A/N: new chappie! enjoy!

Chapter 20: Twenty Beats of Four

"Right," the Doctor sighed, standing tall in front of the invisible TARDIS and wiping his brow with his sleeve. "That should do it."

He had attached clamps to the handles of the box, which looked like they were hanging in the air from nothing, the wires trailing down to the generator they were attached to sitting next to the TARDIS. Another wire trailed out from it, attached to the battery of the Stun Gun in his hand, giving it more power…he hoped.

"Too bad Liv's not here," he muttered, not noticing Joyce standing in the doorway with Amelia in her arms, the baby now awake from her nap. He turned to the Stun Gun to make one more adjustment with Olivia's Sonic. "I could really use one of those Good Luck kisses."

Joyce stepped toward him, the crunching of grass under her feet catching his attention and he turned to her in wide-eyed wonder before smiling when he noted she had Amelia with her. Joyce stepped onto her tiptoes to kiss his cheek then held Amelia closer to him as the baby held her arms out to him. He smiled sadly, setting the Stun Gun down and taking her into his arms to hug her close as she squirmed in his arms, and he left kisses all over her faces before handing her back to Joyce.

"I know it's not the same but—"

"It'll do, Joyce," he smiled, truly appreciating the gesture, and knowing he'd need all the luck he could get as he lifted the Stun Gun again. "Now, I don't really know what's going to happen, so I need you to take Amelia back into the house, shut the door and stand way back from it, understood?"

"Yes, Doctor," she nodded.

"And no matter what happens…no matter what you hear, no matter what you see, you stay in the house until I say it's alright, got it?"

Joyce nodded without a word, but he could see the fear and worry in her eyes, making his hearts clench in guilt, and he felt his stomach turn with it too. He set his free hand on her shoulder before leaning forward to press an assuring kiss to his mother-in-law's forehead before giving her shoulder a gentle push. She turned to head into the house and he watched her as she shut the door, making sure she was safe with Amelia before turning to look at the invisible TARDIS.

The Doctor sighed as he lifted the Stun Gun to press the barrel of it just above the clamps on the handles, aiming the Sonic toward the generator with his other hand, ready to turn it on and pull the trigger at the same time. The Sonic's hum sounded, the generator switched on, and he pulled the trigger on the Stun Gun, electricity coursing over the outline of the TARDIS, reaching up toward where the light would be on top.

"Come on!" he growled under the effort of keeping the gun in place against the electricity trying to push against him. "Come on, you sexy thing! You can do it!"

He grinned when he saw the familiar blue shade start to spread from the place he was applying electricity, making him laugh triumphantly as he pushed on. The bulb above suddenly sparked, the force of electricity throwing him back and he landed with a grunt on his back, the Stun Gun still in his hand. Joyce gasped from within the house and fought the urge to race outside as she still held Amelia close, watching the Doctor push himself onto his elbows. The barrel of the Stun Gun was smoking, and he tossed it away before grinning up at the TARDIS, now its lovely shade of blue instead of invisible as smoke rose from it as well.

"Doctor?!" Joyce called from inside the house. "Are you alright?!"

"I'm fine, Joyce!" he called back over his shoulder as he sat up completely, holding a hand toward her. "Just stay in the house!"

He shot to his feet and dug a hand into his pocket for his key as he approached the TARDIS, instantly trying the lock that wouldn't work before. He gave a sigh of relief when the lock clicked and the door popped ajar, but he hesitated only for a moment, not knowing what he might find on the other side and wanting to be somewhat prepared. He pushed the door open to find panels sparking, the console dark and wires hanging from every which way. But the sight that made his hearts skip a beat each was Olivia lying under the console, unmoving.

"Liv!"

He raced toward her, dodging past wires and sparking panels to kneel next to her, pulling her into his arms as the door to the TARDIS shut, but he paid no attention to it. He cradled her against him, her head lulling back over his arm beneath her shoulders and he ducked his head down to place his ear next to her mouth and nose. He gave a sigh of relief when he felt her shallow breath fan his face and ear before a garbled sound came from the scanner on the console.

