawing in trouble. There was a flicker of guilt at the idea. It was something that, when she was younger, she hadn't really considered before. But staying on Earth to finish university had probably put many people in danger. Growing older and wiser had its downsides. Pushing the thought away, Rose turned her attention to Malcolm's familiar companion.

"Tosh," Rose greeted with a smile. "It's been a while; sorry about that." She stepped forward and offered a hug to the older woman, which was swiftly returned.

"I understand, Rose." Toshiko Sato laughed softly, pushing her glasses up her nose and smiling. "It isn't as if the insanity of your life is a secret." Then Tosh's features shifted, and she was all business. "I was trying to check things out on the drive over. So far, no sign of the Master and no major thefts from electronic stores. I have started a program to trigger alarms at warehouses just in case."

"Just in case?" Rose asked.

"If the Master went after a warehouse and used something like the sonic screwdriver to get in, it could be days before there's a check on the inventory. Triggering the alarms, in a cascade, of course, will give us a chance to see if there are any theft reports from warehouses."

The Doctor stopped pacing and grinned at Toshiko. "That's fantastic! Well done!"

"Yes, Tosh," Malcolm agreed. "Very clever. I hadn't even considered warehouses myself."

Tosh flushed at the praise, and Rose smiled at her. It was a very smart idea and not one that Rose would have thought of. She knew that warehouses existed, but it was more in a theoretical sort of way rather than thinking of them as places with lots of potential supplies. But the Master knew enough about Earth that they very easily could be a target for him. It made her think of something else though.

"I really hate to ask, but has there been any communication with Torchwood?"

Kate turned to look at Rose. "No, we don't need Hartman involved with the Master."

Rose's stomach turned at the very idea. "Agreed, but depending on what information the Master has and his bad history with UNIT, he might try to connect with Torchwood. Either to manipulate Hartman or raid their alien technology if he can't get into the Black Vault."

"God, let's hope not!" Kate gasped. But she reached into her pocket and retrieved her phone, hurrying off towards a quieter corner.

"This is a mess," the Doctor growled. "We need to find him."

"We will," Jack said. "We know that he causes the rips. It'll be hard to hide the epicentre of something like that, Doctor."

"So, this is a self-fulfilling event?" Malcolm asked with open curiosity. Toshiko had dashed to one of the workstations and was setting up her laptop as well as using the terminal. "The rips in our past are about to be caused in our future?"

The Doctor smiled a little at Malcolm's enthusiasm. "Seems to be. When I got a temporal scan through the last rip, it pointed towards this era and area. Seems that we've caught up with that."

"That is…" Malcolm shook his head. "I understand the theory, of course, of temporal loops, but to realize that I'm in one is still a strange thing." Then he studied the Doctor for a moment and smiled. "I'm sure it will be fine, Doctor. After all, you have all of UNIT ready to help in whatever way we can."

"I appreciate that," the Doctor said.

Rose would have hugged Malcolm again for his words. Something about them had punched through the cloud around the Doctor. He was still worried, certainly, but the reminder of their friends on Earth seemed to have helped. Malcolm offered Rose a soft look before hurrying after Tosh and asking how he could help. Jack wandered the perimeter of the room, checking everything over, and Rose stepped closer to the Doctor. The moment she was beside him, the Doctor grabbed her hand and entwined their fingers.

There was nothing to do but wait. The Doctor ducked into the TARDIS twice, pulling Rose along with him to make sure that the TARDIS hadn't found the Master. She hadn't had any luck yet, either. Then he wandered amongst the terminals, peering over shoulders at the screens and making the UNIT staff very nervous.

Time dragged on. Rose felt each tick of the clock on the wall. It was impossible to ignore. The pressure was building in her chest as if she'd been underwater too long. It was an itch at the middle of her spine where she couldn't reach and a lyric that she couldn't remember, taunting her as the timelines stretched and twisted. Her mouth was dry, and it was becoming harder and harder to focus.