Frowning, he lifted Olivia, effortlessly and made his way to the jump seat to set her in it, strapping her in to keep her from falling before making his way back to the console. He jerked and winced when sparks flew at him, but he managed to push the scanner into his view, trying to read the broken image and he now understood the garbled speech of the computer. The decryption he'd been had been successful. When the image blinked in and out he slammed a hand to the side of the screen, trying to get it to work, but that didn't work he pulled out Olivia's Sonic and used it on the scanner to straighten it out. The image cleared, as well as the sound, but what he heard from it made him freeze in terror, his eyes huge, his hearts pounding.

A four beat rhythm.

The sound of drums.

The heartbeat of a Time Lord.

"No," he breathed, hoping that what he had heard earlier had been his imagination. Some kind of waking nightmare, but now he knew…it was much worse. "Can't be…"

Realization suddenly dawned on him, and he raced back to Olivia to kneel in front of her, shaking her shoulders, trying to wake her.

"Olivia! Wake up! Please wake up! You can't let—!" He choked and swallowed, his hearts trying to escape through his throat before he shook her again, shouting, "Olivia Felton, wake up!"

When she didn't respond he growled in frustration and grabbed her head with both hands, pressing his forehead to hers, trying to grasp the telepathic thread.

"Liv," he whispered, his eyes closed to concentrate on his task. "Pay attention…"

Olivia groaned as she awoke, stretching her arms above her head before rolling over onto her side…her eyes snapping open wide as she saw a white dress hanging on the back of her closed door.

It was her wedding day.

"Olivia!" Heather called, rushing though the door and toward her as Olivia sat up, rubbing one of her eyes. "What are you doing still in bed?! We have to get your hair done, your make-up on, not to mention all the craziness we'll have to go through to get your dress on. Why are you looking at me like that?"

Olivia blinked rapidly before shaking off her confusion just as Heather grabbed onto her arm and pulled her out of bed. She was dragged toward the bathroom where her mother waited for her to start helping her get ready, but she frowned when she noticed someone missing.

"Where's Aaron?" she asked, making the other two women frown at her. "What?"

"He's with Harry," Heather replied, as if she should know. "Why would he be here? I know you two are close, but there's such a thing as too close."

"But—" Olivia cut herself off with a wince when an instant headache sprang up, making her press her hand over forehead as they both frowned at her.

"Another headache?" Joyce guessed, and Olivia nodded. "It's probably just the stress. I'm sure once we're at the reception you'll be right as rain. Heather, can you bring her a glass of water and a pain killer, please?"

Heather nodded and made her way out of the bathroom just as Olivia started to recover and she looked to her mother.

"Mom?" she called, warily.

"Yes, dear?" Joyce smiled, rummaging through Olivia's makeup bag.

"I don't know about this," Olivia whispered.

"About what?" Joyce frowned at her.

"Any of it," Olivia admitted. "Don't you think any of this is strange?"

"Oh, it's just cold feet, sweetie," Joyce assured her, pulling out some makeup she was going to put on Olivia.

"No, mom, I mean it," Olivia insisted. "None of this feels right."

"Those are just nerves."

"Mom, it's not—"

"Here you go!" Heather called, cheerfully with a grin as she came back in with an aspirin one hand and a glass of water in the other.

Olivia sighed, silently through her nose before turning a huge, false smile to Heather before taking them from her with a thank you. She didn't say anything else about it as she took the pill and Joyce and Heather helped her get ready, being assured that Aaron was helping Harry get ready as well.

She had to admit, even while she got ready and felt like she was getting pampered, she didn't feel like the blushing bride she was supposed to be. When Gwen and Tashiko came over, she didn't remember asking them to be bridesmaids…then again she didn't even remember going to get her dress…or helping them pick out their own dresses. As it was she was sure this was all set up by someone else, because she never would've put her bridesmaids in pink. Purple, maybe, but never pink. And it was such a bright pink, too. And her own dress was just as dissatisfying.

"Did I really pick this foofaraw?" she muttered, shifting in her seat as she adjusted her dress, the frills popping up into her face and making her growl in irritation.

"You loved the frills!" Heather grinned, playing with some of them as she, Tash and Gwen sat in front of Olivia and Joyce in the limo taking them to the chapel they'd chosen (two other things she didn't remember arranging).

"Not to mention, you all look like you've been drenched in Pepto Bismol," Olivia muttered, and the three girls laughed.

"You loved them when you saw us in them," Tashiko giggled.

"God, what was I thinking?" Olivia sneered. "You three must hate me for that."

"Not really," Gwen shrugged as Tash shook her head.

"For the record, I do…a bit," Heather added.

"You would," Olivia smirked before turning to look outside the window.

"It's your wedding," Gwen replied. "The bride gets what the bride wants."

"I guess," Olivia muttered, still staring out the window.

She frowned deeply when her eyes caught sight of something strange on the corner as they made a turn. A wooden blue box with the words 'Police Box' over the top caught her eye…and wouldn't let it go. She stared at it for the entire turn, her heart skipping as she leaned over to stare at it as they passed.

"Olivia?" Joyce called in wonder.

"Stop the car," she ordered, making the other four women frown at her in confusion, but she only turned to pound on the partition separating them and the driver. "Stop the limo!"

They all jerked either forward or backward as the breaks were hit with a squeal of the tires and she scrambled out of the car.

"Olivia! What are you doing?!" Joyce shouted, hurrying after her, but Olivia said nothing as she lifted the skirts of her dress to clear room for her feet to run back toward the box.

A gust blew up around Olivia as a sound she recalled hearing at some point in her life filled the air, and just as she rounded the corner again, the box was gone. She frowned and glanced around in wonder as she went all the way around the corner, looking for it, stopping as Joyce caught up with her.

"Olivia Lydia Felton, what the hell are you—?!"

"Did you see it?" Olivia asked her mother, still looking for the box as Joyce frowned at her in utter confusion.

"See what?" she questioned.

"That blue box," Olivia replied, searching the street and sidewalk. "I just saw it! It was right here!"

"What are you talking about blue boxes for when we're late to your wedding?!" Joyce nearly snapped, grabbing Olivia's arm to pull her back toward the limo.

Olivia still searched, allowing her mother to drag her back to the car and they both climbed in where she looked to a stunned Tash, Gwen and Heather.

"What the hell, Olivia?!" Heather squeaked. "Were you seriously trying to pull a Runaway Bride on Harry?!"

"What?!" Olivia squeaked, then hurriedly replied, "No! Of course not! I just…I thought I saw something."

"A blue box," Joyce corrected, sardonically as the limo started rolling again. "I can't believe you leapt out of the car like that because you thought you saw a blue box."

"Why were you looking for it?" Tash wondered with a frown, making Olivia frown in thought at herself.

Why had she been looking for it? The answer came to her as soon as she'd thought of the question.

She was looking for the Doctor. That was his TARDIS.

But…why?

"Olivia?"

She jumped and glanced between everyone in the limo staring at her before clearing her throat and shifting in her seat. She didn't want to confess that she was just thinking of another man on her wedding day.

"I…can't remember if I had something blue," she lied. "I was gonna get a picture."

"You have something blue," Gwen reminded her through a sly smirk. "Your garter is blue."

"Oh…" Olivia muttered, wringing her hands in her lap as she recalled.

"We're here," Heather announced, and Olivia's heart flew into her throat as her bridesmaids climbed out of the limo when it stopped.

She swallowed hard before the three pulled her out of the car, Joyce shuffling out after her. They snuck her in through the back of the chapel, meeting Aaron at the door and giving him a tight hug as Heather asked if Harry was ready and ordered him not to let him see Olivia before she walked down that isle. She was soon in one of the back rooms, given her bouquet, then ushered by her maid of honor and bridesmaids toward the closed door she'd be entering to head down the aisle, Aaron sailing up next to her.

"Nervous?" he whispered as he took her arm to coil it around his and she gave a small nod, gripping her bouquet of pink lilies, then sneering down at them. "Seriously, what was I thinking with pink?"

Aaron gave a small chuckle, kissing her head before leaning down to whisper into her ear, "Geronimo."

She froze, her eyes shooting wide as her stomach flipped and her heart stopped. The doors opened, and she could faintly make out music before Aaron began pulling her toward the threshold. She looked to the end of the aisle to see Harry standing there next to a priest, three men next to him as her bridesmaids waited for her opposite him. She didn't recognize who was next to Harry. She'd never met any of his friends that she recalled.

She felt like she was about to faint…not from nerves, or excitement…but uncertainty. She didn't feel like beaming widely, even as Harry grinned at her when she approached. Aaron handed her to him when they reached the end, and her stomach flipped again when she stepped up in front of Harry as he took both of her hands, still grinning widely.