"Doctor," Rose whispered. "I feel…" she trailed off.

The Doctor stopped his checking of the nearby terminal and led Rose to the back of the room once again. He studied her face for a moment before his expression softened. Bringing a hand to her face, the Doctor rubbed her cheek.

"I know," he whispered. "It's the storm before a major event that you're feeling. When you can tell something is coming, but you can't see the other side."

"Is it always like this?"

The Doctor shrugged unhelpfully. "No, nothing is always like anything." Rose huffed and glared at the Doctor, but he just smiled. "Sorry, my hearts," he whispered. "But it's true. Even on Gallifrey, they could only give us some examples, but everyone's time senses operated a little differently."

"So you don't get anything definite?"

"I don't. But I'm a Time Lord, and you're… you. I doubt our senses will work the exact same way, and even if they do, you and I would understand what we're feeling differently."

He had a point, a good point and Rose hated it. "This job should have come with a manual."

"Didn't White and Black want you to go with them for that reason," the Doctor said. Nerves were creeping into his voice. "Maybe you should call them and see if you can-"

"I'm not leaving you and Jack to deal with this," Rose said firmly. "I am not leaving you. Never of my volition."

He didn't believe her. That wasn't unexpected, but Rose's emotions were already high, and it did hurt a little today. Someday he'd know better, but he'd have regenerated then. This him would never believe that fact, and Rose hated it. At least they were happy together. She's always have that even after he regenerated.

"I think I have something!" Tosh called. She rose from her chair and gestured to the big screen. Jack rushed over to join them. A map of a place on the outskirts of London appeared, and a long list of missing items popped up next to it. "Someone broke into a computer shop warehouse. They left behind some of the most expensive items in favour of more basic building block components."

"So, someone with a shopping list," Rose said.

The Doctor was reading through the list of stolen items. His jaw tightened. "It's him. Where is this? We need to go."

"I can arrange transport," Kate said. "Or do you plan to take the TARDIS?"

The Doctor glanced at his ship, his eyes flickering with emotion. Rose stepped up beside him. "No," the Doctor answered. "Transport is best. Better to keep the TARDIS out of things for now. He doesn't have a key, but he's still a Time Lord."

"Very well." Kate was texting on her phone. "Anything else? What can we do?"

"Double whatever guard you have on this place and the Black Archive."

"Does he know about the Black Archive?" Kate asked with a frown. "It's top secret."

"And he's a time traveller, Kate," the Doctor said with surprising patience. "Nothing stays a secret forever."

Kate slowly nodded her understanding. "I'll call in all of our people and alert the army."

The Doctor grimaced at the word army but nodded in agreement. Once she stepped away, the Doctor snatched back Jack's Vortex Manipulator and pulled out the sonic screwdriver. "Dare I ask what you're doing?" Jack asked the Doctor. "I know it's got a good scanner, but there are limits."

"I know." The Doctor rolled his eyes. "Rose and I can feel problems with time. You can't. I want you to have a warning, just in case. It will beep once things… well, once a threshold is passed."

"Fair enough," Jack said. He and the Doctor shared a look, and then Jack nodded in understanding.

Rose had a bad feeling she knew exactly what they were agreeing on and promised herself to keep an eye on anyone trying to evacuate her. She'd warned the Doctor that he wasn't allowed to send her away. But… well, she did have to acknowledge that with her role as a Guardian, things were a touch complicated.

Kate returned in moments, and Ross entered the room along with another soldier right behind her. "Doctor," Kate said. "We have transport for you. Ross has agreed to be your driver."

The Doctor apparently remembered Ross from the Sontaran incident because he smiled and nodded in greeting. Ross puffed up in pleasure at the Doctor remembering him and quickly showed them out to the garage where a nondescript black vehicle was waiting for them. The Doctor claimed the passenger seat, immediately inspecting the onboard laptop that Toshiko was pushing information to.