"Dearly beloved," the priest began. "We are gathered here today to join this man, Harold Saxon, and this woman, Olivia Felton, in holy matrimony. If there is anyone who feels, or knows of any reason why these two should not be wed, speak now, or forever hold your peace."

Olivia swallowed hard as she almost prayed her mother, Heather, Aaron or someone would stand and say something. She then thought she should say something…but why should she? Harry was a nice guy, she wouldn't do any better than him…and yet…

Everyone jumped and gasped when the doors she'd entered through flew open, and everyone shot their gaze to the tall man with piercing blue eyes and curly black hair in a blue suit, purple waistcoat, burgundy button down shirt and blue suede shoes on his feet in the doorway. He had his hands on the doors, holding them open as his eyes locked with Olivia's and her heart skipped, her breath leaving her.

"I object!" he shouted.

Everyone went into murmurs and gasps as he let the doors close when he marched down the aisle at a fast pace, his eyes never leaving Olivia's.

"And, who are you?" the priest questioned as the stranger rushed up to her, pulling her hands from Harry's and moving him aside.

"Hey!" Harry snapped, grabbing onto his arm to pull him away from Olivia, but the stranger shrugged him off, grabbing Olivia's arms as she stared up at him in disbelief, shock and confusion. "Get away from my wife!"

"Not your wife yet," the stranger retorted, still keeping his eyes on Olivia. "Not your wife ever."

"D-Doctor?" she finally sputtered, making him give a smile.

"That's right," Liv," he nodded. "You came back for the TARDIS. Without even knowing why, I'll bet, but you still came. You've started paying attention."

She frowned at him, everything else falling away as she kept her focus on him. He'd always told her to pay attention, but to what? Gravity…but what had that meant?

"Look, buddy, I dunno who you are, but you wanna get my hands off my bride?" Harry snapped, moving to grab the Doctor's arm again, but he stopped short at what happened next.

"Harry, wait," Olivia ordered, making him stare at her with wide eyes, but she and the Doctor never looked away from each other. The Doctor grinned when he saw the light in her eyes…starlight. She whispered, "Gravity. That's…our song. You and I are drawn to each other. We have our own gravity pull…right?"

"We transcend time and space, Liv," the Doctor smiled, lifting a hand to stroke her cheek. "Even parallel worlds."

Olivia burst into a grin as she realized that dream she'd been obsessed with was real…this was the dream. She frowned slightly before glancing around, only to find her surroundings starting to fade.

"Theta, what's happening?" she questioned, stepping closer to him as he wrapped his arms around her.

"This is your mind," he explained, hugging her close. "Now that you've realized it's an illusion, it's fading away."

"But you're not," she noted, pulling pack to look up at him as her wedding dress faded and changed to her usual clothes.

"I'm real," he smirked. "I'm in the TARDIS with you. You're unconscious, but I'm communicating with you telepathically. It wasn't easy getting into the TARDIS, but I had to manage it. Your mum was rather helpful as well."

"What?" she frowned in confusion.

"I'll explain it later," he assured her. "The teensy, weensy, tiny problem we have now, though, is what to do about him."

Olivia frowned before looking in the direction he was now glaring in, then gasped when she finally recognized the face of the man she'd been about to marry.

"The Master," she shuddered as the Doctor pulled her behind him, still glaring at the Master…who was grinning back at them.

"The reception would've been lovely, darling," he crooned at Olivia.

"How is he here?" Olivia shuddered. "…in my head? How can he do that?"

"He's real, like me," the Doctor explained, still glaring at the Master. "He used the four beat signal to attract the TARDIS through the Dalek ship that slipped through the Crack. Except he got the timing wrong and sent it to Robin Hood's village where it met those Cybermen that happened to be there as well. You've been between dimensions this whole time, caught in your own parallel world of his creation. He's with you in the TARDIS in the parallel dimension. I've only seen it done once before."

"But…how is he alive?" Olivia questioned. "He was dying. You told me."

"Ooh! Can I have a go now?" the Master jumped, excitedly, raising his hand like a school boy before he lowered it, tucking his hands into his pockets with a grin. "See, when I so graciously saved the Doctor…and Earth, mind you, from Gallifrey's return, I went back with it into the Time War…into that wonderful little dimension you stuck it in along with your other selves. Rassilon convinced the High Council to fix me right up since my resurrection went wrong, so now, here I am. All fixed up, and itching to get out of that blasted Time War and into this civilized world of yours."

"You're not welcome," the Doctor snapped back.

"Love this new face, by the way, but it seems to be glaring at me," the Master noted. "I saved your life, and your precious Earth."

"You used Olivia to get here, and I won't let you get any farther than this," the Doctor ground out. "One gesture doesn't make up for that, or everything else you've done. I know you."

The Master gave a pout of false hurt before grinning widely as he replied, "Oh, but I'm just getting started. I'm gonna count to twenty, and when I do, I'll be in your TARDIS…and Olivia's gonna help me get there."

"In your dreams," Olivia retorted.

"Oh, how cute, you think you'll have a choice," the Master giggled. "One."

Olivia shouted in pain, clutching her head and causing the Doctor to turn to her in wide-eyed terror. She fell to her knees, still holding her head as a four beat rhythm pounded out around them.

"Olivia!" the Doctor called in panic as he knelt down to grab her arms and pull her up enough to look into her eyes, her hands still on her head. "Olivia, look at me!"

"It hurts!" she sobbed.

"Two," the Master continued.

Olivia shouted again in pain as the rhythm sounded again, leaning into the Doctor's chest as she shuddered, "The drums…they hurt."

"Three," the Master nearly sang, making the Doctor turn an enraged stare at him as Olivia cried out once more. The Master giggled before adding, "Four."

The Doctor released Olivia, even when she shouted in pain and fell fully, writhing and groaning as the drums continued. The Doctor shot toward him, grabbing his collar as the Master laughed.

"Five!" he grinned, his eyes widening in challenge ad excitement.

"Let her go!" the Doctor growled, shaking him by the collar.

"Six!" the Master retorted, shoving the Doctor away, still laughing. "Seven!"

The Doctor roared in his face before turning back to Olivia and pulling her into his arms as she now sobbed from the pain as it worsened.

"Olivia! Listen to me!" he urged, pulling her gaze to him, his hands clutching hers on her head, their eyes locking as she panted in pain. "Fight him."

"Eight," the Master called, pulling his hands behind his back and strolling toward them, watching them.

"You have to fight him, my love," the Doctor ordered her, but she shook her head.

"I can't!" she sobbed, closing her eyes against the pounding.

"Nine," the Master continued, now strolling around them, taunting them.

"You can," the Doctor urged. "I know you can, my love. Try."

"Ten."

"He's too…strong!" Olivia sobbed before shouting again. "It's getting louder!"

"Eleven."

The Doctor stared at her, tears in his eyes at seeing her suffer before pulling her to him and hugging her close.

"Twelve."

"Liv, I'm so sorry," he whispered as she sobbed again.

"Come now, you're not even trying, Doctor," the Master smirked, leaning in closer to whisper, "Thirteen."

Olivia's grip on the Doctor tightened as he turned a glare to the other Time Lord.

"I will stop you," the Doctor ground out at him, trying to ignore the growing pounding of the drums around them.

"Fourteen."

Olivia thrashed in the Doctor's arms but he held her tight.

"I don't know what you want, but when this over…you will pay," he growled.

"Ooh, changed our tune, have we?" the Master smirked, standing tall. "Fifteen."

The Doctor stood as well, Olivia falling from his arms to hold onto her head and writhe in pain at his feet. He glared the Master down, but the maniacal Time Lord only beamed back at him.

"I'm much older than I was when we last met," the Doctor growled.

"Sixteen."

"You lured me out…"

"Seventeen."

"You've hijacked my TARDIS…"

"Eighteen."

"And now, you're hurting my wife."

"Nineteen."

"I will not be as forgiving as I once was…Master."

The Master's grin fell as he frowned slightly at the Doctor before snickering in what seemed like nervousness. The Doctor's rage had grown with each count punctuated by Olivia's screams and the four beat rhythm sounding around them, and now his mind was reeling, trying to find some way to defeat this Time Lord who had once been his friend.

The Master gave a wink before murmuring, "Twenty."

Olivia threw her head back with a scream of agony, her back arching as she still lay at their feet, clutching onto her head, ripping her hair at the roots to somehow ease the pain. A blinding, white light filled the space before going dark, the Master grinning evilly, and the Doctor seething with his wrath.

A/N: I couldn't help it! I had to! it was begging to be done! I'm...I'm so sorry. reviews?