"Nice upgrade," Rose remarked as she climbed into the backseat with Jack. "Bit more high tech than when I was working for UNIT."

"Only a bit, ma'am," Rose answered. He offered her a smile before pulling them out of the parking space. "Course most of us still aren't outfitted with the translators."

That drew a soft chuckle from the Doctor before he turned his attention back to the screen. "How long to get there?"

"No long, sir," Ross answered dutifully. "Doctor Stewart considered a helicopter but thought being as discreet as possible would be best." He nodded out the window as they rolled out of the garage and onto the small road used for vehicles in the Tower of London. "We've got a police escort to help us get through the city, but then we'll be travelling alone and silent for the last mile just to be safe."

"Make it the last two miles," the Doctor said. "The Master will be trying to use London cameras too as soon as he can get access. We aren't far behind him, but he and the Monk were clearly planning something."

"And you don't know what?" Ross asked.

"That's not the issue. I know what they want, at least I think so." The Doctor swallowed and looked out the window. "It's the how that is the issue. It's not something that should be possible."

"But that's never stopped the Master before," Ross said. He nodded in understanding, glancing up at the rearview mirror to look at Rose. "Any thoughts, Rose?"

She was grateful that he used her name. Rose knew that Ross was trying to balance professionalism with the fact that he was an old friend and dating Sharon.

"Not at the moment," Rose admitted. She sighed. "Have you seen Sharon today?"

"Not today," Ross admitted. "But she's on duty in medical today. We could call her-"

"Not right now," Rose answered quickly. "But thanks. Just glad that she's safe."

"Any UNIT forces on Bannerman Road?" Jack asked. Rose's eyes widened with a hint of alarm. "Just in case the Master tries going after Mrs Tyler or the Chesterton-Smiths."

"Uh, yes," Ross coughed a little. "There's usually someone keeping an eye on Bannerman Road nowadays. Mrs Chesterton-Smith and her little band are good at finding trouble."

The Doctor laughed, and the tension in the car eased. Rose watched him pull out the phone she made him carry and begin to surf the internet. He was reading news sites at rapid speed, flipping through page after page after mere moments.

"Everything alright, sir?" Ross asked.

"Just reviewing the news."

"I didn't know you carried a phone." Ross sounded a touch amused now.

"Rose's idea," the Doctor huffed.

"Ah, that does sound like her."

"What does that mean?" Rose demanded from the back. She leaned forward. "Looking for anything in particular?"

"Not sure, but the Monk and Master might have picked this time and place for a reason. After all, the technology isn't great."

The Doctor looked back at her, and Rose knew he didn't want to remark on the possibility that they'd chosen it because of her. She offered him a soft smile, one so tender that the Doctor couldn't bear to look at her for too long. The Master was on the loose on Earth and had just killed their only fellow Time Lord.

The Monk was dead. The Doctor hadn't let himself stop to think about that. The Monk had been killed by the Master and had been out of regenerations. There hadn't even been time for the Doctor to have the chance to learn the Monk's newest personality quirks. They were just… gone. Now there were only two where there had been three. Anger simmered in his chest, and he wondered if that was why the Master killed the Monk. Did he just want it to be the two of them?

Their relationship had always been strangely close. It was the sort of relationship that others could easily understand. When he'd been exiled on Earth, the Master had always been nearby, causing trouble and perhaps, in his own way, trying to keep the Doctor entertained. His best enemy, even after the time the Master dropped him off a building. In the Master's mind, it was only his fourth regeneration, so the lunatic probably thought it was fine. That was one of his longer-lasting bodies.

But to kill the Monk. And they'd been talking about bringing back Gallifrey. The Doctor couldn't understand why. The Master had no love of Gallifrey, less than he did and probably would have happily destroyed their species if he'd ever had the means. So why did he care about bringing it back? What had happened to the Monk and the Master during that missing time between their last meetings? Did it have something to do with what had caused the Monk's final regeneration?

"Maybe they needed more regenerations," the Doctor said out loud.

"What, Doctor?" Jack asked.

"Trying to figure out why the Master would want to bring back Gallifrey," the Doctor admitted. "If he's out of regenerations, that could be the reason."

"Still, it's a hell of a risk. And the Monk threw his lot in with the Eternals," Jack said. "Feels like we're missing something."

The vehicle came to a stop, and the Doctor jumped out. Rose peered out the window at the very basic-looking warehouse. There was no sign of explosions or anything massive and interesting as she would have expected with the Master. As she climbed out of the vehicle, Ross' phone rang, and he pulled it out.

"No sign of him," the Doctor snarled. "I can feel him now; whatever he and the Monk were using has…" he trailed off and shook his head. "But I can't pinpoint his location."

"The Vortex Manipulator is picking up traces of a spacial jump," Jack said as he fiddled with his wrist device. "Can't get a read on its final destination either."

"Sir!" Ross shouted. "Alarms just sounded at the Black Archive!"

The Doctor released a string of curse words, and Rose's stomach turned in alarm. That building was full of everything weird that didn't belong on Earth that UNIT had gotten its hands on. And the Master probably knew what all of it was.

"A helicopter is en route," Ross added, moving past the Doctor's string of alien curses. "It'll take you straight to the archive. We're trying to establish visual contact. They've activated all of the defences."

"They won't hold him off for long," the Doctor said. His voice was tight and pained. "If the guards can flee, they should."

Ross nodded, but his expression said everything that was needed. Rose knew that those guards would probably die buying every second they could. "And we don't need the helicopter. Give Jack the information on the Black Archive's location. With the alarms going, there's no reason not to use the Vortex Manipulator. We won't be surprising him."

Relief flashed in Ross' eyes, but Rose didn't have a chance to hear the conversation. The Doctor grabbed her arm and pulled her a few feet away.

"Doctor?"

"You should leave," the Doctor said quickly. "The Master knows about our relationship. He'll be targeting you. Grab your mum and vanish. Ross can help you with that."

"You want me to leave?" Rose asked carefully.

"No, well, maybe." The Doctor's face contorted as if he was in pain. Rose thought it probably was. "Better for it to happen now, so you're at least safe," he said quietly.

"I know a lot of your former travelling companions," Rose said with a sigh. "And you know a pattern I've noticed?" The Doctor looked at her in confusion and said nothing. "They leave you. Even Sarah Jane, who was torn up about it, she tried to bluff that she wanted to leave, and circumstances made it necessary in the end. But Ian and Barbara left of their own will, so did Polly and Jackson and Tegan." The Doctor flinched at the last name. "And Mel and Ace and Victoria. They all made the decision to leave the TARDIS." The Doctor wasn't looking at her and remained silent. "So, I can… understand why it's hard for you to believe that I'm planning to stick around." Rose reached out to touch the Doctor's arm. "And I'm not hurt by that or angry at you. I'm angry that your life has left you bracing for the next time someone walks away. I'm not going to."

"Rose…." The Doctor trailed off.

She smiled at him sadly. "I know you don't believe that now. But you will someday. Time will pass, you'll regenerate, there will be bad days that break my heart, and we'll argue, but I will still be here." Leaning up, she pressed a kiss to his cheek. "And if anything ever separates us, know that it is against my will, and I will fight my way back home." Stepping back, Rose raised her chin. "And I'm certainly not leaving because you're worried about what the Master is going to do."

"It isn't just the Master, Rose. If he manages to pull Gallifrey back… Rassilon was restored in the last days of the Time War. The Master could offer him information about you."

"And you think running anywhere on Earth is going to help?" Rose tried to ignore the rush of fear that the Doctor's words triggered. "It won't. I'm staying with you and Jack. I'm seeing this through."

The Doctor sighed, a pained noise, but he nodded. Good, at least he'd listened to that much.